Richard “Doc” Gooding wanted two things: to pressure his Congressman to hold a town hall meeting and to make some new friends who like bowling. By founding a TroubleNation group, The Roanoke Social Circle, he accomplished both.
Republican Rep. Ben Cline hadn’t appeared at a town hall for almost a year, and his constituents had questions. Lots of questions. Like, “Why do you support firing federal employees?” and “Why aren’t you telling the truth about cuts to Medicare and Social Security?”
So, the Roanoke Social Circle put up a billboard across from his office letting him know what they think. They show up every Monday to protest and demand a town hall meeting where they can ask their questions.
And in the meantime, they’re making new friends and strengthening their community. The Roanoke Social Circle has a crafting group, a backgammon group, and — yes — a bowling group. By building relationships, they’re also building political power.
Last week, their efforts paid off…. sort of. Last Thursday, Representative Cline appeared in person at his first town hall meeting of 2025 at a courthouse in nearby Lexington, Virginia. But attendees were hand-picked by Cline’s team, and those who did make it inside said the room was half-empty, despite protestors outside being told the venue was at capacity.
“People asked a lot of questions,” said one constituent. “I felt like he didn’t give a lot of answers. He did a lot of deflecting.”
But the Roanoke Social Circle isn’t giving up. They’ve already built strong relationships on shared interests and values, so it’s a no-brainer for them to keep meeting up for protests and other political actions. After all, they’re already friends!
You can look for a group in your area (or start your own, like Richard) on our TroubleNation page here.
