Something BIG is Happening in Racine

Racine, WI, November 15, 2008 — A new group in Racine is attracting international attention. After only one week in existence, Yes We Can Racine has already been featured on National Public Radio and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Tapping into the spirit of volunteerism, Yes We Can Racine is a new non-profit dedicated to taking local action to solve local issues.

“The response has been phenomenal” according to Kelly Gallaher, one of the founding members. “We gained twenty-four volunteers in the first twenty-four hours of operation. After only seven days there are already more than seventy volunteers connected online.”

Yes We Can Racine was formed in the wake of the recent presidential election. According to Gallaher, “Several of us worked together to elect Barack Obama as president. We knew during the election that we were connected to something larger than a political campaign – we were part of a movement. Now we’re taking the ‘campaign for change’ and we’re transforming it into the ‘community for change,’ our own self-directed movement.”

Diana Kovacs, Director of Generation Obama, or GO! commented “I didn’t want the movement to end when the election was over. I love being part of this group. It gives us a chance to take the organizing principles we learned during the campaign and to apply them to local problems. It’s sort of that spirit of ‘We are the ones we have been waiting for.’ If there are going to be solutions to our issues in Racine County, it’s going to be up to us. No one else is going to do it for us.”

First steps have already begun for Yes We Can Racine. A web site is up and running at http://yeswecanracine.com. A meeting is planned for December 6 at 10 AM at Blueberry’s Eatery (522 6th St, Racine, WI). See the web site for details.

A fundraiser for the Racine County Food Bank is also being planned for January.