SHEFFIELD — Susanne Pugh, president of the Colbert County Republican Women's Club (CCRWC), is all about spurring growth and being a known commodity within the Shoals community.
The latest iteration of the CCRWC, which is a charter member of the Alabama Federation of Republican Women and the National Federation of Republican Women, has been its strongest, with an increase in momentum over the past year. Over the past three years, the group has expanded from 10 members to 32, and this increase has facilitated a move from a small community restaurant to a larger community space.
CCRWC's April 16 monthly meeting was hosted in that new space: The Logan Room in Sheffield. This event space creates opportunities not only for group expansion but also for better conversation and member and guest interaction. The featured speakers were Kreg Kennedy, the senior field representative for U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville), who spoke about Aderholt's work for Alabama within the state and D.C., and local journalist Jennifer Oliver O'Connell, who spoke about the importance of community engagement and staying politically informed.
CCRWC's mission is to bring together patriotic women to promote Republican and conservative social and fiscal values. The new board was voted on in January, and they have some ambitious goals for the year. One of those goals is for members to regularly attend the city council and county commission meetings in order to remain knowledgeable about the needs and concerns of Cherokee, Leighton, Littleville, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, Tuscumbia and the surrounding enclaves. Part of that visibility is also to increase awareness of CCRWC's presence in the county.
"In order for us to grow our group, we need to put our hand out," Pugh said. "We need to really speak out and tell them who we are, where we meet, and when we meet."
Treasurer Karen Kent also views attending council and commission meetings as not just a civic responsibility, but a way to keep elected representatives accountable.
"I think that it's really important," Kent said. "They need to know that we're watching them and we're listening to what they say. If someone gets in office and has promised one thing and does another, we're going to call them out."
Accountability does not just start after elections, but through the vetting process when choosing elected representatives. With the upcoming August mayoral and council elections, CCRWC is working on plans to bring more exposure and visibility to those seeking to run for office.
The CCRWC monthly meeting schedule alternates between dinner and lunch gatherings, and the speakers include elected officials, political staff, community leaders, and civic organizations. The monthly meetings are free to all (even men), with the option to eat dinner (or lunch) for a nominal fee.
To find out more about the CCRWC and their meetings, visit their Facebook Page here or the CCRWC website here.
Jennifer Oliver O'Connell, As the Girl Turns, is an investigative journalist, author, opinion analyst, and contributor to 1819 News, Redstate, and other publications. Jennifer writes on Politics and Pop Culture, with occasional detours into Reinvention, Yoga, and Food. You can read more about Jennifer's world at her As the Girl Turns website. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Telegram.
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