More than 1,000 delegates and dignitaries, including Michelle Obama and her children, will volunteer at 30 community-project sites around Denver next Wednesday during Delegate Service Day.
The projects will range from cleaning up graffiti and building playgrounds to serving meals to the homeless and reading to children.
Convention officials and U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette today announced details at a news conference at Blair-Caldwell Library in Five Points.
“Denver is giving so much; for this community to have the delegates give back is really something,” DeGette said. “I think this is really going to be successful.”
It is the first time a special volunteer day has been set up as part of the events during the Democratic National Convention, DeGette said.
The efforts are being coordinated by Metro Volunteers, Democrats Work and Volunteers of America.
Michelle Obama and Jeannie Ritter will be the co-chairs of the service day and will both volunteer, as will U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, former President Jimmy Carter, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin.
“It’s an opportunity to talk about our values,” said Leah Daughtry, chief executive of the Democratic National Convention Committee. “It’s about bringing people together to accomplish a task. It’s about Americans coming together, rolling up their sleeves and bringing about change in their communities.”
Delegates have already gotten their assignments, which are doled out via their state representation.
For example, delegates from Washington, D.C., will be reading to children at Blair-Caldwell Library. Kentucky delegates will work at the Women’s Bean Project; and Utah delegates will help clean and maintain the grounds at Brent’s Place, a home away from home for cancer patients. The site where the Obamas will volunteer was not announced.
“It’s my hope this service brings renewed commitment of Democrats across the country,” DeGette said. “This is one of the values we hold dear.”
The staff for the convention has been volunteering throughout the runup to the event, putting in more than 850 hours of volunteer hours in the city.
DeGette said she will volunteer at the Women’s Bean Project, where she will probably count beans. The night before, she said, she will practice by counting the money in her daughter’s piggy bank.
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
