Republican Barbeque on June 25th
The Republican Club of the Palm Beaches is happy to support the President’s Council’s
We will be having no separate club meeting in June – come out and visit our booth at the BBQ!
Kennel Club President Pat Rooney at May Meeting
“Business and Government: Not Always on the Same Page”
with PBKC President Pat Rooney
Pat Rooney’s perspective as the President of the Palm Beach Kennel Club and also a 6 year Representative in the Florida House is unique. The PBKC in particular is (and was as a dog track) more regulated than many industries and he has some stories to tell. With the current business climate in the county (inflation, supply chain issues, workforce housing, etc.) and the impact to his business of the expected drawn out court fight over the Seminole Compact, how a business can navigate these challenges will be discussed.
Program Noon – 1PM, Buffet starts at 11:30AM
Cash Bar Available
Palm Beach Kennel Club – Paddock Restaurant
1111 N Congress Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
MAP
$28/Members $35/Guests
Pay at the door.
Make sure you submit your RSVP in advance by clicking on our link below:
In his more than three decades here, Pat Rooney has become a successful businessman and respected community leader in Palm Beach County. He is currently the President of the Palm Beach Kennel Club. Pat was a Representative in the Florida House (District 85) from 2010 to 2016, which included Palm Beach Gardens, North Palm Beach, Juno Beach, the Acreage, and a part of West Palm Beach. He has also served as Governing Board Member for South Florida Water Management District from 2007-2010. Pat was also a sports co-host on local ESPN 760 AM from 2003-2010.
Mr. Rooney also serves as a Director for the Autism Project of Palm Beach County and is a Founding Board Member for Potentia Academy in Greenacres. Pat also serves as a Director and Co-Chair for the not-for-profit Rooney’s Golf Foundation, Inc., which raises money for local charities through various events held every year. He is a Board Member of The Children’s Healthcare Charity, Inc. (The Honda Classic). He has served as the Vice President for Renaissance Learning Academy, Former Director and Board President of Home Safe of Palm Beach County, Director and Board President of the FAU Honors College, Trustee of the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches and Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce. Pat served as a Board Member of Forum Club of the Palm Beaches and Biz PAC.
Mr. Rooney graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1986, went on to Villanova University School of Law for his Juris Doctor in 1989 and then earned his MBA from Lehigh University in 1992. Pat and his wife Patti have four children – Mary, Frannie,Patrick III and Anthony – and live in West Palm Beach. They are active members of St. Ignatius Loyola Cathedral in Palm Beach Gardens.
Republican Club of the Palm Beaches
213 29th Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
(561) 855-0749
2022 Election Environment Discussed at April Lunch
The 2022 election was the topic discussed at our April lunch.
Fred Scheibl, RPPBC Political Director, went through the actions the GOP took in 2020 to recruit and train candidates for almost all of the state and local offices on the ballot, and build a permanent database for contacting most of the Republicans in the county. Over 1.3 million voter contacts were made on behalf of candidates, our slate, and overall GOTV efforts.
This year has some unique challenges and opportunities given the redistricting, proliferation of Vote by Mail (VBM) ballots, and election integrity risks. Fred walked through the new districts for Congress, Florida House and Senate, and the County Commission and School Board, pointing out areas where the changes give us opportunities for Republican pickups. The VBM ballots, which made up 2/3 of the votes cast in the March elections, are here to stay. In Florida, these ballots have better chance of being more safe and secure than other states given the provisions of the election law changes passed last year (SB90) and this year (HB524). These laws are only tools though, and we as a party need to be vigilant to make sure the provisions of the law are being followed. To this end, we are planning an election integrity action team (EIAT) to scrutinize election operations and make sure that it is “easy to vote but hard to cheat”.
Pam Wohlschlegel, Director of REC region 1 in the north county, explained the actions they took to win 3 out of 3 Jupiter municipal elections this year, in spite of massive spending on behalf of Democrat candidates. Jupiter is now one of the very few county municipalities with a 100% Republican Council. Pam also spoke about the organizing activities of the REC regions and how the party will be reaching voters and promoting our candidates.
Members are urged to get involved with these activities – support a candidate with time and money, join the REC, become a poll worker for the SOE to observe the system from the inside, or a poll watcher for the party, monitoring activities at the polling locations and counting center in Riviera Beach. For help getting into these activities, you can contact us at info@gopclubpb.org
Click HERE to view the maps and charts used in this meeting.
Candidates at the event were Jennifer Showalter for school board district 6, and Jane Justice spoke for Conner Frontera for district 3.
Are We Ready for Elections 2022? – Redistricting, Election Integrity and Candidate Support
Is there going to be a “red wave” this year? Nancy Pelosi doesn’t seem too worried. Her minions are busy gerrymandering districts and weakening voting laws. There can only be a “red wave” if there are fair districts, VBM ballots are not abused, and cheating is prevented.
Please join us on April 26th for a session on the outlook in Palm Beach County and what the GOP is doing to prepare.
RPPBC Political Director Fred Scheibl
and
REC Regional Director Pam Wohlschlegel
Fred will will explain how the new PBC districts are affecting our candidates, and how we plan to address election integrity and support our slate. Pam will describe the new REC Regional organization and how her northern region is gearing up to work the coming elections. They will also talk about what YOU can do to help.
The primary election is only 4-1/2 months away. Let’s make this a winning year!
Program Noon – 1PM, Buffet starts at 11:30AM
Cash Bar Available
Palm Beach Kennel Club – Paddock Restaurant
1111 N Congress Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
MAP
$28/Members $35/Guests
Pay at the door.
Make sure you submit your RSVP in advance by clicking on our link below:
Fred Scheibl provides data, analysis and digital messaging for the candidates and leaders of the county GOP as Political Director. He is also a co-founder of the Palm Beach County Tea Party, Vice President of this club, and a 30 year IBM veteran.
Pam Wohlschlegel is one of seven Regional Directors of the Republican Executive Committee, responsible for the northern part of the county. A retired product manager and engineer at Hewlett Packard and Agilent who was the original President of the Palm Beach County Tea Party, Pam has been active in PBC politics for many years, most recently in supporting the winning candidates in the Jupiter Municipal races.
Representative Rick Roth’s Legislative Report
Rick Roth to Highlight 2022 Session on 3/22
for a Legislative Review
with Representative Rick Roth.
The 2022 Legislative Session which ends on March 11 has been both productive and controversial. From keeping sex and gender out of the curriculum in the early grades (Parental Rights in Education Bill, aka “Don’t say Gay”), blocking CRT and any training that teaches a person’s race, sex or nationality are “morally superior (Individual Freedom Bill, aka “Stop Woke Act”), banning abortions after 15 weeks, instituting an elections crime bureau and other election reforms, much has been accomplished. And of course there is redistricting.
To make sense of all of this, HD85 Representative Rick Roth will be our guest on March 22. In addition to the items above, he will also bring us up to speed on the legislation that is important to him in serving Northern Palm Beach County.
Program Noon – 1PM, Buffet starts at 11:30AM
Cash Bar Available
Palm Beach Kennel Club – Paddock Restaurant
1111 N Congress Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
MAP
$28/Members $35/Guests
Pay at the door.
Make sure you submit your RSVP in advance by clicking on our link below:
Representative Rick Roth was born at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Palm Beach and he was raised in Belle Glade Florida. Rick graduated from Belle Glade High School in 1970. He went on to study at Emory University where he graduated with a degree in Mathematics. Family life is busy for Rick and his wife of over 40 years, Jeanie. Most importantly to him are his children, Lindsay, Ryan and Ashley and his grandchildren, Hannah, Ezra and Ella. He is a founding member of the Truth Point Church in West Palm Beach.
As the President and principal owner of Roth Farms, Inc. and Ray’s Heritage, LLC Packinghouse, Rick has been a driving force of the agricultural community in western Palm Beach County.
Representative Roth has served in numerous leadership roles in his community, including on the Board of Directors for the Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association and the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida. Rick supports many community organizations, including Florida Association of Food Banks, Farmers Feeding Florida and the South Florida Sweet Corn Fiesta.
Representative Roth’s community service includes work with the Central Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce and Belle Glade Rotary Club to name a few. He is the Co-Founder of Farm City Week for the local Chambers and hosts many educational Farm Tours for Elementary Schools.
Representative Roth was elected to serve in the Florida Legislature as a State Representative for District 85. Rick’s election is a culmination of his 35 years of leadership experience in both the public and private sectors. District 85 covers the northern and central parts of Palm Beach County including the Town of Juno Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Village of North Palm Beach and parts of Jupiter and Loxahatchee Groves.
Republican Club of the Palm Beaches
213 29th Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
(561) 855-0749
Candidate Forum – The importance of Local Government Elections
If you live in one of the 39 municipalities in Palm Beach County, about 25% of your county property taxes is levied by your city, town or village government. Your police and fire / rescue services may be provided by city employees, or by the county (PBSO and county fire/rescue) but you are paying for them through these taxes. Many municipalities have their own park systems, sports leagues, water systems – even in one case an electrical utility. Building codes, planning and zoning, sign ordinances, code enforcement, traffic management and strategic development plans – all are managed by your local officials.
- So do you know who your Mayor and City Commission or Council members are?
- Is your city being run the way you would like?
- Do you know what happens at your City Council or Commission meetings?
A typical resident may not know the answers to these questions and choose not to participate in the municipal elections as turnout is typically around 10%.
There is a municipal election coming up on March 8. At our next lunch meeting on February 22, we will be introducing you to some of the candidates for these offices who share your values.
Since these elections are non-partisan, you may not know to which party an official belongs, and most decisions they make are not particularly ideological. As Republicans though we believe in smaller government, lower taxes, fewer regulations on business, and free speech. If a municipal candidate is also a Republican, they are likely to share our values. Consequently, the Republican Party of Palm Beach County seeks out these incumbent officials and candidates, and provides them with assistance in the form of voter data, email support and monetary assistance. Currently about 37% of incumbent municipal officials are Republicans, as are about a third of the candidates on the ballot in March.
We are inviting candidates from the north and central municipalities to introduce themselves to you, say a little about what is important in their town or city, and what they will do if elected. They hail from Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Wellington, Greenacres, and Boynton Beach.
We hope you will get to know these candidates, and support them in their campaigns, even if you do not live in their town. What happens in the local communities affects us all and actions by these local leaders tends to spread. You may also see some of these folks running for higher office in the future.
Program Noon – 1PM, Buffet starts at 11:30AM
Palm Beach Kennel Club – Paddock Restaurant
1111 N Congress Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
MAP
$28/Members $35/Guests
Pay at the door.
Make sure you submit your RSVP in advance by clicking on our link below:
Republican Club of the Palm Beaches
PO Box 2585
West Palm Beach, FL 33402
(561) 855-0749
2022 Ann Roberts Scholarships
The Republican Club of the Palm Beaches’ Scholarship was named after a long-standing and active member of our Club, Anne Roberts.
Anne Roberts
Anne Roberts, a petite but strong and dedicated Republican, was born in Virginia in 1920. She lived and worked in Maryland until 1954, and then moved to Palm Beach County. Interestingly, this was the year after our Club was chartered.
While working as an R.N. for 50 year, she and her husband served on the REC. She was presented the Jean Pipes award by Palm Beach County Republican Party as an acknowledgment of her dedication to Republican principles. She never sought the limelight herself, working behind the scenes, continually letting others take credit. She always admonished us to “do the right thing”, make sure there’s education involved, mentor the young to follow in the right path, have fun, be prepared, and by all means, don’t lose money doing it!!! That is who Anne Roberts was!
In the late 80’s she had worked her way to 2nd Vice President of the Florida Federated Women. She was tasked with the “Entertainment”/Program for the NFRW National Convention held in Orlando on the 50th anniversary of the organization. She had the entire PB delegation, consisting of 6 Federated clubs, involved –even doing a “can-can” dance for one evening’s entertainment. What a “hoot” Anne was!
Her many committees remember her, not only for her great character and good judgment, but as the epitome of organization –always ready with even the tape, paper clips and scissors. She chaired a Lincoln Day Dinner in the 90’s, and true to who she was, read up on protocol for seating. She knew the value of research for allowing her to be sure everything ran smoothly—and many of us remember she knew how to delegate that research..
In 2005, Anne chaired the FFRW State Convention held in West Palm Beach. Despite a recent hurricane which cancelled the keynote speaker, she found a better one; and the show went on! If there were glitches, no one knew.
Anne left us before our club chartered with Republican Party of Florida. But, being a renaissance woman who realized that times change, I am sure she is smiling as we carry our Club’s Legacy onward. She would be very proud of the young folks who have received a scholarship in her name.
The Anne Roberts Memorial Scholarship is available to any resident of Palm Beach County who is a full or part time undergraduate or graduate student seeking to further their education. Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or above and plan to attend an accredited college. Applicants must be registered (or pre-registered under 18 yrs. of age) Republicans. Current members of our Club may refer applicants for this scholarship. The deadline for this application is May 31. The recipient will be eligible to receive up to $500 to be sent to the school they will attend. Award will be presented at the monthly luncheon June 28, 2022.
RCPB Scholarship application 2022
Previous Year Winners
Covid precluded our scholarship program in 2021, but in 2020, our winners were:
BEN DEHAAN was a senior at Palm Beach Atlantic University majoring in Business Management and Political Science. He is an honor student, serving with the Student Body, has volunteered with the Republican Executive Committee Offices, and spent working hours during high school and college working in small business in West Palm Beach and his home state of Michigan. He hopes to run for office one day.
KEELIE HANLEY, who graduated from SunCoast High school locally, began her college career at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with her twin sister, Rileigh, who has since been appointed to the US Air Force Academy. Keelie is continuing at Embry-Riddle with a focus on Computer Engineering. Many in our Club watched Keelie grow to adulthood as she attended our meetings with her family or volunteered for Congressman Brian Mast. She was honored to be an escort for a Korean War Veteran on one of our Palm Bach County Honor Flights to Washington DC.
RCPB Scholarship application 2022
PBCGOP Chairman Michael Barnett at January Meeting
2022 will be an active political year, with the CD20 and HD88 Special elections in January, municipal elections in March, county-wide non-partisan and primary elections in August, and the general election in November. Besides the election of the statewide offices of Governor, cabinet, and Senator, with redistricting, everything is up for grabs. We will elect Congressmen, Florida House members and Senators as well as county commissioners and school board members from newly defined districts with changing demographics.
Will this be a “wave” election like 2010 when opposition to the Obama administration woke up the tea party nation and swept the GOP back into the House? Can the country be saved from socialism, vaccine mandates and Covid lockdowns?
To help us make sense of it all, the club will host PBCGOP Chair Michael Barnett in January.
Michael Barnett
Please join us and be prepared to get active and involved for your favorite candidate(s) as the races heat up.
Program Noon – 1PM, Buffet starts at 11:30AM
Palm Beach Kennel Club – Paddock Restaurant
1111 N Congress Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
MAP
$25/Members $30/Guests
Pay at the door.
Make sure you submit your RSVP in advance by clicking on our link below:
Republican Club of the Palm Beaches
213 29th Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
(561) 855-0749
Michael Barnett currently serves as Chairman of the Republican Party of Palm Beach County. He was born in Queens, New York but has lived in Boca Raton since 1987. He graduated from Boca Raton High School in 1995, the University of South Florida in 2004 with a BA in Political Science, and the University of Miami School of Law in 2007 with a JD degree. Michael has been practicing law since 2007.
Michael has been a life long conservative Republican. A grassroots activist since 1994, he was involved early on with the College Republicans, Young Republicans, and became an REC committeeman in August, 2010. He was elected Secretary of the Republican Party of Palm Beach County in December, 2010, Vice Chairman in December, 2012, and Chairman in December, 2014.
As Secretary and Vice Chairman, Michael helped start the Party’s black and minority outreach program, with a heavy focus on the large local Haitian community. The Party’s activities and successes in Palm Beach County have made news across the state.
Michael has been grassroots-oriented but has also been able to unite the local Party, earning unanimous support of Republicans across the entire spectrum. “Our job is to get Republicans elected but we must never ever sacrifice principles or values. I am a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage social and fiscal conservative. I believe the Party must stick to its principles while welcoming other groups who share our conservative values.”
Michael is an active parishioner at Ascension Catholic Church in Boca Raton. He’s a member of the Knights of Columbus, has been on political and missions trips to Haiti, and volunteers at The Soup Kitchen in Boynton Beach, Florida.
Holiday Cheer and Place of Hope at December Lunch
On 12/14, we were joined by Jamie Bond, director of advancement and development for Place of Hope Treasure Coast, and vocalist Monique McCall.
Monique performed some of her own songs, including “I feel like Florida today“, and “I wanna live like everyday is Christmas” as well as a stirring rendition of “O Holy Night“.
Jamie gave us a snapshot of some of the programs at Place of Hope, including their safe houses for the victims of sex trafficking. For more information, she directed us to their youtube channel at: www.youtube.com/c/PlaceofHopePBG
Club Treasurer Betty Anne Starkey presented Jamie with a donation on our behalf in support of the Place of Hope programs.
Candidates in attendance were Jen Showalter (SB6) and Jeff “Bongi” Buongiorno (CD21).