POCATELLO — About 60 people turned out at a luncheon meeting for the recently formed Southeast Idaho Republican Women.
Organizer Stacy Satterfield said many members are former Bannock County Republican Women, which re-formed last October.
“We’re here to support Republican ideals and help our elected officials,” Satterfield said.
Satterfield started the group because she was concerned that her generation wasn’t concerned about the direction the country is going.
Kitty Kunz, president of the Idaho Federation of Republican Women, was the guest speaker during the April 15 meeting.
Kunz, a former president of Bannock County Republican Women, said groups like the Southeast Idaho Republican Women are vital to expanding the Republican Party and the role of women in it. Kunz noted that Idaho was the fourth state in the nation to open polls to women.
The group’s two main objectives are to provide information and foster loyalty to the Republican Party.
The Idaho Federation of Republican Women is comprised of 18 clubs and two districts.
The National Federation of Republican Women was founded in Chicago in 1938.
Kunz said Idaho’s expansive terrain made it difficult to maintain contact among clubs, and the state did not have enough fully organized clubs to make federation possible until 1943.
The Nez Perce County Republican Women’s Club was established on April 29, 1943, and the Idaho Federation of Republican Women was founded the next year.
Hazel Stone Shook, of Lewiston, was the Idaho Federation of Republican Women founding president and was also a native of Pocatello.
Kunz said there are currently 60 Republican women’s group in Idaho.
Idaho Rep. Kelley Packer, a longtime member of the Bannock County Republican Women, said she joined the new group shortly after it was formed last year.
“This group is more supportive and less combative,” Packer said. “We are more inclusive, rather than exclusive. That’s what I wanted.”
Packer said tea party backlash brought about a movement that accused some Republicans of not being conservative enough for the party or the state. Coupled with the group’s refusal to share leadership or move forward, 2014 resulted in the exit of many Bannock County Republican Women.
“True conservatism is not ignoring a problem and just saying, ‘No,’” Packer said. “It’s finding a way to address a problem with minimal impact.”
Both Kunz and Packer said there is currently a move toward Republican values both across Idaho and around the nation.
“We want the party to be inclusive of everyone that shares our values and our goals,” Packer said.
Women of any political affiliation are invited to attend the group’s monthly meetings held at 11:30 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at the Leavitt Center. Membership fees are $25 a year, with half of that money going to the state’s group. The remaining funds help purchase lunches for the monthly meetings.
(1) comment
A little clarification needs to be made about the above article.
Kelley Packer was a paid up member of the Bannock County Republican Women for only 2 years. She rarely attended meetings and gave little support to the many youth projects, such as the Annual Summer Constitution Day Camp, or the Annual Constitution Week Essay contest for the local schools grades 4 - 12. Kelley Packer never participated in the many Movie Night fund raisers that the Bannock County Republican Women had monthly. She showed a distinct lack of interest in teaching Constitution truth to school children.
As to being combative - Kelley Packer and her gang attempted a hostile take-over of the Bannock County Republican Women's Club in October of 2014 while the Vice President was away on business, but a halt was placed on their attempt. They were informed by current members in attendance that the elections were scheduled for January and that their "planned takeover" was not allowed by the Club's By-Laws.
The Bannock County Republican Women is a very active club. We have earned Recognition through an Award of Excellence from the National Association of Republican Women for all of our hard work with both Constitution Day Camp and raising funds for girls to be able to go to Boise for an immersion course in study of the The Constitutional representative republican from of government.
Our Club's stated goal is to educate our youth in the proper roll of government and prepare them to be Political and fiscal Conservatives, no matter the party label they choose to wear, Republican, Independent, Democrat, or any other party.
Perhaps Kelley Packer should look at her records before she makes statements like that. Further, it has been made clear that there is no place for us in the Kelley Packer / Stacy Satterfield Republican Women's Club.
While they busy themselves patting each other on the back, we will be out teaching the Constitution to receptive young minds, providing a way for the local School Districts, Private Schools, Home Schools, and Charter Schools to fulfill their federal obligation to teach the Constitution in a meaningful way during Constitution Week by the Constitution Essay Contest with cash prizes for winners. Kelley Packer has stated the goals of their club. We wish them well.
The Summer Constitution Day Camp for this year will be June 15 - 19. We will once again put on our annual Musical "Take You Hat Off When The Flag Goes By". The cost is minimal and the children learn a lot as they have lots of fun.
Welcome to the discussion.
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