It was a hot day in the summer of 2007 and I was looking for something meaningful to do. Then I heard about Camp Obama, and it changed my life.

Camp Obama taught me that organizing is about fixing your community. It taught me how to inspire and empower people to believe in themselves. It taught me how to be an effective manager, trainer and leader. But I also learned campaign strategy—how campaigns work, how to crunch numbers, and how to set goals and execute plans.

After I took part in Camp Obama, I traveled to state after state, helping then-Senator Obama secure the Democratic nomination for President in 2008. Then, I moved to New Mexico, where I finished out the campaign managing an entire region of the state.

Now, as I’m looking for talented organizers to help win Pennsylvania for President Obama, we’re re-launching Camp Obama—so come join in to find out what I learned that summer that inspired me to want to dedicate my life to organizing.

If you want to find out how you can become a leader in this movement to keep our country moving forward,this is your chance. A few years ago I took that chance, and I haven’t looked back since. Join me at Camp Obama this weekend.

Plans tomorrow night? Help us celebrate the opening of our Coatesville office!

The new office in Coatesville will be the hub for all that hard work for the next six months, but tomorrow, we're getting together to just hang out and get to know each other. We don't get to do that enough, which is why you should come out and be a part of it.

Join us at the Coatesville office at 238 East Lincoln Highway from 7 – 9 pm. You'll get to meet other supporters and local community leaders who are committed to re-electing the President, and there will be plenty of snacks to go around.

One of my favorite things about being a part of this organization is the people -- from just-won't-quit staffers and volunteers, to the folks we meet at the door or chat with on the phone. It's because of people like them stepping up that we are able to build this movement in neighborhood after neighborhood, here in Pennsylvania and across the country.

Find out how to be a part of it tomorrow night at the Coatesville office opening.

In honor of Mother's Day, we asked volunteers to share with us why they're inspired by the work their mothers are doing to help re-elect President Obama. Check out a few of our favorites.

Our mom has supported President Obama for the past 4 years! She makes sure everyone she meets knows he is the right choice in 2012!
-- Zach & Hayden on their mom Meghan in Pittsburgh

My mom started as a Summer Organizer and then a Fall Fellow and Now she is a Neighborhood Team Leader. My mom spends most of her day thinking of ways to reach her neighbors and her community to get out the vote and to let them know how the President is doing.
-- Malik on his mother Linda from Albrightsville

I get my work ethic from my mom, she's a single mom who's just finishing up putting her second child through college by herself. She was working 14 hour days long before I started with the campaign and watching her inspired me to work as hard as I can to be the best at whatever I do. In addition to working two jobs, she's also volunteered with the campaign and has helped us with voter registration and helped us run our office opening party in April.
-- Sean on his mother Mary Ann from Boyertown

Join Meghan, Linda, Mary Ann and all the other mothers who are working hard to re-elect the person who is building a better future for their children by joining Women for Obama.

Before I joined the Obama 2012 team in Pennsylvania, I organized for issues like LGBT rights—and my favorite thing about my job has always been building volunteer leaders.

Here in Pennsylvania, phone banks are central to our organizing. That’s why we always tell our volunteers: Call time is sacred.

Calling voters is how we build our teams and keep people engaged—our organizers here in Pennsylvania have a quota of 150 dials a day! So, we ask folks to save a chunk of time between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. every night for calls. There’s this sweet spot after people get off work and before they go to bed, and we have to make the most of that time.

You can join in and make calls right from home. Get started now.

Use the call tool

When Richard Blakely and his wife Darlene found out they were selected to meet the President and First Lady backstage at last weekend's Ready to Go rally, they couldn't believe it.

We were in awe. When we met them, we were amazed by how down to earth and easy to talk to they were. They are so humble and impressive.

An 8th grade history teacher and veteran from Wyndmoor, Richard says that President Obama's approach to education and foreign policy are the main reasons he's working so hard on the 2012 campaign.

As educators, my wife and I believe that education is the key to helping future generations of Americans. We have been so impressed with the President's commitment to education, which he has demonstrated in ways like expanding Pell Grants so that more students have the opportunity to go to college.

Richard said that President Obama took a strong interest in his thoughts on education in America, and that the First Lady could not have been more gracious.

He asked me a lot of questions about the type of work that I do, and what kinds of challenges we face as educators. He told me that education in this country will always be a top priority and that he is grateful for what my wife and I do.

I thanked the First Lady for her support of military families. As a veteran, her efforts mean so much to my wife and me.

Richard and Darlene feel that there’s too much at stake in this election not to be involved. They’re volunteering with the Montgomery County for Obama team because they believe President Obama should have another four years to continue making our country stronger.

Join the Blakely’s and sign up to join the campaign in your community.