Page 129 - Clearwater Christian College 2005

Kristen Hogrefe

With the presidential

election at hand,

the political club

made its voice heard.

articipation Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles

of the devil.

Ephesians 6:11

Republicans and Democrats knew how important the

election would be. But while each party kept busy fling­

ing “mud” back and forth at each other and running ex­

pensive campaigns, the colleges political club began

their own work to rally students to vote, beginning with

the first political meeting on September 21. To get stu­

dents excited, the club invited Sheri Valera, chairperson

for Florida’s Students4Bush and College Republicans, to

speak. She motivated students by being enthusiastic,

showing a tape documenting John Kerry’s “flip flops,'’

and even filming clips of the students.

Mr. Brian Johnson, the political club’s

advisor, gave students an incentive to get

involved by having Starbucks gift card and

t-shirt drawings. Mr. Johnson felt the stu­

dents’ own zeal and active participation in Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting

club activities was the real key to the their those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

effectiveness. “I've been here a long time," I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14
Mr. Johnson said. “I’ve never seen the

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campus so fired up over an election."

And when the final returns arrived, the

club realized that it had made a difference.

Mr. Johnson explained, “The results for

Pinellas was that a Republican won the

county for President for the first time since

1988 but only by 280 votes. After the

county found 265 absentee ballots that

never were counted, the count did not

come in until November 18. The final

count was that Bush won Pinellas by 157

votes. That means the college students did

give Pinellas County to Bush, because we

definitely had more than 157 votes.”

Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Proverbs 16:3