Paying for $500 appetizers and just smiling....

[CarlSheeler4U]

Sometimes while campaigning you hit low points. I'd say yesterday evening qualifies. In an odd twist of fate, I have held four gatherings where the weather was so bad that attendance was in the double digits. One example is prior to my campaign announcement, we put on a support of a Latino event meet and greet where it had rained so heavily streets had flooded and the media had suggested people stay in doors. We had 125 people confirmed and fewer than 20 attended. The day of my US Senate candidacy announcement there were high winds warnings and (you guessed it), people were told to stay inside. We had 300+ people confirmed to attend and 40 - 50 adults showed by my count.

Last evening with the small snow storm, by far, takes the prize. We had 150 RSVPs for a small meet & greet fundraiser and had actually followed up at noon with those committing to attend because of the weather. Between announcements, fund raising expenses, rental and food, we ended up spending $500 per person. Even less experienced people than I can tell you this was a bust - a BIG one. A grassroots campaign can't afford these. The hardest part is the reneged commitments of financial support just to simply break even. This could have been funds used for additional Be Patriotic Impeach Bush billboards on I-95...

I'm not making excuses for Matt Brown's campaign finance woes, but I can tell you that there is a small group of base supporters who believe in you and would do most anything to help a campaign. They're often doing most of the heavy lifting financially and by their investment of their personal time. It is very, very difficult to go forward without these folks.

It is at our low points you find out who is using you as a meal ticket and who believes in you. Ingrid, Brian and Bill are examples of individuals with faith. Ingrid is easiest to explain. She has been contacted by much better funded state and federal campaigns than mine because of her outreach in poorer and minority communities. She just believes in me.

Brian reminds me of myself in my early twenties. A returned to college, struggling student who is strong in his desire and actions to see a better place for the disadvantaged and often more change than cash in his pocket. He has plastered some of my materials all over college campuses even when we never asked. He wrote out a check for $225 that I know he can't afford. I'm going to return it to him today because it's the right thing to do. Bill is an attorney and a veteran living in Rhode Island. I've never met him in person, but he often sends me words of encouragement and $20.06. I needed his kind email after last night where he shared he has committed to find 12 people like himself to support our campaign. It is his plan that he and they would contribute $20.06 each month until the primary.

I cried. These are the people who make it worth while. They're the ones I am doing this for and I don't intend on letting them down.

Carl
Sheeler for US Senate
www.carlsheeler.com
592 Hopkins Hill Road
West Greenwich, RI 02817
[e-mail]

[JNelson6563]

1. Seems to me you are doing pricey events

I'd look into private events at homes for a while, and get sponsors to pay do the outlay. We did an event in a private home for Sen. Stabenow in January and she raised well over 8,000. The event cost her campaign nothing besides invitations.

Just a thought. Hang in there Carl!

Julie

[CarlSheeler4U]

2. Thanks Julie.

[JNelson6563]

7. Hey, anything I can do to help Carl!

I've got a knack for fundraising and event organizing and if I can help you out with any info or suggestions, I'll be glad to.

Cheers,
Julie

[CarlSheeler4U]

10. Wanna' help here? We need experienced folks who want to see

21st Century Democrats not aristocrats. Carl

[NMDemDist2]

3. I gave this a K&R Carl and house parties may be the way to go

I'm on the house party cmte for Herb Paine for Congress and we are hoping to do a couple every week. Small gatherings with small price tags.

:hug: hang in there man!

[CarlSheeler4U]

4. Thank you. We're arranging these, too. Mi casa es su casa.

[Neil Lisst]

5. It's harder to bring people to the candidate than bring the candidate

... to them.

I salute your efforts, but encourage you to get out to events already planned by other people, run by other people. It's more soft sale than your own function, but you reach a lot of people who aren't political, and aren't there because of you.

Bad weather is a party killer, and as long as it is not your function, it's not your problem when bad weather occurs.

I encourage you to invest time and effort into getting the OK by others to show up for events already planned, parties, etc., and soft sell yourself. It sounds as if you have limited personnel to lean on, and running your own events is extremely time and dollar intensive.

Bottom line, you will get more bang for your buck if you're not running the events yourself, and you don't have the disaster on your hands when bad weather kills events.

[CarlSheeler4U]

6. Wise and kind suggestions. Doing it, doing it more.

[ClassWarrior]

8. K&R for Sheeler...

Perhaps we can share a plate of $5 appetizers in DC once you're in office, Carl.

Peace, my friend.

16+5=2006

NGU.

[CarlSheeler4U]

9. Hell, I'll split the bill and we can take a ride on the Metro!

[ClassWarrior]

11. You gotta deal!

16+5=2006

NGU.

[Sammy Pepys]

12. $500 per person?!?!?

I know of very largse scale events that didn't even approach half the cost. Must have been tough to stomach.

Usually, smaller FRs (20-30 people or less) can be done for around $30-$40 a person.

[CarlSheeler4U]

13. The missed point is that costs are incurred whether people

attend or not or never send in their contribution, but RSVP.

[f-bush]

14. Hang in there!

In 1990 I ran in the Democratic Primary against an entrenched very conservative Democratic opponent.

I was projected to get six percent of the primary vote and wound up with forty two. There were many tough times, but also great ones. It left an indelible impression of how I live, interact and work with others. I was 32 at the time and one of the very youngest running for Congress that year.

Our actual acute goal was accomplished. We forced him (after spending 558,000.00 on his campaign) to change his vote on the funding of the SOA (the training center that taught death squads how to kill their own citizens on behalf of repressive regimes in Central America)

We did a lot of inexperensive events. One in which my opponent was at a 1000.00 a plate breakfast, I was at a food kitchen feeding breakfast to the poor. They couldn't even criticize me for it because I worked there for three years prior to my run.

One thing that happened in our favor was that the City of Tacoma started telling people that they couldn't have my yard signs out on their lawns prior to a certain date. They went and told these people to take them out or else face a fine.

This was done because incumbents make the laws and banning yard signs keeps a low cost medium out of challangers arsenal. We took the case to the Washington State Supreme Court and won the case on a free speech constituional issue 9-0.

Sorry this is so long, the upshot of this is that your campaigning today, (even if not victorious) can have lasting ramifications for the future. The important part of this campaign I feel is the fact that we taught tools to the liberal community of Tacoma on how to campaign and even more significant, they we moved the conservation in this town to the left on behalf of the poor and marginalized.

Peace and Blessings on Your Campaign if you wish to write me I can be found at [e-mail]-Mike C.

[CarlSheeler4U]

15. Mike, this was the best. The School of America's has

got to be one of the worst things for Latin American relations. I know where you are coming from and these types of touches is just the ticket. Carl [e-mail]

[snowbear]

16. Lots of our local yocal politicians throw potlucks and they're great!

Actually.. they just show up. But people helping out on the campaign get on the horn and start calling everyone telling them the date, the dish to bring, when to show up to make decorations, who's in charge of the music, etc..

Then all the candidate has to do is show up.. eat, mingle, give a short spiel, and have a blast!

If you know the Democratic leaning joints, you can get a good to freebie deal on the use of a lodge or other meeting place.

I wish I wasn't so far away.. I'd love to come to your next event!!

:patriot: Go Carl Go!!

[CarlSheeler4U]

18. The moral support and suggestions are as good. Thanks

[Pavulon]

17. This points out

the fundamental problem with the system. The cost for a normal person to run for office is high. Absurdly high. This forces people to align with corporate interests or other wise sell their soul to get to office. (Not saying OP has done anything wrong, I'm just yapping)

Once entrenched the powerful members of committees have no interest in changing he rules. Kind of sad. Access to the system should be reasonable. Not free, but reasonable.

Best of luck with your campaign.

[CarlSheeler4U]

19. Been there done that my friend.

I think proactive wisdom can be defined as not giving swimming lessons to a drowning man, but to dive in and lend a hand.