Instead of watching football or taking in a Sunday stroll, more than three dozen state and local supporters of Barack Obama met in Austin Sunday as part of the Democratic presidential nominee’s “Heartland Change Tour.”

The tour kicked off in Minnesota Sunday with stops in Red Wing, Winona, Austin and Owatonna and will stop in 24 Minnesota cities in all over the next seven days.

The Heartland Change Tour is fresh off of trips in Missouri, Iowa and Wisconsin and will head to Ohio Sept. 16.

The tour’s RV arrived at the El Mariachi restaurant in Austin shortly after 3:30 p.m., and officials talked with local residents for about an hour.

“It’s really to connect supporters in the community and to help give people talking points,” said Scott Cooper, outreach director in Minnesota for the Obama campaign. “We want people to be a part of the message.”

In addition to Cooper, Assistant Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Tarryl Clark (D-St. Cloud) spoke to the Obama supporters before opening the session up for questions.

Clark discussed Obama’s stances on issues ranging from the economy to healthcare reform to higher education.

“Kids going to college would receive up to $4,000 a year in tax credits and in return would give back 100 hours of community service per year,” Clark said. “These are concrete things that can help in our pocketbook.”

While the majority of those in attendance seemed to support Obama, many of them still had concerns, including Gayland Jones of Grand Meadow, who is worried about inflation.

“We’re bankrupting our country with inflation,” he said. “The dollar is worth basically nothing, and there are people with fixed incomes who are slowly starving to death.”

Clinton Meyer of Wells wanted to know more about energy.

“I’d like to see a well-laid out energy plan,” he said, adding that local residents could save 20 to 30 percent in heating costs by installing solar panels.

He also feels that those who are willing to use solar alternatives should receive a tax credit from the government.

Bonnie Seifert is an Austin Republican who believes President George W. Bush has failed on everything she trusted in him and that Sen. McCain is simply another Bush. While at Sunday’s gathering, she said she’s about 90 percent sure she’ll support Obama.

“He talks of the future and says he’s going to do certain things to better America and get it to where its supposed to be,” she said. “I hope he does what he says.”

Dale Chidester, chair of the Mower County Democratic Party, said he was pleased that Obama’s tour made its way through Austin to talk with local Obama supporters, the ones who will also spend their time the next two months as volunteers.

“I think it’s very good because you don’t what to feel like you’re being taken for granted,” he said. “If you’re going to volunteer, you want people to stop by and tell you you’re doing a good job.”