Cheryl Storer, President, 559-325-1525, storer77@gmail.comJudy Harlan, Membership Secretary, 559-431-9631, harlan.j@comcast.netRoberta Genini, Editor 559-435-7667, r_genini@yahoo.com

Visit us on the web at www.fresnorepublicanwomen.org

JANUARY 2014Edition XV, Number 1

TRUNK LINEFRESNO COUNTY & CITY REPUBLICAN WOMEN FEDERATED

Affiliated with the California & National Federated Republican WomenTHE LARGEST ALL WOMEN’S VOLUNTEER POLITICAL ORGANIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Join us for the first luncheon of 2014!Featured guest speaker:

LOREN SPIVACK The “Free Market Warrior”Thursday, January 23, 2014

Please note that we meet on the Fourth Thursday of the month… There are five Thursdays this month.Ramada Inn University(Shaw Avenue & Freeway 41) Room Shaw A

Check-in starts at 11:30 a.m. with lunch starting at 12 Noon. All attendees must register for theluncheon. Luncheon costs $18. Payment accepted at the door with reservations. Please reserve

by Tuesday, January 21. For reservations you may call Una Freitas (559-224-3720) or simply emailyour reservation to fresnorepublicanwomen@reagan.com or you may make a reservation by paying

online at our website www.fresnorepublicanwomen.org

Menu: Cobb Salad, Rolls and Butter, and DessertVegan / dairy-free or gluten-free options are available if requested at the time of reservation.

Cancellations will be accepted until 24 hours before the luncheon.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEThe FCCRWF club is off andrunning and it is only earlyJanuary. FCCRWF willcontinue to have luncheons onthe fourth Thursday of themonth (January throughOctober and the firstThursday in December) at theRamada Inn on Shaw and Hwy41 at 12 Noon. The guest

speaker this month, on January 23, will be LorenSpivack the “Free Market Warrior”. He presentseconomics with a sense of humor which will beenlightening. Please visit our websitewww.fresnorepublicanwomen.org to makereservations.

FCCRWF will also be attending the Inaugural TeaParty California Caucus Conference: Restoring theCalifornia Republican Party on January 11 and theReagan League Townhall to be held on Saturday,January 25 (6 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.). February action willbe the NFRW “Campaign School” on Saturday,February 8 at the Ramada. Reservations should bemade at the NFRW website or visit the FCCRWFwebsite given above. Campaign School and voterregistration will be FCCRWF’s main focus for thenext six months as the club’s number one goal is tohelp more Republicans get elected.

I encourage all of you to attend the Campaign Schoolif you can. We have worked for two years to bringthis program to Fresno and the Central Valley.Everyone needs to know how to be more effectivein helping Republicans get elected. RepublicanWomen need to be more proactive and continue tomake our voices heard so our Congressmen and localpoliticians know what we expect from them.

There are so many great programs coming to youthis year. Sharon Gerardi, First Vice President, hasdone a wonderful job arranging for excellentspeakers to provide you a meeting worth your timeand money. Speakers are happy to come to meetingswhere we fill up the room, and FCCRWF can onlydo that if we continue to grow and bring in newmembers.

Dues are due this month. You can renew online orprint out the membership form and bring your checkto the luncheon on January 23. FCCRWF is going tohave a good year, and I look forward to seeing youJanuary 23.

Cheryl Storer, President

CARING for AMERICABy Mary Heredia, Caring for America Chairman

At the January luncheon, FCCRWF wi l lgrateful ly receive your tax deductiblemonetary contributions to Evangel Home,http://www.evangelhome.org/

Evangel Home has beenserving homeless women andchi ldren since 1955. Yourcontribution by check made outto Evangel Home will serve asyour receipt.

Outgoing Caring for America ChairmanEvelyn Thompson, on right, with

Una Freitas delivering useful items fromFCCRWF to troops’ families in 2013

FCCRWF Wants to Casta Ray of SunshineThrough theWintry HazeBy Connie Silva, Sunshine Committee

Do you know of a member who has had arecent bereavement, an illness, or who couldjust use a kind word of encouragement?Please let me know at (559) 276-2386 oremail me at muffin-gal@comcast.net

Do not forget to inform me of contactinformation for the person who mightappreciate a card or other greeting fromFCCRWF.

SHINING THE SPOTLIGHT onLinda Branam and “Wreaths Across America”By Roberta Genini, Editor

Linda Branam first became involved with FCCRWF at the invitation of her goodf r i e n d and colleague, the late Dena Palmer. She and Dena worked together for over 30

years. “Dena was a strong Republican woman that I loved and respected,” says Linda, “and was amentor to me in both my professional and personal life.”

When Linda retired in 2007 she became more actively involved, serving two terms as recordingsecretary and two terms as First Vice President. Linda explains: “There are so many wonderful,intelligent and strong women in our organization that I have had the pleasure of working with andlearning from like Cheryl Storer, Gwen Hansen and Paula Guzman, to name a few. There are endlessopportunities to learn, become informed and keep abreast of the issues important to our families, ourcity, state and nation.”

In 2012, Linda and her husband Larry were invited by their friendDan Tristan to take part in a Wreaths Across America ceremony atBakersfield National Cemetery, placing wreaths on Veterans’ graves.It was amazing to know that this ceremony was taking place atexactly the same time, in all 50 states, 24 locations on foreign soiland at sea. When Linda learned that the mission of Wreaths AcrossAmerica is to “Remember the fallen, Honor those that serve andTeach our children the value of freedom”, she knew that she wantedto get more involved. This past year, Dan and his wife Cheryl, alongwith Linda and her husband Larry, formed a team to bring this eventto Clovis Cemetery, the final resting place of over 3,750 ofAmerica’s veterans. They were able to raise the funds to placeover 900 wreaths at the ceremony December 14, 2013, an eventnoted by local media. “Many of you Republican women helped inthat effort,” comments Linda. “We thank you and look forward topartnering with you again this year to make the event even biggerand better. We can never do enough to honor the sacrifice of themen and women who serve in the Armed Forces and their families.We must never forget!”

Linda concludes, “I am proud to be a Republican Woman andencourage anyone who believes in the rights of the individualguaranteed in the U.S. Constitution, equal rights, equal justice, freeenterprise, fiscal responsibility, limited government and a strongmilitary to come and get involved.”

Linda Branam displays a wreathto be laid on a veteran’s grave

��IN MEMORIAM��Laura Guzman Magill

May 10, 1965 – December 27, 2013

Life is eternal,

and love is immortal,

and death is only a horizon;

and a horizon is nothing

save the limit of our sight.~Rossiter Worthington Raymond

����

DO YOU KNOW?Education Committee

. . . that thanks are in order to all club members, as well as book club members, for the many newchildren’s books that were donated at the Christmas luncheon? They will be delivered to the NelsonElementary School library in Pinedale as soon as they have settled down from their holiday vacation.. . . that the December meeting of the FCCRWF Read to Know book club consisted ofa review of the above-mentioned books, some classics and some from new authors. The book for discussion at the January meeting was Dr. Charles Krauthammer’snew bestseller, Things That Matter, a compilation of his columns for the last thirtyyears. Everyone had her favorite essay, and they each contributed to discussionunder the guiding hand of Nancy Colley.. . . that you will be given an opportunity to purchase some of the books the club hasbeen featuring, as well as any others that are donated, at the February 27luncheon? If you have any books you would like to give to the sale, please bringthem to the January 23 luncheon or to book club on February 13.. . . the book club meets at 10 a.m. on the second Thursday of each month at AdairMurphy’s home? For further information, please call her at (559) 439-7094. Churchill by Paul Johnson is the book to read and for discussion at the February 13meeting.

Life is At Home in the Republican PartyBy Roberta Genini, Editor

Having just received two stents as the Lord’s extra Christmas gift to me, thepreciousness of life occupies my thoughts even more than usual. And by the waythanks, fellow Republican Women, for all your good thoughts and prayers.

Those of us who have reached “a certain age” do expect, as someone put it,that wheels will start to fall off. But just think what superb mechanics we havethese days to stick those wheels back on for who knows how many more miles of

service! The “mechanics” certainly cannot fix everything, but so many things that were beyond help in thepast can now almost routinely prove to be but bumps in the road rather than roadblocks to the future.

I think of my grandmother, afflicted like me with atherosclerosis and becoming a virtual invalid at myage. There was nothing to be done for the condition, back in the 1950’s, but to avoid too much exertion andrealize that her active days were most definitely behind her. Now those of us who find ourselves in asimilar medical state can hope for productive years to come, with physical activity not only permitted butstrongly encouraged.

Now, all this is especially good because, ladies, I believe that the Republican Party really needs all ofus to give as much as we can for as long as we can, for the good of our Nation.

And so how does this tie in with life being “at home in the Republican Party”? The gift of life is the lifeof the party, whether that means taking care of ourselves and availing ourselves of the wonders of modernmedicine, being generous in our decisions to pass on the gift of life to a new generation, or supporting thefamily values that build the nation and the economy.

As the 41st anniversary of Roe v. Wade approaches (January 22, 1973 was the date the U.S. SupremeCourt struck down all legal protections based on their human condition for children prior to birth), we getword that Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, according to a Jan. 5 story in TheWashington Times quoted in California Catholic Daily, is delaying the start of the party’s annual wintermeeting so that he and other committee members can join the huge March for Life on the Mall in Washington,D.C. “This is a core principle of our party,” commented Mr. Priebus. “It was natural for me to support ourmembers and our principles.”

The move to delay the start of the annual meeting for this purpose is unprecedented for a major politicalparty.

How often has Mark Levin reminded us that if we return to being a party of principles in the style andsubstance of Ronald Reagan we will win big? Life is a good starting place.

Political Brief for JanuaryBy Sharon Gerardi, First Vice President, and Roberta Genini, Editor

How are California Governor Jerry Brown and other Democrats causing harmto California’s children? By passing laws like these:

• SB 48 Requires K-12 public schools to teach “gay” history. Signed by Gov. Brown 7/13/11. Took effect 1/1/12.

Senate Yes votes: 23 (All Democrats) No votes: 14 (All Republicans)Assembly Yes votes: 50 (49 Democrats, 1 Ind.) No votes: 26 (All Republicans)

• AB 1266 Transgender students can use the bathroom or locker room of their choice andjoin a boys’ or girls’ sports team. Signed by Gov. Brown 8/12/13. Takes effect 1/1/14.

Senate Yes votes: 21 (All Democrats) No votes: 9 (All Republicans)Assembly Yes votes: 46 (All Democrats) No votes: 25 (24 Republicans, 1 Democrat)

A petition drive lead by Privacy for All Students now appears to have fallen short of therequired number of valid voter signatures to qualify a repeal initiative for the November2014 ballot, based on a random sampling. However Secretary of State Debra Bowen’soffice will begin a full signature-by-signature count with results expected by February 24.The law took effect January 1, but will be put on hold in the event the repeal initiativequalifies after all. (Source: S.F. Gate, Friday, Jan.10, 2014)

• AB 499 Allows children 12 years or older to seek medical care for sexually transmitteddiseases and allows them to consent to hepatitis B vaccination, human papilloma virusvaccination (Gardisil), and HIV pre- and post-exposure medicines without parent noticeor permission.Signed by Gov. Brown 10/9/11.

Senate Yes votes: 22 (All Democrats) No votes: 17 (15 Republicans, 2 Democrats)Assembly Yes votes: 50 (49 Democrats, 1 Ind.) No votes: 25 (All Republicans)

NFRW informs us that S.1845, co-sponsored by a Democrat Senator and a RepublicanSenator, would continue extended unemployment benefits until March 31. The HeritageFoundation and other critics have pointed out the adverse economic effects of the vastextension of unemployment insurance during the Obama administration. The presentextension, if approved, will cost American taxpayers over $6 billion, every cent borrowedand requiring repayment at interest by the taxpayers. A USA columnist recently estimatedthat “riding the gravy train” has effectively kept 600,000 people out of the work force.

1486 W. Menlo • Fresno, CA • 93711CFRW Central Division 1st Place Newsletter-- 2008 & 2009, Large Clubs

FRESNO COUNTY & CITYREPUBLICAN WOMEN FEDERATED

CALENDARPLEASE MAKE PLANS!

January 13 ........ FCCRWF Education Committee Meeting, 9-11 a.m.16 ........ Board of Directors Transition Meeting, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.18 ........ Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast at Clovis Memorial, 9-10:30 a.m.23 ........ FCCRWF Luncheon Meeting, 12-2:30 p.m.25 ........ Reagan League Politchicks at Fresno Veterans Memorial Auditorium,

........ 6- 8:30 p.m.February 6 ........ FCCRWF Board of Directors Meeting, 12-2:30

8 ........ NFRW CAMPAIGN SCHOOL, 8 a.m.- 4p.m.10 ........ FCCRWF Education Meeting (Youth Government), 9-11 a.m.13 ........ FCCRWF Book Club27 ........ FCCRWF Luncheon Meeting

Inside This Issue . . .

Meet your New FCCRWF Board and Committee Chairmen

NFRW Presents CAMPAIGN SCHOOL in Fresno!

Loren Spivack, “The Free Market Warrior” at January 23 Luncheon

FCCRWF’s Linda Branam and Wreaths Across America

Contact Information for the Federation and Your Republican Party

Name_______________________________________________Date_________

Mailing Address____________________________________________________

City&State_____________________________________________Zip________

E-MAIL______________________________________Phone________________

(Please print e-mail clearly and notify us of changes. This is our preferred communication.)

Make check payable to FCCRWF Dues: $30.00 active member $15.00 associate member

Active membership is for all women with FCCRWF as their primary membership. Associate membership is for women with other Republican Women memberships, and men. Associate women please specify your other current active membership_______________

Who referred you to us?_________________________________________________

For more information, please visit our website at www.fresnorepublicanwomen.org or

email us at www.fresnorepublicanwomen@reagan.com

Mail completed application and check payable to FCCRWF to:

FCCRWF Membership Secretary PO Box 27590 Fresno, CA 93729-7590

Fresno County and City Republican

Women Federated

Membership Application