JANUARY LUNCHEON & GENERAL MEETING
January 9 @ 11:30-1:30
Tiburon Golf Club
WORKFORCE HOUSING:
PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
presented by
Daniel Lavender
Chief Executive Officer
Moorings Park Institute Inc.
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Nick Casalanguida
Senior Vice President of Land Development
Barron Collier Companies
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| Registration and Payment Must Be Made Online
by TODAY @ 3:00 PM
We look forward to seeing you and your guests!
| Tiburon has done a lovely job of providing the setting, food and service, and technology support for our General Meetings. Consistent with what we see everywhere, they have had to increase the cost of our luncheon. As a result, the cost of LWVCC General Meetings for the remainder of this season is increasing by $4.00 per person. We will be evaluating options for next season’s General Meetings. Feel free to let the Membership Committee know your opinions or ideas at lwvccmembership@lwvcollier.org.
|  | Celebrate the League dinner event promises to be filled with equal parts of good times and education as we explore the environmental impact of Hurricane Ian on the Southwest Florida region. Held on January 31st, at the Naples Sailing and Yacht Club, the featured speaker will be New Press writer and storyteller, Amy Bennett Williams. Amy Bennett Williams came to The News-Press in 1988 as an ashtray-emptying, obituary-writing clerk/reporter, then moved through a series of assignments at the paper, covering everything from cake contests to tuberculosis outbreaks. She left The News-Press to edit the regional magazine Gulfshore Life for four years. During that time, she was named Editor of the Year by the Florida Magazine Association. She returned to The News-Press as its Lifestyles editor in 1998. In addition to writing features and news articles, Williams conceived the paper's weekly Tropicalia magazine, where her column, Field Notes appears. Her pictorial history book, Along the Caloosahatchee River was released by Arcadia Publishing in 2011, and she’s at work on a second. Her sense-of-place essays have aired on local NPR affiliate WGCU. She lives in rural Alva with her writer husband, Roger, two sons and an ever-changing menagerie.
Menu for the evening: Passed Hors D' Oeuvres - Asparagus Spears wrapped in Prosciutto - Bruschetta with Spinach, Goat Cheese, and Roma Tomatoes Watercress Salad Chive Goat Cheese Watermelon Rounds & Champagne Vinaigrette Rolls and Butter Service Four Ounce Filet Mignon and Cedar Plank Smoked Salmon Roasted Pepper Coulis and Maple-Soy Glace Crème Brûlée with whipped cream and berries Coffee Service.
Tickets for the Dinner which include valet parking, 1 drink ticket, and a silent auction are $160. Tickets for the add-on Meet the Speaker Reception are $75. | HOT TOPIC
TONIGHT @ 7:00-8:00
Zoom
Human Rights, Mental Illness, and the Death Penalty
featuring
Maria DeLiberato
Executive Director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
There are conflicting opinions regarding the use of the death penalty. Additional issues are raised when it involves a person with a serious mental illness. Should there be treatment or punishment? Are they more prone to false confessions? Was there criminal intent? Did they receive any treatment for their illness? Executing juveniles and individuals with intellectual disabilities has been viewed by the Supreme Court as cruel and unusual punishment. Should those with serious mental illness also be prevented from execution?
| WORKFORCE HOUSING FORUM
January 11 @ 3:00-6:00
Naples United Church of Christ
5200 Crayton Rd
Naples, FL 34103
Note Location Change!
Greater Naples Leadership initiated this important forum on affordable housing initiated by the Greater Naples Leadership. Other sponsors include NCH, the Collier Community Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce, and our own League. The event will be informational in nature without addressing political issues. There will be speakers who will share their knowledge of the many factors contributing to the lack of sufficient affordable housing. Employers and some of their employees will tell how this shortage has effected them. All organizations and individuals interested in affordable/workforce housing are welcome to attend. The issue of affordable housing has been a subject of interest for the Social Policy Committee and will receive more emphasis this year as the scarcity of affordable housing units has reached crisis level.
| Please carpool if possible and go early as parking may be a challenge.
If you are able to help with sign-in or seating, please contact Betty Schwartz,
| CLEAN WATER AMENDMENT TRAINING
January 12 @ 9:30-11:00
Collier Community Foundation
Joseph Bonasia will be speaking to the Environmental Affairs Committee on Thursday January 12th, 2023 from 9:30 to 11:00am. He will be teaching us about a proposed Constitutional Amendment called the "Right to Clean Water". It will be on the 2024 Ballot if enough petitions are signed by Floridians to get it on.
The State League and all of our sister Leagues support it. All of us must try to get signatures on as many petitions as possible. Copies will be available at the meeting.
THIS IS AN INVITATION FOR ALL INTERESTED LEAGUE MEMBERS TO COME FOR THE TRAINING AND TO LEARN ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT STATEWIDE EFFORT. HELP GET SIGNATURES FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY. |  NEW MEMBER COFFEE
January 13 @ 9:30-11:00
Join us for a New Member Coffee Friday, January 13, 9:30-11:00. If you are a new member- or have been a member of LWVCC for a while and just want to get reconnected- please join us at the home of Jan Eustis. Meet Board members, committee and team chairs, and other new members. This is a great opportunity to learn more about how you can become involved, and connect with fellow LWVCC members. Address will be forwarded to you when you RSVP
| Join the LWVCC at the
26th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade and Celebration!
January 16 @ 10:30-3:00
Leaguers can be leaders! Come join the march and the celebration! Order a T-shirt to make our presence visible.
We are looking for volunteers to march, register new members, and register voters! Work the LWVCC information table at Cambier Park after the parade.
This is our first time at the parade, let’s make it memorable!
“Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice: Dr. King’s legacy of inclusion and diversity”.
Sign up at the January 9th General Meeting, or email the DEI Co-Chair Alison Wescott. Contact Betty Schwartz to order your LWVCC T-shirt.
Bring friends!
2023 MLK Day flyer
| BABCOCK RANCH FIELD TRIP
January 17 @ 10:00
The Environmental Affairs Committee has arranged for an insider's tour of Babcock Ranch, a resilient and sustainable planned solar-powered community northeast of Fort Meyers.
This event is open to all LWVCC and their friends. Carpooling is encouraged. If you want to attend, contact Patti Forkan, who will send you directions.
Following the tour there will be the opportunity to stay for lunch at one of the restaurants at the ranch and/or to walk on the many paths available there. You and those you carpool with will need to work out the additional activities amongst yourselves. | LWVCC TO RECEIVE CIVIC AWARD!
January 25, 2023 @ 12:00
Vineyards Country Club
We are incredibly honored that the Greater Naples Chapter of Americans United has selected The League of Women Voters of Collier County to receive its annual Turner Civic Award, honoring the memory and civic commitment of Rita and Bernie Turner. According to AU's announcement letter, "Our board was most impressed by the diversity and extent of your commitments beyond the obvious voter services of empowering citizens to take an active role in free and fair elections and your informative voter projects. Your support of diversity, equity and inclusion in our society, the public school system, the local environment and myriad other issues is exemplary. We believe that LWVCC acts as a well-respected, major influencer in our area because of your thoughtful research and advocacy. Congratulations, but more importantly, THANK YOU."
The presentation of the Turner Civic Award will be held at a luncheon on January 25, 2023 at the Vineyards Country Club at noon. All LWVCC members, their families and friends are invited to attend. Registration for the awards luncheon information is available by clicking on the REGISTER button, below, or by printing and sending the form attached to AU's announcement letter. The cost of the lunch is $40. We would like to show AU our gratitude for choosing us for this honor with a good turnout of LWVCC members at the luncheon! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/au-honors-the-league-of-women-voters-of-collier-county-tickets-457343947057
| SHARING THE LEAGUE'S WORK WITH WGCU
From left to right: Sue Savage, Pam James (WGCU), Diane Preston Moore, Pat Plummer, Susan Housel, Lynn Martin, Mike Braun (WGCU) |
On December 16, five League members met with WGCU, the local National Public Radio (NPR) station for Southwest Florida. As WGCU gave air and web site coverage to Vote411 and did a story on “Know Your County Government” earlier this year, it became apparent that developing a closer relationship could contribute to our Strategic Plan objectives for expanding awareness in the community for the League’s work beyond voter registration and building our credibility as a non-partisan organization. WGCU shares many of the League’s priority areas of interest, most notably the environment and providing unbiased information on political and social issues that impact our community. League members Diane Preston Moore, Pat Plummer, Susan Housel, Lynn Martin, and Sue Savage briefed WGCU Executive Producer, Pam James and Managing Editor Mike Braun on our major initiatives and our ongoing activities and encouraged them to contact us for input when covering stories on these issues. WGCU likewise encouraged us to contact them when we have stories that are newsworthy. If your committee is working on something that you think might be newsworthy for WGCU, please contact Stacy Vermylen. | 
The League has formed a partnership with Florida Weekly, a free local newspaper published once a week, to further the education of voters as part of the Get-Out-the-Vote campaign. The paper will print regular non-partisan articles, using the LWV logo, about upcoming elections, registration, voting options, and forums, culminating in a four-page Voter Guide in August for the Primary Election and again in late October for the General Election. Links to recent articles will be provided here in the LWVCC Update.
New school board, new superintendent, new vision?
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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January 5 @ 7:00
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HOT TOPIC
Human Rights, Mental Illness, and the Death Penalty
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January 9 @ 11:45-1:30
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Luncheon & General Meeting
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January 11 @ 3:00-6:00
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Affordable Housing Forum
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January 13 @ 9:30-11:00
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New Member Coffee
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January 16 @ 10:00
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MLK Day Parade
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January 17 @ 10:00
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Babcock Ranch Field Trip
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January 31 @ 5:30
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Celebrate the League—
Leading the Way in Uncharted Waters
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| ONLINE REIMBURSEMENT FORM IS NOW AVAILABLE
Board members, committee chairs, and others who need to submit reimbursement requests can now do so via our Submit Online Forms page. | UPCOMING COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Because LWVCC committee meetings are for members and their invited guests unless stated otherwise,
members should log in to the website to register
to get the Zoom links for committee meetings. | Social Policy Committee
January 5 @ 10:30-12:00
Moorings Park, Building O, Social Room
Two leaders of Moms Demand Action for Gun Safety will speak.on gun safety
| Environmental Affairs Committee
January 12 @ 9:30-12:00 NOTE CORRECTED DATE
Collier Community Foundation
| Education Committee
January 18 @ 12:00-1:30 | DEI Committee
January 23 @ 11:30-1:00 | Juvenile Justice Committee
January 30 @ 1:00-3:00
Guest speaker: Clara Calderon, Principal Immokalee High School, to discuss Innovations Academy Career and Technical learning track for career and college bound students | Board Meeting
February 1 @ 9:30-12:00
Collier Community Foundation
| MISSED AN ISSUE OF THE VOTER?
NEED TO CATCH UP ON THE NEWS?
Check out our updated News & Newsletters page, which has all our latest news and links to current and back issues of The Voter and The LWVCC Update.
| Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in Government. We influence public policy through education and advocacy. Our goal is to empower citizens to take an active role in shaping better communities worldwide. The League of Women Voters of Collier County does not support or endorse any candidate or political party.
| League of Women Voters of Collier County
P.O. Box 9883Naples, FL 34101
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