The Bandera County Republican Women hosted their first meeting at the Flying L Restaurant on Thursday, March 6, featuring guest speaker Stephen Willeford, a gun rights advocate and former firearms instructor best known for his heroic actions during the 2017 Sutherland Springs church shooting.
On November 5, 2017, Devin Kelley killed 26 people and wounded 22 others in a mass shooting at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, before taking his own life.
Willeford exchanged gunfire with Kelley, injuring him and forcing him to flee, leading to a high-speed chase with Johnnie Langendorff before Kelley crashed and was later found dead.
Investigators determined that Kelley should not have been allowed to purchase firearms due to a prior domestic violence conviction, but a reporting failure by the Air Force allowed him to do so.
In 2021, a federal judge ruled the government negligent and awarded nearly a quarter-billion dollars to victims and their families, prompting legislative changes to background check procedures.
Willeford told the story of his involvement in the day and spoke about his experiences traveling around the country speaking about that day and gun owners rights.
Willeford is a warm and outgoing gentleman who tells an extraordinary story. He makes the rural family atmosphere of Sutherland Springs really jump from the page.
He makes a point of saying that the government fell down on its job screening the shooter for a gun purchase. The shooter had been engaged in spousal and animal abuse. He had been given an “other than honorable” discharge from the military service.
Willeford brought copies of his book, A Town Called Sutherland Springs: Faith and Heroism Through Tragedy.
Meeting Business The minutes from the February meeting were approved and filed. Sharon Striegl gave a Treasurer’s Report and Melanie Burns gave a Membership Report.
The BCRW has 22 paid members. Burns distributed push cards and notified members that the application to join was available online.
Scholarship Chair Liz Garcia gave an update. She reported that the application for the club scholarship had been distributed to Medina and Bandera High Schools. April 25 is the deadline for returning the completed applications.
Legislative Chair Laura Briscoe spoke briefly about the issues at the state level. She mentioned March 11 as an important part of the effort to pass vouchers in Texas.
Briscoe related that the Senate had passed the voucher measure, but the House had not yet voted on it.
State Texas Republican Women officers Gail Teagarden and Brenda Miles spoke about their efforts to coordinate the various chapters in their district.
BCRW President Brandi Conover spoke about the Leadership Academy in Kerrville. She announced that all officers and one member attended the academy.
In new business, the group examined samples of “challenge coins” which could be used as mementoes or thank you gifts to speakers.
Matt Howe, a representative of Right to Bear spoke briefly to give members a preview of his presentation in April.
The next meeting of the Bandera County Republican Women will be on Thursday, April 3 at the Flying L Restaurant at 6 p.m. Refreshments and social hour will begin at 5:15 p.m.
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