Relay for Life at Pulaski High School June 27

Relay for Life Is One of Thousands of Service Events in All 50 States

Will Highlight Need for Reform in Milwaukee and Demonstrate Wisconsinites Support for Passing Health Care Reform This Year

Wisconsin’s Organizing for America (OFA), a project of the Democratic National Committee that is building grassroots support for President Obama’s agenda for change, will hold in conjunction with the American Cancer Society a Relay for Life starting Friday, June 26th at 6:00 PM CT and ending on Saturday, June 27th at 12 noon CT in Milwaukee, WI as part of the National Health Care Day of Service.

During the event, OFA volunteers will join The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in celebrating life and honoring the memory of those whose lives have been touched by cancer. The event involves teams of 8-15 people who take turns walking or running around a track all night long. All in an effort to raise the awareness of cancer and the need to reform the current and broken health care system. This event is just one of thousands of health care service events that OFA is organizing across the country.

The National Health Care Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, a new initiative announced by President Obama that is challenging all Americans to help lay a new foundation for growth by engaging in sustained, meaningful community service in four key areas: health care, energy, education, and community renewal. The United We Serve summer initiative began on June 22nd and runs through the National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11th.

“With each passing day, the reality we face here in Wisconsin and throughout the country is another day lost for those 45 million American’s without health insurance and the countless others being priced out of the system or denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions,” said Dan Grandone, Wisconsin Organizing for America State Director. “This weekend’s health care service event in Wisconsin gives volunteers an opportunity to take action around health care issues in their own communities and continue to engage people in frank conversations about the urgent need for reform.”

On June 6th, tens of thousands of people attended OFA’s Health Care Kickoffs in all 50 states. During these meetings, participants talked about the urgent need for health care reform and crafted a plan to garner grassroots support for President Obama’s core principles - lowering costs, preserving choice and increasing access. OFA organized a nationwide pledge drive to demonstrate support for the President’s budget and has conducted hundreds of “Listening Tours” around the country during the past several weeks. These Tours are an opportunity to engage people on the issues they care about and discuss the best ways to build support for President Obama’s policy priorities in their local communities.

Suggested Health Care Service Event for press to attend is below:

When: Saturday, June 27th

Time: 10 AM CT

What: The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life as part of Organizing for America’s National Health Care Day of Service

Where: Pulaski High School
2500 W. Oklahoma Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53215