"Spring Cleaning"
Most folks do their major cleaning in the spring. That's why it's called "spring cleaning." According to Psychology Today, no matter when you do your cleaning, the end results include an "improved mood, decreased stress, and heightened creativity."

At the Donovan house, we do our "spring cleaning" at the end of the year. We start during Thanksgiving weekend, so things will be spic and span for the holidays, and for the New Year. Thus, we start the year nice and clean, and we have 365 days to mess it up.

Phyllis Diller advised us all that "cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing." Likewise, those of us at the headquarters for the Dallas County Democratic Party (DCDP) felt like we shouldn't take time out to clean up the office. But take a look at us now!

Come by the DCDP Office and take a look. You won't recognize the place. The items that made up the prior clutter have been donated or thrown out. We now have a separate reception area and spacious administrative offices. The southern-most room has been turned into a Volunteer Center with an updated layout and a big screen TV that will be used as a large screen for PowerPoint training presentations.

One of my favorite humorists, Erma Bombeck, said that "housework is a treadmill from futility to oblivion with stop-offs at tedium and counter productivity." However, Erma never visited the DCDP office! Thanks to the DCDP staff, and particularly Executive Director Carmen Ayala, for all their work on our headquarters.

Justice Prevails!
Hooray for the Army Corps of Engineers! On Sunday, they denied an easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline. As a result, the pipeline cannot be built on the reservation and sacred burial grounds of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The Tribal Chairman stated, "The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and all of Indian Country will be forever grateful to the Obama Administration for this historic decision."

Making New Friends
Most of us remember the Scout song, "Make new friends, but keep the old; One is silver, and the other gold." Well, since the election, the DCDP office has received a significant increase of calls and emails from new Democrats who want to start now, working on the 2018 election. They, too, are upset about the presidential election, and they want to get involved. Democratic clubs are reporting an increase of visitors and new members. Please help us welcome these new volunteers, wherever you meet them.

Celebrating Our Leaders
It's time for us to also welcome our newly elected (and re-elected) officials. Please join us for the Dallas County Inauguration Luncheon and Ceremony on Sunday, January 1, 2017 at 1pm in one of the street-level ballrooms of the Hyatt Regency Hotel at 300 Reunion Blvd in downtown Dallas. It will be a great way to start the New Year!

Help Us Now
Meanwhile, please support the DCDP with your time and/or donations. Here's how you can help: