Grassroots gathering

4 Democratic presidential candidates address crowd of 2,000 at Clear Lake’s Surf Ballroom
  
     Buddy Holly’s voice crooned through a nearly empty Surf Ballroom Friday as organizers readied the building for the sold-out Iowa Democratic Wing Ding. In red pants, white Converses and a blue suit jacket covered in stars, Franklin County Democratic chairman John Colombo bustled through, ensuring things ran smoothly.
     Hours later, around 2,000 Democrats would flood the historic ballroom to hear from four presidential candidates: Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Martin O’Malley and Lincoln Chafee. Colombo said people were “really jazzed” about this year’s event.
     People stood, sat along walls and filled booths and chairs as they ate their traditional Wing Ding meal of chicken wings and awaited the candidates’ arrival onstage.
     Read the full article in the August 19 edition of the Hampton Chronicle.