Texas Federation of Republican Women brings annual convention to Galveston

GALVESTON, Texas -- The Texas governor, a full slate of Republican candidates and actress Janine Turner will be among the crowd gathered in Galveston for the Texas Federation of Republican Women’s Convention Friday through Sunday.

Keynote speakers will include Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples and Attorney General Greg Abbott. Workshops will cover topics ranging from "How to Beat the Dems" to "Health Care Reform."

The event should draw 1,000 visitors to the island, with an economic impact of more than $1 million, RoShelle Gaskins, Galveston Convention and Visitors Bureau public relations manager, said. "We really were competing against Fort Worth for this, so it was a big deal for us to have this in Galveston."

Galveston won the bid for the convention two years ago, at the 2007 biennial convention in El Paso.

"And then came Ike," said Rubye Brown of League City, treasurer for the convention committee and president of the Galveston Island Pachyderm Club.

"That kind of destroyed all of us, but we regrouped and we said, ‘Let’s do it and bring women to Galveston to help with the recovery and to show them what we’ve done,’" she said.

"We were determined that the ladies would come and help in the recovery from Ike."

Funds donated by women during the convention will be given to the Galveston Independent School District to help replenish school library shelves.

The convention program includes:

• Cocktail reception at Moody Gardens, which will be decorated with palm trees in keeping with the theme "Wave of Inspiration." Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst will be the keynote speaker.

• Awards luncheon with Attorney General Greg Abbott as keynote speaker.

• Workshops on "How to Beat the Dems," "Empowering the People," "Health care Reform" and "Diversity in the GOP."

• Banquet with keynote speaker Janine Turner, actress known for her starring role on the television show "Northern Exposure." She is also author of "Holding Her Head High: Inspiration from 12 Single Mothers Who Championed Their Children and Changed History."

• Campaign Management School.

• Appearances by GOP candidates and office holders, including Gov. Rick Perry.

Representatives from area chapters, including the Sandpiper Republican Women, Galveston Republican Women, Clear Creek Republican Women, Friendswood Republican Women and Bay Area Republican Women have helped in preparations.

More than 800 delegates and alternates are expected from 165 clubs across the state.

"I hope the women will be reinvigorated to get out there and fight the good fight on behalf of Republicans and Republican values, and to ensure our country will be as strong going forward as it has been in the past," said Deborah Guitian Roan, of Houston, convention co-chairman.

"We are in perilous times. We want them to leave the convention with the strength to carry on as we come into the 2010 elections and the challenges that face us as a country."

This story was brought to you thanks to khou.com's partnership with The Galveston County Daily News.