News from
THE MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      
Contact: Jason Moon
517-371-5410
October 23, 2007

“Blue Tiger” Democrats Restore Activist Roar to

Michigan Democratic Party

LANSING - Today, Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) Chair Mark Brewer provided an update on a pledge he made a year ago to “regain respect for the Democratic Party and the political process” from the public by supporting local efforts to provide meaningful services and support for issues in their community beyond politics.

 “I’m happy to report that the Blue Tiger Democrats are successfully returning the Democratic Party to its roots of community service and civic engagement,” said Brewer. “One-third of our local party organizations currently have community service projects and more are coming aboard every day.”

Blue Tiger Democrats, a national non-profit as well as a project of the MDP, has rekindled community service projects as a core purpose of Democratic Party organizations across Michigan.  Branded with a blue tiger as a new symbol (or historic one according to national founder Bill Samuels), “Blue Tiger Democrats have awakened activist efforts to support their community through service across the State,” Brewer continued.

“Every day, Democrats see the struggles of veterans, seniors and working families,” said Frank Houston, CEO (Civic Engagement Organizer) of Michigan Blue Tiger Democrats.  “For many activists, being able to run a charity drive for a veteran’s hospital or a food bank for those in need gives them a way to live their Democratic values every day,” Houston stated.

Brewer and Houston unveiled a new, Michigan-specific Blue Tiger Democrats website, www.michiganbluetigerdems.com where Party organizations, activists and leaders can highlight the service projects, volunteers and civic engagement activities they are undertaking or have worked on.
Highlights include:

• In Oakland County, Democrats launched a charity drive this past Memorial Day for Veteran Affairs hospitals and organizations that service veterans, collecting a wide range of items that hospitals run short on;

• In Berrien County, the South County Democratic Club has been collecting goods to support Resident Services of Southwest Michigan’s efforts to provide the homeless and veterans in Berrien County with basic necessities and support;

• In AntrimCounty, Michael Moore teamed up with the AntrimCounty Democratic Party in releasing his latest film, “Sicko.”  Together, they donated the proceeds from the national opening night to the FamilyResourceCenter and the IronmenHealthCenter, which provides free services to children and young adults between the ages of 10 to 21. 

 
“We see the new Michigan Blue Tiger Democrats website as being a great way for Party members across the state to share stories of service,” said Houston.  “By highlighting past and current projects, upcoming events and great local activists, we can share best practices for putting together successful projects and demonstrate what it really means to be a Democrat,” explained Houston.

 “Often, volunteers from political campaigns struggle to discover a place to channel their passion and dedication to the issues and politics they are concerned with between elections,” said Brewer.  “Blue Tiger Democrats has helped create a renewed sense of commitment for many leaders to get organized and stay active even when the next election may be several months a way,” Brewer concluded.

To learn more about the work of Michigan Blue Tiger Democrats, go to www.michiganbluetigerdems.com, or contact Frank Houston at (734) 624-3555 or fhouston@bluetigerdems.com.

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Paid for by the Michigan Democratic State Central Committee, 606 Townsend St., Lansing, MI  48933. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.