Tim Ryan to speak at Democratic Party dinner

SIDNEY — Former Congressman and U.S. Senate Candidate Tim Ryan will keynote this year’s Shelby County Ohio Democratic Party Jefferson/Jackson dinner and will advocate for “Rebuilding a New Democratic Party.”

The dinner will be held on Thursday, May 2, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. at the Sidney Ohio Elks, 221 S. Main Ave. The event is open to the public regardless of party affiliation for $30 per person.

Ryan served the working families in northeast Ohio’s 13th Congressional District in the U.S. Congress for 20 years. Through his work on the House Appropriations Committee, he brought back over $1 billion to help transform the economic and cultural landscape of northeast Ohio. He is largely credited with leading the economic transformation of northeast Ohio after years of disinvestment and neglect.

While Ryan was in Congress, northeast Ohio gained two natural gas power plants; Fox Conn’s North American Electric Vehicle Hub; an Ultima Battery Plant; a major Home Goods Distribution Center; Ohio’s only energy incubator; the globally recognized Youngstown Business incubator; and America Makes, a federally funded, thriving, public-private partnership developing technology around 3D printing and additive manufacturing.

Ryan has always been ahead of his time in promoting critical health and wellness initiatives, reforming food and agriculture systems, and highlighting alternatives to heal troubled veterans. He is the author of a book on the power of mindfulness called “Healing America: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Recapture the American Spirit,” and a book on reforming the broken food systems called “The Real Food Revolution: Healthy Eating, Green Groceries, and the Return of the American Family Farm.”

Christopher Gibbs, chairman of the Shelby County Ohio Democratic Party, believes Ryan’s remarks will be timely for Shelby County as party leadership and members work to refocus and rebrand the local Democratic Party.

“Tim knows that politics is all about addition, not subtraction, and a party who seeks solutions for people over retribution and division will invariably attract new followers and win the day,” Gibbs said.

RSVPs for the event can be made by April 25 by emailing [email protected] or by calling or texting 937-707-8507. Reservations should include the number of attendees and their menu choices of either grilled chicken or pot roast. RSVPs can pay at the door.