The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Tea Party movement establishing itself in Fairfield area

Submitted Ed Pharo

Shannon Hartkemeyer speaks at a Fairfield Twp. Trustee candidates forum in October sponsored by the Fairfield Community Group Tea Party.

File photo/Contributed by Jessica Uttinger Shannon Hartkemeyer speaks at a Fairfield Twp. Trustee candidates forum in October sponsored by the Fairfield Community Group Tea Party.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Area entrepreneurs take lead role for small business owners
2:06 p.m.
Students injured after truck hits school bus
2:04 p.m.
Contech changes name, ownership structure
1:30 p.m.
Alleged shooter indicted on murder charge
12:58 p.m.
Interim to take over as new police chief
10:29 a.m.
> More headlines

An estimated 18,000 people gathered Saturday, Sept. 5, on the lawn of the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting in West Chester Twp. for a day long rally hosted by the Cincinnati Tea Party.

Staff photo by Dave Greber An estimated 18,000 people gathered Saturday, Sept. 5, on the lawn of the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting in West Chester Twp. for a day long rally hosted by the Cincinnati Tea Party.

Group will meet Thursday at the Old Spaghetti Factory; the public is invited to attend and learn more.

By Michael D. Pitman, Staff Writer Updated 9:08 AM Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Those who know Ed Pharo would be surprised if he didn’t get involved with a movement that supports his beliefs.

The Fairfield Tea Party Community Group formed after Pharo attended a Cincinnati Tea Party meeting at the Miami University’s Voice of America Learning Center in West Chester Twp.

“When I got in there, I was very impressed with the presentation,” said Pharo, a 10-year Fairfield Twp. resident. “When I was hearing some of the plans and the goals of the organization, I thought that could really work and I wanted to be a part of that.”

The Fairfield Tea Party — which supports the mission of the grass roots nonpartisan movement to promote fiscal responsibility, limited government and conservative values — already has been involved in the community, hosting the Fairfield Twp. trustee community forum in October.

“We’re trying to organize ourselves, grow the membership and have meetings with meaningful topics,” he said.

The Fairfield Tea Party’s next meeting is 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, at the Old Spaghetti Factory, 6320 S. Gilmore Road, Fairfield. Monthly meetings are planned.

Shannon Hartkemeyer has been part of the Tea Party movement in the Fairfield and Fairfield Twp. area. She was inspired to run for Fairfield Twp. Trustee earlier this month. Hartkemeyer received more than 2,000 votes, missing one of the two open seats by less than 4 percent.

“I’m doing it because I care about your country, and I think it’s up for every citizen to stand up in defense of their country,” Hartkemeyer said.

“I’ve never been asked to serve in the military but what I can do is serve my country in this way,” she said

With Mike Wilson, the founder of the Cincinnati Tea Party, Hartkemeyer has been involved in organizing Cincinnati and West Chester Twp. Tea Party events.

“The Tea Party’s just done so many fabulous things and are growing because people care and want to get involved,” Hartkemeyer said. “I think when people engage in the political process, be that through elections be that through supporting candidates through exercising freedom of speech, I think that engages and facilitates the citizens and I think that makes our country stronger.”

Pharo said ultimately he’d like to see the Fairfield Tea Party grow and be another information source for residents, and the arms and legs for organization events.

“If in 20 years, if one of my kids look at me and say, ‘It’s all gone. All the liberty, all the freedom is all gone. What did you do about it?’” Pharo said. “Well, I’m going to have a mouthful to say.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5112 or mpitman@coxohio.com.

How to join

Anyone interested in more information or how to join the Fairfield Tea Party Community Group can e-mail patriot@ fairfieldteaparty.org or visit www.fairfieldteaparty.org

Share this article