Six members of the Mizzou College Republicans attended Lincoln Days, an annual statewide conference for conservatives, over the weekend in Springfield, Mo. at the University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center.

“It was for conservatives to come together (and) talk about conservative issues,” Mizzou College Republicans member Malorie Howe said. This year was Howe’s first time attending.

The two-day gathering included banquets both nights, a town hall meeting, training sessions and a women’s lunch. The training sessions covered ethics, grass roots groups and election campaigns among other things, said Mizzou College Republicans Social Chair Amanda Swysgood.

According to the Missouri Republican Party website, other events included breakfast with Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and an ice cream social with Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, a republican. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., served as Saturday night’s keynote speaker.

The women’s lunch was hosted by the Missouri Federation of Republican Women. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, spoke at the lunch.

“It was just kind of networking, having a good time talking about conservative issues,” Howe said.

Howe said students from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Truman State University and Missouri State University were also present and that the Mizzou College Republicans specifically helped promote House Speaker Stephen Tilley, R-Perryville, by wearing his T-shirts.

“It was awesome,” Howe said. “I especially enjoyed the town hall forum. It was really constituents asking their representatives questions they thought were important to Missouri.”

Howe said the public was allowed to ask questions of their representatives at the town forum and she liked seeing her representatives working hard.

“It’s always fun for politically-apt college students to go,” she said.

College Republicans Chairwoman Sophie Mashburn said it is similar to how the Democrats have their Democrat Days, which are to be held next weekend in Hannibal, Mo.

Mashburn said she believes the College Republicans have attended this event annually.

“It’s just another way to get the politicians connected with the grass roots organizations like College Republicans,” Mashburn said. “We don’t obviously get enough exposure to (them) as much as we’d like to.”

Mashburn also said conservative events like this one pump the party up for the 2012 election.

Swysgood, who attended Lincoln Days last year as well, said last year was more politically-focused because it was an election year. She said she spent more time working by handing out information, wearing candidates’ shirts, talking to people and performing general campaign activities.

She said this year was more fun for her because she got to attend the different speeches and other events.

“Last time I worked because it was a campaign year,” she said. “It was more fun because I just got to go to the speakers and stuff.”