Categories
Club activities

Marching proudly on July 4 weekend

The LOW Democratic Club on the march

A large and enthusiastic crowd of club members and friends marched together in the annual Lake of the Woods Fourth of July Parade on July 2, showing their support for State Sen. Edd Houck and the fine job he is doing as our representative in Richmond.

Shirley Pfile was chair of the parade-organizing committee, which consisted of Chris Carr, Lois Powell, Betty Beck, Sharon Allen and Kerry Sipe.

George Beck drove his truck, festooned with flags, decorations and banners, and pulling a trailer with Uncle Sam riding a shiny, red special-edition motorcycle.

Lois Powell drove her convertible, from which Sen. Houck waved to an appreciative crowd.

Club members had made homemade signs recognizing Sen. Houck’s service to the Lake of the Woods community, which they carried as they marched under a beautiful blue sky. The youngest members of our group passed out patriotic tattoos to other younsters they passed along the parade route.

The parade, which wound its way along Lakeview Parkway to the Clubhouse from Yorktown Boulevard, stepped off at 10:30 a.m. and was over in time for the beginning of a full afternoon of Independence Day events at Clubhouse Point.

It was a great day to be an American and a great day to be a Democrat.

A slideshow of more photographs of the event can be found by following this link.

Categories
Club activities

Flag Day Picnic is a great success!

Sen. Edd Houck speaks at the annual LOW Flag Day Picnic

More than 110 people came to Sweetbriar Park June 15 for the club’s annual Flag Day Membership Picnic, an event always marked by good, home-cooked food, great fun, good friends and — yes — a bit of politicking, too.

The guest of honor was Sen. Edd Houck, who thanked the club members for their support in his bid for re-election to the State Senate. He warned his supporters not to become complacent as the election approaches and to continue to work hard on his behalf.

“I can’t possibly get out and meet every one of the 50,000 voters who will decide this election,” he said. “I’ll have to depend on you to do it for me.”

Sen. Houck said money is needed to buy advertising to get his message to the voters and he encouraged those who attended to donate to his campaign.

David Hunsicker, who is running for Congress from Virginia’s 7th District, needed no introduction because he is a member of the club, but he asked for support for his campaign once Sen. Houck is re-elected.

The Demettes, five club members who have earned a well-deserved reputation for enthusiasm and political satire, did not disappoint. Their performance, sung to the tune of “Hit the Road, Jack,” took aim at Osama Bin Laden and other stumbling blocks on the road to peace and happiness.

There is a gallery of photographs from the picnic posted on this Web site. Take a look.

Categories
Public Relations

The club’s new brochure is ready for distribution

A revised brochure, explaining the purpose and activities of the club, has been prepared in time for distribution at the annual Flag Day Membership Picnic on June 15 and the Fourth of July activities at Clubhouse Point on July 2.

The brochure is a color trifold and includes a statement of the Democratic vision, a description of club activities and an invitation to prospective new members. It also prominently advertises our Web site and Facebook presence.

The color document is also available online in the “Documents” section of this Web site. Extra copies can be downloaded and printed by members when there is an opportunity to spread the good news about our club.

Categories
Campaigns Meetings

The club gets behind Sen. Houck’s re-election

Houck bumpersticker

Heyward Whetsell, field director for Sen. Edd Houck’s campaign for re-election, reported to the LOW Democratic Club at its May 19 meeting and asked for members’ help in keeping Sen. Houck at work in the State Senate.

Club members responded enthusiastically, signing the senator’s candidacy petition and signing up to work phone banks, put up campaign signs and offering to organize a campaign event on his behalf.

Mr. Whetsell said the campaign plans personal contacts with 49,457 voters in the 17th District, targeting not just the Democratic base, but reaching out to consistent persuadable voters and “gubernatorial Democrats,” Democratic voters who don’t habitually vote in off-year elections.

“Reaching out to these groups is the name of the game,” Mr. Whetsell said.

He said Sen. Houck had benefitted from the recent redistricting. He lost some of Culpeper County, but retains the city of Culpaper. The percentage of Republican voters in the newly aligned district has dropped from 67 percent to 60 percent, he said.

Mr. Whetsell said the senator will make appearances at the club’s annual Flag Day Membership Picnic on June 15 at Sweetbriar Park and  in the Fourth of July parade in LOW. In addition, the club is planning to hold an event in LOW to permit voters to meet the senator. Plans for the event will be announced later.

The Houck campaign recently opened a district office at 10813 Courthouse Road, Suite 104, in Fredericksburg, off Va. 208. More information is available at Sen. Houck’s Web site.

Categories
Meetings

Popcorn and a movie … just for fun

A scene from “The Debate”

Need a break from the silliness and downright rudeness that gets passed off as presidential politics these days? Join us for a movie and some popcorn.

The LOW Democratic Club’s next meeting on May 19 will feature a screening of the Nov. 6, 2005, episode of the Emmy Award-winning series “The West Wing,” written by Lawrence O’Donnell Jr.

The show simulates a live presidential debate between fictional Democratic candidate Matthew Santos (played by Jimmy Smits) and fictional Republican candidate Arnold Vinick (played by Alan Alda). During the hour-long debate, the two candidates cover a variety of topics, including immigration reform, job creation and health insurance reform

Take special note: The May 19 meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Community Center meeting room rather than the club’s regular meeting place at the Woods Center.