Last night, more than 1,000 Hoosiers attended this year’s State Dinner in Indianapolis, Indiana. As people were checking in, I ran into U.S. Senate candidate Dan Coats and his campaign manager. Dan Coats and his staff are well aware of ONE and our efforts to continue our nation’s heroic efforts to save lives in the poorest parts of Africa, and he has seen ONE members all along the campaign trail. This time was no different — he even remembered me by name!

Gov. Mitch Daniels opened up the night with a speech. I must admit I had a good time, but was definitely there to catch up with him and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to let them know more about ONE. So, I tried my best to make my way to Gov. Christie and talk with him more about U.S. life-saving efforts, and how he recently saw ONE members in Iowa earlier this month, but he slipped out of the event before I could talk with him.

Following the event, I was able to catch up with Gov. Daniels outside the massive ballroom before he left. After introducing myself and ONE, he asked me what our movement was all about. I told him that ONE members in Indiana are on the campaign trail to make sure that no matter who wins the U.S. Senate race, the next senator will help continue the fight against HIV/AIDS and poverty in Africa. I made sure to mention our efforts to fight global poverty and preventable disease through better governance and smarter, reliable and more transparent aid efforts.

I was also sure to mention that through these efforts we can reduce international conflict and ensure America’s national security. I handed Gov. Daniels my ONE band and mentioned it was a symbol of the almost 25,000 Hoosier ONE members who want their elected leaders to help fight extreme poverty around the world. He seemed impressed by those numbers and snapped a picture with me.

Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 Indiana members on Facebook and Twitter.

-Maddison Klontz, ONE Vote 2010 state organizer, Indiana

Today, Senator Richard Lugar and the Sagamore Institute unveiled the Indiana-Africa Connections Project at the historic Levey Mansion in Indianapolis. The project is a database that contains almost 300 Hoosier organizations, mostly charities, who work with organizations in sub-Saharan Africa to provide assistance by way of food, immunizations, transportation, education, etc. The Sagamore Institute worked with local graduate students on the project, which will soon include our local ONE initiative.

ONE members were in attendance today, and I made a point to personally thank Senator Lugar for his work on PEPFAR, which has provided life-saving antiretroviral treatment for more than 2.4 million people. I also thanked him for his recent work on the Cardin-Lugar Transparency Amendment which helps fight corruption in resource-rich, but highly impoverished countries in Africa.

Senator Lugar has been a champion for ONE’s issues throughout the years, and we’re proud of his efforts with ONE to fight extreme poverty and help save millions of lives in the poorest places on earth. His speech is available online and highlights the Global Food Security Act, GAVI, AGOA and the MCC.

Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 Indiana members on Facebook and Twitter.

-Maddison Klontz, ONE Vote 2010 state organizer, Indiana

Wednesday evening, U.S. Senate candidate Dan Coats attended a gathering in Terre Haute, Indiana. I made it out with some ONE members too, including some local Indiana State University students, to show support for fighting global poverty and preventable diseases in Africa.

Coats had spent the majority of the day in Terre Haute, taking time to speak to local Indiana State University Students on campus. But this event was at the local Shriners Temple with more than 400 attendees, including many local candidates and staff. But when we got there, we noticed a surprise guest – South Dakota Senator John Thune!

Lucky for us, Sen. Thune was certainly familiar with ONE, as he just saw ONE members in Colorado, and New York City this past Monday, and made a point to come shake our hands and thank us for the work we do as ONE members. He told us that he sees ONE everywhere, which makes sense! With more than two million ONE members across the country, ONE is making a point to get out and talk with our elected leaders, celebrate recent efforts to save lives in the developing world and to urge even greater leadership moving forward.

We thanked Senator Thune for his work with PEPFAR, which is helping to save millions of lives from HIV/AIDS and malaria, and we urged him to be a torch bearer in the senate in the future.

Our country can help fight extreme poverty in Africa and help make sure that no child is born with HIV – all of this is possible, and it begins with you and your voice!

Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 Indiana members on Facebook and Twitter.

-Maddison Klontz, ONE Vote 2010 state organizer, Indiana

This past Friday, Indiana Congressman Mike Pence held a lunch meeting with pizza for local college republicans at the state party headquarters in Indianapolis. I took this opportunity to listen to the Congressman speak about issues facing our country, and to talk with him about ONE and US efforts to fight extreme poverty and disease in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Upon meeting Rep. Pence, I gave him a ONE band – a small symbol of the 24,000 Hoosier ONE members who want our elected leaders to do all they can to save lives in the poorest nations on earth. I told him how proud I was of the leadership of both Republicans and Democrats in fighting extreme global poverty. Rep. Pence thanked me for my efforts with ONE, and I urged him as a man of faith to continue to work on behalf of least among us in this world.

No matter what politician or political party, ONE will be out to celebrate and encourage contuined international life-saving policy!
Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 Indiana members on Facebook and Twitter.

-Maddison Klontz, ONE Vote 2010 state organizer, Indiana

Former Governor Huckabee and ONE field organizer Maddison Klontz

Last night, I attended the annual Allen County Bean Dinner in Fort Wayne, Indiana. former Governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee was the special guest and I had the time to catch up with him and chat with him for a few minutes about his own efforts with ONE on behalf of the world’s poorest people.

After introducing myself, I gave Gov. Huckabee a ONE band and thanked him for always making time for ONE when he was on the trail, and for always remembering the world’s poorest people. As man of faith, Gov. Huckabee has certainly done much to remember the least among us and we can’t thank him enough!

Although U.S. Senate candidate Dan Coats was unable to attend the event, his wife Marsha was in attendance. She was sure to mention her gold blazer to me, which I thought was for fall, but learned that it represents Purdue University and their game this weekend. ONE members will be at Purdue tailgating event this weekend and we hope to run into Dan Coats. We can only hope to get Marsha a black ONE t-shirt to go with the rest of her Purdue wardrobe!

Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 Indiana members on Facebook and Twitter.

-Maddison Klontz, ONE Vote 2010 state organizer, Indiana

Congressman Ellsworth with ONE Field Organizer Maddison Klontz.

Congressman Ellsworth has been traveling the state of Indiana, hosting rallies at early voting centers for Hoosier voters. As always, ONE has been on the trail speaking to the U.S. Senate candidate about extreme poverty and preventable disease in Africa.

I caught up with him in Indianapolis on Saturday and had a chance to talk with him about ONE and our efforts here to make sure that no matter who wins next month, our next senator continues U.S. efforts to save lives in the poorest places on earth. We chatted a bit, and snapped a quick photo in my ONE shirt!

Congressman Ellsworth with ONE volunteer and Ball State student Rachel French at BSU

On Tuesday, Congressman Ellsworth sponsored a Q&A session at Ball State University. I attended this event with a few other ONE members, just as I did when Dan Coats visited. Ellsworth welcomed us as soon as we arrived with a smile and wave and afterward, took a few minutes to speak with us. He thanked us for what we do as ONE members. We thanked him for always taking time to speak with us along the campaign trail and urged him to take action for the world’s poorest people if he is elected and gave him a new ONE band!

As ONE members continue to interact with candidates, we are here to educate and advocate for proven programs that are working to save millions of lives in the developing world. We have a big opportunity to make sure that our next senator – no matter which party — continues the fight against extreme poverty and global disease across the world!

Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 Indiana members on Facebook and Twitter.

-Maddison Klontz, ONE Vote 2010 state organizer, Indiana

Sen. candidate Coats speaks at a Chamber of Commerce event. Afterward, he told us, “I like what ONE’s doing!”

Starting Sunday, ONE members kicked off a busy week with their U.S. Senate candidates. Dan Coats was in attendance at the annual Lake County Reagan Breakfast in Indiana. We caught up with him before the event and urged him to continue the fight against extreme poverty in Africa if elected, and he told us, “Thanks for what you’re doing. You have a great operation going there.”

ONE members also ran into Brad Ellsworth in Northern Indiana as he toured east Chicago and South Bend — a reminder that ONE is everywhere on the trail! I’m excited to see him at my soon-to-be alma mater Ball State University next week!

Yesterday, I attended an Evansville doughnuts-and-coffee event with Dan Coats hosted by the Government Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana. I spoke with a lot of his staffers about ONE before I headed in. Coats spoke about some of the serious foreign policy issues that our nation is facing today. I couldn’t help but think about how our efforts to save lives in the developing world help create a better and safer world for us at home and abroad.

Current Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar has been working hard over the years to support proven programs and policies that are saving lives in the world’s poorest nations. Although Senator Evan Bayh is retiring, through our efforts with ONE Vote 2010 here in Indiana, we can make sure that next year, our delegation will continue these efforts!

Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 Indiana members on Facebook and Twitter.

-Maddison Klontz, ONE Vote 2010 state organizer, Indiana

ONE members went to Beech Grove, Indiana this weekend to celebrate the beginning of autumn at the town’s annual Fall Festival Parade, and catch up with US Senate Candidate Dan Coats at Saturday’s parade to remind him ONE and the world’s poorest people.

Along the way, we ran into Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard and talked with him about ONE’s efforts to advocate for the world’s poorest people. He told us about some of his friends who do work on the ground in the developing world to help children living in extreme poverty, and gladly took a ONE band from us.

And although it was quite a busy parade, we managed to find Dan Coats and quickly catch up with him. We did not have time to have a long conversation, but he saw our shirts and we slipped him a ONE band – a small representation of the over 2 million Americans who want our country to do all it can to fight extreme poverty and save lives in Africa!

Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 Indiana members on Facebook and Twitter.

-Maddison Klontz, ONE Vote Indiana State Organizer

Pictured above:

(1) ONE Members (Andy Strain & Sam Vazquez) meet with Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard 9/18

(2) ONE Members(Andy Strain & Sam Vazquez) meet with Indiana Senate Candidate Dan Coats 9/18

ONE is hitting the campaign trail to find out where candidates stand on extreme poverty. Stay tuned for more updates like these from our field team and organizers on the road.

You could feel the excitement in the air as fans anxiously waited in line to see Maroon 5 perform live in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The band stopped off at the historic Murat Theater to promote their upcoming album “Hands All Over,” and was gracious enough to invite ONE to tag along.

ONE volunteers handing out goodies and signing up new members

Maroon 5 keyboardist Jesse Carmichael greeting ONE supporters in the audience

The volunteers and I set up a table in the lobby so we could talk to people about ONE Vote 2010’s efforts to provide food, clean water and lifesaving vaccines to the world’s poorest.

We handed out more than 400 ONE T-shirts, bands, buttons and pamphlets, and signed up 180 new supporters to join ONE in the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease.

In addition to a great turnout and strong fan support, our successful event was made even sweeter — we got a chance to hang out with the band.

When we spoke with the guys -– including lead singer Adam Levine –- we introduced them to ONE Vote’s issues, thanked them for their support and presented them with ONE bands.

With more than 24,000 ONE members in Indiana, the Hoosier State is leading the bipartisan grassroots effort to help those living on less than $1.25 a day.

Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 Indiana members on Facebook and Twitter.

- Maddison Klontz, ONE state organizer, Indiana

Maddison Klontz and Karl Rove in Indiana

Last week at a formal reception in Indianapolis, I connected with Karl Rove, former senior advisor and deputy chief of staff to former President George W. Bush.

The reception was hosted at Indiana’s Republican Party Headquarters, in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. Party Chairman Murray Clark, House Minority Leader Brian Bosma and many other political and community leaders were in attendance.

To date, PEPFAR has contributed to providing more than 4 million Africans with HIV/AIDS treatment, up from 50,000 in 2002. A 2009 Stanford University study found the program reduced the number of AIDS-related deaths in some of the poorest parts of Africa by 10 percent.

ONE Vote 2010 will encourage Indiana’s U.S. Senate candidates to continue to support the proven, effective life-saving efforts initiated by Rove and President Bush.

When I introduced myself as a ONE staffer to Rove, he mentioned he had several friends who were strong supporters of ONE, and that he admired ONE’s work to fight extreme poverty. After I thanked Rove for his continuing support and gave him a ONE band, he surprised me with an autographed copy of his book, “Courage and Consequence.” Sounds like a fair trade for a ONE band!

Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 Indiana members on Facebook and Twitter.

- Maddison Klontz, ONE Vote 2010 organizer, Indiana