To my fellow Democrats, I know it’s difficult to make all of our meetings and I greatly appreciate your support and efforts that make our committee work. I understand how many things we must juggle to meet the demands of daily living. Summer is here and life is even busier, however, there are several committee functions and events coming up that are of great importance to you and we need your active support. As you know, the local and state elections are fast approaching and much needs to be done between now and then.

COMMITTEE CAUCUS: July 6, Board of Supervisor’s Room (County Courthouse) at 6:30 pm:
We will be having a formal meeting (an assembled caucus) to officially nominate our candidates for District 2, 3, and 4 on the Board of Supervisors, County Treasurer, Sheriff, Commissioner of the Revenue and Commonwealth Attorney. At this time we have two candidates who are seeking these positions. Penny Gray – penny4treasurer@yahoo.com is seeking the position of County Treasurer and Larry Sours is seeking the position of District 2 supervisor. It is essential that you make time to attend this caucus in order to support our candidates. It is important to get there early enough to sign in and be seated as this will be a closed door meeting. It takes a little time to get everyone registered for this meeting so please arrive by 6:30 pm to register. The Caucus will begin promptly at 7:00 pm at which time the doors will be closed. I expect the whole process to be completed in about an hour.

COMMITTEE MEETING, JULY 6: Immediately following the assembled caucus we will conduct a brief committee meeting. I believe it is a good idea to have the caucus and committee meeting back to back to avoid the need to meet again this month.

COMMITTEE POSITION UPDATES: Please note the recent changes in committee positions this month:

David Newman: David has stepped down as our Vice-Chair due to his work and travel schedule that limit the time he can devote to the committee. I want to personally thank David for all of his work over the last year and a half. David will continue to work behind the scenes on our committee’s WEB page and provide advice on other technical issues.

Jennifer Sanford: Jennifer Sanford has been appointed by the executive committee to fill the position of Vice-Chair between now and January 2012 until elections for our committee position will be held. I want to say how much I appreciate Jennifer stepping up to fill this vacancy and I look forward to working with her on the many issues coming our way. One of the major projects she will be working on is establishing a Young Democrats group. This group will include young Democrats in Page County who will interact with the Shenandoah Valley Young Democrats. The goal is to encompass and bring together young Democrats in several counties in the valley

John Mayeux: The executive committee has also appointed John Mayeux as the Chairman of the District 2 committee. This position has been vacant for awhile and again I appreciate John stepping forward to take on this position.

Two more to go: We still have vacancies for the positions of District 3 and 4 committee chair so don’t hesitate to take on this job. Give me a call.

District 1: A heads up to those of you in District 1. Betty Karp will not be continuing the chair position after January 2012. We need a volunteer to fill this position.
I greatly appreciate and value all of the committee members who have worked hard to make our events happen, and I’m looking forward to new volunteers joining the team. With your help, we can achieve more and have a real impact on our community. Please call me at 540-272-4264 or email me at tomowog@comcast.net if you are willing to donate a little of your time.

COFFEE AND CONVERSATION:
I invite you to stop by the Gathering Grounds Cafe in Luray and join us for coffee and conversation EVERY FRIDAY at 10:00 am. This has become a popular weekly event and provides a good way to meet up in an unofficial setting to discuss everything from local to world politics and problems. The response to this gathering has been very positive. As I mentioned earlier, this is a weekly event; same time -same place, every week. There may be a time or two throughout the year when I can’t make it but don’t let that keep you from coming since it’s your committee and your interest is all we need to keep things going. Of course politics are discussed but so are other subjects that any group of friends would discuss over a cup of java.
If there is an interest in having a get together in Shenandoah or Stanley please let me know and I will find a day, time and place to make this happen.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP? SPREAD THE WORD!

 
MONTHLY MEETINGS: Our monthly committee meetings are held on the FIRST WEDNESDAY of each month. The meetings are at the County Courthouse in Luray in the Board of Supervisors room. Meetings begin promptly at 7:00 pm, and usually run a little over an hour.

2011 JEFFERSON/JACKSON DAY DINNER:
Our Jefferson/Jackson Day Dinner was a huge success. Overall, the feedback was very positive. Any suggestions on how to improve this event are welcome, and many of the ideas will be acted upon for next year’s dinner.

July 2: Stanley Homecoming Parade: The Town of Stanley’s Homecoming (45th) parade will be on July 2. Come out to show your support for our candidates Penny Gray (Treasurer) and Larry Sours (District 2 Supervisor). The Parade starts at 6:00 pm and we hope to see you there. For more details, contact the town office at: 540-778-3454.

Page County/Shenandoah Young Democrats:

Exciting news for our Young Democrats in Page County. Jennifer Sanford is heading up the program in Page County that will help launch the Shenandoah Young Democrats. Organization/strategy meeting will be taking place mid-late June that will organize Young Democrats in the greater Shenandoah Valley area. This group will be connected with the State and National Young Democrats with shared goals. How old are the Young Democrats you might ask…anyone between the ages of 13-35 would be eligible to join. If you know of anyone who may be interested, please contact Jennifer Sanford at: nateandjen1111@yahoo.com

Luray Wranglers team dinner and concession stand:

The Luray Wrangles season has started and this year we are continuing the tradition of sponsoring a team dinner at the Mt Carmel Baptist Church in Blainseville and working the concession stand. The team dinner will be on June 22 (just after the game) and although we have pulled things together in years past, a couple of additional volunteers and food donations are welcome. In addition to the team dinner, some of our volunteers will be serving food at the concession stand at Bulldog field. If you are interested in helping with this event please call Lucia King at 540-743-1066.

Page County Fair:

The Page Valley Agricultural and Industrial Fair will be held from August 20 through August 27. We will be there again this year with our Democratic Committee booth and need volunteers to work a few hours each night. This has always proven to be a lot of fun and a worthwhile effort. We are kicking around ideas of how our booth and be decorated and ways in which an effective message can be relayed to folks as they stroll by and talk with us. Your ideas are welcome so please contact me and I will pass along your information to our committee.

Page County Democratic Committee Picnic:

Mark your calendar for September 10 to attend our fall picnic. We have reserved the Lions Club Shelter at Lake Arrowhead for this event. Details are still being worked out in regard to the exact time the festivities will start so I will follow up with everyone before then. In the meantime consider volunteering some time for this event. Bill King is our picnic coordinator so if you are interested in helping call Bill at 540-743-1066.

October Fundraiser:

On October 5, Betty and Herb Karp will be hosting a Democratic fund raiser at The Barn at Evermore. Complete details will be coming soon.

A Special Request from the Chairman:
Are you tired of reading those ‘far right’ letters to the editor in our local paper, The Page News and Courier? You all know that I am a frequent responder… but we need a louder voice! The community needs to hear from more of us so please join me in a writing effort. I would love to see at least one letter submitted every week. Please give me a call at 540-272-4264 if you are interested, or if I can help in any way. Letters to The Editor should be submitted to the paper’s editor, Randy Arrington at: editor@pagenewspaper.com.

It’s hard to believe that I have been Chair for over a year, we have accomplished a lot during this time period. In 2010 we had a successful Jefferson/Jackson Day Dinner. Support for the Luray Wranglers was strong and we are now official sponsors of the team which will give us good exposure and name recognition at all the home Wrangler games this coming season.  Our yard sale at the Luray VFW was also a good event which brought many volunteers together to make everything work.  In August last year we kept up our presence at the County Fair and again had the opportunity to meet people from our community.  The elections last November were low key but this coming year will prove to be much different.

Although we can be proud of our accomplishments many of you will notice that there are a few things missing from the list that we normally get done.  We didn’t participate in the Memorial Day Parade in Shenandoah nor did we participate in the July 4th Parade in Stanley.  This prompts  me to ponder  how we can make 2011 a much greater success.  How can we do this?? ACTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS!! 

I greatly appreciate and value all of the committee members who have worked hard to make our events happen, and I’m looking forward to new volunteers to join the team.  With your help, we can achieve more and have a real impact on our community.   Please call me at 540-272-4264 or email me at tomowog@comcast.net if you are willing to donate a little of your time.

What’s up for 2011?  What can you do to help?  Spread the word!

MONTHLY MEETINGS: Our monthly committee meeting are now being held on the FIRST WEDNESDAY of each month.  The meetings are held at the County Courthouse in Luray  in the Board of Supervisors room. We begin meet promptly at 7:00 pm, and our meetings usually run a little over an hour.

DUES:Please remit your $10/person dues for 2011 to: Page County Democratic Committee, P.O. Box 248, Luray VA 22835

COMMITTEE POSITIONS: We are under serving ourselves!!  We currently have committee chair positions to fill for Districts 2, 3, and 4.  This is a big hole that needs to be filled and we can’t be effective unless these positions are filled.  The job is one of coordinating phone trees with your district, organizing people to fill volunteer slots for staffing at the County Fair booth, and making sure we have a presence at the polls in November to advocate for our candidates.

ELECTIVE OFFICE: There is a great opportunity for the Democratic committee to nominate candidates for the following positions: 

• Board of Supervisor positions will be open for Districts 2, 3, and 4.  If you or someone know is interested please give me a call or email me, it’s vital we run candidates in this election cycle.  I can be reached at 540-272-4264 or email at: tomowog@comcast.net

Since many people will be out of town or busy with family and friends this coming holiday, our committee meeting for July is cancelled. Please note we will have our next committee meeting on August 1 at 7:00. I don’t have a location yet but will get additional information out the closer we get to August.

Coffee and Conversation:

This Wednesday June 30 I will be having a coffee and conversation meeting at 1:00 at Main Street Bakery. Bring your ideas and your smile. If this time frame doesn’t work for you and you would like to get together, call me at 540-272-4264 and we can arrange an additional meeting to make sure we meet if you want to.

Volunteers Needed!

We’ve held several events this year and I want to say many many thanks for those who have donated so much time and effort to make our committee work. As much as I love seeing everyone I want to see more of you. Your committee needs you to help with working the concession stand at the Wranglers game on July 17, the County Fair, and elections. Please contact me.

Shenandoah County Democrats:

We have enjoyed strong support from our neighboring counties, by working together on common issues and by socializing together at events brings us closer together as Democrats in the Valley. Terry McAuliffe will be the guest speaker at the picnic. Join me as I go ‘over the the mountain’ to Woodstock to enjoy the friendship of fellow Democrats.

Come out and enjoy our traditional pot luck Annual Picnic. New residents, visitors, friends, and guests are welcome.

Saturday, July 17, 5:00 pm
Edinburg Town Park, large shelter on left just before swimming pool

The Town Park is behind the old red brick school building. From Stoney Creek
Boulevard, take Picadilly Street and Town Park Avenue.

Bring a covered dish – entree, salad, or dessert.
The Democratic Women’s Club provides bread, drinks, and table decorations.
Please bring lawn chairs in case the crowd fills up the Picnic Shelter.

Terry McAuliffe will be our featured speaker. Terry is a top national Democrat fundraiser, political consultant, and a successful businessman. He served as Chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2001-2005.

Other speakers are Dave Mills, Executive Director of the Virginia Democratic Party, and Bruce Elder, Staunton, Virginia Councilman. We will also have a 50-50 drawing, and at the end of the picnic we take a group picture.

We all have a good time. Join us. All welcome.

Date: Saturday, June 5

Time: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Location: VFW Post 621; Rte 211 East

Household good including small appliances and small furniture. Holiday decorations. Pottery and glassware. Toys, puzzles, games and play equipment. Linens and fabrics. Frames and Pictures. Jewelry and accessories (hats, purses, belts, scarves). Books, videotapes, CD’s, DVD’s. Outdoor and garden. Sports equipment. Electronics, cameras. Hardware and tools.

We will pick up donations. For information and pick-up of items to be donated call Bill King (540) 743-1066

Since taking office, his steadfast commitment to this goal has not gone unnoticed.

Last week, Senator Webb was invited to visit Andrew Jackson’s home, The Hermitage, and received the “2010 Andrew Jackson Presidential Award for Citizenship and Leadership. The recognition honors national leaders who embody the legacy of Andrew Jackson by demonstrating a “dedication to the furtherance of our American democracy and to sound governance principles.”

Below is an excerpt from Senator Webb’s speech:

In terms of accomplishing change in America, there is no political leader in our history whom I admire more than Andrew Jackson.
When I think about Andrew Jackson, I am struck by the unique impact that he had on this country. His presidency was the first that did not come out of the landed English aristocracy in the South or the English American elite in New England. He was the first Scots-Irish president, the first “bottom-up” president, and he faced enormous challenges inside the existing political structure. Thomas Jefferson said he was a dangerous man, unfit to be president. John Quincy Adams called him a barbarian. When it is said that he changed the face of American politics, he really did.

This was an individual who sincerely and fiercely cared and believed in protecting the working people—the people who carried the load of society. He was forced to confront the powers that threatened the very fabric of our society. I think about his accomplishments and the way he faced these issues when I face similar issues in the U.S. Senate today.
He prevented the creation of a permanent aristocracy in this country. He knew how to govern. He knew how to lead. He knew how to make decisions. And, people knew he meant what he said.

Legislation creating the Second National Bank came before him that would have allowed a permanent aristocracy, accountable to governmental force. An overwhelming majority of Congress and the press agreed that this legislation should go through.

Andrew Jackson knew that if he vetoed this legislation, they were going to try to veto him. But he did.

Scholars agree that this was the most important presidential veto in American history. Pulitzer prize winning historian Vernon Louis Parrington called it the most courageous political act in American history.

In his veto message, Jackson said:

“Equality of talents, of education, or of wealth cannot be produced by human institutions. In the full enjoyment of the gifts of Heaven and the fruits of superior industry, economy, and virtue, every person is equally entitled to protection by law; but when the laws undertake to add to these natural and just advantages artificial distinctions, to make the rich richer and the potent more powerful, the humble members of society-the farmers, mechanics, and laborers-who have neither the time nor the means of securing favors to themselves, have a right to complain of the injustice of their Government. There are no necessary evils in government. Its evils exist only in its abuses.”

The truth of that statement resounds today in numerous pieces of legislation we face in the United States Congress. The courage that it took to confront the forces of entrenched interests in order to challenge the conscience of all Americans also exists today. That is my duty. I continue in that tradition. That is the reason that I so respect this great leader. And, it is also the reason I am so grateful to receive this award.

Webb for Senate
www.webbforsenate.com

WHERE:   Stanley Fire Hall, Stanley, Virginia

WHEN:      April 29, 2010

TIME:        6:30 pm

COST:        $20.00/person*

Keynote Speaker: Ben ‘Cooter’ Jones

Ben Jones is an actor, writer, musician, businessman, and political pundit who lives on a farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. He has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows, and stage productions. Ben is well-known for his role as ‘Cooter’ on the international hit show The Dukes of Hazzard, and for the two terms he has served as congressman in the United States Congress.

Guest Speaker: Kai Degner, Mayor, Harrisonburg, Va

Kai Degner currently serves as mayor in the City of Harrisonburg, after having been elected in a Democratic sweep of three City Council seats in 2008.  He is a champion of open government, sustainability, and citizen involvement.  He has a Masters in Business Administration and an undergraduate science and technology degree from James Madison University.

 Live Auction:

We will have a live auction to end the evening, our auctioneer is none other than Kenneth Plum, from Shenandoah. Ken Plum is currently a Democratic member of the Virginia House of Delegates representing the 36th District (a large part of Fairfax County which includes the town of Reston). He was selected as chair of the House caucus on January, 14, 2009, and previously chaired the Democratic Party of Virginia.

Join Lauren Gilbert at the Young Democrats table

Young Democrats are vital to the growth of our Committee. Lauren Gilbert, of Alexandria, Virginia, will graduate this spring from James Madison University with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Political Communications. While at JMU, Lauren served as the President the JMU College Democrats, as well College Caucus Chair of Virginia Young Democrats.

Veterans Table

Page County is home to many veterans, we honor your service and have set a place for you at our table.  Please join us.

* For tickets contact Tom Ford at 540-272-4264.
A limited number of complimentary seats are available for young Democrats.

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