Greetings Neighbors and Friends,

I apologize that I haven’t been in communication very much this summer. I recently returned from three weeks in Uganda and have spent the last several weeks getting caught up on hundreds of emails, regular mail, legislative committees, and my work for the Attorney General’s office. Needless to say, it has been busy!

I’m back and ready to gear up for the next legislative session as well as my campaign for 2010! Before I talk more about that, though, I wanted to just say a few words about our trip to Africa. I went with a group of high school and college students as well as adults from the Montview Presbyterian Church. We were working with a Ugandan man who started a foundation, the Foundation for the Development of Needy Communities, several years ago. He is a very impressive young man – dedicated to helping Ugandans develop their country and become self sufficient. He started a school for special needs children which is headed by his mother and a vocational school where young people learn various skills and trades.

Our group was there to build a boys’ dormitory for the vocational school. The girls already have a dorm. We worked with some of the students who are learning construction. When we arrived, the students were just beginning to put large rocks down for the foundation. Here is a picture of how it looked when we started.

We quickly went to work, moving rocks, bricks and heavy large containers of water for concrete and mortar. (The water had to be brought from the river.) The sand that was brought to use for the mortar was not sifted so we spent quite a bit of time sifting sand with a large framed screen to get the rocks out. Talk about building up arm strength! We also helped to mix, move, and pour concrete and mortar and eventually we helped lay the bricks. (There were some trained brick layers so that helped a lot!). Here are some pictures to show the raising of the dorm. By the time we left, all the bricks were laid and the roof trusses were up! The roof still had to be put on and the windows and doors put in but everything else was complete! It was very satisfying to see the results of all of that work.

We also spent some time playing with the special needs children, some of whom were physically disabled, others mentally disabled, and one deaf girl. Although they face many obstacles, they are like children everywhere – happy and excited to see us! Here are some pictures of them – we brought some toys which they really appreciated.

On several afternoons, we went up into the mountains and visited more remote villages where living conditions are extremely primitive – no running water, no electricity, 7 or 8 children sleeping on a mat on the dirt floor, no furniture except some homes had beds. The houses are made of mud and thatched roofs. Here are few pictures of these visits.

Despite the hardships, the people were all very friendly and seemed relatively happy. They were proud to show us their homes. The thing that really struck me, though, was how little sanitation there is and what great health needs there are. Probably the greatest need is to get clean water. It is easy to see how diseases spread so rapidly. It was also striking to meet so many children who have been orphaned because of AIDS. We visited an orphanage started by three CU students who were there studying and were so appalled at the living conditions for some orphans, they stayed and opened an orphanage! Here are some pictures from that orphanage. We also visited a beautiful water fall and here is a picture of that as well. If you look closely you can see the rainbow over the falls!

We also visited several schools. Everywhere we visited, the children welcomed us so enthusiastically! They would surround the bus and sing and wave. They welcomed us with formal singing welcoming us to their schools or orphanages and were not at all shy around us foreigners. They also loved to play “futball” with us – the universal game (soccer as we would say). In this picture, you can see what they use for soccer balls – plastic bags rolled up around each other and tied together with string or cords.

In one of the villages, we met women who were making beads for necklaces, bracelets, and earrings from strips of paper from magazines. Some of you may have seen these through “Beads for Life.” They showed us how to make them and, of course, we bought many of them. It was really nice to see the women being productive and being able to bring some money to the village. Here is a picture of some of them.

Montview will continue to support the Foundation and contribute both financially and through trips to Uganda. It is important work and the needs are great.
We ended the trip with a magnificent rafting trip down the Nile and a bungee jump over the Nile. Yes, I bungee jumped from the platform you can see in this picture. I was one of only two adults who did it!

So, back to Colorado and what is happening here. Nationally, of course, the health care reform debate is center stage at the moment. I actually read a book about the need for health care reform while I was traveling so when I was in the Dallas airport and saw on TV some of the protests at a health care town hall meeting, I was stunned. I guess the need for reform seems so obvious to me, it’s hard for me to understand the vitriolic and intense nature of the protests. Anyway, I am not going to go into a discussion of the national health care debate as there is plenty of material available to consider. I would just urge everyone to contact Rep. Diana DeGette, Sen. Mark Udall, and Sen. Michael Bennet to emphasize to them how important it is to keep a public option in the legislation. We must show them that there are just as many people, more people really, who support what they are doing and they need to hang tough!

I am a member of two very interesting and exciting task forces this summer and fall:

1) Health Care Task Force – We have had three meetings and have had several very informative and interesting presentations on health care in Colorado ranging from the funding of community health centers to the issue of gender bias in insurance rates. Like all states, Colorado struggles with how to provide accessible quality health care to all its citizens. I expect we will suggest some bills for this session but I don’t think the committee will agree on any major overhauls particularly in light of the national efforts. The meetings are open and anyone may attend. Our next meeting is on Monday Aug. 31 from 9 to 4 in HCR 0112 in the State Capitol. We will be listening to presentations regarding the national health care proposals, chronic care issues, Denver drug strategy, telemedicine and funding for health care. Please join us.

2) Sentencing Reform Task Force – I am on the task force which is a task force of the larger Criminal and Juvenile Justice Commission. We are looking at sentencing reform in several areas including drug laws, escape, probation, and maximum/minimum/aggravated sentences. I am on the subcommittee looking at maximum/minimum and aggravated sentences. The subcommittee met for the first time this week, and we are making great progress on simplifying and consolidating statutes regarding aggravation of sentences. The next larger task force meeting is on Wednesday August 26 from 1 to 5 p.m. at 12345 W. Alameda Parkway in Lakewood. These meetings are open to the public.

There are a few other things I just want to mention in case anyone is interested:

1) The City of Denver has put out a proposed new zoning code for the entire city. I’m sure some of you are familiar with it. You can go to www.newcodedenver.org for more information. This is an important document to study to see how your neighborhood might be affected. There is a meeting on Wednesday Aug. 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. at National Jewish Hospital at 1400 Jackson St. in the Molly Blank Building for a presentation regarding some of the changes which is open to the public. You can also contact your City Councilperson for more details.

2) Some of you may know that there is an effort afoot to expand the Vehicle Impound ordinance that was passed last year in Denver. This ordinance requires that cars be impounded if a person is stopped without a current drivers’ license. If you are interested in learning more about this issue, there is a coalition meeting on Sept. 9 from 4 to 5:30 at the SEIU Local 105 building at 2525 W. Alameda Ave. (west side of the building)

3) The Colorado State Fair is going on in Pueblo this weekend – might be a great weekend to check it out and support our fair!

4) Greater Park Hill Neighborhood Association is sponsoring a political forum on Sept. 15th at 7 p.m. at Bogie’s in the City Park Golf Club at 28th and York. I will be speaking as well as Senator Michael Johnston.

5) If you are interested in meeting Mary Seawell, a young woman running for the at large seat on the Denver School Board, I am co-hosting an event for her on Sept. 10 at 5 p.m. at Strings Restaurant. The asking contribution is $50.

That’s it for now. Please do not hesitate to call or email with suggestion for legislation for next year or any other issues you wish to discuss. 303-358-9247 beth@bethmccann.org

Enjoy the rest of the summer!

Thanks for all your support and help.
Rep. Beth McCann
House District 8