Table of Contents
President's Note
Programs
General Meeting Dates
Campaign Activities
Caring for America
Americanism
Legislative
60th Anniversary
Fun Facts
Membership
March Chat
Minutes
Advertise |
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Meeting Notice
Wednesday, March 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, March 19, before 12:00 (noon). Cancellations after March 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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How many "Once in a Lifetime Events" do we have left?
Deanna Harrington, VRW President
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Meet Harris County Republican Party Chair Cindy Siegel
Theresa Kosmoski, VRW 1st VP - Programs
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 Our March program traditionally focuses on the benefits of joining Village Republican Women and recruiting new members into our club. We are thrilled to have our new Harris County Republican Party (HCRP) Chair Cindy Siegel as our featured speaker.
Cindy is a long-time conservative Republican grassroots activist, who has worked to support the Republican Party and get conservative candidates elected to office. Cindy has a long history of serving within the Party and auxiliary Republican groups. She was recently elected as Harris County Republican Party Chairman to fill a vacancy. Prior to that Cindy has served as Treasurer, Vice-Chair, and as Precinct Chairman within the Harris County Republican Party.
Cindy is the immediate past President of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women. She served as the Texas Federated Republican Women’s District Director for Senate District 17 for four years. She is a two-term past president of the Magic Circle Republican Women’s Club. Cindy has served as a delegate several times to the Harris County Republican Senatorial Convention and the Texas Republican Party State Convention.
She also served as the Mayor of the City of Bellaire for 8 years and a Bellaire City Councilman for 6 years.
Cindy is a Certified Public Accountant with 35 years of experience. She owns a public accounting firm that provides accounting and tax services for small businesses and individuals.
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Village Republican Women hosted almost 90 participants at our January Meeting Luncheon
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March 10 VRW Sip, Snap, Shop C.H.A.T
March 16 - Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women: Nuts n Bolts Seminar
- April—Date TBD VRW C.H.A.T.
- April 8—HCRP Lincoln-Reagan Dinner
- April 28 - VRW 60th Anniversary
- May—Date TBD—VRW C.H.A.T. & Member Mixer
- 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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Where Will All the Cool Kids be on April 8th?
HCRW 2021 Lincoln Reagan Day Dinner!
Harris County Republican Party is holding its annual Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner on April 8th. Gov. Kristi Noem and former US Congressman Trey Gowdy are the featured speakers. Ezra Charles and his band will be playing before and after dinner.
Tables are on sale now. As a TFRW club, Village Republican Women get a discount. The Village Republican Women's price for a table is $1250.00 per table of 10 seats, which makes individual tickets purchased via VRW $125.00 (rather than the regular price of $150.00 each). If you would like to attend the private VIP reception, it is an additional $200.00 per person.
Can’t be there in person? Come virtually! Virtual tickets can be bought for $50.00.
The caveat to get this VRW rate is that all checks for a table need to be issued by VRW to qualify for this discount. Therefore, if you want to buy a table or a seat at a VRW table, you will need to give your check made out to Village Republican Women to Buffie Ingersoll BEFORE March 14 so VRW can issue the check. All of this will be reported to TEC by our PAC treasurer.
Please email Buffie Ingersoll at buffiei@att.net or call her at 713-467-0396 if you are interested in buying a table, or "X" amount of seats at a VRW table. It will be exciting to see how many Village ladies (and their other halves) will be there!
Mail your check to Buffie at 9 Rollingwood Drive, Houston, TX 77080. When mailing your check, for PAC filing purposes and Buffie’s information to follow-up with you, please provide the following information on a separate sheet of paper:
• Your Name
• Address, including zip code
• Best phone number
• Email address
• Occupation
• Employer
• Voting Precinct
• State Senate District
Please let Buffie know ASAP so VRW can try to accommodate all those interested in sitting with us! VRW has 3 tables so far!
Questions?
Buffie Ingersoll at buffiei@att.net
713-467-0396
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Eggcellent Basket Brigade
Mary Grace Landrum, Caring for America Chair
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100 Easter Food and Treat Baskets for children from food-insecure families will be served by West Houston Assistance Ministries on March 27. Thank you VRW members for your generosity!! Members donated funds and brought an overwhelming amount of goodies to the January and February meetings to fill and wrap baskets.
We were also delighted to have Houston Young Republicans donate to our project at their February 23 meeting. Thank you HYRs! On March 6, VRW members and volunteers from the National Charity League will fill and wrap the baskets. Thank you Joanie Bain who arranged for workspace at her office.
Members are invited to help distribute the baskets on Tuesday, March 30 from 9-11 a.m. during a drive-through event at the West Houston Assistance Ministries facility, 10501 Meadowglen Ln, 77042. Watch for a separate email with details for participating. Join us and see all of the smiling faces!
A special note of appreciation goes to the VRW committee chairs who helped organize and manage the project – Joanie Bain, Ginger Howell, Buffie Ingersoll, Gail O’Neill, Susan Taggart, and Mary Ann Sterrett-Russell – and to the many VRW members and friends who donated.
Over 70 members and friends have made this project a success. Any unused monetary donations will be used to purchase grocery gift cards for the families of our basket recipients. Between COVID and the winter storm, the need in our community is great. Kudos VRW members!
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Don't Forget to Sign up to Volunteer
Mary Grace Landrum, VRW Americanism Chair
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Don’t forget to sign up to 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 this Harris County Link. You will find various times and days to fit your schedule. Once you receive your credentials, you can register friends, neighbors and participate at voter registration drives. Please also email Jodie Dornak at jdornak@swbell.net. She is keeping a list of VDVR’s to help with future drives.
Jodie Dornak has been busy delivering voter registration forms to these senior living centers- Brookdale, Memorial City, The Tradition on Woodway, Belmont Village, The Abbey at Westminster, the Forum, Treemont, and the Village of Tanglewood. Let her know if you have contacts at other facilities. Way to go, Jodie!!
Thanks to the following members who committed at the January meeting to becoming VDVR’s: Judy Brett, Betty Cadena, Angela Cole, Afifa Hye, Marilyn Kent, Gail O’Neill, Penny Remick, Roz Rowan, Annette Russom They will be joining Jodie Dornak, Mary Landrum, Anne Trousdale and Eleanor White who have completed training.
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TESTIFYING BEFORE A COMMITTEE – Anyone can do it, so DO SOMETHING!
Joanie Bain, VRW Legislative Chair
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First-Hand Account as told by Ro nnye Cowell
On February 12th, I testified before the Senate committee on redistricting. The meeting was held via zoom. I will have to admit, I was a bit nervous since I had never done anything like this before. I registered through a link provided by one of my contacts.
Once I registered, I received a confirmation email, and instructions were shared in that email on what to do the day of the testimony. To prepare, I reached out to Robbi Hall, TFRW VP for Legislation. She shared talking points. Other resources were from our VRW and other Republican Women’s Groups. I put these talking points in my own words and related specific testimony to the Buffalo Bayou Watershed and Energy Corridor. I used a timer on my phone and practiced saying my script. I edited the script until I was at 2:10. I did not feel I could edit any more words to state what I considered were relevant facts. The length with a size 12 font and 1-inch margins was about 2/3 of the page.
Once I had my script, I then worked on my presentation. I wanted to make eye contact with the camera as much as possible and not simply read my script. I printed the script in a size 20 font, so it was easy to read the day of my testimony. I underlined or put in all capital letters, words I wanted to emphasize. I dressed professionally, spoke and smiled with enthusiasm, and tried to be respectful. I thanked the committee at the end of my testimony.
The testimony began at 10:30 that morning. I signed in at 8:30 AM and my name was not called until 1:30 PM. While waiting for my name to be called I watched live streaming on the Texas Legislature Online website and listened to others testify. Democrats outnumbered Republicans about 10 to 1! You could tell by the script and testimony who people represented. Around 30 people were called into a group and we then logged into the zoom meeting. At that time, the live streaming volume needed to be turned down to prevent feedback. The part where I testified was like a regular zoom meeting. I was muted until called on. The time went quickly! I was so excited when I finished! I did watch the remainder of the testimony because I found the whole process stimulating and exciting. I can’t wait to do it again!
Testify
I want to encourage each of you to testify especially about redistricting. Our Legislators need us to participate so they have testimony that supports three key Republican goals: elected officials drawing lines, districts represent the voting patterns of Texas and those who are legal to vote. The Democrats are outnumbering us right now! Joanie Bain shared information about the TLO Website in the February newsletter. Even if you only state one fact, you have made an impact on that committee! If you are too shy to speak in front of a camera, then write committee members and your legislators. Address your letter to the committee chair, your Senator, and House Representative, as well. The only thing you must NOT do is DO NOTHING! You have taken the 1 st step by being a member of VRW. As a republican women's group, VRW has approved voter integrity as our #1 priority. Decisions are being made RIGHT NOW that will impact the future of Texas and our country. I assure you the Democrats are making their voices heard. You cannot remain silent! We need Republican numbers! DO SOMETHING!
Testifying 101
You can view the committee hearing from February 12 th, by clicking on this link to get a feel for what a zoom testimony is like Sample Testimony
Video archives can be found on the House or Senate tabs on the TLO website. I created a PowerPoint for some friends of mine who have asked what they can do to get involved. Here is a link to that PowerPoint if you would like to see it: Novice Thoughts on Getting Involved.pptx
[TALKING POINT 1:] I want any new district map to fairly represent the voting patterns of Texas. In Texas, all of our statewide officials are Republican. Therefore, any new Congressional seats awarded to Texas as a result of the increase of the Texas population should represent the voting pattern of the state of Texas which is Republican.
[TALKING POINT 2:] I want the new map to reflect one person, one vote as provided in the US Constitution. It is important to me that districts are created so that there is approximately equal voting power in each district, and by "equal voting power," I mean equal voting power of people legally eligible to vote.
[TALKING POINT 3:] I want to emphasize that I believe it is important that redistricting is accomplished by our elected officials, like you, who are accountable to the people of Texas. I strongly oppose any so-called "Independent Panel" that is not elected by the people of the State of Texas. Allowing redistricting to be done by an appointed panel takes away my voice and the voice of people like me in this very important process.
SPECIFICS: For my community in particular you should know that: [information specific to your community such as transportation corridors (ex: I-35 or I-45 & Loop 610) and commuting patterns; description of its borders (physical barriers like streets, rivers, military bases, and also legal barriers like city or county lines); economical regions (industrial, agricultural, tech, army, etc), shared interests (shared social and economic interests that should be kept together in a district. For example, similar living standards, similar work opportunities, use of similar transportation facilities common to an urban area, a rural area, an industrial area, or an agricultural area)].
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VRW Will Celebrate 60 Years!
Carolyn Hodges, Chairman, VRW 60th Anniversary
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CHEERS TO 60 YEARS!
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, check out the items in the silent auction, explore “The Road We’ve Traveled”, and grab a glass of champagne or sparkling water if you desire. There will be a champagne open bar at $10 (including tax and gratuity) per glass and credit cards will be accepted.
Lunch will begin at 11:30 and will be served in various courses intertwined with the program. The program is being finalized at this time and will feature some former elected officials who benefited from the Village Republican Women’s road. There are some surprises as well and it 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.
Attractions: 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. The Historical Display Committee has been working diligently to gather some interesting items to share with you.
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.
It will be possible for you to view the display after lunch up until 2 PM. There will also be a slide show presentation spanning the six decades of our club’s history that you will not want to miss. If you have a photo to share, please email it to Ginger Howell at ginger@howellhomes.org Kathy Taylor is designing some spectacular centerpieces that will be sold at the conclusion of the lunch, and Julie Jaehne is collecting some interesting items for the silent auction. All in all, it will be a day to remember and you will not want to miss it.
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Fun Facts - Village Republican Women
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Once again, the Village Republican Women and spouses traveled to Washington, D.C. in May 2000 to have the first-hand contact with our federal government and to pay tribute to our long-time Congressman Bill Archer who had served as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee from 1995-2000 and was retiring from Congress. VRW member Carolyn Hodges and Congressman Archer’s Chief of Staff Don Carlson planned the four-day trip, May 3-6.
The group stayed at the J.W. Marriott National Place on Pennsylvania Avenue, a well-located hotel. On the evening of May 3, there was a welcoming cocktail reception and many in the group attended Ford’s Theater for a performance. The next day was full of activity including coffee with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison in her office, briefings with Congressmen Kevin Brady and Dick Armey, followed by a photo on the steps of the Capitol with Congressman Archer, a tour of the Capitol by the Capitol Historical Society, lunch in the Longworth Office Building, followed by a tour of the Library of Congress. And we were just getting started. More briefings were scheduled with Congressmen Tom Davis and Tom DeLay and then a meeting with Senator Phil Gramm in his office. After returning to the hotel, we freshened up for our evening’s activities, dinner hosted by the Archers in the Capitol. This was a very special event and gifts were presented to Sharon and Bill Archer, as well as Don Carlson. Presenting the gift to Congressmen Archer was VRW President Pat Howard. After dinner, we were all treated to something very special, visiting the floor of the House of Representatives.
A day on our own followed with many options available, and May 6 arrived with a trip to the Naval Academy at Annapolis, lunch, and a tour of the Maryland State House. We then departed for the Baltimore airport for our trip back to Houston. Great experiences were enjoyed that we would always remember.
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PRESIDENT GEORGE AND BARBARA BUSH’S MEXICAN MOUND
2 lbs. ground beef 1 pkg. Doritos
1 c. grated yellow cheese
10 chopped ripe olives
1 chopped tomato
1 c. shredded lettuce
Lawry’s taco seasoning mix 1-2 sm. chopped onions (NOT MINCED)
1 c. sour cream
1 can frozen avocado dip
Follow instructions on taco seasonings mix for browning meat. Serve in the kitchen with a big pot of meat simmering on the stove, a wooden salad bowl of Doritos, and 7 bowls of the remaining ingredients around the table. Start with a mound of Doritos, a spoon of piping hot meat, cheese, etc. Makes 8 sewings.
(This is a Bush Family Favorite Taco Meal! It’s easy to make, loved by all who love Mexican food. Ingredients are easy to keep on hand. Children or guests can help with chopping or grating. It’s fun!)
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FRIDAY NIGHT PIZZA FEST
by COUNTY JUDGE JON LINDSAY
On Friday nights when I have no official appearances on my calendar I head for the house in Spring. On the way, I stop at Fiesta and pick up a ready-made cheese pizza and a bottle of wine.
On arriving home, I pour a glass of wine and preheat the oven to 400 and slide that pizza upside down to make the crust extra crisp. Meanwhile, I defrost a pound of ground venison in the microwave and then brown it on the stove with salt and pepper. I then flip the pizza and spread the browned meat, a can of mushrooms, and lots of sliced jalapeno peppers, and whatever else I find in the refrigerator on it.
That was hot work, so I take another sip. Returning the laden pizza to the oven to bake another 20-30 minutes, I sip the wine and wait.
Removing the very brown pizza from the oven I proceed to enjoy it all weekend because no one in the house will eat it but me.
Cheese prices imitate meat prices. Meat poes up, cheese goes up. Meat poes down, cheese goes down......Cheese has no imagination.
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MARCH IS MEMBERSHIP MONTH
Victory Requires Women!
We need YOU to join Village Republican Women.
Laura Carlson, Membership Chair
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Thank you again to everyone who has renewed. We have 28 new members and a total of 139 full members. Your membership ensures that you will continue to receive information about exciting events and important issues. Your dues also help us sustain our club and support our effort to grow the Republican Party.
We had a New Member Orientation in February. It was a huge success. We enjoyed lively discussions and made new friends. Our new members also learned about the history of our club and by joining VRW they are also members of the Texas Federation of Republican Women and the National Federation for Republican Women. They are looking forward to promoting the principles, objectives, and policies of the Republican Party.
March is Membership Month. We would love for you to help us grow our amazing club and give Republican Women a voice. Please reach out to friends and relatives and invite them to become members of Village Republican Women. If a new member joins and references you on the membership form you will be entered into a raffle to win a $25 gift card.
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. Those who join by March 31, 2021, will have their information included in the 2021 Directory.
Questions? Email Membership Chair Laura Carlson at membership@villagerepublicanwomen.org or call me at 281-222-5015. |
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Just us Chicks Having an Awesome Time!
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February Meeting Minutes
Nolia Rohde, VRW Recording Secretary
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VILLAGE REPUBLICAN WOMEN
Minutes of VRW General Meeting
February 24, 2021 |
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President Deanna Harrington called the meeting to order at 11:32 a.m. at the Houston Racquet Club and welcomed everyone. VRW Chaplain Penny Remick gave the invocation and HCRP Chair Cindy Siegel lead us in the pledges to the flags.
President Harrington welcomed everyone and introduced the elected officials and guests. Minutes for the meeting on January 27 were approved as distributed.
Carolyn Hodges, Parliamentarian and Bylaws Chairman, read the Report from Bylaws Committee on the Recommendations for Changes for the Bylaws and Standing Rules of Village Republican Women. Mrs. Harrington then recommended the changes for passage, and the changes were agreed to without objection.
Mrs. Harrington made the following announcements on behalf of various board members:
From Mary Grace Landrum—Caring for America & Americanism
Thumper, Peter Rabbit, and all of our other favorite Easter Bunnies would be proud of the over 70 VRW members and friends who have donated to help us create 100 Easter Baskets for children from food-insecure families served by West Houston Assistance Ministries. Thanks to one and all for your overwhelming participation!! Last night the Houston Young Republicans also donated to our project. Besides food and toy items we collected over $1200 to help us fill and wrap the baskets. Watch your email for details about basket distribution at WHAM on Tuesday, March 30 from 9-11, if would like to join us.
If you are looking for other ways to help those in need in our community, the Harris County Republican Party has scheduled additional volunteer days this Thursday and Friday morning from 9-noon at the Houston Food Bank. Go to the HCRP website to register or the Houston Food Bank site and type Harris County Republican Party under other or see Mary Grace Landrum after the meeting
Don’t forget to become a Volunteer Deputy Voter Registrar so you can help at future Voter Registration Drives. Contact Jodie Dornak for more information or stop by the table after the meeting.
From Laura Carlson—Membership
1.Thank you to everyone who either renewed for 2021 or joined. We have 27 new members and a total of 136 full members.
2.If you have not renewed, please note you will be removed from our membership mailing list and will no longer receive our newsletter and other internal notices. If you have any questions about your membership, please contact Laura Carlson.
3.March is our membership month. We would love for you to help us grow our amazing club and give Republican Women a voice. If you bring a guest who joins and references you on the membership form you will be entered into a drawing to win a $25 gift card.
4.We had a successful new membership orientation early this month. Thank you to everyone that attended, we are excited to have you with us.
5.On March 10th, we are having a Sip, Snap, & Shop CHAT to learn how to take amazing photos on your phone. You can use this skill to take awesome campaign photos. We are limiting this CHAT to 12 people. If you are interested, it is $30, and you can sign up using the link on our website.
From Beverly Roberts—Directory Chair
She is now accepting advertisements for the 2021 Directory. 1/2 page is $100, and a full-page is $200. The deadline to submit an ad is April 21.
From 60th Anniversary Chair Carolyn Hodges
Please read the newsletter article. It has details about the event, as well as options to RSVP.
From Joanie Bain, our Legislative Chair—
VRW had a very productive visit to Austin for TFRW’s Leg Day. Joanie Bain, Deanna Harrington, and Susan Brown advocated for election integrity on behalf of VRW and met with several elected officials or their staff—Sen. Joan Huffman, Chairman Briscoe Cain, Chairman Jim Murphy’s Chief of Staff, Rep. Lacey Hull’s Legislative Director, and Rep. Valerie Swanson’s staff.
From our Treasurer, Nancy Scott:
Our accounts balances as of yesterday are:
Savings $50,043.21
Checking $12,747.81
HCRP is collecting food and water today and tomorrow from 10 am until 2 pm at 2501A Central Parkway. Tom Ramsey will distribute it to the Gulfton area.
From Greater Houston Council President Sophia Mafrige—
We hope you fared well during last week’s winter storm. GHC is looking forward to honoring you at our GHC General Meeting on March 16th, in conjunction with Nuts and Bolts! We are excited to host Jody Rushton, past president of TFRW and NFRW, as our keynote speaker, and, our current TFRW President, Glynis Chester, will also participate in the program.
It’s time to register! Capacity is limited due to restrictions at the facility, so you [or your representative] and members must pre-register to attend by March 5th. The cost per person is $20 cash/check or $22 credit card. I have a few forms here, or you can register on their website using the link that was emailed to you yesterday.
Glenn Hegar, Texas Comptroller, was the guest speaker. As comptroller, Glenn is the chief financial officer for the world's 10th-largest economy. 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. Mr. Hegar allowed time for questions and elaborated on the answers to questions related to the recent winter storm and power outages around the state.
Mrs. Harrington then made a few closing announcements and the meeting was adjourned at 12:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Nolia Rohde
VRW Recording SecretaryAnnouncements 2-24-2021
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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.
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