Benzie Dems had a very busy and successful year in 2022, and we all deserve to take a bow for these many great accomplishments — and know that we have to keep on keeping on to meet the challenges to come!
Social Media, Internet Presence and Advertising:
1,600 followers on our public Facebook page – up about 200 over 2021!
32 new paying “party members”
425 members in our private Facebook group
411 individual posts on our Facebook page, or about 35 per month!
714 people on our email list
52 emails sent – about one a week
0 emails seeking member donations
58% of people open our emails (WAY above industry average)
8 Monthly Meetings on Zoom
45-75 people attending each meeting
14 ads in The Betsie Current + 25 ads in the Benzie Record Patriot
40+ memes on key issues, events, posters, billboards, and video
2 billboards (1 month each: Late August-Late October)
Letter-writing + County/Township Lookouts
73 County/Township meetings with notes written up by our volunteers
24 County Commission meetings
8 Village of Elberta meetings
6 Almira Township meetings
2 Gilmore Township meetings
10 Homestead Township meetings
8 Inland Township meetings
9 Joyfield Township meetings
5 Platte Township meetings
100+ Letters To The Editor written for 3 publications:
65 Letters to the Rec Pat
10 Letters to the Record Eagle
47 Letters to the Northern Express
Other Committee Work
12 Executive Committee meetings
8-14 people attending each meeting
35 Candidate/Campaign Steering Committee meetings
7 Candidate Fundraisers/Meets&Greets
4 Postcard Parties
4,000 postcards sent
4 Pop-ups
55 marchers in Frankfort and/or Beulah 4th of July parades
Fundraising + Donations
• $3,000 awarded in local scholarships to Benzie/Frankfort graduates
• $2,950 raised by Comfort &Joy for St. Philip’s Baby Pantry + Benzie Food Partners
Election Results: Aubrey & Chris will go into more detail, but in general, for our hyper-local results…
6 County Commission candidates (in 7 total districts)
1 County Commissioner elected (Karen Cunningham-Frankfort/Crystal Lake Township)
3 Benzie County Central Schools board candidates
◦ 1 Benzie County Central Schools board member elected (Matt Smith)