Ottawa County Republicans' Newsletter
February 1, 2024 7:1
Editor's Preamble: Hello and welcome to the February edition of our Newsletter! It is time to VOTE for the Presidential nominee of the Republican Party on February 27th! In the short term however, we want to remind you again who your local Party is as well, along with some of the important principles we stand for.
The OCRP isn't just a Political Party. The Ottawa County Republican Party is a way of life. We are a local Party for future generations. We have a long vision for our County that includes keeping children safe and allowing them to be exactly who they were created to be: children. That means safe from crime, safe from schools that seek to indoctrinate them, and safe from outside forces that are motivated to remove parental rights. Protecting children is a core value, as well as protecting the rights of families, the unborn, business owners, the legal owners of firearms and keeping Ottawa County free from tyrannical practices. This is the mission of the Ottawa County Republican Party.
As you read it, please also remember that we need partners to keep Ottawa strong, protected and free. Your donation helps us run the best, conservative candidates with the highest constitutional ethics for offices, such as Sheriff, Prosecutor, County Treasurer as well as individuals for the Board of Commissioners. *These offices are what makes the difference between a free Ottawa and a tyrannical Ottawa.
We are committed to a free Ottawa.
In our Events section down below, you will see an upcoming opportunity to meet and directly hear from Republican candidates. Please attend the Lincoln Day Dinner on April 18, 2024. *We are here to serve Ottawa County Republicans.
Please also consider a donation to help us run candidates for office with the highest constitutional ethics here in Ottawa County.
Thank you and enjoy!
OCRP NEWS
Do you know what? We think that you, the Ottawa County Republican audience is smart enough to know what this picture means, so we don't even HAVE to give you a headline!!
And so it is that we shall talk about it, because let's face it: we're guessing you've heard headlines about a "Fractured" Republican Party.
Please listen to this recent [below] interview with Kristin Karamo, the Chair of the Michigan Republican Party, on the Justin Barclay program. She does an excellent job of explaining the current situation and why it exists. Then please see our Announcement immediately following so you can see where we stand as a local Party on the matter itself. *Pay close attention to what she says about Ottawa County near the end.
Click here for Karamo on the Justin Barclay Program
The OCRP Fact-checks Hoekstra. Karamo is MIGOP Chair...
The OCRP Reminds Voters of Presidential Primary on 2/27 and Encourages All Citizens To Vote!
1. Jurisdictions with Proposals on their ballot
2. Absentee ballot registration
3. Absentee drop-off locations near your residence
--Find your polling location
--Checkmyvote.org
To see a PDF of this information with live links, see here:
The OCRP Declares 2024 the Year of the Bible...
OCRP Precinct Delegates gather for Q&A in Allendale with Chairwoman Karamo...
The above link takes you to the coverage on our Facebook Page. If you don't have Facebook, you can see the coverage right here instead.
The OCRP Recaps 2023 and Anticipates Productive 2024...
Area News
Chair of the Board of Commissioners, Joe Moss, gives the State of Ottawa County Address on January 30, 2024...
Fox 17 Coverage of the State of Ottawa...
Chairman Moss' speech was covered on Fox 17 later in the evening on January 30th. See the television coverage by clicking on the above headline.
DEI Influences on Ottawa County...
"GARE" stands for "Government Alliance on Race and Equity." Some citizens in Ottawa do not understand the reason that DEI materials ended up so prominently inside of OC school districts. It is because of GARE, a national organization that targeted OC. In the article above, Restore Ottawa breaks all of this down, along with how other DEI organizations have targeted Ottawa and why they seem to be so powerful.
More Area News
See Your Local Ballot here for the Presidential Primary...
At the link above, you will be able to see your ballot for the Presidential Primary, by choosing the Primary date, County, Jurisdiction and your Precinct #. We encourage our citizens to note that these ballots were printed before many of the candidates dropped out, so please do your research prior to voting as to which candidates still remain in the Primary.
Area Opportunity
The VFW Auxiliary is offering a Scholarship Program for 9-12 graders to earn large scholarship awards...
This month, we appreciate this opportunity for 9--12th graders, so we are sharing this area opportunity offered by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary. Check out this awesome Young Americans Scholarship Patriotic Art Program! Last years' first place winner won $15,000 for their original patriotic piece.
For visuals and information on last year's winners and top-ten finishers, click here.
Entrants must follow specific directions [...there are a lot of nuances, so we recommend a parent help guide their student. For scholarship directions, click here: ]
Why we love this: *In order for an Art-entry to be official, it must be "entered" in person by taking the art submission down to your local VFW Auxiliary's office. They in turn complete the filing for you! It's a neat way to perhaps enter to win a scholarship and interact with your local VFW at the same time.
List of VFW Halls/ Auxiliary Locations throughout Ottawa County
Fact+Opinion
Looking Behind the Headlines...
Former Mayor of Grand Haven Geri McCaleb, shares an interesting perspective on the idea of facts versus headlines in this piece she wrote for the Grand Haven Tribune a few weeks ago. In it, she gets into the weeds about what the Public is "told" about municipal decisions versus what the outcome actually turns out to be.
*When we went to publish, it appeared the GH Trip may have put this article back behind a paywall. In case you have trouble accessing it, we've included this screenshot of the article.
Culture
Are you looking for a way to get involved here in Ottawa County to help improve our culture? Check out this great men's group who are focused on doing just that in peaceful, yet engaging ways. Click here to learn more about The Gideon Three Hundred and watch an introductory video.
Turning Point USA Contributor Jon Root Interviews Coach Harbaugh at the March For Life...
We couldn't help ourselves on this next one: first of all, if you are a Spartan fan we ask you to forgive us, because we trust that even Spartans [if conservative] will be inspired by this: we really appreciated Coach Harbaugh's testimony at the recent March for Life in Washington DC on January 19th. *It is an important moment in our culture when any person of prominence speaks this way about the unborn on a national stage. We are reminded that God isn't confined by our restraints and will use anyone to broadcast His message. Enjoy!
Interviewed by Jon Root at the March for Life Rally on January 19, 2024. Click the pix to listen on X/Twitter. [You don't need an account to hear the interview.]
Culture-Facts-Opinion
Michigan Legislature Looks To Impede Parental Rights Over Homeschool...
Not-So-Old News
Ten months ago, Commissioners Moss and Rhodea did a couple of short videos for the Defy Tyrants YouTube page to serve as short instructional pieces. In the regular news cycle, this may be thought of as "old" news. However, given the continued media backlash in Ottawa County as well as the outrage from liberal groups to the positive, conservative changes here, since January of 2023, we find this Video News quite relevant and Not-So-Old.
History...
Hope...
Health
Three Big Covid Whoppers Fauci Confessed to Congress in January...
--But then of course, NONE of us are terribly surprised by his admissions. In spite of our cynicism, at some level we must admit this is progress...
Upcoming Events
February 20: Pizza and Politics
We are doing this again! It was so much fun the first time! Please come!
Also Upcoming
February 22, 2024 Executive Committee Meeting, Fillmore Complex
February 27, 2024 Presidential Primary Election *Make sure to make arrangements to Vote!
April 18, 2024
Five US Senate candidates have committed to join us for this Event. All five are running for Debbie Stabenow's senate seat. We have extended the invitation to all of the Republican Senate candidates running for this seat and trust even more will attend.
*Many local candidates for Ottawa County races will be guests as well. This is an excellent way for voters to vet candidates running for office while enjoying a nice dinner at the same time! Please join us.
You can RSVP for this awesome event right HERE
Volunteer Highlight
Subscriptions Chair, Jeff Wenzel
Jeff Wenzel is the Subscriptions Chair for the OCRP, Inc. He brings a wealth of knowledge from the field of Marketing and Advertising Sales, as well as Ministry Outreach experience to the Party. He is a talented and tireless volunteer who has helped us develop our rebranding vision we put into action last January. As we continue to build these phases, Jeff's gifts, work ethic and talent remain intricate to our work. It is our pleasure to highlight him in an interview Q and A.
What do you love the most about Ottawa County?
Living in Hudsonville, I love being half-way between all that Grand Rapids has to offer and the beautiful coastline. Having lived in Atlanta, Georgia for eight years before returning back home to Michigan, I appreciate the casual, conservative, Midwest lifestyle that you find here.
Why specifically did you get involved in politics?
Honestly, while I have always followed politics, I never had a desire at any point in my life to enter politics for any reason. Throughout the Covid Plandemic, I witnessed and literally felt the national, state, and local tyrannical government overreach and loss of personal liberty, which stirred something deep inside me. On May 3, 2022, the last day to submit an affidavit of intent, I was asked by a friend to become a Precinct Delegate. Knowing nothing more than, "It's basically two meetings a year for two years, and you'll meet some great, like minded people", I drove to the County Clerk's office and jumped headlong into the great unknown. It ended up being one of the best and most pivotal decisions I've made in my life. I've met dozens of the best people on earth, and every single day we are working together as a party to directly secure personal liberty for the citizens of Ottawa County that elected us to represent them.
Tell us about your role as "Subscriptions Chair." Help us understand what it is and why people should get involved in this way.
As the Subscriptions Chair, I work with several great teams of tireless and selfless volunteers that plan and host our educational and outreach events for the public, as well as our internal "fun" gatherings of delegates throughout the year. I also work with a team that is responsible for fundraising events, and soliciting new donors to support our administrative needs and our candidates. While most of 2023 felt like a foundational rebuilding year, we were able to host 15 enjoyable and well attended events around the county. At the end of the year I made a comment that 2024 was going to be "EPIC!", and it definitely is proving itself to be just that right out of the gate. If you would like to get involved with either our events or fundraising teams, please reach out at any time! My email is [email protected] and there's room for more volunteers on the fun committees! Can you say, "BACONFEST!"?
Tell us about your background in Marketing and Advertising and how this informs your work in the Party.
After deciding in college at GVSU that I wasn't going to become a high school creative writing English teacher, I graduated instead with a degree in advertising and public relations. I've spent my adult life on both the creative and sales sides of the advertising world, in both individual businesses and multiple agencies as well. I am fascinated with what makes for effective communication that gets people to fulfill a specific call to action. --Clarifying, simplifying, and amplifying messages that get people to ACT. I work closest with the Communications team within the party, as they are the essential part of driving the awareness for our events and fundraisers that makes them so successful.
Please share about your family and how or why they are such an important part of your life?
I have been married to the bride of my youth, Kendra, for 32 years and together we have four adult children, and are blessed with six grandchildren -- with one we are waiting to meet in Heaven. Kendra was the driving force behind us both becoming Precinct Delegates at the very last minute. She is definitely the gas pedal in our marriage, while I am always the one pumping the brakes! I am reminded every day of just how fast this life is flying by, and one of my greatest joys has been seeing life through each of our children's and grandchildren's eyes; watching them become the unique individuals that God created them to be. Like most everyone, this life has been filled with many difficult challenges and unexpected turns of events, but we are truly blessed beyond measure.
If not already answered above, what changes do you hope to impact by being involved in Ottawa County Politics?
In a single word, GROWTH. It is my mission to work inside and outside of the party to literally awaken and educate more people to the absolute need for them to be directly involved in our local politics. We must continue to ensure our personal liberties in this County, State, and Country for our children and grandchildren. There is an overall consensus in the new leadership of our party that what we are doing is all for them, and not for anyone's personal gain. Contrary to what you may hear in the media, or from the opposition at any Board of Commissioners meeting, it is everyone's selflessness that has been the most pleasant surprise in all of this. I went from not knowing a single thing about the inner workings of local politics just 21 months ago, to having my eyes fully wide open to the need for more people to join our common fight to secure our freedoms. We truly need as many people who love God, family, and country (in that order) to lock arms with us and give of their time, talent, and treasure right now, and for as long as it takes. It is no joke, and the stakes have NEVER been higher.
Anything else you'd like to share?
#winning
Local Business Feature
It was a pleasure to speak to Thomas Lawrence, owner of Patriot Roofing of Georgetown Township. They caught our eye due to the testimonials on their website, specifically their business' name and also the Scripture verses displayed on their website. When we asked Thomas about why his business is publicly represented with obvious patriotism and also with Biblical truth, he shared his company’s love for America, the Constitution and specifically the freedom of the 1st amendment. He expressed his desire to create a business culture that respects the free speech of his employees. He shared that industry professionals are often concerned about their ability to remain verbally expressive in the workplace and he never wants his employees to experience fear of cancellation due to their personal views.
We thought this was super cool and recommend Patriot Roofing!
--Patriot Roofing, LLC--
2685 Edward St Suite A, Georgetown Twp, MI 49428
[email protected]
616-826-4656
Kids Kolumn
If you have little kiddos or Grandkiddos, enjoy this coloring page for them! You can print a pdf by clicking on the Teddy Bear Pic!
Elephant Fare
Darlene Dykstra's Magic Brownies!
Magic Republican Brownies
*You will need to reference the back of the box [below photo] for the variations to this recipe depending on what size pan and how big of a batch you are making. Darlene's notes are where the secrets are, so make sure to read those!
Small 8x8 or 9x9 pan Recipe
1 Pouch of Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix
1/3 Cup of Water
1/3 Cup of Veg Oil
1 egg
Directions:
Preheat Oven to 325 degrees
Prepare baking pan by lightly greasing with non-stick cooking spray.
Place water, oil and egg (s) in medium bowl and stir until fully mixed. Now add the brownie mix and stir until well-blended. Spread in a prepared pan.
Bake 45-50 minutes.
Darlene's Notes
I typically make a triple batch (16"x12" half sheet pan) and add at least 1 cup of chopped pecans OR butter roasted pecans (if I have on hand).
I substitute olive oil instead of vegetable oil.
Bake as instructed (I’ve found that 50 mins. seems to be the key).
I have made them without pecans, yet prefer using them.
*Let the brownies set at least 2 hours before cutting them.
I wouldn't use any other brownie mix because these ALWAYS turn out perfect! ‘Super moist and they freeze well.
*We used to be involved with a church ministry to international students and these were always a hit with them. On a couple of occasions, I have actually had traveling friends deliver some to previous students who live in Poland and elsewhere––so they became known as my "world famous" brownies!
It warms my heart that I can treat our special hard working Patriots here in Ottawa County and be a blessing in this small way.
We appreciate the fact that Costco sells Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownie mix in bulk, given the rate at which Darlene makes brownies for Party gatherings! Here is a link to order the mix if you'd like to try it at home! (Just don't forget Darlene's special substitutions.)
SHOP
Please help us support the Party. The truth: We need to raise a lot of money because of the upcoming big election season. The money pays for the expenses of running strong conservative candidates for all County, Region and State area races. Funds pay for rental spaces to distribute literature, mailers and events. Please consider purchasing a t-shirt or a sticker, or BOTH! Thank you!
Die Cut, Waterproof and UVA protected Sticker! Visit our Shop page to get yours now! Measures 4 x 3.48
These stickers look great on your stuff! Purchase one for $5.00, shipping included!
New Years' Sunset in West Olive
If you've enjoyed any portion of this Newsletter, please consider a donation. We need help preserving liberty in Ottawa County, especially as we prepare for the 2024 election. If you are willing to contribute, a donation of any size can be made here. Thank you!
©Original Content published by the OCRP, Inc, is the property of the OCRP, Inc. All rights reserved