Approximately 300 area residents flooded the sidewalks for a peace march and rally in Cooperstown Sunday afternoon.

The event was held on the third anniversary of the United States-led invasion of Iraq and was organized by an ad-hoc coalition of local citizens. The march began in front of the Otsego County Courthouse and went down through the village past the library, then swung back around and ended at Templeton Hall, where there was an open microphone for public comment.

"We are here because we have to be," John Ryan of Delhi said to a standing-room-only packed house. "There must be someone who says 'No, this is not the way.' If we don't do it, who will?"

Ryan told the assembled crowd that if they made one person question the current course of action, then "we've served our purpose."

The march's turnout surpassed expectations by at least 100 people, said organizer Mark Takefman, and was roughly six times the turnout of last year's march when about 50 people participated.

"It felt good to have the people there," he said. "No matter what the state of affairs are in our country, but now more so than ever, it's important that people participate in their democracy. If they don't, they're not going to have it."

Takefman said the increased turnout was probably a result of better planning on the part of organizers and an increase in anti-war sentiment around the nation.

"War in general is not needed," he said. "We're too intelligent to do that. We should be doing things to promote peace in our own communities and around the world."

Mike Potter from Little Falls said he found out about the rally through his local co-op.

"You had to come," he said after the march. "There's no greater calling. You're going to see more and more of this." Potter came with his family, including his father who served in World War II. "If you even mention George W. Bush around him he nearly has a heart attack."

Tracey Lippitt from Fly Creek said she came because local political activities of this nature are important for community members to become involved in.

"When there's a local grassroots activity like this, it's a crime to ignore it," she said.

Maryanne Kehoe of Hartwick said she came out to help pass on the message that war is not the answer. She also hopes demonstrations like this show the Iraqi people that not everyone agrees with the actions taken by their leaders.

Takefman said he hoped they didn't have to organize a peace march next year, but said the same group of citizens would probably organize rallies regarding other social issues.

"The march is over, the rally is over, but the mission goes on," he said. "Democracy doesn't just coast along and everything is hunky-dory. We need to get involved."