Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been so wrapped up with efforts to rally Cornerstone’s activists and prepare for the primary and general elections that I’m just now catching my breath to share important news with you.
At the beginning of the month, Executive Director Wendy Warcholik informed Cornerstone’s board that she was resigning as executive director to help her husband adjust to a new position outside the state and to help her family adapt to their new home. Family comes first, and so we fully support Wendy’s decision and wish her all the best as she moves on. We’re quite grateful for all the time Wendy gave us and for her hard work on successful efforts such as New Hampshire’s new ban on partial-birth abortion, the state’s new education tax credit program and the defeat of expanded gambling.
When Wendy left, the board encouraged me to take over as acting executive director. I agreed, and have not rested one day since. Besides meeting with key pastors, preparing the organization’s election strategy, developing our legislative priorities for the coming year and finalizing our incumbent scorecard, I’ve worked with our friends to advocate for traditional values and protect the natural rights of families all across New Hampshire.
I was one of the keynote speakers for the recent “Conservative Women Leaders Speak Out” event in Concord, which was a featured stop on the nationwide Values Bus Tour sponsored by Heritage Action and Family Research Council Action. During that event, I explained how liberal policies in Washington that affect our way of life in New Hampshire constitute a true “War on Women” by making women dependent on government and perpetuating poverty for single women and their children.
Cornerstone also co-sponsored a panel discussion at Thomas More College, called “Resisting Obamacare: State and Federal Responses to an Unjust Law.” During that event, state and national leaders explained how the federal health insurance overhaul takes away citizens’ choices and forces church organizations, business owners and families to pay for activities they personally believe are immoral. Speakers also explained how New Hampshire has resisted the federal health insurance takeover and what steps the next legislature must take to protect the state’s free market for medical treatment and health insurance and make it even stronger.
Last week, I worked with some of our most active supporters to create Cornerstone’s new Families First Pledge, which sets a high-level standard for the legislative direction in the coming session. The pledge will be our most effective tool to endorse, elect and educate the next group of conservative leaders for the New Hampshire Legislature. It will also be the basis of our legislative agenda for the coming term and our eventual scorecard that holds lawmakers accountable for the votes they cast.
As I will be dedicating my energies to fulfilling the role of executive director at least through the election, Charlie McKinney will assume the responsibilities as chairman. Charlie has more than a decade’s experience at nonprofit institution building and has worked on presidential campaigns at the national level.
You can rest assured that Cornerstone is more energized than ever and perfectly positioned to have a strong impact on the 2012 elections and the session that follows. Charlie and I are committed to working with the board and you to make sure Cornerstone continues to stand as the leading conservative force that keeps the state moving in the right direction.
Your generosity in the past has helped Cornerstone become the organization it is today, and I can assure you that your future donations to Cornerstone will go directly toward making New Hampshire the best state in the country for families and children. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your suggestions, comments or concerns at cornerstone@nhcornerstone.org.
For Families,
Shannon McGinley
Acting Executive Director
