Zack Hawkins

I did not appear at the YDNC convention and I want you to know why. It has to do with one important board member, but before I get to that... I do want to say I love the YDNC and the YDA. I have been an active member of this organization for years now. I helped throw last years convention in Guilford county, along with Jason Coley and Tony McEwen. I have been told it was the largest YDNC convention in state history. I have taken days off of work to go to the legislature and fight with my brothers and sisters for the Same Day Registration and Voting bill and the Sudanese Divestment bill. I have been in the trenches with this organization. I will continue to be in the trenches.

The Eastern Caravan is complete; Jerry just returned the van to the rental place. Young Dems President Zack Hawkins put about 17 hours of driving into that van, so we got our money's worth out of it.

Here is a synopsis of what we encountered and achieved:

• 8/10, Lumberton: We sent groups out to most of the major neighborhoods of Lumberton to do a listening canvas. All over the city people talked about healthcare concerns, usually with other concern (education, housing, jobs) woven into their story. We got some of these responses on video. As we drove out the bank clock blinked 107... 4:05pm... 108.
• 8/10, Clinton: Despite lightening, hard rain, and what Ben Akroyd described as "tornado sky," we sent groups out to canvas middle income neighborhoods. Because of the intermittent storms, people invited us into their homes so they could register to vote. The rain brought the heat down.
• 8/11, Greenville: We assembled care packages with Give 2 The Troops. The Program Director repeatedly stressed the point "you can support the troops without supporting the war." We assembled over 50 boxes containing books, toiletries, dvds, and girl scout cookies. Read the article in the Reflector here.
• 8/11, Kinston: Ben and Tara Ilsley met a man who was forced to have some surgery. The surgery cost $74,000. To pay it off, he faithfully sends a check for $20 every week. He said he was 66 years old, and if he lives to be 110 he'll have finally paid off his "debt" (his word, not ours). He went on, "I never have considered myself poor, but I've always thought the government ought to do more for people in a worse shape than I am."