Merkley Meets with Veterans, Parents and Small Business Owners

Posted by Sarah Lane on June 18, 2008
100 Towns Tour for Change

This past Sunday Jeff traveled to four more towns on his 100 Towns for Change Tour. The first stop was at the General Store in Troutdale, a fun shop filled with treats and gifts. The owner Terry Smoke was kind enough to let us use the upstairs room where Jeff chatted with supporters and local shoppers. Jeff spoke about how Gordon Smith governs for the special interests and that Oregonians need a Senator who will always put families first. Sending living wage jobs overseas is not acceptable and we need to start building things right here in the America. Clif Davis, union brother of IBEW local 48 said, “We’re excited to see Jeff in our neighborhood because he supports family wage workers and family wage jobs. Those are two of the ideals of East County.”

The next stop on our tour was Boring, Oregon. The weather was beautiful on Sunday and there was no better place to be than the Farmer’s Market. There were booths with food, plants & flowers, and locally made jewelry and gifts. Jeff chatted with locals and ate a hot dog served by one of the vendors. Ellie Reed, known by many Boring residents as Grandma Bubbles the Clown, was also on hand at the farmer’s market. She told Jeff about the struggles her son is facing since he returned home from Iraq. He wanted to become a firefighter but the education funding ran out before he could finish school. He is currently hanging sheet rock. It’s just not right. Jeff fully supports the 21st Century GI Bill which will fully fund college education for veterans when they return home from serving our country.

The next stop was a townhall event at the VFW hall in Sandy. The Oregon Trail Democrats and local veterans organized the event. The Iraq War was a huge concern among the local residents and veterans who filled the hall. Jeff spoke about how we went into war way too fast and we were way too slow to take care of our soldiers when they returned home. We have hurt our standing in the world by using secret prisons, torturing detainees and spying on American citizens. It’s important to honor the Geneva Convention because it protects our troops when they’re overseas. Jeff spoke about the need to expand mental health care, fully fund the VA and provide health care screenings for our soldiers when they return home and in the years that follow. Jeff pledged to fight for college funding for family members of the fallen at the national level, just like he championed here in Oregon.

On the last stop of the tour, Jeff visited the Scenes ‘N Beans Coffee Shop in Estacada. The owners Linda and Barry Presnall recently opened their shop just this past January and were happy to have Jeff visit. The coffee shop was filled with local residents whose concerns ranged from health care to education. Jeff spoke with a woman who was very passionate about having stem cell research funded. A rare genetic disease runs in her family and she wants future generations to have a chance to fight the disease.

Jeff had a great time meeting locals in Troutdale, Boring, Sandy and Estacada. He was raised in communities just like the ones he visited and these are the people that he fights for every single day. People want leaders who understand the struggles they face in small town Oregon. Jeff has always put families before the special interests and he'll take that same fight to Washington.

Keep checking back at the website for more updates on our 100 Towns for Change Tour. Post your ideas and suggestions about where Jeff should travel to next! Scroll down below for more photos from Sandy, Boring and Estacada.

Here is a picture of Jeff and a local resident chatting at the Farmer's Market:

Here is a picture of Jeff at the VFW hall in Sandy speaking to veterans and locals:

Here is a picture of Jeff with the Mayor of Estacada Bob Austin and his wife Carla:

Here is a picture of Jeff with owners Linda and Barry Presnall of the Scenes 'N Beans Coffee Shop: