The League of Women Voters of Collier County mourns the passing of LWVUS President Dr. Deborah Ann Turner. Dr. Turner was a tireless advocate for women's rights and voting rights, and we join with other Leagues around the nation in expressing our collective grief at the loss of an extraordinary leader. As LWVUS CEO, Virginia Case Solomon suggests, we can honor Dr. Turner's legacy by continuing to uphold our values to empower voters and build a stronger, more inclusive democracy.
| FEBRUARY 2024 LUNCHEON & GENERAL MEETING
February 5 @ 11:30-1:30
Tiburon Golf Club
Beyond Roe:
Reproductive Rights in Florida
presented by
Amy Weintraub
Reproductive Rights Program Director for Progress Florida
Amy Weintraub will offer reflections on the state of reproductive freedom in our state, including how abortion care has changed in our post-Roe world. She will offer suggestions on how Collier advocates can get more deeply plugged into the movement to defend abortion access.
MORE INFORMATION & REGISTRATION
Registration and payment must be made online
by TODAY @ 12:00 PM
Walk-ins will be seated in order of arrival on a space available basis
Late registration/walk in price will be strictly enforced
Help build our League and educate the general public! Our most effective method of membership recruitment is the General Meeting! Invite a guest to our next General Meeting and support LWVCC!
|  | The Forum for candidates who are running for the office of Mayor will be from 5:00-6:15. The Forum for the candidates who are running for City Council will be from 6:30-8:00. The moderators for the forum will be Wendy Fullerton Powell, executive editor for the Naples Daily News and John Davis, assistant News Director/Reporter/Gulf Coast Life Arts Edition Host for WGCU Public Media.
Attend the Forum in person or watch it live on WGCU, on the WGCU Facebook page, or on Naples City TV broadcast on local cable stations Comcast Cable 98, Century Link 95, and Summit Cable 98. Broadcasts will begin at 5:00. The forum will also be recorded and re-broadcast for WGCU’s Gulf Coast Life sometime before the March 19th election.
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In line with the League’s strategic plan, the LWVCC is co-sponsoring Reduce the Rancor: a Free Community Forum on Civility to be held on Feb. 7 from 3-5 pm at the Naples United Church of Christ at 5200 Crayton Road. We are looking for 6 volunteers to help out during the forum— 2 to man our information table, and 4 to greet people and collect questions from the audience. Volunteers are asked to attend an orientation either on February 2 at 2, or on February 7 at 1:30 at the same location.
VOLUNTEER
|  | KNOW YOUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT 2024
Know Your County Government, day 1, was Tuesday January 23. It was a big success, and lots of fun! This was year 41!! The students visited 9 county offices, including the Tax Collector, Sheriff, CAT, the Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections, and Traffic Management. We are looking forward to day 2 (February 13 when we visit 6 County agencies), and day 3 (March 26 focused on the County Commission, Courts, and Clerk). The program is co-sponsored by Collier County 4-H, Collier County Public Schools, and LWVCC.
 
| LWVCC AT 2024 LEAGUE LOBBY DAYS
On January 23rd and 24th, five representatives from LWVCC participated in the Florida State League Lobby Days. On Tuesday, Tina Palmese, Laura Hansen Reynolds, Linda Scherzinger and Diane Preston Moore joined League members from Miami/Dade to Jacksonville and Bay County to attend sessions hosted by LWVFL on lobbying, collaborated with members of Alpha Kappa Alpha on a Returning Citizens postcarding project, and celebrated at a LWVFL dinner with Leaguers from across the state. On Wednesday, they jumped into the legislative process, speaking separately about issues concerning Collier County with Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, Representative Bob Rommel, and Representative Lauren Melo’s Legislative Aide, Joel Ramos. They also attended LWVFL’s press conference in the Capitol Rotunda, along with several partner organizations and legislators.
As part of League Lobby Days, the first LWVFL Sara Werder League Leadership Program class enthusiastically came together to better understand how to advocate to our legislators and to connect with classmates from various parts of Florida. Pat Plummer and Diana Walsh created the state’s LLP, and Pat led the group through Lobby Days last week. Cynthia Cave, LWVCC member and member of our local LLP Class 4, is a member of the inaugural state Leadership Program and participated in League Lobby Days. League Lobby Days is a perfect way to better understand the legislative process, to meet legislators in person, and to explain the issues and values that the League holds dear. If you are interested in joining LWVCC’s delegation to League Lobby Days in 2025, please contact Diane.
 | 2024 EVERGLADES COALITION CONFERENCE
The annual Everglades Coalition Conference took place January 25-27, 2024 in Bonita Springs. There were 430 attendees from 57 Everglades Coalition members at the meeting including 10 members of the Collier League. The League of Women Voters of Collier County was a sponsor and had a table in the lobby.
The theme of the conference was Everglades Restoration Rewards – Benefiting Ecosystems, Economies, and Communities. The meetings underscored the multiple bottom-line benefits that Everglades restoration provides to communities in south Florida. The conference discussed the progress that has been made toward a restored River of Grass and opportunities for further restoration and benefits in the future
Thank you to Gary Bromley and his wife Judy who organized, set-up and oversaw our table.
| CELEBRATING MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY
Twenty enthusiastic LWVCC members marched in the City of Naples’ Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade on January 15. Mick Moore and Gary Bromley drove the “Blue LWVCC jeep” while the other participants carried banners and signs quoting many of Mr. Kings inspiring messages! Some of the favorite quotes were:
- Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
- Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
- The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
- We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice
Following the parade, Tina Palmese coordinated volunteers in Cambier Park at the voter registration table as well as informational flyer distribution.
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CANVASSING BOARD VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
FOR PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARY +
NAPLES MUNICIPAL ELECTION
Volunteer to observe the Collier County Canvassing Board for the March 19 Presidential Preference primary + Naples Municipal election! The Canvassing Board conducts the Logic and Accuracy test of the voting machines, reviews Vote-by-Mail and provisional ballots, and certifies the official results of the election. Dates are pending for the review of vote by mail and provisional ballots but the Logic and Accuracy Test of the voting machines will take place on February 21 at 9am. The test will take place at the Supervisor of Elections buildings, 3750 Enterprise Avenue, Naples 34104.
You’ll receive background information on observing this important and interesting task. When dates are set for the Canvassing Board reviews of ballots and certification of the election results, more volunteer opportunities will be posted. | 
WINTER 2024 BOOK CLUB MEETING
The theme for this meeting is "Banned Books".
Thursday afternoon March 14 @ 4 p.m.
Clubhouse @ Park Shore Tower
4251 Gulf Shore Blvd. North
We have selected The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.
JOIN THE BOOK CLUB
| WE DID IT!
There are now more than enough vetted petitions for the “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion” to qualify for the November ballot. The petition collection also passed the other criteria of collecting at least 8% of the number the number of ballots that were cast 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 (FPF) is confident the amendment petition will be approved. Assuming it is approved, the next priority will be 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 in November. FPF will be collecting funds for these educational and get out the vote activities as ballot initiatives are expensive. Look to the LWVCC Update for further news on this issue.
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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. You can bring your bottle to the February 5 Luncheon & General Meeting.
We ask that all donated wine have a retail value of $20 or more. Questions? Contact Teresa Stohs at 913-271-6023
| NEW FEATURE: PLASTICS POINTERS
Do you know the most common items found at beach clean ups? They include plastic bags, beverage bottles, lids, straws, cutlery, and Styrofoam takeout containers, cups and plates. Except for bottles, these items are very difficult to recycle. Pick one item and see how much you can reduce your use! Then next month, choose another item. Reducing your use of plastic can be daunting—it’s ok to go one step at a time!
Look for more Plastics Pointers in upcoming issues of the LWVCC Update,
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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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
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Celebrate the League
Non-Partisan, No-Nonsense News
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February 28 @ 11:00-12:00
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League 101
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March 4 @ 5:00-6:00
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Hot Topic
Lock It Up: Let’s Save Lives From Gun Violence
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March 14 @ 4:00-5:30
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Spring 2024 Book Club
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March 15 @ 9:00-10:30
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New Member Coffee
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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. | Board Meeting
February 7 @ 9:30-12:00
Moorings Park Conference Room
| Environmental Affairs Committee Meeting
February 8 @ 10:00-12:00
Collier Community Foundation
Gene Wordehoff and Nanette Rivers will talk about "Water Quality in Collier County" | Plastics Task Force Meeting
February 8 @3:30-4:30
Zoom | Juvenile Justice Committee Meeting
February 9 @ 1:00 - 2:30
Home of Libby Bramson
NOTE NEW TIME AND LOCATION
| Education Committee Meeting
February 14 @ 12:00-1:30
North Naples Government Center Meeting Room | Gun Violence Preventtion Subcommittee Meeting
February 20 @ 4:00-5:00
Zoom | 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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