Green VP Candidate To Sleep In Homeless Shelters

COBB/LaMARCHE 2004
http://www.votecobb.org

NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release:
September 8, 2004

GREEN VEEP CANDIDATE TO SLEEP IN A DOZEN HOMELESS SHELTERS

Pat LaMarche's unprecedented "Left Out Tour"
to highlight those Left Out in America

Green Party vice presidential candidate Pat LaMarche today announced her upcoming "Left Out Tour," an unprecedented two week journey designed to draw attention to those living on the edge of society -- the homeless, victims of domestic abuse, people without health insurance, and the working poor -- and to collect donations of essential items for homeless shelters.

The tour will start on September 21 in Augusta, Maine, where the Governor's Council on Affordable Housing will be meeting, and end in Cleveland, Ohio, October 4, on the evening prior to the vice presidential debate. In between those dates, LaMarche will crisscross the country sleeping in homeless and domestic violence shelters and in a tent across from the Rhode Island Statehouse. LaMarche will also hold an all-night vigil in front of the current vice president's mansion in Washington, D.C.

"The reason for the Left Out Tour is to focus on people who are left out in our society and more importantly, to demonstrate things we can do to help them," said LaMarche.

The Left Out Tour is a first in the history of U.S. political campaigns. Never before has a vice presidential candidate used 'the bully pulpit' to raise awareness about America's least privileged citizens. And no vice presidential candidate has ever been bold enough to walk in their shoes.

LaMarche will use the tour to raise donations for homeless shelters of blankets, toiletries and children's books.

"The most heart-breaking thing is that homeless children can't get library cards because they don't have an address. That's why we're asking people to contribute children's books for the libraries of homeless shelters," said LaMarche.

The itinerary for the Left Out Tour is:

September 21, Augusta, ME
September 22, Boston, MA
September 23, Providence, RI
September 24, New York City
September 25, Washington, DC
September 26, Knoxville, TN
September 27, TBA, AR
September 28, Denver, CO
September 29, TBA
September 30, Los Angeles, CA
October 1, Portland, OR
October 2, Chicago, IL
October 3, Detroit, MI
October 4, Cleveland, OH

During the tour LaMarche will ask people to donate the following items to the shelters she visits or to shelters in their communities: tooth paste, toothbrushes, shaving cream, razors, deodorant, shampoo, baby powder, band-aids, first aid cream, used and new books -- especially children's books, feminine hygiene products, towels and blankets.

The Left Out Tour is typical of the way that LaMarche approaches activism, life and politics. The single mother of two secured ballot access for the Maine Green Party when she ran for Governor in 1998. A nonprofit foundation director and one of the most popular radio broadcasters in Maine, LaMarche has found kidneys for dying children, raised money for poverty-stricken youth, and helped to garner support for relief crews after September 11, 2001.

For more information on the Cobb-LaMarche campaign, go to http://www.votecobb.org. Information on the Green Party can be found at http://www.gp.org.

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