Lt. Governor Joins Los Alamos Federated Republican Women in Celebrating 60 Year Anniversary

NMFRW Kirsta Edwards, right, presents a 60-year banner to LAFRW President Mary Wilhoit, second from right, at Thursday 60th Anniversary celebration at Fuller Lodge. LAFRW Treasurer Crystal Dufresne holds the banner at right as Secretary Cathy Walters and Lt. Gov. John Sanchez look on. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Lt. Gov. John Sanchez is the keynote speaker at Thursday’s 60th anniversary event. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Staff Report

Community members and Republican Party leaders gathered to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Los Alamos Federated Republican Women.

New Mexico Federated Republican Women President Krista Edwards introduced New Mexico Lt. Gov. John Sanchez who delivered the keynote speech.

New Mexico Federated Republican Women First Vice President and longtime LAFRW member JoAnn Johnson presented a brief history of LAFRW.

The first meeting of the LAFRW was held May 15, 1954. Nineteen women attended that meeting including Virginia Banta, Jane Beauchamp, Mrs. John Billings, Mrs. Anthony Braccia, Mrs. Lee Chainbaid, Mrs. Harvey Cornell, Mrs. John Dutli, Mrs. Carl Freeman, Alice Horpedahl, Mrs. James Maddy, Maidie Nunn, Mel Peck, Mrs. John Quackenbush, Mrs. Robert Salazar, Leli Steely, Mrs. Robert Taylor, Mrs. Theodore Trujillo, Mrs. Charles Wherritt and Mrs. Hoyt Wilcox.

Through the years, the members of the LAFRW have participated in local, state and national activities. Today, three members of the LAFRW are elected officials including Los Alamos County Assessor JoAnn Johnson, Los Alamos County Clerk Sharon Stover and Los Alamos County Councilor Fran Berting.  Marie Todd is a member at large on the NMFRW Board and Norma Tech is membership date entry chair on the state board.

The organization holds monthly meetings, donates toiletries to the Espanola women’s shelter, adopts a needy family each December and sponsors a Los Alamos High School senior to attend the New Mexico Girls State Conference at Eastern New Mexico University.   

The mission of the LAFRW is to promote the principals, objectives and policies of the Republican Party, elect Republican candidates, inform the public through political education and activity, and increase the effectiveness of women in the good cause of good government.

Officers of the LAFRW are President Mary Wilhoit, Vice President Heather McClenahan, Secretary Cathy Walters and Treasurer Crystal Dufresne. Shirley-Raye Redmond is the chaplain.

New Mexico Federated Republican Women First Vice President and longtime LAFRW member JoAnn Johnson presents a brief history of LAFRW. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

The group sings ‘God Bless America.’ Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

From left, Mykayla Hanawalt, Toni Mann and Lt. Gov. John Sanchez. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Lt. Gov. John Sanchez with NMFRW First Vice President JoAnn Johnson. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

From left, Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, Marie Chiravalle and her son Vincent Chiravalle who is a candidate for House Dist. 43. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Los Alamos School Board member Jim Hall speaks with Lt. Gov. John Sanchez. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

NMFRW First Vice President JoAnn Johnson, left, with good friend NMFRW Immediate Past President Elaine Miller. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

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