Celebrating American Liberty from Sea to Shining Sea

Liberty Day
3615 S. Tamarac Dr.
Suite 320
Denver, CO 80237
ph: 303.333.3434
fax: 303-221-3309
alt: 1.866.718.3434
celebrationamerica@yahoo.com

Celebration America 2008 Conference

On Saturday, September 20, Liberty Day will hold its 2008 Constitution Celebration at the University of Colorado Denver, its partner in the conference. This event will featured an exciting debate on the issue of separation of church and state between authors Daniel Lynch and Joe Smith. It featured seminars run by Colorado Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon and Colorado Solicitor General Dan Domenico, as well as three breakout sessions and an entertaining presentation from comedian Jimmie Viles, who played James Madison.

Conference Basics
Over 80 people participated in the event, which featured an exciting debate on the issue of separation of church and state between authors Daniel Lynch and Joe Smith. Colorado Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon and Colorado Solicitor General Dan Domenico each led conversational, interactive seminars on the significance of the Constitution and granting habeas corpus rights to terrorists, respectively.
Comedian and character impersonator Jimmie Viles returned once again to play James Madison. Talk about a fun time! Viles organized a thrilling game show with prizes, including two mint-condition, uncirculated $25 rolls of James Madison dollars, each worth around $100. Last year he played Ben Franklin, and next year we’ll be sure to bring him back!
Liberty Day also held three smaller breakout sessions, led by attorney Bill Banta, teacher Gary Sulley, and CO Dem Communications Direction Matt Farrauto and CO GOP Political Director and legal counsel Ryan Call. Each one was thoroughly enjoyed by the students and covered a different facet of the Constitution.
Students also enjoyed free pizza, wings, breadsticks, and soda from Pizza Hut and interacted in one-on-one conversations with the Colorado Senate’s Assistant Minority Leader, Nancy Spence, in a unique Constitution Lunch Party, which offered students the chance to visit at tables with folks just like the Denver Elections Commission, which was there to sign up students 16+ to be election judges.
“The Colorado Constitution Day Celebration is an incredibly valuable experience for any young citizen of the United States. I loved being able to meet and visit with some of our State elected officials. It was an excellent conference and I’ll be there again!” praised 14-year-old Jacob Neumann of this year’s conference.
Liberty Day’s Celebration America high school conferences have offered, and will continue to offer, high school students a unique opportunity to learn about the Constitution from those who are involved in it on a daily basis and to interact with them one-on-one. During the lunch party, one student called the event “awesome.” It was then that we knew we had done our job.
Liberty Day will extend its Celebration America conferences at UCD and will take steps to make next year’s celebration even better.

Program Highlights

The 2008 conference featured several high-profile figures in Colorado government and politics leading in seminars as well as breakout sessions. Students were given the chance to interact directly with every one of the presenters, making this a wholly unique and exciting experienced for them!

Colorado Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon was our keynote speaker in the morning, leading a heavily interactive seminar which engaged the students through questions relating to the Constitution and its impacts in various contexts and issues on the American people today.
Colorado Solicitor General Dan Domenico conducted an interactive conversation with the students on the subject of granting habeas corpus rights to terrorists
Authors Joe Smith and Daniel Lynch debated the issue of separation of church and state and took questions from the students
Comedian Jimmie Viles returned to play James Madison, a fun time for everyone!
CO Democratic Party Communications Director Matt Farrauto and CO GOP Political Director and legal counsel Ryan Call joined together to lead a bipartisan breakout session on the conventions and electoral college
Attorney Bill Banta and teacher and longtime political activist Gary Sulley also led great, immersive sessions
State Senate Assistant Minority Leader Nancy Spence interacted one-on-one with students during our Constitution Lunch Party - free pizza, wings, and breadsticks!