APRIL LUNCHEON & GENERAL MEETING
April 14 @ 11:30-1:30
Tiburon Golf Club
Creating a Plastic-Free Florida
through
Community Action and Advocacy
presented by
Maggie Winchester-Weiler
Conservation Program Manager
Ocean Conservancy
Maggie Winchester-Weiler is a scientist and educator specializing in conservation and physiology of marine wildlife and is the Florida Conservation Program Manager for Ocean Conservancy. Based in Miami, Maggie coordinates stakeholders, governments and youth to advocate for policies that maintain or improve the health of the ocean and locally, Biscayne Bay. Leveraging her scientific background, she informs research and public awareness campaigns to improve water quality and reduce marine debris statewide. A formal and informal educator of 9 years, she manages the youth empowerment and plastic reduction program, Plastic Free Cities, across Florida. | MORE INFORMATION & REGISTRATION
If you are bringing one or more guests, please be sure to register them when you register yourself.
Registration and payment must be made online by
Tuesday, April 8 @ 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
Let's Grow Together! Bring a Friend to Our General Meetings | ANNUAL MEETING
April 14 @ 10-11:30
Tiburon Golf Club
Join fellow members for LWVCC's 50th Annual Meeting at the Tiburon Golf Club, 2620 Tiburon Drive, Naples, to review the accomplishments of the past year, vote on the 2025-26 program and budget, and elect new officers and board members. Links to the Annual Meeting Packet & Addendum were sent to all members via separate email. The Adddendum has been superseded by separateTreasurer's Report and Budget Proposal documents. All are available to logged in members on the calendar page for the meeting. Please read them before the meeting.
Annual meeting registration is free and is in addition to registration for the luncheon and general meeting.
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SCAM ALERT!!!
Several committee chairs recently have received an email purportedly from Diane Moore saying something like "I am in the process of working on a project and would greatly value your assistance with it. Kindly inform me if you are free today." The sender notes Diane's name, but the email address is NOT Diane's email. If you receive an email from Diane or any League member that you suspect may be a scam, please call the sender to confirm that it is a valid email. If you find that it is a scam message, please forward it to techteam@lwvcolliercounty.org. In the meantime, we are taking steps to prevent this from happening again. | WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
MAKE A CALL
Your fellow LWVCC members were in Tallahassee two weeks ago to meet with legislators. Of particular concern were bills affecting voter access and education. Your calls to our legislators will make a difference and we only have a few weeks to register our opinions as voters.
Study these analyses about the bills that concern us:
Visit the Florida Department of State Division of Elections to obtain information about whom to contact.
| DO YOU WANT TO BE MORE INVOLVED?
Are you someone who is looking for new opportunities? Are you curious about the League of Women Voters of Collier County? Would you like to be more involved but are not quite sure what to do next? Are you ready to learn more and become more involved? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, we have an opportunity for you!
Starting back in 2019, some of our outstanding LWVCC members developed our very own League Leadership Program. The intent was to identify future leaders in our group and help them learn more about the history and workings of the League of Women Voters at the national, state and local levels. The program also helps individuals identify areas within our league where they might take on a leadership role and help us become a stronger organization.
Over the course of five sessions, League Leadership members gather to cover a breadth of topics that help them better understand the League of Women Voters and identify areas where they will become more involved. Our league has a continual need for educated and empowered individuals who can help our organization meet current and future needs.
If you are interested, please click on our League Leadership Application and fill out your information. We will follow up with you soon!
| NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
At the Lobby Days Gala, LWVCC received a surprise award from LWVFL for Notable Achievements, specifically the development of the League Leadership Program. The LWVFL has now copied our program, and it is in its second year.
Creating a League Leadership Program for LWVCC was an idea that came out of a Strategic Planning Process in 2017-2018, a project that Charlotte Nycklemoe, then President, championed. We obtained a grant from the Community Foundation to collaborate with a consultant to develop a Strategic Plan. From that process it became clear that developing a program to prepare members for leadership positions within the organization was important for our long-term success.
A committee was convened to develop the Leadership Program including members Michelle Arnold, Jan Eustis, Robin Larkin, Ray Kalich, Sandy Parker and Diana Walsh along with Charlotte Nycklemoe. The first class began in the 2019-2020 season with 8 participants with 5 sessions covering national and state priorities, how the local league works, our community and who are the players, the Florida state League and its relationship to our local League, and a vision for the future our of local League. Our 6th class of participants is currently learning about the League and over the last 6 years of our “graduates” have moved into positions of leadership, have started new initiatives and are contributing to the vibrancy, success and positive impact of LWVCC.
 | COLLIER COUNTY VACANCY
The Collier County Library Advisory Board has a vacancy for a resident of Commission District 3. The five-member Library Advisory Board advises the County Commissioners on the policies, operations and proposed budget for the County Library System. Members serve a four-year term and are appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. Members must be registered to vote in Collier County. Library Board meetings are generally held on the third Wednesday of each month at 10:30am and are open to the public.
No deadline has been established for applying. | LEAGUE LOBBY DAYS
Making our voices heard, Diane Preston Moore, Amy Perwien, Stacy Vermylen, Diana Walsh, Nancy Chism, and Teresa Stohs traveled to Tallahassee to attend League Lobby Days. In preparation for meeting with Legislators and key Legislative Aides, the group put together a list of Legislative Issues of Concern which included four voting and elections bills, and three education bills as follows:
- SB 396/HB831 Avoid placing undue barriers on voter registration.
- SB 396/HB1203 Allow Vote by Mail with no restrictions.
- SJR1454/HJR1263 Support local control on the choice to elect or appoint school superintendents.
- SB7016/HB1205 Oppose barriers to citizen petitions for amendments.
- SB1504/HB1009 Support separation of church and state, concerned about encouragement of religious expression during public school day.
- HB261/SB296 Support local control of middle and high school start times.
- SB1692/HB1539 Oppose revising legal definition of “harmful to Minors” to allow removal of instructional materials, especially ones used in National AP and advanced Language Arts classes.
We had a very good meeting with Zoraida Druckman, Chief Legislative Aide for Senator Kathleen Passidomo, who seemed supportive of most of our concerns. We also met with Representative Yvette Benarroch. While not supportive of our concerns about library instructional materials, she heard us out on all our concerns and made notes. We discovered that sometimes Legislators understand about one or two issues in a bill, they may not understand the full ramifications. At the conclusion of the event, we made a commitment to do a better job meeting with local officials at home.
| DEFENDING DEMOCRACY
March 29 @ 9:30-11:30
Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Naples
Our democratic republic requires deliberative dialogue. Citizens need to be able to communicate with each other and with government officials. Between COVID and political strife, we have distanced ourselves from each other. How can we build connections, so needed for a healthy society and government?
Come to “Communication with a Different Lens” on Saturday, March 29 from 9:30-11:30 AM at the Unitarian Universalist’s Thomas Hall on 6340 Napa Woods Way. The workshop will provide knowledge from research, guidelines and practice in conversations that build connection. The more we practice, the easier it gets. Registration is required.
| CELEBRATE EARTH DAY 2025
April 12 @ 10:00-3:00
Conservancy of Southwest Florida
Celebrate Earth Day with the League at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. We will have a table showing the activities of Voter Services, Environmental Affairs and the Plastics Task Force. I am looking for volunteers to help at our table. It’s a fun day and a great way to meet other League members. Please sign up for an hour or more!
For questions, please contact Lynn Martin.
The festival includes a variety of vendors and environmental exhibitors showcasing fun, educational and entertaining family activities, experiences and resources. Enjoy local entertainment, keynote lectures, conservation speakers and children’s presentations. Eat, play and learn while experiencing the Conservancy Nature Center buildings, electric boat rides and nature trails.
| RETURNING CITIZENS POSTCARD WRITING PARTY
April 10 @ 1:00-3:00
Altavilla Pizza & Trattoria
We are once again organizing postcard writing parties for Returning Citizens. The League of Women Voters of Florida continues its effort to help Returning Citizens regain the right to vote after completing their sentence. The State League is a founding member in getting the 2018 Amendment on the ballot which overwhelmingly passed with 64% of the Florida Electorate. The League helped reduce fees and administrative costs that returning citizens were required to pay. Cecile Scoon, LWVFL Co-President, established a state program to identify and educate returning citizens of their rights and developed training to work pro bono for those in need.
Now we again need your help as LWVCC assists LWVFL in mailing postcards. Our goal is to do 500 per month. We will host monthly writing parties the next of which is April 10. In the past few years we have written and provided the postage over 15,000 cards!
For those of us that have been a part of this, it is truly a rewarding experience. |  |
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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| March 29 9:30-11:30 |
Communication with a Different Lens |
| April 12 @ 10:00-3:00 |
Earth Day Celebration
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| April 14 @ 10:00-11:30 |
Annual Meeting
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| April 14 @ 11:30-1:30 |
Luncheon & General Meeting |
| April 23 |
Board Member &
Committee Chairs Orientation
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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. | Social Policy Committee Meeting
March 27 @ 10:00-11:30
Moorings Park Building O Social Room
Our special guest speaker is Amanda Brunson, the Associate Executive Director of the Florida Healthy Start Coalition of SWFL, established over 30 years ago to address the serious problems of infant mortality, premature births, low birth weights and to remove barriers to prenatal and early childhood health care.
| Board Meeting
April 2 @ 9:30-12:00
Moorings Park Clubhouse
| Plastics Task Force Meeting
April 3 @ 3:30-5:00
Zoom | Environmental Affairs Committee Meeting
April 10 @ 10:00-11:30
Collier Community Foundation
| Development & Outreach Committee Meeting
April 11 @ 10:00-11:30
Zoom
| Gun Violence Prevention Subcommittee Meeting
April 16 @ 10:00-11:30
Zoom
Attorneys from Shelter for Abused Women & Children will do a presentation about gun violence as it relates to domestic violence.
| Education Committee Meeting
April 16 @ 12:00-1:30 NOTE UNUSUAL TIME
Collier Community Founcation | DEI Committee Meeting
April 16 @ 2:00-3:00
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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