Golden Triangle Republican Women (GTRW)

President's Message

Welcome to the Golden Triangle Republican Women webpage!

Our club was chartered in 1989 and as of April 6, 2009, we have a combined 190 regular members and associate members who reside throughout the Golden Triangle and beyond. We are having our 2009 Membership Drive at this time and welcome new members. Our September through May monthly meetings provide an excellent opportunity to meet Republican candidates and elected officials and to stay informed on political issues.

GTRW members participate in a wide variety of political activities. In addition to our meetings, we work in Republican campaigns on the local, state, and national levels. We travel to Austin for legislative activities, and all over the state for Republican organization conventions.

Golden Triangle Republican Women members come from all walks of life: We are wives, widows, stay-at-home mothers, and career women. We are new mothers and great-grandmothers. We are of many faiths and backgrounds. Our political beliefs and our desire to stay informed and to do our part in the Republican Party unite us.

We invite you to attend our meetings and to join our growing organization. Our meetings aren’t for women only. Men regularly attend our meetings and many have joined as associate members! We value the participation of all Republicans in our area and we look forward to the future growth of our club and our party.

Jennifer Pate, GTRW president

The objectives of the GTRW are:

• To provide strength and unity for political action within the Republican Party.
• To promote an informed public through political education and activity.
• To increase the effectiveness of women in the cause of good government.
• To improve the quality of life in the Golden Triangle through community service projects.

The Golden Triangle Republican Women are chartered by the following organizations:

• Texas Federation of Republican Women - www.tfrw.org/
  
• National Federation of Republican Women - www.nfrw.org/
  

Community Service

BARBARA BUSH LIBRARY LITERACY PROJECT:  The Golden Triangle Republican Women are proud to participate in the Barbara Bush Library Literacy Project. We are collecting books and money to distribute on June 27, 2009. We'll meet at the JCJRP HQ at 10:00AM as listed on the JCRP Upcoming Events calendar. Thank you! For information, please contact us at: Jpate1@gt.rr.com.

NATIONAL DICTIONARY PROJECT:  In 2008 the Golden Triangle Republican Women participate in the National Dictionary Project. The purpose of the project was to put a dictionary into the hands of as many third grade students as possible. GTRW distributed over 3,500 dictionaries to four public schools and one parochial school within the Golden Triangle area. It was a satisfying goal to reach as many students in other area school districts as possible.

MULTIPLE MILITARY OUTREACH PROJECTS:  The GTRW has an ongoing project to collect the following items at each meeting to send to our local troops who are serving in Iraq: phone cards, travel baby wipes, packaged snacks, razors, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and suntan lotion.  As of 3 November 2008 some 80 boxes of these personal items have been sent to our troops. Beginning February 2008 we began a 2nd project to sew Cooling Scarves for our soldiers in the Middle East. There are 8 scarves to one yard. These Cooling Scarves help keep our soldiers more comfortable in the intense summer heat while deployed. For further details about Cooling Scarves see http://soldiersangels.org/index.php?page=scarves. As of November 2008 some 92 Cooling Scarves have been made by GTRW volunteers and sent to our soldiers. As of March 2009 a new Project has been undertaken of making Knit Caps & Gloves for our troops by GTRW volunteers.  If you would like to participate in these GTRW projects or make a donation to help, please speak to Lee Heidman at the GTRW Luncheon Meetings or contact us at: Jpate1@gt.rr.com.

CHRISTMAS PROJECT:  At the November 2008 GTRW Luncheon GTRW Treasurer Nikki Bowman made an announcement that GTRW and the SETX Young Republicans would be working together to decorate a Christmas Tree for the Jefferson and Orange Counties Child Welfare Boards. Child Protective Services hosted a Christmas Party for youth in foster care in these areas. Christmas trees were be purchased and used as decoration during the party. These decorated trees were then given to foster parents to take home the day of the party. The provided tree for us was labeled by both GTRW and Young Republicans so the foster parents and children will know who did this for them. Both Republican organizations decided to decorate our tree with Gift Cards. In doing this, the kids and foster parents will have a little more to spend this Christmas.

GTRW members brought Gift Cards to the 11:30AM GTRW Luncheon meeting, Monday, 1 December 2008. Nikki collected these (Gift Cards) and monetary donations, and went herself to purchase additional gift cards with any monetary donations received. Any checks for the Community Service CHRISTMAS PROJECT were made payable to Nikki Bowman. Volunteers helped "hang" Gift Cards on the tree on Friday, 5 December 2008 from 1-5pm at the Ford Park Exhibit Hall. It was a wonderful community outreach project helping give these kids a Christmas to remember! We hope to repeat this project in 2009. Thank you to all who participated.

2009 Officers

Jennifer Pate, President
Evangeline "Van" George, 1st VP (Programs)
Shari Fey, 2nd VP (Membership)
Nikki Bowman, Treasurer
Nell Shepherd, Recording Secretary
Stephanie Barth, Corresponding Secretary
Faunelle Deaton, Chaplain
Marie Maggio, Immediate Past President
Glenda Menefee, Hospitality Chairman
Louise Williams, Campaign Activities Chairman
Marie Maggio, Legislative Chairman
Lee Heidman, Military Outreach Chairman
Maureen Winchell, Decorations Chairman

Meetings

We meet the first Monday of each month from September to May from 11:30a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at The Elegante Hotel, 2355 IH-10 South, Beaumont, Texas 77705. A $15 per person luncheon buffet is served. Reservations are required for all GTRW meetings.  See Speakers listed for monthly GTRW Luncheon meetings, as the information becomes available, on the JCRP Upcoming Events calendar.

For reservations, please contact us (by the Thursday prior) at: Jpate1@gt.rr.com or 409-893-0631.