This newsletter has been and will continue to be typed using the Calibri typeface! 😜
A note from the Editor: To our readers, thank you for subscribing to the FCDP newsletter! We hope you find it to be a useful source of information, helping you feel connected as we work to maintain a strong Democratic presence in Fayette County. And to our amazing volunteers, whether you’re out at rallies on the Square, helping run our monthly Democratic Neighbors luncheons, pitching in at events like Trick or Treat on the Square or Schmeckenfest, helping pull together our Democratic candidate Meet & Greets, or contributing your awesome articles to this newsletter, we appreciate you! We are especially grateful to our County Chair, Mary Wolf, who always goes above and beyond both in front and behind the scenes to ensure the party keeps running smoothly. Thanks as well to our Precinct Chairs and Event Leaders, whose dedication helps ensure there are opportunities for participating in an active Democratic community here in Fayette County.
Thanks to all of you, the Fayette County Democratic Party stays active, visible, and connected in our community because of you! Let’s carry this momentum into 2026 folks!
Upcoming Events (No luncheon in December)
Americans for Democracy Rally - Saturday, December 13th, 9- 10 am, on the La Grange Courthouse Square. Don't have a sign, borrow one of ours, we have a fine selection.
Kicking Off 2026 – Friday, January 16th, 3-5 pm at the Best Western, La Grange, Conference Room. Hello all. Happy Holidays! The holidays are the best time of the year, but also often the busiest and most stressful. So, to take a bit of the busyness and stress off of everyone we’ve decided not to have a December Democratic Neighbors Luncheon. Instead, we’ll be having a Kicking Off 2026 held on Friday, January 16th. Please keep this date in mind and watch for additional information coming soon. In the meantime, enjoy the season, but get plenty of rest. The new year will bring primaries and general elections and lots to do! Let’s plan now to make 2026 the year Texas Democrats stand up and make a difference in our state's political landscape! Lots of love to you all this holiday season.
CHLOE’S CLOSET MINISTRY
Contributed by Verlia Mosley-Rhodes
This ministry was established for the memory of Chloe Lynn Mosley, a beautiful, intelligent, and remarkable young girl. Sadly, Chloe was stricken from birth with a rare and debilitating blood disorder. She maintained a positive and upbeat attitude as her health deteriorated. She endured numerous procedures and visits to Texas Children’s Hospital. Multiple charities and organization donated services, toys, and financial support for her and her mother. As her condition worsened, she remained optimistic. The last year of her life was spent entirely in transitional housing located in the Houston Medical Center, with her mother never leaving her side.
Chloe succumbed to her disease at age twelve. This event prompted her mother, Ellen Mosely-Hawkins, to create a charity at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. This ministry provides coats at Christmas, school supplies, and other services to help the youth in this community achieve success. With the help from New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church and the community, Chloe’s Closet has been thriving for the past nineteen years.
We thank you in advance for your willingness to contribute to the success of this ministry.
In memory of Chloe Lynn Mosely
September 27, 1993 – July 6, 2006
To make a donation call or text Verlia Mosley at 979-702-9441 or you can drop off donations at Calvin’s Service Station in La Grange (U-Haul at corner of Hwy 77 & Business Hwy 71).
Give Yourself Gift of Grace this Holiday
Contributed by Karen Derr
It seems each week the news cycle gives us a new reason to double-down on our acts of resistance. Our protests and boycotts are making a difference. Texas rural Democrats must keep the pressure on but the Holiday season comes with its own stressors. Boycotting corporations whose values don't align with ours is an effective way to resist but can rural folks really do without deliveries from Amazon? Here are a few tips to stay merry while taking a stand.
Spend local and small. Not just on one Saturday but all season. Buy what makes you and yours happy but buy from local small businesses and artisans when possible. Let your recipients know the story behind your gift if it supports a special cause or local artist. The provenance will make your gift all the more appreciated.
Spend less. Annette Holdeman shares her plan for peaceful economic protest this season, "Withholding spending is one of the most accessible and impactful ways to express dissent. Every dollar withheld is a signal of dissatisfaction!" Besides driving home the message to greedy, spineless corporations who have caved to Trump, cutting back is better for the planet.
Be conscious of others in your circle who may be struggling. We all know prices are not down and layoffs are on the rise. Drawing names, white elephant exchanges or setting price limits might be a welcomed alternative to buying everyone in the family a gift. Here are some fun ideas that make gift giving more sustainable for everyone: https://www.thecommons.earth/blog/creative-gift-exchange-ideas
Keep it simple and focused. The many reasons to rage right now can be overwhelming. However, most retail boycott efforts are directed at corporations that have either funded Trump initiatives (Including ICE) or who no longer support DEI and fair treatment of employees. Amazon/Whole Foods, Walmart, Target and Home Depot, while hardest to boycott completely, are big offenders who stand to lose the most from any cutbacks in spending. Bob Derr reports he's successfully switched to Ebay for many items he once bought on Amazon - even new items.
Do what you can, where you can. You may still end up making a Christmas Eve run to Walmart but you probably won't be buying anyone a Tesla for Christmas. Enjoying the season and keeping your best loved traditions this year is the most important win. As Laura Logan so aptly said, "We need to give ourselves grace in general about being at every event, doing all the things, etc. It’s not important that we be perfect activists, but that we be active."
Finding Joy in Our Troubled Time
Contributed by Becky Snyder
There are days when it seems like it’s all gone to hell, but on other days there are faint slivers of light. Neither of those spark much joy. Sometimes we have to find joy in our lives. I attended Jane Goodall’s presentation in September. I left there feeling more hopeful than I had for a while. She didn’t sugarcoat anything. She talked about the terrible things going on in our world.
Near the end of her presentation, she said this: “People come to me and they say that they’ve given up. That as one individual there’s nothing they can do. The world is a mess and we have this saying: think globally, act locally. It’s the wrong way around because I defy anyone to think what’s happening around the world today with Gaza and Ukraine and Sudan, the violence and the civil unrest and everything that’s going on, you have to feel depressed. So, I tell them, think in your own community. What is it that you don’t like that you want to change? Maybe it’s a lot of litter; maybe it’s homelessness. Maybe it’s children who aren’t getting proper nutrition. Whatever it is, maybe it’s stray dogs, whatever. Go there, find some people who feel like you do, roll up your sleeves and try and do something about it. You’ll find you can. You’ll find you can make a difference. That’ll make you feel good. So then you want to do more, and then you’ll inspire more people to do more. Then you can think there’s people like this all around the world.”
Yes, we live in depressing times, but as I have gotten to know some of you, I have found joy. There are volunteers for the school district, the Bugle Boy, the animal shelter, AMEN food pantry, Habitat for Humanity, and more. We play a vital role in our community. Yes, there is much to do politically, but in our search for joy, we have to step back; otherwise, we get so deep in the darkness of our country that we miss the brightness in our own county. That doesn’t mean we stop working towards electing reasonable candidates and trying to bring an end to the madness. It just means that we shut that down sometimes and focus on the good, the positive, the joy. If you aren’t able to volunteer, connect with some of us that do. Let us tell you our joyful stories of the people we meet and the things that are accomplished. The FCDP Trick or Treat on the Square was the first event I did with members of the party two years ago. I was able to get to know people a little bit, but more importantly, I saw and felt joy. I am looking forward to that feeling again this year.