Republicans increasing activity in Jackson County The Jackson County GOP and the Mountain High Republican Women’s Club have scheduled several important events for the month of August into early September. Topping the list of events is the Grand Opening of the Jackson County GOP’s South Jackson County Headquarters on Saturday, August 28th. Jeff Miller, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives opposing Democrat Heath Shuler, will join the Jackson County GOP for the grand opening from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. Miller will address attendees at 10:30 am and be available for comments and questions. This event is one of a series of scheduled one day “Super Saturdays” the Miller campaign is holding every Saturday each month around the state. The Jackson County GOP South Jackson County Headquarters is located at 6 Laurel Terrace on U.S. 64 East in Cashiers. The North Jackson County Headquarters is in downtown Sylva at 482 West Main Street. Volunteers and voters are encouraged to come to either location to make phone calls for the candidates, and to pick up materials and literature for themselves, friends, and neighbors.  In addition, visitors will be able to register to vote or sign up for campaign emails and get out the vote participation. Before the Grand Opening, however, several other important events are on the calendar. The first Meet the Candidates event, organized by the Jackson County GOP on August 19th at the Cashiers Village Green, kicks off a series of similar events being planned for Webster, September 9th; Cullowhee on September 16th ; Qualla, September 30 and Sylva, October 8th. “We scheduled these events prior to the early voting dates and welcome all voters whether affiliated or unaffiliated to hear from conservative candidates,” explained Jim Mueller, Jackson GOP Vice Chair. Those expected are candidates for Distrct Judge Donna Forga, Roy Wajawickrama and Christine Earwood; Jackson County Commission candidates Doug Cody, Charles Elders and Jack Debnam; Sheriff candidate Mary Rock; NC State House candidate Dodie Allen and NC Senate candidate Jim Davis. The Jackson County GOP's Orville Coward Forum on Public Issues program featuring Retired U.S. Marine Corp General Geoff Higginbotham will be held on Monday, August 23rd, 7:00 pm at the Sapphire Resort Community Center in Sapphire. General Higginbotham's service in the military spans 33 years and includes tours in Vietnam and Desert Storm and as a commander at every level. He is a Distinguished Service Medal honoree who is now among several U.S. Generals who have been asked by the Republican National Committee to appear and be interviewed on national radio talk shows. “I am among those Generals who felt it necessary to educate the public under our nation’s present circumstances”, he stated in a recent interview. In a recent address to the Mountain High Republican Women’s Club, General Higginbotham began his remarks to the group expressing that he could speak to many areas but chose Afghanistan above the others.  His speech covered a review of the reasons for the war, a brief summary of the conditions and the culture of Afghanistan and an explanation of U.S military strategy. In his sidebars to the main subject Higginbotham described the state of our military forces in general, the Iraq War and the political influences that impact our present military needs. It is expected that the General’s topic at the Forum will be timely and varied. On Sunday, August 22nd The Mountain High Republican Women’s Club (MHRWC) and prominent golf course architect Tom Fazio will host a Wine and Cheese Fundraiser from 5:30pm -7:30 pm for Jeff Miller, at The Metz home in Pinchot off of Laurel Knob Road in Glenville. The suggested attendee donation is $50 per person and an RSVP is requested to 828 200-0437.  On September 7th the MHRWC’s monthly luncheon and meeting will be at Burlingame Country Club where the featured speaker, Tom Fetzer, NC GOP Chair, will update the group on candidate campaigns and the role of the NC GOP in the November elections. The Jeff Miller campaign has also announced the following Miller events in Western North Carolina. On Tuesday, August 24, Miller will host a ‘Fair Tax’ discussion forum at 6:00 p.m. at the Grass Roots Café in Horse Shoe, NC.  Jeff is inviting all who are interested in discussing the proposed Fair Tax legislation and hearing about his positions and opinions regarding federal taxation.  Voters and tax payers from across the 11th Congressional District are welcomed to attend but capacity is limited.  Those interested should R.S.V.P. with Regional Fair Tax director Laura McCue by emailing to laura.mccue@ncfairtax.org.  On Wednesday, August 25, Miller will host United States Senator Richard Burr for a meet and greet at the Opportunity House on Asheville Highway in Hendersonville, NC.  Doors will open at 8:00 a.m. and all North Carolina voters interested in the upcoming election are welcomed to attend.  For more details about the event, please call the Committee to Elect Jeff Miller’s Regional Field Director, Angela Moore, at (828) 776-5323.    For more information about the MHRWC and their events call President Melisa McKim at 828 200-0437.  For information about the Jackson County GOP call Ralph Slaughter, Jackson County GOP Chair at 828 586-9895 or 828 743-6491 or visit the website www.jacksoncountygop.com. To Contact the Committee to Elect Jeff Miller call or email Brian Barrett at brian@jeffmiller2010.com or 828 693-1132.
	Republican women hear high-profile North Carolina Republican   Four of the highest ranking Republicans in the state of North Carolina were enthusiastically welcomed by the Mountain High Republican Women’s Club members at their monthly meeting on August 3rd . Senator Philip E. Berger, the minority leader in the NC State Senate and therefore the leading NC Republican was the featured speaker for the group gathered at the Highlands Country Club. Traveling with Berger were Tom Fetzer, Chair of the North Carolina GOP, Senator Tom Apadoca, a well known State Senator who represents Senate District 48 that includes Buncombe, Henderson and Polk Counties and Jim Blaine, Director of the NC Republican Senate Committee all of whom had joined Berger in making, what turned out to be, a very successful fundraising swing through western North Carolina. Senator Berger, an attorney from Eden, North Carolina, represents Senate District 26 that includes Guilford and Rockingham Counties. Berger centered his remarks on November election statistics and briefly described several of the high profile state races and the issues involved concluding for his audience that Republican candidates are polling as winners in most races. Prior to Senator Berger’s address several candidates in attendance spoke to the group. Those speaking included Waynesville attorney Donna Forga who is a conservative candidate for District Judge and Jim Davis, presently serving on the Macon County Board Commissioners, the Republican candidate opposing John Snow for the NC State Senate District 50. Both candidates related the story behind their candidacy and how they reached not only the decision to run but the ways their careers and political activities led them to the place they are in today. In a brief business meeting during the luncheon, announcements included a progress report on the MHRWC’s August 22nd Jeff Miller Wine and Cheese Fundraiser to be held at the Metz home in Pinchot at Lake Glenville. Miller is the Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives opposing Democrat Heath Shuler. Information was also presented about the activities of GOP clubs in Jackson, Macon and Transylvania counties, the counties of MHRWC members. Jackson County GOP Chair Ralph Slaughter and Transylvania County GOP Chair Jim Meyer, both in attendance at the event, reminded the group that the GOP headquarters in each county are open and in need of volunteers for phoning and manning the offices. Jackson County has two office locations….one in downtown Sylva at 482 West Main Street and the newly opened satellite office at Laurel Terrace in Cashiers. The Transylvania Headquarters located at 216 Broad Street in Brevard, is presently open Monday thru Friday from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM with extended hours planned for after Labor Day The next MHRWC luncheon and meeting will be at Burlingame Country Club on Tuesday, September 7th. The featured speaker is Tom Fetzer, NC GOP Chair. For more information about the MHRWC, upcoming meetings and activities and the Jeff Miller Fundraiser call President Melisa McKim at 828 200-0437.
	Jackson County Republicans celebrate and convene Jackson County GOP members have engaged in a busy spring into summer schedule of celebration and convention. The group’s very successful Red White and Blue Gala fundraiser, held just prior to Memorial Day on May 22nd , brought in a capacity crowd all there to celebrate U.S. patriotic traditions. A sea of red white and blue balloons that filled the Great Hall of the Balsam Mountain Inn greeted GOP members, officials and their guests as they entered the historic ballroom. Previous to the main event sponsors, distinguished guests and GOP officers enjoyed a pre-event reception where they were welcomed by Uncle Sam (John Chaffee, Glenville); Abe Lincoln (Chet Damron, Sylva), Ben Franklin (John Armor, Highlands); and Martha Washington (Dodie Allen, Swain County). The featured re-enactors, representing our nation’s founders and historic presidents, continued to play to the historic theme as they circulated throughout the crowd during the evening. Each re-enactor also took the stage during the dinner for an in-character soliloquy. A notable number of candidates who are running for elected office in the district were in attendance and each addressed the crowd. They included top of the ticket contender Jeff Miller, Republican challenger for the U.S. House seat presently held by Heath Shuler; NC State House entrant, Dodie Allen; Jackson County Commission candidates Doug Cody and Charles Elders; Independent candidate for Jackson County Sheriff, Mary Rock and Judgeship candidates Christine Earwood, Donna Forga and Roy Wijewickrama. The evening’s fundraising highlight, a Patriotic Auction, increased the record amount of proceeds raised at the event. Auctioneer Allen directed the auction where the highest bidders walked away with historic posters, art and other significant U. S themed items. The successful evening concluded with a Grand Raffle with multiple lucky winners claiming items ranging from local restaurant dinners to floral arrangements. All raffle items were donated by various businesses throughout the County. Event sponsors included Historic Presidential: Jim Nichols, Cashiers; Historic Founder: Nancy and Orville Coward, Sylva; Joy and Lambert Hooper, Sylva; James Hooper, Whittier; Shirley and Ralph Slaughter, Cashiers; Grace and Jim Mueller, Glenville; Hosts: Kim and Bill Coward, Cashiers; Carol and Bill Adams, Glenville and the Mountain High Republican Women’s Club. Members of The Red, White and Blue Gala Committee were Co-chairs, Dodie Allen and Carol Adams, Glenville; Treasurer, Phyllis Fox, Sylva; Sponsors Chair, MelisaMcKim, Cashiers; Candidate & GOP Liason, Ralph Slaughter, Cashiers; Decorations, Jeannie Salyer, Whittier; Raffle Solicitations, Jim Mueller and Gregory Hirsh, Cullowhee; Raffle Co-ordinator, Carol Odom, Glenville; Grace Mueller and Shirley Slaughter. Jim Mueller is overall Jackson County GOP Fundraising Chair. On June 4-6 a sizeable contingent of delegates from Jackson County, led by Chair Ralph Slaughter of Cashiers and Jim Mueller, Vice Chair, attended the 2010 North Carolina GOP State Convention in Winston-Salem. State attendance rolls show that this delegation represented a record for the number of convention delegates from Jackson County. Among the delegates attending from the local GOP Executive Committee were Members at Large Carol Odom, Glenville; and Nancy Coward, Sylva; Treasurer Judy Milkey, Sylva. The conventioneers heard featured speeches by Senator Richard Burr, state ticket leader; NCGOP Chairman Tom Fetzer; Pat McCrory, 2008 Repubican gubernatorial candidate, and guest speaker syndicated talk show host Herman Cain.   All speakers addressed topics in their areas of expertise and responsibilities while Cain inspired the audience to persist in holding conservative values. Burr, who spoke at several convention functions, ably informed the audience of Congressional and National political facts and figures. Joe the Plumber filled the bill in the celebrity attendance category Business meetings teamed with training sessions and social events rounded out the convention activities. Convention and Gala highlights will top the agenda at the Jackson County GOP meeting on Monday, June 28, 7:00 PM at Ryans in Sylva. All members and prospective members are encouraged to attend. For additional information please call Jackson County GOP Chair, Ralph Slaughter at 828 586-9895 or 828 743-6491 or visit the organization’s website www.jacksoncountygop.com.
	Jackson County Republican Party©, Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. Revised:  August 18, 2010.