Hardeman County Democratic Party Fundraiser A Success
By Meryl Rice
The Hardeman County Democratic Party annual fundraiser was held on Friday, November 17, 2023, in Whiteville with featured guest speakers Representative Gloria Johnson of “Tennessee 3” fame and Hendrell Remus, Chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party (TNDP).
“We were so pleased to host this event in Whiteville this year. This was a first for us, but hopefully it will not be the last,” said Gene Bowden, Mayor of Whiteville.
Chair of the local party, Rickey Griggs thanked the larger than usual crowd in attendance and explained the purpose of the event was to raise money to fund projects the community often takes for granted. Some of those projects include campaign signs during presidential election cycles, given freely to any Hardeman Countian, promotional materials for the Democratic slate of candidates during elections, awards for the winners of the essay contest for high school seniors, and support for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Back to School Stay in School effort, among other things.
Chairman of TNDP Hendrell Remus touted the many accomplishments of the Biden administration, and reminded the group that it is Democrats who truly care about people – all people.
“We should be fired up and ready to work not only to re-elect the President, but to elect Democrats at the local and state level if we want a government that serves the people.”
It should be noted Representative Gloria Johnson is also running to be the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate for the seat currently held by Marsha Blackburn. She was introduced at the event by State Representative Johnny Shaw who gave her a ringing endorsement pledging support for her candidacy. Representative Johnson, a former educator, talked about the issues she has championed in Nashville and will advocate for in Washington to an enthusiastic crowd. Representative Johnson has recently been recognized nationally for her role in advocating for school safety in the wake of the Covenant School shooting in Nashville that happened in April of this year.
It was not all politics at the event, however. The highlight of the evening for many was the traditional cake auction at the close. This year, Meryl Rice’s coconut cake was sold for $165.
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