By Valerie Baldowski
vbaldowski@henryherald.com

The first Henry County Republican Party Family Freedom Fest will be held next weekend at the Jason T. Harper Event Center at Heritage Park in McDonough, organizers said.
The event is scheduled for Nov. 14, from 11 a.m., to 6 p.m., according to Henry GOP member, Samantha Fleet.
The family-oriented event will include carnival games, inflatables, food and music by the Honey Creek Boys, Fleet said. Canned goods will be collected to benefit a local food pantry.
The event will also provide an opportunity for candidates running for office at the state level to meet with families about state and local issues affecting them, Fleet continued.
“I am hoping that families in Henry County will come out and join us,” she said. “There are so many that understand the importance of getting involved and making a difference. This will be a great event.”
Fleet said candidates anticipated to attend will include those campaigning for the governor’s office, secretary of state, insurance commissioner, and state labor commissioner. Some local lawmakers are also expected to attend, Fleet said.
Admission to the fund-raiser is free, she said, but money from concessions and games will benefit the Henry County Republican Party.
The event aims at promoting community involvement, Fleet said.
“The major design of this is, we’re trying to get families involved,” she said. “We’re trying to show the new side of the Republican Party.”
The local party’s new leadership, said Fleet, includes Mike Eddy, who was elected chairman of the Henry County Republican Party in March.
Eddy said he was looking forward to the Family Freedom Fest.
“I’m excited,” he said. “This is a real outreach for the citizens of Henry County. We are moving in the direction to assure that we are in the [community] talking about what we believe as Republicans.”
He said the leadership of the Henry GOP is working to make the party more inclusive, and family focused.
“If we don’t focus on families and children, then we have no place,” he added.
For more information, visit www.henrygop.org/festival.