Monthly Archives: October 2010

(Community Matters) Local boy done good – congrats

(Community Matters) Arkansas school board member who posted anti-gay rant to quit. Thank you Anderson Cooper

(Community Matters) You’ve got to listen to these. I know LGBT youth are not the only ones enduring such pain – no one should

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(Community Matters) Yesterday was a bit of a challenge because I would normally have made not unsubstantial charity gifts to some of our favorite nonprofits – take immediately for example Foundation Communities and Austin Habitat for Humanity.  I hope our friends will understand our redirecting a lot our charitable dollars in 2011 & 2012 to political contributions and the costs of my traveling and working on behalf of the President’s reelection.  I’m citing FC and AHFH first because the connection is so direct – the goals & objectives of these two organizations will be helped immeasurably more if the investment of not only our money but also our time helps reelect Pres Obama and an administration which believes in the same principles as these two organizations.

We believe this is true for most philanthropists – even Bill & Milinda Gates + Warren Buffett + Michael & Susan Dell (all combined) don’t have the philanthropic budgets to equal the impact of a sound, even fiscally prudent, yet deliberate and impactful social investments by the US government.  What’s happening at the Dept of Education, HUD and HHS today far exceeds what US philanthropists would be able to otherwise accomplish.

(Community Matters) Speedy day between events and good causes.  Taking them backwards – Habitat for Humanity blew the doors on their second annual gala, their 25th Anniversary Gala.  Sure helps to have mucho grande Brian Sharples and Jeff Serra as co-chairs. Their friends and colleagues snapping up the pricey sponsor tables at $10k, $5k, $2.5k and $1.5 a piece.  HomeAway even way beyond that as the event sponsor and an annual major supporter of Habitat.  Addt’l sponsors last night included: Wilson Sonsini, Austin Ventures, Maxwell, Locke & Ritter, Silicon Labs, Silicon Valley Bank & the Entrepreneurs Foundation.  Everyone was at the event, Kim Hughes and I arrived just as everyone being seated so I missed most socializing.  Can’t wait to hear the final take – bet it nearly doubles their original budget.

ADL at the Adler/Land home – quick drive by and a few chats at Steve & Diane’s for an ADL event honoring the new GLI class.  Guests included the class, Austin ADL steering committee members and major financial supporters.  Regret wasn’t able to stay, mingle as much as I’d like or hear the guest speaker.

PeopleFund ribbon cutting for our new building.  While we celebrated at the new site for East Night, the staff hadn’t moved in.  Now that they’re in (not especially unpacked but in), we celebrated with a ribbon cutting.  Long ribbon cutting line including Lynn & Tom Meredith, Margo Weisz, EDA’s Pedro Garza, Congr Lloyd Doggett, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez, CM Randi Shade, CM Sheryl Cole, CM Chris Riley, Adrienne Neely, PF Pres/CEO Gary Lindner & moi.  Spent most of the time catching up with Lynn – feels like forever since we’ve had much time to chat.

Austin Community Foundation – goodbye for Ken Gladish attended by staff, board and former board members.  Ken was toasted, roasted and said a few words.  Nice event hosted by Ballet Austin.  We’ll miss his leadership yet at Seton Fund he’ll do much good.

Foundation Communities – hosted at Redeemer Baptist Church, just across the railroad tracks from their under-construction M-Station, yesterday’s annual fundraising luncheon was very well attended, and I bet they added many new regular contributors at the home builder level.  Walter Moreau’s affordable housing nonprofit is the most important player in that space in Central Texas. Ran into Chris Long on the way in – congrats on being #2 in Austin home sales so far this year, following only Laura Gottesman.

and my husband is home from Traverse City – gail force winds Tuesday night which knocked out electricity in most of downtown, including our favorite hotel overlooking Lake Michigan. Michael Willard, my apologies for sneaking out a bit early, was eager to reconnect with Steven.

(Community Matters) Yep, the Rocky Horror Episode of Glee was entertaining.  There’s a new actor on the series who getting his share of air time, Chord Overstreet

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(Community Matters) Julie Thornton’s TestPerformanceTest and FuseBox Festival have brought La Prima, by LeeSaar The Company, to Austin at the Off Center – Thurs, Fri & Sat.  Shouldn’t miss it.  Steven and I attending tomorrow. We’re showing up early at the Off Center with a picnic, including fine wine.  The more, the merrier

Testperformancetest, Fusebox Festival, PS 122 and the JCC in Manhattan announce the Austin premiere of critically acclaimed Prima by LeeSaar The Company created by Israeli duo, co artistic directors and Guggenheim fellowship awardees Saar Harari and Lee Sher.  Prima will have it’s first non-ny debut at the Off Center.

LeeSaar The Company developed Prima, this highly physical contemporary dance piece, through residences in Austin at the Fusebox Festival and in New York at the JCC in Manhattan and PS 122 with the support from testperformancetest; and major funding from The Greenwall Foundation, The Guggenheim Fellowship in Choreography, The Office of Cultural Affairs and Consulate General of Israel in NY.

Formed in 2000 in Israel, with varied life experiences from parachuting in Tel Aviv to directing on Broadway, company members are from Taiwan, Korea, the United States and Israel. LeeSaar’s troupe embraces various disciplines in the arts where dance and choreography collide with theater.

This marks the third year of testperformancetest, a fund created to bring national and international performers to the Austin area spearheaded by Julie Thornton. The multi-year fund also commissions a variety of new work to be performed in Austin.

(Community Matters) slow start but worth it

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(Community Matters) Last night’s Give Back Jack event was organized by Austin Venture’s Chris Steiner for I Live Here, I Give Here.  A hundred fifty-ish men gathered at Headliners to hear Tommie Meredith talk about philanthropy and then for dinner at a table with an appointed “mentor.”

I was a mentor along with Clarke Heidrick, Earl Maxwell, Gary Valdez, Gerry Newkirk, Jack Martin, Jeff Kodosky, Jeff Serra, Larry Temple, Marc Winkelman, Mark Strama, Phil Siegel, Steve Guengerich, Tom Meredith & Tom Segesta.  Patsy Martin (founder of the organization) was everywhere in the background making sure it all happened smoothly.

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(Community Matters) from a bunch of my friends at the DNC

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(Community Matters) An addendum to my polling update immediately below – I believe the polls undercount Obama 2008 first time voters and that OFA will turn out 30 to 40% of them.

(Community Matters) 538: Democratic chances of retaining control of the House are essentially unchanged in today’s FiveThirtyEight forecast. They have a 21 percent chance of doing so, up from 20 percent on Friday; that means Republicans have a 79 percent chance of instead claiming control. The average projection returned a result of 205 Democrats in the House and 230 Republicans, which would reflect a gain of 51 seats for the G.O.P.; this figure is unchanged.  Forecast: Ds 205, Rs 230

RCP: 180/222/33

Oct 23: (Community Matters) bummed to see this am that the House predictions have slipped by 2 and 1 seats in the 538 and RCP forecasts.  And, yet, I remain optimistic that the modeling relying on likely voters is undercounting the showing of Obama first time voters.

10/21: (Community Matters) Nate’s updated 538 forecast to D’s: 206.6  Rs 228.4, and though he gives 3 out of 4 odds of Rs taking the House, he acknowledges that the volatility in these races is very high.

AP is reporting that early voting is breaking toward Ds.  I had DNC Chairman Tim Kaine & OFA Texas Statewide Director Luke Hayes on the Talk on Tuesday radio show – both are optimistic.  Luke believes the fact that we’re contacting and mobilizing 2008 first time voters (not included in likely voters in current polls) will result in a favorable break our way.

RCP forecasting 179/214/42 toss ups