League of Women Voters of the La Crosse Area
June 2018 Newsletter

Our local League does not meet during the summer months, but the work of League continues.  Read on for  local, state, and national news and opportunities for League involvement.

Local News

A Generous Gift to Help Celebrate Our Centennial!

In celebration of our upcoming Centennial Anniversary and in memory of Jean Marck and all of the great women who make  the League of Women Voters possible in La Crosse, the Bob and Jean Marck Family Fund of the La Crosse Community Foundation has gifted our League with  $3,000 to be used to commemorate the founding of the LWV in 1920. 

Helping Others Prepare to Vote

Our Voter Services Committee has been growing as more members look for opportunities to make a difference--supporting voter registration and engaging voter participation.

Teams have been created to target the needs of various groups like students, ethnic groups, elderly, military (active and veteran), and others. Each team has one or two leaders.

In collaboration with the Driftless Voters Coalition, League is working to increase community awareness of elections and preparation for voting. As part of this effort, Peter Nelson has conducted five training sessions for individuals who want to help others use the My Vote website for voter information and registration. 

The next session will be held on July 10, 7 pm, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on West Ave in La Crosse.

Email Peter Nelson at babag2605@gmail.com if you would like to: 
  • attend the July training session,
  • join a voter service team, or 
  • set up another date for training. 

Speaking of Democracy
Join the Conversation at LWV Book Club  
Monday, July 9, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Java Vino, 1505 Losey Blvd. S  
ALL ARE WELCOME!  
 
Sharp: The Women Who Made an Art of Having an Opinion

by Michelle Dean

Join in the discussion of ten brilliant women--Dorothy Parker, Rebecca West, Hannah Arendt, Mary McCarthy, Susan Sontag, Pauline Kael, Joan Didion, Nora Ephron, Renata Adler, and Janet Malcom--who are united by what Dean calls "sharpness," the ability to cut to the quick with precision of thought and wit. T hey all made a significant contribution to the cultural and intellectual history of America and ultimately changed the course of the twentieth century, in spite of the men who often undervalued or dismissed their work. (Amazon)

*NOTE: The room rental cost is $15 to be divided among participants. Only a couple of dollars at most per time - what a bargain! 

It's time to renew your membership or to invite someone to join League!   
League Memberships run from July 1 to June 30.

Please note: LWV US has initiated a trial waiver of dues for student members through  January 31, 2021. A  student is defined as someone attending school either full-time OR part-time. 

You may pay your dues or join LWV  online  ,  or you may  send your membership information with a check (if not a student)  made out to the League of Women Voters to:
League of Women Voters of the La Crosse Area
P.O. Box 363
La Crosse, WI 
54602-0363

If you have moved, have a new email address or phone number, we need to know!  Send us your new information in one of the following ways:
  • Make changes on the "Contact Us" form found on the renewal page of our website, or
  • Include the information with your check, or
  • Contact Kathy Mulliner (Membership Chair) at kmulliner@prodigy.net, or 788-9209 (please leave a message if no one answers).
 
Welcome Back!!

Directions to renew or to join online:  
  1. Go to the League's website: http://www.lwvlacrosse.org.
  2. Move your cursor on the main bar to Join/Support.
  3. A drop-down menu will automatically appear.
  4. Drag the cursor down and click on Renew or Join.

Please share your ideas for our 2018-19 programs:

La Crosse League's proposed program priorities for 2018-19 were presented and adopted at the Annual Meeting on May 21. The Program Committee will meet on June 20 to define the focus and identify speakers for next years' meetings. Please review our program priorities  
here  and let us know if you have ideas about 
content  
or speakers for any of these topics.

Forward your ideas to Sheila Garrity ( smg1514@centurytel.net) or Deb Lutjen ( lwvlawi@gmail.com ).

State News

League president, Deb Lutjen, and vice-president, Mary Nugent, will be attending the LWV WI Annual Meeting in Madison on June 8 & 9. This year's meeting will  highlight lectures and discussions on issues about what separates us politically, culturally, and geographically with an emphasis on finding transformative paths to bridge these divides.

National News
LWV US Holds National Convention in Chicago
June 28 - July 1, 2018 

Our League's president, Deb Lutjen, and vice-president, Mary Nugent, will be attending. The Thursday evening program-- A Conversation on Redistricting with Nick Stephanopoulos and Ruth Greenwood-- will be live streamed.

If you interested in viewing or hosting a viewing party, read more here.

Take Action: 
Join the LWV US in the Fight for an Accurate Census 

The Census has not included a question about citizenship in nearly 70 years. It is the responsibly of the Census to count all the people living in the United States - not just the citizens. We only get one chance every decade to get this right. An accurate count in the 2020 Census is critical. Read more.
Since it is up to Congress to exercise oversight authority over the Census Bureau, the League calls on them to use their power and remove the citizenship question from the 2020 Census.  Sign our petition and stand with us as we fight back against this decision .

I
Illinois Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment.

Last Wednesday, May 30, Illinois ratified the Equal Rights Amendment, a mere 45 years after it was approved by Congress and 36 years past the 1982 ratification deadline. T he ERA is now just one state away from possibly becoming a new amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Local LWV member, Nancy Hill remembers campaigning for the ERA, "Long ago, Sally Averkamp and I joined a bus from La Crosse (our connection and probable support was League), to join marchers in Chicago. It remains a beautiful memory.  We and thousands of others joined on a splendid spring day. A fact that still moves me, was the support of male construction workers from the labor unions." 

Stay Connected
PO Box 363, La Crosse, WI 54602