The Siloam Springs Republican Women hosted a patriotic music program Monday night at the Compass Fellowship NWA community building.
The event showcased groups such as JOY, Just Older Youth, made up of members who enjoy performing for local events such as church potlucks, as well as stars like Josie Duggar, the youngest daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar from the TLC show "19 Kids and Counting."
Sharon Ghassami, SSRW club president, began the evening expressing the importance of songs like the National Anthem and encouraged all in attendance to sing along.
JOY pianist Lloyd Whitcomb and members of the Men's Quartet led attendees in songs like "My Country 'Tis of Thee"("America"), "America the Beautiful," "You're a Grand Old Flag," "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "This is My Country."
Ghassami introduced "This is My Country" with a few personal notes about her time in the Girl Scouts, revealing her time in the group as a girl is where she first learned the song. However, she said she later learned the first stanza is for those who were born in America and the second stanza is for Americans who immigrated to America. The song, Ghassami said, was personal because she was born in America and her husband emigrated to America.
The SSRW "exists to strengthen the Republican party through grassroots efforts to mobilize and win victories for Republican candidates in the local community, state of Arkansas and the United States," according to the organization's Facebook page.
The organization meets every third Monday at the Compass Fellowship NWA, located at 318 E. Main St.
General News on 06/19/2019