The IDTC is having a wine-tasting on 
Sunday, June 3, and you’re invited. Come to the Mill River Winery, 498 Newburyport Turnpike (Route 1), Rowley, from 4-7 pm. Cost is $35/per person. You’ll enjoy red and white wines, cheeses, antipasto, crudites, dips, breads with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, soft drinks, and a tour of the manufacturing room. Congressman John Tierney will be the featured speaker. Contact Sherry Hurley for tickets, 978-356-3173.
Our May 12 meeting features Maureen Driscoll from the North Shore affiliate of “Move to Amend.” She’ll update us on the movement to amend the U.S. Constitution in order to address the issue of ‘corporate personhood’ and the influence of corporate money on our elections. Open to the public. 9:30 a.m., Ipswich Public Library. Coffee and donuts. A short business meeting follows.
Officers for the 2012-2016 term are: Diane Young, chair; Paul L’Herrou and David Pauley, co-vice chairs; Charlotte Eliot, treasurer; Sherry Hurley, secretary.
Our 6th Congressional District held its caucus to elect delegates to the Democratic National Convention in September. Elected were Marianne Rutter (Boxford), Catherine Bayliss (Gloucester), Stella Pierce (Beverly) and Margaret Somer (Swampscott), Ralph Edwards (Swampscott),Tom Larkin (Bedford), Lou Masiello (Salisbury) and Stan Slepoy (Rowley). Alternate: Dr. Don Green (Reading).
Massachusetts’ presidential primary is Tuesday, March 6. Ipswich residents vote at the YMCA, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Show your support for President Obama. We also vote for a new slate of Ipswich Democratic Town Committee members and our reps to the party’s State Committee. Specimen ballots are posted at the Town Clerk’s office.
Thanks to all those who attended the Ipswich Democratic caucus on February 11. We elected the following people as delegates to the state Convention (June 2, Springfield): Meryl Baier, Laura Gresh, Sean Gresh, Richard Howard, Paul L’Herrou, David Pauley, Carolyn Style. And as alternates: Amanda Donovan, Faith Evans, Jack Manderson.
The Ipswich Democratic Caucus will take place on Saturday, February 11 at 9:30 AM at the Ipswich Public Library, 25 North Main St. All Democrats registered in Ipswich no later than December 31, 2011 are eligible to participate. The purpose of the caucus is to elect delegates to the Democratic State Convention to be held on June 2 in Springfield. Convention delegates will nominate candidates for the 2012 U.S. Senate Democratic Primary. For further information, contact Ipswich Democratic Town Committee Vice-Chair Diane Young at 978-356-2938, email djy10@columbia.edu, or visit www.massdems.org
The annual breakfast of the IDTC is Saturday, January 21, 10-noon at Ascension Memorial Church on County Rd. We’re honoring the Ipswich Humane Group (our local animal shelter) with our Community Service Award. Sponsorships are available at the Platinum level ($200, special recognition, 2 complimentary tickets), Gold level ($100, recognition, 1 complimentary ticket), and Silver ($50, recognition, 1 complimentary ticket). Regular tickets are $30. Buy your ticket online through ActBlue or contact Sherry Hurley (hurley13@aol.com, 978-356-3173).
Saturday, January 21 is our fifth annual Call to Action breakfast, a fundraiser for our election year headquarters, and an opportunity to recognize one of the many organizations that contribute to Ipswich’s civic and social life. In past years, we’ve given our Citizen’s Action Award to Turn the Tide, the Ipswich Recycling Advisory Committee, Ipswich Caring, and the Ipswich Food Bank. Ticket information to come.
We’re meeting Saturday, October 22 at 9:30 a.m. in the Collins Room of the Ipswich Public Library. We’ve got a full agenda, including “How to Market Democrats.”
