February 2010 Newsletter
February 9 Meeting to Feature Gubernatorial Candidate!
This month we have the honor of hosting a Republican candidate for governor of Florida! State Senator Paula Dockery will be attending the Roundtable meeting Tuesday evening. She will arrive around 5:30 and greet BCRR members as they check in. Senator Dockery will address the meeting and then members will be invited to ask questions of her.
The remainder of Tuesday’s program will be the ever popular free-for-all discussion, moderated by charter member Joe Eaton.
The Roundtable meets monthly at the St. Andrew Bay Yacht Club, 218 Bunkers Cove Road in Panama City. A buffet dinner is served at 6:00 p.m., and the program begins at 7:00 p.m.
We look forward to seeing you on next Tuesday, the 9th. Bring a friend and your opinion!
Guest Speakers, Anyone ??
2010 Officers Elected at January Meeting
Roundtable members selected their 2010 leaders at the January 12 meeting. Unanimously elected to lead us through this election year were:
Vicki Doolittle, President
Richard Plantec, 1st Vice President
Sue Bynum, 2nd Vice President
James Waterstradt, Secretary
Melissa Thompson, Treasurer
Congratulations to this strong and talented board of Conservative leaders!
Also during 2010 the Roundtable will enjoy the volunteer efforts of past Secretary Barry Gibbs, who will continue to edit the Roundtable’s newsletter, and of Webmaster Sven Thompson, who is building a state-of-the-art online communication tool for the Roundtable.
Husfelt Updates Roundtable on State of the School System
Bill Husfelt, Superintendent of Bay District Schools, addressed the Roundtable at its January 12 meeting, sharing updates on the District’s efforts to continue to provide quality education in tough economic times. He answered numerous questions from the audience and advocated for the proposed half-cent sales tax. Our thanks to Bill for joining us for an evening!
2012 Membership Drive Underway
Each year the Roundtable conducts its membership drive from January 1 to March 31. Annual dues are $30.00 per person. If you would like to renew your membership or become a new member, please make your check payable to BCRR and mail it to the Roundtable’s treasurer:
Melissa Thompson
Bay County Republican Roundtable
P.O. Box 15044
Panama City, FL 32406
The Roundtable was chartered by the Republican Party of Florida in 2007 and is re-chartered every two years at the conclusion of the membership drive. Many thanks to all of you who support the Roundtable with your membership!
Candidate Soapbox at Every Meeting
All Republican candidates are invited to take to the candidate soapbox for three minutes at every Roundtable meeting. This is a great opportunity for candidates to get out their message and interface with voters.
Lincoln – Reagan Day Dinner, April 24
The annual Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner is scheduled for Saturday, April 24, at the Edgewater Convention Center in Panama City Beach. This event is the major annual fundraiser of the Bay County Republican Executive Committee (BCREC).
This year’s keynote speaker will be Will Weatherford, State Representative for District 61, which includes Pasco County and a portion of Hillsborough County in central Florida. Will is the Speaker Designate of the Florida House in 2012.
Prior to his election to the House in 2006, Will was the Legislative Assistant to Bay County’s then-State Representative, Allen Bense, who also served as House Speaker. In 2006 Will married Courtney Bense, and they have since presented Speaker and Mrs. Bense with a beautiful granddaughter.
Last year Will was named The Able Trust’s Legislator of the Year. He is a rising star in the Republican Party, and those who attend this year’s Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner will learn that he is also a dynamic speaker.
For more information on the LRDD, contact Vicki Doolittle at 319-0105 or doolittlg@comcast.net, or Teresa Eaton at 271-3773 (home), 832-5689 (cell) or ardentheart@bellsouth.net.
How to Subscribe to the Roundtable Newsletter
Because the number of subscribers to our newsletter has grown so much during the last year, the Roundtable is moving to a more robust email tool. This will allow us more effectively to get the message out and also adhere to new email standards against SPAM.
To subscribe to the online Roundtable newsletter, simply click this link:
http://republicanroundtable.com/subscribe.html
(You may also copy and paste the link into your Internet browser.)
When you click the link, you will see the Roundtable logo and a very brief subscription form. Just type in your name and email address and then click "Submit." When you return to your email account, you will find a confirmation email in your Inbox. Simply accept the confirmation and that’s it–you are subscribed to the Roundtable newsletter!
You will not have to re-subscribe to receive future newsletters or news updates, and an "Unsubscribe" option will always be available. If you have questions or suggestions about this great new communication tool, feel free to contact the Roundtable’s IT expert, Sven Thompson, at martin@retelcom.com or 527-0442.
Bay County Republican Executive Committee
The Bay County Republican Executive Committee (BCREC) meets on the 4th Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the School Board meeting room in the Nelson Building, 1311 Balboa Avenue.
The BCREC is comprised of Republican precinct leaders. If you’re interested in being active in your precinct during this election year, or if you just want to learn more about the activities of the local Republican Party, please plan to attend the next BCREC meeting on Monday, February 22.
For more information, contact the BCREC Chairman:
John Salak, 276-2872 john.salak@L-3Com.com.
Panhandle Federated Republican Women
The Panhandle Federated Republican Women (PFRW) meet on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 11:00 a.m. at the Golden Corral restaurant on 23rd St. in Panama City. The cost of lunch is $10.00, payable in the room reserved for the club. (Do not pay at the cash register.)
PFRW is affiliated with the Florida Federation of Republican Women and the National Federation of Republican Women. For more information, contact:
PFRW President, Lorraine Odom, at 624-2544 or lorraineodom@marykay.com.
Patriot Walk and Rally on February 21
The 2nd annual Patriot Walk and Rally is scheduled for Sunday, February 21, in downtown Panama City. This non-partisan educational forum draws hundreds of patriots who want to show their passion for liberty and justice. Military groups, churches, schools, political parties, candidates and citizens are all invited to attend and participate.
Marchers will assemble at the Panama City marina at 1:00 p.m. and walk to nearby McKenzie Park, where the rally will begin at 2:00 p.m. Music, vendors, candidates, area dignitaries and business leaders will add color and excitement to this special event. For more information, contact:
Bob Thompson at 871-0988 or 819-9321, or
Glen Leirer at geleirer32@comcast.net or 276-2168.
CD2 Forum in Panama City on May 18
The Bay County Republican Executive Committee (BCREC) is hosting a forum on Tuesday, May 18, for candidates in the Republican primary race for the U.S. Congressional District 2. The seat is now held by Allen Boyd (D). Candidates who have confirmed their participation in the forum are Eddie Hendry (Leon Co.), Charlie Ranson (Leon Co.) and Steve Southerland (Bay Co.)
The forum will begin at 7:00 p.m. at the historic Martin Theater, 409 Harrison Ave., in downtown Panama City. Admission is FREE, but TICKETS ARE REQUIRED. To reserve your free tickets, contact:
BCREC Chairman John Salak at john@johnsalak.com or 913-8874, or
Republican State Committeeman Jonathan Hayes at 785-2857 or hayesjh@gmail.com. Jonathan is the event chair.
Out-town-guests will enjoy a special rate of $79/night at the Holiday Inn Select, 2001 N. Martin Luther King Blvd., Panama City 32405. For reservations, call (850) 769-0000, and ask for the Bay County Republican Party rate.
2010 Roundtable Dues are Due
The Roundtable’s annual dues of $30 per person became due as of January 1. If you joined the Roundtable after September 1, 2009, your $30 dues payment has been applied to 2010, and you owe no further payment for this year. If you are a renewing member, please plan to pay your annual dues at the February 9 meeting.
To pay your dues by mail, please make your check payable to BCRR and mail to: Melissa Thompson
Bay County Republican Roundtable
P.O. Box 15044
Panama City, FL 32406
Thanks, everyone, for your support!
Coffee, Donuts and Great Conversation!
Coffee and donuts are a bonus, but the real reason to come to the Bay County Republican headquarters on Saturday morning is the great conversation and camaraderie. BCRR member Ken Ford opens the doors every Saturday morning from 8 to 11, and others of us show up to greet visitors, keep Ken company and talk about the latest political news. Recent topics of conversation included the CD2 race, the foreseeable problems with nationalized health care, the messed up state of Florida’s homeowner’s insurance market and how the two might be related, plus other topics of interest to a bunch of grassroots Republicans.
Bring your coffee cup and your point of view with you on Saturday mornings to the Republican headquarters for any part of the three hours you can spend. You’ll be glad you did! The number at HQ is 763-8656.
2010 Bay County Republican Roundtable Board of Directors
Vicki Doolittle, President
Richard Plantec, 1st Vice President
Sue Bynum, 2nd Vice President
James Waterstradt, Secretary
Melissa Thompson, Treasurer
"Where men are pure, laws are useless.
Where men are corrupt, laws are worthless."
- Disraeli