How do you get over 500 PCC students registered to vote?  
It’s called collaboration and a challenge: Pima County Interfaith Civic Education Organization (CEO) and PCC co-sponsored National Voter Registration Day at Pima College West Campus last Tuesday.  Oh yeah, and a rock band, Sun Bones, helped a little!

All of PCC’s 6 campuses and 3 adult learning centers challenged over 30 Interfaith congregations to some friendly competition.  Other partners included Mi Familia Vota, Expect More AZ and the League of Women Voters.

Pima County Interfaith volunteers registered an additional 40 students at the event to surpass our pledge of 500.  In total 549 folks have either registered, signed up for the PEVL (permanent early voting list) or pledged to vote so far this fall.  Although we’re still waiting to hear final results it looks like the PCC students won the day – the Northwest Campus alone had 346 registrations and pledges.

Interfaith New Leaders Andrew Stocker and Mike Peel co-chaired the event, and Ana Chavarin, Harpo Jaeger and Andrew performed a voting skit. About a dozen PCICEO leaders came to register voters:  Cyndi Bolton, Art Ragland, Anna Binkiewicz, Judy Keagy, Rosalie Crowe, Clara Dupnik, Hope Beck Goldsmith, Bernie Frankiewicz and the staff of JobPath.

Remember, registration closes on Oct. 5th, vote by mail ballots will be mailed out on Oct. 8th, and the day of the election is Nov. 3rd.  Support the 2015 Pima County Bond and vote YES on all 7!  We’ve held over 20 Voting/Bond Academies so far and roughly another 15 are planned. Check the attached calendar and learn all about it or become an “endorser” at www.YESonpimacountybonds.com

• Voter Registration all weekend at St. John’s and Our Mother of Sorrows
• Civic Academies at

> St. Philip’s in the Hills Episcopal (30 attendees) w/ PCIC's Rev. Leah Sandwell-Weis and Bond Speaker Diana Rhodes
> Casas Adobes Congregational UCC (40 attendees) w/PCIC's Harpo Jaeger
> St. Francis in the Foothills UMC (30 attendees) w/PCIC's Bob Evans and Bond Speaker Ann-Eve Cunningham
> OMOS Catholic (10 attendees) w/ Bond speaker Tom McGovern, Chair of Metro Tucson Chamber of Commerce

“What can be done about education?” was moderator Bob Evans question to the panel and audience of about 30 at St. Francis in the Foothills UMC on Sunday.  State Rep. and Cong. Candidate Victoria Steele, TUSD Board Member Chrystal Foster, and TEP Director of Gov’t Affairs Larry Lucero shared their frustrations and hopes with the audience.  Many current and former teachers in attendance had lots of questions and suggestions.  The team of Martha Pankratz, Robbie Dick, Ron Nason, Art Evans, Alice Weekly and Bob Evans presented a power point indictment of the current situation. Pastor Jim Wiltbank, a former teacher himself, spoke movingly about the children affected by struggling schools.  The best line of the day came from Rep. Steele, “We may be preaching to the choir here, but maybe the choir needs to start listening!”  Next steps were to join the PCIC core team at St. Francis or attend the next PCIC Education Action Team meeting on Sept. 30th at 6:00 pm at St. Francis.  Martha invited everyone to join her for trips to the legislature starting in January.

Inaugural “Pioneer of Justice” winner Day Ravenscoft would have been proud on Saturday! A group of anti-Bond activists attended the Voting/Bond Civic Academy at Day’s church, St. Odilia Catholic, and the team of Bernie Frankiewicz, Leona O’Connor, Rosalie Crowe and Mariane Milcazarek took it right in stride.  “YES on Pima County Bonds” speaker, Kevin Burnett, the CFO of The Sundt Companies, effectively countered Joe Boogaart of “Taxpayers Against Pima Bonds”.  About 25 Oro Valley residents had a passionate, civil and democratic discussion.  Next steps for all is to get out the vote!