News Release: Tucson’s Birthday Ambassadors Orientation set for July 23

Contact: Linda Ray
info@tucsonsbirthday.org
520-327-7544

TUCSON’S BIRTHDAY AMBASSADORS SPREAD THE FUN
July 23 Orientation Set for Tucson’s Birthday Volunteers

Tucsonans who love their town and want to spread the
word about its month-long August birthday celebration are invited to
attend an orientation from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, July 23 for
Tucson’s Birthday Ambassadors.

The meeting, to be held at the Martha Cooper Branch Library, 1377
North Catalina Ave., will feature a 20-minute capsule history of
Tucson by historian Ken Scoville, donuts from the 75-year-old LeCave’s
Bakery and coffee from Ike’s.

Birthday Ambassadors attend their choice Tucson’s Birthday events to
help promote all the other events in the Birthday month. They’re
encouraged to text, Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare, Yelp, photograph,
videotape and blog about events they attend. They also serve as a
street team to promote events to their friends and neighbors, and to
encourage people to visit tucsonsbirthday.org for more information.
In 2010, more than 40 Ambassadors participated, some attending more
than 20 events.

Besides enthusiasm for learning more about our city’s history,
cultural diversity and natural wonders, Ambassadors require a cell
phone, an e-mail address, a computer and a comfortable relationship
with their technology. An additional training session is available on
blogging.

Reservations are required via e-mail to tucsonsbirthday@gmail.com.
Anyone interested in attending is urged to first familiarize
themselves with the information available on the Tucson’s Birthday
website at http://www.tucsonsbirthday.org.

Tucson’s month-long birthday celebration was conceived in 2006 by Cele
Peterson. The month celebrates the contributions of many cultures and
interests, as well as the environmental features and institutions that
have made Tucson a unique community. Tucson’s Birthday Planners is a
501(c)3 corporation, registered in the State of Arizona. Its Board
members are President and Executive Director Linda Ray, Chairman Hon.
Richard Elías, Secretary Dave Fisher and at-large members Hon. Regina
Romero, Ray Davies, Lance Laber, Tom Prezelski, Art Pesqueira and Pete
Hershberger.

Tucson’s birthday is coming up on August 20, but events are held throughout Tucson during the entire month of August. Log onto that website to find out what’s happening every day. I attended several fun events last summer and blogged about them as well.

From the Pima Council on Aging (PCOA) website & flyers regarding next Tuesday’s special election on Proposition 100, the proposed 1 cent/per dollar sales tax increase:

PCOA logo

“Arizona voters hold the keys to a healthier economic future!
Help rebuild the state’s troubled economy with a “yes” vote for Prop. 100!

• Failure to pass Proposition 100 would place thousands of vulnerable older Arizona residents in harm’s way by cutting indispensable funds for cost effective home-and community based
care services.

• Failure to pass Proposition 100 would require the State to spend millions in new expenditures because institutional nursing home and personal care is 5 times as costly as affordable home-and community–based care services.

Why a Yes Vote Matters:
• Passage of Proposition 100 will begin the rebuilding of the state economy and protect health and human services funds for home – and-community-based services.

What’s At Stake:
• Pima Council of Aging and Pima Health System have already taken serious reductions in funds of $1,235,353 over the past 18 months.

• A “no” vote on Prop. 100 means that Pima Council on Aging would take new funding cuts of $800,000 to 900,000 that would eviscerate services for the neediest older adults and support for family caregivers in Pima County”

“Pima Council on Aging (PCOA) is the designated Area Agency on Aging serving older adults and their families living in Pima County, Arizona. PCOA advocates, plans, coordinates, develops and delivers home-and-community-based aging services for older adults and provides supportive assistance, accurate information, and local resource connections for family caregivers.”

Their mission is “to promote dignity and respect for aging, and to advocate for independence in the lives of Pima County’s older adults and their families now and for generations to come.”

For questions about PCOA’s “Yes” on Prop. 100 advocacy outreach, contact
Stew Grabel, PCOA Ombudsman. Call 520-790-0504 or send email to sgrabel@
pcoa.org. Website for more information is www.pcoa.org.

Also, a recent 5/7/10 debate pro and con on Prop. 100 is online at KUAT AZ Illustrated
(former LD26 State House Fep. Pete Herschberger argues pro; Farrell Quinlan, State Director of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, argues against):
http://ondemand.azpm.org/videoshorts/watch/2010/5/7/1542-sales-tax-hike-for-arizona/

Vote early, or on Tuesday, May 18th.