SD31 DFL News- Holiday Edition
December 12, 2024
Friends—
Warm Holiday Wishes! First, a quick look at upcoming events— and then further on, a few thoughts about the old year transitioning to the new one…
Read on for…
- New Look for Our Websites
- December Events
- New Dates and Times for 2025 (Movie Night Jan 31!)
- Winter Clothing Donations Needed
- Links Worth Checking Out
NEW LOOK FOR OUR WEBSITES
First, MANY THANKS to Mark Lopez for all his work helping SD31 DFL get started with our website after re-districting! After 4 years, Mark has a number of new activities, and lives in another district— and he has passed the torch to Charlie Baarsch and our Communications group.
We are now in the process of making some updates to the two websites we sponsor. We hope that these sites will become active hubs where people check in frequently for new information. Please be sure to checkout our sites several times in the next few weeks:
VoteBlueMN.org
dflneighborhoodnerwork.net
DECEMBER EVENTS
We will not have a general meeting in December, but there are still a few important events before the end of the year:
Saturday Morning SD31 DFL Coffee Break 08:30-11:00 am
Starbucks in Andover Target, 2000 Bunker Lake Blvd
For DFLers looking for politically compatible company. We just get together, talk over events, relax, and get re-energized to face another week. Drop in, stay as long as you like, and see what we are all about. Charlie is usually there.
Saturdays— December 14, 21 and 28 and January 4 and 11
December 16, Monday
Anoka County DFL Holiday Party Potluck
6 pm 12/06/2024
Betsy O’Berry’s House
8701 160th Ct NW, Ramsey MN 55303
NEW DATES AND TIMES FOR 2025
Mark your Calendars for our new meeting times and other events:
** Movie Night Returns with a Potluck in January!**
We are bringing back a favorite event from earlier last year— monthly movie night, joining with our friends from SD35. We will start in January with a potluck to watch the inspiring movie Pride, about the real events when LGBTQ folks joined with coal miners in a major strike in the UK— a fun reminder of what can be done through solidarity!
Movie nights will be on the last Friday of each month in 20252025
Place: Andover Community Center— Teen Room
Date: Friday, January 31
Time: 530-830 PM
SD31 DFL General Monthly Meeting Shifts to TUESDAYS
Our regular monthly meetings will move to Tuesdays in 2025— the second Tuesday of each month.
Place: Andover Community Center— Community Room A (DOWNSTAIRS!)
Date: Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Time: 6:00 pm Social Gathering, 6:30-8:00 pm business meeting
Anoka-Hennepin School Board Meetings
Work Sessions-– Mondays, 5:30 pm Education Services Center, 2727 Ferry St, Anoka.
Regular School Board Meetings— Mondays, 6:30 pm, Sandburg Ed. Center, Anoka 1902 2nd Ave.
Work Sessions allow for observation only but we need people to watch what is happening! Major decisions are often made in these meetings, without a written record. We need observers to help keep the Board accountable, especially in this critical Budget period.
Next Regular Board Meetings: Jan 13, Jan 27, Feb 24
Next Work Sessions: Feb 10, March 3
Anoka County DFL Senior Caucus
From Mel Aanerud (aanerud4@comcast.net):
January 8 we will have Representative Ginny Klevom, the chair of the State Legislative Task Force on Aging. We will also hold elections for officers – Chair, Vice chair, Secretary and Treasurer and any other officer we believe we need.
Place: Perkins in Blaine— 12545 Ulysses St NE
Date: January 8
Time: Order food— 11:30 AM; Meeting starts: 1:00 PM
MN Legislature Session Begins
The next session of the MN Legislature begins on
Tuesday, January 14.
The schedule calls for the legislature to finish its work by
Monday, May 20.
WINTER CLOTHING DONATIONS NEEDED
There has been a request for warm winter clothing for unhoused and underserved Native Minnesotans from aid groups that Ellen Hadley (of SD35 DFL) works with. Gifts will benefit residents of Four Winds Treatment Center in Brainerd, the CHUM Center in Duluth, and Nenookaasi Aid for unhoused people in Minneapolis. These groups do outreach on the streets of Duluth and Minneapolis every day, and the warm gear that is donated will help save lives, literally.
The needs are mostly for men, but also women, and include the following items:
- Warm jackets and snowmobile suits
- Snow pants, Long underwear, Warm socks, sweaters, flannel shirts
- Boots, Belts
- Mittens and gloves, Hand and toe warmers, Hats and scarves
Folks from SD35 can arrange to pick up items at your homes. They will arrange to transport items to the volunteers who get them to our Indigenous neighbors in need. Call Ellen Hadley at 763-227-9361 to arrange pick up.
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
In this newsletter we aim to be uplifting, as far as we can within the limits of reality! Right now it is hard to find items that fit the bill. And of course we need to stay alert to know what is happening— not only in the US but in places like Ukraine and Syria. Expect to see more of those in 2025. But here is one especially good link from Heather Cox Richardson, about a black serviceman who saved others and then paid the ultimate price for Democracy and against fascism on December 7, 1941:
“When America came under attack before, people like Doris Miller refused to let that happen. For all that American democracy still discriminated against him, it gave him room to stand up for the concept of human equality—and he laid down his life for it.”
Keeping warm at this darkest time of year
A little good news—as of December 12, we have passed the earliest sunset of the year— the sun will set later each day after that! Ironically, we wait until January 6 for our latest sunrises, when the sun starts to rise earlier each day again.
We are closing in on the end of a very strange and difficult year. Yet despite the many awful outcomes of the November election, in SD31 we have drawn together and worked hard to be sure that progressive voices are heard in our community. We have discovered new candidates who help carry this message forward (Thanks once more to Dara, Gadisa, Betsy, and Mike!). Our Neighborhood Network has flourished under Charlie’s innovative leadership, showing us that there are more progressives and liberals out here in SD31 than any of us imagined— Good People, Doing Good Things!
As we await the unfolding of the new year in 2025, and prepare ourselves mentally to resist the worst that will be coming our way, let’s all recharge with family and friends, and celebrate this time of year as a time of personal rest and reflection. Let’s find some peace and draw strength from one another.
And let’s remember our shared values, the values that unite us in this work, that we repeat at the end of every newsletter— the values that we will need to guide us in the coming year:
Love Your Neighbor
Truth, Justice and Compassion
Non-Violence
Showing up to Do Your Part
We hope you have a warm and restful Holiday Season!
Your Editor,
Peter
And the whole SD31 DFL Communications team
Contribute to SD31-DFL and get a REFUND
The cycle starts again for 2025: Contribute whatever you can to SD31 DFL–
GET A FULL REFUND for any amount up to $75 per person.
After donating at VoteBlueMN.org, just go to this site to find, print, and fill the following document— then send it in with your receipt:
https://cfb.mn.gov/citizen-resources/board-programs/public-subsidy-of-campaigns/political-contribution-refund-program/
Email Updates and Submissions
Newsletters and other Emails from SD31 DFL will typically be sent out on Monday or Tuesday, but only if there is new information or announcements that need to be sent as reminders. And more often during the lead-up to the election. If you have an item to share, please submit it by noon on Friday to info@VoteBlueMN.org
We also welcome longer items for our website if you have articles, blogs, or letters that you would like to share! Check the site out at VoteBlueMN.org.
THANK YOU for the energy to move forward despite the fears and frustrations we all face. In whatever ways we can we all need to keep working for a country where
EVERYBODY COUNTS and
No One is left behind…
Step by Step, Always Together, Always Forward.
SD31 Communications
info@VoteBlueMN.org
Our Core Values and Moral Guideposts:
A Good Economy for Working Families
Fighting Hatred and Racism
Liberty and Justice for ALL— including Women’s Rights and Reproductive Freedom
Taking Care of our Home– the Earth
Love Your Neighbor
Truth, Justice and Compassion
Non-Violence
Showing up to Do Your Part