As part of a new plan for their Chapter, Chapter officers of Crossroads DHS worked tirelessly to put together a meeting with Representative Randy Terrill on July 2. President Diane Scholl, replacing Kelley Parker as of July 1, Vice-President Haley Faulkenberry, and Treasurer Adena Davis, along with the members of the Chapter met with Terrill to discuss state employee issues, grassroots campaigning, and making state voices heard.
“E-mail is a start, but it is not enough,” Terrill said. “You need to pick up your phone, call your legislator and invite him out to breakfast. Make sure he understands your issues and concerns.”
Terrill said that in order to further their concerns, state employees should be offering to help campaign on behalf of their legislators, donating to campaigns, and taking legislators into state offices to show them what goes on inside those offices.
Terrill also said that each state employee’s legislators should know him or her by name and face. “If your legislator doesn’t know you by name and face…you need to do it now, not during session.”
OPEA Deputy Director Scott Barger said “We need a grassroots movement driven by the constituents of each community in order to gain back our place in the political arena. Grassroots efforts are on a local level, with state employees investigating their legislators and then donating time and effort for him or her.”
“These Chapter leaders have worked amazingly hard at recruiting new members, getting involvement from their Chapter, inviting legislators in to meet with them, and grassroots campaigning. I am very impressed with their dedication,” said OPEA Membership Representative Alicia Wright.
If you are in the Crossroads DHS office and would like to join OPEA, please see Diane Scholl, Haley Faulkenberry, or Adena Davis.
