Kai Degner for City Council

Archive for July, 2008

Yesterday, Clementine Cafe hosted an engaging speaker, Christopher Worth. I couldn’t make it (Rockingham County Fair Meeting) and, with Kent Smith, am organizing an impromptu discussion with Mr. Worth at 8pm this evening at Earth & Tea Cafe.

Chris Worth speaks about his Center for Innovative Design in Disabilities. This is an opportunity to learn from an innovative thinker championing new ideas and ways to use individual challenges to build community solutions.

You are Invited!  100-Day Countdown to the Election
Saturday July 26: Canvass for Kai! 

Pick a Shift!  11am, 2pm, or 5pm - Meet at The Artful Dodger

The most effective way to promote a campaign is face-to-face.  It’s the most exciting and time-consuming part of the campaign, and what separates a winner from a loser.  You can make a difference - and I believe more than ever that our ideas, energy, and perspectives can add an important dimension to how our community solves problems and moves forward.

I need your help to win!   Saturday, July 26
- 100 days before the election -
I hope to have 20 people join me to help to knock on 1000 doors in Harrisonburg.  That’s only 50 doors per person!

Can you join me Saturday?  Please call or email me to RSVP!  Kai@KaiDegner.com 540-810-7813.  We will meet at the Artful Dodger on Court Square, go through a quick training on how to canvass, and go meet voters!

UPDATE: There was a misunderstanding: this meeting was at 7am, not 7pm. This further makes my point that this information is not as accessible as it should be! I hope to still receive answers to my questions.

UPDATE 2: The next such meeting is 7am August 26 at the Country Club.

I will be attending the public meeting for the Harrisonburg Electric Commission tomorrow (Tuesday the 22nd) at 7pm at the Spotswood Country Club. I found out about this through the FaceBook group, “I live in Harrisonburg VA and want Green Electricity.” There are currently 135 people in this group, an indication of larger interest in this cause.

I looked for information about the meeting searching the DNR online, on the city website, and on HEC’s website and found no information. When I talk about open government, part of what I mean is (more…)

I walked to Sheetz today for an MTO sandwich, and, to eat it, joined a woman sitting at the table outside. She asked if I had a car. “I have one, but it’s not here. My friend borrowed it and it’s downtown,” I said. She needed a ride 6 miles East on Route 33 or across town to some other place in Harrisonburg. She had little money, didn’t own a car, and was looking to leave a nearby situation she deemed unsafe. “Where’s the bus stop?” I asked. “No buses run on Sunday,” she said. I was stunned. After she had no luck reaching someone with my cell phone, I told her to wait for me to get my car. She wasn’t physically well enough to make the walk with me, so off I trekked to downtown.

Near the Elizabeth Street parking garage, (more…)

The Obama campaign is setting up shop in Harrisonburg! Three paid staff and a support team have been making calls and getting organized for a couple weeks now, and this Saturday there will be an official opening at their new downtown office: the former La De Da store location at Newman and Main St.

There’s an open house from 10-12 and a reception at 2pm this Saturday. I’ll be returning from a candidate and volunteer training in Winchester - hope to see you there!

This Tuesday at 12:30, I will be introducing Sam Rasoul, the 6th District candidate for Congress.  Sam will be speaking about the energy policies he seeks to implement once replacing Rep. Bob Goodlatte in Washington, D.C. (See BobsVotes.com).  I will briefly outine my views on the importance of focusing on energy conservation, efficiency, and alternative technology.

Besides being excited to introduce a great and dedicated candidate in Sam, special for me is the location: in front of the Integrated Science and Technology building at JMU.  My studies in ISAT prepared me to look at complex problems from a systems perspective.  The hands-on curriculum got me connected to citizen groups in the Shenandoah Valley that care deeply about the health of our surface water in our rivers.  Working closely with nonprofits like the Pure Water Forum and the Friends of Rivers groups, I built community relationships that made me decide to stay in the Valley.

Please consider making it out to the event!