4th of July

Democrats,
Everything is falling into place! Polls are showing a widening gap between Obama and Bush McCain. We have such a story for the voters this Fall, but we need YOU to help tell it. The biggest opportunity for us to tell our story is always the 4th of July celebration, and we have planned events to give us the platforms we will need to appeal to huge groups of voters in Camden County:

First – July 3rd the Democrats are sponsoring the “Decorate Your Bike” contest to begin at 9:00am on the lawn of the First Presbyterian Church at Conyers and Osborne streets in St. Marys. The contest is open to kids from 6 to 16. They will bring their bikes and materials and decorate the bikes around the theme of “The Stars and Stripes”. Judging will take place at 1:00pm, and then the bikes will be stored in the Fellowship Hall of the church. At 9:00am on the 4th, the kids will collect their bikes and walk them to the staging area for the parade. The prize winners in each of the six age groups, along with the Mayor’s Trophy winner, and the Grand Prize winner, will march with their bikes in the first contingent of the parade. All other entries will also march in the Democrats contingent. We will encourage every entry to be accompanied in the parade by their parent(s). Immediately after the parade, the winners will be recognized from the reviewing stand by the mayor.

This event is planned as the first of an annual contest, so we want to bring out as many kids as we can. We need YOU to talk it up, and make sure every kid you know has been encouraged to enter their bike. Please help us out with this!!

Second – July 4th is the day we put those smug, smirking Republicans on notice that this year, they have a battle of their hands. Our goal is to have a minimum of 50 marchers in the Democratic contingent, but there’s room for plenty more, and that means YOU! Our Democratic candidates will be with us, including Bill Gillespie, Democratic candidate for the US congress. Bill has identified Camden as one of the key counties for his election bid, so he has spent an inordinate amount of time and resources here, and we need to show him we appreciate his efforts on our behalf. If you’ve never marched with us, you have no idea how much fun we have. You also cannot appreciate how the tide has turned over the past couple of years in terms of our reception from the crowds. People are sick of the right-wing gang running the country into the ground; they want CHANGE, and they’ve been very vocal about it. Come out and enjoy the sound.

The Democratic booth on Osborne Street will be number 77. Almost our total emphasis will be on registering people so they can vote in November. It has been apparent over the past couple of election cycles that many voters have become so disenfranchised by the hi-jacking of our constitution by the right-wingers that they just gave up on the system. Barack Obama has re-energized millions of these people, and added millions more from the younger set and those who never were interested in politics. We MUST get these millions back on the rolls, and back in the voting booth. We will be working the crowd, enrolling as many new voters as possible. We have a huge stack of registration forms which we will assist people in filling out, and if necessary, we will accompany them to the mail drop in front of the newspaper. The 4th of July celebration gives us access to the largest crowds we will see before the election, so we must take advantage of it. We are well aware the Republicans want just the opposite; restrict and reduce voter registrations, particularly new registrants. We have to make sure we do everything by the book, and we will train you how to comply. This has the potential to be an historic day in St. Marys, Georgia, and you should be part of it!

Third – July 5th, from 2:00pm to 6:00pm, is your opportunity to meet the Democratic candidates up close and personal. We are having a BBQ and Social at the River Walk park in Woodbine, featuring Robert Cumming’s own famous barbeque. If you choose to indulge in the pork or chicken BBQ, tickets will be available at the booth on the 4th for $10 each or 2 for $15. Tickets are also available from most Democrats at the same discount. At the door on the 5th, tickets will be $15 each. Candidates will be explaining why we must put Democrats in leadership positions and listening to what you expect from them after they’re in office. Come out, meet the candidates, meet many new fellow Democrats, and bring as many friends and neighbors as you can.

As you can see, this weekend is chock full of ways for you to participate in the greatest resurgence for Democrats ever seen in this area. And, as you are aware, it doesn’t stop in Camden County. Just a year ago, who would have dreamed that Georgia would be considered a battleground state in July of 2008? But it is! But we need YOU to come out, to be seen and heard, and pitch in. You will not be disappointed!.

Sorry for such a long message, but these are extraordinary times, and we must keep ourselves well informed. Thank you for supporting the Democrats of Camden County!

Dave Southern
Chairman, Democrats of Camden County