Category Archives: News

CATS Course: TX Legislature Online

LPRW-CATSlogo-transparentCATS = Citizen Activist Training Series
Among the objectives of LPRW is to “promote an informed electorate through political education”. Learn  how to navigate the  Texas Legislature’s website to follow bills you’re interested in.

Successfully Navigating the TLO Website PPT

Download the PowerPoint presentation (PDF download) and you can go screen by screen through the salient parts of capitol.texas.gov

Monica Carson & Carol Spencer
LPRW Legislative Chair & LPRW Past President

Topics: the legislative process; how to track bills and topics; how to read and understand bills; how to get info to your inbox
Saturday, February 15 from 10:00 to noon.
Bring a laptop if you have one.
 
(There is not as much information on the mobile version of the TLO website.)
REGISTER TODAY
The Club House, 3000 Hwy 71 East (just after Super 8 on the feeder road), Bastrop


This Month’s Meeting Program

Bastrop County Sheriff Maurice Cook
Guest Speaker & Book Signing

• Thursday, February 20 at the LPRW Club House
• Networking: 6pm; Meeting: 6:30pm
• Light refreshments

Sheriff Maurice Cook will be our featured speaker at our monthly meeting on February 20.

Did you know that Sheriff Cook is also an author? His book, “Unlikely Texas Ranger: You Be The Judge” was released in 2024. Sheriff Cook will also sign copies of his book at our meeting.

2025 Officers

Jessica Bovee-Bradford, President

Jessica Bovee-Bradford

While I come from a very long line of Texans, I was born and raised in Sacramento California, but got here as soon as I could! My husband, Tim, and I together have 5 children and 7 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. We built our house in Double Eagle Ranch 3 years ago after living on our 5-acre farm in Webberville for 10 years.

I am a seasoned Mortgage Banker and Real Estate Broker since 1988. I currently work for a NJ bank as a Senior Account Executive buying loans from Texas mortgage brokers and bankers. My husband Tim is an Electrical Engineer in the semi-conductor industry after a 20-year career in the Army as a Drill Sergeant and Tank Commander.

My free time is spent with my husband, children and grandchildren when we can and as a 25 year equestrian practicing the discipline of dressage. I look forward to spending more time supporting local GOP politics as well as serving the Lost Pines Republican Women.


Lynn Shirk, Vice President

I’ve been in Bastrop for just over 8 years, in Texas just over 9.  I love my community, and I love that Texas is red. 

I’m a real estate appraiser with my own business which typically keeps me quite busy!  I was born and raised south of Chicago until my family moved to Tucson, AZ where I finished high school and college.  I then relocated to Colorado where I fell in love with the beauty and majesty of that state.  Job situations brought my then husband and I to Texas where, I might not be a fan of the weather here, but the people are what keeps me here in Texas!  I have 1 son who just got married and lives in Austin with his wife.

I’ve been caring for my mom who has advanced dementia and is now in a care facility.  This has freed me up to get involved in organizations like LPRW and I am looking forward to doing my part to keep Texas red!


Kaye Leidy, Treasurer

Following retirement, Kaye served four terms as Bastrop County Republican Party (BCRP) precinct chair, and one term as vice chair of the BCRP.

When Lost Pines Republican Women was founded, Kaye was a charter member, and has served in the posts of secretary and treasurer. She is also an associate member of three other central Texas Republican Women’s clubs.

Kaye has served as an election worker since 2016 as clerk, alternate judge and presiding judge.

She has served as secretary and president of St. Ann’s Society at Sacred Heart in Rockne. She and husband Delmar have been married 47 years.


Charitty Alexander, Secretary

I wasn’t born here but was raised right here in the Austin and Austin metro areas since I was 4. I have lived in Bastrop for the last 20 years and raised my daughter here. I am a real estate broker and own a boutique company managing single family residential real estate in 5 counties. My husband and I live in Smithville on our 15 acre property with our donkeys, horses, chickens, ducks and dog. My husband retired from the Army after 20 years doing a varying number of jobs from serving in the infantry to teaching US Weapons and recruiting. He is a born and raised Texan. After the military, he started doing music production and band management, before settling into a 23 year real estate career. He has now retired from being a real estate Broker, as well. We have 4 children between the two of us, 8 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren.

We enjoy traveling when I can get away, spending time with our family, and just relaxing at the ranch. I also enjoy sponsoring tables at different events throughout the county to benefit the Children Advocacy Center and the Family Crisis Center. I believe in putting your money where your heart is and never forgetting where you come from. You can make the world a better place with a little hard work, a good heart, and great organizations leading the way. I started getting more involved in the political arena in the last 2 years and ran for Justice of the Peace. I believe we need more involvement from my generation and age group and I hope to encourage more to do so, so we can continue keeping Texas RED with the generations to come. 


Carol Spencer, Immediate Past President

Carol A Spencer

I moved a lot as a child but was primarily raised in Prairie Village, KS.  In high school, we moved east.  My professional career was in tech, many years as an IBM Marketing Rep and then as the Digital & Social Media Manager for county government.  I have two adult children, both living overseas.  Upon retirement, we moved to Bastrop County.

I spent 30 years in the political world of NJ, including 10 years as a councilwoman and mayor and almost another 10 here in Texas.  I’ve been a club president for 2 different clubs, sat on both the national and state federation boards. I have met my very best friends through my involvement with Federation clubs. I hope to grow our club through fun activities in support of the GOP candidates who share and promote our Texas values.  Join us! Perhaps you’ll make lifelong friends as well.

LPRW Latest Event

Lost Pines Republican Women is excited to announce our new “Kids Corner”. Kids Corner will take place every month, on the 2nd Sunday from 2pm to 3pm. Members of our Literacy Committee will read a book from the Freedom Island Book Club Series of Brave Books. They’ll have activities based on the book.

Kids Corner poster graphicKids Corner is open to children ages 4 through 12. You don’t have to be a member of LPRW to bring your children! But we do ask that you pre-register and stay with the young person you bring to Kids Corner.

Want to let others know about Kids Corner? Print the PDF flyer.

Why did we choose Brave Books?

BRAVE Books is a Christian publishing company that makes books for kids that reinforce biblically-based, foundational values. Before founding BRAVE Books, Dr. Trent Talbot was a practicing ophthalmologist. He became a new dad when his daughter was born in 2020. As he began to look for children’s content for his daughter, he was shocked by the sheer amount of inappropriate entertainment on the market. He saw the need for a brand that parents like him could trust with their children’s imaginations. This idea led him to found BRAVE Books in 2021.


LPRW Wins National and State Awards

October 21, 2023: The Lost Pines Republican Women (LPRW) of Bastrop County has received two prestigious awards from the National Federation of Republican Women and the Texas Federation of Republican Women.

NFRW Diamond AwardChartered in 2017, LPRW received a Diamond Award from the National Federation of Republican Women at its biennial convention in Oklahoma City in September.  Club Achievement Awards are presented to clubs that demonstrate excellence in membership development, campaign activities, community relations, programs and club functions.  After an extensive application process, clubs are awarded Diamond, Gold, Silver or Bronze Achievement Awards. 

LPRW received the top award, a Diamond Award, for the third time. This is a testament to the outstanding work of club members.  LPRW members spent more than 10,000 hours on political and campaign activities during the award period.  Using just $25 / hour, that represents $250,000 in volunteer time to our candidates and political party.

LPRW received a Texas Federation of Republican Women Club Achievement Award at its biennial convention in Irving in October.  A rigorous application process requires clubs to fulfill certain criteria in five categories.  LPRW, a medium-sized club, scored 880 points, more than the number required for a super-jumbo club to win the award.  This is LPRW’s second Texas Federation Club Achievement Award.

The Lost Pines Republican Women (LPRW) is an affiliate of the Texas Federation of Republican Women (TFRW.org) and the National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW.org).  Information about monthly meetings, membership and events can be found at LostPinesRW.us. LPRW can be found on social media platforms @LostPinesRW.