On Saturday, August 10, the Roanoke County Republicans held their annual Shrimpfest fundraiser at the Vinton War Memorial’s Senior Center, but this year it was to honor the memory of longtime, grassroots activist Trixie Averill who passed away last May in her 70s last May.
A native of New Orleans, Trixie moved to the Roanoke Valley in 1979, and soon became involved in Republican politics. At the time, Roanoke County and much of this entire region were still heavily Democrat, a multi-generational reality dating back to the pre-Civil War “Solid South.”
Chris Newton, the new Roanoke County GOP chairman, called the event to order shortly after 6:00 and the program opened with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance. Attendees were then treated to an all-you-can eat smorgasbord of shrimp, sausage, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and desserts prepared by party volunteers who had worked all day.
The Senior Center was close to full, and after the meal a program to honor
Trixie’s memory and legacy began. Her husband Dan, two adult children Amy and Marcus, one grandchild, and other family members and friends were present.
Several speakers pointed out how Trixie was “a force of nature” and how profoundly her past efforts helped influence the present.
For one, Kathy Hayden explained that it was Trixie who in 1989 first suggested the idea of a “Shrimpfest” as a fundraiser. That year, it was to help statewide GOP candidates; over time, it became a benefit to raise support for the Roanoke County GOP.
As natives of Louisiana, Trixie and Dan were skilled at cooking delicious shrimp for large crowds. Congressman Ben Cline, representing the 6th District, said the County’s Shrimpfest over the years has become a must for any aspiring candidate seeking Republican voters in the area.
Kathy Hayden told The Roanoke Star, “Trixie and I worked together for forty years, when I moved to Roanoke. We worked on numerous campaigns and we were friends as well.”
Secondly, it was pointed out that Averill’s decades of relationship-building and efforts made it possible for Roanoke County to recently reach the point, as reported here in Nov. 2023, where every elected official is a Republican.
Congressman Ben Cline, who represents Virginia’s Sixth District, read a proclamation that he delivered on the floor of the US House, honoring Trixie, and mentioned how the text had been entered into the Congressional record. He gave Dan a copy of the text, on a plaque.
On a personal note, Cline mentioned how, as a young bachelor just starting in politics, he had been at a GOP event and noticed an attractive blonde across the room. Thinking Trixie might know her, he asked Trixie who immediately took the cue. She immediately introduced him to Elizabeth, who later became his wife.
The evening had somber moments, as all missed Trixie and felt grief for the loss her family and friends were experiencing. Also, many alluded to the serious challenges of our times and one speaker claimed “this is the most important election of my life.” Yet, an air of mirth and humor was also prevalent throughout much of the evening.
Cline mentioned Elizabeth had wanted to attend the Shrimpfest, but she was with their daughters that evening. Cline explained that he and Elizabeth are parents to twin twelve-year-olds. “That means I’m aging at twice the normal rate,” he quipped. He then added, “My wife has a PhD and J.D. [Juris Doctor], but now she is a chauffeur – I’ve discovered twelve-year-olds have a busier social schedule than a sitting Member of Congress.”
State Senators Chris Head and David Suetterlein as well as Del. Joe McNamara eulogized Trixie. Suetterlein presented Dan with a wooden plaque containing a resolution from the Virginia General Assembly, celebrating Trixie and her unique contributions to her community.
Suetterlein read part of an article that Dwayne Yancey had written for Cardinal News , reflecting on his memories of Trixie from the 1990s. Visibly emotional, Suetterlein struggled to maintain his composure as he read it, demonstrating the deep admiration and respect he had for her.
David Bowers, former Roanoke Mayor who is now seeking re-election, added some extemporaneous comments. Bowers said he and Trixie often spoke at their church, Saint Andrews Cathedral. “She often told me, ‘I’m praying for you to become a Republican,’ and now I am!” After Bowers said that to laughter, someone in the back shouted out, “It’s a miracle!”
Bowers has previously served as Roanoke mayor as a Democrat and independent. If he wins in November, he will be the only mayor to serve under the three labels.
The evening ended with a decades-long tradition, where Vinton resident Mildred Scott offered one of her legendary coconut cakes for auction. Mrs. Scott is a force of nature in her own right. Now in her 90s, she had been working tirelessly at the Senior Center since early morning, preparing for the dinner.
Someone opened bidding for the cake at $10, but Mrs. Scott spoke up and squashed the idea: “Bidding starts at $40!” The price spiraled up until Sen. Head won, at $275. Someone asked Scott if that had been a record price for her cakes. “This is the fortieth cake I’ve baked,” she declared, then added, “Yes, this is the highest price one has ever gone for. Before that, the record was $250, and that was to [former Roanoke Mayor] Ralph Smith. When he won it, he returned it for a second auction.”
At that point, many eyes returned to Sen. Head, who then stood and said over the laughter, “Betsy [his wife] wouldn’t want this in the house, so I’ll return it for a second auction.”
It finally went for an additional $200.
All proceeds went to the Roanoke County GOP as they are gearing up for the crucial fall elections.
There are no county offices up for election this fall, but the marquee race is between the 45th President Donald Trump (R) and current Vice President Kamala Harris (D). (Harris was suddenly installed in July after party elites made the unprecedented step of forcing Joseph Biden out of the race and disenfranchising the 14 million-plus Biden voters in the primaries in a move some have identified as a coup .)
Virginians will also vote for US Senator, between incumbent Tim Kaine (D) or his challenger Hung Cao, a retired Navy captain whose family fled the communist takeover of Vietnam (R).
In addition to the mayoral race, Star City voters will chose three members of City Council. GOP candidates Nick Hagen and Jim Garrett also attended the Shrimpfest.
Based on the large crowd, spirited vibe, and sense that Trixie’s decades of hard work are paying off, one could see how Roanoke County has flipped from Democrat to Republican.
Updated 8-13-24
–Scott Dreyer
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