Thank you to everyone who participated in GPAD's annual fundraiser last week! We had terrific turnout to hear Cook Co. State's Attorney Kim Foxx passionately and eloquently describe how the "law and order" philosophy actually contributes to crime and poverty, and that her office is at the front nationally of resetting priorities in the State's Attorney's office to end those pernicious cycles. We also were privileged to hear Cong. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Cong. Sean Casten, State Sen. Julie Morrison, State Sen. Ann Gillespie, State Rep. Jonathan Carroll, State Rep. Michelle Mussman, State Rep. Mark Walker, MWRD     Commissioner M Cameron "Cam" Davis, Cook County Commissioners Scott Britton and Kevin Morrison, candidate Maggie Trevor and other candidates. In a video recording, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth urged us all to get out the vote to help Joe Biden win the White House, as well as helping Maggie Trevor win the 54th District.

And! We honored our volunteers! College junior Gretchen Coleman (in GPAD visor) was awarded the Barack Obama Community Organizing Award for her work in creating and developing Ballot-Z, the initiative to encourage the newest voting-age bloc to vote. Tim McGowan was awarded the Young Progressive Organizing award for his work this summor organizing Black Lives Matters protests and mentoring high school Black students in District 211. Tim had to work the night of the fundraiser, so a small GPAD committee presented his award to him at his home, with his son, also named Tim. Committeeperson Emeritus Matt Flamm was recognized with the Democratic Leadership Award for his long-time work with GPAD and his work late this summer advocating for a neutral location for Early Voting in Palatine. Susan MacDonald was recognized with a Democratic Service award for her long years as GPAD treasurer and a campaign treasurer to many candidates, including the Hon. Sue Walton. And finally GPAD presented a posthumous "Volunteer Extraordinaire" award to Sue Berndt, "Queen of the Canvass," seen here canvassing with Cong. Raja Krishnamoorthi. It is because of the hard work, over long years, by volunteers like Sue Berndt, Susan MacDonald, and Matt Flamm that has build Greater Palatine Area Democrats and helped to increase the Democratic organization in Palatine Township. And because of that strong foundation, younger leaders such as Tim McGowan and Gretchen Coleman have the support they need to help make the world a better place.

We are all working SO HARD for The Most Important Election of Our Time! We are all working every hour to help Our Candidates WIN -- from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to Sean Casten and Maggie Trevor. We will need to rev up our engines for the final month--so on Thursday, Oct. 8, take some time to join us to celebrate -- CELEBRATE!!--our wonderful Candidates, Electeds, and the amazing, ferocious Activists and Volunteers who bravely fight for the rights of ALL OF US! Get tickets here! We'll get mobilized for racial justice with Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, speaking on the many reforms she has brought to the office for transparency and Justice For All. And!! We've been promised a special, just-for-GPAD video message from Sen. Tammy Duckworth! And also! We'll hear from Congressman Sean Casten on his battle of a campaign and the work he is doing in Congress in support of clean energy, women's rights, protections for seniors and universal healthcare. State Sen. Julie Morrison will bring us up to date her work on both fair redistricting and the Covid-free voting law she wrote and championed this spring so that all of us could vote without getting sick!! AND MANY MORE of our Elected officials and Candidates will bring us up to date. We NEED this night to get FIRED UP! for the last charge! Get tickets here!!

Very soon, Illinois voters will be deciding whether to amend the Illinois Constitution to allow a progressive income tax rather than a flat income tax. Is a progressive income tax really fair? Is retirement income included in the tax? So much misinformation out there--especially misinformation targeting seniors. Find out the facts at GPAD's Town Hall on the Fair Tax. Sign up here, get the link to the meeting.