We are dedicated to promoting the values and principles of the Republican Party in Garrett County, Maryland. Our mission is to engage with the community, support Republican candidates, and uphold conservative ideals.
CONTRIBUTING TO OUR COMMUNITY
We volunteer and contribute to community
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Dove Center & Garrett Mentors
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College scholarships
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High School Events
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Lunch for police/sheriff departments
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Reading to students in schools
INFORMING OUR COMMUNITY
We stay informed about legislation and influence outcome
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Red Scarf Day in Annapolis
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Emails to state representatives
We stimulate involvement in the Republican political system
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Public meetings about conservative stance on issues
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Mailings to newly registered Republican/ unaffiliated voters
National Federation of Republican Women - Diamond Achievement Award for Excellence in Membership Development, Campaign Activities, Programs, Community Relations, Leadership Development and Club Functions 2024-2025
SERVING OUR COMMUNITY
We assist in electing Republican candidates
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Information at HQ, county fair, and other venues
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Electioneering at polls, door-knocking, phone calls
EDUCATING OUR COMMUNITY
We assist in creating an informed electorate
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Sharing of information on candidates/issues
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Attendance at local/state/national meetings
We educate in a variety of ways
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Human trafficking projects/displays
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Women’s Equality Day project
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Book donations to Ruth Enlow Library
President, Patty Hammond, Vice-President, Melita Friend, Treasurer, Rita Watson, Asst. Treasurer, Liz Morin, Secretary, Lisa Welch
Upcoming Events
Meeting Reminder, August 19, 2026
The next meeting of the Garrett County Republican Women’s Club is Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at Stonecroft Manor, Oakland. Social time begins at 4:30, dinner is ordered by 5:30 and the meeting begins at 6 pm.
The program is a presentation by Chris Nichols on The Garrett County Military Heritage Project which aims to shine a light on our county’s remarkable and often overlooked connections to America’s military past. From the earliest frontier conflicts to the complex missions of the modern era, Garrett County has contributed far more than our size and location might suggest. This project brings those unique historical threads together—local stories, regional landmarks, and the broader national narrative—to show how deeply intertwined our county is with the nation’s defense and service traditions. Part of this project is the development and placement of a series of historical signs, each telling the story of the County's connection to a particular conflict. The project will also create a clearinghouse of information related to Garrett County Veterans of all time periods. More information can be found at https://gcmilitaryheritage.org/
Nichols is an active community volunteer and advocate for civic engagement in Garrett County. He is a member and Past President of the Deep Creek Lake Lions Club; member of the Accident American Legion Post 208; and Board Member of the Property Owners' Assoc of Deep Creek Lake, Holler to Hilltop, and Tableland Trails. His interests include preserving and sharing the region's rich history, expanding outdoor recreation opportunities, supporting charitable organizations, and encouraging informed community involvement through education and public service.
A brief business meeting will follow the program. Agenda items include the 2026 quilt raffle project, the “Stars & Stories” literacy project, membership recruitment and the 2026 General Election. Any interested Republican is invited to attend. For more information or to confirm attendance, please contact the Club through its Facebook page or by calling President Patty Hammond at 301-852-1453.
GCRWC PAST EVENTS
STARS & STORIES
Garrett County 250th Birthday Bash
July 18 marked the grand opening of the Stars & Stories book club! This book club is designed to inspire young readers, from preschoolers to students in grades K–12, to explore books that celebrate American history, patriotic ideals, and the spirit of freedom. Even though it was raining cats and dogs, some kids and their parents still made it to the Stars & Stories tent! Melita was there giving out her new book free, the families were thrilled. Our storybook readers were fantastic at grabbing the children’s attention, and you can see the joy on their faces in our pictures
A special thanks to Louise Friend, Literacy Chair, and committee member Linda Bradley who spent countless hours reading and approving books, and to Liz Morin for her time coordinating the event with the 250th committee. Our story readers, Lee Nelson, Joy Fernon, Melita Friend and Linda Bradley were phenomenal and loved by kids snd parents!! Much appreciation and thanks to Autumn Williams and Janice Layton for selling basket tickets, quilt tickets and providing smiles on a dreary day!!
A sweet little 8 year old girl was the first child in Garrett County to receive a free book courtesy of the GCRWC Stars & Stories bookclub!!
Grantsville Days June 26 & 27
Thank you to volunteers, Janice Layton, Autumn Williams, Linda Bradley, Lisa Welch and Patty Hammond for weathering the rain and wind to keep our tent open. Over $500 in quilt tickets were sold and our first Stars & Stories book give-away was a success!
June 14, 2026
American Legion Post 71 & GCRWC
Honoring Old Glory
Flag Retirement Ceremony
Back row: Karen Myers, Patty Hammond, Lisa Welch, Lisa Herman, Seated: Linda Bradley and Laura Ivkovich
L-R Linda Bradley, Karen Myers, Liz Morin, Becky Heath, Patty Hammond, and Laura Ivkovich
MFRW Bay Club Hosted a Trip to National Federation of Women HQ, Historic Old Town Alexandria, VA, June 5, 2026
A beautiful day for a trip to Old Town Alexandria!! GCRCC Chair, Lisa Herman, MFRW President Luanne Ruddell and GCRWC Patty Hammond are all smiles as they tour the NFRW HQ, meet and have lunch with Martha Jenkins and tour Old Town Alexandria
President, Martha Jenkins, in her NFRW office
Republican Women of Frederick County
June 2, 2026, Frederick, MD
Trailblazer's Dinner
GCRWC ladies, Patty Hammond, Melita Friend, Luanne Ruddell, and Lisa Herman, attending the Trailblazers Dinner, a tribute to Connie Onspaugh, President RWFC.
CONNIE ONSPAUGH NEVER SOUGHT THE TITLE OF PRESIDENT. BUT WHEN THE CLUB SHE LOVED WAS IN DANGER OF CLOSING ITS DOORS FOREVER, SHE MADE A PROMISE TO KEEP IT ALIVE AND SHE KEPT THAT PROMISE THROUGH YEARS OF HARD WORK, LEAN MEMBERSHIP, AND RELENTLESS CULTURAL HEADWINDS. SHE MENTORED NEW LEADERS, HELD THE LINE WHEN OTHERS WALKED AWAY.AND MADE SURE THAT WHEN HER TIME CAME, THE ORGANIZATION BERTHA TRAIL FOUNDED WOULD STILL BE STANDING AND READY TO GROW AGAIN. CONNIE PASSED AWAY IN AUGUST 2025. THE TORCH SHE CARRIED IS NOW IN OUR HANDS.
Grantsville Days
Come visit the GCRWC tent on Friday June 26 and Sat June 27.
The 49th Annual Grantsville Days runs from Friday, June 26 through Sunday, June 28, 2026, at Grantsville Town Park in Garrett County. The event features the Fireman’s Parade, firework displays, over 100 craft and food vendors, family activities, and live music.
The GCRWC tent will be near the Lion's Club building and open from 5 -10 pm on Friday, Jun 26 and 10 am - 10 pm Saturday.
We will have our scholarship quilt on display and selling tickets for $1 each or 6 for $5. Voter registration will be available and membership signup. There will be surprises for the kids too!!
Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
May 15, 2025
Archie's BBQ ribs, coleslaw, corn bread and cookies, put smiles on our heroes faces!!! Thank you for your service!
Helping deliver to the Sheriff's office and the Highway Patrol barracks are GCRWC Members, Louise Friend, Janice Layton, Lisa Herman and president, Patty Hammond.
MFRW RED SCARF DAY
March 3, 2026
Braving the rain and chilly weather conditions, the Garrett County woman made it to the State Capitol in Annapolis for the yearly Red Scarf Event! In attendance was MFRW Chair Luanne Ruddell, GCRWC President Patty Hammond, GCRWC Vice-President and MFRW Western Regional Chair Melita Friend, and GCRWC members Linda Bradley, Anne Davidson, Louise Friend, and Lisa Herman. They were joined by over 120 MFRW members from around the State of Maryland.
The day began with over two dozen women attending the Republican Caucus at the Senate building, while others toured the State House and/or viewed legislative sessions from the gallery. At 11 am, all the woman assembled back at the Calvert House for a group photo, followed by lunch with Republican legislators. From 1-3 pm there were opportunities to attend committee hearings or just explore the city.
MFRW President, Luanne Ruddell
From left: Michelle Twigg Janie Bucy, Robin Park, President ARWC President, Charity Friend, MFRW President Luanne Ruddell, Louise Friend, GCRWC President Patty Hammond, Lisa Herman, and Anne Davidson. (Not shown, Melita Friend)
Garrett and Allegany County MFRW ladies meet with Senator Mike McKay
State Delegates from the gallery
GCRWC
Meet the Candidates
Ed Clemons Jr., candidate, House of Delegates 1A
Dan Duggan, candidate House of Delegates 1A
At the January 21, 2026, GCRWC meeting, we heard from three Republican candidates: Ed Clemons, Jr. and Dan Duggan, candidates for the House of Delegates District 1A and Chris Burnett, candidate for Congressional District 6.
Follow our Facebook page to see when additional candidates will be speaking.
Chris Burnett, candidate, Congressional District 6
CONGRATULATIONS!
GCRWC Republican Women of the Year Melita Frend
Melita Friend serves as the Club's Vice President and the Chair of the MFRW Western Region. For 2026, she has also been appointed as the MFRW Membership Chair.
Presenting the award are WOY Committee Chair Lisa Herman (left) and Club President Patty Hammond (right).
Women of the Year Committee Chair Lisa Herman reading the award citation as Melita looks on.
LEGISLATIVE DAY, January 15, 2026
MFRW attendees enjoy lunch at Ram's Head Restaurant
Lisa Herman, GRWC Scholarship Chair, Luanne Ruddell, MFRW President, Patty Hammond, GCRC President
January 10, 2026
MFRW Leadership Conference
A great Leadership Conference! Traveling to Anne Arundel County were (L to R): Liz Morin, Laura Ivkovich, Luanne Ruddell, NFRW 7th District Director Christine Peters, Patty Hammond, Melita Friend and Lyn Strawser. This was the first MFRW event since member Luanne Ruddell took over as President.
GCRWC Annual Book Donation to the Ruth Enlow Library
Promoting education and literacy, the Garrett County Republican Women’s Club recently made its annual book donation to the Ruth Enlow Library. Literacy Chair Lisa Thayer Welch is pictured presenting to Library Director Thomas Vose The President Will See You Now: My Stories and Lessons from Ronald Reagan’s Final Years by Peggy Noonan. Two children’s books were also given: Why America Matters by Dr. Ben Carson and Valerie Pfundstein and The Berenstain Bears God Bless Our Country by Mike Berenstain.These books have all been on the Mamie Eisenhower Library Project listing of the National Federation of Republican Women. In 1961, the NFRW established the Mamie Eisenhower Library Project as a memorial honoring the former Republican First Lady who served for decades as a military wife and prepared the family home for over 30 moves during President Eisenhower’s military service to our country. All Republicans are invited to join the Garrett County Republican Women’s Club, which can be contacted through the Club’s Facebook page.
Maryland Federation of Republican
Women Fall Convention 2025
Congratulations to the 2026-2027 MFRW President, Luanne Ruddell
Madam President with the First Gentleman
2026-2027 MFRW Board
NFRW 43rd Biennial Convention
September 26-28, Orlando, FL
Keynote speaker
Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intellengence
Florida Governor
Ron DiSantis
Florida State
Representative
Kat Cammock
Florida State Representative
Byron Donalds
Delegate Luanne Ruddell, Past President, Delegate Lisa Herman, Scholarship chair, with Martha Jenkins, NFRW President, and Delegate Patty Hammond, President,
displaying the Diamond Award and Delegant Melita Friend, Vice President
Maryland Delegation
Grantsville Days, June 27 & 28, 2025
June 14, 2025 Celebrating Flag Day, 250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army and President Trump's Birthday
Congratulations Garrett County Republican Women's Club on Receiving the Maryland Federation of Republican Women Shield Award and the Greatest Percentage Increase in Membership for A Large Club in 2025 Award!!
Ruth Umbel Memorial
Scholarship Award Winners
Patty Hammond, GCRWC President, Brogan Moyer, Southern High School scholarship award winner and Luanne Ruddell, GCRWC Past President.
Lisa Herman, GCRWC Scholarship Committee Chair, Austin Ross, Northern High School scholarship award winner and Patty Hammond.
National Law Enforcement Day, May 15, 2025
GCRWC members, Lisa Welch, Linda Bradley, Janice Layton, Joanne Ashby and Patty Hammond, treated our Garrett County Sheriff’s office and State Highway Patrol to a yummy lunch of pizza, chicken wings, salad, brownies, cookies, and drinks. It was a humbling experience to see our Heroes in Blue so grateful.
McHenry Barracks of the Maryland State Police
Garrett County is incredibly blessed to have these amazing men and women, along with their incredible support staff, who are always there to protect our community. A huge thank you to Garrett County law enforcement for everything you do!
Garrett County, Maryland, Sheriff's Office
Maryland Federation of Republican Women Spring Board, May 17, 2025, Elkton, MD
The venue was a lovely converted barn, nestled in beautiful pastures and wooded areas. The weather was perfect, with bright sunlight and gentle breezes. It was the ideal spot for a meeting and to catch up with other Republican women’s club members across the State!
Patty Hammond, GCRWC President, Luanne Ruddell, MFRW 1st VP, Melita Friend, GCRWC VP and MFRW Western Regional Chair..
Rose Terrace Project
This year, the Garrett County Republican Women’s Club (GCRWC) is pleased to support Rose Terrace, an emergency shelter administered by the Garrett County (GC) Community Action. The program provides temporary shelter to homeless families and individuals residing in GC, enabling them to secure permanent housing while addressing their immediate needs. To qualify, individuals or families must be experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or attempting to escape such circumstances.
Rose Terrace is situated within the Community Action Building and offers a room and bed for 30 to 90 days, serving as a transitional solution for those experiencing homelessness. During this period, tenants are assigned a case manager who provides housing services and assistance in securing affordable permanent housing.
The GCRWC is actively involved in supporting Rose Terrace by donating essential items for New Client Welcome Kits and Outreach Kits. These kits include toiletries, bedding, towels, infant necessities, laundry detergent, and other necessary supplies. The Outreach Kits are designed to support homeless individuals in the community when shelter availability is limited, and they include mini toiletries, first aid kits, hats, gloves, fast food gift cards, and other practical items.
On April 23, the GCRWC delivered the first quarter of its donations to Rose Terrace and will continue to collect essential items throughout the year. For further information on how you can contribute to the support of Rose Terrace, please contact Shawnee Reynolds or Wendi Rodeheaver at 301-334-941.
L to R, Shawnee Reynolds, Wendi Rodeheaver, Caring for America Chair, Joanne Ashby, Janice Layton, Linda Bradley and Patty Hammond
Red Scarf Day, March 4, 2025
CONTACT
Who We Are
The Garrett County Republican Women's Club is a local organization of Republican Women that is affiliated with the Maryland Federation of Republican Women and National Federation of Republican Women.
Garrett County Republican Women's Club
Meetings
Inquiries
For any inquiries, questions, or comments, please call us at 301-852-1453
Contact Us
Email: patty.hammond@scd-corp.com
We meet the 3rd Wednesday of
every month; host special
events; and attend Maryland
Federation of Republican Women events as well as National Federation of Republican Women Events!
For locations and times call 301-852-1453