Upcoming Events

SML Democrats Activities

All meetings and events are held at the SML Democrats office unless otherwise specified. The office is located at 16483 Moneta Road, on the Bedford side of the bridge.

Election 2024 – Tuesday, April 2, at 1 pm

Road Clean Up – Tuesday, April 2, at 1 pm
Meet at the office. We work in groups to clean up our assigned section of Rte. 122. Questions and RSVP here, but if you decide to join in at the last minute, just come by; you won’t be turned away!

Democrats & Donuts – Thursday, April 4, at 9:30 – 11 am
Join us for our monthly social time catch up with friends and talk about…anything! Democrats & Donuts is the first Thursday of each month. 

Book Club – Tuesday, April 9, at 10 am
The discussion will cover Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. New members are always welcome!

Events Committee – Thursday, April 11, at 10 am
Any and all members are welcome to join the Events Committee. If you can’t make the meeting but have ideas to share, please let us know. 

Steering Committee – Tuesday, April 16, at 1 pm

Pint & Politics – Tuesday, April 16, at 5 pm
Joe’s Pizza and Italian Restaurant, 130 Scruggs Road in Westlake
We will order off the menu; beer and wine are available. Please RSVP before April 12.

General Membership Meeting – Monday, April 22 at 6:30 pm
Our guest speaker is Dr. Bryan Parsons, an associate professor of political science at Roanoke College, and a senior political analyst with the Institute of Policy and Opinion Research. He will be speaking on how to interpret political polling in 2024.

The Racism Forum – Wednesday, May 1, at 10 am

Public Relations Committee – Monday, April 29, at 1 pm

Game On! – Thursday, April 25; time to be determined (usually 6 pm)
Members are invited to come by, play games, socialize, and/or share snacks for a nonpolitical evening. No RSVP required. Bring a favorite game, snacks to share if you like, and your family & friends are invited to come with you. BYOB. Let the games begin!!

Vibes – Sundays at 10 am to noon
Our nonpolitical community outreach play-and-sing-along is going strong. Anyone who would like to sing or play an instrument, or just listen, is welcome. Also, if you’d like to learn to play the ukelele, lessons are held on Fridays at 10 am; contact us for more information.

Details on times and locations for all activities are provided in the Member Newsletter that is sent by email. If you prefer a calendar view, see below.

County/Community Events

School Board Meetings

Our presence at local School Board meetings goes a long way to balance out the meetings with reasonable voices countering misinformation and fear about topics such as Critical Race Theory, book bannings, curriculum concerns, LGBTQ+ issues, and more.

If you would like to speak at one of these meetings, please look up your county of residence school board protocol and plan accordingly. Note: You must live in the county where you wish to speak. You do NOT need to reside in the county if you simply wish to attend.

• Bedford County: Thursday, April 11, at 5 pm
The location of the Bedford County School Board Meetings varies from month to month. In April, the meeting will be at the School Administration Office, 310 S. Bridge Street in Bedford.

• Franklin County: Monday, May 13, at 6 pm
25 Bernard Road, Rocky Mount
If you would like to speak, you MUST email the Board Clerk no later than the previous Thursday at 5 pm.

County Democratic Committee Meetings

Bedford County Democratic Committee
The Bedford Democratic Committee meets virtually via Zoom on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 7 pm. The next meeting will be Tuesday, April 16, at 7 pm at the Bower Center for the Arts, 305 N. Bridge St., in Bedford. Contact us for more information.

Franklin County Democratic Committee’s Dining With Democrats – Friday, April 19, at 5:30 pm
The April Dining with Democrats is your chance to attend the famous Friday Fish Fry at Ferrum College. The new Ferrum College President has been invited to join us, as well as Karen Baker, who should be certified as a candidate in the District 9 race for Congress by then. Ferrum students are also invited. Contact us for more information.

Dining with Democrats is a monthly community outreach initiative for the public that delivers timely educational opportunities and topical programs from noted speakers. For more information about the Franklin County Democratic Committee, visit fcdemocrats.org.

News from the Franklin County Democratic Committee: Call to Caucus
Saturday, April 20, from 10 am – 2 pm
Franklin County Democratic Party Office, 527 S. Main Street in Rocky Mount
The Franklin County Democratic Committee (FCDC) will hold an unassembled caucus for the purpose of electing delegates and alternates to the Virginia Ninth District Convention on May 18 at 10 am in Dublin, VA, at New River Community College and the Virginia Democratic State Convention on Saturday, June 22, at 10 am in Richmond, VA. This link provides all of the information on candidate qualifications, how to file to become a candidate, and how the caucus itself will work. A full copy of the Call to Caucus can also be found on the FCDC website: https://www.fcdemocrats.org/important-information

2024 STATE DELEGATE AND ALTERNATE FILING FORM
2024 DELEGATE SELECTION

Franklin County Democratic Committee General Meetings
The public is always invited to our General Meetings. If you want to join us, please send an email to fcdemocratsva@gmail.com and we will provide a link to the meeting details.  

As you all know, this year is a crucial one for Democracy and, if you have ever said to yourself, “I really want to get involved,” this is the time and here is the place! You can help save democracy, the right to vote and have your votes counted, and personal rights including bodily autonomy.

(Democratic) Activities Further Afield

We’ll let you know when we’ve got information to share!