statewide headquarters for Kerry-Edwards and the Democratic Coordinated Campaign at 115 East Broward Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale were busy. (Above l. to r.) Volunteers Brendan O'Donnell of Boston, MA, Penny Burkhardt, a retired teacher from Coconut Creek, FL, and Brett R. Fennessy of Maplewood, NJ work the front area. Fennessy came back to the United States from work teaching English in Japan and was the only paid phone operator.
Observations from Penny Burkardt (08/05 e-mails):
"I first volunteered during a political campaign in 1967, when I moved to Gary, Indiana and worked in the campaign headquarters of Richard Hatcher, one of the first black mayors in the country. He won the election and served many terms. Once I started teaching, I volunteered sporadically for each presidential campaign when I had time. That was usually working phone banks.
"I see an entry in my date book that my first time working at headquarters was on August 25th. I remember that when I started everyone was sitting in folding chairs and lawn chairs in a big open room. As time progressed walls and offices were constructed and real switchboard phones and office equipment were added and lots of people arrived, many from Mass. I believe I started soon after they opened the office.
"As the campaign got closer I added hours until I was
working 5-8 hours, 5 days a week as a phone operator. Every day was
memorable and we learned to handle all kinds of odd events as disparate
as helping the lady who came into headquarters wearing nothing but a see-through
plastic table cloth to greeting Hillary Clinton. (The lady was taken
to a nearby church where she was given an outfit.) Hillary Clinton
was gracious and energetic, and she gave a short pep talk and signed autographs."