Team Englin volunteers turned out in force yesterday and today for two evenings of phone calls, door-to-door canvassing, and getting out our final pre-election mailing.

“Neighbor-to-neighbor outreach like this is how close elections are won,” said David.  “Shayna and I are honored to open our home so together we can push Virginia to victory.”

JOIN US FOR THE FINAL FOUR – four days of grassroots action to elect Barack Obama!

Saturday, November 1 Door-to-door canvass, 1505 Wayne Street, Alexandria, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sunday, November 2 Door-to-door canvass, 1505 Wayne Street, Alexandria, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Monday, November 3 GOTV canvassing, lits drops, and phone banking, 1505 Wayne Street, Alexandria, 10 a.m. – late night.

Tuesday, November 4 – Election Day!

• GOTV canvassing and phone banking, 1505 Wayne Street, Alexandria, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. (when the polls close!)
• 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  We still really need people who are registered to vote in Alexandria to work inside polling places on Election Day.  This is the final, absolutely critical link in our turnout operation, so please help if you can!

Let us know you’re coming at gro.nilgnedivadnull@ofni or 703-549-3203.

Many thanks to nearly 300 volunteers who gave their time and energy yesterday to make Team Englin’s annual Knock and Rock (this year it was “Knock and Rock for Barack”) such a great success! Together, we canvassed the entire City of Alexandria in about three hours — an amazing feat that demonstrates the grassroots power that will push Barack Obama to victory next week.  Special thanks to Heather Sullivan, Joe LaMountain, and Tania Blagrove for pulling together the logistics and the food, to Katharine McFarland and the Obama campaign team for their expert work managing the canvass operations, and to everyone who came through with such a terrific spread to feed hungry volunteers.

With just eight days to go, can you please volunteer some time (or some more time) so we can close the deal and deliver Virginia’s 13 electoral votes?

VOLUNTEER NIGHTS

• Tuesday, October 28, 6-9 p.m. 1505 Wayne Street, Alexandria. (map) Come knock on doors, make phone calls, and stuff envelopes as we begin our final push to victory. (We have 2,500 envelopes to stuff between Tuesday and Wednesday!)
• Wednesday, October 29, 6-9 p.m. 1505 Wayne Street, Alexandria.

FINAL FOUR

• Saturday, November 1 Door-to-door canvass, 1505 Wayne Street, Alexandria, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Sunday, November 2 Door-to-door canvass, 1505 Wayne Street, Alexandria, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Monday, November 3 GOTV canvassing, lits drops, and phone banking, 1505 Wayne Street, Alexandria, 10 a.m. – late night.
• Tuesday, November 4 – Election Day! GOTV canvassing and phone banking, 1505 Wayne Street, Alexandria, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. (when the polls close!)

Let us know when you can join us at gro.nilgnedivadnull@ofni or 703-549-3203.

Can you please join us Sunday, Oct. 26 beginning at 3 p.m.?  The Obama campaign is taking Team Englin’s annual “Knock and Rock” event to the next level, using it to launch their Alexandria-wide Get Out The Vote operations.  We need to turn out more than 200 canvassers to knock on doors from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by great food and great music as rewards for a job well done.  Here are the details:

Sunday, Oct 26, 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Minnie Howard School, 3801 W Braddock Rd, Alexandria, VA.  RSVP to gro.nilgnedivadnull@kcordnakconk or 703-549-3203.  (And bring your friends!)

Many thanks to more than two dozen volunteers who turned out last night to knock on doors, make phone calls, and stuff envelopes to make Barack Obama the next president of the United States.  With just 19 days to go until Election Day, Campaign Central (a.k.a.: the Englin home!) has become a critical staging area for the Obama campaign’s Alexandria field operation and get-out-the-vote effort.  Join us this Saturday and Sunday during the day and then again on Wednesday evening to do your part.  And don’t forget Knock and Rock next Sunday, October 26!

by Del. David Englin, 2008-2009 Alexandria United Way Campaign Chair

Even when times are tough, the strong, vibrant, diverse community Alexandrians enjoy thrives because those of us blessed with a little more than we need tend to lend a hand to those of us who need a little more.  With the national economy putting the squeeze on more of our neighbors, now is the time to come together and help those in our community struggling to make ends meet.

Despite our relatively affluent city, more than 1,600 families live below the poverty line, more than 5,600 Alexandrians rely on food stamps, and over half of the children in our public schools qualify for federally subsidized lunches.  Many of our citizens cannot afford basic human necessities like food, clothing and shelter, let alone other needs like health care, child care, drug treatment, tutoring, and job training.

Through our tradition of caring and activism, we have risen to address these community challenges during good times and bad.  While government safety-net programs are critical, we also depend on the extraordinary efforts of our community’s non-profit human service providers, which work faithfully to serve those in need. [Read more...]

David joined dozens of fire fighters, paramedics, and other public safety workers and their families at the Ivy Hill Cemetery today for the Alexandria Fire Department’s Annual Memorial Service and Wreath Laying.  The ceremony honors the memory of members of the Alexandria Fire Department who have died in the line of duty, as well as retired members of the department who have died during the previous year.

[Read more...]

Many thanks to more than two dozen volunteers who turned out tonight.  Between door-knocking, phone calls, and mail, together we took Barack Obama’s message of change to thousands of voters.

“While the momentum is starting to shift in our direction, we must not get complacent,” said David.  “Remember that, while the national polls are positive, this is not a national election — it’s 50 statewide elections (plus one city-wide election in DC.)  It’s still a dead heat in Virginia, but thanks to your energy and hard work, I’m confident that we will turn out all of those newly registered voters and deliver the change our country needs on November 4.”

Join us next Thursday, October 16, 6-9 p.m., for a massive door-to-door canvass, where we’ll be stepping up our efforts to contact every possible voter between now and November 4.  Let us know you’re coming at gro.nilgnedivadnull@ofni or 703-549-3203.

The 45th District includes part of Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood, the eclectic neighborhood where old fashioned main street is still alive and well, and where David calls home.  Tens of thousands of people converged on Del Ray Saturday for Art on the Avenue, the annual regional multicultural arts and music festival that is always a highlight of the year.

Aside from enjoying the festival with friends and family, David joined other officials for the festival’s annual ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating new small businesses that have opened in Del Ray during the past year.

“Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to make this the largest Art on the Avenue ever, and to all of the small businesses that continue to find a home in Del Ray,” said David.

(*Photo by MarieMcC under Creative Commons license.)

Nearly 50 volunteers turned out for two simultaneous Team Englin events this evening to do the grassroots work necessary to deliver Virginia’s 13 electoral votes for Barack Obama.

Between connecting with friends in the neighborhood, building bridges in the community, getting kids engaged in the election, and registering several new voters before Monday’s deadline, Team Englin’s 4th Annual Community Outreach Cookout was a great success.  Meanwhile, back at Campaign Central, volunteers contacted more than 1,200 people on the phone, at their doors, and in the mail.

“Thank you so much for all of your hard work,” said David.  “It’s truly inspiring to see so many people willing to give their time and energy to change the future of our country.”

With just over one month before Election Day, we have many opportunities to get involved.  Click here to check the calendar and contact us at gro.nilgnedivadnull@ofni or 703-549-3203 to let us know when you can help.