America-First Republican Club
by Hope Horning
LW contributor
America First Republican Club members finished collecting signatures on Feb. 6 to get a Voter ID Proposition on the state wide ballot this year. The backers of the Voter ID initiative announced that 1.2 million signatures had been collected when only 874,641 were required. Supporters of the initiative are confident that with so many extra signatures, this proposition will fully qualify for November’s midterm election.
The club will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 18, in Clubhouse 3, Room 2, with a social time starting at 4:30 p.m. and a business meeting at 5. Members are asked to bring their favorite snack or hors d’oeuvres to share during social time. Visitors or prospective members are always welcome.
The club’s mission is to educate, engage, and activate members in their duty as citizens, including working to elect like-minded candidates to local, state and federal offices.
Recently, GRF Director and Member Services Chair Donald Horning and Mayor Pro-Tem and Leisure World City Councilman Ben Wong accompanied an Orange County delegation to Washington D.C. When Leisure World conducted COVID vaccine clinics, assurances were made that expenses would be reimbursed by FEMA. Horning and Wong met with FEMA officials, staffers with Sen. Alex Padilla and other congressmen to give a report on their efforts to seek almost $93,000 in COVID vaccine clinic expenses (see page 4 for more information on the reimbursement).
The Primary Election is June 2 but with vote-by-mail ballots getting mailed on May 4, doorto- door canvassing efforts need to start in April. Club members will discuss volunteer activities for the election season during the upcoming meeting.
Club President Hope Horn-ing will also discuss and show pictures of her recent trip to Washington D.C., the Museum of the Bible and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. She will discuss her experience of a West Wing Tour of the White House and bowling at the Truman Bowling Alley.
Every May and June is election season for the Leisure World governing bodies. GRF Board members from evennumbered Mutuals and all of the Mutual Board of Directors are up for election this year. Club members will discuss these opportunities to serve the community.
Donald Horning (r) and Ben Wong
