Disclaimer - this blog post is about politics. HOWEVER, I'm going to purposely avoid any background or passionate discourse about the stance I have on key issues or why I feel the way I do on certain matters. I'm going to simply say that I feel strongly enough about the subject and my party of choice that I felt the need to make giving my time to it a part of my Operation 30 journey. (For anyone who likes to engage in intelligent conversation on the subject, know that I'm almost always game provided the discussion goes beyond the typical rhetoric of the mainstream media.)
Over the years I've given my financial support to the Democratic National Committee and the 2008 election inspired me to give specifically to our current President, but somehow the donations here and there seemed too easy to really feel like I was making a meaningful difference. Although, I do enjoy the "Thank You's" I get from the President and Vice President themselves... ;-)
But seriously, when all I have to do is click on a link, fill in a few cells online and boom - I've "contributed", I feel a little lazy. It's like buying a new coat online from Victoria's Secret...but without that new coat feeling you get from trying it on once it arrives. (And who doesn't love that feeling?!) So when I decided to put this one on my list over a year ago it obviously wasn't about putting my money where my mouth was, but putting my time (a very precious resource) where my money was. And so I did...
#28. Volunteer for the Democratic Party - check!
Even though I had only signed up the weekend prior to volunteer, I had mentally started much earlier. In the same spirit of my "go big or go home" approach to most on my list, I had sought and found apparel that I thought would be fitting for my volunteer efforts: a screened Obama bowling shirt and Democratic donkey and "VOTE" necklace (which I fashioned together through a couple of Etsy purchases). I was ready to do my duty for the DNC.
So apparel donned, I showed up to my area Obama Headquarters in downtown St. Louis at about 11:45am (characteristically late for the 11:30am start). Once there I was guided to a sign-in sheet and then to John who gave me training on how to effectively call my list of names. I have to admit, I would have much rather done just about anything than call random strangers to see if they'd be interested in helping at future support events, but I figured, 'Hey, if this is what the campaign needs to me to do, then I'm in.'
And call I did with about eight or ten other volunteers. In a little over two hours I called 77 people from my seven pages of names. Disappointingly, many of the numbers on my list were disconnected. Many were also either unanswered or unavailable. That's why I was grateful when I was able to talk with Gregory from South City who committed to help at the upcoming Voter Registration on Saturday. SUCCESS! Sure, one out of 77 isn't a good percentage any way you slice it, but at least I had gotten someone else involved and who knows how many people he might get involved and how active he might end up being in the campaign ahead.
Before I left I shared my DNC volunteer item on my Operation 30 list with Karen and James, the two leaders present at the phone bank. They were both very supportive and excited, and James even gave me his personal Obama pin off his jacket. (Yes, that's it in the picture. Of course, I politely tried to decline, but he insisted.) I also decided that my contribution to the DNC or President Obama's re-election campaign won't stop at calling 77 people. I'm signed up to volunteer again in a couple of weeks. :-)
No comments:
Post a Comment