HISTORY of the National Federation of Republican Women and the California Federation of Republican Women
The story of Republican women's clubs begins many years before women even had the right to vote. Inspired by the Republican Platform of 1872, which said:The Republican Party is mindful of its obligation to the loyal women of America for their noble devotion to the cause of freedom. Republican women's clubs were off and running. In fact, the oldest such club on record was founded in Salt Lake City in the late 1800s. Hundreds of independent Republican women's clubs grew up around the nation in the years that followed. The Los Angeles Republican Study Club, under the leadership of Florence Porter, became a model for other cities and led to the formation of the California Federation of Republican Women in 1925. In 1938 Marion Martin, assistant chairman of the Republican National Committee, called a meeting at the Palmer House in Chicago to organize these clubs into a national organization. California was one of the eleven charter states of NFRW, along with Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The delegates adopted rules governing the establishment of National Federation of Republican Women's Clubs. In its earliest days NFRW was a lobbying group. Today, the NFRW consists of approximately 100,000 members in about 1,825 local clubs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands. The goals of those women who met in Chicago in 1938 continue to be the goals of the NFRW today B to encourage women's participation in the governing of our nation, to elect Republicans to office at all levels, and to promote public awareness of the issues that shape America.
Thirty-three national conventions have been held in cities across the nation, with a wide range of attendees, including U.S. presidents and first ladies. Programs such as NFRW's campaign management schools, women candidate seminars, and polling schools have trained literally thousands of Republican women and men to help elect GOP candidates.
Communities throughout the nation have benefited from numerous volunteer services provided at national, state and local levels. Millions of American women, ages 19 to 90, have helped shape our nation through wartime and peace, through depression and prosperity, through good times and bad.
WOMEN OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN ARE NOT LIVING HISTORYY WE ARE MAKING IT!
The Club was first founded with a Charter for 10 members in May of 1960. The first President was Mrs. Ethel Capstaff and one of the founding members was Mrs. Mary Putnam Henck, the namesake of our Middle School.
Because we represent all of the small communities from Crestline through Running Springs in 1986 we secured a second Charter to reflect our name change (which the members had approved) to Lake Arrowhead Communities Republican Women, Federated. At that time Nancy Forney was our President and Rosemary DeVito was 3rd VP/Membership Chair.
We are a part of the San Bernardino Republican Women, Federated, Southern Division of California Federation and the National Federation./p>
The objective of our members remains the same as when the Federation was founded in 1938. To promote, inform and educate the public through political education and activity; increase effectiveness of women in the cause of good government; cooperate with the Republican State and County Central Committees for the election of Republican nominees; foster loyalty to the Republican Party and promote its principles and candidates in all elections including those that are non-partisan".
Respectfully submitted.
Past member Rosemary DeVito