Obama Volunteer Corps

The Great American Bake Sale

noemail@obamavolunteercorps.org — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:00:00 GMT

This past Saturday CORPS participated in the Great American Bake Sale.

Our bake sale took place in front of the historic Heights Theater on 19th St and coincided with Heights First Saturday.

The treats our members baked and brought out ran the gambit from the deliciously lavish to the simply sweet. All of the proceeds raised from the bake sale is going to Share Our Strength to help fund grant programs around the country to fight childhood hunger. It really is a great organization that helps children who might rely on free lunches from school to get a healthy meal - so funding these programs during the summer months is vital to ensuring that these children continue to have access to delicious, nutritious meals and snacks.

From brownies to cookies to mini-cakes to caramel popcorn, our tables practically over-flowed with goodies.

In addition, we also set-up a voter registration table to register new voters and help update voter information.

After all was said and done our bake sale raised $150.00 and provided a much needed sugar boost for afternoon shoppers.

Thanks go out to everyone who attended to help run the bake sale and the voter registration booth as well as all those who spent time baking the items that were featured in our bake sale!

All leftovers from the bake sale were delivered to the Beacon soup kitchen.

9-Jun-08 8:00 AM

Rebuilding Together Houston Project

noemail@obamavolunteercorps.org — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:00:00 GMT

This past Saturday, CORPS participated in a project sponsored by Rebuilding Together Houston.

We worked at the home of 74-year old Maybell O'Neal, helping to make some minor repairs around her home and completely freshening up the exterior with a new coat of paint, along with new trim paint.

I think I speak for everyone when I say that this experience was so completely gratifying!

The morning started out cloudy and drizzling, hardly the perfect setting for painting the exterior of a house. But, we had confidence that everything would work out and we would have the opportunity to finish the work we had come to do.

Battling the elements, our team began scrapping old paint off of the house, repairing caulking in the windows' trims, replacing the front porch light fixture, removing shutters, etc.

Off and on all day, the rain came and went, but we found ways to keep the work going. Finally, we got a break in the weather and we were able to start the real work on the home's exterior. Our team pulled nails, freshened up with a new coat of white paint, replaced the newly painted shutters and did some general clean-up.

We have a great photo gallery of pictures from the event taken by Javier Avellan.

http://www.obamavolunteercorps.org/en/photos/albums/v/8

There's also a great video on the CORPS YouTube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baaQzjk4Jww

Thanks to everyone for the support and all of the hard-work!

21-May-08 10:00 AM

CORPS multi-event on June 7th

noemail@obamavolunteercorps.org — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Hey everyone,

On Saturday, June 7th CORPS has another event planned.

Working with Share Our Strength, CORPS will be hosting Houston's version of the GREAT AMERICAN BAKE SALE.

100% of the profits go to organizations that help to fight child hunger across the country. Money raised is put into grant programs for after-school and summer-time programs that help provide food for children.

What we need are baked goods. Anyone willing to put together a baked item or two, please feel free to do so and let me know (email me at brad@hopeactionchange.org). We will be setting up the Bake Sale outside of the historic Heights Theater on 19th street in Houston. The date chosen corresponds with Heights First Saturday, a monthly event set-up in the Heights that brings in heavy foot-traffic along 19th street.

In addition, we will have a voter registration table set-up for passerby's that need to register to vote or update their registrations. We will be wearing our CORPS gear and showing that Obama volunteers are working to help out a variety of causes.

So what we need are people willing to put together some baked items - cookies, cakes, cupcakes, muffins, etc. If you know of any businesses that might be willing to donate any of these items, it never hurts to ask!

By June 7th Senator Obama should have the nomination pretty-well sewn up, so this event will also be a good visibility event to try to begin extending olive branches to any Clinton-supporters we might encounter.

Thanks everyone.

-Brad

21-May-08 10:00 AM

Help Register People to Vote!

noemail@obamavolunteercorps.org — Thu, 01 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT

Saturday, May 3rd, CORPS will be assisting with work at the Obama Southmore Volunteer office.

While we're there, getting our hands dirty and getting sweaty, the opportunity will be available for anyone wishing to be deputized to register people to vote to get that training.

Sharon Washington at the Southmore office, has arranged for voter registration training to take place at 10am. This process is generally pretty quick and should take no more than 30 minutes. It requires you to fill out a form and that's about it. Once that's completed, you will be set-up to help register voters.

It's definitely a great ability to have leading into the general election and will absolutely come in handy at future CORPS events as well.

I highly recommend those interested attend.

1-May-08 6:00 PM

Southmore Office Makeover To Do

noemail@obamavolunteercorps.org — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:00:00 GMT

I have been in contact with Sharon Washington at the Obama Volunteer office on Southmore concerning our May 3rd project to help them get the offices there into tip-top shape.

Sharon has provided me with a list of items and supplies they need to acquire for the makeover, as well as her plan for a 2-day clean-up event there.

There will be a Saturday and a Sunday event, so those of you who are unable to attend on that Saturday have the opportunity to attend on that Sunday and help out as well. As I have been looking through her list of needed supplies for the makeover, I have found that some of the items many of us already have (thanks to taking part in Habitat and from our Olivewood trips).

I would suggest bringing any painting supplies you have handy (paint rollers, paint trays, extension rods, brushes, painter's tape, drop-clothes, etc.) and bringing your safety equipment (work gloves, eye-wear, etc.). The list provided me has items with estimated prices on them, I can tell you that just by looking over the list that some of the prices are somewhat exagerated and no one is required to go out and spend any of their money on any of these items to attend the Southmore makeover.

There is plenty of work that needs to be done and just having able-bodied, enthusiastic volunteers there ready to help out is the most important aspect. As always, any questions, comments or suggestions are encouraged. Email me at brad@hopeactionchange.org.

The Southmore Makeover List is viewable HERE.

23-Apr-08 8:00 AM

Obama Southmore Office Phonebanking

noemail@obamavolunteercorps.org — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:00:00 GMT

The Obama Volunteer Office on Southmore is organizing 2 phonebanking sessions this week to call voters in Pennsylvania to spread Senator Obama's message to as many undecided voters as possible.

Sharon Washington has set-up a Thursday evening session and a Saturday phone-banking both to be held at the Southmore office, located at 2520 Southmore St.

There will be three teams set-up on each day. One team for making the phone calls, one team for entering data and one team for donating use of laptops and cell phones.

All of the details on this event are included in the attached link. If you have any questions feel free to contact Sharon Washington at the Southmore office. Her contact information is included in the link.

There is still work we can do here in Texas to help Senator Obama earn votes! Anyone interested in helping out should definitely plan to attend!

Phone-Banking Flyer DOWNLOAD

15-Apr-08 2:00 PM

Olivewood Cemetery Follow-Up

noemail@obamavolunteercorps.org — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:00:00 GMT

This past Saturday, CORPS participated in the clean-up efforts at Olivewood Cemetery, located in Houston's First Ward.

Our group met-up with volunteers from YES Prepatory Academy (www.yesprep.org) as well as volunteers from the Odd Fellows (www.iooftx.org) to work on the clean-up of this 6-acre cemetery that has been a part of Houston's history since the 1870's.

Just being at Olivewood, you get a tremendous sense of what this place means to the community. The grave markers run the range from amazingly beautiful, intricate Gothic statues to simple stones with only a first-name printed on them, to hand carved headstones that have been worn down over time. Standing among these markers you truly get a sense of the history of Olivewood.

Unfortunately, the cemetery has undergone years of neglect as ownership of it has been up in the air or passed from one organization to another, so it was clear that the work of our volunteers was greatly appreciated.

Our group worked for hours, pulling weeds, mowing grass, avoiding snakes and hauling away debris. Not only was it a great feeling for everyone to be helping an organization that certainly needs every able-body they can get to volunteer, but it was also great to learn about the history of Olivewood and the people laid to rest there.

The Obama spirit is definitely alive and well with CORPS as I've already had several people asking when we can go back to Olivewood and continue the work.

I also wanted to take a moment to send a thank you to everyone who came out to Olivewood for their first CORPS volunteering. I hope you all had a good time and return to help us in future projects!

Thanks everyone!

Check out the photo album from the Olivewood Project as well as the video.

15-Apr-08 8:00 AM

Habitat for Humanity Highlights

noemail@obamavolunteercorps.org — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:00:00 GMT

For those who were unable to attend the Habitat for Humanity Wall-Build on April 5th, I wanted to take a minute to give you the highlights of the day. Check out the Photo Album for the event as well as the videos that have been posted in the Photos and Videos section of the website. The day started off in the early morning hours on a cool, cloudy Saturday morning. Our team gathered at the Habitat for Humanity warehouse, bright-eyed and eager to get started. After a short orientation about what it is, exactly, that Habitat does, we were introduced to the two Habitat employees that were going to be spending the day with us and leading the group. Mike and Norman were awesome guys and Obama supporters by the end of the day, both leaving the event with CORPS shirts that Im sure theyll make good use of. Ill admit that we got off to a rocky start initially. Most of us didnt have much experience in the way of construction, but both Mike and Norman were patient teachers and after...

6-Apr-08 10:00 PM

Olivewood Historical Cemetery Needs Our Help

noemail@obamavolunteercorps.org — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:00:00 GMT

Olivewood Historical Cemetery needs our help. On Saturday, April 12th CORPS will be assisting the Descendants of Olivewood with their clean-up effort of an important historical site. Olivewood Cemetery was founded in the 1870's and contains the remains of freed slaves as well as some of Houston's first African American residents.

After our Habitat for Humanity Event on April 5th I went by Olivewood to see the cemetery's current status. It is dire need of maintenance and care and I think we could do a lot to help them. The cemetery itself is beautiful, with stone statues and headstones so old that the names and dates have practically worn off of them. I took the following photos of the cemetery in its current state to show you all how much this organization needs our help.

For details on the April 12th clean-up check the EVENTS section of the website or give me a call. We have the opportunity to help restore a place that should be honored for years to come.

Thanks everyone!

YES WE CAN!

-Brad

5-Apr-08 4:00 PM

Obama Volunteer Corps First Meeting

noemail@obamavolunteercorps.org — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:00:00 GMT

Our new group had its first meeting this past Sunday at Houston Obama Headquarters. We discussed the upcoming Habitat for Humanity Wall Build. Brad Pitchett lead the meeting, answered a variety of questions about the work we are going to do.

Javier Avellan took some pictures of the meeting.

We hope to continue to grow this group and help enhance numerous communities around Houston.

1-Apr-08 4:00 PM