 | WINE & WISDOM
January 16 @ 4:00-6:00
Altavilla Pizza and Trattoria
7550 Mission Hills Dr
Naples, FL
You are invited to attend Wine & Wisdom: Endowment 101 to learn about the importance of an endowment for the sustainability of LWVCC. Lindsey Touchette, Vice President of Community Engagement, Collier Community Foundation, will also be on hand to discuss the benefits of an endowment. Based on the recommendation of the Finance Committee, the Board plans to have the Collier Community Foundation hold the Endowment Fund once the LWVCC’s governing documents are amended to permit this.
Helen E. Franke was the President of the League of Women Voters of Collier County from 1979–1981. Through her estate, she made the first gift to start the LWVCC Endowment Fund. Individuals who give any amount in 2023–2024 will be recognized as charter members of the LWVCC Helen Franke Legacy Society.
Discover how much is in our current endowment, our future plans, and enjoy great food with a cash bar. Feel free to bring a family member and another LWVCC member.
Questions? Contact Suzanne Low or Teresa Stohs.
REGISTER
| WE DID IT!
There are now more than enough vetted petitions to qualify the “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion” for the ballot. The petition collection also passed the other criteria of collecting at least 8% of the number that voted in the last presidential election in 14 US Congressional Districts. We surpassed that with seventeen districts. The next step is the Florida Supreme Court’s review of the amendment. The amendment will be examined for clarity and having a single topic. The Supreme Court review will be on February 7 at 9:00 AM.
The starting time will be announced. Floridians Protecting Freedom is confident in their case as they are well represented legally. The future involves educating the Florida public about why this amendment is needed (great harm has already occurred with a 15 week ban to women with pregnancy complications) and getting out the vote for the amendment. They will be collecting funds for these activities Ballot initiatives are expensive. Look to the Update for further news on this issue.
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Join the 27th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Parade & Celebration
Monday January 15, 2024
Hosted by the NAACP
Meet at 10:30 at the Corner of 3rd Street South and Broad Ave. S.
Celebration continues in Cambier Park from 12 - 3 p.m.
Volunteer to march, register new LWV members, register voters. Staff the LWVCC information table in Cambier Park after the Parade.
For more information contact Tina Palmese
| ARE YOU AN INFORMED COLLIER VOTER?
Press Club of Southwest Florida
January 18 @ 11:30-1:30
Edgewater Beach Hotel
League member and publisher of Sparker's Soapbox Sandy Parker has been invited by the Press Club of Southwest Florida to address their January 18 luncheon meeting. She will provide an overview of Collier County’s political environment, explain why the August primary is more important than the November general election, and review the many state and local races that will be decided in 2024.
This event is open to the public and gives League members an opportunity to meet local press members.
| LWVCC SPONSORS FORUM ON CIVILITY
Wednesday February 7 @ 3:00-5:00
Naples United Church of Christ
Mark your calendar for "Reduce the Rancor, A Free Community Forum on the Incivility Crisis in Collier County" on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Naples United Church of Christ, 5200 Crayton Road, Naples.
Notable speakers will address the growing concern about increased polarization among people, its causes and effects, and ways to restore wellbeing in the community. Speakers include:
• Moderator, Mike Kiniry of WGCU
• The Honorable Dick Gephardt - Former U.S. Congressman
• The Honorable Francis Rooney - Former U.S. Congressman
• Andy Solis - Former Collier County Commissioner
• Nick Penniman - retired newspaper publisher • Tim Love - Author, Discovering Truth
• Rev. Dr. Sharon Harris Ewing - co-founder of SWFL Interfaith Alliance
• Gunther Winkler - President of Greater Naples Leadership<
"Reduce the Rancor" is presented by Greater Naples Leadership and co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Collier County, Naples Airport Authority, and the Naples United Church of Christ./span>
The event is free, but registration is required.
REGISTER
| GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION
Gun Violence Prevention is a newly formed subcommittee within Social Policy. This year our goal is to focus on Gun Safe Storage utilizing free gun locks we receive from the VA and Education as we give LWVFL Gun Safety presentations throughout the community. If you are interested in joining, please email subcommittee chair Linda Scherzinger. Linda is also looking for a Co-Chair. This subcommittee will meet via Zoom on the third Tuesday of the month. Please refer to the website calendar for more information. | 
DONATE TO THE CELEBRATE THE LEAGUE
CORK PULL
We are looking for 15 more bottles of wine to be donated for our Cork Pull as part of our silent auction at this year’s Celebrate the League to be held February 22. Guests will purchase a ticket for $20 and then have the opportunity to pull a numbered cork which will correspond with a numbered bottle of wine.
We ask that all donated wine have a retail value of $20 or more. Questions? Contact Teresa Stohs at 913-271-6023.
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KNOW YOUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT, OUR 41st YEAR!
This exciting program is co-sponsored by the LWVCC Education Committee, Collier County 4-H, and the Collier County Public Schools. You can volunteer and learn, chaperoning 35 civic minded CCPS high school students as they learn how government works in Collier County, visiting agencies, meeting administrators and commissioners, and observing the court room and a Commissioner’s meeting.
Field trip days are Tuesday, January 23; Tuesday, February 13, and Tuesday, March 26.
| NEW FEATURE: PLASTICS POINTERS
One of the easiest and most impactful ways to reduce your use of plastic is to “BYOB”-- Bring Your Own Bag! Americans use 100 BILLION disposable bags per year; the average in Denmark is just 4 per person. Bags can’t be placed in your recycling bin; they get tangled in the sorting equipment. It’s ok if the bags are plastic, as long as they’re reusable. Keep thicker bags in your car; nylon or polyester bags take up hardly any room in your purse or jacket.
Look for more Plastics Pointers in upcoming issues of the LWVCC Update,
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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.
Plastics: The “Other Pollution,” and a call to action | EVERGLADES COALITION CONFERENCE
January 25-27, 2024
Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa, Bonita Springs
The LWVFL/LWVCC is a sponsor and will have a table at this exciting Conference from January 25-27, 2024. It will be held locally for the first time in years. We encourage anyone from the League to attend. We have two scholarships worth $175 to cover the registration cost for any League member wishing to attend. Please let Pattie Forkan or Lynn Martin know if you want to take advantage of this offer; if you will attend the whole conference or just on certain days. “First come first served”.
The Everglades Coalition is an alliance of nearly 60 local, state, and national conservation and environmental organizations dedicated to full restoration of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet representatives from these groups as well as hear speakers ranging from government officials to tribal representatives and many experts on a range of issues. It is not only a wonderful learning experience but also fun. We have a table and are looking for volunteers to help at our table…especially to talk about plastics. If you volunteer, it won’t be for long stretches. When you register, you will have a choice of full conference or one day; Plus you can sign up for meals including two dinners on Friday and Saturday evenings. You can sign up someone to come just for dinner and not the whole conference.
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HELP WANTED
Are you comfortable with Instagram? Interested in learning more about Social Media? We are looking for a volunteer for the Communications Team to help with our Instagram account and we will be working with outside resources to update and energize our campaign for the upcoming election season. Volunteers are also needed for the Energizing Young Voters initiative, a combined project with Communications and Voter Services to persuade voters 18-35 to vote this season. Contact Stacy Vermylen if you can help! | |
CANDIDATE FORUM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Pat Aiken-O'Neill and Paula Schwerin, coordinators for the February 1, 2024, City Council and Mayor Forum, are seeking volunteers both before the event and at the event. Please contact them for more information or to offer your help. It is going to be a very important event for our local government.
Before the event, we need 8-10 volunteers to draft and review questions for the candidates (meeting to occur in January ) and to assist with publicity. At the event, we will need 20 volunteers to set up, serve as greeters, represent LWVCC at table, and to collect and vet questions from the audience for moderator.
Contact Patricia Aiken-O'Neill or Paula Schwerin. |
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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January 15 @ 10:00-3:00
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MLK Day Parade & Celebration
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January 16 @ 4:00-6:00
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January Wine & Wisdom
Endowment 101
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January 23-25
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LWVFL Lobby Days
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January 25-27
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Everglades Coalition Conference
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February 1 @ 5:00-8:30
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Naples City Candidate Forum
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February 5 @ 11:30-1:30
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February Luncheon & General Meeting
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February 7 @ 3:00-5:00
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Reduce the Rancor
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February 15 @ 5:00-7:00
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Book Talk--John Lewis: In Search of the Beloved Community |
February 21 @ 4:00-5:00
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Plastics 101
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February 22, 2024
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Celebrate the League
Non-Partisan, No-Nonsense News
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Visit the LWVCC Calendar for event details
| 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 and other events. | Environmental Affairs Committee Meeting
January 11@ 10:00-12:00
Collier Community Foundation
Kevin Godsea will speak about the “Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area”. He is refuge manager at the Southwest Florida National Wildlife Refuge Complex which includes “Ding” Darling, Florida Panther, Ten Thousand Islands, Pine Island, Matlacha Pass, Island Bay and Caloosahatchee NWRs. Mr. Godsea has been serving as refuge manager for Florida Panther and Ten Thousand Islands NWRs for the past 10 years. | Juvenile Justice Committee Meeting
January 26 @ 10:00-12:00
Finemark Bank, Waterside
Hemlal Kafle, CCPS, will speak about the rights of homeless and foster kids to receive a consistent, high quality education. | Voter Services Committee Meeting
January 18 @ 10:30-12:00
Moorings Park Building O Social Room
Discussion of current initiatives, upcoming events and initiatives | Plastics Task Force Meeting
February 8 @3:30-4:30
Zoom | Board Meeting
February 7 @ 9:30-12:00
Moorings Park Conference Room
| Education Committee Meeting
February 14 @ 12:00-1:30
North Naples Government Center Meeting Room | 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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