Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.
Your Vote is Your Voice | |
The Voter
May 2024
The official Newsletter of the League of Women Voters of Sonoma County.
Volume 29, Issue 5
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May20th at 5:30 PM
and
Annual Meeting
June 24th
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Program Planning Happenings
Our Monday Meeting for May is on the 20th at 5:30 PM. The talk is about the role of the general plans that cities and the county are required to complete by the state every few years. Join us to hear Jessica Jones from the city of Santa Rosa, who has been working on their general plan. Link to Monthly Meeting
On June 24th is the annual Membership meeting. This year it will be in person at the Finley Community Center in Santa Rosa. This is where the members vote on the new slate of officers, proposed budget, and by-law changes. Our guest speaker is Lisa Carreno, the CEO of United Way of the Wine Country. She will speak on volunteerism and following that we will talk about plans for the upcoming 2024 elections, all hands on deck! Stay tuned. Link to Annual Meeting
The League of Women Voters National Convention is almost here. It will be in Washington, DC from June 27-30. Three of our members will be attending as voting delegates. But any member can attend, although there is a fee. For more information go to LWV National Convention
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Voter Service Committee
Therese Scherrer, Chair | | |
Voter Service Committee
Therese Scherrer, Chair
Leona Judson – Candidate Forums
Lynn Dooley – Pros & Cons
GET ON BOARD!
Volunteer Training in August – Watch Events Calendar!
Are you grappling with the upcoming election?
Having trouble absorbing all the news and hoping things turn out well?
Sure - you'll vote... BUT - are you wondering, "WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?"
Well, YOU… YES YOU - can make a BIG difference in the coming election.
You can GET ON BOARD!!
There are tasks, big and small, and your help is needed.
Help fulfill the League #1 mission: To educate voters and defend democracy.
Volunteer on a virtual CANDIDATE FORUM
• When: mid-August through mid-October
• What: be a moderator, timekeeper, question coordinator, zoom host
• Time commitment: 4 hours to 20 hours over 2 weeks or 2 months
Volunteer on PROS & CONS for State & County ballot propositions
• When: mid-August through October
• What: be a researcher/script writer, work on the PowerPoint, make zoom
recording, update the info, present the props in-person or on zoom
• Time commitment: 4-ish hours the first few weeks, 4-8 hours per week
mid-September through October.
Democracy isn't a Spectator Sport!
So, jump right in. Just learning? You can work with a seasoned volunteer.
Join us for Candidate Forum - Training on August 1st and Pros & Cons -
Training date coming soon.
For more info about training and open positions, contact Therese Scherrer,
Leona Judson, Karen Weeks, or Lynn Dooley at elections@lwvsonoma.org
GET ON THE LWV SONOMA COUNTY EXPRESS today!! |
Message from Our President
Donna Roper | | | Mother's Day
In the Forgotten History of Mother’s Day, it’s reported that Ann Reeves Jarvis, was a young Appalachian homemaker and taught Sunday school lessons. She was also a lifelong activist who, in the mid-1800s, organized “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” in West Virginia to combat unsanitary living conditions. Reeves Jarvis was concerned about the high infant mortality rate, especially pervasive in Appalachia, and wanted to educate and help mothers who needed it the most.
Women have always been at the forefront of improving the lives of others. The League not only worked hard for women’s rights but has taken the side of marginalized groups to make the world a better place. As written in the New York Times “protest in the name of the marginalized tends to land on the right side of history, no matter how misunderstood the particular cause or grievance might have been in the present.”
The world right now needs lots of help and we won’t give up easily. You can make a difference locally by joining us in educating voters, registering voters, and getting people to the polls. Throughout this newsletter are ways for you to be involved. Also, attend the Annual Meeting on June 24th to learn more (and win prizes!!). | Request from LWV Bay Area
The Bay Area board is looking for members who might be interested in representing the northern end of the bay. There are a lot of regional issues that will be considered in the next couple of years - housing, transportation among them. Please give this some thought to see if you might be interested in serving. Most of the meetings are now remote (think Zoom) but the mission remains - trying to best represent the different Leagues in issues that cross physical lines within the Bay Area. If you re interested, please email president@lwvsonoma.org.
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New Members
Linda S. Johnson (Rohnert Park)
Karen S. Warren (Santa Rosa)
It's great to have you on our team.
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EMPOWER SONOMA COUNTY YOUTH!
There are many League election related activities you can be involved in before this monumental election. If you are someone who has always wanted to make a difference in our community, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE. All our committees have big and small ways you can put your time to excellent use. In fact, this is such an important election, you might want to be involved in more than one of these activities.
One option is to play a role in empowering Sonoma County youth to vote. Learn more at the Youth Outreach Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 21st at 11am on Zoom. See the event listing at LWVSonoma.org for more details. We are a fun, productive and impactful group. No matter how much time you can give us, you’ll be glad you joined the meeting. Feel free to contact me - Lynn Dooley at youth@lwvsonoma.org.
For an overview of all the election related activities our League is undertaking, come in-person to the Annual Meeting on Monday, June 24th. Visit LWVSonoma.org and get all the details.
| May 16. 2024: Moderated by Jan Randall
The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works, by Helen Czerski, 440 pages, October 2023
A scientist’s exploration of the "ocean engine"—the physics behind the ocean’s systems—and why it matters.
All of Earth’s oceans, from the equator to the poles, are a single engine powered by sunlight, driving huge flows of energy, water, life, and raw materials. In The Blue Machine, physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski illustrates the mechanisms behind this defining feature of our planet, voyaging from the depths of the ocean floor to tropical coral reefs, estuaries that feed into shallow coastal seas, and Arctic ice floes.
Most important, however, Czerski reveals that while the ocean engine has sustained us for thousands of years, today it is faced with urgent threats. By understanding how the ocean works, and its essential role in our global system, we can learn how to protect our blue machine. Timely, elegant, and passionately argued, The Blue Machine presents a fresh perspective on what it means to be a citizen of an ocean planet.
June 20 2024: Moderated by Dorcas Walton
A Woman of No Importance: the Untold Story of the America Spy who Helped to Win World War II by Sonia Purnell 368 pages, 2019
People tell me that this is a spellbinding, can’t-put-it-down true story of this America spy. Based on new and extensive research, Sonia Purnell has for the first time uncovered the full secret life of Virginia Hall--an astounding and inspiring story of heroism, spy craft, resistance, and personal triumph over shocking adversity. A Woman of No Importance is the breathtaking story of how one woman's fierce persistence helped win the war.
To see the list for the year:
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May 2024
Therese Scherrer, Acting Secretary | | |
May 4, 2024, Board Meeting
Administration The board approved the proposed 2024-2025 budget with projected revenue of $22,275 and expenses of $37,345.
Advocacy The committee is following a vast array of issues: recent tree ordinances; cannabis ordinance; Sonoma Development Center Environmental Impact Review; possible ballot measure to limit farm size; revitalization of
Mendocino rail line between Willits and Fort Bragg; potential use of Cloverdale to Willits rail; and the H5N1 virus in other animal species.
Membership The League held a new member social – Sip, Munch and Mingle! on May 4th at 2pm at the home of Judie Coleman in Oakmont. Experience the comeback of in-person new member socials after a period of
mostly virtual meetings.
Communications Board members are reminded to use the website article submission for The Voter articles. The board has recommended a by-laws amendment to accept the national membership process. The full membership
will receive notification of the proposed change before the Annual Membership Meeting on June 24th
Voter Service Candidate Forum volunteer training for League of Sonoma County and interested partners is planned for August 1st in preparation for September and October forums. Pros & Cons development will be done in
partnership with the League of Marin County for state level propositions. Local propositions will be managed by each county’s League. Organizations are being recruited to host Pros & Cons presentations in September and
October. Pros & Cons training details are being finalized. Stay tuned in!
Youth Outreach: The In-School program has visited 37 classes in eight schools; spoken to 900+ students; registered or pre-registered 592 students; and sent hundreds of follow-up communications. The Student Elections Ambassadors program presentations at SRJC have resulted in many campus clubs signing up for training. The effort will heat up once fall classes resume with a focus on peer training and registering 18-year-old voters.
Partnership: The League continues its long-established partnership with the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters under a renewed contract to distribute voter registration forms at dozens of locations throughout the county.
Outreach & Program: The League will host its monthly member meeting on May 20th at 5:30 PM via Zoom featuring Jessica Jones, City of Santa Rosa Planning and Economic Development, presenting on the General Plan. SAVE the DATE! For the Annual Member Meeting, an in-person potluck, is planned for June 24th from 11:30 to 1:30. Lisa Carreno, President, and CEO of United Way of the Wine Country, will share her expertise about what makes nonprofits hum. Hint - it has to do with you. Location details coming soon!
Volunteers Needed!
Join the League board as Secretary, Membership Chair, or Voter Service Chair. Watch the website for a wide variety of opportunities to assist with League activities: Pros & Cons, Candidate Forums, Youth Outreach,
Vote411, Voter Registration, Programs, Tabling at Events.
| Connect with the League
We want to hear from you! | | LWVSC Board of Directors
Contact Us
Donna Roper, President
Lee Lipinski, VP Administration
Jim Masters, VP Advocacy
Open, Secretary
Linda Rosen, Treasurer
Judie Coleman, Membership
Open, Community Outreach
Therese Scherrer, Voter Service
Leona Judson, Programs
Juanita Roland, Web/Communications
Lynn Dooley, Member at Large
Chris Reizeman, Member at Large
Linda Robinett, Voter Editor
| | | Here are some links of interest. | |
Become a Member
of the LWV of Sonoma County
League of Women Voters Sonoma County
555 5th St, Suite 300O
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
We'd love to have you join us. The most direct way to join is to go to our web site https://www.lwvsonoma.org and click on the Join Us button to fill in your contact information, preferences, and even pay your dues online, or you can print out your invoice and send it along with your dues to our office. If that does not work for you, you can fill out the information below and send it to us. Judie Coleman, membership@lwvsonoma.org is always available to answer your questions.
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM
Individual Membership $75
Household Membership $110
Elizabeth Cady Stanton Membership $100
Carrie Chapman Catt Membership $200 or more
Name
Address
City Zip
Phone: Email:
Additional Household Member: ____________________________________
Email: ________________________________________
Please circle any topics you are interested in knowing more about:
Voter Registration Candidate Forums Transportation Housing/Homelessness Climate Change Immigration Newsletter Website Management Local Governance
Please return completed form with your check to the above address or join online at www.lwvsonoma.org
We are a 501(c)(3) organization. Membership dues are deductible to the extent allowed by law.
| 555 Fifth Street, Suite 300-O
Santa Rosa, CA 95401-8301
(707) 545-5943
www.lwvsonoma.org
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