RNC parties become Gustav fundraisers

The Grand Old Party’s convention could be a little less grand this week.

Many of the events, parties and fundraisers scheduled for this week for the Republican National Convention have been redesigned into fundraisers to benefit Gulf Coast residents dealing with Hurricane Gustav.

The convention typically features lobbying groups hosting parties and receptions to advocate their causes in an atmosphere of food, liquor and music. On Sunday, many of those parties, including bashes planned for later in the week, were converted into fundraisers for groups such as the American Red Cross.

“We’re just watching CNN religiously to see what happens and mobilize as quickly as possible,” said Chrissy Faessen, deputy director of Rock the Vote.

The group’s party scheduled for Monday to honor female politicians was renamed “RightNow Relief for the Gulf Coast.” Attendees were to be asked at the door to make a donation to the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund.

At Rock the Vote’s Sunday event, many of the speakers asked guests to keep in mind people in the hurricane’s path.

Party planners throughout the Twin Cities have been forced to walk a tightrope between promoting their industries and not appearing to party too much when much of the Gulf Coast faced a potentially devastating hurricane.

“We understand that there are bigger and more important things affecting millions of Americans living in the Gulf Coast region, and at this trying time, our thoughts and prayers are with them,” Rock the Vote said.

Other parties continued as planned Sunday. Music from the bash in honor of the Southern Delegation — showcasing Sammy Hagar, former lead singer for Van Halen — could be heard on First Avenue in Minneapolis on Sunday night.

The parties rumored to be the convention’s best are still up in the air.

Representatives from the arts lobbying group Creative Coalition and search-engine company Google said details of their parties are still being worked out.

The liquor industry, which planned to host a party Monday night in Minneapolis, changed the name of its party from Spirits of Minneapolis to Spirits of the Gulf Coast.

The group of sponsors, which include the Distilled Spirits Council, Daimler, Amgen, Lockheed Martin and others, issued an e-mail before the party asking attendees to make a donation to the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund and promising to match contributions.

The Recording Academy’s party benefiting the Grammy Foundation will go on, according to Daryl Friedman, vice president for advocacy and government relations. The foundation supports the arts and helped artists in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

At a Sunday night party hosted by the Virginia delegation, at-large Delegate Ben Marchi pressed attendees to place money in a makeshift collection box that will be sent to First Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge and to the American Red Cross.

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