Barack Obama's campaign for president went to the neighborhood level tonight.

About 15 people turned out at the Military Retiree's Club in North Side for what was billed as an "Old Fashioned Back Yard Fence Chat" about the 2008 presidential elections.

The gathering is part of about 4,000 "unite for change" meetings across the country organized by the Obama campaign, according to the Obama Web site.

Richmond School Board member Evette Wilson of Richmond said she viewed Obama as a catalyst for change.

Also on hand was Richmond City Councilman E. Martin Jewell. "This is the most phenomenal campaign I have seen in my whole life," Jewell said.

The meeting was originally scheduled to be held at nearby Virginia Union University, but was changed to the retiree's club because of the heat.