Grassroots Fest a big success
by Bob Johnson
Mazomanie - Despite terrible weather, the Wisconsin River Valley Grassroots Festival was deemed a
success by all. The Festival was a gathering of grassroots organizers from all over Wisconsin.
Speakers at the event included Ed Garvey. In his keynote address, he stressed the importance of
progressives uniting at events like this and the annual Bob Fest held every year in Baraboo.
The Chief, the Honorable Shirley Abrahamson, gave an impassioned speech outlining why she needs
to be re-elected to the Wisconsin State Supreme Court. She received a standing ovation as she was
introduced and as she departed from the podium.
Other speakers included re-elected Rep. Steve Hilgenberg (D-Dodgeville), 51st Assembly Dist., and
the newly elected Rep. Fred Clark (D-Baraboo), 42nd Dist. and Kelda Helen Roys (D-Madison) 81st Dist.
The event was held in Wisconsin Heights High School along U.S. Highway 14 between Mazomanie and
Black Earth on Feb. 21. Several inches of heavy snow fell, starting the night before and continued into the
morning and yet attendance was judged by many to be excellent. Ron Biendseil, one of the facilitators,
counted the crowd and he said he stopped counting at 100.
The morning and afternoon breakout sessions featured experts in their fields. They gave practical
advice to help people to advance their work promoting issues important to them. The issues ranged from
energy to healthcare.
The day after the event, the lead organizer Nate Timm said, “We received a lot of positive evaluations
on our sectionals (breakouts) and on the overall event.”
Lookin’ for a Leader
by Neil Young, 2006
Someone walks among us
And I hope he hears the call
And maybe it’s a woman
Or a black man after all
Yeah maybe it’s Obama
But he thinks that he’s too young
Maybe it’s Colin Powell
To right what he’s done wrong
Mazomanie - Despite terrible weather, the Wisconsin River Valley Grassroots Festival was deemed a
success by all. The Festival was a gathering of grassroots organizers from all over Wisconsin.
Speakers at the event included Ed Garvey. In his keynote address, he stressed the importance of
progressives uniting at events like this and the annual Bob Fest held every year in Baraboo.
The Chief, the Honorable Shirley Abrahamson, gave an impassioned speech outlining why she needs
to be re-elected to the Wisconsin State Supreme Court. She received a standing ovation as she was
introduced and as she departed from the podium.
Other speakers included re-elected Rep. Steve Hilgenberg (D-Dodgeville), 51st Assembly Dist., and
the newly elected Rep. Fred Clark (D-Baraboo), 42nd Dist. and Kelda Helen Roys (D-Madison) 81st Dist.
The event was held in Wisconsin Heights High School along U.S. Highway 14 between Mazomanie and
Black Earth on Feb. 21. Several inches of heavy snow fell, starting the night before and continued into the
morning and yet attendance was judged by many to be excellent. Ron Biendseil, one of the facilitators,
counted the crowd and he said he stopped counting at 100.
The morning and afternoon breakout sessions featured experts in their fields. They gave practical
advice to help people to advance their work promoting issues important to them. The issues ranged from
energy to healthcare.
The day after the event, the lead organizer Nate Timm said, “We received a lot of positive evaluations
on our sectionals (breakouts) and on the overall event.”
Lookin’ for a Leader
by Neil Young, 2006
Someone walks among us
And I hope he hears the call
And maybe it’s a woman
Or a black man after all
Yeah maybe it’s Obama
But he thinks that he’s too young
Maybe it’s Colin Powell
To right what he’s done wrong