On Sunday afternoon, Oct. 5, at Montesano’s Fleet Park, Save Our Democracy GH and Elma Indivisible hosted Fall Fest: A Festival of Community and Action.
Booths featured a crafts corner for the kids, resources for voting and getting involved, and stocking up on buttons and protest signs. There was also a bake sale and food drive for local food banks.
Candi Bachtell helped spearhead this event, which had only been thought up a month and a half ago when she posed the question to the Save Our Democracy GH and Elma Indivisible community. And within that short time frame, everyone came together to make it happen.
“We have the most amazing group of people that are working on this and issues,” Bachtell said. “I have been involved in all activities in Grays Harbor for a long time, but I have to say this group of people are, they’re just the best. They’re hardworking, they are informed, they are courageous, and also they care so much.”
Another attendee of Fall Fest, Trina Young seconded Batchell’s observation. “I’ve never belonged to a group where people care so deeply and so in their hearts about what’s happening.”
Save Our Democracy GH was born out of Batchell’s need for community in response to actions being taken at the national level.
“In May, I needed a community,” Bachtell said. “I’ve been worried about our communities, how they have sort of disappeared, people having time to visit each other or support each other, and also because of the political climate, I was needing to have like-minded people. And so I put out there, ‘We’re going to start this group,’ and 45 people showed up.”
Since their formation, Save Our Democracy GH meets twice a month, one is a business meeting and the other is a community dinner. Members also protest every other Friday in Montesano and Elma. Their organization also has a website and an active Facebook group.
“We try to support each other. … We’re just trying to see what’s affecting Grays Harbor and how we can help,” Batchell said. “We’re working with the food banks collecting donations and food for them, and we’re trying to be real supportive of the Hispanic community and seniors who have a difficult time now. … It’s going to be harder for them to sign up for Social Security and Medicare and then, anybody that’s having difficulty with Medicaid. We’re just trying to be that group that people can call and say, ‘Can you help us so we can find the resources.’”
