Campaign Milestones

March 1st, 2007 - National Pig Day

Ginny announced her bid for an official pardon in the White House Rose Garden at Thanksgiving. The Campaign website, www.pigpardon.com, launches.

April 15th-21st, 2007

The Campaign moves into full swing with its first campaign rally during the NATO Festival in Norfolk, VA.

July - September, 2007

The Campaign raises awareness with the help of Virginia schools by sponsoring pig kissing contests across the state. Author Lisa Suhay travels the state visiting schools and libraries and speaking at educator conferences.

October 6th, 2007

Ginny makes her first public appearance at the Virginia Children's Festival. Contest winners are on hand to kiss her.

November 2nd, 2007

Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf, mayor of Virginia Beach - the largest city in the Virginia Commonwealth, becomes an active supporter of the PigPardon campaign and the "First-Thanksgiving" initiative when she conducts a special ceremony to restore Ginny's good name and honor Virginia's place in history.

News of the campaign spreads when the Associated Press puts Ginny's story on the wire. Many major media outlets report on the quest for a pardon including:

Houston Chronicle - Front Page
Marietta Daily Journal
Winston-Salem Journal
Chattanooga Times-Free Press
Roanoke News
Washington Times
US Politics Today
Des Moines Register
The Virginian Pilot
And many, many more!

The Tidewater Chapter of the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) lends support to the PigPardon07 campaign with its Hogs for the Hog rally in Virginia Beach, Va.

Ginny's campaign song, Pig Pardon In The Rose Garden, written and composed by Jim Cosgrove is released. Children of Birdneck Elementary perform the song for Mayor Meyera Oberndorf.

November 3rd, 2007

Ginny makes a special appearance at Barnes & Noble in Chesapeake, VA.

November 4th, 2007

The First-Thanksgiving Festival at Berkeley Plantation. The PigPardon campaign celebrates a major milestone when the petition reaches 6,000 signatures.

November 5th, 2007

Former Virginia Governor Gerald Baliles calls for Virginia men and women of power and influence to once and for all get behind the First-Thanksgiving history. He writes in The Richmond Times-Dispatch:

"It will take some vigorous effort in the right places to lift Virginia's Thanksgiving to the prominence it deserves." - Gerald Baliles

November 7th, 2007

With less than two weeks remaining, the PigPardon07 Campaign enters the final stretch. A call-to-action is put out to the public, and campaign officials make pleas to Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, state and federal leaders, top political advisors and analysts, historians and educators. An all-out crusade is launched on the White House.

November 15th, 2007

The White House announces President Bush will visit Berkeley Plantation the following Monday and invites members of the PigPardon07 Campaign to attend as honored guests.

Ginny's book Pardon Me. It's Ham, Not Turkey, is unveiled at a special event called Harvest of the Heart benefiting the Federation of the Virginia Food Banks.

November 19th, 2007

President Bush makes a historic visit to Berkeley Plantation. Approximately 500 guests attended the invitation-only event. Guests included political dignitaries, prominent leaders, Chief Adkins and members of the Chickahominy Tribe. The President makes a dramatic entrance on Marine One and a letter signed by the Commander-In-Chief is hand-delivered to Campaign members. In the letter:

"I recently learned of the Pig Pardon campaign launched on behalf of Ginny. I was glad to see such a good-hearted effort to raise awareness of the history of Thanksgiving. I also applaud your support of food banks in Virginia. While I only pardon the traditional turkeys each year, I hope that Ginny's future years serve as a reminder of our Nation's rich and diverse culture. Laura and I hope you and Ginny have a wonderful Thanksgiving."
- signed George W. Bush.

Following the President's speech, he greets Campaign members and signs PigPardon07 campaign badges.

The Associated Press reports the event and the delivery of the President's letter.

News of the Campaign spreads across the US and the Campaign reports more than 7,000 Americans have signed the petition in support of a pardon.

News breaks that President Bush will only pardon the traditional turkeys, but he hopes that Ginny's future years serve as a reminder of our Nation's rich and diverse culture.

Net News Asia reports: Bush Refuses To Pardon Pig - Thanksgiving Horror

November 20th, 2007

The Washington Post credits Ginny and the PigPardon07 Campaign for setting the historical record straight.

The Washington Times reports Bush Rocks Plymouth Story, and stirs the controversy which rouses northern Democrats.

The Campaign wraps with a special ceremony at Kidwell Farm (part of the Fairfax County Park Authority), where Farmer Brown honors Ginny and declares her a "legacy" pig - he dedicates her future descendants to continue guarding the historical record.

President Bush pardons two turkeys.

November 21st, 2007

Although the White House ignores eleventh-hour efforts for a pardon, Ginny settles in at her new home at Kidwell Farm where she lives happily ever after.

The story gets extensive media coverage: ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, Discovery Channel, Nickelodeon, The History Channel, The Christian Science Monitor, Forbes, Newsweek, US News & World Report, plus countless newspapers, radio stations, local television, online news services and blogs.