On December 25, 1776, George Washington and the Continental Army launched a campaign from the banks of the Delaware River to retake Trenton and reverse the course of the War for Independence.
On July 25, 2020, leaders and volunteers for Convention of States New Jersey descended on Washington's Crossing, planning their own Trenton offensive.
The venue, a pavilion in Washington's Crossing, Pennsylvania, was hastily chosen when circumstances made the primary meeting location unavailable.
The historical significance of the location and the tasteful site preparation and decoration produced the perfect setting for the COS New Jersey state meeting. Indeed, those unaware of the scramble behind-the-scenes would have been surprised to learn this was not the planned destination all along.
State Director Jonathan Viaud began the meeting by highlighting the growth the team had experienced since the 2019 strategy meeting. He noted that, over the course of the last year, the team has added 38 volunteers, including 15 new Follow-Up Team members and five new District Captains.
The agenda was full of information about the progress made, both nationally and in New Jersey, as well as strategizing about the path forward for the coming year.
Though unable to attend in person, Mark Meckler recorded a special message for the meeting. He spoke about the impact that the shutdowns and COVID-19 have had on grassroots activism and the need to adapt to whatever the "new normal" will look like.
He also congratulated COS New Jersey on maintaining a 100% activity rate by District Captains for every single week of the last year, touting that as a key metric for the engagement of the team as a whole.
Regional Director Monica Sellers provided an update on what is going on nationally and fielded various questions regarding progress in other states.
In his legislative update, Legislative Liaison Carlo Nardone informed the team of the status of the resolution in the state legislature, outlining the steps remaining to pass it. He highlighted the tremendous growth in signatures this year compared to prior years and stressed the need to capitalize on that growth, especially in strategic legislative districts.
The day was not all business, though. The team took some time to recognize the outstanding contributions of some members in particular.
Jonathan presented the COS Patriot Pin to Events Coordinator Susan Beckett-Jones, an award she had earned earlier this year but had yet to receive.
Mark Meckler also had another recorded message for the team, in which he awarded the Convention of States Challenge Coin to Gary Brenner, District Captain and Media Liaison for New Jersey. Click here to read more about this special moment.
In all, the meeting was a valuable opportunity to set the direction for the coming year, bring the team together, recognize outstanding accomplishments and contributions, and welcome new members into the Convention of States New Jersey family.
