A 'Special thank you' to everyone who supported our
29th "Tribute to Women" in Troy
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Our 29th "Tribute to Women" was a great success last weekend in Troy! Thank you to everyone who attended and supported our event - federation members, guests, elected officials, candidates and friends.
A 'special thank' to our host clubs, the Birmingham RWC and Bloomfield RWC, and their presidents Corinne Khederian and Esther Littmann for a wonderful event!
We had a record crowd that gathered to honor our Tribute Honorees, our federation 'Special Honoree', and 2011 Educational Memorial Scholarship Winner. We were very inspired by our keynote speaker, Susy Avery, Executive Director of the Michigan Women's Commission, as she paid tribute to our republican women. We were entertained by the wonderful Fenton Lakes Chorus "Sweet Adelines" as we paid tribute to our military and veterans on Armed Forces Day!
Some highlights of our evening include the following:
The state federation honored Joan Jackson as our 2011 "Special Federation Honoree". She was chosen for her political involvement and contributions to the Republican Women of Leelanau County, completing her 4th Congressional District chairmanship with the MRP in 2010, the Leelanau County GOP, the Michigan Republican Party and serving as founder of MEPSS, a leadership training program for republican women. She was honored for many years of service to women and men, republican officials and candidates, campaigns and issues on all levels of government. Joan has been a staunch supporter for good government, strong leadership, and campaign strategy training and success such as winning elections on the local level. "All politics is personal" with her.
Our 2011 RWFM Educational Memorial Scholarship Winner was Natalie DeLave, a resident of Troy who was joined by her mother at our Tribute. Natalie attends Notre Dame Preparatory School in Pontiac and plans to study international studies at the University of Michigan this fall. She is committed to actively promote Republican candidates and issues and uses her motto, "if you make a difference, you have to get in the game".
Our Keynote Speaker, Susy Avery delivered an inspiring talk about her many life experiences in our state and jokingly, concluded, that 'she cannot keep a job'! She has served as chair, been on commissions, boards and committees on all levels of government in our state including being our MRP Chair in 1995! She most recently served as Campaign Manager for the successful Mary Beth Kelly for Supreme Court campaign. Susy was appointed by Governor Snyder to be the executive director for the Michigan Women's Commission in late February. Her top 3 priorities are to work with women in business, to improve services for women veterans and to address human trafficking in Michigan. We wish her many successes in her role!
Congratulations to our 2011 Club Tribute Honorees
MARIANNE JORGENSEN Antrim Co. Republican Women's Club
WANDA WARSINSKI Birmingham Republican Women's Club
JOYCE MACLEISH Bloomfield Republican Women's Club
SUE WALBERG Calhoun County Republican Women's Association
MARGARET STANLEY Cass County Republican Women's Club
BONNIE LUCAS Emmet County Republican Women
MARY ELLEN "COOKIE" FREUND In Memoriam - Gerald R. Ford Republican Women's Club
LINDA SOLTERISCH Grosse Pointe Republican Women's Club
ALICE BRITTON Hillsdale County Republican Women's Club
JILL COOPER Lakeshore Republican Women's Club
ARLENE CALLAGHAN RW of Livingston County
MARIANNE WEISS Macomb County Republican Women's Club
YVONNE GNAEDINGER Monroe County Republican Women's Club
CHRISTINA KLEIN In Memoriam - Republican Women of Benzie County
GINNI LIND Republican Women of Leelanau County
PRUDY ADAM Republican Women's Conservative Alliance of Genesee County
CANDICE ROBINSON Saginaw County Republican Women's Club
(ROBERTA) SUE ROBINSON Suburban Republican Women
CAROL SULLIVAN Traverse Bay Area Republican Women
OLGA STIEVE Van Buren County Republican Women's Club
What a wonderful night in Troy! On behalf of the federation, I want to thank everyone who joined
us to pay tribute to many outstanding women in our state and also to celebrate our state's
history and contribution to the republican party in our state.
Our federation has a rich history beginning in 1925 at a TEA PARTY in Port Huron!
Let us look to the future with optimism and dedicate ourselves to work for the
principles that have made our nation so great.
Let's remember that we did WIN back Michigan in 2010.
The wind was at our back and in 2012, the wind will be in our face!
