The North Carolina Democratic Party went on a road trip August 10-12 in eastern North Carolina.

Volunteers from across the state hit the road, working with local activists, helping people to register to vote, canvassing, doing community service projects, meeting with candidates and elected officials, and listening to the ideas and concerns of eastern North Carolinians.

Young, College and Teen Democrats teamed up with folks from the NC Democratic Party and Chairman Jerry Meek.

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 concerns (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 (degrees Fahrenheit).
• 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. 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." While canvassers were hitting the neighborhoods, Jerry met with over 40 local party leaders from Sampson and neighboring counties. 
• 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: Jerry had a breakfast meeting with about 20 local party leaders from Lenoir and surrounding counties. They discussed ways the State Party can help local parties achieve their goals.
• 8/11, Windsor: We met Bertie County Chair Penny Thompson and County Commissioner L.C. Hoggard at the Heritage House Restaurant in Windsor. They then took us out canvassing, which was a blast. Thompson and Hoggard both know every single resident by face and name, and many residents greeted Thompson with a hug rather than a handshake. The canvassing went so quickly that we exhausted the doors, so Melissa Price and Teen Democrats President Jennifer Wadsworth
  started flagging down cars in order to register the drivers to vote.
• 8/11, Conway: Without planning to, we were honored to meet the widow of the Representative Howard J. Hunter who passed in January. We got slightly delayed when we helped a man register to vote and he took the initiative to call up friends from the next town over so that they could register as well.
• 8/11, Ahoskie: Jerry met with party leaders from a number of counties at Catherine's Restaurant. A number of leaders expressed the importance of bringing young people into the party. Halifax chair Kathy Knight stayed late to have dinner with us.
• 8/12, Winfall: We went to the service at Melton Grove Baptist Church, where we were warmly received. The farm next door had a huge "NO OLF" sign on it.
• 8/12, Elizabeth City: We toured and weeded a community garden specifically designed for the disabled and those suffering from dementia. They had the garden beds elevated to make them wheelchair accessible. We then took grass shoots from the garden and planted them at a Habitat for Humanity project. The grass is a special species that requires little water and little mowing, ensuring that the new home owners will have a hassle free and environmentally friendly yard.

This trip will be remembered as a historic event for the North Carolina Democratic Party. Not only did we connect with thousands of families, we also energized the local leadership and created a buzz in the community. This trip is the starting gun for North Carolina Democrats to reinvigorate and strengthen our party infrastructure in the east.

You will soon be hearing about our next trip, and we'll do our best to make sure you can be a part of it.

Special thanks to Lee and Libby Buck who provided the initial investment for this project. It is sure to be yielding dividends for a long time to come.

Click Here to See Photos of the Eastern Caravan