Former Texas State Senator Don Huffines will speak at the May 18 Star Republican Women’s Meeting at Quail Point Community Center. 

A complimentary light lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m.  The meeting and program will begin at 1:00. 

Don Huffines is a businessman, a conservative Republican, and former Texas State Senator representing Dallas, who has a passion for grassroots activism.

While in the Texas Legislature, Don fought for open carry legislation and greater government transparency.  He brought down the corrupt 100-yr-old organization known as “Dallas County Schools”, which was responsible for stealing over $100 million from Dallas County taxpayers.

Senator Huffines is still fighting for open carry and greater government transparency, as well as gender modification, boarder security and election integrity. He believes we desperately need to bring relationship with God back into the center of our civic engagement.

Recently, Don has been using his platform to shine a light on corruption and apathy in Austin. He believes, “Texans deserve better than the degenerate mess that our State Capitol has turned into.”

Kathy Hussey, VP Programs

Star Republican Women invite you to join us for an evening of dinner and drinks at the new Bay View Restaurant and Bar, 4401 Cottonwood Dr., in Cottonwood Shores.  

The Fun begins on Wednesday, May 12^th, at 5:30 p.m. with cocktails from the cash bar serving wine, beer and mixed drinks.  Dinner at 6:30 p.m. starts with a Caesar salad followed by your entry choice of either Crispy Red Fish or Pecan Crusty Stuffed Chicken.  A delicious Crème Brûlée dessert will round out your meal. 

Dinner is $50.00 per person, which includes tax and gratuity.  This event is also the first fundraiser that Star has held in more than a year, and we will be soliciting your support for Star Republican Women at the dinner.

To make a reservation by the May 7^th deadline, please contact Marion Gardner at 830-613-9216.  Since Bay View requires payment for the meals in advance, please send your check to P.O. Box 9078, Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 to ensure the payment arrives no later than Monday, May 10^th.  As an alternative, you may drop off your payment with Marion Gardner at 412 Hi Circle West in Horseshoe Bay.

BOOK DRIVE

The book drive for the Friends of the Llano Library is complete!  Thank you to all who donated books. It way exceeded expectations; our members donated 15 boxes with books, CDs, and DVDs that were delivered to the Llano Library System.    

Photo Above:  SRW Members gather books to donate to the Llano Library System. (From left) Kathy Hussey, Sherry Olson, Barbara Derse, Debbie Lambert, Marion Gardner, Charlotte Steindorf, Denise Rives, Librarian Amber Milum and Becci Mears.

VACCINE PROJECT

Star members will be volunteering to support COVID vaccinations in partnership with the Bay Pharmacy through the month of May.  To date, we have worked one day a week for six weeks and have assisted in distribution of over 600 vaccines.  It has been so rewarding getting to know the Bay Pharmacy team, as well as to interact with people in our community.  I encourage anyone to volunteer for this critical community inoculation campaign.  Volunteer hours are on Thursdays from 8:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.  To volunteer, please text Sherry Olson at 830-596-3021. 

MEMORIAL DAY PLANNING

Planning for activities to honor and remember our fallen heroes has begun.  The specific project is still TBD and we need your help.  If you are interested or think it might be something you would like to participate in, please text me at 830-596-3021.

Sherry Olson, Caring for America Committee Chairwoman

The Hill Country is the most wonderful place to be in the Spring (well…anytime really, but especially) in spring. How beautiful the bluebonnets and wildflowers have been these last couple of months! And now we finally have spring-like weather.

Besides the beauty and climate with which we’ve been blessed, we are also fortunate to live in a part of the country and state that still believes in the values and principles our Founding Fathers incorporated into our core foundation. The grassroots efforts all across our great State of Texas are paying off in the 87^th Legislative Session. Progress is being made toward passing legislation to protect our freedoms thanks to those of you who have been diligently making phone calls and writing cards, letters and emails. Those who stayed for the “wine and work” session after the April meeting wrote many cards and we had a blast!

Your efforts are still needed to make sure the bills addressing the Legislative Priorities of the Republican Party of Texas make it to the Governor’s desk for his signature. So, keep responding when you get alerts to call or write the Representatives, Senators, Speaker Phelan, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and even the Governor. If certain bills don’t get to the Senate and House floor for a vote, they just die and Texas will be vulnerable to the liberal new administration taking away our rights.

Looking ahead to the fall (another beautiful time to be in the Hill Country) I hope you will make plans to attend the TFRW 2021 Biennial Convention October 15-16 in Round Rock at the brand-new Kalahari Resort. Registration opens May 1^st and the early bird discount (a savings of about $40) will be available until May 31^st. The Convention rate for the hotel will also be available at the time of registration.

Each TRFW federated club in Texas (162 at last count) gets 1 delegate and 1 alternate for each 10 members to represent their club at Convention. The cut-off date for determining club membership for this purpose is June 1^st.  So, we’re determined to reach our goal of 121 members by then, giving us 12 delegates and 12 alternates. Delegates to the Convention will elect officers, vote on bylaw changes, and elect our District Director in their Senate District Caucus meeting. If you are interested in being a delegate or alternate or think you might be, please let a Star RW Board member know by May 10^th (see contact information at the end of the newsletter). Delegates and Alternates will be elected at the Star RW meeting May 18^th. You don’t have to be a delegate or alternate to register for the Convention. Anyone can register as a guest and participate in all of the activities except casting a vote. COME “DAZZLE” WITH US in Round Rock October 15-16, 2021!

As always, I am so honored and privileged to serve as your Star RW president! Thank you for being so supportive.

With gratitude,

Denise Rives, SRW President​

P.S.   If you ordered and paid for books from Loren Spivack, our March speaker, I have the books.  You can call me at 432-638-7808 to arrange pick up or the books will be available for pick up at the May 17th meeting.

“121 IN 21” -- that is the membership goal that Star Republican Women is aggressively stretching toward.  

In fact, we are escalating our game to recruit 121 members before June 1^st.  That will align with the TFRW’s deadline for determining club membership for the purpose of deciding the number of delegates and alternates a club can have at convention.  

You can still help!  Bring one, two or more guests to our next meeting on Tuesday, May 18^th.  Talk to your friends, neighbors, even family.  Encourage them to experience for themselves the quality and knowledge of our speakers.  Let them interact and talk with our members.  Help them understand our love of country and enthusiasm for making the Texas GOP stronger, as well as our commitment to Keep Texas Red!

Dues are only $30 for members and $20 for associates.  Invite your guests to join.  Remember, spouses can join as associate members and attend all of our meetings.  

Click on the button below to download the membership form and recruit family and friends to become new members!

Also, if you haven't already renewed your Star Republican Women membership, please do so now!

Please bring completed membership forms & dues to our next meeting or mail to:           

       STAR Republican Women

       P.O. Box 8675

       Horseshoe Bay, TX  78657

Kathy Stahl, VP & Membership Committee Chairman​ 

Star Republican Women's Red Shoe Book Club will meet Tuesday, June 8 from 4 to 6 p.m. to discuss the book "The Four Winds," authored by Kristin Hannah.   The event will be held at the home of Denise Rives, 1015 Mountain Leather in Horseshoe Bay.

SRW Literacy Committee Chairman Kathy Hussey will lead the discussion about the book. Even if you haven't read the book, you can attend and enjoy the conversation about the book and other topics of interest to the group.  

ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the number-one bestselling author of The Nightingale comes a powerful American epic about love and heroism and hope, set during the Great Depression, a time when the country was in crisis and at war with itself, when millions were out of work and even the land seemed to have turned against them.
The Four Winds is a rich, sweeping novel that stunningly brings to life the Great Depression and the people who lived through it—the harsh realities that divided us as a nation and the enduring battle between the haves and the have-nots. A testament to hope, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to survive adversity, The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.

Kathy Hussey, Literacy Committee Chairwoman

The 87th Texas Legislature is now in session with a packed full agenda.  The new legislature started January 12 and is scheduled to end May 31.

On April 29^th, the Texas Senate voted HB1927 Constitutional Carry out of the Senate Constitutional Issues Committee.  HB1927 is now pending scheduling for the full Senate floor.  

In the United States, the phrase “constitutional carry” means someone can carry a concealed handgun without a license or permit . The term is derived from The Second Amendment to U.S. Constitution, which gives citizens  the right to bear arms . There are currently 13 constitutional carry states in the U.S. and two states with constitutional carry for residents only . Constitutional carry has  been before the Texas legislature multiple times, but there is now greater support and focus on it in the 87^th Texas legislature.  Governor Abbott has said he will sign constitution carry into law if passed by the legislature.  

After the constitutional carry bill stalled in Texas Senate, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick created a special committee that approved the measure in a late night hearing on April 29^th.  House Bill 1927 is now scheduled to go to the full Senate sometime in the week of May 3^rd.  

SB 540 has been in State Affairs Committee since March 11.  However, support has moved to passing the house bill. This legislation would approve those over 21 to carry a handgun without training or a permit if they pass a background check.  Governor Abbott and LTC Allen West are backing this bill. Democrats and some police chiefs oppose it. 

I invite all of you to do the research and let your voices be heard from the Governor on down. Plenty of postcards are still available.  Send Sara Boyd a text at 817-475-6953 to request postcards and make arrangements to pick them up. 

HB1927 would not have reached the Senate without the efforts of many, including our own Representative Andy Murr. Click on the button below to read about Rep. Murr's efforts on this issue.

After the April meeting, SRW members participated in a Wine and Work session where Kathy Stahl, Debbie Lambert, Belle Guise, Kathy Hussey and others researched priority legislation.    They wrote postcards to communicate with legislators for or against pending bills.  

This effort supports the Star Republican Women’s commitment to have our voices heard and to hold our legislators accountable for fighting for Republican priorities to preserve our conservative values,  guaranteed rights and freedoms under the Constitution.  Please join us after our May 18^th meeting for the next Wine and Work session.   

Sara Boyd, Legislation Committee Chairwoman

What a wonderful and delicious light lunch we were treated to at our April meeting!  A heartfelt THANK YOU (with many tummy rubs) the team of volunteer hostesses Kim Howz, Sherry Olson, Marion Gardner, Mary Baccus, Nelda Pope, Sara Boyd, Junell Van Horn, Dorothy Pearrow, Kim Lookabaugh, Susie Hargrove, Barbara Derse, and Becci Mears. 

Carol Ascue, Hospitality Committee Chairwoman