comMITTed to Romney!

Mitt Romney: Ames to Strawberry Farms to Washington

This wonderful family event was held at the Strawberry Farms Golf Club. If you want to enjoy a great round of golf in a beautiful setting, click here and reserve a tee time. The setting feels quite remote and is very secluded and quite, though only a few miles away is the John Wayne Airport surrounded by a large business center.

Strawberry Farms Golf Club Barn

Much could be written about this evening’s family event in Irvine, CA. To my knowledge, this was the first family oriented fundraising event to support Gov. Romney. The evening was very warm, with little breeze, even toward the end of the event at 7:30.

Clubhouse & Pro Shop (location of formal photographs with the Governor)

Gov. Romney arrived after spending the day at the Mexican/California border surrounded by immigration officials and other leaders. Incidentally, in his remarks I found it interesting that he said, in effect, “that solving the illegal immigration problem in this country would be one of the easiest things to fix and in all these years, U.S. government leaders have not been able to even begin to fix it…”

Doug DeCinces, Managing Director of Strawberry Farms Golf Club presents gifts to Gov. Romney

Governor Romney introduced by David Parker, National Chairman of the Community Outreach Program and event host (with Doug DeCinces) of the Strawberry Farms event.

The family style barbeque was held at the Strawberry Farm Golf Club owned by partners David Parker and Doug DeCinces (Major League Baseball, 1973 to 1987, All-Star). In attendance also was Matt Romney, his daughter Chloe, Jim (Ann’s brother) & Becky Davies and family, Congressman Campbell and other community leaders I could not identify. Approximately 700 people attended, of which about 180 were children. There was plenty of food, a jumpy house for the kids, and lots of people talking about the future in support of Gov. Romney for President.

Mitt discussing the Ames Straw Poll and Iowa fun

Those who have heard Mitt speak in other events heard a completely different, off-the-cuff, totally relaxed, and often humorous speech. GMR was obviously energized by the recent win from the Ames Straw Poll; he mentioned having won twice in Iowa. The first time when Giuliani and McCain discovered his organizational superiority and strength when they turned tail and the second time last Saturday when he won the Ames Straw Poll by a wide margin.

Skyler Stevenson (22) of Laguna Beach — One of many young adults who contributed to support Governor Romney!

Gov. Romney remarked how many people tell him they can’t believe how hard he is working and how he should be exhausted — he said he is tremendously energized by the people he meets on the campaign trail like those at this event. During his rousing speech, GMR was interrupted by applause many times.

Close friends, Jill & Kevin Anderson of Orange (w/Hugh Hewitt) contributed the maximum $4,600 on the first day (Jan ‘07) in which Gov. Romney set the all-time record of $6.5 million in one day of fundraising — They stepped up when many were still spewing skepticism!

A story worth recounting here involved a trip GMR made to Afghanistan and Iraq about one year ago. He said that as he toured the many military installations and units, he would ask the men and women in uniform if any of them were from Massachusetts. When he would encounter those from his home state, he offered to call their family members when he returned to America if they would write down on a piece of paper their family’s contact numbers. When he finally left, he had 93 pieces of paper of service members from all over the war zone. He said that as he encountered the women and men serving our country overseas and thanked them, many of them would reply to him by saying something like, “It is an honor for us to serve this great nation of America!” Upon returning home, he said he sat down one Saturday to start making the phone calls. After the first couple of calls he realized it might take him weeks to get through all 93 pieces of paper. About the fourth call, a mother answered and said something like, “Oh, Governor Romney, I thought that might be you! I was expecting your call.” Apparently, the word got out and many of the service men and women in Afghanistan and Iraq sent emails and forwarded emails to their loved ones alerting their families that Gov. Romney would be calling them. At that point, he said he realized he had no time to waste and he had to be sure to call all 93 families, and right away! It was a wonderful, sincere story that brought immediate applause.

One of many books signed by Governor Romney tonight

Matt Romney, his daughter Chloe, my daughter Melissa, and her son Jackson

Bree: “Starting in Ames……Finishing in Washington!”

Family Barbeque

Hugh Hewitt signing another copy of A Mormon in the White House? for Donna Osterkamp (my mom)

The event was an astounding success for Governor Romney’s campaign. An event of this kind and with this level of success in August of any year is truly extraordinary! Credit goes to many people under the leadership of Jennifer Cowen-Fitzgerald and her assistant Kari West.

~ Vic

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