First Heart of the GOP Award presented at 2018 fall dinner . . .
On Wednesday, Sept. 12, the Hamilton County GOP fall dinner was held at the 502 East Event Center, 502 E. Carmel Drive, Carmel. At that dinner, Hamilton County Republican Party Chairman Laura Campbell presented a new award commemorating a lifetime of service by Susan Armstrong. Just under 400 people attended the dinner and presentation.
The first Susan Armstrong Heart of the GOP award was presented to Sheryl and Bill Clifford.
“Susan was a long-time precinct committeeman and volunteer,” Campbell told The Reporter. “For years she went door-to-door and made phone calls for candidates. She absolutely loved grass roots work. Even if the candidates she supported in the primary didn’t win, she would still put the same effort into helping elect our nominees in the fall elections.”
Armstrong had a heart condition and she struggled for a number of years until she finally decided she wanted to be put on the heart transplant list. She received a heart transplant the week before the 2016 state GOP convention.
“Even before she got her heart transplant, when she was too tired to go door-to-door she still made phone calls and would sit outside polling places,” Campbell said. “This spring she was actively working and volunteered at our office quite a bit. She really did a lot. She loved to work in politics.”
Susan passed away very suddenly the day before the May primary this year. Campbell said it was both shocking and unexpected.
“We were looking for a way to honor Susan’s memory and that’s why we decided to give a Susan Armstrong Heart of the GOP Award to people who are committed to the grassroots efforts of the party and went above and beyond in their commitment,” Campbell said. “In 2016, I brought back the Chairman’s Award which was given to volunteers who showed commitment to the party by going above and beyond. In 2016, Denise Moe received it and Victoria Spartz received it last year.”
When asked for their thoughts about receiving this award, both Sheryl and Bill Clifford chose to speak about Armstrong. They made it very clear to The Reporter that they want the focus to be on her lifetime of work for the party and the community.
“Susan loved being a Republican and knew her district in and out as all precinct committeepersons should,” Sheryl Clifford said. “She and Jack [Susan’s husband] loved the Republican Party. We could sit and hear stories for hours with Susan. We both loved working events with Susan. Bill and I were shocked and honored to be chosen as the first to receive her award. I had tears of joy and sorrow when receiving the award. Susan will be missed in the Republican Party and her shoes will be hard to fill.”
According to Bill Clifford, “Sheryl and I both knew Susan for several years from events with the Hamilton County GOP. We were drawn to her sass and ‘say it like it is’ talk. Instant friendship. Susan and Sheryl had several things in common like that.”
Campbell agreed that Armstrong pulled no punches when talking about her views.
“One of the things I loved about Susan was that she loved to debate,” Campbell said. “Even if we were on opposite sides of an issue, we always stayed friends. She could argue with somebody and not agree with them and still be friends with them, which is so rare anymore.”
Campbell said the party wanted to honor Susan’s memory and the Clifford family for the way they exemplify commitment.
“After a primary, sometimes you will never see a candidate again,” Campbell said. “If they don’t win a race they kind of disappear. Bill and Sheryl took some time off after the primary. They took about a month, then they came back and said, ‘We want to help out.’”
According to Campbell, the Cliffords are actively organizing volunteers for State Representative Donna Schaibley’s race.
“They are going door-to-door, organizing volunteers for fairs and festivals, they were at all of our fairs and festivals this summer and walking in parades for Donna Schaibley,” Campbell said. “That’s the kind of people they are. I just can’t say enough good things about them. They don’t want awards and they don’t want to be recognized. They truly do it because they believe in their hearts that they should. They believe in community service with their church, the party, the women’s club [Hamilton County Federated Republican Women] and with the ways they put so much time into their community.”
This will be an annual award for people who show exceptional commitment to the grass roots efforts of the party.
Photos provided by Denise Moe