The 24th Annual Public Service Award Dinner sponsored by GADCC is coming up. Have you got your tickets? A good time will be had by one and all.

Last year I attended my first Georgia Association of Democratic County Chairs (GADCC) Dinner. It will not be my last.

I look forward to this year's on August 20 in Macon, and if you and your County Committee have not ordered tickets and ads that help support the GADCC's crucial missions, take a minute and do it now.

This year's Richard B. Russell Public Service Award recipient is Attorney General Thurbert Baker. How appropriate and timely.

If you missed last year's gala affair, you missed the following one-liners from the evening:

Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond (attired in a white dinner jacket): "It's been a thrill getting to see so many of my friends and acquaintances tonight. And it's been fun meeting some of you I haven't met before, including that guy who looked me right in the eye and said 'Hey waiter, how about bringing me another drink.'"

State Chairman Bobby Kahn was quick to pick up on Commissioner Thurmond's waiter remark and have some good fun with the good Commissioner by saying: "Commissioner, if you need to leave early tonight, we'll understand. We know you've got to get that rented tux back to Wal-Mart."

And Secretary of State Cathy Cox, the recipient of the 2004 Richard B. Russell Award -- in addition to rallying the troops with a powerful stump speech -- noted that Michael Thurmond had endeared himself to her a couple of years ago when he said, "I'm talking about 'the' Cathy Cox, you know, the pretty one."

This annual GADCC fund-raiser provides for the organization's various missions, one of which is assisting active Democratic County Committee reach out and organize those in other counties with inactive or weak committees.

I know about this particular part of GADCC's mission because GADCC is presently assisting Coffee County help some of our neighboring counties reorganize in preparation for 2006 and 2008. What we are attempting to do is assist these other counties who either do not have an county committee or need help to strengthen one.

This is in keeping with GADCC's purpose of building a grassroot network of county parties.

There will be a State Committee meeting earlier in the day, and a reception at 5:00 and dinner at 6:00.

I understand that last year there were some 600 in attendance, and just think how great it would be to have this one be the best ever as was the case with the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in March. The room holds 900.

I look forward to seeing you on August 20 in Macon.