By Molly Regan, Candidate for Scott Soil and Water Conservation Commission
‘Twas a sunny, breezy, cloudless day that greeted our arrival at the Harkin Steak Fry at Indianola, Iowa. The Regan for Scott County steering committee had taken care of business on the bus ride out. We planned where yard signs should be strategically placed about the county and determined how many folks we could get to help with the Trivia Night to be held on Wednesday, September 29.
Molly Regan speaks at the Sierra Club/Eagle View
Chapter at the Bettendorf library.
Alta Price had brought along FLAT HOWARD, Cliff Day brought taping/photo equipment, and I passed out Vermont quarters as good luck charms…every little bit helps.
About half an hour west of Davenport, I put in the tape from the Democratic National Convention I had brought along. The bus we rode had 6 small TVs overhead and a tape deck! So we watched...You guessed it... GOVERNOR HOWARD DEAN. The man received a two-and-a-half minute standing ovation even before he could speak! We also heard Barack Obama. Several people on the bus had not heard his speech. How inspiring that man is. He will probably be president some day.
At the fry, we found Darrell Lewis already set up with several tables of DFIA, John Drury, and Paul Johnson information as well as his own personal canopy to keep out the sun. Darrell was putting buttons together to hand out to people, so we went off to enjoy the food and try to find other Scott county voters. On the way we found Dr. Alan Koslow of Des Moines/DEANIAC. Also spotted was dog Buddy & his "dad" (Jeff Goetz) plus Phil the farmer (Phil Specht).
Returning from the great meal of chicken, steak, beans & slaw, I found that Darrell's button making had reached a fever pitch. At that point, there were about 30 people waiting to see the finished products. A big favorite was "DEAN DEMOCRATIC."
After listening to Tom Arnold talk about the 'wonders' of working in a hog processing production line, it was time for Sheryl Crow! Her fabulous voice is only outdone by her awesome guitar playing. The crowd was right in there singing and clapping and hooting. I had found my way down the grassy hill to a spot left of the stage with a large John Kerry/Edwards 2004 Democracy for Iowa/Blog for Iowa sign. Very colorful and hard to miss. Soon after the singing was over and the crowd gave Ms. Crow a zounding send off, on stage walks our senator, Tom Harkin. More applause and hooting. He thanks us for helping make the day a success and introduces Elizabeth Edwards. She is such a sincere person and spoke about the serious state of health care and prescription drug obtainability. I was able to meet her and I shook her hand as I thanked her for coming back to Iowa. I also held up a smaller version of the sign I had & asked her if she would like it. She smiled big and said yes and thanked me.
So, at that point it was time to go back to see what the other DEANIACS were up to. Many people had stopped by to have their picture taken with FLAT HOWARD and even I got in on the act. All in all, it was a splendid DEAN – DEMOCRATIC DAY!
Molly J. Regan is a candidate for the Scott Soil and Water Conservation Commission. A life-long resident of Eastern Iowa, Regan holds an A.S. degree in Environmental Science and Geology from Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids. Regan is a member of IECAN, the Independent Environmental Conservation Activism Network, and is dedicated to bringing cleaner, safer energy to Iowa.
Molly J. Regan strives to ensure that Iowa’s harvest-bearing soil is saved from deterioration and overuse, and to improve the water quality of Iowa’s lakes, rivers, and streams. Regan will work to see that information for improved air quality plus soil and water conservation is made available to all schools and she will endeavor to prevent urban sprawl from overtaking valuable farmland.
To contribute to Molly Regan's campaign, checks can be made out to Regan for Scott County and sent to:
PO Box 486
Princeton, IA 52768
