A Call to Action: Help V4CF and OFA support healthcare reform this weekend

As announced at our meeting Tuesday, Volunteers For Change-Fresno members will be helping the Organizing for America (OFA) organization with an important project this weekend: neighborhood canvassing in support of healthcare reform.

President Obama wants a comprehensive healthcare reform bill -- one that includes the tenets of reducing costs, allowing patient's choice in their own healthcare and doctor, and ensuring quality and affordable healthcare for all -- approved by the House and Senate before they end their sessions July 31.

That means the time to contact our Senators and Representatives in support of this effort is now.

But we can't do it alone. That's why OFA has asked us to help canvass, undertaking this effort to get our neighbors and friends to contact their Senators and Representatives as well.

Canvassing teams plan to visit selected neighborhoods in Fresno this weekend, July 11 and 12. Want to participate? Sign up for a canvassing session through the OFA website. Two sessions are available: Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12. Canvassers will work in teams, and training will be provided.

We hope to see you there!

President Obama's weekly address: America's history of overcoming challenges

From our friends at Whitehouse.gov:

In his weekly address, President Obama recounts America’s great history of overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges, and pledges to lead America in continuing that tradition. Focusing on creating a clean energy economy, comprehensive health reform, and revitalizing an education system in need of change, the President pledges not to leave these decades-old problems to yet another generation to solve.



If the viewscreen above is not visible, the President's weekly address can be viewed on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPcTv7EZWzo.

V4CF braves the heat to support Youth and Community Health March and Information Fair

From our member Kris Arden comes this recap of our June 27 Call to Action, the Youth and Community Health March and Information Fair:

The event began with a march from the Kearny Palms Shopping Center to Fresno's City Hall Plaza, a march in which several V4CF members participated, including Jesse Calderon, Julius Chatton, Peggy Davis and Connie Peterson.

The balance of our Volunteers For Change set up and staffed our V4CF booth in City Hall Plaza, where we registered people to vote, handed out health care reform information, and ran children's activities focusing on healthy eating and other health-related topics.

The event's sponsors also held a ceremony celebrating the event, attended by Fresno City Council member Cynthia Sterling. Afterward, the Fresno County Health Department conducted voluntary AIDS testing for those attending the Fair. 18 people volunteered to be tested, the highest number ever, with Council Member Sterling the first in line.



Though the day's extreme temperatures caused fewer people to turn out than expected, it was fun to see the smiles on the faces of the children who enjoyed coloring and playing with Play-Doh at our booth.

Thanks for the report, Kris! Here's how the event looked: