Story Submitted: Bob Bezick
The annual James Madison Constitution Dinner, hosted by the Madison County Republican Executive Committee (MCREC), was held on Tuesday, May 15 at Divine Events in Madison. The James Blair Award recipient was Wally Davis, one of Madison's own citizens. This award recognizes those individuals that do not wait for the government to assist in what needs to get done; they see a need and fill it themselves. Wally has done just that for the Madison community for many years. He wears many hats and serves his community with humility and shares his knowledge through many of his mentoring projects.
The dinner featured keynote speaker, Jeff Minder, CEO of Top Tier K9 dog training facility. Minder is a conservative capitalist, radio talk show host for the "Jeff Minder: The Undefeated" show on Monday nights at 6 p.m. on 107.5 FM, and entrepreneur. He is a veteran and patriot for our great nation. He also shared his views on big government and how "Socialism is the bridge between Capitalism and Communism." Minder has established his dog training facility in Madison, and it has grown to become an internationally recognized facility in the dog training world. Jeff helps individuals that want to become their own boss by providing the necessary skills and training allowing them to become certified licensed trainers in their own right.
Also addressing the crowd was State House Representative Halsey Beshears and Virginia Fuller, candidate for US Congress District 5. Other campaigns represented were Rick Scott for US Senate, Baxter Troutman for Commissioner of Agriculture, Denise Grimsley for Commissioner of Agriculture, and the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF).
May was military appreciation month, and it was definitely shown at the dinner. The MCREC invited people to sponsor a seat so veterans could attend the dinner. They worked in conjunction with the local American Legion Post #224 and word of mouth to invite past and present military, from all branches, to enjoy the dinner at no cost. This was just a small thank you to all military for their service and sacrifice to ensure the American way of life and our freedoms. The MCREC proudly acknowledged and recognized over 25 veterans this year. Thank you to all that attended or sponsored a vet and the MCREC hopes to see you next year.