Our next Central Committee Meeting will be Tuesday, September 22, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM.  Our meeting location will beat the Northwest Community Center located at 5110 Franklin Avenue in Des Moines.  Here’s a map:

Our Agenda for the evening:

1. Pledge of Allegiance
2. Guest Speakers- Kim Lehman, Iowa National Committeewoman for the Republican National Committee
3. Order of Business
4. Review & Approve Minutes – August 25th, 2009 (5m)
5. Receive Treasurer’s Report  (5m)
6. Executive Committee Report (10m)
7. Review and confirm new Executive Committee appointments.  (5m)
8. Review and confirm changes to the Central Committee. (5m)
9. Polk County Republicans activities since last CC meeting. (5m)
10. Committee Reports on Strategic Action Plan (40m)
11. Introduce Central Committee Fall Training Plan (15m)
12. Open Discussion & Wrap Up (10m)

After the Meeting: House District Directors and CC Members – Get to know each other

We look forward to seeing you on September 22!

Coming up on September 12, 2009 at 5:30p come out to eat some pork (not the type from Washington, but from the farm) and hear from 2010 Iowa Gubernatorial Race candidates at the Ag Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.  The cost of a ticket is $25 and the proceeds go to Iowa Family Policy Center Action.

IFPC Action was actively engaged in the 2008 elections where they helped several family-friendly candidates become lawmakers (one example Representative Kent Sorenson of Indianola who unseated a long-time incumbent).  IFPC Action was also involved in working with and lobbying the Iowa Legislature during the last General Assembly.  They are also tirelessly working to defend marriage in Iowa.

Candidates who have been invited: Senator Jerry Behn, Senate Minority Leader Paul McKinley, Governor Chet Culver, Representative Christopher Rants, Christian Fong, Representative Rod Roberts and Bob Vander Plaats.  So far Behn, Rants, Fong, Roberts, and Vander Plaats have confirmed their attendance.

So come out to enjoy BBQ from Kansas City BBQ and get to hear from the different candidates who attend.  You can purchase your ticket online here.

Source: Caffeinated Thoughts (republished with permission)

We have the public event schedules for August (at least what has been planned so far) for Leonard Boswell, Tom Harkin and Chuck Grassley.

We encourage everyone to take the time to attend one or more of these events and let your representatives in Congress know where you stand on the issues of today, particularly the Health Care Bill.  They need to hear from us loud and clear.

Here are the public schedules as they exist today (August 9):

Tom Harkin:

Saturday, August 8th – 2:00 P.M.
Des Moines Primary Health Care, Inc.
1200 University Avenue
Des Moines

Sunday, August 9th – Noon
Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new Job Corps Center with Labor Secretary Solis
Industrial Airport Complex
Ottumwa

Monday, August 10th – 9:15 A.M.
Peoples Community Health Center
905 Franklin Street
Waterloo

Monday, August 10th – 11:30 A.M.
Grand Opening of Linn Community Care Center
1201 3rd Avenue SE
Cedar Rapids

Monday, August 10th – 2:00 P.M
American Legion Post #17 (Medal Presentations)
3016 Muscatine Avenue
Iowa City

Tuesday, August 11th – 9:00 A.M.
Eastern Iowa Community College’s Nursing Program
500 Belmont Road
Bettendorf

Tuesday, August 11th – 2:00 P.M
Center for Active Seniors Inc. Center (Medal Presentations)
1035 W. Kimberly
Davenport

Wednesday, August 12th – 10:30 A.M.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for United Community Health Center
630 Ontario Street
Storm Lake

Wednesday, August 12th – 1:30 P.M.
Ft. Dodge Community Health Center
126 N 10th Street
Ft. Dodge

Wednesday, August 12th – 3:30 P.M.
Main Street Tour
602 Broad Street
Story City

Thursday, August 13th – 9:00 A.M.
Iowa State Fair
State Fairgrounds
Des Moines

Thursday, August 13th – 5:45 P.M.
Main Street Tour
7 North Federal Avenue
Mason City

Friday, August 14th – 9:00 A.M.
North Iowa Area Community College
500 College Drive
104 H McAllister Hall
Mason City

Leonard Boswell:

Wednesday August 5th, 9:30 AM
Senior Center, Knoxville
Topic: Energy

Friday August 7th , 1:30 PM
City Hall, Chariton
Topic: SBA

Wednesday August 12, 1:00 PM
SE 14th Street and E Indianola Ave
SE Corner of Parking Lot
Des Moines
Topic: Groundbreaking of street widening project

Wednesday August 12, 2:00 PM
2109 32nd Street
Des Moines
Topic: First Time Home Buyers

Wednesday August 12, 6:30 PM
State Fair Parade
Des Moines

Thursday August 13, 9:30 AM
Location TBA
Polk City
Topic: Small Business

Thursday August 13, 2:00 PM
Public Library
720 East Jackson Street
Sigourney
Topic: “Listening Post” on Health Care

Friday August 14, 8:30 AM
Horizon Elementary
5905 NW 100^th Street
Johnston
Topic: Boy Scout Project Visit

Friday August 14, 2:00 PM
609 High Street
Grinnell
Topic: First Time Home Buyers

Chuck Grassley:

Madison County Town Hall Meeting
Wednesday August 12, 2009 9:15 – 10:15 AM
Winterset Public Library
123 North 2nd Street
Winterset

Union County Town Hall Meeting
Wednesday August 12, 2009 11:15 – 12:15 PM
Afton City Hall
Council Chambers
115 East Kansas Street
Afton

Guthrie County Town Hall Meeting
Wednesday August 12, 2009 2:30 – 3:30 PM
Panora Community Center
115 West Main Street
Panora

Dallas County Town Hall Meeting
Wednesday August 12, 2009 4:30 – 5:30 PM
Adel Public Library
Meeting Room
303 South 10th Street
Adel

Humboldt County Town Hall Meeting
Monday August 24, 2009 9:00 – 10:00 AM
Rustix Restaurant
716 Sumner Avenue
Humboldt

Palo Alto County Town Hall Meeting
Monday August 24, 2009 11:30 – 12:30 PM
Ruthven Social Center
1503 Rolling Street
Ruthven

Pocahontas County Town Hall Meeting
Monday August 24, 2009 2:00 – 3:00 PM
Pocahontas Public Library
Community Room
14 2nd Avenue NW
Pocahontas

Calhoun County Town Hall Meeting
Monday August 24, 2009 4:15 – 5:15 PM
Rockwell City Community Center on the Square
424 Main Street
Rockwell City

Roundtable Discussion with Auto Dealers*
Wednesday August 26, 2009 8:15 – 9:15 AM
Knoefpler Chevrolet
100 Jackson Street
Sioux City

*Senator Grassley is a guest of Knoefpler Chevrolet. Please contact them with any questions about availability during this meeting.

Plymouth County Town Hall Meeting
Wednesday August 26, 2009 10:15 – 11:15 AM
Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor
24 5th Avenue NW
Business 75 and Highway 3
Le Mars

With a capital "P" that stands for "Polk" and that that stands for "Polk City Parade"!!

Please join Representative Erik Helland in the Polk City “Four Seasons” Festival parade this Saturday, July 25 in Polk City.  As part of their city celebration, the parade begins at 10:00 a.m.

Line up is along Parker Boulevard in Polk City and if you can, please wear red shirts.  Due to the summer vacation schedule of many volunteers, Erik would appreciate all the walkers he can gather.

You can just show up or RSVP on Facebook.

Rogers and Hammerstein got the lyrics right. Our Iowa State Fair IS the best State Fair in the land. It is also the perfect opportunity to meet literally thousands of citizens during the 10-day run of the Fair (August 13-23, 2009).

You can help Polk County GOP get out our message to “Rally, Recruit, Register, Retain and Elect Republicans”! As an added bonus you will be helping the Republican Party of Iowa at the same time.

Volunteers are needed to staff the GOP Booth in the Varied Industries building throughout the run of the fair. There are three shifts a day, each consisting of four hours, which pass very quickly when you are speaking to visitors!

Shift Hours are:

• 9am-1pm
• 1pm-5pm
• 5pm-9pm

Anyone signing up for a shift receives an entry ticket into the Fair for the entire day. Two individuals are needed for each shift.

Volunteers will be slotted on a first-come, first-serve basis, please e-mail Lynn McRoberts at lmmcroberts@gmail.com or call 913-226-9143 to volunteer.

We will be walking or riding on the Polk County GOP float for the West Des Moines and Urbandale Fourth of July parades.  If you can join us, here are the details:

WEST DES MOINES PARADE FRIDAY, JULY 3rd

• We will meet as a group at Western Hills Elementary (600 39th Street) at 4:45 pm.
• Even if you aren’t able to meet at 4:45pm, feel free to join us.
• Parade starts at 6:30pm. You need to get to Valley HS by 6:15p, but the sooner the better.
• There is parking at Valley High School on the northwest side just off Valley West. Park in the lot there and then walk over to the staging area.
• Polk GOP is in the red staging area just off Woodland north of the school.
• We will have Polk GOP t-shirts for everyone to wear and candy to pass out.
• Also, we have a trailer and water, so don’t worry about the length of the parade, you will be able to ride the float if you need a break.

URBANDALE PARADE, SATURDAY, JULY 4th

• Parade starts at 10:00am
• We are entry #63- line up at Roseland Dr and 70^th Street in Urbandale by 9:30 am.
• 70^th Street will be shut-down after 9am between Douglas and Urbandale. Please plan accordingly
• Again, we will have t-shirts and candy to pass out.

For more information please contact Lynn McRoberts at: 913-226-9143 or lmmcroberts@gmail.com (email is best during the work day).

The Republican Party of Iowa hosted Night of the Rising Stars last night at the Hoyt-Sherman Place.  Over $100,000 was raised last night for the party, and those who attended were introduced to rising stars within our party who are currently serving in the Iowa General Assembly.

The night was capped off with a keynote address given by Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour.  People were encouraged to tweet during the event and you can see those “tweets” here.  You can also read the Des Moines Register’s coverage here.

Here are some pictures of the evening:

On Right: Representative Chris Hagenow

Representative Peter Cownie

On left: Representative Erik Helland

Representative Kevin Koester

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour

You can see more photos here.

You can also check out a slideshow that was put together by Bob Vander Plaats:

American flags, fireworks, barbeques and, of course, parades! These are all staples of the great American holiday. Polk County GOP needs all the walkers we can recruit to join us for two high-profile parades.

Friday, July 3rd – West Des Moines

Thousands of opportunities to show parade watchers we are proud of our founders, our country and our party.

Line up is at Valley High School and the parade route ends at Valley Junction.  Please be at the high school by 6:15p.  This is a large parade so we need to have everybody in place by the parade start time of 6:30p.

And don’t worry about the length of the parade.  We have that covered, too!  There is room for several people to ride on the float trailer so we can each take a break.  Water for essential (and required!) hydration will also be provided by Polk County GOP.

Saturday, July 4th – Urbandale

Kick off Independence Day meeting crowds of citizens who are just there to celebrate the very freedom the Polk GOP is promoting. There will be plenty of time for you to enjoy a picnic or BBQ after the parade.

Parade time is 10:00a so please be at the Old City Hall not later than 9:50a.  The Old City Hall in Urbandale is located at 3315 70th Street.

For more information on either of these parades, please call Lynn McRoberts at 913-226-9143 or email at lmmcroberts@gmail.com.

June 20, 2009: A nice warm sunny day, the Polk County GOP float is in position number 14 behind State Representative Erik Helland and in front of State Senator Larry Noble.  Marching with Republicans were: Lynn McRoberts (Polk GOP Parade Coordinator and Volunteer Chair), John Bloom (Polk GOP Chair), David & Katie Stout, Kristen Eklov, JoEllen Arthur, Brad Boustead, Joseph Heuertz, Mike Cook, Sarah Cutshall and Art Smith.

Thanks to all who participated and created the great float!  Photo below is of the float and most of the group that marched (David, Lynn and Brad weren’t present for the group photo).  Click on the photo to see the complete set of Polk County GOP photos from the parade!

2009 was the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln and the Polk County Republicans are proudly commemorating the life and legacy of this great leader.

We invite you to join other active Polk County Republicans walking in the Johnston Green Days Parade this Saturday, June 20th. Please arrive by 9:45am so we can get everyone assigned to a task. 

Line-up is along South Drive behind Pioneer (7000 NW 62nd Ave). Enter the parade line up area off 62nd Avenue onto South Drive. We are entry number 14… look for the big elephant and group of people in red T-shirts!  Red GOP t-shirts will be provided for each walker.

The parade is 1.2 miles long, so please wear comfortable shoes.
For more information, please contact:

Lynn McRoberts
email: lmmcroberts@gmail.com
phone: 913-226-9143