"I'm a hard 'R,'" Laura Evans told the Rock Island Today recently, and while that 'R' could easily stand for Rock Island resident, what she means is that she is a die-hard Republican.
"I was a young Republican, and then during my working years I always voted," Evans said.
Since then, she helped when she could with the Republican Women of Rock Island County club, and while she took a break to raise her family, she was eager to return after her retirement and has become heavily involved again. The Rock Island group is affiliated with the Illinois Federation of Republican Women and the national organization.
Laura Evans, republican women's group leader, believes that she can make a difference.
| Courtesy of Pixabay.com
"I can devote more hours to the organization, and I'm president now of the club," Evans said.
Evans moved up from her role as vice president, in which she helped coordinate a number of events for the women and get them involved in topics of the day.
"The ladies were interested in the concealed carry," Evans said. "We had a concealed carry class right here on our farm."
Evans even wrote an article for the National Rifle Association about the event.
As president, Evans has become even more involved in a hands-on way in fundraising and getting the word out about the group. She made 100 fingertip towels and embroidered the GOP iconic elephant on them for event. She said that each towel took about 20 minutes.
"I thought, 'What can I do? I want to make a difference in our organization and the world,'" Evans said. "The profits of the towels will go to outreach."
That outreach includes hosting an event for people from African-American, Hispanic, non-voting and disenchanted voting communities.
"We want to knock on doors with an invitation and a flag and invite them to an event at our headquarters," Evans said.
Though the club currently works only in Rock Island County, Evans said it might expand because nearby communities lack such a group.
"It's my goal to make a difference," Evans said.
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