Crawford, Tex. ? When Douglas County, Kan., residents Lauren Sullivan and Rex Powell drove here Aug. 20 to show support for Cindy Sheehan and other mothers whose sons and daughters were killed in Iraq, they expected to stay only a couple of days.

Sullivan is still in Crawford, while Powell was on his way home to Lone Star on Monday.

“We knew when we came down that Cindy, herself, wouldn’t be here, but this protest clearly had become about much more than one family’s tragedy,” Sullivan said in an e-mail to the Journal-World Monday.

Sullivan, of Lawrence, responded to questions sent to her by e-mail because cell phone reception was poor and because she had nearly lost her voice from talking to so many people either by phone or as a volunteer coordinator at Camp Casey II, where she and Powell, of rural Douglas County, have been staying. Powell has been driving a shuttle bus there.

Sheehan first arrived by herself in Crawford on Aug. 6, requesting an audience and explanation from President Bush about why her son, Casey Sheehan, had to die in Iraq. Army Spc. Casey Sheehan was killed in 2004.

Her one-woman war protest has since grown to include thousands of people who are staying or visiting at Camp Casey I and II near Bush’s ranch.

“Most people are drawn here for the same reasons Rex and I were,” said Sullivan, who recruits volunteers to handle traffic, security, cooking and trash removal at Casey II in addition to manning a media and visitor orientation tent. “This wasn’t planned. This all started because Cindy came to Crawford and sat down in a ditch. And whatever we’ve all done to organize the camp to accommodate the people who want to support her has been totally in response to what she did.”

• Bush says Iraqis have made major step toward democracy (08-29-05)
• Thousands arrive in Texas for dueling rallies (08-28-05)
• Cindy Sheehan returns to Texas war protest, will extend it to D.C. (08-26-05)
• Bush passes protesters’ camp without stopping (08-13-05)
• Mother’s protest gaining attention (08-11-05)
• Mother of slain soldier camps outside Bush’s Crawford ranch (08-07-05)

Among those visitors to the protest site have been actor Martin Sheen and civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton, both of whom stayed briefly over the weekend. Singer Joan Baez stayed about a week. There have been rumors recently that Oprah Winfrey might arrive, Sullivan said.

“Whenever the rumor goes around that someone famous might show up, people are excited, sure, and probably some people drive out here just to catch a glimpse,” Sullivan said. “But those of us who live here are too busy to think about it other than the parking challenges we need to address before they get here.”

Sullivan said she met Sheehan briefly when Sheehan returned last week from California after taking care of some personal business for a few days. Sheehan approached Sullivan at the orientation tent.

“She said, ‘Hi, I’m Cindy. I need to get oriented,'” Sullivan recalled. “I introduced myself and said, ‘Welcome back.’ Honestly, that’s been the extent of my conversation with Cindy. I’m too busy.”

In response to the Sheehan camps, Bush supporters also set up their own camp near the ranch. Problems between the two groups have been minimal, Sullivan said. She also said relations with Crawford residents and local law enforcement have been good.

The Casey Camps will begin breaking up this week after the antiwar bus tour “Bring Them Home Now” starts Wednesday. Buses will take different routes while making their way to Washington, D.C., where protesters plan to converge on Sept. 21.

Sullivan said she would return to Lawrence later this week but plans to be in Washington in late September.

“I’ll be involved in the bus tour, but still working out exactly how,” she said.