In a profile of DNCC CEO Leah Daughtry, the New York Times revealed that Leah’s deep conviction in her faith runs parallel to her passion for the success of the Democratic Party. Leah, who spends many Sundays as a Pentecostal preacher, has made it her mission to incorporate people of faith into the Democratic Party. Having been tasked with orchestrating the Convention in August, Leah is responsible for making sure that “everything runs right…that the millions watching the convention on TV are captivated and inspired by the four-day-long show.” But for Leah, leading the Convention as well as expanding the reach of the Democratic Party “is, as she sees it, her way of fulfilling a generations-old family covenant with God.”

Teaming up to lead Convention delegates in several community service projects, yesterday Michelle Obama and Colorado First Lady Jeannie Ritter were announced as the Co-Chairs of Delegate Service Day, to be held on August 27, 2008. The goal of this endeavor is to “get delegates out into the community working on service projects such as cleaning up parks, reading to children and working with programs that help military families.” Click here to learn more about Delegate Service Day.

Touring the Pepsi Center yesterday, the Denver Post had a first-hand look at the transformation currently taking place inside the sports complex. Seats have been removed, a server room is being built, special racks line the hallways to support miles of cables, and the Avalanche hockey locker room has been transformed. Even with all of this activity, the Post reported “[the DNCC’s] construction and technology partners said Monday they are ahead of schedule in making upgrades to the Pepsi Center.”

Wish you could head to the Convention, travel and accommodations paid? With the DNCC’s YouTube contest -- announced today -- now you can! Just submit a short video here explaining why you are a Democrat in 2008, and YouTube users will vote on a winner once five finalists are selected. DemConWatch reports that this contest “comes with a kicker. The winner not only gets to go to the convention but they also get to travel with the Obama campaign for a day as a member of the press.”

As the center of attention for Convention-goers, the stage is a key focal point as construction begins in the Pepsi Center. What makes this stage so special? Continuing with DNCC’s greening efforts, the Rocky Mountain News reported that the stage will be built by “entertainment design company PRG, which was given a mandate to rent used materials, including sustainable woods, and to recycle all materials when the stage is torn down.” Read more details about the construction of the stage here.