SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WCTV) – Following the death of Charlie Kirk, an 11th-grade student launched a Turning Point USA chapter in Live Oak, and the group is set to have its first meeting on Monday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve wanted to start a chapter here in Live Oak and never had the courage to until September 10,\u201d Brooklyn Long said. \u201cI knew that I had to take a stand, and I wanted to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said she\u2019s been listening to Charlie Kirk\u2019s podcast since 2020. \u201cI love America and I love Turning Point,\u201d Long said.<\/p>\n
Long submitted an application to the organization and said she was approved for a community chapter called Live Oak Club America. \u201cI\u2019m doing it at the community level to get, not just high schoolers involved, but the home school kids and even adults can join and be able to learn about the love of our country,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
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As for community feedback, Long said she\u2019s seen a lot of excitement for the club, but she\u2019s also received some pushback.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to just kind of let it go behind us and forget about it, because not everybody is going to be happy that this club is out,\u201d Long said. \u201cBut, if we\u2019re spreading the truth, that\u2019s all I want people to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n
News of Charlie Kirk\u2019s death was \u201cdevastating\u201d for Long, but she said it also fueled her drive to launch the local chapter. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely made us speak out for ourselves and realize that he\u2019s not the only one that can speak out,\u201d she said. \u201cWe all can speak out and we shouldn\u2019t be afraid to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Long serves as the president of Live Oak Club America, and she said the first meeting is at Live Oak City Hall on Monday at 6 p.m.<\/p>\n
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