Abe Lincoln visits Jackson County Republicans Abe Lincoln surprised The Jackson County Republican Organization members during their May monthly meeting on May 18th   at Republican Headquarters.  President Lincoln, portrayed by Chester H Damron, a Lincoln impressionist from Michigan, sauntered in early in the business session and was introduced and welcomed immediately by Chair Dodie Allen.   Mr. Lincoln delivered an inspirational speech reminding members that Abe Lincoln was a Republican president who set the stage for many future Republican tenets. Damron as Lincoln offered several memorable Lincoln quotes during his address such as “Character is like a tree and reputation is like its shadow” and “Nearly all men can stand adversity but if you want to test a man’s character give him power.” Since Damron planned to remain in Jackson County for several weeks, Jackson GOP members promptly booked him for school appearances and as the greeter at the following week’s Republican fundraiser Jukin’ at the Diner to be held at Burlingame Country Club. Mr. Damron’s appearance was courtesy of his long time friends Mel and Jane Brethaur of Sylva.  He appears at events, schools and organizations throughout the country and in 2006 was voted the “Best Abe Lincoln”.  More information about Chester H. Damron as Abe Lincoln may be found on his website is www.yourstoryhour.org.

Jackson County Republican Organization members ready American flags for distribution on July 4th in Sylva and Cashiers.   From L to R: Shirley Slaughter, Cashiers; Judy Milkey, Sylva; Jim Mueller, 2nd Vice Chr., Glenville; Trista Artman, Cullowhee.

South Jackson Precinct Meeting Draws a Diverse Crowd As attendees signed in to the Cashiers, Glenville and Mountain precinct meeting at Albert Carlton Library on Thursday evening August 20th, organizers became aware they had attracted voters from all voter categories.  Committed Republicans, some new to the area, made up the bulk of the crowd but unaffiliated voters and some Democrats filled out the numbers.  Mistress of Ceremony Carol Adams, Communications Chair for the Jackson County GOP, welcomed the audience and introduced all participants and speakers with a brief bio for each.  After the invocation offered by life-long Cashiers resident Larry Moss, Steve Foster led the group in the Pledge to the Flag.  Each of the speakers that followed touched on different subjects.  Nelson Bumgarner, a former Democratic Party Chair, related his thought process in changing to unaffiliated voter while Mike Clampitt, GOP Chair in Swain County, using a recitation of the principles of the Republican Party, spelled out the good reasons for voters to join the Republican Party.   Explaining the nuts and bolts of the Jackson County GOP Organization fell to Adams, 1st Vice Chair Ralph Slaughter, 2nd Vice Chair Jim Mueller and Cashiers Precinct Chair Jim Nichols.  All four are active members of the Jackson County GOP and appealed to attendees for volunteers and help in bringing others to the next precinct meetings.  Slaughter noted the availability of hand-outs including a list of national, state and county elected officials and their contact information as well as notices of upcoming events like the Concerned Citizens Opportunity to be held on August 30th at Poteet Park in Sylva and the TEA Party Express to Washington DC on September 12th.  Mueller revisited the successful May fundraiser held at the Burlingame Country Club and enumerated the future fundraiser events planned in other precincts throughout the County.  Nichols urged the crowd to get involved and then made his first public announcement that he intends to run for the Jackson County School Board this year. The final two speakers former Florida Congressman E. Clay Shaw and former Alabama Congressman Jack Edwards were enthusiastically received by the group because they presented an entirely different perspective.  Both Congressman spoke of the seriousness of the present issues before Congress and Edwards emphasized that the intense partisanship in Congress during recent years does not bring about the compromises needed to formulate laws for the good of the country and it’s citizens. In a lively question and answer discussion following the speakers, attendees expressed their grave concerns about excessive government spending and the present health care reform plan now being debated in Congress. Additional information about the Jackson County Republican Organization including contact numbers for Slaughter, Mueller, Adams and all other officers can be found at www.jacksoncountygop.com or by calling Dodie Allen, GOP Chair at Headquarters 828 586-9895.  The Headquarters is located at 482 West Main Street in Downtown Sylva.