NY-26: Jon Powers celebrates Flag Day in Wyoming County, honors veterans
Phil Jones, Chair of the Livingston County Democratic Committee and a candidate for the 147th Assembly District gave brief remarks as did Harold Bush, Chairman of the Wyoming County Democratic Committee. I also spotted Judge John Michalek who is running to retain his place on the State Supreme Court.
About 50-60 people were in attendance on what turned out to be a lovely evening. Several candidates for office were in attendance, including the Keynote Address guest, Jon Powers, Democratic candidate for Congress in NY-26.
One of his challengers, Alice Kryzan, was also there, however many guests were sporting “Powers For Congress” t-shirts. Powers and Kryzan were both also at the Stafford Firemen’s Parade the previous night but Powers clearly had a much larger group of volunteers and he and many of his volunteers weathered the storm and stayed in the parade despite getting soaked by the deluge. It was a dedicated grassroots effort to get out the vote not seen in other campaigns, which is really what Powers’ campaign is all about.
Case in point: Powers started his day Saturday at Eggertsville Youth Center at 10:00 a.m. Then he had a volunteer meeting at his campaign headquarters in Amherst for an Open House. Next Powers trekked to the Albion Strawberry Festival and Petition Party before heading over to the Warsaw Flag Day Celebration which began at 5:00 p.m. Powers didn’t leave this event until after 8:00 p.m. Powers was ebullient and engaging with folks in attendance in Warsaw and that translated into a heartfelt speech:
“I grew up wanting to be a school teacher but I’m a teacher who went to war and that war changed me…[My] first day on the job a platoon sergeant comes up to me…this guy grabs me by the lapels [and said] ‘There are those that lead by rank and those that lead by example.’ Soldiers will follow those who lead by rank but they want to follow those who lead by example. In Washington we’ve [fallen into] those who lead by rank. That’s why I’m going to Washington to lead by example…a voice for everyday Americans…this voice is about us. I need your help to get there.
(Snip)
“Tonight I stopped at the veterans’ center. About 99% of them are Republicans but 100% of them are veterans…Thank you for honoring the flag here on Flag Day.”
(Click here to see Powers’ speech on Youtube, courtesy Robert Harding at TAP)
Powers also just returned from a briefing on PTSD at the Rand Corporation in Santa Monica, California. The group, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) gave the talk on “The Invisible Wounds of War.” The study by Rand found that nearly 20% of soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan have reported symptoms of PTSD. Powers is dedicated to our veterans, as evidenced by his comprehensive approach to honoring them and understanding their needs. Now that is what I call Leading By Example.
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