Upcoming Dates to Remember

Feb. 3 & 4 - TFRW State Board Meeting and Leadership Day Workshops Feb. 6 - NWARW Regular Meeting Feb. 15 - NWARW Executive Board Meeting March 5 - NWARW Regular Meeting

Inside This Issue

Upcoming Dates to Remember Note from the President Becky Berger at Feb. 6 Meeting Reporting Campaign Hours Pictures from December NWARW Officers 2012 and Membership Information

Coming in February

A Note from the President Howdy everyone! Well, Travis Countys newest Republican Woman came into the world on January 3 - her name is Annalise Ruth, and she sends her love to you all for your prayers and good wishes! I assure you, she cant wait to meet you all! I took some ribbing because emails reminding you all about Januarys meeting went out when I was actually in the hospital and in labor - this was the advantage of technology, because I set those emails up in advance to make sure everyone had the information. Cassie Daniel, who took over Januarys meeting for me, reported that we had such good turnout we had to order extra meals! Thats proof that being prepared was well worth it! As I write, Im listening to news that the field for the Republican nomination for president is narrowing further as Jon Huntsman throws in the towel. Texas primary date is still in question, as well, so it may be quite a bit more narrow by the time we vote. Hopefully there will be news this week, and I will send it along if there is. Im taking January slowly and one day at a time, but hope to rejoin you all in February. Until then, Im available by email if there is anything you need. For Liberty and Texas,

Michele Samuelson | NWARW President 2011-12 | SD 14 District Director 2012-13

Becky Berger, Texas Railroad Commission candidate, to address NWARW in February

Becky Berger is a professional geologist with over 2 decades of experience in geology, mining development, oil and gas prospecting and development, oil and gas data analysis, and field chemistry. She has industry experience both domestically and internationally. Becky has worked all sides of the industry from managing and advising billions of dollars in energy investments to beginning her career in the oil fields as roustabout and pipeline field hand. She is the only candidate educated, trained, and experienced in all aspects of the energy industry. Becky works on the free enterprise side of the energy industry, but she has dealt with government regulation in every area she has worked on the local, state, and federal level. She knows the importance of developing safe and economical energy for the citizens of Texas. Her higher education led to a BS in Geology with minors in Engineering and Economics. She has put that training and education to work during her entire professional career and is committed to using that training and education to benefit the people of Texas. A lifelong Republican, Becky currently serves Senate District 18 on the State Republican Executive Committee, a Texas Federation of Republican Women District Director. She is a past election judge, precinct chair and past Treasurer of the Fayette County Republican Party. Married to David Berger, Beck is the proud mother of three grown children: Adam, Sacha and Julie. The Bergers operate a ranch outside of Schulenburg, Texas. Becky Berger has always been involved in her local community with numerous local activities and causes: conducting voter registration, promoting girls competitive basketball, teaching Sunday School and coaching Little League softball.

Reporting Your Campaign Hours What, How, and Why?

At many of our meetings, the president asks for a report from the Campaign Activities Committee Chairman. Usually, this report consists of reminding members about turning in campaign hours forms for quarterly reporting. WHAT ARE CAMPAIGN HOURS? Every minute you spend participating in Republican Women club activities, informing your family and friends about political issues and candidates, helping out at Republican events, making calls or spreading the words about a candidate - all of this counts as campaign hours that you can count and turn in to our clubs Campaign Activities Committee. If youre wondering what counts as campaign hours, you can check this page at the TFRW website:

http://tfrw.org/pdf/WhatHoursCountClarification_4_17_2011.pdf HOW DO I COUNT MY HOURS? On the next page of this newsletter, youll find a copy of the Campaign Hours Reporting Form for the 1st quarter of 2012 (January, February, and March). You can print it off and enter in your hours manually, and turn it in to our Campaign Activities Committee Chairman, Joyce Melugin, at jmelugin@austin.rr.com or in person at one of our meetings. You can also download the form at the TFRW website: http://tfrw.org/pdf/Individual_Campaign_Hours_Reporting_2011.pdf WHY DO WE COLLECT THIS INFORMATION? All of the information you turn in to our club gets turned in to TFRW. The state federation compiles all our Texas clubs hours to turn in to the National Federation of Republican Women. We use this as a measure of how active and successful clubs are, and it is used to help determine award winners (for such awards as the John Goodwin Tower Award for TFRW). Every minute you help the Republican cause helps our club, which is why we remind you about these forms so often! BONUS QUESTION: WHAT ARE CARING FOR AMERICA HOURS? Time you spend volunteering for causes other than the Republican Party may count as hours for Caring for America. Good examples include literacy activities like book drives, the Dictionary Project, womens shelter work, pregnancy resource center work, tutoring or mentoring students, etc. The hours that DONT count are those spent in church-related volunteering. We would like a volunteer to lead our Caring for America committee to help coordinate club-wide activities under this heading and to help keep track of hours. In the meantime, report those hours on the Campaign Activities form, section 3.

Club Members Volunteer Hours Reporting Form Club Name :________________________________________________________________ Year _____ Quarter______ Precinct # ________ Name: ______________Member _____Associate____ Address:___________________________ City________________________Zip:____________ Phone: Home:______________Cell: _____________Fax:__________________ E-mail: _____________________________ Total QTR. Hours____________________ Section 1 - Indicate hours worked in the following sections JAN FEB MAR Precinct Chair State or County Party Official Position: Local, State, Natl Campaign School Attended: Mgmt.School Did you give a check to a political entity? Poll Watcher* Yes No Election Judge* Yes No Alternate Judge* Yes No Election Clerk* Yes No Election Official* Position: Precinct Convention Participant County Convention Participant State Convention Participant Natl Convention Participant
* Indicates usually paid positions does not count as volunteer unless check is given to the County Party, Name of Local Club, a Candidate, or the TFRW PAC. Please do indicate hours regardless.

Section 2 - Campaign Work Hours JAN FEB MAR Work at home, mailings, phoning, posters, clerical, cooking, etc. Work at or for a special event (but not as a guest) Attendance at, and travel to, TFRW board meetings/conventions as well as committee work in advance Political work while at TFRW meetings Travel time between events, except stopping Volunteering at any county, state or TFRW HQ Volunteering for a Republican candidate for a non-partisan office such as school board Presenting political programs or speeches at local civic clubs Running for office - all time spent campaigning Campaign sign preparation, distribution, and removal Volunteering for a Republican candidate in any capacity Voter registrar GOTV (Get Out the Vote) participant Other Work, describe briefly: Section 3: Caring for America Hours (Put total here: ____________) JAN FEB MAR Books for schools, libraries Nursing home gifts, work Women or childrens issues Other work, describe briefly
Please report your hours in each section and return this form to the Campaign Chair (Joyce Melugin - jmelugin@austin.rr.com) If there are time constraints involved, the information can be turned in by phone or email, with the form turned in later.

Pictures from our December meetings - thank you to our historian, Carolyn Isbell, for these great shots!

Rhonda Murphy and Pat Dollar at our Executive Board Meeting

Melinda Field, Cassie Daniel, Jennifer Stratton, and Elaine Lehman at our Executive Board Meeting

Jennifer Stratton, Elaine Lehman, Rhonda Murphy, Ellen Harrison, Joyce Melugin, Cassie Daniel, and Melinda Field at our Executive Board Meeting.

Justice Elsa Alcala swearing in our 2012 officers. Pictured: Cherri Spradling, Joyce Melugin, Jennifer Stratton, Susan Friedrich, Michele Samuelson, Cassie Daniel (back), Rhonda Murphy.

Interested in joining the Northwest Austin Republican Women? Women AND men are welcome!
Dues are: $24 for Active Membership $12 for Associate Membership $36 for Supporting Membership Your dues may be paid at the check-in table at one of our meetings, or by sending a check payable to NWARW PAC C/O Susan Friedrich, 10504 Painted Valley Cove, Austin, TX 78759-5524

NWARW Officers 2012 Michele Samuelson, President Cassie Daniel, Vice President Jennifer Stratton, 1st VP/Membership Joyce Melugin, 2nd VP/Programs Rhonda Murphy, Recording Secretary Cherri Spradling, Corresponding Secretary Susan Friedrich, Treasurer/PAC Treasurer NWARW Committee Chairmen 2012 Chris Sale, Chaplain Cassie Daniel, Fundraising Murlene Johnston, Legislative Joyce Melugin, Campaign Activities Elaine Lehmann, Hospitality Carolyn Isbell, Historian Carol Gontko, Telephone We are still seeking chairmen for Awards, By-Laws, Outreach, and Caring for America Contact Michele if interested in serving