On a summer day in 1968, 30 people gathered in Shelby’s Seltzer Park and discussed the possibility of forming a Democratic club in the Shelby area. Fast forward to the year 2014, and the Shelby Area Democratic Club is celebrating its 46th anniversary.
As a way of commemorating close to 50 years of the club’s existence, members of the Shelby Area Democratic Club met last Thursday, Aug. 21 for a gala potluck-dinner celebration at the Girl Scout Little House on Parkwood Drive. The event featured a return performance by the Democratic Glee Club and saw the inauguration of the “Most Faithful Order of the Brass Donkey.”
Garland John Gates, president of the Shelby Area Democratic Club, explained that years ago the club was given a brass donkey that belonged to Lucille Critchfield, longtime labor activist and former chairperson of the Richland County Democratic Party. Based on that gift, the club created the Most Faithful Order of the Brass Donkey as a rotating award that would go to a deserving club member.
This year, the brass donkey was presented to Joe Mudra, chairperson of the Richland County Democratic Party.
“It turned our very well,” Gates said of the event. “We had a pretty packed house with people from three counties—Richland, Crawford, and Ashland—show up.”
He added, “It’s always gratifying to have friends from near and far show up.”
The mission of the Shelby Area Democratic Club, Gates said, “is pretty simple really—to help Democrats get elected to office.”
To help fulfill their mission, the club has operated store-front campaign headquarters, sponsored voter registration drives, participated in countless parades, contributed to municipal and other candidates, and educated voters.
Gates noted that fundraising is a significant part of the club’s activities. “Our annual spaghetti and fish fry dinners drew legendary crowds. We now hold two annual highly successful fundraisers: the spring Truman-Kennedy Society Breakfast and the fall Bakeless Bake Sale,” he stated.
The Shelby Area Democratic Club meets, generally, on the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Sutter Roush Room, located at 23 E. Main St. in Shelby. For more information about the club, visit their website.
