Leaders Update
In this Issue:                                                                     3/07/2017
AffordableAffordable Care Act Advocacy
Please read the following information from the League of Women Voters of Illinois Health Care Issues Co-Chairs, Janet Craft and Margaret O'Hara. Discussions and proposals are making their way through Congress and there is still time to act. Please encourage your league members to contact their U.S. Representative with a message found in these documents.  Thank you.
2017 Convention
AA successful and well-attended Annual Issues Briefing is behind us (go to the LWVIL website for a recap and pictures of the March 4th event).

To our next event: the 2017 League of Women Voters of Illinois Convention on June 10th and 11th at the Hilton Garden Inn Chicago O'Hare Airport, 2930 South River Road, Des Plaines.

Specific details are forthcoming and will be included in an upcoming issue of E-News as well as appearing on the LWVIL website. It is our goal to have that information available sometime during the week of March 13th.

We know, however, that local leagues are anxious to get information about their voting delegate count and the costs associated with this year's convention:
Accommodations
Sleeping rooms at the hotel are: $109/night - single or double. The reservation deadline for sleeping rooms is May 12, 2017.  The hotel will be providing a code which will allow League of Women Voters' attendees to reserve at the League rate.

AwardsAwards
Consider nominating someone for the CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT LEADERSHIP AWARD and a local league for the COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD.  Click on the highlighted links for the appropriate forms. 
 
Award winners will be announced during the Saturday evening dinner - June 10th.

In addition local league are encouraged to complete and submit the 2017 Spotlight on League Achievement form. Your submission will be included in the 2017 Convention packet. 

To be considered, the nomination forms for the Carrie Chapman Catt Award and the Community Impact Award must be submitted to Mary Schaafsma, Executive Director, [email protected] no later than Monday, May 1, 2017. The Spotlight deadline is May 16, 2017.

If you have any questions regarding the Convention or Awards, please contact Mary Schaafsma at [email protected].
PlanningDeadline Approaching
Program Planning 2017 - 2019
If your league hasn't yet submitted your Program Planning Report Form, please do so as soon as possible. The deadline for doing so is March 14, 2017. LWVIL takes the input from local Leagues to plan and implement a viable and action-oriented program to move our public policy influence forward in Illinois. The form can be found  here.
LWVUS Important Reminder
The League of Women Voters of Illinois relies on member information located in the LWVUS database. Any changes in local league member status - address change, e-mail update, etc. - must be updated as soon as possible in the LWVUS database. We encourage every local league to designate a person who is responsible for managing your league's roster.

If you need a refresher course in how to update your league's information please contact Roberta Borrino, [email protected] or 312.939.5935 x-37.  Click here to see Database Demo Video Clips for different functions: http://bit.ly/1HrFl0A
Here is Something to Share with your Communications Volunteers
FacebookHow to create a Facebook event
 
Leaguers are becoming quite adept at posting photos and notices on Facebook. A way to keep these posts handy and available for sharing is by creating "events." These events are essentially formatted posts that stay "pinned" to the top of a page until the event is over. 
 
As with so much on Facebook, the tools are right there for anyone who is an administrator to the page -you just need to know where to look.
 
If you are on a desktop, chances are there is a set of 8 big colorful buttons just below where you go to enter a post.  Fill in the details, add a photo and submit.
 
On a mobile device, hit the three bar icon in bottom right corner of your screen.  The menu of choices includes "events."  Select it and hit the "create" button in the upper right corner. Fill in the details and publish. Make sure you select whether the event is "private" or "public" with the tiny drop down menu under the words "Create Event" - centered at the top of the page.    
 
To share an event:
  1. Go to the event and click Share below the cover photo
  2. Select Invite Friends, Share in News Feed, or Share in Messenger
You can also copy and paste the event's URL into a status update or message.
When these events are easy to find, they are even easier to share.  Having events set up this way also makes it simpler to invite non-League members who may be interested.
 
Need more assistance on how to make good use of Facebook? Contact Roberta Borrino, [email protected]; 312.939.5935 x-37.
 League of Women Voters of Illinois 
332 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 634| Chicago, Illinois 60604 
Phone:  312-939-5935 | Fax:  312-939-6887 |  [email protected]