January 2024 DWC Newsletter

Message From DWC President Debra-Fisher Reynolds:

As the new year begins, and as the most important election of our lifetimes is a mere 10 months away, we can:

READ* LEARN*

SHARE* DO!

Happy New Year to all our friends and Democrat Activists! Of course our top new year resolution is to ensure the re-election of the Biden-Harris Team to save Democracy, along with all the other "To Do" items on their agenda.

We can check out our new Facebook page, The Delmarva Report.

We can write a postcard or 10 or 20.

We can make a new Dem friend.

We can get one young person to register and to vote.

We can swap a book at DWC (see below).

We can enrich our soul, spirtit, and heal our body and mind.

And, remember to take care of you.

We can join:

League of Women Voters Democracy Defenders lwv.org

Jessica Craven's

Chop WoodCarryWater

Maryland Women for Biden-Harris @dwoman301 (see below)

Lastly, we can follow and spread this Martin Luther King Jr quote:

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

BOOK SWAP!

January, February and March Meetings

Whether Book Club, personal enjoyment, or something on your bookshelf you'd like to SHARE -- how many books did you read in 2023?

In the coming months at our DWC general meetings,

We are sharing a table of books!

Bring a book!

Take a book!

Get "Social" With Us --

Check Out the New Facebook Page - The Delmarva Report

Thanks to Tony Doyle, we have a new Facebook page called The Delmarva Report. The goal is to provide political views and opinion from a reasoned perspective.

The Delmarva Report will focus on some of the critical initiatives that the Biden-Harris Administration has implemented, including the American Recovery Act and the Infrastructure bill. We will be looking for examples of how these things benefit the people and institutions of the Eastern Shore. We will also work to counteract the disinformation that we see and share articles of interest on these and other topics.

Here's what you can do to widen the coverage and spread the word:

Go to the new Facebook Page (search for The Delmarva Report on Facebook)

CLICK "LIKE"

FOLLOW the page

SHARE IT with friends

MENTION THE PAGE*

WRITE A REVIEW **

*Mentions: To tag someone in your post, start typing their name and then select their profile from the dropdown menu that appears (make sure to capitalize the first letter of their name). To tag a Page, type the "@" symbol and then start typing the page's name.

**Reviews

Go to the Facebook page of the organization/business

Click the "Reviews" tab

Further down, under "Do you recommend (page or organization/business) Click Yes or No

Write your review in the space provided

In the "sharing" section, seelect who will be able to see your review.

Tony and several of our members are working on a comprehensive social media plan, which will include a companion website featuring blogs and other information that we can share with friends, other Democrats, and the public. Stay tuned to see how you can contribute to the new site. We need to widen the reach and spread truth!

As Debra mentioned in her message above, check out this Maryland Women for Biden-Harris Facebook page for great news on what women all over Maryland are doing for the campaign in 2024 and how you can take action! Spread the word.

Notable Quotes

Our folk group performed this song back in the 1960s. I wanted to share with you. Simple. Still applies today. We can do it together!

Sue Challis

Step By Step (by Pete Seeger)

Step by step, the longest march

Can be won, can be won

Many stones can form an arch

Singly none, singly none

And by union what we will

Can be accomplished still

Drops of water turn a mill

Singly none, singly none.

2023 - Year of "The Incredibles"

Here is an interesting approach to the Accomplishments of the Biden-Harris Administration that was created by The Democracy Labs (thedemlabs.org)-- a site you should check out.

The link to the graphic is located at

https://thedemlabs.org/2023/12/31/10-incredible-things-president-biden-accomplished-in-2023/

(also where you can see it in a larger format)

It has also been posted to our new TheDelmarvaReport Facebook page.

Great News for The Henry Hotel!

If you attended the DWC luncheon last June, you may remember that Nancy Howard won the 50/50 that day. She announced that she was donating the money to a new foundation she was involved in that sought to refurbish and preserve the historic Henry Hotel in Ocean City.

Well, earlier this month, restoration efforts got a big boost from the State of Maryland with a $250,000 grant! Governor Wes Moore highlighted the project during a recent Maryland Board of Public Works meeting. "The board is being asked to approved funding for projects that include community centers and fraternity halls, from historic churches and cemeteries," said Moore. "Historic houses, a fire house, historic funeral homes and also a historic hotel."

Moore then took time to talk about that hotel -- The Henry Hotel. "Despite the fact of suffering years and decades and generations of discrimination, that just as the hotel receives its refurbishing, it's also helping to tell the story of 'despite it all, still I rise,'" said the Governor. The Hotel, which opened in 1927 as "Henry's Colored Hotel," was one of only five establishments in Ocean City at that time catering exclusively to black seasonal workers and occasional black visitors. Over the years, it has changed hands, been a black nightclub, and a hotel operated by the Bonner family until the late 1990s. In recent years, the building has fallen into great disrepair. The first phase of the refurbishing project will focus on foundational support for the structure. The eventual goal is to transform the hotel into a museum and learning center.

(excerpted from WBOC News story January 5, 2024)

Political Action Committee (PAC) Report and

Strong Schools Worcester County

Postcards, Voter Registration and Voter Education and More

It is time to be a Democracy Warrior. We are entering another do or die election year. Need a stress reliever? Join The DWC Political Action Committee -- PAC. We have already met this year and there is lots of planning going on - and lots of opportunities for members to participate during this election year! We will be postcarding, registering voters, helping to get out the vote and spreading the word on Biden's accomplishments and his message of saving democracy. There is SO much at stake in this election.

We welcome your ideas and your help. Meetings are held via Zoom.

NOTE: Our next meeting will be Monday, February 5, at 2 p.m. If you need more information, email Joan Roache.

Be sure to check your email for a Special Action Alert later this month with a PAC overview -- and plan to join us at the February meeting!

Strong Schools Worcester

As we said in the January newsletter, 2024 will be a critical year for Worcester County Public Schools. We will need to help fight for full funding of the BOE budget. The schools cannot sustain cuts again this year. In addition, we need to help support the incumbent school board members. There will be candidates who want to ban books, cut support services and curtail important areas of the curriculum.

We will also be following state legislation that impacts schools. We hope there will be legislation to implement Restorative Practices in all Maryland schools. To learn more about restorrative practices, go to https://restorativeschoolsmaryland.org

A group of us will still be attending school board meetings and certain County Commissioners' meetings during the year. Join us! Contact Joan Roache for more information.

For more information on all these activities, and to get on the email list for PAC meetings and reminders, please contact PAC Chair Joan Roache at [email protected]

Your New DWC Officers/Board of Directors for 2024 held their first meeting January 10 at the Ocean Pines Library (left to right: Maggie Miller, Debi Koczen-Doyle, Susan Buyer, Debra Fisher-Reynolds, Sue Challis, and Maria Campione Lawrence (not shown, attending on Zoom, are Cherie McNett and Dana Barney).

2024 DWC Board/Officers

President: Debra Fisher-Reynolds

Vice President: Susan Buyer

Treasurer: Margaret (Maggie) Miller

Corresponding Secretary/Newsletter: Sue Challis

Recording Secretary: Dana Barney

At-Large: Deborah Koczen-Doyle, Maria Campione Lawrence, Cherie McNett

A Positive, Upbeat End to 2023

The Dow is in record territory.

Inflation is running below the Fed target rate.

Interest rates are coming down in 2024.

GDP growth 4.9% last quarter, looking close to 3% for this one.

Longest stretch of unemployment rate below 4% since the mid 1960s.

Crime has fallen across the U.S. this year.

Consumer sentiment is spiking.

The U.S. is setting records for domestic oil and renewable production.

The good news just keeps coming.

_______________________________________

Note: In addition to MSNBC, The Washington Post and other sources, check out www.hopiumchronicles.com by Simon Rosenberg, a 30-year veteran of U.S. politics and explore ways we can defeat MAGA and ensure our Democracy continues to thrive!

2024 Membership Dues Are Being Collected Now!

Please Bring Your Checkbook to the January meeting and pay your 2024 dues

Still just $15 a year -

New Members (including those who joined or renewed September-December 2023) will be considered paid up for 2024. All others -- get your dues in at the January meeting.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

January 2024

Monday, January 15

DWC Regular Monthly Meeting (every third Monday of the month)

social time, 9:30 a.m. (please bring your own beverage), speaker and meeting, 10 a.m.

Ocean Pines Community Center

Assateague Room

Speaker is Laura Wilson-Gentry (see article above)

Thursday, January 25, 6:30 p.m.

(and every fourth Thursday of the month)

Democratic Club of Worcester County Meeting

Ocean Pines Community Center

Marlin Room

Friday, January 26, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wor-Wic Community College

Guerrieri Hall

The college is hosting a tribute to Harriet Tubman. This free event is open to the public, and will feature historian Dr. Clara Small, Salisbury poet laureate Nancy Mitchell, and student writers participating in a poetry contest, "Beacon of Hope."

February 2024

Thursday, February 1, 5 to 7 p.m. (and the first Thursday of each month)

Drinking Liberally

Marriott Residence Inn, Bar and Grille, Ocean City

Monday, February 5, 2 p.m.

PAC Meeting via Zoom (NOTE: this is a change in schedule this month only)

Contact Joan Roache at [email protected] to join the meeting

Monday, February 19

DWC General Meeting, 10 a.m.

Ocean Pines Community Center, Assateague Room

Speaker will be Historian Clara Small, who will discuss "African American History on the Eastern Shore"

SAVE THE DATE!

DWC Fundraiser February 21, 5 to 9 p.m.

Poncho and Lefty's - West Ocean City

More details to come soon!

SAVE THE DATE!

April 11, 2024 - Annual Kennedy-King Dinner

Worcester Technical High School

This year's dinner promises to be bigger and better!

Stay tuned for details during the next few months.

Tickets will be $100; table for 8 reserved, $750.

And watch your email for information on other special events!

The DWC Newsletter is published monthly. If you have items to submit, please send to Sue Challis, Editor at [email protected] by the 10th of the month. Thank You!

Democratic Women's Club of

Worcester County, MD

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