By Ron VandenBoom
Hill County Republicans will hold their annual Lincoln Day Dinner, now officially called the Lincoln/Reagan Day Dinner, on Sunday, Feb. 25 in the Olympic Room of the Duck Inn.
The social hours is slated to start at 6 p.m. and the dinner begins at 7 p.m. Prime rib and shrimp are on the menu for the dinner.
Special guests for the evening will be Rep. Dennis Rehberg, Montana's freshman representative in Congress. Also scheduled to speak will be Rehberg's district manager, James Parker Shields.
Brad Lotton, chairman of the Hill County Republican Central Committee, said Rehberg will talk about his first impressions of Washington and some of the issues facing Congress under the George W. Bush Administration.
Lotton said Rehberg is also expected to address recent criticisms of the Clinton White House, the change in atmosphere under Bush. He is also expected to touch on recent criticisms of the Clintons since they left office, Lotton said.
The theme of this year's dinner will be "Honoring Northcentral Montana Businesses and Industry As We Work Together For Montana's Future."
"We'll honor local businesses and their employees," Lotton said, adding that it will also be a celebration of all the Republican victories in Montana during the last election.
Also on the evening's agenda will be an auction with several of what Lotton called, "GOP items," and a lottery for a special trip to Helena.
The Helena trip will include gas and motel accommodations for the winner who will get a personally guided tour of the capital by Betty Babcock, the wife of former governor Tim Babcock. The winner will also have lunch with Gov. Judy Martz.
Tickets for the lottery will be $5 each or five for $20 and can be purchased at the same locations as the dinner tickets. The dinner will be the last opportunity for interested people to purchase tickets.
Tickets for the dinner are $20 and can be purchased at Tempo Electric and Lotton Construction or from any Central Committee member.
Supporters can also send a check or money order for $20 to P.O. Box 1656 for tickets.
For more information call 265-7362.
