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By Jennifer Wilck Photographs by Roy Gumpel
The challenges currently facing New Jersey and the rest of the country are daunting, to say the least. With a sagging economy, high health care costs, and apparent climate change, problems are enormous and solutions scarce, and politicians are scrambling for answers. But throwing in the towel is the last thing we should do, says the Citizen’s Campaign, an organization comprised of volunteers with political and governmental law experience who engage ordinary citizens in the political process.
“If we’re going to grapple with the challenges of the 21st century, we’re going to need to draw upon our citizenry and find those who have the kind of leadership experience and potential to fill the leadership vacuum and bring their constructive solutions to bear,” says Harry Pozycki, founder of the Center for Civic Responsibility in Metuchen, which created the Citizen’s Campaign.
A recent poll taken by Monmouth University found that four in 10 people would like to serve and don’t know how, but through an endeavor called Call to Service, the Citizens Campaign has found ways to show them. A statewide, nonpartisan, three-year project facilitated by volunteer leaders, Call to Service specializes in helping citizens who lack the time, money, or inclination to run for elected office to participate beyond the ballot box in an informed and constructive way.
The group consists of a legal task force headed by former state Supreme Court Justice Gary Stein and the Academy for Citizen Empowerment (ACE), a team of more than 100 trained teachers in practical civics. “We will soon have chairpeople in all 21 counties,” says Pozycki. “We wanted to make a bigger outreach statewide as part of the launch, and partnered with Monmouth University.” It was at Monmouth University, on October 14, that Call to Service was officially launched to the business community through an all-day symposium for businesspeople from around the state. “One of our allies is Joan Verplanck, president of the statewide chamber of commerce,” says Pozycki. The chamber of commerce carries a similar mandate, which is finding a way to bring about civic renewal in New Jersey. “It’s a natural nexus between the chamber’s government reform initiative—cleaning up graft and corruption and encouraging involvement of citizenry,” says Verplanck. “It makes sure it’s fair, open, and honest, and citizens get what they should expect—good stewardship and clean government.”
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