The presumed Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama will make a brief townhall meeting in Rolla at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Student Recreation Center, 705 W. 10th St.
The Student Recreation Center is adjacent — just west — to the Gale Bullman Multi-Purpose Building on the campus of Missouri University of Science & Technology.
The announcement of Obama’s visit was made at 1:18 p.m. Monday at the Rolla Democratic Headquarters at 905 Pine St., which was opened Saturday.
Tickets for the townhall meeting will be available from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at the headquarters.
Any leftover tickets also will be available 9 a.m. Wednesday.  All remaining tickets will be passed out at the function.
Democratic volunteer Delores Williams, 71, formerly of Rolla and who now lives in Leasburg, made the announcement.
“The first time I voted was when I was 24, and I voted for John Kennedy,” said Williams.
“Since then, there have been some candidates I’ve refused to put my name on. There wasn’t anybody I felt I could believe in. I believe in Barack Obama,” she said to a smattering of applause.
“I can’t be prouder to put my name . . . to give my vote to Barack Obama,” said Williams, who admits she is struggling with the rising fuel and health-care costs.
“Opponents are saying he’s too young, but he’s he’s one year older than (Bill) Clinton when he was elected, four years older than Kennedy when he was elected and five years older than Teddy Roosevelt,” Williams said.
“Nothing is more important than intelligence, common sense and love for the common man,” she said.
The gathering will be a question-and-answer session on economics, as described by Williams reading from a prepared release. Doors to the event will open at 1 p.m.
“Persons will be able to ask questions, as I understand it, of Obama,” Williams said.
Workmen at the Student Recreation Center on Monday said they were instructed to set up seating for the event.
“All we know is we’re supposed to set up 1,200 chairs,” said Center laborer Luke Hodge. “From what I hear, they’re even bringing in their own air-conditioning system and their own stage. We were told to have all this ready. That’s all we know.”
Hodge said the reason the Gale Bullman Multi-Purpose Building is not being considered because the floor is currently being resurfaced.
“It won’t be done in time,” Hodge said of the gymnasium floor.
Hodge said the slightly elevated stage will be on the east end of the Recreation Center with the chairs looking east.
Obama plans at least three stops Wednesday while touring rural areas of Missouri.
In Springfield, the Illinois senator will hold a townhall meeting at 10 a.m. at Glendale High School.
After the 3 p.m. townhall meeting at S&T, Obama will then head northeastward for a 6 p.m. barbecue at a park in the Washington County town of Union.
Sen. Claire McCaskill will join Obama on the campaign swing. The Missouri Democrat has urged Obama to campaign in smaller cities where Democratic presidential hopefuls are a rare sight.