Purpose of Pachyderm

To provide a practical means for broad citizen participation in politics.

To promote practical political education and the dissemina-tion of information about our political system.

To promote the development of potential political leaders.

To assist in carrying out the purposes of the Republican Party, whose purpose we believe includes:

To provide Leadership in Government.

To protect Individual Rights and Freedom.

To promote Clean Gov-ernment with local em-phasis.

To keep the Public In-formed on the status of their government.

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

Board President Remarks 2

Col. Sam Roberts 3

Club Briefs 4

Club Briefs 5

Top 10 Clubs 6

2015 Nat’l Convention 6

A positive vision is very simply a mental representation, or image in your mind’s eye, of your ideal future. Think of a vision like a light house that keeps you on course leading you on your journey to your hearts destination. Without a vision you become like a rudder-less ship without aim. A vision can also unleash enormous power, it is powerful because it acts as a compass to help you make your decisions easier and brings great-er meaning to your life. A great vision propels people to be extra-ordinary.1

Think of the great visionaries in history, people that have achieved greatness in the world, people like Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Ronald Reagan and JFK. All great men and women of history have been guided by great vi-sions. They were ordinary people who had the courage to dream big dreams, their visions encour-aged them to take action and keep them on course. There is no question that a powerful vision brings out the greatness in peo-ple.

It does this by projecting an up-beat mental image of the future, replacing fears and uncertainty with confidence, thus drawing you to what you want to achieve. Not having a vision on the other hand repels you from what you want to achieve replacing it with negative emotions such as fear and stress.

Modern scientific research has confirmed that a lack of vision results in a negative impact on daily life. Andrew MacLeod Pro-fessor of clinical psychology at the University of London conducted research where his team inter-viewed people who survived sui-

The Incredible Power of Vision and Our Founding Fathers

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

-Peter Drucker

cide attempts to understand their motivations. Their surpris-ing discovery was, it’s the lack of a positive vision, not the presence of a negative vision that drives people to attempt suicide. Many other research studies support MacLeod’s findings.2 The lack of the antici-pation of a positive event can be very damaging. It’s easy to see why it is important to have a positive vision of the future and the potential consequenc-es of not having one.

America’s founding fathers are long gone but they understood the power of vision; their ideas of freedom, liberty and pros-perity live on and have influ-enced the whole world.

It is said that our country is on the wrong path in a sea of un-certainty and division. Perhaps all we need do is remember what the founding fathers stood for, perhaps the right blueprint for our country has been right here all along and we have strayed away from it.

So what is your vision? For the country, for your career, for your life? What lights you up and puts energy in your life? Have you strayed away from what really makes you flourish?

On this day let us remember the words and deeds of the great men who founded our Nation and the powerful vision that they envisioned for all. Let us see them as role models to help us create visions that will truly lead us to human flourish-ing for us and our loved ones in the future. 1. Moeller, Steve, Endorphinomics The Science

of Human Flourishing. pp. 219-221

2. Ibid pp. 218

By Terry Hill Terry is Club Vice President of Speakers at Denton County Pachy-derm Club in Texas.

With Election Day completed I think about our founding fathers who had a powerful shared vision that resulted in the most prosper-ous, free, and innovative society in history. Not to mention the fact that they ignited the flame of liberty that spread around the world. The incredible success of our nation was not solely due to advanced technology or the in-dustrial revolution but it was suc-cessful in large part because of the power of a positive vision of a special group of freedom loving visionaries who knew exactly what they were doing and creat-ed the greatest country on earth. This is a perfect example of the incredible power of a positive vision.

For thousands of years successful men have understood the im-portance of vision. We need only look to a passage in the Old Testa-ment of the Bible which reads “Where there is no vision the people parish.”

December 2014

Volume 33, Issue 3

Terry Hill

Page 2 Volume 33, Issue 3

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT John D. Wiemann O’Fallon, MO

1ST VICE PRESIDENT Bob Shults Houston, TX

2ND VICE PRESIDENT Tom McElwain Columbia Falls, MT 3RD VICE PRESIDENT Bev Randles Kansas City, MO

TREASURER Wayne Wallingford Cape Girardeau, MO SECRETARY SuZanne Feather Houston, TX

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Joe Briggs Great Falls, MT

NATIONAL DIRECTORS

Turner Askew Whitefish, MT

Thelma Baker Missoula, MT

J.D. Joyce Houston, TX

Bill McCoy Springfield, MO

Larry Minniear Hixson, TN

George Parker, Jr. Centennial, CO

Helen Van Etten Topeka, KS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Holly M. Lintner hlintner@pachyderms.org

T H E B OA R D P R E S I D E N T ’ S R E M A R K S

It is amazing how things can change in two years. Remember after the November 2012 elec-tion when all of us were shocked and disappointed that President Obama was re-elected and the U.S. Senate remained under the Democrat Party control? In fact, many Republicans and conserva-tives were so disappointed with our candidates and the election results that many of them simply removed themselves from the party and any affiliated organiza-tion. Furthermore, the National Pachyderm's membership de-clined by thirty percent in 2013 along with other Republican and conservative clubs across the country. In a nutshell, many grassroots conservatives and Republican supporters were so angered at the Republican Party and its leadership that they stayed home in protest in 2012.

Fast forward to this year to see a different picture with the No-vember election results. It ap-pears that a majority of Ameri-can citizens have realized the Democratic Party and their lead-ers are providing poor leadership and allowing our country to spi-ral out of control. Everywhere you look we have serious prob-lems! After the 2012 election it was obvious to most of us that our party and country desper-ately needed new leaders. The

John Wiemann

time for complaining and wishing for things to get better are over and now is the time to start prac-ticing what we as Pachyderms believe, "Good Government re-quires Active Citizens." While most Pachyderm members are active citizens in our respective commu-nities, now is the time for all of us to step up our involvement and recruit our family and friends to join our cause. This can be achieved in a variety of ways. First, every member should be re-cruiting new members to join your local club. Second, attend every Pachyderm and Republican Party meeting possible. Third, pick one or two local government entities (i.e., school board, city govern-ment, fire district etc.) to follow closely and report back to your local club or circle of friends.

Fourth, help recruit qualified individuals to run for public office. Fifth, support financially and physically any conservative Republican candidate that is running for office. Lastly, consid-er running for public office your-self.

In February of this year, I stepped up and filed to run for Missouri State Representative. Fortunately, with a lot of plan-ning, hard work and support from my family, friends and many volunteers, I was able to win both a primary and general election. My decision to be an active citizen continues; howev-er, my role has changed. As a newly elected official my first priority will be to serve my con-stituents. Second, but equally important, I will continue to help the Pachyderm Club along with the Republican Party to support good conservative candidates who wish to serve our great na-tion. As I reach the end of my time serving as National Presi-dent for this great organization, I would encourage you to consider accepting a new leadership role in your local Pachyderm club or community. On behalf of the National Pachyderms, thanks for all you do, and I wish you and your family a happy and joyous New Year.

By John Wiemann, National President

Vis i t Our Store

Want to show your Pachy-

derm Pride?

Visit the online Pachyderm

Store at

s tore.pachyderms.org

and check out our shirts,

hats, awards, name badg-

es, literature and gifts.

Col. Sam Roberts was a former National Pachyderm Board Member, Tough Tusk recipient and Founding member of the Five Valley’s Pachyderm Club.

MISSOULA – Colonel Sam Alfred Roberts, USAF (Ret), 95, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014, at St. Patrick Hos-pital in Missoula surrounded by his loving family. To view full obituary, please visit http://missoulian.com/news/local/obituaries/sam-alfred-roberts/article_3a271958-4ca5-11e4-98b0-b7f3fadc18ec.html.

Below is a portion of an article written by Rob Chaney of the Missoulian. For the full article, including Col. Sam’s military stories please visit,

http://missoulian.com/lifestyles/hometowns/western-montana-lives-col-sam-roberts-from-flying-bombing-raids/article_0ecfca6e-5265-11e4-9f03-ebc920eafe6c.html

By Rob Chaney

Cascade County Commissioner Joe Briggs turned to Roberts when he was organizing Mon-tana’s first Pachyderm Clubs in the 1980s. The clubs were an educational offshoot of the Republican Party Central Com-mittee. Roberts started the Missoula chapter in 1988 and

R E M E M B E R I N G C O L . S A M RO B E R T S

The National Pachyderm Page 3

‘We have to straighten that out.’ ”

But the man who looked like he probably slept at attention hid a rapier wit under his parade dress. Pachyderm Clubs have an annual award called the “Tough Tusk” they give esteemed mem-bers. On a visit to Missoula for a club ceremony, Briggs realized he’d forgotten to bring his when Roberts came charging across the room.

“I thought, oh my God, I must be in trouble,” Briggs recalled. “I thought he was going to berate the heck out of me. I wasn’t in uniform, didn’t have my tusk on. It took several minutes be-fore he started to crack a smile, then he started to laugh and took his tusk off and put it around my neck to wear that night.”

Briggs said Roberts would never accept the return of the tusk. Briggs went on to earn two more, including a national-level award which he presented to Roberts to replace his old one.

“I still have the original Tough Tusk that Sam was awarded,” Briggs said. “The one that I al-ways wear is the one that Sam gave me.”

went on to be a state and nation-al leader of the program.

“He brought his enthusiasm, and he was a man of strongly held beliefs – a very honorable and gentle soul,” Briggs said. “And he brought a great deal of organiza-tional skill to the table. We went from one club to 11 clubs in a few years.”

Missoula Pachyderm Club co-founder Thelma Baker added that Roberts took special care to bring students to the club’s weekly luncheons, and paid for their meals.

“He was very good at working with youth,” Baker said. “And you’d always better wear a flag. He had extra ones in his pocket. And you better have it straight. He’d come right up to you and say

Col. Sam Roberts

While the National Pachyderm Federation does not require local clubs to say a prayer during their meetings. For those clubs that elect to do so, enclosed is a basic prayer that may be used to give praise to God.

Pachyderm Prayer

God of all goodness, through the breaking of bread together, you strengthen the bonds that unite us.

May our lips praise you, and our lives proclaim your goodness, our work give you honor and our voice celebrate you forever.

Amen.

Page 4 Volume 33, Issue 3

C L U B B R I E F S Glacier Country Pachyderms (MT) Refresh Republicans at Local Air Show

Glacier Country Pachyderms sponsored a tent on the flight line for the Mountain Madness Air Show fea-turing the USAF Thunderbirds. The tent was used for friends to get in out of the sun (and at times rain!) and for GOP candidates to display their information. It was a welcome addition to the hospitality of the event. The Club supplied bottled water with Pachyderm labels (shown below). The water that was not used at the Air Show was used at the local GOP Headquarters where a number of volunteers worked who were not familiar with Pachyderms; so it was a great marketing tool!

Pictured above is the Glacier Country Pachyderm Club’s tent and signs featuring Phil Mitchell, Candidate for County Commissioner who won his election by a wide margin, Steve Daines who is the first Republican US Senator to hold the seat in over 100 years and Ryan Zinke who prevailed in the race for Montana's lone Congressional seat. Zinke (Former Commander of Seal Team Six) and Mitchell are members of the Glacier Country Pachyderm Club.

The National Pachyderm Page 5

C L U B B R I E F S Jefferson County Pachyderm Club (MO) Creates Display on Highway

Jefferson County Pachyderms converged at the Schroeder Sod Farm on Sunday, October 10th and with the help of Captain America installed a large display of Candidate signs as well as Pachyderms (in front of each sign). Thanks to Linda Schroeder and all the club members who helped with the display.

Captain America (aka Club President, Charles Groeteke) stands proudly by the Pachyderm banner.

PO BOX 1295

Cape Girardeau, MO 63702-1295

National Federat ion of the Grand Order of Pachyderm Clubs, Inc.

Toll Free: 1-888-467-2249

E-mail: hlintner@pachyderms.org

Website: www.pachyderms.org

Free Government Requires Active

Citizens

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nationalpachyderms

TO P 1 0 C L U B S A S O F 1 1 / 3 0 / 1 4

# Club City State Members

1 Hamilton County Chattanooga TN 229

2 Galveston Island Galveston TX 173

3 Glacier Country Kalispell MT 159

4 Wichita Wichita KS 153

5 St. Charles County St. Charles MO 143

6 Greater Houston Houston TX 125

7 Alamo San Antonio TX 108

8 Downtown Houston Houston TX 91

9 Randolph Area Moberly MO 82

10 Northwest Houston Houston TX 75

It is our belief that most of the corrupting influences in American politics could

be erased and the government generally made more responsive by one basic im-

provement. That is, simply for more good citizens to participate in politics. “We

get the government we deserve, not the one we wish for,” remains a guide star

for a free people. We offer a meaningful movement of political Clubs as the most

practical means by which broad citizen participation may be achieved.

PA C H Y D E R M P R E A M B L E

SAVE THE DATE June 4-6, 2015

2015 National Pachyderm

Convention

Chattanooga

Marriott Hotel