December 12, 2022

Dear HFRW Members and Fellow Republicans:

On November 27, 2022, the Hawaii Federation of Republican Women (“HFRW”) held its Annual Meeting, and officers for the next two years were decided. On January 1, 2023, they will officially take the helm and lead the HFRW. I want to extend my congratulations to:

Jamie Detwiler, President
Signe Godfrey, Treasurer
Mary Smart, Secretary

With that in mind, this is my farewell letter. Ironically, I do not find it bittersweet, but I am happy because of our achievements thanks to my core group.

Here is my recap of the hard work put forth by myself and members of the HFRW:

  1. Our organization grew from around 33 members to about 75.
  2. It was a dream of mine to have members on every single island. I just missed that dream, but we do have members on Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island. It is my great hope that Republican women on Kauai will eventually come on board.
  3. Two of us sit on two of the National Federation of Republican Women’s committee. Membership on the committees were confirmed by then NFRW President, Ann Schockett, after our resumes had to be sent to her: Mary Smart on the special Armed Services Committee, and I on the Legislative and Issues Committee.
  4. HFRW won one of the Betty Heitman Awards at the National Federation of Republican Women’s Biennial Convention held at Orlando, Florida, September 2021. Due to the hard and diligent work of my core group, we were able to implement the programs required to receive the Betty Heitman Award.
  5. We introduced bills and resolutions at the 2020, 2021, and 2022 legislative sessions here in Hawaii.
  6. We introduced resolutions which were voted on and passed at the Hawaii Republican Party conventions the last several years.
  7. We participated in the Hawaii Republican Party’s Resolutions and Platform Committees.
  8. We campaigned very hard for Republican candidates by sign-waving, canvassing, and providing financial support. Eight HFRW members were candidates this past election: Shekinah Cantere; Jamie Detwiler; Anna Hudson; Asia LaVonne; Tamara McKay; Holly Osborn; Mary Smart; and Sheila Walker. I am so proud of these women!
  9. I had a seat on the Honolulu County and State Committee Meetings since becoming HFRW President.
  10. I was also Rules Delegate for District 36, and now House District 46. I am proud to have been involved with making sure the HRP Confidentiality Agreement was front and center in our Party’s Rules (because my personal email address and many others were hijacked by a certain group I will not mention).
  11. We have formed coalitions with Hawaii Firearms Coalition, and most recently, with Hawaii Parents United.

My focus the last three years was to learn the issues and how to educate others on issues they were not familiar with. We did that through our HFRW website, my newsletters, and via the various resolutions submitted to our HRP Resolutions Committee. My legislative chair, Rita Kama-Kimura, was very crucial at spreading the word through her wonderful emails. Beloved friend Susan Duffy was important in educating me on all the evil things happening to our children. Mary Smart sent me “A Love Letter to America” written by Tomas Schuman aka Yuri Bezmenov which explains how Communism is infiltrated into governments.

I have formed many wonderful friendships the last several years. But now, Our Lord wants me to focus on other things. I am already back to my piano playing, re-learning theory, and my new dream is to write a simple symphony honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary. I hope to continue my Catholic Legion of Mary work with one of the nursing homes my husband and I used to visit…for m.a.n.y. years. Of course, I am still my younger granddaughter’s water polo chauffeur. Perhaps I can now stop saying, “I need a vacation from my retirement!”

I cannot tell you enough how privileged and honored I was to have participated in on the Honolulu County Committee and HRP State Committee meetings. I will never forget that I walked amongst incredible local Republicans…all volunteers!

To my HFRW members: focus on issues and please give Jamie your support. You have my number and email address, and I will always be around if you need me. Thank you for having confidence in me.

God love you, protect you, and keep you and your families safe…always.

My fondest aloha,

Donna P. Van Osdol

Donna P. Van Osdol
Outgoing President, Hawaii Federation of Republican Women
2022-2023 Member, National Federation of Republican Women, Legislation and Issues Committee
HD46 Delegate, Rules Committee
HD46 Secretary

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