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| Luncheon and General Meeting
March 10, 11:30-1:30
Tiburon Golf Club
| Saving Kids’ Futures
The Juvenile Justice Continuum
presented by
Lt. Thomas Wedlock & Caren Langevin
Collier County Sheriff's Office
Lt. Thomas Wedlock, Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and Caren Langevin, CCSO Youth Resource Center Supervisor will be our guest speakers at the March 10, 2025, General Luncheon. For the past several decades, the Sheriff’s Office has been a leader in developing and implementing programs for vulnerable youth. Learn more about the Continuum of Juvenile Justice the CCSO provides to 1) prevent delinquency and 2) transition kids who get into trouble back to the mainstream and responsible adulthood.
REGISTER
Registration and payment must be made online by March 4 @ 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
| Message from the President
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LWVCC President
Diane Preston Moore
Just as March marks the transition from winter to spring, our own League is embracing a season of change and growth.
First, the change: In a unanimous decision, the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters of Collier County (“LWVCC”) and the League of Women Voters of Collier County Education Fund (“LWVCC Education Fund”) approved the merger of the LWVCC into the LWVCC Education Fund. By now, you have received emailed notice of the proposed merger, which will be effective on April 1, 2025. After April 1, 2025, all business will be conducted through the LWVCC Education Fund.
At our General Meeting on March 10th, League members will have the opportunity to hear more information and vote on the proposed merger, as well as amendments to our Bylaws that are required in order to effectuate the merger. Approval of these amendments will leave us with one set of Bylaws for the surviving LWVCC Education Fund, our 501c3. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Diane Preston Moore or Ellen Hannan. Also, please register for the General Meeting by clicking the link in the announcement above.
About our growth: LWVUS is undertaking a Federal Judiciary Study in an effort to develop principles and positions about this important branch of government. Currently, LWVUS has positions and principles regarding the legislative and executive branches, but not the judicial branch. LWVCC will have input on important issues involving the federal judiciary such as ethics, recusal, and term limits. Please see the article, below, for details about dates of information sessions via Zoom and the in-person Consensus Meeting at the end of March.
Seasons of change and growth are not always comfortable while we’re in them, but we are confident that this season of transition will make for a stronger, more efficient League. Thank you for your continued support of LWVCC and all that we hold dear.
In League,
Diane | |
Join Us To Learn More About The LWVUS Federal Judiciary Study
How do federal judges/justices ensure their impartiality in high profile cases?
Is the Supreme Court of the U.S. voluntary Code of Conduct necessary or sufficient?
If you are interested in discussing issues like these, please mark your calendars and participate in the Federal Judiciary Study, which is being undertaken by LWVUS in an effort to develop principles and positions about this important branch of government. Currently, LWVUS has positions and principles regarding the legislative and executive branches, but not the judicial branch. Our local League will have input on important issues involving the federal judiciary such as ethics, recusal and term limits.
Join us for either of two Zoom sessions for members to learn more about the substance and the procedure of the national Federal Judiciary Study. Members of the LWVCC Federal Judiciary Study committee will be on hand to provide information and answer questions. The sessions will be identical in content, so you need to choose only one session.
Please register for either Tuesday, March 4, 4:00-6:00 p.m. or Thursday, March 20, 10:00-12:00
Our Consensus Meeting will be held in person on March 26, 10:00-12:00. The venue will be announced in the first week of March. | Medicaid Expansion Ballot Initiative
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Florida is one of just ten states that has not expanded Medicaid. As a result, older Floridians, parents and low wage workers may go without critical health care, become seriously in debt and lose their quality of life.
Florida Decides Healthcare’s (FDH) mission is to let voters decide whether Florida should expand Medicaid. Expanding Medicaid would increase jobs, grow our economy, and provide access to health care to over one million people. FDH has developed a ballot initiative with a proposed amendment to increase Medicaid coverage to low-income adults. To allow the amendment to be on the ballot, more than one million petition signatures from registered voters in Florida are needed. You can help by signing the petition yourself and encouraging your friends, family and neighbors to do the same.
The League of Women Voters of Florida is officially supporting this citizen ballot initiative drive aimed at securing a spot on the 2026 ballot, as is the League of Women Voters of Collier County. Petitions can be found at Florida Decides Healthcare.
They will also be available at LWVCC general meetings and Social Policy meetings. Petitions can be mailed to the address given on the petition, handed over to the Social Policy co-chairs or taken to the regional hub, UUCGN, at 6340 Napa Woods Way. There is a locked mailbox there to insert the petitions. More information is available on the LWVCC website.
Thanks for your attention to this critical matter. |
A Presentation by Sandy Parker
When: Monday, March 24, 2025, from 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Where: Collier Community Foundation Board Room, 1110 Pine Ridge Rd Ste 200, Naples, FL
Knowledgeable Florida voters know how their state government is organized, who their representatives are, and how they can best participate in the political process. They also are aware of Florida's political environment and how their party affiliation determines (limits) the elections in which they can vote. You'll learn all this and more in Florida Civics 101, a presentation by Sparker's Soapbox publisher and past LWVCC President Sandy Parker.
Space is limited.
REGISTER
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DEI Committee
Cynthia Cromwell, Chair
Naturalization Ceremony
Three members (Susan Housel, Lindsay Richardson and Cynthia Cromwell) of the LWVCC DEI committee attended a naturalization ceremony in Lee County.
This is the Oath that our newly naturalized citizens give: "I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."
It was a wonderful experience to see how thrilled these new citizens were to receive their official Certificate.
Airboat Tour
On February 17th, LWVCC members visited with Betty Osceola of Buffalo Tiger Airboat Tours who provided a wealth of Miccosukee information about water challenges and shared highlights of Seminole life. Pictured in the photograph on the Buffalo island campsite are: Eleanor Gruber, Beth VanDamme, Katie McNutt, Penny Packard, Betty Osceola, Diana Garcia, Jan Eustis, Carolyn Alden, Cynthia Cromwell, Marcia Malone, Nancy Chism.
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Education Committee
Nancy Chism, Pat Plummer, Co-Chairs
The Know Your County Government (KYCG) program completed two days of its three-day schedule for 32 seniors from four Collier County High Schools. Students have met with officials at the Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, Sheriff’s Department, CAT bus system, Waste and Landfill Management, Supervisor of Elections, Traffic Management, and other important offices. On the final day, March 25, students will attend a Commissioner’s Meeting, and meet with the Clerk of Courts, a Judge in court, and will have a final luncheon with the Commissioners and the Superintendent. The KYCG, a collaboration of LWVCC with the Collier County Public Schools and 4H Youth Development, has been in place for over 40 years. Many thanks to Connie Shoemake, Susan Golden, Heather Hart, Kathy Ryan, and Laura Hansen Reynolds for their leadership in the program this year.
In other Education Committee news, we met with Superintendent of Schools Leslie Ricciardelli and her staff and with Vice-chair of the School Board, Stephanie Lucarelli, on top issues including school start time legislation, book bans, and voucher usage. Watch for an opinion piece in the Naples Daily News on school start time legislation that creates issues for Collier County students.
The Education Ambassadors coalition of the LWVCC Education Committee, American Association of University Women, and the Interfaith Alliances of Southwest Florida, whose purpose is to monitor and advocate as needed on Collier County School Board issues, is in place and active.
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Environmental Affairs Committee
Lynn Martin, Patti Forkan, Co-Chairs
At the Feb. 13th EAC meeting, Bob Lucius, Executive Director of CREW Land and Water Trust gave a lively and inspirational presentation on the CREW Trust, the preserved lands in the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) and discussed the benefits this largely intact watershed provides to our communities.
In the 1980s South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), Audubon and Lee County began acquiring land in the watershed which now encompasses 60,000-70,000 acres: SFWMD’s 29,000 acres which include Bird Rookery Swamp, Crew Marsh, Crew Cypress Dome and Flint Pen, Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Collier and Lee Counties preserves and privately owned land. The CREW Trust was founded as a private/public Trust but in 1994 its mission was expanded to include public recreational use and environmental education (“we love the places we can see, touch, smell and experience”). Crew has 40 miles of walking and equestrian trails, campsites and picnic areas, and public access is free.
Dr. Lucius noted that the lands of the watershed are interconnected, with interdependent biological communities. The Corkscrew ecosystem watershed provides numerous benefits to our communities: recharging groundwater, cleaning water (which improves water quality), and mitigating flood risks. If any one piece of the CREW watershed is lost to development, the ecosystem will be broken. Restoring a watershed after damage requires engineered solutions that cost billions. Dr. Lucius said our development decisions in Lee and Collier counties are not factoring the value of the loss of the ecosystem benefits into our decisions. An economic assessment of the damage to these natural assets needs to be factored into development approvals. |
Membership Committee
Beth VanDamme, Chair
Welcome New Members!
Please join us in giving a warm welcome to our newest members:
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Brenda Carter
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Sue Ellen Clifford |
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Jane Hogan |
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Clare Langley-Hawthorne |
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Lindsey Richardson |
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Sharon Sanders |
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Pamela Sasser |
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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 McQueen, our February Raffle Winner.
LWVCC Membership Satisfaction Survey Results: Insights and Opportunities
We are thrilled to share the results of our 2024 Membership Satisfaction Survey. Thank you members for providing us with valuable feedback that will help us improve our services and enhance the member experience. Here’s a snapshot of the findings.
Survey Highlights:
- Participation: 65 of 317 members responded (20%).
- Demographics: Primarily Baby Boomers (68%), female (93.8%), and White/Caucasian (90.8%). 70% are retired.
- Satisfaction: 100% would recommend LWVCC, and 100% are satisfied overall. Website and content satisfaction are very high (95% and 97%, respectively).
- Engagement: 86.2% are active in committees, with Voter Services and Environmental Affairs being popular.
- Improvement Areas: Members want better communication, more diverse engagement, improved website usability, and expanded voting rights/education focus. They also desire more flexible event timing and locations.
- Priorities: Top legislative priorities: Reproductive Rights, Voting Rights, Education, and Environmental Issues.
Key Takeaway:
High satisfaction, with a focus on improving communication, a continued focus on Voter Education and Advocacy, and a broadening of our demographics.
We are grateful for the positive feedback and constructive suggestions. Your input helps us to continue our mission of fostering a sense of community, enhancing member engagement, and advocating for critical issues. We look forward to implementing your ideas and making LWVCC an even better organization for everyone.
The complete survey results can be found on the membership page under membership documents. | 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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