Sanders Campaign Hits The Streets Of Lakewood

Lakewood resident Jeff Steinwachs joins Brittany Dobish on her first-ever door knock. She quickly overcame her nervousness. 

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On February 20, over fifty Bernie Sanders supporters spent the unseasonably warm Saturday volunteering at his campaign office in Lakewood. They went door-to-door here and made phone calls to Democratic voters across Ohio.

Amelia Logan, one of the event organizers, was pleased. "I think it went really well," she said, "turn-out was awesome, people here are amazing." When asked how he felt about the turn-out, local Sanders Campaign Leader Tristan Rader responded with the Bernie-as-Larry David line: "Pretty, pretty, pretty good."

Volunteers went door-to-door all across Lakewood, and got mostly positive responses. They also got some interesting feedback on the election. "One guy told me the election's between Sanders and Trump," said Jill Snellman, a volunteer who came from Gates Mills.

Lakewood resident Brittany Dobish was very nervous about canvassing, since she had never gone door-to-door before. After finishing her shift, she expressed how much she enjoyed it. "We do have a lot of Bernie supporters around here [Lakewood], which is awesome."

The door-to-door canvassing continued the following day, as volunteers reached all four wards of the city. They were out again the next weekend, and plan to continue through the March 15 Democratic Presidential Primary.

Many of the volunteers got a treat when Sanders came to the Cleveland area on February 25. They helped to facilitate a campaign rally held that morning at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea. A crowd of over 2,500 packed the small gym, and supporters were thrilled. Dobish was part of the crowd, sitting on the stage where Sanders spoke. "Really one of the most amazing experiences of my life," she said.

In addition to canvassing, volunteers have been phone banking every day in an attempt to reach every Ohio Democratic voter. Lakewood resident Sydney Darton is one of dozens of volunteers making calls. As with many Bernie volunteers, this is her first campaign. "Instead of just talking about making a difference, I'm taking steps to help," she said.

The local office, located at 11910 Detroit Avenue, will continue canvassing every Saturday now through March 15. Shifts begin at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The public is also invited to visit the office to pick up information on Bernie, to volunteer, or to get a yard sign.