Table of Contents
President's Note
Programs
General Meeting Dates
Campaign Activities
Ways & Means
Caring for America
Americanism
Legislative
60th Anniversary
Fun Facts
Membership
Minutes |
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Meeting Notice
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Houston Racquet Club, 10709 Memorial Drive 11:00 AM Registration
11:30 AM Program and Lunch
Lunch $30.00
NOTE: The “no-eat” option is not available
Please R.S.V.P. by Friday, February 19, before 12:00 (noon). Cancellations after February 19, will be billed.
Kindly notify us of dietary restrictions when you R.S.V.P.
To R.S.V.P. CLICK HERE
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Choose Love
Deanna Harrington, VRW President
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It’s time to get back to spreading the good news about our conservative Republican ideals. The past year was awful for a lot of people, and no one would blame you if you find it hard to break out of your heartbroken 2020 funk. That said, the time has come to light a candle rather than to curse the darkness. Let the Democrat establishment continue to be angry and hateful. We can share our ideals and our love of country with joy in our hearts.
Our Republican message is solid and time-tested, so tell our story every chance you get. Celebrate our principles. Celebrate capitalism, the individual, peace, and yes, love. Now is the time to be an activist for our values.
During the first week of federal Democratic control, we saw how President Biden intends to govern. Right off the bat, the Biden Administration issued a series of executive orders that should not surprise anyone who has been paying attention. Democrats talk about job creation, but on day one of his administration, President Joe Biden canceled the XL Pipeline Project, costing thousands of Americans their jobs. Democrats say they care about women, but President Biden immediately issued an executive order forcing federally-funded schools to treat transgender males as women, which effectively eliminates Title IX. None of this was a shock to the heart—disappointing and sad, but definitely not out of the blue.
Spread the word that there are better policy options than those being issued by Biden and the inside-the-beltway crowd.
❤️ Here are my red heart Valentine wishes for you:
Freedom;
Personal responsibility;
Rule of law;
Freedom of speech;
Free enterprise;
Freedom of religion;
Reduced federal regulation;
Limited taxes;
Energy independence; and,
National security.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
XOXOXXOXO
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The Texas 87th Legislative Session
Theresa Kosmoski, VRW 1st VP - Programs
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The Texas Legislature is in session for 140 days every two years and has only three responsibilities: consideration of proposed laws and resolutions, consideration of proposed constitutional amendments for submission to the voters, and appropriation of funds for the operation of state government. In years following the census publication, redistricting is also a constitutionally required task. Of these, there is only one that must be done in EVERY session: the appropriation of funding. It is a task of such importance that the House and Senate each give their version of a budget, known as the “General Appropriations Act”, the bill number “1”.
How does the legislature know how much money there is to work with for each biennial? How many ways does the state of Texas collect funding? How will COVID and the accompanying recession impact the budget? Will Texas be facing a major deficit? How might the “Rainy Day Fund” play into consideration? Will we be facing big budget cuts? Will education or health and human services funding be affected? What about roads? How will your favorite programs be impacted?
The State of Texas Comptroller, Glenn Hegar, will be here in February to answer all these questions, and many more! Glenn is a sixth-generation Texan who grew up farming land that has been in his family since the mid-1800s. He’s a 1993 graduate of Texas A&M University. He went on to earn his JD from St. Mary’s University and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Arkansas. Glenn has served in the Texas Legislature, where he worked on issues including public education, transportation, tax reform, government transparency, Second Amendment rights, water issues, and tort reform.
As comptroller, Glenn is the Chief Financial Officer for the world’s 10th-largest economy. He has emerged as a passionate advocate for conservative financial management and government transparency who has focused on creating a more efficient and customer-oriented agency. He founded the state’s Transparency Stars program, pushed for smarter ways of investing our rainy-day fund to protect it for future generations, and guided the formation of the nation’s first-ever state-administered precious metals depository.
Hegar’s upbringing taught him the core values of hard work, honesty, and integrity — the same values he and his wife Dara work to instill in their three young children, Claire, Julia, and Jonah. Hegar’s most important title throughout his years of service is the one closest to home: Dad! |
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- February 4 - TFRW Legislative Day
- Feb 24 - VRW General Meeting
- March 16 - Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women: Nuts n Bolts Seminar (See Flyer Below)
- March 24 - VRW General Meeting
- April 28 - VRW 60th Anniversary
- May 26 - VRW General Meeting
- Sept 22 - VRW General Meeting
- Oct 27 - VRW General Meeting
- Nov 17 - VRW General Meeting
*Please note that most of our General Meeting dates are the 4th Wednesday of the month unless there is a holiday conflict. In those cases, we moved our meeting date one week. |
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Eggcellent Basket Brigade
Mary Grace Landrum, Caring for America Chair
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VRW members are making a difference in our community and having fun! We are well on our way to providing 100 Easter Food and Treat Baskets for West Houston Assistance Ministries. Baskets will be given to children in grades PK-8 from food-insecure families on March 27. Join us!!
Thanks to the over 65 friends and members who have donated time, talent, and treasure to the project so far. We were overwhelmed by the response at the January meeting. What a generous group of Republicans!
You can help by providing a filled basket ($25+ value), a donation, or food and toy/fun items to fill the baskets. We are also collecting Easter grass, ribbon, and gift baskets. Below is a list of suggested basket items. We will collect items through February.
Thank you to our sub-committee chairs: Joanie Bain (logistics), Ginger Howell (Basket Collecting), Buffie Ingersoll & Mary Ann Sterrett-Russell (Item Collections), Susan Taggart (Basket Wrapping), and Gail O’Neill (Member Engagement) for planning an Eggcellent Brigade – Bunny ears and all!
Please fill your Easter Basket with the following items or call for a pick-up, Mary Grace Landrum, 713-722-8307.
| Colored pencils |
New children’s books |
Candy |
| Cheese and Crackers |
Cereal |
Juice boxes |
| Small Toy |
Small Stuffed Animal |
Stickers/Notebooks |
| Granola Bars |
Breakfast Bars |
Coloring Books |
| Kleenex |
Cookies |
Animal Crackers |
| Mac ‘n Cheese |
Kids masks |
Crayons |
| Chips (individual bags) |
Protein Bars |
Hand Sanitizer |
| Fruit cups/applesauce |
Fruit roll-ups |
Beef Snack |
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Let's Register!
Mary Grace Landrum, VRW Americanism Chair
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Eleanor White and Jodie Dornak answered questions about voter registration and encouraged people to become Volunteer Deputy Voter Registrars at our January meeting. Stop by the table at future meetings to learn more. It’s fun and easy! Electing Republican candidates starts with registering voters!
Become a Volunteer Voter Deputy Registrar so you can help when we are able to schedule Voter Registration drives. Register for the one-hour training at https://www.hctax.net/Voter/Deputy. Once you receive your credentials, you can also register friends, family, and neighbors. Contact Jodie Dornak once you have completed the training, jdornak@swbell.net, (281) 639-4196.
Thanks, Jodie, for delivering voter registration forms to the following senior living centers - Brookdale Memorial City, The Tradition on Woodway Belmont Village, and The Abbey at Westminster. |
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What To Expect From Texas 87th Legislative Session
Joanie Bain, VRW Legislative Chair
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Every two years, the Texas Legislature convenes for a 140-day regular legislative session. The 87th Texas Legislature begins on Jan. 12, 2021, and will conclude on May 31, 2021. Because the Texas Legislature only convenes every two years, this session will be our only opportunity to pass legislation before the 2022 mid-term elections. Also, this session the Texas Legislature will be responsible for “redistricting” – drawing the lines for the various districts in Texas. This is the highest priority because if its impact on future elections in each district. Look for a separate article on this soon.
As of January 20, there have been over 1100 bills and over 40 proposed resolutions and joint resolutions introduced in this legislative session. Some of these bills are proposed by Republican members of the legislature while others are proposed by Democrat members.
The Texas Legislature Online (TLO) which can be found here: https://capitol.texas.gov/Home.aspx
From this home page, you can look up pending bills by topic and by bill number. The portal looks like this:
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If you want to read the substance of the bill, you can click on “Bill Lookup” and enter the number. It will either be a House Bill (ie: HB 35) or a Senate Bill Number (SB 35).
Of course, researching over 1100 bills is time-consuming, so this article will focus on election integrity bills that have been introduced by Republican Members of the Legislature. Our club has adopted election integrity as a priority issue this legislative session. At our January meeting, you approved a resolution adopting election integrity as our legislative priority this Session.
Currently, our Election integrity topics are:
- The integrity of Mail-in Ballots
- Clean Up Voter Rolls: (challenge voters on the rolls who have PO Box Addresses, are deceased, are not citizens, etc.)
- Implement a system to verify the eligibility of new registrants
- Develop a mechanism to identify and disregard illegally cast ballots whether by mail or in-person
- Prohibition against use of electronic poll books with internet capability
- Legislation to prohibit countywide polling
- Legislation to limit the cost a county can charge a candidate to challenge the results – this cannot be based on the number of polling locations as it currently is because it makes it cost-prohibitive in large counties
Some current bills to watch include:
HB 25 Swanson Restrict distribution of mail ballot applications
HB 61 Swanson “Wet” (Ink on Paper) signatures on all mail ballots & voter registration applications
HB 330 Cain Increase penalties for voter fraud (also requires the creation of in-person voting at assisted living facilities where 5 or more residents request mail-in ballots so that the residents can vote securely and in person.
HB 335 Cain Criminal penalties for voter registration offenses
HB 364 Cain Define DPS as a voter registration portal
HB 574 Bonen, Greg Overall voter fraud prevention steps
HB 895 Swanson Recording voter information by an election judge
HB 1026 Middleton Increase Secretary of State duties & authority in voter registration
HB 1029 Middleton Renewal of driver license by non-citizens
HB 1138 Oliverson Tracking of Ballot by Mail (BBM) applications and BBMs
This article does not include all of the Republican-backed bills on the subject. It does include some that True the Vote is also backing. Be aware that as bills move through committees and the entire legislative process, they are subject to amendments that might change the impact of the bill. There may also be new bills deserving of attention, either for or against. Look for future emails and calls to action with important updates so that you can voice your support or opposition to your representatives.
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VRW Will Celebrate 60 Years!
Carolyn Hodges, Chairman, VRW 60th Anniversary
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Save the date! Village Republican Women will celebrate its 60th Anniversary on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, the day of our regular meeting. Sixty years full of politics, fundraising, campaigns, and camaraderie have made a vibrant history.
The 60th Anniversary will be a very special occasion, not the usual monthly meeting – a type of event that only occurs every ten years! The theme for this special event is “The Road We’ve Traveled” and on that day we will explore that road and honor VRW’s Past Presidents for their leadership and the various contributions they have made to our history.
Between now and then, please find one of your favorite political pins that you have saved or recently acquired. Please wear it on the day of our anniversary.
Festivities will start at 10:30 am with check-in, music with VRW member Bev Smolenski at the piano, mix/mingle, explore “The Road We’ve Traveled”, and grab a glass of champagne or sparkling water if you desire. There will be a champagne cash bar at $10 per glass (includes tax and gratuity)
Lunch will begin at 11:30 and will be served in various courses intertwined with the program. The program organization is still in process, but it is one that will keep you entertained!
The menu for the “big event” will include South Texas Salad (Boston Bibb & Radicchio Lettuce tossed with Orange Honey Vinaigrette topped with Grapefruit & Orange Segments, Avocado & Toasted Almonds), Classic Tender Braised Short Ribs (Slow Cooked & served with Golden Seared Parmesan Polenta, Sauteed Green Beans, Herb Roasted Mushrooms finished with Beef Reduction & Spun Fried Beets), and for dessert, Mini Dessert Trio (Classic Fruit Tart, Vanilla Bean Cheesecake & Tiramisu served in a Mini Glass Vessel). There will be no chicken.
The cost of the tickets will be $55 each and $60 if you wish to pay online. To pay online, go to the website www.villagerepublicanwomen.org under Events. To make your reservation by check, make payable to Village Republican Women for $55 and send to Village Republican Women, P. O. Box 79924, Houston, TX 77279. For those who wish to pay by cash, please bring the exact amount along with a business card or other identifying information and place it in an envelope marked the 60th Anniversary to a monthly meeting. It will be collected at the Membership table.
There will be a display of political memorabilia particular to this club and Republican politics in general. If you have something to contribute to this display, please notify any member of the Historical Display Committee. The item(s) will be returned to you after the event.
Committee members include Carolyn Hodges, Buffie Ingersoll, Ellie Skelton, Iris Horton, Penny Remick, Joan Akin, Terry Peterson, Lynn Hester, SJ Swanson, Wallie Womack, Laura Carlson, and Tina Raham Stewart.
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Fun Facts - Village Republican Women
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On the Road.......
More fun and government lessons were in store for the ladies of Village Republican Women as they ventured outside of Houston to Washington, D.C. in June 1995. “Washington at Work, A Trip to Our Nation’s Capital” was the caption for the four-day adventure suggested, planned, and executed by VRW Past President Merle Carlson (1980-1981) with the assistance of Don Carlson,
Chief of Staff to Congressman Bill Archer. Congressman Archer had served as Congressman, TX District 7, since 1971, being the second Republican Congressman from Texas at that time. As he was well established in Congress, our group had access to numerous private meetings including Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and Phil Gramm, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, Congressmen Tom DeLay, Jack Fields, and Joe Barton, as well as Congressman Archer and his wife Sharon who entertained us at their home in Arlington, VA. The group also enjoyed a tour of the Library of Congress, visiting the RNC, the Ways and Means Committee Room, and Congressman Archer’s office, as well as lunch at the Capitol Hill Club.
This time was of crucial historical importance as the Republicans had won control of the House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years in November 1994. They had initiated the Contract for America, a 10-point plan of action, that included balancing the budget and reforming welfare. Congressman Archer had become Chairman Archer of the Ways and Means Committee, one of the most important committees in Congress.
A personal story of this time was shared by Congressman Archer’s Chief of Staff, Don Carlson. When the Republicans took control of the Ways and Means Committee, they got the keys to the basement storage rooms. After years of not being allowed either a copy machine or new computers by the Democrats, they found basement storage rooms filled with computers and even a copy machine. At the end of every year, the Democrats spent every dime in their budget so they could request more each year. That was just one example of the waste and corruption that occurred when a party has uninterrupted control of a legislative body for 40 years.
For your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day ❤️❤️
From VRW’s cookbook, Cooking and Campaigning with The Village Republican Women’s Club
MAMIE EISENHOWER’S MILLION DOLL&R FUDGE by Mary Ann Wall
4 1/2 c. sugar Pinch of salt
2 T. butter 1 tall can evaporate milk (1 2/3c.)
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate 1 pt. marshmallow creme
12 oz. German sweet chocolate 2 c. chopped nuts
Combine sugar; salt, butter, and milk and boil for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour boiling syrup over chocolate in a bowl. Beat until chocolate is melted. Stir in marshmallow creme and nuts. Pour into a buttered 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Let cool for several hours or until firm. Cut into squares and store in an airti ght container.
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Renew your VRW membership Today!
Laura Carlson, Membership Chair
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Victory Requires Women! We need YOU to join Village Republican Women.
We ❤️ our members! Thank you to everyone who has renewed, which ensures that you will continue to receive information about exciting events and important issues.
If you have not renewed, you can renew anytime online or download the membership form and mail it to P.O. Box 79924, Houston TX 77279. Don’t worry, I check the box weekly and will let you know when I receive your membership dues. Those who join by March 31, 2021, will have their information included in the 2021 Directory.
We want to continue to grow and give Republican Women a voice, so please reach out to friends and relatives and invite them to become members of Village Republican Women.
Please give a warm welcome to our newest member this month, Adrienne Daly.
Questions? Email Membership Chair Laura Carlson at membership@villagerepublicanwomen.org or call me at 281-222-5015. |
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January Meeting Minutes
Nolia Rohde, VRW Recording Secretary
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VILLAGE REPUBLICAN WOMEN
Minutes of VRW General Meeting
January 27, 2021
President Deanna Harrington called the meeting to order at 11:30 am at the Houston Racquet Club and welcomed everyone. Penny Remick gave the invocation and Justice April Farris lead us in the pledges to the flags.
President Harrington welcomed everyone and introduced the elected officials, candidates, and guests.
Minutes for the meeting on November 18 were approved as distributed.
Fran Marintsch gave the report for the Financial Review Committee. The financial review was conducted on January 9, 2021. The Financial Review Committee consisted of three members appointed by the VRW Board: Mary Grace Landrum, Susan Brown and Fran Marintsch, chair. The Committee reviewed deposits, check requests, financial statements and bank reconciliations. They thanked the VRW Treasurer Nancy Scott for her thorough documentation and records in the challenging 2020 Fiscal Year. Treasurer Nancy Scott also had her records for the Texas Ethics Commission and required forms for the state TRFW organization. The Committee used the checklist supplied by TFRW to confirm that the Annual Financial Review was completed accurately and found that the VRW financial records were in compliance.
Ms. Marintsch made a motion to the membership to accept the Financial Review Committee’s report, and it was approved unanimously.
The VRW Treasurer, Nancy Scott, then presented the 2021 VRW Budget on behalf of the Board of Directors. It was approved unanimously by the membership.
Mrs. Harrington then presented a resolution on behalf of Joanie Bain, Legislative Chair, seeking club approval of a Resolution on Election Integrity in the 87th Session. Mrs. Harrington then read the resolution aloud. A copy of the resolution can be found immediately following these minutes in the VRW Recording Secretary binder. Without objection, the resolution was agreed to.
Next on the agenda was a drawing for a gift basket. Laura Carlson and Joanie Bain showed us the beautiful basket and said what was in it. The lucky winner was Terry Peterson.
The following announcements were made:
For Mary Grace Landrum, Caring for America and Americanism Chair – Eggcellent Basket Brigade: To make the Easter holiday a little brighter and to meet our Caring for America goals in 2021, we are preparing 100 baskets with both food items and traditional Easter treats. The Houston Young Republicans will also be collecting for us at their February meeting.
Voter Registration: Electing Republican candidates starts with ensuring that those who share our values are registered to vote. Jodie Dornak and Eleanor White were at a table informing members on how easy it is to become a Volunteer Deputy Voter Registrar. They also had forms for anyone needing to register.
For Carolyn Hodges, 60th Anniversary Chair – Please read the article about the 60th Anniversary in February newsletter very carefully.
Also from Carolyn, wearing her VRW Parliamentarian and Bylaws Chair hat –
VRW members will receive a very important email today concerning proposed bylaw changes that will be voted upon at the February 24, 2021 meeting. Please read these carefully before our next meeting.
From Membership Chair, Laura Carlson – As of Tuesday, January 26 evening, we have 116 full members and 12 associates.
Theresa Kosmoski, Program Chair, introduced Justice Martha Hill Jamison and Lee Parsley, our guest speakers. Justice Jamison was appointed by Gov. Abbott to the Commission on Judicial Selection and Lee Parsley is the General Counsel for Texans for Lawsuit Reform. They both had opportunities to answer the question posed by Mrs. Kosmoski – Is Electing Judges Still the Right Thing to Do in Texas?
The meeting was adjourned at 12:55 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Nolia Rohde
VRW Recording Secretary |
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Notice of proposed Bylaws Changes
Recommendations for Changes for the
Bylaws of the Village Republican Women
January 27, 2021
Report from Bylaws Committee
- Clarification of terms, Internal Review Committee, and Financial Review Committee. This committee refers to that committee of three (3) formed by the action of the Board of Directors to review the records of the Treasurer (including PAC) at the end of the fiscal year, and then submit a report to the membership at the first regular meeting in January.
Rationale: Our current bylaws and standing rules use the terms interchangeably. The Bylaws Committee recommends that the term should be Financial Review Committee in every instance for uniformity and clarification. Financial Review Committee is used by NFRW, TFRW, and Greater Houston Council.
- Clarification of term, yearbook, handbook, and directory. Rationale: These terms are used interchangeably in the bylaws and standing rules. The Bylaws Committee recommends that the term should be Directory in every instance for uniformity and clarification.
- ARTICLE VI – OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES
SECTION 2:DUTIES OF OFFICERS
- The recommendation that Hospitality is changed to Membership, making the Second Vice President Membership Chairman rather than Hospitality Chairman.Rationale: In the beginning years of our club, the Hospitality Chairman had many responsibilities including finding a member’s home for each meeting as well as a committee who would provide the food.
Today’s Hospitality Chairman is responsible for accepting reservations for VRW events and checking in our members/guests as they arrive and handling details related to specific requests of the guest speakers, etc.
Today, the Membership Chairman with her committee has an ongoing responsibility, that of building our membership, mentoring new members, holding membership events, and maintaining all membership information for TFRW among other duties.
- ARTICLE VII – COMMITTEES
SECTION 1.STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN shall be appointed by the president, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors as follows:
Campaign Activities, Legislative, Membership, and Newsletter.
The recommendation that Membership is removed from this list and Hospitality be added. See the previous rationale.
These recommended changes will be voted upon at VRW’s next meeting,
February 24, 2021. If there are any questions, please email me at chodges@hodgessw.com
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn Hodges,
VRW Bylaws Chairman
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Advertise With Village Republican Women
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Advertise With Village Republican Women!
Beverly Roberts
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Opportunities abound to support Village Republican Women and our principles. One method is to advertise your business in the 2021 directory, which will be seen by about 200 people. If you advertised last year, I already have your graphic and can use it again. For new ads, please submit a jpeg to bjuhlmer47@gmail.com by March 31.
Cost: ½ page, $100; full-page, $200. A check, payable to VRW PAC, should be mailed to Village Republican Women, PO Box 79924, Houston TX 77279. Thanks for your support! |
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