The University Democrats braved the winter weather this past weekend, traveling to the frozen tundra of New Hampshire's presidential primary battleground in Manchester.
Members of the group ran phone banks, distributed literature, canvassed door to door and gained general visibility for their respective candidates.
"We decided to go to New Hampshire because for one week every four years it becomes the political epicenter of the nation," said David Wasserman, University Democrats campaign party coordinator. "You basically have the entire political world crammed into a city no bigger than Charlottesville."
Wasserman said the University Democrats brought 50 members who campaigned for individual candidates. The majority of members attending worked for presidential candidate and former Vermont governor Howard Dean.
"People signed up regardless of who they were supporting and then they broke up in groups to work for the candidate of their choice," Wasserman said. "The greatest part of the trip was that everyone got to see their candidate in action. They got the chance to go around with the candidate or meet them -- it was very positive."
First-year College student Stephanie Bitto said she enjoyed the trip while campaigning for presidential hopeful Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C.
"We were treated really well by the campaign," Bitto said. "Everyone was very nice. People made an effort to learn your name and to use it."
Fourth-year College student Ryan Hughes said he noticed that the experiences of volunteers varied with their respective campaigns.
"Everyone from the Clark, Edwards and Kerry campaigns was having a good time," Hughes said. "They went to rallies, walked precincts and did office work. The Dean campaign was different in this respect. They worked their volunteers to the bone. They sent them out from early morning till late in the evening ... The first day there they weren't even given a lunch break -- they had to plead to get food."
Bitto said the University Democrats group received a lot of exposure, even to international audiences.
"There were TV cameras everywhere we went," Bitto said. "Lots of people got individual face time. There were cameramen from CNN, NBC Nightly News, Japanese TV and stations from around here."
Bitto also added that the group had a brush with Hollywood royalty by meeting movie star Glenn Close.
"She came by and sat down and talked to a bunch of volunteers," Bitto said. "She talked about how she wanted to see change and that's why she was in New Hampshire for the primaries."
Hughes said the group experienced numerous celebrity sightings. He said he saw hosts from CNN political shows, former and current senators, former Presidential candidate Gary Hart and Rob Corddry from Comedy Central's Daily Show.
Despite an ideological difference between members on which candidate is best suited to be president, the University Democrats members were civil to each other on the 12-hour ride from Charlottesville to Manchester.
"There were lots of heated debates, but no fights," Bitto said.
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