by Sarah van Gelder
Yesmagazine.org

Ted Celeste is placing an endorsement ad in the suburban newspapers and asks for your support TODAY. The ad will say "Join your friends and neighbors in Supporting Ted Celeste".

Email your name in TODAY to http://tedceleste.com/index.php?page=display&id=148.

While Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, along with Rudy Giuliani, openly mocked and derided the job of community organizing at the RNC convention, another 100 people got engaged through UA house meetings during those three days -- and the pace hasn't let up yet. In fact the frequency and level of interest keeps going up.

A packed house: over 50 people came to this house meeting hosted by an Obama supporter and UAPA member. It's easy and fun to host or attend a house meeting.

Ohio Women voted 54% for Al Gore in 2000 but only 50% for John Kerry in 2004. That was the difference in the election.

WOMEN WIN ELECTIONS!

The Ohio Democratic Party is undertaking a targeted postcard initiative to reach at least 118,000 persuadable women voters who are soft-Republican and Independent voters likely to have children. It's up to us to talk to these women about why we are voting for Barack Obama and Joe Biden and the rest of the Democratic ticket this year.

Your response to our sign initiative has been outstanding! Over the last several days we distributed hundreds more signs online and at the Labor Day Arts Festival.

Be a part of the movement here in UA. Planting a sign really makes a difference in ways you may not know. Your public show of support impacts people in your neighborhood who trust and value your opinion.

If you live in neighboring communities (or anywhere in Ohio, for that matter) we have yard signs that you'll love!

Announcing our Ohio for Obama signs! These weatherproof signs will take you through the election and beyond. Display your pride with your new Ohio for Obama sign, and announce to the world that you support Barack Obama and his platform of change we all can believe in!

Want to know the centerpiece for Obama's strategy for winning Ohio? In two words it's:

House Meeting

On-the-ground, good-old-fashioned grassroots field organizing and social networking is the game plan for winning in 2008. Yup, it's that simple.

It's not going to be the usual candidate campaign tactics in which hordes of political types swoop in and knock on thousands of doors without regard to communities, churches, neighborhoods, cultures and existing networks.

This community organizing and house meeting video describes the house meeting concept. It's not too much different than the UAPA house parties you may already be familiar with, but a big difference is emphasis on grassroots social networking compared to other campaigns. Read 'Obama's paid staff dwarfing McCain's'.

Can you host or attend a house meeting? Sign up here.

Not sure what hosting a meeting entails? It's really easy. Check out our House Meeting Frequently Asked Question list.

Sign up to host or attend a house meeting and we'll contact you with details on how to organize your network to help Obama!

It wasn’t too long ago that the local Gahanna newspaper nicknamed city council meetings “the Tuesday night fights.” Because of dissention among council members and other factors, the community was fading fast. But a determined group of residents, elected officials and city administrators were able to find ways to cooperate and vitalize their city.

The result is the Creekside development, an innovative mix of commercial, retail and living spaces in downtown Olde Gahanna.

Why should Upper Arlington citizens care what happened on the other side of town? Because we have an opportunity to bring innovation to our own area by insisting that Kingsdale once again become a jewel in our city’s crown.

The Regency preliminary proposal is not forward thinking. It is not sensitive to the neighborhood. It requires 16 variances to accomplish. It will not increase city revenues, but will increase demand on city services.

Let’s make our voices heard

Gahanna’s path to being named one of the top 100 cities in the U.S. was not always smooth. But planners listened to public opinion (at one point holding 12 forums to hear what residents thought) and incorporated what they heard into their concepts for Creekside.

Past Newsletter Issues - 2007-2010

UAPA sends a periodic e-newsletter to our members. These issues date from 2007-2010.