Charlie Kirk Memorial and Awards Dinner in Pahrump honors conservative activist
The Charlie Kirk Memorial and Awards Dinner held by the Nye County Republican Club brought together conservatives in Pahrump to honor the late Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder.
“Charlie Kirk on September 10th was assassinated in 2025, a year ago,” Nye County Republican Club President Joe Burdzinski told the Pahrump Valley before the dinner began at the Pahrump Nugget Hotel and Casino on Saturday, Oct. 10. “People in Pahrump are very conservative, and think very highly of Charlie Kirk.”
Kirk was fatally shot last year at Utah Valley University while speaking at a TPUSA event. Kirk, a prominent conservative activist, was well-known for debating students at universities and colleges throughout America.
“We wanted to do something to honor him, as well as some of our own Republicans here in Nye County. So that’s why we put the dinner together,” Burdzinski said.
Incumbent District 36 Assemblyman and Assembly Minority Leader Gregory Hafen II and District 1 Nye County Commissioner Bruce Jabbour were both given awards for their work as elected Republicans and support of conservative principles.
“We have to be united and all work for a common goal to get as many Republicans as we can elected here in Nye County,” Burdzinski explained.
Community members Richard and Dixie Proctor and Dave and Rhonda Ochenreider were also gifted awards on Saturday night for their contributions to the club.
“Your time and effort have a profound impact on our club’s membership and events,” Burdzinski said when presenting the award to the Ochenreiders.
Hafen and Jabbour were two of the dinner’s featured guest speakers. Former Republican candidate for Nevada’s 1st Congressional District Jim Blockey, Republican nominee for Nevada secretary of state Jim Marchant, Republican nominee for Nevada’s 4th Congressional District Cody Whipple and TPUSA Rise North Las Vegas Chapter President Frank Friends rounded out the lineup of keynote speakers.
“Don’t look for the next Charlie Kirk. You’re not going to find him,” Friends told the audience. “It’s you. It’s the men and women, that we need to step up and step forward.”
Local attorney and writer Philip S. Bovee also took to the stage at the dinner, speaking about Kirk’s impact.
“He was doing something that is so American. He was exercising his right of free speech and he was doing it on college campuses. That was his MO,” Bovee said during his remarks. “He would go into hostile territory, college campuses, and he would boldly express his views to anyone and beyond that, he would listen. He listened.”
Various local candidates and elected officials spoke at the dinner as well, including the Republican nominee for District 5 commissioner Matt Sadler, incumbent Sheriff Joe McGill, unopposed Republican nominee for clerk Kayla Ball, Republican nominee for District 4 commissioner Debra Thomas, sheriff challenger Dan Pineau, justice of the peace candidate Scott Oakley, incumbent Fifth Judicial District Court Judge, Department 2, Robert Lane, incumbent Republican District Attorney Brian Kunzi and incumbent Fifth Judicial District Court Judge, Department 1, Judge Kimberly “Kim” Wanker, who appeared virtually.
Other notables in attendance included Fifth Judicial District Court Department 1 judge challenger Nathan Gent, former Republican district attorney candidate Michelle Nelson, Area V School Board Trustee Chelsy Fischer and former commissioner Donna Cox.
For more information about the Nye County Republican Club, visit nyecountyrepublicanclub.org.
Contact reporter Elijah Dulay at edulay@pvtimes.com
