Women's Republican Club Volunteers Happily Wave Signs for Ann Romney

Debby Whisenand's feet may have been sore, but she hid the pain with pure enthusiasm.

She began at 7:30 a.m. waving Mitt Romney signs at the corner of McMullen Booth Road and Drew Street, and then headed over to at , decked in her GOP best — a red shirt under a white blouse and blue pants. Her lapel was adorned with just a small, glittery part of her extensive Republican and patriotic pin and button collection. Each one had a story.

Whisenand, a Romney campaign volunteer and member of the Belleair Women's Republican Club, arrived at 1 p.m. with her sister sister Denna Shiben of Largo and friend Bonnie Royal of Clearwater. Ann Romney was not scheduled to speak until 4:30 p.m.

Why did they come so early?

"Passion," Royal said. "We've got to save our country." 

Despite being on their feet all day, the women, who've done past volunteer work for the George W. Bush and John McCain-Sarah Palin tickets, were excited to wave signs well into the afternoon, this time for Ann Romney, the woman they want to become the next first lady of the United States.

"We've just been gung-ho," Whisenand said. "We need leadership ... you can do a lot of creative writing and fill in the blanks."