Don Mayall Memorial Fund

This special fund to support the Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley was established in September 2017, three months after Don’s passing (June 28,2017).

You can contribute to the fund at: secure.actblue.com/donate/deanclub-mayall

Don was a charter member of our club, having been, along with his wife Carolyn Curtis, an enthusiastic supporter of Howard Dean’s candidacy for president, from March 2003. When we tabled at the Palo Alto farmers market, campaigning for Howard and registering voters, he’d tell Carolyn he didn’t want to engage (words to that effect), but soon would be deep in amiable conversation, usually with a gent his age.

Don was always available to staff the sign-in table at club events. The quintessential morning person, he’d lit-drop and doorhanger on predawn election mornings, until voting by mail put an end to that folk rite. Don was the club’s fourth treasurer; a statistician (labor market analysis) by trade, he was meticulous and dedicated, establishing a two-year budget and seeing to it in meetings that we kept to it. He trained club members in how to lobby legislators, having lobbied for conservation issues (including in Washington), and regularly went to Sacramento with us for healthcare and campaign finance reform. He always presented at our ballot initiative information sessions, with cogent and witty PowerPoints. Don and Carolyn were on Jerry McNerney’s election committee 2004-6, and present at Jerry’s headquarters that victorious election night in 2006. Don also represented the club on the county Democratic Party endorsement committee. In all meetings, he always got right to the point, but was never dismissive, small-minded, or inconsiderate of what others were saying. When he spoke, people shut up and listened.

Besides the club, Don’s other main focus was conservation, serving on the local and state level of the California Native Plant Society, specifically the botany and preservation of nearby serpentine areas. He and Carolyn first grew close working to preserve Edgewood in the early nineties (since 1993, Edgewood County Park and Natural Preserve), and Don went on to lead the efforts to keep Coyote Ridge, a major serpentine area south of San Jose, free of development. On Don’s office wall is a photo of him and Jerry McNerney in a wildflower meadow on Coyote Ridge, at that time in Jerry’s district. He and Carolyn enjoyed many trips to wildflower areas and transformed Don’s yard in Palo Alto into a native plant phantasmagoria.

More about Don at www.donaldmayallmemorial.com/gallery-1.

We miss him.

November 5, 2024 Primary Election Endorsements

On September 2, 2024, the Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley made the following endorsements for the November 5, 2024 General Election.

Endorsements from the March 5, 2024 Primary Election carry over to the General Election, for those who advance.  To view them, follow THIS LINK.

Dean Club Ballot Proposition Extravaganza

On August 26, 2024, the Dean Club Members ratified endorsements for the 2024 California Ballot Propositions.

Results are available at THIS LINK.

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Join the Dean Club for our Ballot Proposition Extravaganza at the SCCDP Headquarters in San Jose, and via Zoom, on August 7, 2024 at 7 PM.  Club Members will give presentations on each Statewide Ballot Proposition. Attendees will then be invited to participate in a Straw Poll. The results of the Straw Poll will become a slate of recommendations to the Members at our August 26, 2024 meeting.  The Members will vote to either ratify or modify the results of the Straw Poll.  The results of the Member vote become the Dean Club’s Ballot Proposition endorsements for 2024.

For Zoom access, RSVP at THIS LINK.

California Secretary of State ballot proposition listings are here:
https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/qualified-ballot-measures

Ballotpedia ballot proposition summaries are here:
https://ballotpedia.org/California_2024_ballot_propositions

Presentations are posted here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1S-lPJVI_L6IsQhGXwNdRj_RmOwA7dLt2

Photo by Oxana Melis on Unsplash

Annual Picnic and Election of Officers

Join us for a fun day in the park!

Our annual potluck picnic and election of officers will be held on June 22, 2024 at Ponderosa Park, Area 2, 811 Henderson Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086-8730, from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM.

We have invited several candidates, elected officials, or their representatives to speak. It’s always a fun and informative event.

Election of officers will occur at 12:15 PM, and our honored guests will be invited to speak beginning at 12:30 PM.

March 5, 2024 Primary Election Endorsements

On January 2, 2024, the Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley made the following endorsements for the March 5, 2024 Primary Election.

2024 Annual Goals


At our working meeting on January 22, 2024, the Dean Club will set our Annual Goals for the coming year.

Members will discuss the results of the December brainstorming session, categorize the goals, and prioritize the categories and their top goals.

Ranked Goals will be available at:
2024 Ranked Goals

Categorized Goals are available at:
2024 Categorized Goals

Results of the brainstorm are available at:
December 2023 Brainstorm

Dean Club Holiday Potluck and Goals Brainstorming



December 11, 2023  at 6:30 PM

at the home of Jackie Wheeler. Everyone welcome. We will be sharing pot luck and brainstorming topics for our 2024 Goals.

Cheers!

For the address, email: deandemclub@sonic.net