Ry-bak atcha, Mayor Rybak!

Recently, Twin Cities ONE members Tzviatko Chiderov and Rochelle Gibbs stopped by Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak’s office to thank him for his support in declaring Minnesota a ‘State of ONE,’ and Minneapolis and St Paul ‘Cities of ONE.’ We had a chance to briefly discuss how local leaders within the community can affect change.

Mayor Rybak was quick to reaffirm his commitment to being a part of the solution and to engage his constituents by offering to speak out. We are also excited to announce that Mayor Rybak has joined Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Norm Coleman in becoming a ONE Ambassador in the great state of Minnesota!

Mayor Rybak indicated that Minneapolis has become an international city of over 100 languages. The “Twin Cities ONE Group” believes that even though we may speak different languages and have different backgrounds, we can all agree on one goal - to put an end to extreme poverty and preventable disease in developing countries by making it a national priority here in the United States.

Thank you Mayor R.T. Rybak of Minneapolis for being part of the solution. We appreciate your support!

-Rochelle Gibbs and Tzviatko Chiderov ONE Twin Cities Members

Cindy McCain and Laura Bush Confirmed

We knew it was a possibility but now it’s confirmed. Both Cindy McCain and First Lady Laura Bush will be coming by ONE’s service project at the Minneapolis Convention Center today from 2-5 PM CT If you’re in the area, dropped by and help out. It should be an amazing event.

Below, some photos I took during prep for the event yesterday.

Feet Down in Minneapolis/St. Paul!

I’m feet down in Minneapolis waiting to gain access to the ONE Bus at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Just like at the DNCC, ONE will partner with WorldVision to host a service project. If you’re in Minneapolis/St. Paul, it’s going to be at CivicFest (the Minneapolis Convention Center) today from 2-5pm in Ballroom B. Confirmed attendees include Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and McCain family and friends.

Like last week’s event, volunteers will be able to help assemble kits for AIDS caregivers around the world, but today volunteers will also be able to help with WorldVision’s recovery efforts around the Gulf in the wake of Hurricane Gustav.

If you want to help with Hurricane Gustav recovery as well, you can find more information on World Vison’s website.

I’m heading over to the ONE Bus now. More updates in just a few minutes.

-Virginia Simmons

ONE Minnesota, ONE Minneapolis & ONE Saint Paul

On Wednesday we’re hosting a “ONE Minnesota” event at the State Capitol in St. Paul to celebrate Governor Pawlenty’s leadership in declaring Minnesota a “ONE State,” Mayor Rybak declaring Minneapolis and Mayor Coleman declaring Saint Paul “ONE Cities.”

The event will raise awareness for the issues important to the more than 28,000 ONE supporters in Minnesota and celebrate the leadership that Minnesota’s elected officials have demonstrated on both the state and federal levels.

Governor Tim Pawlenty, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Lutheran Bishop Peter Rogness, ONE member and leader of the Twin Cities ONE Group Rochelle Gibbs are all confirmed to speak. If you would like to join us for this event please RSVP here.

Way to go ONE Minnesota members!

-Libby Crimmings, MN ONE Field Organizer

Denver and Minneapolis Here We Come

Here at ONE we are so excited about the Democratic and Republican National Conventions coming up in the next few weeks! The conventions are a perfect opportunity to interact with party delegates and officials from all over the country and ONE will be there to make sure to bring the issues of extreme poverty into the US political arena. We will have many events at both conventions, including a wrapped campaign-style bus with a state-of-the-art podcast station.

ONE is also hosting service projects for volunteers at both conventions. As many as 800 volunteers will assemble kits to distribute to caregivers who support people living with AIDS all over the world. In addition, ONE will be hosting panel discussions as each convention to engage and educate people on the issues of extreme poverty and global disease.

For those who live in Denver or Minneapolis, or plan to travel there for the conventions, you can sign up now to help with the caregiver kits at the DNC here and the RNC here. More information about the conventions will follow in the coming days.