»The Resilient Women of the Main Line

When Jennifer Burdick returned to Philadelphia's Main Line suburbs in January to begin organizing a campaign for America's Clean Energy Future, she wasn't sure if she'd find people ready to get over their post-election blues and get back to work. Many residents of the area (which voted for Kerry after being hotly contested all year) were deeply disappointed, and Jen feared they might be intent on blocking out anything remotely political.

What she found was strength from some of those most heartbroken by the election. The former Field Managers from Grassroots Campaign's DNC fundraising campaign in Southeast Pennsylvania were ready for more. Two in particular were up for the challenge.

Diane Fructman wasn't sure at first what to do after the election, but it soon became clear that doing nothing wasn't an option: “You can shut out [the actions of] the Bush Administration, but after a while you really can’t ignore what’s still going on around you,” Diane told Jen.

So Diane set about writing letters to the Editor of the major newspapers in the area, hoping to bring more attention to the Energy issue. And she got one printed in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Writing about a new environmental protection proposal from PA Gov. Ed Rendell, she said:

"Paying an extra $5 for every ton of waste would make industries think twice before scoffing at efficiency measures with potentially high short-term costs. It is not a Republican/Democrat issue, since the same people who advocate voluntary compliance with environmental standards are the ones who want to keep our taxes low, and saving costs in healthcare and unemployment (let alone river and groundwater cleanup!) would relieve the burden on the average taxpayer. We need to applaud Rendell for his common-sense solution and push Arlen Specter to use his political clout to advocate similar programs on a national level."

Diane wasn't the only former staffer to join Jen's team on the Main Line. Meredith Fortin decided to get involved too:

“It was hard at first [after the election], but working on the issues helps you stay motivated and focused on what got us involved in the first place. If you were just campaigning for Kerry, you had no business being involved in the first place” says Meredith. “And the absolute best remedy [for post-election blues] is working with the same sort of great people we got a chance to meet during the [2004] campaign.”

Meredith threw a party at her house for neighbors to write letters to their Senator and local papers. Among the attendees were some "old" faces, like Emily Gaither, another former Field Manager for Grassroots Campaigns, who got another letter published in the Inquirer. Joining them were some "new" faces, like that of Sue Althouse, an older woman who doesn't use computers but handwrites her letters to the editor instead. Meredith has been thrilled by Sue's dedication and considers her one of the strongest parts of this new team of volunteers.

Jen couldn't be happier with the strength and spirit of her Main Line volunteers:
“I think these girls are inspiring, politically savvy and resilient. Whether it’s elections or issues, they’re ready to make a difference. I can’t wait for what they do next.”