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On June 19, 2021, the NJ COSfest was held at the Bible Baptist Church in New Egypt. About 200 Convention of States (COS) volunteers and their invitees attended. See here for the complete blog of NJ COSfest 2021.

To start, an NJ Leadership panel discussed a variety of topics, including how the panelists guide and inspire their volunteers, what self-governance means and why it is so vital. A video of the NJ Leadership panel discussion is here.

Self-governance is a major principle of COS and key to our freedom. It is defined as deciding for ourselves what happens in our lives. 

We need to understand and change what is happening locally before we can change what happens at higher levels of government.

Motivated and active volunteers across the country are essential to our success. 

Mark Meckler, co-founder and President of COS, gave an amazing and encouraging talk on why every one of us should join the fight for our freedom and liberty. His message was intertwined with the message of the NJ Leadership Panel, reinforcing their message and providing the encouragement all of us need to step up.  The complete video of Mark Meckler's talk is here.

The event was inspirational and a Call to Action.  If you would like to join our cause, please volunteer.  You will not regret it.

Writing and mailing a personal handwritten letter to your state legislator is one of the most important things you can do as a constituent of your District. A legislator pays more attention to a personal letter than a form letter or email.

A personal letter is easy to write, especially if you are passionate about your subject. The letter should include:

• Thank the legislator for their service to this state. If applicable, thank them for backing something you support.
• Make a request to your legislator to support using their authority under Article 5 of the US Constitution to call a convention of the States. Say why you are an advocate for COS and Article 5. Include at least one of the 3 areas that COS supports; term limits, fiscal responsibility and/or federal overreach.
• Personalize the letter. This can be done by explaining why Article 5 is important to you or for another reason (e.g., election integrity).
• If you are interested, request to meet your legislator or their representative. A couple weeks after you send the letter, call the legislator’s office and set up a meeting. Remember, to send a thank you note after you meet with them.
• End the letter thanking them for supporting the COS resolution.

It is important to only send a letter and meet with a representative from your district. We must educate our state representatives on COS and their part in passing the resolution in the state. The COS team will support you in writing a personal letter and meeting and educating your state legislator. 

The Follow-Up Team (FUT) member is an integral part of the Convention of States (COS) movement. Connection to our community and supporters is a critical part of their work. Many times, FUT volunteers are the first person that a supporter hears from after signing the petition. Their mission is to say thank you and to listen.  

Some supporters need a person to talk to, some will want to join the movement, but many can be guided to reach out to their neighbors and state legislators about COS. For those petition signers that have volunteered, the FUT member will make them feel welcome and help them find where their skills fit into the state team’s need for growth. 

A FUT member must be tenacious and knowledgeable of Article 5 and COS. Expected commitment levels for a FUT member are 2-4 hours a week. New FUT members are given training, mentoring and access to the tools they need to perform this role. They are part of a team that is a frontline to the community and works to ensure their District’s needs are met. Please think about joining this dedicated team of volunteers.

Tracy Grabiak is a District Captain (DC) for District 8 in New Jersey. She signed the petition in 2014 and has been a volunteer since 2020. She answered the call and became a District Captain in September 2020. When you meet Tracy, she is quiet and blends into the background. But watch out. When she starts talking about her country and Convention of States, she lights up. Her feelings and love for both come out and she becomes a different person.  

Tracy has spent a lot of time reading and studying Article 5 and the COS movement. This allows her to be a wonderful mentor to her volunteers.  Tracy joined COS because of her passion for this country and the U.S. Constitution. What motivates her is the deep gratitude she has for being born here and not wanting to lose the gifts of our freedom and liberty.  

As DC of District 8, Tracy works with COS state and regional leadership on building and executing their plan to support the COS movement. Her goals for District 8 are to bring on and mentor a team of volunteers that are as passionate as she is. These volunteers will work with her to actively promote COS and build a good relationship with District 8 state legislators and their staff. 

Convention of States Project is on YouTube. The videos are educational and informative. You can subscribe for updates.  One recent link is below.

Volunteer makes PERFECT analogy proving the importance of a convention of states (5 minutes) : Watch Video Here 

Petition Signing Event on Friday, July 16: Merchantville Market Off Centre, S Center St & E Chestnut Ave., Merchantville, NJ 08109, 5-8pm.

Petition Signing Event on Saturday, July 17: V&V Adventure Farm, Family Summer Festival, 1339 Old Indian Mills Rd., Shamong, NJ 08088, 11am - 5pm.

Petition Signing Event on Saturday, July 24: World Wide Rally for Freedom, New Jersey National Park, Red Bank Battlefield, 100 Hessian Ave., NJ 08063, Monument Side of Park, 1-4pm.