Raising Funds at the Boston Garden
First off I’d like to apologize for not being able to do live blogging from the fundraiser. I mentioned in my previous post that I might do so and provide updates on the total amount raised. There were exactly three reasons why I could not do that: The wireless connection was extremely slow (if it was working at all), there was not a running total because donations were hand written and not immediately entered into computers, and lastly I was very busy trying to make calls all day.
What a great event to be a part of!! I had made last minute plans to attend and loved every minute of it. To start the day off we took shuttle buses to the Boston Garden. On the floor there were many tables set-up and ready to go. Each table had balloons on it that signified a region of the country and we sat in sections based on where we were from. I’m from Utah and we sat in the green balloons section. There were more yellow balloons than any. That group was from California.
I sat at a table with the same guys that kindly let me share a room with them the night before to save on cost. They also gave me ride home to Orem when we got off the flight. They were a good bunch of college students that helped make my trip very enjoyable. You can see them in some of the pictures below.
After everyone was seated and ready to go we first heard from Meg Whitman, CEO of Ebay (I didn’t get a good picture of her). Then they dimmed the lights a little and we watched a short video that was much like a campaign advertisement, and then someone announced Governor Romney and his wife over the loudspeaker. They played loudly over the speakers part of the intro to The Who’s Baba O’Riley. I’m a big Who fan so that got me even more stoked than I already was.
After Mitt and Ann spoke we hit the phones. Senator Bob Bennett was in attendance and spoke to us a little around mid-day. There were many helpful staffers who carried away our filled contribution forms and occasionally brought us drinks and cookies. 
Governor Romney was all about the place and usually always talking on one phone or another. I was talking to a nice lady named Debbie in Cedar Hills when I got distracted because I could hear Romney’s voice behind me. He was talking to a few fellows about 10 feet behind me. I told Debbie this and she seemed excited because she could hear him talking too. I took a picture with my left hand while I was talking to her and promised to e-mail it to her. A few minutes later (while I was talking with my sister on the phone,) I took the opportunity to shake his hand as he was walking by our table. Unfortunately did not ask for a picture as he looked extremely busy. Which he must have been because went to a nearby table and ate his food very rapidly.
Finally I could take the poll that I had written the day before. Through all of this I didn’t get to see Vic and Ann Marie much as they were at different tables, but we did stopped get a few pictures before Vic had to leave with the California group.
All in all, it was one of the most memorable occasions of my life, and I’m so glad that I was able to go.
Alden and Nick. They must have stole my camera while I was away because I didn’t take that
The floor of the Boston Garden
Me and Ann Marie.
Me, Ann Marie and Vic
Me making calls. Can you see how messy our table was?
Me on the phone with Nick making faces behind me
This is the man behind the camera on all the Romney videos you see
This is the picture I took while taking a contribution from Debbie on the phone
The folks at my table (from left): Dave, unknown, unknown, Alden and Nick
I grabbed a picture with Justin Hart of MyManMitt because I failed to do so the night before. I couldn’t find Jason Bonham to get a picture with him.
Me with Spencer Zwick, who is the National Finance Director for the campaign. He’s a brilliant guy, and only 26!
Another shot of our set-up
And lastly, Vic Lundquist on the phone and raising big bucks
I’d like to thank my siblings who helped me immensely in getting ready for the fundraiser (donating too) and for loaning me the cell phone, camcorder and laptop that I brought with me. Also thanks to the readers of this blog who e-mailed so I could call them for contributions, and several others who gave me lists of contacts. I think we will find out tomorrow, or possibly the next, that this event was a great success.
~Nate Gunderson
June 27th, 2007 at 7:22 am
When do we find out how much money they got that day???
June 28th, 2007 at 12:58 am
Let’s hope that the effort will put Mitt on top for fundraising in 2Q. I got my bobblehead today for donating during Sign-Up America. It is one of the better bobbleheads I have seen, even has the graying sideburns.
Congrats to all on this blog that participated, I am certain dedicated and competent volunteers are going to be the secret weapon of this campaign.
June 29th, 2007 at 11:53 am
Tom: If it is like Q1, we will start to hear self-reporting the first week of July from some camps and wider news predictions by the second week of July. I can’t recall when the official reports are due; later in July?