GOP women’s club holds meeting

Published 9:03 pm Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The Republican Women of Chilton County met Tuesday night at Shoney’s in Clanton.  President Patsy Carroll opened the meeting up with prayer, then led the Pledge of Allegiance.

After their business meeting, Carroll introduced guest speaker Elois Zeanah, president of the Alabama Federation of Republican Women. She is a member of the State Executive Committee and has served as secretary of the Alabama Republican Party 6th District and of the GOP Tuscaloosa County Executive Committee.

Pictured are (front row): Terri Connell, Pat Hayes, Lisa Brown, AFRW President Elois Zeanah, RWCC President Patsy Carroll, outgoing Secretary Savannah James; (second row): Dorothy Messer, Marguerite Holly, Monica Cooper, Treasurer Connie Wallace, Vice President JoAnn Averett, Stephanie Gibson and Paula Hoffman.

In September 2007, Elois was appointed by then Gov. Bob Riley as a commissioner to the Alabama’s Patriotic Immigration Panel.  Elois has also been active in non-partisan organizations and received the West Alabama Distinctive Woman of the Year Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2009.   Her favorite non-political pastimes are leading student tours as a docent at the Warner Museum of Young American Art and writing for her blog “voice for voters.”

The Officers for 2011 are (President) Patsy Carroll, (Vice President) JoAnn Averett, (Secretary) Antoinette Sadler and (Treasurer) Connie Wallace.  The officers were installed by AFRW President Zeanah, with a candle ceremony and a celebration of Republican core values.

Carroll said she is looking forward to working with the new officers.  This is the club’s second year, with three women joining, which makes a total of 32 members.

“We have some major challenges ahead of us,” Carroll said.

The club’s next meeting will be March 15 at Shoney’s at 6 p.m. For more information, call Carroll at 205-688-3144.