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| Luncheon and General Meeting
January 13, 11:30-1:30
Tiburon Golf Club
| Reflections of Collier County:
A 50-Year Art Adventure
featuring
Paul Arsenault
Since moving here in 1974, Paul has pursued his passion of painting contemporary life in coastal communities. His paintings reflect his passion for history and his natural storytelling ability, and his presentations will include paintings and stories depicting his 50 years chronicling the landmarks and special places of Naples and Collier County. Paul and his wife Eileen have lived in their historic home on Gordon Drive for 42 years. Through their many fundraising exhibitions and events, they have supported environmental protection, humanitarian causes, and historic preservation.
REGISTER
Registration and payment must be made online by January 7 @ 12:00 PM
If you are bringing one or more guests, please be sure to register them when you register yourself.
Walk-ins will be seated in order of arrival on a space-available basis
Late registration/walk-in price will be strictly enforced
Did you register for the cancelled October 14 General Meeting?
If so, you have been issued a credit in ClubExpress to apply to this or other future meetings.
VIEW INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING CREDITS
| Message from the President
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LWVCC President
Diane Preston Moore
Happy New Year!
2025 is a momentous year for the League of Women Voters of Collier County as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary! This milestone marks half a century of educating voters and advocating for issues important to us and our community. We are excited to share a series of special events to commemorate the occasion.
We will kick off the celebrations with our January General Meeting, where renowned landscape artist Paul Arsenault will reflect on his 50 years capturing the iconic landmarks and scenic beauty of Naples and Collier County through his paintings.
On February 11th, at the Collier County Commission meeting, we will be honored to receive a Proclamation recognizing our 50 years of civic involvement and service.
Then, on February 27th, we’ll gather at Celebrate The League with a special presentation by esteemed local chef and restaurateur Tony Ridgway. Tony will share stories from his 50+ years of building and running some of the most beloved restaurants in Naples.
Also in 2025, the structure of the relationship between our national, state, and local Leagues will undergo changes with the implementation of the Transformation Plan, led by LWVUS. While there will be adjustments to membership dues and the mechanics of renewing memberships, most aspects of our work will remain unchanged. LWVUS has set early 2025 as the target for these updates to take effect. Please read on to hear more about the upcoming Transformation. We will keep you informed about these developments through our weekly Update as we receive further details from LWVUS.
I look forward to celebrating our milestone anniversary with you and continuing our important work together for the next 50+ years!
Wishing you all the best in 2025!
Diane | Celebrate 50 Years of LWVCC
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Throughout 2025, we will be celebrating our 50th Anniversary. Be sure to be part of the celebration by attending Celebrate the League on February 27, 2025. The event will be held at The Club at Olde Cypress and feature Tony Ridgway as speaker, “A Taste of Tony and the Past 50 Years." Mr. Ridgway has been in Naples for 54 years and his story complements the history of LWVCC.
The color theme of the evening is gold and attendees are encouraged to wear gold or white. Party attire is appropriate.
From 5:30–6:30 p.m. there will be a cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. This year’s auction focuses on experiences—things people can not easily buy on their own. There will also be a Cork Pull, which was a big success last year. Dinner will start at 6:30 and we will be serving Everglades Salad, Chardonnay Chicken, and Key Lime Pie. After dinner, Mr. Ridgway will speak and there will be a brief question and answer period. The dinner should conclude near 8:30 p.m.
Click Here to purchase tickets and invitations will be emailed soon. |
DEI Committee
Cynthia Cave, Cynthia Cromwell, Co-Chairs
Two informative and enjoyable tours are planned by the LWVCC DEI Committee!
Naples Pride Center, January 14
On January 15, 2025, we will visit the Naples Pride Center, with a tour and information from Director Cori Cracium about the center and local experiences of LGBTQ residents in Collier County. Due to limited parking, we plan to meet at Home Depot, 1651 Airport Pulling Rd S, at 11:45 and carpool to the Pride Center. After Cori’s presentation, we will go to nearby local restaurant Sushi-Thai of Naples for lunch.
We are looking for ALL league members to join us for our tour and luncheon. If you can join us, please contact Cynthia Cromwell at the DEI Committee address.
Airboat Tour, January 23
We are looking for interest from ALL League members before finalizing reservations. The tour of the Everglades with Buffalo Tiger Airboat Tours will be guided by our impressive November speaker, Betty Osceola (shown below). We will meet at Fresh Market, 12628 Tamiami Trail East at 11:00 a.m. and carpool to the site for the 1:30-3:00 p.m. tour. Cost is expected to be $50 per person. If you wish to join us, please contact Cynthia Cromwell at the DEI Committee address.
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Education Committee
Nancy Chism, Pat Plummer, Co-Chairs
The Education Committee hosted the December LWVCC General Meeting with Dr. Aysegul Timur, President of Florida Gulf Coast University, who presented a detailed overview of the history, programs, and goals of our local university, including its collaborations with workforce development and with our public schools.
The Education Committee meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 2 PM at the Collier Community Foundation. The committee follows issues in public education from preschool through higher education and postsecondary training in Collier County and also aligns with the LWVFL Education Action Team on statewide issues, especially book bans, voucher programs, and upcoming legislation.
The Know Your County Government Program for Collier high school students will begin its three-session program in February to introduce high school students to the many agencies in our local government and to future employment opportunities. Watch for announcements for LWVCC member involvement with KYCG.
The committee co-chairs will meet with Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli in mid-January to discuss aligning the committee’s work with CCPS priorities.
The Education Committee will next meet on January 8, 2025 at 2 PM at the Collier Community Foundation, 1110 Pine Ridge Road, suite 200. | 
Juvenile Justice Committee
Libbie Bramson, Chair
As we reflect on 2024 from a Juvenile Justice perspective and look toward 2025, here are some answers to Frequently Asked Questions:
- What is Juvenile Justice? It concerns vulnerable, at-risk children up to 18 years, who have gotten into trouble with Law Enforcement. These children are often described as Juvenile Delinquents. If arrested, they have a criminal record that can impact the rest of their lives.
- What factors are related to Juvenile Delinquency? Poverty, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, mental illness, violence in the home, child neglect and abuse, truancy, homelessness, and more. It is not unusual to find that juvenile delinquency is a multi-generation family issue.
- What is the best way to address Juvenile Delinquency? Identify kids who appear at-risk and (the sooner, the better) provide preventive support and services. If a child does get into trouble, restorative / rehabilitative programs are usually more effective than punitive ones.
- Is Juvenile Delinquency an issue in Collier County? It is an issue in all states and counties. It is a complex issue that has been with us before the LWVCC was founded in 1975 and remains with us today. Fortunately, there are numerous agencies that help at-risk kids including the CC Sheriff’s Office, CC Public Schools, Florida Dept. Children Family Service, Children’s Network SW Florida, Youth Haven, Florida Dept. Juvenile Justice, Guardian ad Litem Office, PACE Center and more.
What has the Juvenile Justice Committee done? In 2024, we focused our efforts on Civil Citation, which is an alternative to arrest for youths involved with common misbehavior or first-time misdemeanor offenses. We developed “Saving Futures,” a new Civil Citation power point presentation, a bilingual flyer, and an education/advocacy page on our website.
Our Guest Speakers discussed homelessness, preventive programs for at-risk kids, and the roles of the Children’s Network, Guardian ad Litem, and Better Together. We begin 2025 with a Hot Topic: Civil Citation Zoom on January 6, and presentation on January 8 to the Immokalee Interagency Council. We will visit the Collier County Juvenile Detention Facility on January 22. If you agree that each child deserves an opportunity for his or her best future, then check out the Juvenile Justice Committee.
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Environmental Affairs Committee
Lynn Martin, Patti Forkan, Co-Chairs
On December 12, 2024, the LWV Environmental Affairs Committee had a “field trip” to learn about the plantings on the beach dunes with the Naples Botanical Garden.
The Botanical Garden made a presentation, “Dig into Dunes: Restoring Beach Ecosystems with Plants,” followed by a guided walk on the dunes. The presentation discussed the importance of the dunes to protect property from flooding and storm surge, to create a wildlife habitat, and as an economic driver of tourism. Building and vegetating the dunes is an important way to address coastal erosion and build resiliency.
The Botanical Garden has been studying the dune ecosystem since 2019. They have studied the types of plants that thrive and will maintain other plants and animals. At the time of Hurricane Ian, there were three planted test sites which provided a proof-of-concept opportunity. In addition, the Garden has developed protocols for the collection of seeds, propagation of plants, and effective planting. When the County needed to replace the dunes after Hurricane Ian, the Botanical Garden was ready to partner with a commercial grower and the installer to revegetate the dunes. There are 16 special plants in the palette that will be grown on the dunes. The revegetating will take place over the next several weeks using a “tossed salad” approach rather than rows of one type. After the dunes have been planted, the community needs to keep off the dunes and the plants, so the plants will take root before the next hurricane season.
While the County will be installing some type of barrier with notices, we want everyone to keep alert for any damage to the dune plantings and let the EA Committee know. At our next EA Committee meeting on January 9, 2025, we will discuss ways to collaborate with the Garden to educate the community on respecting the importance of the dunes.
| Plastics Task Force
Plastics Task Force Presents to Grace Place Parents
On October 23, 2024, members of the League’s Plastic Task Force delivered the “Take A Pass of Plastics” presentation to the parents of students at Grace Place for Children and Families. We were part of their Adult Education program, which helps Grace Place parents acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to learn the English language and assimilate to the culture of the United States. Susan Pezzullo spoke Spanish for most of the presentation with Loralee LeBoeuf cheering her on by passing out prizes of bar soap to those who brought their own water bottles. The interactive presentation was well-received and great fun.
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Membership Committee
Beth VanDamme, Chair
Please give a warm welcome to the following new members:
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Marcia Maloni
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Sally Hart Petersen |
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Stephanie Pint |
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Harriet Schweitzer |
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We’re excited to have you join our community!
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Keep the Invites Coming!
Remember, every member who brings a first-time, non-member friend to a general meeting will be entered into a drawing for a fun prize. Congratulations to Janet Hoffman, our December Raffle Winner.
Membership Satisfaction Survey
Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our Membership Satisfaction Survey. Stay tuned for the drawing of the Turtle Club Gift Card on January 13, 2025, at the General Meeting. We’ll share the results in the February Voter.
Join us for a New Member Coffee on Friday, January 24 from 9:00am-10:30am. If you are a new member—or have been a member for a while and just want to get reconnected—please join us at the home of Sara Werder. This is a great opportunity to meet fellow members, the Board and other LWVCC leaders, and to learn how you can become more involved.
Please register at the LWVCC website on the Event Calendar page. This is a member and guest-only event, so you must log in to register. Address and parking info will be sent when you RSVP. | League News From Across the Country
| National League News
For more information, visit LWV.org.
State League News
For more information, visit LWVFL.org.
| Please refer to the LWVCC Weekly Update for a complete list of upcoming events or visit the LWVCC website: lwvcolliercounty.org.
Members should log in to ensure they see members-only events and registration options. | 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 9883, Naples, FL 34101
Sent by lwvcc@lwvcolliercounty.org
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