After being mostly inactive for several years, the Pike County Democrats are rebuilding the organization to be more involved in the local community.

Monica Riley, new vice chair for the committee, said the first general body meeting of the year will serve as a first step toward planning on all the different ways that the members want to get involved.

“We’re kind of transforming it into more than just a political party that’s around during elections; we want to focus on being a great benefit to the community,” Riley said. “We’ll still do our get out to vote drive, but we also plan on partnering with different organizations and finding out service projects we can assist them with.”

Riley was elected to the State Democratic Executive Committee for Pike County in August and elected as vice chair locally in October. Working in grassroots organization for nearly a decade, she said she is glad to be able to be part of rebuilding the local party.

“This process been in the works a very long time, somebody just needed to come grab the bull by the horns and go,” Riley said. “I just had the time and energy to dedicate towards it; grassroots organizing is my life.”

In addition to community service projects, Riley said the party want s to offer workshops for other groups to train them in canvassing and getting out the vote, as well as supporting and training local Democratic candidates.

Jerry Williams, chair of the Pike County Democratic Party, said he is glad to have some younger people getting involved and working to build it back up.

“We’re glad to see the enthusiasm and young people coming into the party as well as a lot of others,” Williams said. “It’s going to be a rebuilding process, but it’s getting started.”

The first general body meeting of the year will be held in Trojan Center room 119 on the Troy University campus at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 9.