Photos courtesy of George Cooke
On December 8th, the Henderson County Democratic Party hosted its annual Holly Party to honor and celebrate the incredible contributions of our volunteers. Held at 3 PM, this festive event brought together over 150 attendees and was catered by the talented team at Foxy Otter, who provided delicious hors d'oeuvres to accompany the celebration.
The highlight of the afternoon was the presentation of awards recognizing the outstanding efforts of our volunteers in various areas:
Kim Welty - Overall Outstanding Volunteer
Peter Fricke - Voter Protection
Virginia Tegel - VoPro
Millie Baker - Events
Elizabeth Jennings - Communications
Frank Stewart - Communications
Mary Hardvall - GOTV
Betsy Leach - Precinct Support
Tracy Payne - Office
In addition to the major awards, we also recognized a group of Outstanding Volunteers for their incredible dedication and hard work. These individuals have gone above and beyond to support HCDP’s mission, and we are deeply grateful for their efforts:
Jack Carpenter
Judy Tobia
Julia Lambert
Brandon Olsen
Rives Trigoboff
Tracey Costanzo
John Costanzo
Beth Pensiero
Regina Hutchinson
Karen Owensby
Karla Kimerer
Laura Heitz
Linda Malvesto
Megan Cockman
Annie Wenz
Jack Robinson
Ann Twiggs
Toryn Stewart
Mack Fowler
Maria Labarge
DJ Cooper
Meg Nichols
Grace Loftis
Thank you all for your dedication, passion, and hard work. Your contributions are invaluable to our success!
Honoring Linda Ford: HCDP Democrat of the Year
Photo courtesy of George Cooke
The most prestigious award, HCDP Democrat of the Year, was presented to Linda Ford, whose passion, energy, and dedication have transformed volunteer coordination within HCDP.
Linda stepped into her role as Volunteer Coordinator in January 2024, and since then, her dynamic leadership has redefined what it means to engage volunteers. Linda not only connects people with opportunities that suit their strengths but also creates new roles and programs to expand HCDP's outreach.
Her initiatives, like the monthly Coffee at The Buzz gatherings and the SING OUT THE VOTE benefit concert, have brought together the community in innovative and impactful ways. Linda’s ability to harness the talents of more than 900 volunteers has been instrumental in HCDP’s success, especially as we gear up for one of the most critical elections in recent history.
Reflecting on her journey, Linda shared: "I think of myself as the person who matches up volunteers with work so that the volunteer has a sense of satisfaction and the important work gets done. I’m drawing on everything I’ve ever learned, and I feel so grateful for the opportunity to do this work at this time with these wonderful people."
Her unwavering commitment to democracy and her passion for supporting volunteers have made her an invaluable asset to the party. Linda's efforts remind us all of the power of collective action and the difference we can make when we work together.
Photos courtesy of George Cooke
Thank You to All Our Volunteers
This year’s Holly Party was a testament to the energy and dedication of our volunteers. Their efforts have fueled countless programs, from voter outreach and precinct support to communications and event planning.
As Linda says, “It’s such a privilege and honor to work with our volunteers. We’ve had an amazing year filled with growth and energy, and it’s all possible because of YOU.”
Interested in joining this incredible team? Contact Linda at volunteers.HCDP@gmail.com or fill out our volunteer interest form to find out how you can get involved.
Here’s to another year of working together for a brighter future! 🌟