The Voter

May 2025

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President's Message

By Janice Garry


Our community is motivated. Our League has a steady stream of new members, existing members renewing and community members asking to be on the What You Can Do email list. Energizing, positive protests are visibly representing rejection of the actions that are unjust and questionably legal in our nation’s capital. It is a time to be proud of the work of the League and lean in to defending democracy.


Please join us for the Annual Meeting and dinner on June 27 at 6 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, Youth Building. Are you a new member (less than one year)? You’ll be partnered with an experienced League member to help you figure out what’s going on and create a new friend. We’ll break bread together, conduct business, give out awards and have fun. Your invitation will come by email.



The What You Can Do ad hoc committee is organizing a League group to join the June 14 “No Kings” protest from 10 a.m. – noon. It will be at the traffic circle at South Main and Depot Avenue. Protests are planned nationwide; this is the Alachua County version. We need you! The vision is a large group of League members, dressed in white as a nod to the suffrage movement, with protest signs standing on the pavement at the center of the traffic circle. The League of Women Voters banner will be prominent. We’ll be noisy and make good trouble, as the League has always done! 


What’s that? You don’t have a protest sign? No problem! On Wednesday, June 4, from 6-7:30 pm, we’ll have a sign-making party in the garage at Janice’s home. Supplies and ideas will be available. Please RSVP for sign making to Janice. Put “No Kings Protest Signs” in the subject line, please.


On June 14, we’ll protest in the center of the traffic circle. Arrive early, around 9:30 a.m. Wear white. Bring cow bells, a pot and spoon to beat, American flags and swag. Can anybody dress like the Statue of Liberty? Does anybody have a megaphone? Who can be a chant leader? If you want to carpool, meet at Janice’s home and we’ll pile in together.

Save the Date: LWVAC's annual meeting

Let's get together!


Please mark your calendars for the League of Women Voters of Alachua County's Annual Meeting and dinner on Friday, June 27 at 6 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, in the Youth Building.


Approving the annual budget, bylaws, local program and a slate of new leaders are on the agenda. Please watch your email for a soon-to-come invitation, registration link and related documents. If you haven't received an invite by the end of May, please contact us here.

In memoriam: Jeff Shapiro, Ann Williams


Jeff Shapiro


Jeff Shapiro, a former League of Women Voters of Alachua County member, died April 19. A service is set for May 18 at 3 p.m. at United Church of Gainesville, 1624 NW 5th Ave., Gainesville. All are welcome to attend. Jeff was a stalwart Natural Resources Committee member.


Natural Resources Committee chair Jay Rosenbek, wrote of Jeff's goal "to act in support of human decency and the natural world." Jeff was a volunteer who could always be counted on to help. With anything. And everything.


"Our community and the natural world have lost a generous, decent advocate," Jay wrote.


Ann Warrington Williams


Ann Warrington Williams, a longtime League of Women Voters of Alachua County member and director of the Alachua County Library District from 1987 to 2004, died April 14.


She was instrumental in the creation of one of the League's local priorities, the creation of a Library Taxing District, which was approved by legislators and voters. The new downtown library was completed in 1991 during her tenure, followed by several branch libraries.


The League of Women Voters of Alachua County honored Williams with its Outstanding Citizen Award in 1996.

Lincoln Middle wins Civics Challenge

The League proudly sponsored the eighth annual Alachua County Civics Challenge hosted by Alachua County Public Schools.


After seven rounds of tough competition, Lincoln Middle School was declared the winner. Thanks to all of the sponsors and volunteers who made this event a success. And congratulations to all the students, who answered a slew of difficult questions.


Read more about the event.

Thank you, volunteers!

Volunteers are the heart of most organizations, and the League of Women Voters of Alachua County (LWVAC) is no exception.


While many volunteers are visible in their roles as leaders, advocates and organizers, many others toil behind the scenes to make the organization run smoothly.


In April, we celebrated Volunteer Appreciation Week by recognizing and thanking just a few of the dedicated folks who advance the LWVAC mission. Without them, our organization couldn't achieve its goals and have the impact it does in the community. Please meet some of our valued volunteers.

Volunteer opportunity

With all the talk about our great volunteers, here's an event you might like to sign up for: On May 17, our Voter Services and Gun Violence Prevention committees will table at the Fifth Avenue Arts Festival in downtown Gainesville. There are multiple shifts available. Tabling is fun! You meet fellow League members and make new friends. Contact Gwendolyn Saffo or Dillon Boatner to help.

P.S. - It's time to renew Vote-by-Mail

All Florida voters who want to vote by mail in 2025 and 2026 must submit a new vote-by-mail ballot request to their county Supervisor of Elections.


You must renew your request every two years.


Renew now: VoteAlachua.gov/Voters/Vote-by-Mail

Need a speaker?

Speakers Bureau expands topics


The League of Women Voters of Alachua County Speakers Bureau is available for engagements with local community groups who need a speaker. Contact Candy Birch. Here is an expanded list of topics we cover:

  • Gun violence prevention in Alachua County
  • Medicaid expansion in Florida
  • Building resilience to mis/disInformation
  • Restoring voting rights to felons
  • Civics/civility/critical thinking 
  • National Popular Vote
  • What is the League of Women Voters?

Committee updates

Campus Outreach


Santa Fe College

Linda Mussillo, LWVSF liaison/adviser

Gianna Rivera, LWVSF chapter president

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Both the Santa Fe College and University of Florida LWV chapters are on hiatus for the summer, but will return in late summer.


University of Florida

Diana Boxer, LWVUF liaison/adviser

Megan Jenkins, LWVUF chapter president

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The LWVUF chapter has new officers for the coming year. They are: Megan Jenkins, president, and Eden Layman, vice president.

Gun Violence Prevention and Safety

Contact: Gwendolyn Saffo


The committee meets on Zoom the third Tuesday each month at 6:30 p.m. The next meeting will be May 20 and on the agenda: discussing implementation of grant funding received to help thwart the rising numbers of gun-related deaths in the county.

 

Meeting ID: 874 0958 3526

Passcode: 962879

Health Care

Contacts: Barbara Frentzen and Kim Walsh-Childers

 

The Health Care Committee met May 12 to discuss petitioning changes under HB 1205, to discuss plans for taking gun safety information to health clinics in the community and to hear an update about SHINE and its Fall Prevention and Healthy Aging 2026 funding and advocacy needs. The committee meets at Oak Hammock and a Zoom link is sometimes available. Reach out to contacts above.

Oak Hammock

Contact: Mary White


At its monthly meeting on May 13th, the Oak Hammock committee heard from Dr. Alexandra Monaco on the state of women's health in Florida. Recordings of the Oak Hammock meetings are available on the committee's webpage.

Voter Services

Contact: Dillon Boatner


The Voter Services committee is planning a candidate forum for the Hawthorne election as well as tabling events with the Gun Violence Prevention and Safety committee. Voter Services meets the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom, and the next meeting is on June 4. All members are welcome.

Comments, Questions, Feedback? Contact editor Mickie Anderson

LWV of Alachua County Leadership Team


President: Janice Garry

Vice President: Gwendolyn Saffo

Secretary: Diane Dimperio

Treasurer: Anne D’Amico


A full list of LWV of Alachua County Board Members and Committee Chairs can be found here.

League of Women Voters of Alachua County

info@lwv-alachua.org | www.lwvalachua.org

352-448-5408

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