A month back a few of us folks in the northwest Chicago suburbs launched an online fundraising drive for our local township Democratic organization. We got a bit more than half-way to our goal and due to a variety of events I ended up putting it on the back-burner.

Well, back-burner no more... I'm asking you to help me bring it to a boil.

Our goal is very modest: only $750. But, the results would be huge.

$750 was chosen because that's about how much it costs to keep the local Dem office open. What's that you say? Just another office? Big whoop? Read on...

This is a repost of yesterday's diary, which seemed to attract the lunch crowd. Hopefully today, the breakfast crowd will have a chance to offer their help.

Plus, we were issued a challenge by a Second Amendment fan yesterday afternoon. (This fundraiser has nothing to do with 2A, but the guy seems to be a critic of the low-dollar goal and our -- ahem -- "pace" in meeting that goal.)

Read the repost of yesterday's request below the fold.

"My friends..."

If you believe in the 50-state strategy and value the work of grassroots volunteers organizing in our neighborhoods and communities all across the country, please help keep one of those local efforts going this year.

I and a few friends have been trying to raise funds online for the Wheeling Township Democrats for a few days now. This is vitally important because our Dem organization is smack dab in the middle of Chicago's historically Republican northwest suburbs.

I say "historically" because, thanks to the hard work of many people (one hard-nosed individual in particular), this neck of the woods is definitely turning purple, if not downright blue.

We're more than a third of the way through our fundraising to honor Pat Botterman's legacy and more than a third toward our goal -- right on track.

If you haven't already, please donate what you can.

As if you needed a reminder of Pat's impact on our little neck of the woods, check out the impromptu eulogies left at Capitol Fax when Rich Miller reported on his death... A lot of heartfelt mourning, for good reason, from Dems, Republicans, family and friends.

I introduced the Wheeling Township Dems Donor Drive online yesterday as a way to honor my friend and well-known Illinois Dem "operative" Pat Botterman.

Wow, one day down and only 9 to go and already the Wheeling Dems Donor Drive is off to a great start. That, of course, is thanks in no small part to the wonderful help of local activist and Botterman Alum Aaron Krager over at Faithfully Liberal who set up a goal of $250 over the next ten days.

In 10 days, the Wheeling and Palatine Township Democrats will be hosting a joint fundraiser (PDF) to help cover costs for keeping the only Democratic office in the northwest suburbs up and running.

The Wheeling Dems in particular will also be awarding the First Annual Pat Botterman Leadership Award to honor the legacy of the late, great Wheeling Township Committeman who died suddenly on March 10th.

Over the next 10 days, leading up to the brunch fundraiser, I'll be asking folks to help out the Wheeling Dems with a wee bit of a virtual fundraiser.