Outreach events and activities are great ways to spread the word about Clark in your community. You can attend county fairs, farmers markets, parades, and other community events where you can pass out information on Clark and talk to the public. You can also create your own activity or event. Outreach events and activities are often very effective tools for gathering new supporters and informing undecided voters about Clark. Plus, outreach is usually a lot of fun!

You might be surprised at how many interesting public events there are in your community. Public events usually allow campaign volunteers the privilege of participation. As always, be sure you have permission from proper authorities before participating in any local event.

Newspapers are excellent sources for information on public events in your area. Check listing for upcoming festivals, parades, craft shows, fairs, and other public activities. Many cities and counties will host events surrounding a holiday. Some examples are Memorial Day picnics and parades, Fourth of July barbeques, and Christmas festivals. These events are great ways to reach large numbers of people at one time and connect with members of your community on a personal level.

Flyers for local events are often placed on public kiosks and posting boards in university campuses, coffee shops, churches, and other organizations. Whenever you see a public kiosks or posting board leave a Clark Flyer behind!

There are several clubs within counties, cities, and states where Democrats gather on a regular basis. These meetings are perfect networking opportunities. You can let other active Democrats know why Clark is the best candidate for president and you can get updated information on what outreach activities are available in your community. Some examples are:

1. College Democrats http://www.collegedems.com
2. Young Democrats http://www.yda.org
3. Democratic Women http://www.democrats.org/wvc/
4. Your County Democratic Club
5. Your City Democratic Club
6. Your State’s Democratic Party Meeting

Participate in a Parade
Parades are a great way to get volunteers excited and let the public know how strongly your community supports Clark. For a parade, decorate a car and walk with a group of volunteers. Or if you can’t enter a car, just walk as a group. Make double-sided homemade signs with unique slogans that volunteers can carry. Staple your signs to garden posts or carry them individually. You can also print a banner using the official Clark04 logo or purchase official Clark for President signs. If time allows, pass out flyers on Clark as you walk the parade route.

Table a Local Event
Staff a table at a farmer’s market, county fair, festival, or other public event. After securing permission, get a group of volunteers to work in shifts to staff a table to distribute information on Clark. You should usually rotate three people every 2-4 hours. Two people can sit while one person stands in front of the table. Copy Clark flyers and purchase bumper stickers, buttons, and lapel stickers to distribute at the table. Don’t forget to copy a volunteer form for your local group! You should also copy the contribution form and distribute it to supporters interested in giving to the campaign.

Do a Honk-n-Wave
Honk-n-Waves are a great way to have fun, energize volunteers, and get free name recognition for Wes Clark. Make homemade signs with fun slogans. It also helps to have official Clark04 signs. Gather a group of volunteers with signs at a high-traffic spot like an intersection or busy street and wave at motorists as they pass by. Encourage motorists to honk for Wes! The best time to do a honk-n-wave is during the morning or evening rush hour. Always remember safety first. Stay away from the curb of the road and make sure you are not blocking traffic or obstructing motorist’s vision.

Flyer Your Community
There are two ways you can distribute Clark flyers. The first is to post flyers on public boards at work or school. Before you do this, however, make sure you are following the free speech policy of your employer or school. Most employers and schools allow flyers to be posted on public boards under certain circumstances. Check with the proper authorities before posting flyers.

The second way to distribute flyers is to pass them out in front of super markets and other public places. Again, be sure to ask permission if you are distributing materials on private property such as a storefront.

Host an OpenHouse Party
OpenHouse parties are great ways to raise money for General Clark and create personal relationships with your volunteers. Invite your volunteers and other Clark supporters to your home for a debate watch party or social gathering and ask for a small donation to Clark for President. Think of unique ideas for entertainment at your party like showing clips of Clark videos or having a slogan writing contest.

Gather for a Clark Salon
Sally Mills and her dedicated group in Iowa passed on this great idea. Sally and her crew gather on Friday nights at a local restaurant to discuss the campaign and talk about outreach activities. Clark Salons are a great way to discuss current events and Clark with other members of your community. Coffee shops, bars, and restaurants are typically very social venues. Wear a Clark button or shirt and see who decides to talk to you! Volunteers who have held Clark Salons have been approached by many interested parties and have even helped pick-up some local endorsements! You never know who you might run into!

Go Meet Your Elected Officials
A very effective tool in gathering endorsements from elected officials is to visit them. Call the office of your local city mayor, city councilperson, or other local official and ask to schedule an appointment. When you speak to your local official, use Clark04 talking points and materials that can be downloaded at http://clark04.com/downloads/ to persuade your elected official to support Clark! For those elected officials who are unable to make an appointment, write them a letter!

Write Letters to the Editor
Mass media is the most common way Americans receives information on political candidates. Opportunities abound for Clark supporters to express their opinions in local, state, and national media. Let your voice be heard by writing a letter to the editor of a newspaper or online journal. In this world of mass communication, there are many venues for political expression. Find a venue and write a letter! Use these tips:

• Writing a letter to the editor is about writing an opinion. Writing an opinion is about making an argument. Support your arguments with evidence. If you state Clark is a strong leader, give an example. For instance: Clark would make a strong leader for our country because of his extensive experience as the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO.
• Write concisely. Sit down and think about your letter before you start writing. What do you want to say? What points do you want to make? Brainstorm ideas and put them on paper. Choose the best ideas and organize them in a logical order.
• Try to be positive, not negative. Try not to personally attack other candidates. Highlight what Clark will do for the future, not what others have done in the past.
• • Use talking points from the Clark04 website. The official Clark04.com website contains a wealth of information on General Clark and his vision for a New American Patriotism.

An important element of any grassroots campaign is going door-to-door on behalf of the candidate. Canvassing is one of the most persuasive elements of a grassroots campaign because it allows you to interact one-on-one with the voter.

• Identify likely Democrat and Independent voters in your area. You can get a list of likely voters by calling your states’ Democratic Party. You might also contact your state’s secretary of state or the clerk of your county.
• Overview Clark talking points and General Clark’s biography before you get started. Know enough to talk about General Clark and what he stands for.
• Arm yourself with Clark Flyers. Choose which ones you like best or which ones are relevant to current events.
• Canvas in pairs. Canvassing is much more fun with two people and it’s a lot safer.
• Bring dog treats. You never know when you might run into an unfriendly dog in someone’s yard!
• Remember to always be courteous and polite. Try to be respectful of the individual and respect their opinions. Don’t argue.
• If you knock on a door and no one answers, leave a flyer on the door handle with a nice note saying, “Sorry I missed you. Please consider General Clark for the Democratic Primary” and sign your name.
• When you knock on a door, start with an introduction. Be sure to state why you are calling. “Hello. My name is ______________and I am walking my neighborhood for General Wesley Clark.”
• Then, tell the individual why you are supporting Clark.

  “I’m here today because I want to tell you about why I am supporting General Wesley Clark for President. Wes Clark is a four star general who graduated first in his class at West Point. He is the former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO where he saved over 1.5 million ethnic Albanians from slaughter. He is a strong Democrat who is pro-choice, pro-affirmative-action, pro-environment, and pro-labor. Clark has the leadership and vision to protect our country both at home and abroad and the vision to grow our economy and save American jobs.”

• Offer the voter one of your Clark flyers and be sure to tell them they can get more information at the official Clark website.
• Don’t spend too much time on any one voter. Try to keep conversations informative but still brief.
• If a voter is resistant, leave them alone. Please obey the wishes of those who do not want to speak with you.
• After your conversation, record what happened. Take notes on how the voter responded. Were they Clark supporters? Were they still undecided? Were they committed to another candidate?
• Use the information you record and save if for later. A few days before the election, use your information to Get Out The Vote. Those voters who are committed to Clark need to get to the polls! Remind supporters to vote for Clark a few days before the election and on election day!

You should carry voter registration cards with you anywhere you do a Clark Outreach event. You will come in contact with several citizens who are not registered to vote. By offering them a voter registration card, you can help them help Clark. Voter registration cards can be picked-up at your local county clerk’s office or can be downloaded from the Federal Election Commission's website.

Hosting a Voter Registration Drive
A great way to engage potential Clark supporters is to host a voter registration drive. Voter registration drives are a great service to the community and they are a great opportunity to tell citizens about Clark.

• Set up a table at a public event and staff it with Clark supporters.
• Make sure you have the proper voter registration forms available. Check with your county clerk or the secretary of state’s office.
• Pay attention to deadlines. States have different dates for when voter applications must be filed to vote in a specific election.
• Make sure you have Clark Flyers available. Let citizens know that you are doing the voter registration drive on behalf of Clark.
• Explain how registering to vote is part of Clark’s vision for a New American Patriotism.

Contact your local newspaper, radio, and television stations. Ask them who you should contact to provide information on the activities of your grassroots organization. When you have a person to send information to, write a press release about your event. Send it to the news source a few days before your event to allow them time to schedule you. Make sure you include you contact information if reporters have questions!