Friends, supporters and volunteers -
The entire OFA OH staff wishes you and your family a happy, healthy and hearty Thanksgiving! We are thankful for you and your tireless work over the past several months in helping to shape the health insurance reform debate. Please take some time this holiday to reflect on those things for which you are thankful.
Happy Thanksgiving!
With gratitude,
The OFA OH team
Last night, Bowling Green State University students mobilized to call for health insurance reform and encourage others to call their members of Congress, especially their Senators to support health insurance reform. They're fired up and ready for rapid response!
Call your Senator and ask for their support of health insurance reform!
P.S. Follow us at twitter.com/OFA_OH and on Facebook!
Last night, women in Lucas County made calls to other area women to get them to commit to calling their Members of Congress about supporting health insurance reform.
See some volunteers busy at work!
Good Morning Ohio!
Today we kick off "Women's Week" with events across Ohio - Bowling Green, Sylvania, Cincinnati and Toledo. Over the next few days, women and health care professionals across the state will gather for "Health Care Coffees" to discuss the importance of health insurance reform for women and families. Volunteers are also hosting women-to-women phonebanks in Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo, Stark County, Wooster and Mansfield. To see what's going on in your area, be sure to click on the "Events" tab and search for local events.
“By the age of 40, women pay up to 48% more for health insurance than men, and in some states can be denied coverage based on so-called ‘pre-existing conditions’ like having had a C-section, or a previous pregnancy,” said OFA Ohio State Director Greg Schultz. “This is an unacceptable practice and women throughout Ohio are demanding change. Events this week will focus on providing women with the facts about health insurance reform and what it means for them.”
Be sure to check out the blog later today and tomorrow for photos and stories about our "Women's Week" events!
P.S. Follow us at http://twitter.com/OFA_OH and on Facebook!
Volunteers thank Congresswoman Marcia Fudge on Friday, November 13 at her district office in Warrensville Heights.
Discussing health insurance reform and the Affordable Health Care for America Act H.R. 3962 with a staffer from Congresswoman Fudge's office.
Volunteers thank Congressman Tim Ryan at his Youngstown office today with cards and cookies!
From left: Jerome Parm, Karen Joseph, Linda Gruber, and Congressman Ryan's staffer Pearlette Wigley, Michael DeOerio, Artha Mitchell
Today, volunteers and supporters welcomed home Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur at her office in Toledo to thank her for voting in support of the Affordable Health Care for America Act on Saturday. After presenting the Congresswoman with giant cards and baked goods, volunteers chatted with Rep. Kaptur and staff for nearly 30 minutes!
Rep. Kaptur accepts a giant thank you card from volunteers.
Supporters from Northwest Ohio outside Rep. Kaptur's office.
Wow, what an occasion! Volunteers from all over Montgomery County are gathered in downtown Dayton to celebrate the first anniversary of the election of President Barack Obama. Former Neighborhood Team Leaders, staff and volunteers from all walks of life are sharing stories of trials and triumph in Montgomery County. These volunteers have vowed not to sit on there heels but to work diligently to push forward important national issues! Yes We Can!
Hello Ohioans and Happy Anniversary!
One year ago today marked the historic election of Barack Obama as President. Over the past few days, we've read stories of those involved in the campaign, their inspiring involvement and how they have parlayed their skills and passions to get involved in Organizing for America and health insurance reform. Today, we reflect on the organization that we have built to support the President's agenda, the successes we have had over the past several months and the great work we have yet to accomplish.
Over the past year, we in Ohio, have held hundreds of events across the state, with thousands of volunteers from West Chester to Canfield, Cleveland to Dayton, Bowling Green, Toledo and Mansfield, Marietta, Youngstown, Chillicothe and Akron - just to name a few! On October 20, we helped make over 320,000 calls to Congress on behalf of health insurance reform.
Tonight and this week, volunteers across the country and the state will reunite to share their campaign stories, reconnect and ignite their passion for change. Find a reunion party in your area!
The exact moment Cheryl Schutt decided to vote her ideals instead of her fears was in last fall's Democratic presidential primary. When she watched Barack Obama become the Democratic presidential candidate, it was an amazing moment, but realizing the work wasn't done, she volunteered to make sure that he would win the general election. So, Cheryl visited BarackObama.com, printed the voter registration forms and began knocking on doors. One evening, on her way out the door, clipboard in hand, Cheryl got a call from a woman in Sandusky wanting to know if she supported Barack Obama for President. She told her of a meeting in Rossford where she met the campaign’s field organizer in Bowling Green, then Governor Janet Napolitano and Governor Kathleen Sebelius! Soon after that, Cheryl and the group opened a campaign office in downtown Perrysburg. “I'll never forget that office, how it grew in character and activity, or all of the people I met there. It was so refreshing and exciting to talk and laugh with people who thought and felt as I did. People of all ages and abilities ready to pitch in and work hard to restore our country and ourselves. I am proud of the people I worked with and what we achieved. We helped turn Wood County blue!” On election night Cheryl fell and couldn't make it back to the office for the returns; but her field organizer held the phone up so she could be part of the whooping and hollering. She is here today, trying to get quality health reform passed. She admits that sometimes the work is hard, and has challenged her and her comfort zone, but it remains absolutely necessary. And that's why she is going to make phone calls today and in the days following to help build OFA and pass the president's agenda. “I love the promise of this country, and since the campaign, know I am not the only one. Together we've got work to do.”
The exact moment Cheryl Schutt decided to vote her ideals instead of her fears was in last fall's Democratic presidential primary. When she watched Barack Obama become the Democratic presidential candidate, it was an amazing moment, but realizing the work wasn't done, she volunteered to make sure that he would win the general election. So, Cheryl visited BarackObama.com, printed the voter registration forms and began knocking on doors. One evening, on her way out the door, clipboard in hand, Cheryl got a call from a woman in Sandusky wanting to know if she supported Barack Obama for President. She told her of a meeting in Rossford where she met the campaign’s field organizer in Bowling Green, then Governor Janet Napolitano and Governor Kathleen Sebelius! Soon after that, Cheryl and the group opened a campaign office in downtown Perrysburg.
“I'll never forget that office, how it grew in character and activity, or all of the people I met there. It was so refreshing and exciting to talk and laugh with people who thought and felt as I did. People of all ages and abilities ready to pitch in and work hard to restore our country and ourselves. I am proud of the people I worked with and what we achieved. We helped turn Wood County blue!”
On election night Cheryl fell and couldn't make it back to the office for the returns; but her field organizer held the phone up so she could be part of the whooping and hollering. She is here today, trying to get quality health reform passed. She admits that sometimes the work is hard, and has challenged her and her comfort zone, but it remains absolutely necessary. And that's why she is going to make phone calls today and in the days following to help build OFA and pass the president's agenda.
“I love the promise of this country, and since the campaign, know I am not the only one. Together we've got work to do.”
Ron decided to volunteer for the ’08 Presidential campaign the day George Bush won the 2004 election. In late July of 2007, on his way home from work, Ron saw a storefront sign saying Democrat HQ to open August 1st and anxiously awaited the opening. The day the office opened, Ron met the Field Organizer for the Campaign for Change and immediately volunteered. Ron made phone calls from the county HQ on Tuesday nights; and canvassed his RED County with a never-ending desire to change the country’s direction. “As we canvassed and made our calls, the voters would open up with stories of how their lives had been so negatively affected by the Republican administration. Their stories touched my team deeply and motivated us to work even harder for the campaign.” On Election Day Ron was the Blue Team Captain for the county. As all the volunteers gathered in the small county HQ, they watched as history was made and Barack Obama became President. “We all knew this was the beginning of a new age of empowerment of the people. We knew the real work was just beginning.” In early spring, Ron became involved with OFA as a volunteer regional lead heading up health care insurance reform. Ron experienced a time without health insurance and realized every day was a great risk. Today, Ron is an active OFA volunteer. “OFA is a continuation of the respect, inclusion, and empowerment from the campaign for change. I believe in this model of organizing and support it. OFA enables us to speak as one voice – “One voice can change a room…one voice can change the world.” I will continue to organize for OFA because it means working with friends who are like-minded and have the desire to make change happen locally and nationally. I have met many fantastic people and continue to listen to the stories of the voters. The calling to help and advocate on behalf of health insurance reform is why I am with OFA and will continue to be active throughout the Obama administration.” YES WE CAN!!!!
Ron decided to volunteer for the ’08 Presidential campaign the day George Bush won the 2004 election. In late July of 2007, on his way home from work, Ron saw a storefront sign saying Democrat HQ to open August 1st and anxiously awaited the opening. The day the office opened, Ron met the Field Organizer for the Campaign for Change and immediately volunteered. Ron made phone calls from the county HQ on Tuesday nights; and canvassed his RED County with a never-ending desire to change the country’s direction.
“As we canvassed and made our calls, the voters would open up with stories of how their lives had been so negatively affected by the Republican administration. Their stories touched my team deeply and motivated us to work even harder for the campaign.”
On Election Day Ron was the Blue Team Captain for the county. As all the volunteers gathered in the small county HQ, they watched as history was made and Barack Obama became President.
“We all knew this was the beginning of a new age of empowerment of the people. We knew the real work was just beginning.”
In early spring, Ron became involved with OFA as a volunteer regional lead heading up health care insurance reform. Ron experienced a time without health insurance and realized every day was a great risk. Today, Ron is an active OFA volunteer.
“OFA is a continuation of the respect, inclusion, and empowerment from the campaign for change. I believe in this model of organizing and support it. OFA enables us to speak as one voice – “One voice can change a room…one voice can change the world.” I will continue to organize for OFA because it means working with friends who are like-minded and have the desire to make change happen locally and nationally. I have met many fantastic people and continue to listen to the stories of the voters. The calling to help and advocate on behalf of health insurance reform is why I am with OFA and will continue to be active throughout the Obama administration.”
YES WE CAN!!!!
As we approach November 4, 2009, we remember where we were one year ago when history was made. Read the story of one volunteer, Ann Kurz from Mahoning County:
On Inauguration Day 2009, four generations of women in one Canfield, Ohio family watched President Obama take his oath of office. The oldest, Mary, was in her nineties, the youngest, Lacey, almost a year old, and in the middle, Lacey’s Mimi – Grandma, Ann Kurz. Ann volunteered on the President’s campaign last year for Lacy and is now a Community Organizer for Mahoning County for Lacey. Each week Ann opens her home to volunteers for phone banks or theme volunteer meetings. Each week she coordinates volunteers at the area farmers markets and holds phone booths or collects commits. Each week Ann’s growing list of volunteers know these activities will continue until the President signs a health insurance reform bill, because Ann won’t let them stop. Ann juggles her CO duties with being Lacey’s full time baby sitter. While Lacey sleeps, Ann calls volunteers, while Lacey plays, Ann enters data and while Lacey and her “Mimi” take walks around the block, Ann talks with her RFD and plans the next week’s activities. Ann Kurz’s health care story isn’t about an illness or rising insurance cost, it’s about a blond, grey eyed, eighteen month old little girl, who deserves to have the best country she can and her “Mimi” is working to make sure she has it. A photo of Ann Kurz with President Obama in July 2009 in Cleveland.
What a night! Phones were ringing off the hook on Capitol Hill yesterday thanks to dedicated volunteers like Catherine in Sylvania. She hosted a Time to Deliver Phone bank at her home, where she made sure that everyone in attendance was able to make phone calls.
We had a cool thing happen at our Time to Deliver Phone Bank in Sylvania tonight. We have a volunteer who is blind, who has wanted very much to be a part of Health Insurance Reform but we do not currently have the technology for her to be able to make phone calls. Still this volunteer, Cindy, has come to almost every event. Tonight we paired her up with Anna, who is very shy about making phone calls. Together, with Anna dialing and tracking data, and Cindy talking to callers, they made 48 calls. It was obvious how delighted they both were. They signed up for next week's phone bank together and will be back as a pair. And Anna even gave Cindy a ride home so that Cindy's mom didn't have to come get her.
We had a cool thing happen at our Time to Deliver Phone Bank in Sylvania tonight. We have a volunteer who is blind, who has wanted very much to be a part of Health Insurance Reform but we do not currently have the technology for her to be able to make phone calls. Still this volunteer, Cindy, has come to almost every event. Tonight we paired her up with Anna, who is very shy about making phone calls. Together, with Anna dialing and tracking data, and Cindy talking to callers, they made 48 calls. It was obvious how delighted they both were.
They signed up for next week's phone bank together and will be back as a pair. And Anna even gave Cindy a ride home so that Cindy's mom didn't have to come get her.
This is a great example of how Organizing for America volunteers are organizing their community and bringing their neighbors together for the change we need!
Our new goal is 200,000 calls and with students organizing events across the state, we're well on our way to meeting our new goal. Here are Bowling Green State University student organizers and activists getting students to take time out between classes to call Congress - check out the hand made phone booth!!
In preparation for this morning's campus event at the University of Toledo, students and volunteers hosted a sign painting and sidewalk chalking party last night. This morning, students began reaching out to neighbors, friends and family, asking them to call their members of Congress today.
They are fired up and ready to call their members of Congress! Are you?
Keep up the good work UT Rockets!
In just a few hours, volunteers across the country have already made over 45,000 calls!
Good Morning Ohioans!
As many of you know, today is a busy day for our state as well as our country. We are pledging to make 100,000 calls to our members of Congress - setting an OFA record for a number of calls made in one day. Today it's TIME TO DELIVER! This morning, events will kick off on college campuses - Bowling Green, Ohio State, Ohio University, University of Toledo and in cities, Youngstown and Cincinnati. Throughout the day, events will be held in Zanesville, Lima, Columbus, Dayton, Cleveland, West Chester, just to name a few.
Want to get involved? Find an event in your area: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/oct20hostattend/. Check back for live updates, quotes, and pictures from our Time to Deliver events today! It's TIME TO DELIVER Ohio!
From Greg Schultz, the new Ohio State Director for Organizing for America:
Since Inauguration Day, Organizing for America has been dedicated to making real the change we fought for during the election. But to be successful, we need to hear from you -- your effort and commitment are the backbone of this movement and this organization. That's why I'm so excited to announce that we're back on the ground in Ohio, and starting this Monday, April 20th, we'll be hosting Listening Tour Town Halls across the state.Will you make your voice heard and join us on the Listening Tour? At Listening Tour meetings, you'll get a chance to meet new state staff members, hear about some lessons learned during the general election, and offer your thoughts on how we can organize Ohio going forward. Your ideas will be used to write an Ohio-specific plan for Organizing for America in 2009 and beyond. The campaign brought an unprecedented number of new voices into the process -- we need to make sure those voices remain at the center of the debate as the President and Congress work on providing solutions for our economy. But these meetings are not just for folks who were involved in the campaign -- we're hopeful that every Ohioan will get involved. We can't stop growing our movement now. We've never had a better opportunity to shape our future -- and just like during the election, we'll do it from the bottom up. Sign up now to attend a Listening Tour event. I look forward to seeing you, Greg Greg Schultz Ohio State Director Organizing for America P.S. -- If you can't make it to a Listening Tour event, you can still get involved with Organizing for America in Ohio. Let us know how you'd like to see Ohio organized.
Today David Plouffe sent out the following message to supporters, inviting them to attend one the many grassroots house meetings taking place throughout the country later this month:
Exactly one month ago, you made history by giving all Americans a real opportunity for change. Now it's time to start preparing and working for change in our communities. On December 13th and 14th, supporters are coming together in every part of the country to reflect on what we've accomplished and plan the future of this movement. Your ideas and feedback will be collected and used to guide this movement in the months and years ahead. Join your friends and neighbors -- sign up to host or attend a Change is Coming house meeting near you. Since the election, the challenges we face -- and our responsibility to take action -- have only gotten more urgent. You can connect with fellow supporters, make progress on the issues you care about, and help shape the future of your community and our country. Learn what you can do now to support President-elect Obama's agenda for change and continue to make a difference in your community. Take the first important step by hosting or attending a Change is Coming house meeting. Sign up right now. To get our country back on track, it will take all of us working together. Barack and Joe have a clear agenda and an unprecedented opportunity for change. But they can't do it alone. Will you join us at a house meeting and help plan the next steps for this movement? Thanks, David David Plouffe Campaign Manager Obama for America
