Postcards in the Park - THIS SUNDAY - June 28th, 1-3pm

Forest Hills Park - 1022 Forest Hills Avenue - splash pad is open!

Hello all and happy summer!

We had a great turnout for our first postcard event of the normal election season and I hope that you all can make it to our June event on the 28th 🙂 As primaries have wrapped up in some parts of the nation, we have a few more campaigns we’re writing for. In addition to our basic GOTV postcards to Ohio and Pennsylvania, we now have some for Virginia’s 2nd district, Arizona’s 6th district, and North Carolina’s senate seat. Some of these need to be mailed in June and July, so we’ll try to knock those out ASAP.

Our upcoming gathering is Sunday, June 28th from 1-3pm at Forest Hills Park at the shelter by the (open!) splash pad. Kids are welcome and there’s good sight lines from the shelter to the playground and splash pad. Please invite a friend or two - they can sign up to receive upcoming postcard event information at tinyurl.com/postcardgatherings. There's usually plenty of parking along the street.

Please note that postcard stamps are going up to $0.65 each on July 12th. I’d love to purchase as many stamps as possible before then, so donations at this time would be extra impactful. This is a wonderful way to help out even if you can’t attend gatherings. You can send along contributions earmarked "postage" to [email protected] via PayPal (friends & family) or @LaurenBoggs-Meslar on Venmo; 100% of donations go to postcard postage.

Sunday, July 26th, 1-3 Forest Hills Park (splash pad open)

Sunday, August 30th, 1-3 Forest Hills Park (splash pad open)

Sunday, September 27th, 1-3 Forest Hills Park (splash pad CLOSED)

Don’t forget! Early voting for our August 4th primary election starts next week! 

If you can’t make it on weekends, I’ve been alerted to another group meeting up on weekdays and the host also provides postcard packets for pick up anytime to folks who wants to write on their own. If you’re like more information, please reach out to Diane at [email protected] with “Postcard List” in the subject line.

A great way to keep up to date with lots of opportunities to engage by signing up for Albemarle Dems' informative and entertaining newsletter here.

On June 16th, I was honored to be able to attend Governor Spanberger’s signing of over twenty sensible gun safety bills into law. As some of you know, my youngest brother was killed in 2017 and I’ve been involved with Moms Demand Action since then. I'm so proud of the culmination of years of hard work activists have done - supporting candidates who would vote for sensible gun legislation, supporting specific bills, and electing a governor who would finally sign these bills into law. 

These laws will save lives. They will reduce the number of guns stolen from vehicles and later used in crimes. They will reduce the number of children dying from accidental shootings from unsecured weapons in the home. They will help prevent tragedies like our Harris Teeter shooting in Crozet by empowering family members to initiate red flags to temporarily disarm those in crisis (with a judge's approval). They will help keep students safer on college campuses as firearms can be legally prohibited in dorms, etc. They will reduce the number of weapons of war on our streets, helping keep communities and law enforcement safer. These are common sense, data-backed initiatives. I am so proud to have been a small part of making Virginia safer.

These changes are due to OUR efforts - good job, all!! ❤ 

Remember, stopping by for just a bit is fine! I'll have postcards in sets of 5, so you can do a set and head out if you need to. Able to spend the whole two ours with us? WONDERFUL! Let's aim for 20! Have your own postcards and/or postcard lists you're working on? Feel free to stop by to do some with us! I look forward to catching up with past postcarders and meeting new folks! Invite a buddy to come with you, too. We can vent and plot and plan together 😅

I do ask that all postcards be completed on site and left with their address list so I can ensure they're sent on the appropriate day for each organization. Please note that some bundles require specific scripts, while others do not. Using your phone to photograph the sample script and copying from that works well.

If you'd like to simply swing by and pick up some postcards and a printed guide to get your own addresses and mail them yourself (or host your own postcard party!😍), we will have blank postcards available and printed guides available. I HIGHLY recommend everyone try to have their own little postcard gathering of friends - it's a great way to spend some time together and chat about upcoming elections. The more folks we get engaged in the process, the better! I think there's interest in a consistent Crozet postcarding event, so anyone up for hosting those, I'm happy to help launch your endeavors!

I also posted two 'how to' blog posts with helpful tips for hosting your own, public or private, postcard gatherings. Feel free to check them out here:

How to get addresses & get the word out: https://beve.co/blogs/beve-party-inspiration-and-happenings/the-how-and-why-of-beves-get-out-the-vote-postcards-how-i-got-started

Logistics tips: https://beve.co/blogs/beve-party-inspiration-and-happenings/the-how-and-why-of-beves-get-out-the-vote-postcards-how-i-organize-gotv-postcard-parties

You're welcome to bring postcard stamps to donate, a contribution that will 100% go to postage for postcards, or - if you can't make it - you're welcome to contribute to the cause by sending funds earmarked "postage" to [email protected] via PayPal (friends & family) or @LaurenBoggs-Meslar on Venmo. THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who has donated funds or postage ❤️

Plenty of postcards and some pens, markers, and stickers will be available, but you're welcome to bring some as well.

Thank you for all you do! I’m looking forward to seeing you!

Lauren Boggs Meslar

434.996.4769