May 2023 KARW Roundup Newsletter

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President's Message

Welcome to summer KARW! What a great year we’ve had so far. We had many wonderful candidates and speakers through May. Thank you to our wonderful First Vice President/Programs, Kathleen Jordan. And many wonderful activities, thank you to our wonderful Board and Executive Committee. Look for information and photos on our website and Facebook page.

I also wanted to congratulation all May graduates, we wish each of you a wonderful summer and a bright future.

Our May general meeting brought us great information on surviving an active shooter. Stephen Daniel, Senior Community Liason, Public Affairs with the Houston Police Department, presented to us pointers on surviving a shooter incident. You can read more about it in our review of the meeting on our website. The one comment that spoke to me was “We cannot control the situations which come to us in life. We can only choose how to respond to them.” Mr. Daniel provided tips on staying alert and safe as we go about our daily activities. In line with that thinking, our great God has provided to us His instructions on how to survive in this world through his words in the Bible:

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2Timothy 1:7

“You are secure in Me. You are held strong by My protection overhead though the storms of life may surround you. The winds can blow, the rains can beat down hard, the times may look dark, but My Presence surrounds and I am greater than the storm.”

As we recognize that we cannot control the situation, let us choose to respond by turning to the one who is in control, our great God. And let us pray for one another throughout the summer. We will be scheduling activities for June, July and August, and we will let you know of them very soon.

Please check your emails often, as we will be sending you updates on what’s going on with our Texas legislative activities, as well as community and national events. Have a great summer knowing God wants you to be your very best and cares about everything in your life. Let’s keep praying for our community, state and nation.

Joyce Chambers

President

Kingwood Area Republican Women

General Meeting Recap

Kingwood Area Republican Women hosted an active shooter training lecture on Thursday, May 18, 2023, for the General Meeting at Tin Roof BBQ. Stephen Daniel, Senior Community Liaison Public Relations for the Houston Police Department was the presenter.

We live in a time when senseless killing has become all too common. The focus on this presentation was the question of: “If you are the victim of an active shooter, will you know what to do?” Mr. Daniel reviewed a wide range of information that included: kinds of shooters, history of active shooters in Texas, survival mindsets, preparedness, and reacting to the situation. A riveting video reenactment, entitled Excursion by Dr. Stuart Bender, was shown to illustrate the survival mindset.

The most important preparation he stressed was to know all your exits and to have an escape route and a plan in mind when you are at venues such as the mall, church, auditoriums, schools, and theaters. He added that being trained in first aid is important especially if you were ever needed to render aid.

A pamphlet of information was distributed that reviewed key elements of Mr. Daniel’s presentation. He also included helpful phone numbers: Tip Line (school shooters) 713-222-TIPS, HPD Mental Health Unit 832-394-4200, and I Watch Houston 855-492-8244.

“We cannot control the situations which come to us in life. We can only choose how to respond to them”. –Mother of a Sandy Hook victim

KARW 2024 Fundraising Event-
The Texas Roundup

The Ways and Means Fundraising Committee has announced a new and exciting fundraising event for 2024. For the last number of years, KARW has hosted a biannual Mardi Gras as our major fundraising event. Over the past few years other local clubs and organizations have jumped on our bandwagon and hosted their own Mardi Gras celebrations in the same month. The Ways and Means/Fundraising Committee has been meeting for months to decide on a departure from the old and to bring something new to KARW. After much debate and careful research, it has been announced that KARW will host “The Texas Roundup” in celebration of Texas Independence Day.

The Texas Roundup fundraiser will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at The Barn at Four Pines in Crosby. The event will feature a live and silent auction, DJ with country line dancing, cigar rolling, whiskey tasting, professional photo, exciting games, bull riding machine, a delicious bar-be-que buffet, and an open bar! Yee Haw!

Look for a “save the date” card coming soon with more information and ticket prices.

Legislative Update

Members, please refer to our website for the complete and detailed Legislative Update complied by our Legislative Chair, Pat Morlen. The full Legislative Update can be found on our website along with monthly updates. These updates provide critical information and action you can take. Included in this month’s update is a timeline of the legislative sessions regarding the current bills.

KARW Needs You

KARW encourages members to consider submitting their name for nomination for the 2024 KARW Executive Board. Several of our board members will have reached their term limit by the end of this year. Our Nominating Committee will be formed and will begin seeking candidates this May. Please consider taking on one of these important positions in KARW. We encourage you to speak to board members to understand the duties of each position and to determine if it would be a good fit for you.

Campaign Activities

Campaign and Legislative Committee meets once a month. All members are briefed and given a synopsis of upcoming legislature and how it will impact our lives. We also discuss any needs or issues that are brought to our attention from Republican candidates. We partner with them to understand how we can best support them in their efforts to get elected. Please reach out to Pat Morlen at LEGISLATIVE@KARW.ORG if you are interested in joining this important committee.