Volunteers from across South Carolina will train together, then knock 5,000 doors in a single afternoon
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Johnson/Skardon campaign for Governor and Lieutenant Governor will host its largest grassroots event to date on Saturday, August 8, when more than 400 volunteers, county captains, and community leaders gather at New Laurel Street Baptist Church for a statewide Day of Action. After a morning of hands-on organizing training, volunteers will fan out across the surrounding community with a goal of knocking 5,000 doors in a single afternoon.
The Day of Action pairs voter outreach with volunteer development. Participants will complete training sessions on running successful canvasses, turf and data management, and storytelling from the field, then put that training to work immediately – door to door, neighborhood by neighborhood – before returning for a group debrief and celebration.
“This campaign has always been powered by everyday South Carolinians, and Saturday is what that looks like in action,” said Rep. Jermaine Johnson. “We’re not just asking people to knock doors – we’re training neighbors to become organizers in their own communities, so this movement keeps growing long after August 8.”
“More than 400 people signed up to give their Saturday to this campaign – that tells you everything about the energy behind Jermaine Johnson,” said Kelli Williams, Organizing Director. “Volunteers will leave trained, equipped, and ready to lead canvasses in their own counties.”
The day will open with a welcome and prayer led by Pastor Brown, faith director for the NAACP Columbia branch, and Rep. Johnson and Mr. Skardon will address volunteers before teams deploy to the field. County captains from across the state will take campaign literature home with them, extending the Day of Action’s reach into their own communities in the weeks ahead.
Event details:
What: Johnson/Skardon Day of Action – volunteer training and statewide canvass launch
When: Saturday, August 8; volunteer check-in begins at 9:30 a.m., teams deploy at approximately 12:15 p.m.
Where:New Laurel Street Baptist Church 5214 Fairfield Rd, Columbia, SC 29203
Visuals: Hundreds of volunteers in campaign shirts; group photo at approximately 11:30 a.m.; teams departing for the field at 12:15 p.m.
Members of the media are invited to attend. Interviews with Rep. Johnson, Sam Skardon, and campaign leadership are available on site by request; please RSVP to [email protected].
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
