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Luncheon and General Meeting
November 11, 2024, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Tiburon Golf Club
| Indigenous Knowledge & Stewardship
featuring
Betty Osceola
The November General meeting, hosted by our DEI committee, will feature Betty Osceola in honor of Indigenous Americans Month. Betty Osceola is a proud member of the Panther Clan of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. We will hear from her about continuing water quality and water quantity concerns, air quality threats, and planning for climate change.
Please join us to welcome this winner of the 2024 Miami-Dade LWV “Women Who Shine” award as she shares her Miccosukee heritage and knowledge of the Everglades!
REGISTER
Registration and payment must be made online by November 5 @ 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
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
November is here, the month of thankfulness, and I cannot help but reflect on my gratitude for the League of Women Voters.
Our mission for over 100 years has been to educate voters, and our members work tirelessly to fulfill that mission. We educate voters, engage young voters, advocate for reproductive rights, support public education and at-risk youth, protect the environment, and defend democracy -- all despite the impact of Hurricane Milton on Collier County, which forced us to cancel several events including our October General Meeting. Once again, our members pivoted (we’re getting a little too good at that!) to hear Amy Shumaker of WGCU and review the six proposed Amendments to the Florida Constitution rescheduled on Zoom. You can access recordings of these presentations. I could not be more proud of the work we have done and continue to do here in Collier County, and I could not be more grateful for our hardworking leaders, our passionate members, and the community that supports us.
Now, we are in the home stretch of the 2024 election season, and Election Day is just a few days away. The League continues to be a trusted resource for election information. The LWV of Florida created a comprehensive Voter Guide with statewide information that you may access. Vote411.org is an online, one-stop-shop for election information nationwide. Simply type in the address where you are registered to vote, choose your language, and Vote411.org will provide information directly from candidates (the League does not edit any candidate’s submission) and about issues on your ballot. Please share this valuable resource with your family, friends and neighbors!
So, as we turn the page to another November, I hope that you embrace this season of thanksgiving with gratitude for all that our League has accomplished and with renewed energy as we look forward to our work in the upcoming season. Wishing you an early Happy Thanksgiving!
In League,
Diane
| League Leadership Program
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In the Before Times (c. 2018), the LWVCC developed a professionally guided Strategic Plan using a grant from the Collier Community Foundation. As part of the SWOT analysis, which helped form the pillars of that initial three-year strategic plan, leader succession, too few doing too much, was highlighted as a weakness and a threat. Thus, developing a continuum of new leaders within the Collier League became a goal to ensure the success and longevity of our organization.
An ad hoc LWVCC committee consisting of Diana Walsh, Sandy Parker, Robin Larkin, Michelle Arnold, Jan Eustis, Ray Kalich and Charlotte Nycklemoe crafted a League Leadership Program, unique to Collier County, designed to recruit and develop future League leaders. The course, consisting of five three-hour sessions, covers the core mission, protocols, policies and internal functioning of the LWVCC, as well as the LWVCC’s role in the community and its relationship with the Florida and National LWV.
A formal Leadership program serves many purposes: tapping the multi-talented membership to engage more fully across a wide variety of interests, as well as providing crucial background and education for future leaders within the LWVCC. Many Leaguers in Collier are new to the League or have “come from away” and may find the unique nature of the Florida political landscape, as well as the intricacies of voter registration and engagement in Collier County, vastly different from prior experience.
The success of our program has not gone unnoticed! Each year, LWVFL presidents have participated in the Collier program, in person or by Zoom, and have pushed to spread the program statewide. LWVCC LLP leaders have also given presentations statewide by Zoom at a Lunch and Learn and in person at the 2023 LWVFL convention. This has spurred a number of county leagues requesting our templates to start their own Leadership programs.
In 2023-2024, the Florida league asked state board member Pat Plummer and nominating committee member Diana Walsh to develop a statewide LLP program. Of the 8 graduates of that LWVFL LLP , four are now on the state board, including Collier’s Cynthia Cave, and others are in new leadership positions in their counties. Diana Walsh is on the planning committee for the LWVFL 2024-2025 LLP.
The LLP here in Collier is entering its sixth year. Prior graduates have served in leadership roles as Board members, directors, committee chairs, or other leadership positions within the LWVCC. Participants are selected based on their interest and leadership potential. We are pleased to announce this year’s class: Pat Aiken-O’Neill, Pallas Diaz, Paula Federman, Debra Harper, Heather Hart, Liz Smith Mao, Amy Perwien, and Susan Sonnenschein. It is a talented and engaging group!
| A Campaign to Engage Younger Voters
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Engaging Young Voters Committee
Stacy Vermylen, Chair
As we looked forward to the 2024 campaign, there were some facts about the 2020 election that stood out. Too many young people ages 18-40 were registered to vote, but did not actually go to the polls for the election. Their participation was below most other demographic groups, and this group, referred to as GenZ and Millennials, were far less engaged in the election process than we remember from the politically active days in the 60’s and 70’s. What could we do to change that pattern?
Our investigation identified the need to provide non-partisan information and reassure people that their vote does count (and would be counted). And it was clear that the LWVCC would need to look at the ways younger people get information, specifically social media. Our skills with social media were limited, and we were way behind the times using it. We made a pitch to the LWVCC board that we needed to build expertise in social media marketing, and we needed to put resources behind engaging this key group for the future of our country; our plan was approved, and we began in earnest in March of 2024.
A detailed report of our activities, achievements, and obstacles faced is available on the LWVCC website.
The final test of our work will be to see, in the 2024 election results, whether the 18-40 age group upped their participation in the voting experience. We sincerely hope so, but at least our League has come away with much more background, familiarity, and real experience with social media marketing! | 
Voter Services Committee
Paula Schwerin, Chair
In the state of Florida, and across the country, early voting has begun!
Whether you are a vote-by-mail (VBM) citizen or someone who likes to drop your ballot off in a designated box, it is time! It is the opportunity to exercise your right as a citizen to support democracy. As my Grandma Frisky always told me, “Do not take for granted the right to vote!” As a woman who was a WWI Salvation Army Donut Lassie in Germany and France, she remembered coming home after serving her country in the war and still not having the right to vote.
If you find that you have questions about certain candidates on the ballot or the amendments on the ballot, we have places for you to go for information. One source of information is Vote411.org. Here you will find details on candidates specific to your address. If you have friends or family members that live elsewhere in our country, this is also a great resource to share with them. All you have to do is input your address and you will have information submitted by the candidates themselves, and copied without edits by LWV.
Another option is the Voter Guide. This guide was created by the League of Women Voters FL. With the help of many local LWVCC members, we have distributed these voter guides to libraries, community centers, HOA offices, church offices and many more. It has also been shared electronically to family members, friend groups, and others. Please feel free to share with everyone you know who is looking for factual, non-partisan information.
If you need information regarding Collier County and Florida, please see the information below:
Early Voting: October 21 - November 2, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Election Day: November 5, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
If you’re curious about the numbers in our county, please click the following link to stay up to date on Collier County’s Unofficial Voter Turnout, hosted by our Supervisor of Elections. It is updated a few times per hour.
Thank you for all that you do and thank you for voting!
| DEI Committee
Our DEI committee is hosting the November 11th LWVCC general meeting, featuring Betty Osceola in honor of Indigenous Americans Month. Betty Osceola is a proud member of the Panther Clan of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. She is passionate about environmental conservation and clean water advocacy and has dedicated her life to protecting the natural wonders of the Everglades. Drawing from her Miccosukee heritage, she teaches others about the importance of respecting and preserving our environment for future generations. Betty is the winner of 2024 Miami-Dade LWV “Women Who Shine” award for her environmental leadership. She has also received the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Award honoring an individual who demonstrates outstanding dedication to the mission of the Friends of the Everglades to preserve, protect, and restore the unique Everglades ecosystem.
The DEI committee of LWVCC is very pleased that Betty will join us to share her Miccosukee heritage and knowledge of the Everglades.
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Juvenile Justice Committee
Libbie Bramson, Chair
Civil Citation and More!
Did you know that kids who are arrested for minor misdemeanors and common misbehaviors can receive a criminal record for life, even if their jail term is suspended? A criminal record can result in future denial of student loans and scholarships, mortgages, military service and job opportunities. It can limit a youth’s future.
Fortunately, there is a Florida Statute (Civil Citation recently re-titled pre-arrest delinquency citation) that provides an alternative to arrest for kids under 18 years. (In Collier County it is also being offered to eligible youth 18 to 20 years.) The JJC’s focus in 2024 and 2025 is to increase awareness of Civil Citation among League and community members, parents of at-risk kids, and to the kids, themselves.
Youths who commit a minor offense but have no previous record are usually eligible for Civil Citation. It is an individualized plan involving community service and other specific sanctions. Upon completion it will result in the child having no arrest record. Juvenile Civil Citation is one of the most effective and cost-effective delinquency avoidance tools that Law Enforcement has. The long-term payoff is that kids are given a second chance and opportunity for a positive future.
For more on Civil Citation, on the League website check out Our Work>Education & Advocacy>Juvenile Incarceration. Thanks to our amazing Tech Team, you will find an interactive Department of Juvenile Justice Dashboard!
Our October guest speaker was Wynn Watkins, President of Trinity Life Foundation. Founded in 2018, Trinity Life advocates for vulnerable youth and helps them become viable citizens. The youth are referred by parents, Family Court and Civil Citation.
Our next meeting is December 6, when our guest speaker will be from Better Together, which is an alternative to the traditional state foster care system. If you are concerned about our at-risk kids we encourage you to join the Juvenile Justice Committee, justice@lwvcolliercounty.org.
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Environmental Affairs Committee
Lynn Martin, Patti Forkan, Co-Chairs
At our EAC meeting on October 23, 2024, our speaker was Natalie Hardman, Natural Resource Manager for the City of Naples. Natalie discussed the City of Naples’s comprehensive Adaptation Plan and how we can make our city more resilient to sea level rise, intense precipitation, extreme heat and coastal storms.
The City of Naples finished their Vulnerability Assessment looking at which physical assets may be potentially impacted by climate events in the future. Now, the City has prepared a comprehensive Adaptation Plan, which outlines a suite of strategies to reduce the potential impacts posed by the climate hazards of flooding and extreme heat. Natalie gave us details about the City’s prioritization and plans for implementation of the recommended strategies and the timeline we might expect. You may find the City of Naples Adaptation Plan on the City website or with this link: https://www.naplesgov.com/naturalresources/page/resiliency-and-sustainability
On November 14, 2024, we will hear from Dr. Michael Savarese, a Distinguished Professor of Coastal Geology, Climate Resilience, & Preparation within the Department of Marine and Earth Sciences within Florida Gulf Coast University’s Water School. His presentation will be “The Recurring Impacts of Multiple Storms: Managing Coastal Resilience Sustainably." He will discuss what we have learned about resiliency from recent hurricanes and what types of damage they have caused to the shoreline. He will also delve into the implications for the types of modifications we should make in the future. We will have more details in the Update. | Plastics Task Force
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Membership Committee
Beth VanDamme, Chair
| Please welcome the following new members: |
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Holly H Agra
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| Bob Agrast |
| Nikki Blaha |
| Iris Dorn |
Ann M. Fisher
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| Nancy Michaels |
| Wendy Wagner |
Your Voice Matters:
LWVCC Invites Members to Share Feedback
The League of Women Voters of Collier County (LWVCC) is committed to providing its members with the highest quality experience possible. To ensure we meet your needs and expectations, we are conducting a membership satisfaction survey.
Your feedback is valuable to us as we strive to improve our programs, events, and overall membership experience. By taking a few minutes to complete this survey, you will be directly contributing to the League's continued success.
The names of every member who completes the survey will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a $100 gift card for the Turtle Club Restaurant. Members may only submit one survey. The drawing will take place on December 2, 2024, at the General Meeting. The winner does not need to be present to win.
TAKE THE SURVEY
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Survey closes November 15, 2024
Thank you for your continued support of the League of Women Voters of Collier County. | League News From Across the Country
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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
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