Please don’t feed the volunteers

You know a fundraising effort is going badly when even a proposed “volunteer appreciation event” at the local zoo is shelved because money is short. But that’s the situation the host committee planning the Democratic National Convention in Denver finds itself in.

Last week the committee missed a final deadline for meeting its goal of raising $40.6 million, falling short by more than $11 million.

One of the casualties of the shortfall, the Denver Post reported, was a planned outing to the Denver Zoo to reward the 12,000 to 15,000 volunteers who will help out at the August convention.

“No doubt we will show our appreciation for our volunteers. When and how is to be determined,” Chris Lopez, a host committee spokesman, said via e-mail.

-- Tom Hamburger