Cactus Roots Connectors

The Cactus Roots Connectors spent 2007 working together in various community settings demonstrating that our commitment to making change happen in Southern Arizona reaches out past election day to our wider community.

Cactus Roots Connectors I: The Community Food Bank
Our first activity of the Cactus Roots Connectors was held February 24, 2007.

Forty-five Connectors spent the morning at the Community Food Bank sorting and preparing food packages and distributing food to families. Volunteers also brought donations filling two grocery carts for the Food Bank.

The work was followed by a picnic in Reid Park where I joined them for a discussion on my recent visit to Iraq and Israel.

Cactus Roots Connectors II: Tucson Clean and Beautiful
Our second Cactus Roots Connectors event was held on Saturday, April 28, 2007. In honor of Earth Day, we initiated an environmental clean up effort in Groves Park organized in collaboration with Tucson Clean and Beautiful. Over thirty people participated in pulling Bufflegrass to help reduce the likelihood of desert wildland fires; these volunteers also removed almost two dozen bags of debris from a wash in the area and painted park benches.

Before the clean-up project, I joined the work-team, along with other Giffords’ volunteers, for a discussion about climate change and the need for more renewable energy research and development.

Cactus Roots Connectors III: Voter Registration Drive of Summer 2007
In honor of the 4th of July and the founding of our democratic union, our summer Cactus Roots Connectors events focused on voter registration. Our third CRC project (held on two dates to accommodate all those who traveled during the summer) brought volunteers together and sent them out across the district to encourage Southern Arizonans to participate in our democratic process by registering to vote.

Twenty-two volunteers registered voters and contacted potential voters on June 30th and forty volunteers did the same on July 28. I had a chance to speak to the volunteers before they went out to their stations and I was impressed with their commitment to sit outside in the heat of June and July for this important task.

Cactus Roots Connectors IV: Promoting Early Literacy
In honor of school and the legislature being back in session, our fall Cactus Roots Connectors activity focused on early childhood education. Our fourth CRC Project brought volunteers together with a local non profit, Make Way for Books, to promote early literacy and spread the joy of reading to new families throughout Southeastern Arizona.

On October 7th, twenty-four volunteers came out to build 415 English and Spanish Baby Book Bags with Make Way for Books. The bags were distributed throughout Cochise, Pima, and Pinal Counties. Each bag includes important information for parents and a children’s book to ensure that children throughout Southern Arizona have at least one book of their own. I had a chance to speak to the volunteers by phone before they assembled the bags and was impressed, as I always am, by their continuing commitment to Arizona’s children and education.

Cactus Roots Connectors V: Walking for Women’s Health Care
In recognition of October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Cactus Roots Connectors came together as part of a Giffords for Congress volunteer team to show our support and raise funds to fight Breast Cancer by participating in American Cancer Society’s 5th Annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk

On October 28th, twenty volunteers gathered to walk 3 miles and show support for Breast Cancer Awareness as part of our fifth CRC activity. Together our team raised hundreds of dollars to promote research, education, and advocacy.

Cactus Root Connectors VI: Taking Time for Children in Need
The US Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots program has been delivering toys to children in need for 60 years. In 2006, Toys for Tots delivered more than 19.2 million toys to over 7.6 million children. The numerous toy recalls this year have increased the demand for volunteer help for wrapping and sorting to ensure every child receiving a toy from Toys for Tots receives a safe new toy this holiday season.

On Tuesday, December 18th, twenty-one volunteers came together to sort toys at the Toys for Tots Warehouse. The Marine on staff reported that on the day our volunteers were there, 5379 toys were sorted and wrapped. At this busy holiday time, all of the volunteers who took two hours out of their day really made a difference

Cactus Roots Connectors VI: Walking for Mental Health Awareness
On Saturday, March 29th, the Cactus Roots joined thousands of concerned citizens in more than 75 communities across the nation together for the Campaign for the Mind of America. They walked together to raise money and awareness about our country’s need for a world-class treatment and recovery system for people with mental illness. As the honorary co-chair for this event, I was particularly proud of our volunteers who participated in this walk for the National Alliance on Mentally Illness (NAMI). Fourteen volunteers gathered together and our team raised almost two thousand dollars for this important organization to promote research, education, and advocacy.

What a year! In 2007 Cactus Roots Connectors have packed emergency food bags with the Community Food Bank; cleaned parks with Tucson Clean and Beautiful; and improved voter turn-out by registering voters across Southern Arizona and participating in volunteer activities for the City Council election.

I want to share my appreciation to all of you who did not let your commitment to the community end with the campaign but continued to work together throughout 2007! Thanks to all of you who participated. I am honored to have such wonderful friends who are truly committed to making a difference!