Preparations

Down to the Capital and back is all in a days work when preparing for "Day at the Capital".   Spending the day with my best friend in a training/brainstorming session in St. Paul was fun, minus the travel.  As Liaison's for the National Association of Social Worker it is our job to promote the NASW to students, to bring feedback to the board, to organize our school field trip to "Day at the Capital" and to work there doing registration, leadership and guidance. 

"Day at the Capital" is a day where social workers, specifically students, gather together at the Capital.  We begin at the Historical Center by attending a keynote speaker and can choose one educational session.  These are relevent to what is happening on the legislative agenda.  A march to the Capital building accompanied by chanting and posters follows.  Once in the Capital building we circulate around the rotunda area.  Various legislators are invited to come and give short speeches as they are cheered on.  Governor Dayton is invited to speak as well so I am hoping to not only see him, but possibly get a chance to meet him. 

Following the roudyness and noise, we split off with all of our beautified fact sheets to meet our own legislators from our districts.  Each person can choose whatever topic they want and are expected to do their own research to prepare a fact sheet.  If the legislators are in session they can ask to pull them out to speak to them which is where the term "lobbying" comes from, as you speak to them in the lobby area.  For those who are not interested in lobbying, they are encouraged to sit in a committee session or watch a floor session which are also quite interesting.  I am tentatively planning on attending the Health and Human Service Committee meeting as a representative from my district serves on the committee and we don't exactly see eye to eye.   I would like to know what happens in there.   Then I will do my lobbying afterwards... :~)

And that's the jist of it!  Last year we made so much noise in the rotunda that we interupted some sessions.  Governor Pawlenty was invited but of course a "no show".   However we saw Senator John Marty, Representative Margaret Anderson- Kelliher, and a few others.  Great experience overall, helps in establishing some type of relationship with your legislators, and is fun!   So for any social workers out there, come and join us on April 5th in making a difference!