THERE WILL BE NO LWVCC UPDATE NEXT WEEK | DECEMBER LUNCHEON & GENERAL MEETING
December 1 @ 11:30-1:30
Tiburon Golf Club
Featured Speaker
Burt Saunders
Chairman
Collier County Commission
From his nearly 40 years of experience serving Collier County, Chairman Saunders will provide a wide range of updates on local government projects, State legislative issues, and other information relevant to our community. | MEMBERS MUST LOG IN FIRST TO RECEIVE MEMBER PRICE
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, November 25 @ 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 | PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
There is action on the Mid-Cycle Redistricting front. The Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting is scheduled to meet on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., effectively inching Florida closer to mid-decade redistricting.
On Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, at 7 p.m., LWVFL will be hosting an all-member call to brief League members with the latest on redistricting, as well as the next steps they should take. I encourage you to make the call if possible. If not, we will be sending out an alert on action to take.
| DUES RENEWAL REMINDER:
NOW ONLINE @ LWVUS
Our season here in Collier is in full swing! And this time of the year is membership renewal time for over 50% of our members.
As a reminder, the League of Women Voters US is now collecting all dues payments at the National level and then remitting a portion down to the State leagues and the local leagues. You will receive an email notice of your renewal from the LWVUS which will include a link to instructions for online payments.
We encourage you, if at all possible, to use the LWVUS’s new membership renewal system instead of writing paper checks and mailing them to our P.O. Box. It is both safer as well as faster. Any member of the Membership or Finance teams is happy to help you renew online.
The LWVUS’ new system requires us to endorse any checks we receive and the put then back in the mail to their collection lockbox which causes delays in having your check clear as well as additional administrative expenses for the LWVCC.
Speaking of expenses… did you know that we here in Collier now retain only 20% of any dues paid to National? Thus, if you renew at the suggested rate of $75.00, we receive $15.00. If you renew at the base rate of $20, we receive $4.00.
The new dues structure significantly reduces our revenues from dues. This increases our need for donations to maintain our operations which fund both education and advocacy work to inform and empower the voting public here in Collier County. Our work is needed more now than ever!
The good news? What happens in Collier, stays in Collier as 100% of your donations to the Collier County League stay in the Collier County League!
As a reminder, the League of Women Voters of Collier County Education Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and, as such, donations to our organization are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law in your personal circumstances.
| JUVENILE JUSTICE COMMITTEE SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER
Dr. Rachel Dawes
Collier County Public Schools
Combatting Chronic Absenteeism
November 21 @ 10:00-12:00
 
Did you know that in K-12 public schools across the US, truancy/chronic absenteeism is the primary predictor of lack of academic achievement and whether a child is likely to become involved with Law Enforcement? Did you also know that recently, in the State of Florida, Collier County Public Schools (CCPS) ranked #1 best with lowest percentage of students absent 21 days or more during the 180-day school year.? The State average was more than double that of CCPS.
On Friday, November 21, 10:00 am, Dr. Rachel Dawes, CCPS Director of Safety, Security, and Student Relations will be the featured speaker at the Juvenile Justice Committee’s meeting at Finemark Bank Waterside. Dr. Dawes’ portfolio includes safety initiatives and threat assessments, as well as attendance, discipline, and alternative placements.
All members and guests are invited to this timely presentation. Space is limited. These are all sizzling topics in most American communities today.
| DECEMBER’S BOOK CLUB PICK:
THE DEVIL'S ELEMENT
December 8 @ 3:00-4:30
Protecting Florida's Waterways and so much more! Join the LWVCC discussion on Dan Egan's important book, The Devil’s Element: Phosphorus and a World Out of Balance.
This enlightening and thought-provoking book, written for the layperson, sheds light on the serious phosphorus crisis impacting Florida's Bone Valley and creating "dead zones." Everyone is welcome (even if you didn’t read the book)!
Lively discussion led by Ida Margolis and Linda Denning.
Need a copy? 🛒 The new independent store, Books on Third (above Ridgeway restaurant), is fully stocked and promoting it as our book club pick!
Space is limited, so register now to secure your spot. | SOCIAL POLICY COMMITTEE PRESENTS
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY
December 8 @ 10:00
Moorings Park Building O
Following LWVFL’s Civil Discourse Initiative, the Social Policy Committee is hosting a presentation and discussion aimed at improving our abilities in constructive dialogue. Democracy is sustained by people who are willing to engage in meaningful dialogue with others. Come and learn about communication practices that build relationships, encourage open dialogue and support our democracy. This will not be a workshop and covers new material. Let’s build a more connected Community! Janet Hoffman, Co-chair of Social Policy, will present and lead the discussion on civil discourse. Through participation with The Dialogue Company, Empowering Communication, and classes in conflict management, Janet became excited about increasing the awareness of tools for healthy dialogue and wants to share them.
| WELCOMING THE NEWEST
LEAGUE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
The League of Women Voters of Collier County (LWVCC) developed and pioneered a League Leadership Program (LLP) in 2018. The program is designed to recruit and develop future League leaders to ensure the organization’s continued success and vibrancy. It is modeled on the Greater Naples Leadership program with a two-year commitment. 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.
The program developed here has been embraced and adopted by the State League as well as numerous local leagues in Florida. Prior graduates have or currently serve in leadership roles as Board members, Committee Chairs or other leadership positions within the LWVCC. Participants are selected based on their interest and leadership potential.
Our LLP kicked off its seventh year and we welcomed LLP7 class members Carolyn Alden, Ronna Hoffberg, Jennifer Lapham, Wendy Wagner-Michaelson, Jean Waller and Dana Ragiel. The kick off event, expertly planned and catered by Susan Sonnenschein with the assistance of her fellow LLP6 graduates Pallas Diaz, Pat Aiken-O’Neill, Debra Harper, Liz Smith Mao, Amy Perwien and Paula Federman, was held on November 4th at the Collier County Museum cottage. Teresa Stohs, LWVCC President, welcomed the group and Amanda Townsend, Director of the Collier County Museum, provided a brief and interesting history of the cottage. Also, in attendance was Crystal Kinzel, Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller, and a LWVCC member. It was a wonderful, informal evening that promoted getting to know each other better prior to the start of the sessions on November 14 pictured below.
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The Communications Team recently began a video series titled “Civics Unplugged” posted on all of LWVCC’s social media sites. The goal of these short reels is to educate viewers on the basics of national and local civics, such as Branches of Government, Voting Rights, Constitutional Amendments, City Council, and more.
We will be posting these 1-minute videos approximately once a week on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and YouTube. As always, the more “clicks” on the postings we get, the more engagement we will see in our community! So please make sure you check-in to our social media to view, like, comment, and share our reels.
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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| December 1 @ 11:30-1:30 |
December Luncheon & General Meeting |
| December 8 @ 3:00-4:30 |
Book Club
Devil's Element |
| December 11 @ 5:30-6:00 |
How Are Our Schools Funded? |
| January 16 @ 9:00-10:30 |
New Member Coffee Social |
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
Check our Event Calendar for meeting locations and more information. 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. | Juvenile Justice Committee Meeting
November 21 @10:00-12:00
Finemark Bank | Board Meeting
December 3 @ 9:30-12:00
Moorings Park Board Room | Plastics Task Force Meeting
December 4 @ 3:30-5:00
Zoom
| Environmental Affairs Botanical Gardens Field Trip
December 11 @ 10:00-11:30
Collier Community Foundation
| Gun Violence Prevention Subcommittee Meeting
January 21 @10:00-11:00
Zoom
| 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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