Dayhoff Soundtrack: The next meeting “Carroll CAN” will take place at the Carroll County Public Library in Westminster on Feb. 12, 2017 2 p.m.

Sunday, February 12, 2017

The next meeting “Carroll CAN” will take place at the Carroll County Public Library in Westminster on Feb. 12, 2017 2 p.m.

At the January 26^th, 2017 meeting of the Carroll County NAACP, Pam Zappardino reported that a grass roots organization has formed in Carroll to advocate for positive changes in the community.

The next meeting “Carroll CAN” - organized by “Together We Will,” will take place at the Carroll County Public Library in Westminster on Feb. 12, 2017 2 p.m. This will be about the 3^rd meeting. More information may be found on the organization’s website here: https://carrollcan.org/

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The next meeting “Carroll CAN” will take place at the Carroll County Public Library in Westminster on Feb. 12, 2017 2 p.m.

According to recent information on the Carroll Can listserve:

“…Come to the Carroll CAN meeting at Westminster library at 2pm today! -AND/OR- If you are able to do so, please sign up to help with a committee that you may have an interest in or maybe even start your own if there is a need. We'd love to have some more people offer their knowledge on specific topics as well to add content to our website and keep the group informed.

“Some examples of the volunteer needs are: Writer of Weekly/Monthly newsletter and Representatives’ Calendars Liaison - report to communications/social media chairs when representatives will have town halls”

“Are you new to Carroll CAN? Are you wondering who we are and what we have done?

We began with a meeting in November 2016 at a Denny’s in Westminster. We used the time to feel empowered and encouraged that a group had formed (we were only 300 members on a Facebook group site at the time, but just that was so exciting at the time!). We shared our stories about why we had come, and there was a common theme of “I thought I was the only one.” The overwhelming feeling was one of relief to have found fellow Carroll County residents who shared the same values and concerns.

And then we hit the ground running!

We developed an organizational and leadership structure, which continues to grow as we find our groove.

We organized a bus to attend the Women’s March on Washington. That wound up becoming 3 buses, with 136 passengers! For many, it was their first march and their first moment of activism! We had a volunteer design our green “March On” buttons that we now wear proudly. After the march, a group of marchers went to a local restaurant for dinner, still in their pink hats, and they received applause and invited others to join our group!

We programmed our representatives’ numbers into our phones, and faced our nervousness and discomfort by making calls to their offices. We have now become comfortable with something that most of us had never done before 2017!

We met for monthly meetings, and the rooms were packed with energy and ideas.

We developed a list of local businesses to support due to our common values and interests.

We built a website, and received donations to host the site for the next year!

Some awesome stats: Our website has had 3,952 views in the last 30 days (as of 2/8/17).

We made a public Carroll CAN Facebook page so people can find us and see our calls to action.

Some more awesome stats: In just the first eight days of February, we have had 696 visits! Our Carroll CAN public Facebook page grew at 14.5% last week, which is better than the Together We Will USA page and Pantsuit District page. We engage more users than Indivisible, TWW-MD, and Pantsuit District!

We have a Call to Action team that verifies and disseminates an action item that we can do every day! They post these calls to action on the website, facebook page and twitter.

We increased communication by having an email liaison send the content of the facebook page to those who are not on facebook.

We developed a logo that signifies our awareness that we are stronger as a united team. We once felt alone because of our values, and now we have both comfort and unified action because of our togetherness.

We had members who went to BWI to show support to refugees and immigrants on the day the bad went into effect. We have members who gather on Main Street in Westminster on Saturdays with signs that have messages of inclusion, kindness, and support.

We have organized a Town Hall Meeting on 3/2/17 focused on the Affordable Care Act! We have invited our representatives to attend, and we are hopeful they will.

We organized small groups that meet at local restaurants for support and brainstorming.

We have amazing passion and motivation! People who have never been engaged in anything like this before have stepped up to lead a subcommittee! People who made a suggestion wound up being willing to make that suggestion happen! All it takes is that first thought of “Can I do ___?” and you will get a resounding and supportive, “Yes you CAN!”

We have managed to add activism and volunteering to our already full plates. We have given our talents without expectation of recognition nor reimbursement. We have learned new skills and been willing to go outside our comfort zones.

We are Carroll CAN—an action-focused, action-packed community network of kind, compassionate, and dedicated Carroll County residents. Together, we have, we will, and we CAN.

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