Welcome back! I hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing summer because we are all going to be working very hard this fall to get the Democrats elected to the White House, Senate and House. I am very proud to report that WNDC's leaders have had a busy and productive summer. In addition to producing our own 30-page platform for the Democratic Party, which has been touted as a model by the DNC and the Women's Leadership Forum, we hosted a Unity Breakfast for Obama and Clinton supporters and held a well-attended public hearing on the Democratic Platform. Sharron Caplan, Katie Coon and I will be attending the Democratic Convention and representing WNDC.

As you know, Senator Obama is not accepting any PAC money, but there is another way you can make a contribution to his campaign. WNDC has been invited to join the new Women's Leadership Initiative, which is a joint effort by Women for Obama and the DNC's Women's Leadership Forum. Its mission is to recruit and engage women leaders from across the country to work together and raise money in support of Senator Obama and the Democratic Party. I have signed on as a Leadership Committee Member, which allows me to participate in a private brunch at the convention, in a series of conference calls with high-level surrogates, and in a two-day national issues seminar in early October, featuring Senator Obama, high-level policymakers and senior campaign advisors.

This honor also commits me to raising a minimum of $25,000 by September 30! I am going to serve as a "bundler," which gives you an opportunity to send whatever individual contribution you intended to give to the presidential campaign to this joint effort, with full credit, and I will get the credit for putting your contributions together. The WLF and DNC know me well, and will be aware that I am raising these funds from you. We all win that way—Obama and the DNC get money and the WNDC gains visibility and influence.

The Campaign prefers that you send your contribution electronically. They have arranged a personal weblink into the contribution form, which is: https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/OVFWLF?custom1=Karen+Shook.You can also make contributions by mail (WLF/Women for Obama, attn.:Shelly Horn, 430 South Capitol Street, SE, DC 20003) or by fax (202-572-5889). I will be enormously grateful for anything you can contribute and WNDC will do itself proud. Please let me know when you send a contribution so I can track it for my reports to the WLF.

Thank you.
Karen Hansen Shook