Thanks

Happy New Year. What a year 2012 will be.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your president the past two years. It was been an honor and pleasure. The friendships I made all over the state of Missouri and all over the United States are lifelong. I will cherish the memories I take with me and remember fondly the thousands of miles traveled representing the Missouri Federation of Republican Women. Republican Women are the best.

We have had many successes - increasing membership, chartering six new clubs, making significant contributions to electing Republican candidates, sending our Veterans to Washington DC, assisting Joplin residents, hosting the NFRW Convention, and the list goes on and on. These are all thanks to you - our wonderful members. MoFRW is your organization and your hard work to make it a success is obvious. I know each of you will be working hard to assure successful elections in 2012. Our country depends on it.

I look forward to seeing you at future MoFRW events.

God Bless you and God Bless the United States of America.

With Heartfelt Thanks,


Kathy Drake
MoFRW President 2010-2011

Merry Christmas

I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. I hope all of you get to celebrate Jesus Birth with family and friends.

Republican Women of Greater Kansas City

I had the honor of presenting the club charter to the Republican Women of Greater Kansas City on Wednesday. The club already has 40 members. I am sure they are going to be a very active club. I enjoyed meeting several of their members. Senator Will Kraus spoke to the group also and was very enlightening on the new districts as well as the 2012 year. We are glad to have them join our organization.

Taney and Benton County Clubs

It has been a busy week. I visited the Taney County Club on Thursday evening. It was a great time and their Christmas meeting was in a wonderful Tea House/Florist Shop. It was beautiful. Congratulations to Sheila Wyatt who was installed as their 2012-13 president.

Sunday I traveled to Cole Camp to a Tea hosted by the Benton County Republican Women's Club. They are working on starting a club in the Cole Camp area. They had done a lot of work and it was lovely. We had a lot of great discussion. Teens from the Benton County Teenage Republicans served us. The teens were great.

Republican Women of Phelps County

I had a great visit today with the Republican Women of Phelps County. Mellene Schudy was helpful in getting this club going again and I thank her for that. I look forward to hearing great things from this club.

Veteran's Day 2011

As we approach Veteran's Day 2011 I hope each of you will take time to thank a Veteran. They are a special group of people who have given so much for our freedoms. May we always honor them by cherishing those freedoms. Thanks to each and every Veteran and their family.

8th District Meeting

Saturday was the 8th district meeting in Mountain Grove. Great group of ladies. Two past MoFRW Presidents were present Charline Sherrill and Mellene Schudy. Attorney Dee Wampler did an excellent program on the topic: Myth of Church vs State. It was very informative. Congratulations to Mellene Schudy who was elected president of the 8th district for 2011-13.

1st, 2nd, 3rd, District Meeting

Wednesday, Oct. 12 I went to Kirkwood for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd District Meeting. The third district as it is now will be undergoing a big change with redistricting. Those clubs will be going into the second district. It was a wonderful meeting complete with a visit from Abe Lincoln. Congratulations to Robyn Hamlin, elected as president of 1st district and Sharon Barnes, elected as president of 2nd district. Thanks to the outgoing presidents - Aline Neuman, Arleen Jackson and Gerry Gilberg for their service as presidents of their districts.

7th District Meeting

Thanks to the Christian County Republican Women for hosting a great 7th District meeting yesterday. They showed true hospitality. Congratulations to Chris Kahl on her election as the 2012-13 president. Thanks to Lacey Hart for her service the past two years as 7th District President.

2011 NFRW Convention

We had a great week in Kansas City for the NFRW Convention. There were ladies there from 47 states and Puerto Rico. We heard great speakers and elected officers for the 2012-13 year. Congratulations to our own Carrie Almond on being elected NFRW Treasurer.

Saturday evening Missouri hosted a hospitality room for anyone attending. I have no idea how many we had but well over 200. That is a lot of coming and going in a small hotel parlor with one door. We provided them with BBQ and many varieties of finger foods. I think we represented Missouri well.

Thanks to all of our members who attended, volunteered, sent/made food, made phone calls or sent a donation. We could not have done it without you.

Now we start district meetings with our first two this Saturday. No time to rest.

CeCo Republican Women

Thanks to the CeCo Republican Women for a wonderful time Monday evening. They had their annual meeting where they invite the husbands to attend and have dinner. It was nice visiting with all those attending. I met some of the newer members of their club also. Peggy does a great job as president. I appreciated being invited to attend.

Women of Tribute

What a great day Saturday. We honored 28 of our MoFRW members. If we added all their volunteer hours together I have no idea what it would add up to but it would a big, big number. These ladies have supported not only Republican politics but every organization and community event you can think of. We are blessed to have such great members.

Jesse Morton, NFRW 4th vice-president, came from Louisiana to be with us and was a big surprise for LaRue. They had served as state presidents at the same time. I was glad to be there for the surprise Friday evening. Jesse is a wonderful lady and it was an honor to have her in Missouri.

Thanks to everyone who made the luncheon a great event and especially those we honored for serving our organization.

This was my last big state event as MoFRW president. There is still alot going on this fall with district meetings and the NFRW convention, but this is our last state function. It was been great meeting and working with everyone.

Missouri State Fair

Today was MoFRW's day to man the GOP booth at the state fair. It was also the Governor's Ham Breakfast so many officials were on the fairgrounds. It was nice to visit with those attending the fair and the officials. I attended the Press Conference held by the Governor and Congressmen and Congresswoman c0ncerning the year's weather related problems in Missouri. I was also able to attend Senator Blunt's Town Hall meeting.

Benton County Republican Women

It was great visiting with the Benton County ladies last night in Warsaw. One of the members of their teen group sang for us and what a great voice she had. It was a joy to hear her. It was also a joy to three young ladies at their meeting. We stressed the importance of laying the ground work now for 2012. It will be here all too quickly.

Everyone take care in this extreme heat.

Independence Day

As we gather with family and friends to celebrate our Declaration of Independence let us not forget all those who have fought for and protected our freedoms. You really don't hear it referred to as Independence Day a lot but we should all remember that is what we celebrate the 4th of July.

Have a happy and safe Independence Day.

Republican Leadership Conference

I spent Wednesday thru Saturday in New Orleans attending the Republican Leadership Conference. It was a great meeting with many good speakers. Governor Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, Marsha Blackburn, Haley Barber and the list goes on and on. There were several of our NFRW members in attendance. Our own Sue Lynch opened the Saturday meeting with the invocation and introduced her executive officers and the state presidents who were present. The Louisiana FRW made sure we were all felt at home. It was very warm but I enjoyed seeing the sights. 2012 promises to be a busy year. We all need to work hard to be sure we have a victory in November.

Thank you

I want to thank everyone for the wonderful picnic basket I received. I will certainly put it to good use for many diffferent things. The $525 I was given to donate to my choice charity is on its way to Ozarks Honory Flight to help with the cost of sending our WWII veterans to Washington to see their memorial.

I appreciate everything you have done for me. It is a pleasure to work with you and be your president.

MoFRW Convention

It was a great weekend at the MoFRW Convention. Our Century Club event was wonderful. New officers were elected to take office Jan. 1, 2012. I heard good reviews of the workshops and I think everyone enjoyed Jeff Roe's presentation for dinner. Congratulations to those who received awards and our 26th President LaRue Lemons on being named the 2011 state Woman of Tribute.

Thanks to all who came and to those who helped in any special committee.

Memorial Day

As we prepare for the holiday weekend, let us all remember those who have paved the way for us. We have many fallen heroes to thank for the freedoms we enjoy today. It is a time to remember and reflect on the past spent with our family and friends who have gone to glory. May each of you have a great weekend of remembrance and thanks.

SW Missouri

My thoughts and prayers are with the families in Joplin who have lost loved ones, homes and businesses in Joplin.

Bonhomme Club Visit

It was nice today attending the Bonhomme Club. I presented them with their plaque recognizing them for 100% increase in membership and four of their members received the Recruit 10 certificate and pen. I brought back greetings to a lady in Bolivar from a sorority sister. It seems everyplace I go there is someone who knows someone in Bolivar.

7th District Meeting

Thanks to the Greene County Republican Women for hosting a great meeting on Sat. Our speakers were very informative - Greene County Presiding Commissioner Jim Viebrock and Darren Chapel who spoke on the Bill of Rights. This was the last 2011 spring district meeting. It is hard to believe state convention is less than one month away.

5th District Meeting

Saturday, April 30 was the 5th district meeting in Independence. They had a wonderful meeting. It was the first time in two years I had been able to attend their meeting. Great news that a new club is being formed in 5th district.

I know they had a great meeting in the 9th district also. I could only be in one place so I had to miss that meeting.

4th District Meeting

Today was the 4th District meeting in Stockton. The CeCo club were wonderful hostesses. The table decorations had been made by one of their members and they were great. We had two great speakers - an associate judge and Rep. Sue Entlicher. It is always fun to visit the 4th district members.

Pettis County Republican Women

I attended the meeting of the Pettis County Republican Women tonight. It was nice meeting their members and visiting with them. Didn't much care for the storms coming home. Thanks to them for inviting me to their meeting.

8th District Meeting

Today was the 8th District meeting in Licking. I enjoyed visiting with the ladies. The lunch was great. Thanks to the 8th district for donating $1000 to the NFRW Convention. That was most generous of them. They have some active clubs in the 8th district who do a great job.

Visits

April 6 I attended the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, district meeting in Kirkwood. It was a great meeting. I enjoyed seeing our members from that area. I was standing with Eileen Tyrell when she learned her son had passed his Marine exam. My ear has recovered. Congratulations to Will and his family on that accomplishment. Jessie Morton, NFRW 4th vice-president was the guest speaker. It is always a joy to visit with Jessie(with me in the photo).

That evening I attended the Washington Federated Republican Women's monthly meeting. Super group of ladies. We had a very enjoyable meeting. They are a busy group of ladies.

Thanks to all of these ladies for their dedication to the MoFRW.

I attended the NFRW Legislative Day and National Board meeting last week in Washington DC. It was a wonderful time. Senator Roy Blunt and 4th District Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler were among the 60 Senators and Congressmen who addressed the 200 plus members in attendance at Legislative Day. We were able to tour the Capitol on Wednesday evening. It was a very informative and entertaining tour. Everyone seems eager to come to Kansas City in September and we look forward to hosting the National Convention for NFRW.

Membership Fair

We had a great morning Saturday at the 1st District Membership Fair. Eileen Tyrell, Aline Newmann, Lydia Hasekamp and Sharon Barnes did a great job putting it together. New members were signed up and a lot of interest expressed. Thanks to all those who attended and those who worked on putting the event together.

Lincoln Day

It has been a great weekend at the State Lincoln Day held in Springfield. Our MoFRW Luncheon had 275 people registered. For the entire event there were over 900 registrations. Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler did a wonderful job speaking at our luncheon. It was great seeing our members and fellow Republicans. Our hospitality room on Friday was visited by many fellow Republicans.

Tuesday, March 1 will be the MoFRW Legislative Day. We have over 100 registered for that event.

Time to Unpack and repack.

MoFRW Board Meetings

It has been a busy weekend so far. Our MoFRW Executive Committee met in Jefferson City Friday afternoon and evening. It was great seeing the committee and working on plans for the coming year. Saturday was the general board meeting. Thanks to all those who attended. I wish I could have visited with each and everyone but I didn't get to do that. We have a lot of MoFRW activites in the next 2 months so it will be a very busy time.

Joan Miller

It is with great sadness I report that our MoFRW Secretary, Joan Miller passed away earlier this week. She was a great Republican Woman and had served not only the Missouri Federation but the Texas Federation. She loved the Federation. It has been a pleasure to work with Joan. She will be missed by all of us who knew her.

My sympathy to Joan's family.

MRP Meeting

I attended the Missouri Republican Party committee meeting today in Jefferson City. We are well represented on the state committee by several of our MoFRW members and thank all those who serve. There were some great statistics presented. Republicans picked up 96 local government seats in November while losing only 7. There are 30 new Republican Presiding Commissioners. Add this to the record 106 Representatives and 26 Senators and we are being very well represented. Please remember to stay in contact with those who represent you.

Thoughts and Prayer

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families in Arizona.

Jefferson City

I have just returned from the festivities in Jefferson City today. How wonderful to see 26 Republican Senators and 106 Republican Representatives recognized. I saw many of our members in attendance also. Please remember to support this ladies and gentlemen. They have a great task ahead of them.