Save HOPE rally "a success"

The rally to save the HOPE scholarship, held last Wednesday, February 8, and sponsored by the Georgia Association of College Republicans, was a "success," according to GACR Executive Director and event organizer Chris Dempsey. The turnout was "very good for a college event held in the middle of a school day," and for which there was little lead time for preparation and for publicization.
Representatives from several media outlets covered the rally, including Atlanta's Fox 5 news, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the Athens Banner-Herald. UGA College Republicans Public Relations Director Jeff Emanuel conducted an interview with Columbus ABC affiliate WTVM, which was aired later that night, and several other stations showed footage of the event.
With only two business days to publicize the rally (as the measure had been voted down on Friday, February 3 and the rally was held the following Wednesday), all parties involved did a significant amount of legwork ensuring that the public was aware of the situation, and of the event. UGACR in particular was able to ensure that the rally repeatedly appeared in the pages of the UGA Red & Black, the Athens Banner-Herald, and the AJC, and was also able to put the word out to its 2,100+ members and others via the website, email, and this weblog as soon as the rally was planned. Flyers were also posted all over the UGA campus to alert the rest of the 35,000-strong student body.