The Voter
The League of Women Voters of Glen Ellyn
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A Letter from the Co-Presidents
Spring is around the corner, which means mark your calendars for our Annual Meeting on Thursday, April 27, 2023! With Glen Oak Country Club under renovation, this year’s venue will be at Reserve 22 at the Village Links.
The Annual Meeting is one of the most important gatherings of League membership where Board nominations, budget, and program are approved. We celebrate retiring Board members, and we honor members who have gone above and beyond with special awards. (See information below about how to nominate members below, and note that nominations are due by April 7.) The evening is a wonderful opportunity to meet with new and long-time members, share a meal and embrace the mission of the League. Please be on the lookout for your invitation in the mail and return your RSVP as soon as possible. We look forward to seeing you there, especially our newer members.
You will notice there are many links added in this issue of The Voter. Committees have been busy updating positions since Program Planning on February 4. Please take the time to read them as membership will be voting on the recommended changes at the Annual Meeting.
Voter Services and the Communication team did an outstanding job at the March 4 Voter Exposition hosting Candidate Forums for local elections of school boards for D41, D89, and D87. On the same day, Voter Services also held a Meet and Greet for Village Trustees, Glen Ellyn Park District and Library Boards and COD Trustees. Videos from the event are posted on our website. Voter turnout is historically low in local elections, but these individuals have a tremendous impact on our community. Please be sure to VOTE and kindly encourage your friends and neighbors as well. Your Vote is your Voice!
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This has been an exciting year partnering with other DuPage Leagues in hosting the Civic Awareness Series at Cantigny. Be sure to attend or ZOOM Wednesday, April 12, when our Voter Editor Jacquelyn Casazza sits on an environmental panel discussing “Plastic Pollution and Community Solutions”. (Jacquelyn and communications VP Karin Daly are co-founders of Go Green Glen Ellyn.) It promises to be a great presentation.
As we write our last Voter letter, we want to thank our outstanding Board and the many wonderful members who give so passionately to the mission of the League. It has been an honor and privilege to serve you.
Working to Empower Voters,
Sarah Allen and Michelle Thorsell, Co-Presidents
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Freshen Up and Strengthen the Impact of League with Spring Community Meetings
Spring is the perfect time to refresh and renew your commitment to LWVGE, by attending our Spring meetings! Community Meetings are an opportunity to strengthen the power of our League. We are stronger when members are informed, connect as a community, and learn together.
Connect and learn about important issues at these upcoming March and April meetings.
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National and Illinois League News | |
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LWVIL 2023 State Convention
The League of Women Voters of Illinois’ Biennium Convention scheduled for June 9-11, 2023 will be virtual. State Convention is when Leagues across the State come together to conduct important League business like amending our bylaws, approving the 2023-2025 budget, voting on updated positions, determining LWVIL program priorities, and electing the new officers and directors. All of these decisions impact local leagues statewide. Glen Ellyn is allocated 8 voting delegates. Any member is able to be a delegate and it is a great way to learn more about how State League operates. Registration will be opening soon on the LWVIL website. LWVGE pays the virtual registration fees for our delegates. Have questions or interest in being a delegate? Contact Co-President Michelle Thorsell: president@lwvge.org
Submitted by Sarah Allen and Michelle Thorsell, Co-Presidents
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Member Judy Gervase is happy because she has a plan to vote on April 4! Do you have your voting plan? | Voter Services Co-Chair Dave Evans and new member Emily Henkels welcoming guests to the candidate forums on March 4. | |
There's an Election on April 4, 2023!
What's on the Ballot? Board member elections will be held for Glen Ellyn School District 41, Community Consolidated School District 89, Glenbard Township High School District 87, Village of Glen Ellyn Trustees, Village of Glen Ellyn Library Trustees, and Glen Ellyn Park District Board Commissioners. See full ballot below!
Why vote? Turnout for these Consolidated elections is typically abysmal compared to mid-terms and presidential elections! The 2021 Village of Glen Ellyn turnout was about 25% while county-wide turnout was about 17%. Ask your neighbors, friends, and relatives to make sure to vote! Direct them to lwvge.org or illinoisvoterguide.org for more information about the candidates.
How to vote? Election Day is April 4, 2023. Polls are open from 6am to 7pm. Early voting at the Glen Ellyn Civic Center and College of DuPage opens on March 20. Also, if you haven’t already done so, you can request a vote-by-mail ballot through 3/30/2023 (although earlier is better). Completed mail-in ballots must be postmarked by 4/4/2023 or dropped off at any polling place before the end of election day.
No excuses! Not being registered or having an outdated registration (old address or previous last name, etc.) is not a barrier. Any eligible voter in Illinois can register or have their registration updated (with two forms of id). You can then vote with your updated registration the same day at any polling place in DuPage (for DuPage county residents only).
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Be an informed Voter:
Watch LWVGE Candidate Forums
LWVGE held candidate forums for the three school board offices on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at Hadley Jr. High School. If you missed watching these in person, they were all recorded and can be viewed on either of the LWVGE Facebook or YouTube pages. You can also go to lwvge.org and find a link to the recordings and candidate biographies there.
A virtual forum was also held for College of DuPage District 502, on March 20, 2023. This is a contested race, with 3 candidates vying for two 6-year terms. A recording is available on our website.
Submitted by Dave Evans, Voter Services Co-Chair
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Advocacy on League Issues is more important than ever! As Margaret Mead once said, "Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has." Our exciting growth in membership has positioned us to be more than that "small group of committed people" Margaret spoke about!
One League position our "committed group" focused on this year was "the need for affordable housing," especially locally in Glen Ellyn. Our commitment took many different forms and whenever and wherever possible, we made the League's Affordable Housing Position known. Specifically, we supported the affordable and supportive housing development on Village-owned land on Taft Ave.
A decision on this development is said to be coming by the end on April. This, however, should not be looked at as an answer to our continued need to advocate for a balance of housing types and price points in our Village.
Data from a recent "Housing Survey" done by consultants hired by the Village, might provide more concrete data on our present housing stock, what our needs and gaps are, and may encourage a much more proactive local housing stance. Other surrounding communities are already providing measures to influence certain needed types of housing to be built.
DuPage County recently formed an "ad hoc affordable housing committee" to examine issues affecting affordable housing or the lack thereof. The County Board Chairwoman, Deb Conroy, said, "If you work in DuPage County, you should be able to live in DuPage County". That goes for our Village as well!
I am encouraged that our "not so small group" of League members is committed to continue our advocacy efforts to effect change no matter what!
Submitted by Joyce Hothan, Director, League Issues
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Charlotte Swett Water Democracy Challenge | |
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Charlotte Swett Walter Glenbard Democracy Challenge Underway
The Charlotte Swett Walter (CSW) Glenbard Democracy Challenge is underway at Glenbard West and South. A creative competition, the challenge asks students to portray the theme “In defense of Democracy” through music, dance, creative writing, art, video, etc. A $500 cash prize will be awarded to a student at both GBW and GBS and the winners will present their entry at our Annual Meeting. The challenge is named for long-time League member Charlotte Swett Walter, whose estate bequeathed funds for use in our educational endeavors. To learn more, visit our dedicated web page: lwvge.org/democracychallenge.
Submitted by Karin Daly, VP Communications
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Membership and Annual Meeting Information | |
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SAVE THIS DATE!!
ANNUAL DINNER and MEETING
April 27
at Reserve 22 (Village Links)
RSVP needed by April 8!
6:00 cocktails and conversation (cash bar)
7:00 Dinner is served
8:00 Meeting begins
We would love to see you all at this important event! It’s a wonderful evening and a great opportunity to catch up with each other, to review all that has been accomplished as we close out another great “year” of supporting democracy, with a peek at some of what next year has in store for our League.
You will receive your invitation along with the request for dues renewal and Member Interest form - please remember to respond to all 3, even if you are not able to attend the meeting, not intending to renew, or a supporter in spirit for 2023/24 - it really helps us to know all of that, and saves time with follow-ups.
Watch for your invitation to arrive in the mail in a colored envelope you can't miss! PLEASE mail your response by April 8. Call a fellow member or two - especially reach out to our newer members - and make a plan to join us on April 27.
Submitted by Judy Gervase, Membership, and Angela Smith, Annual Meeting/Dinner
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2023 LWVGE Annual Awards:
Nominations Sought
One of the most anticipated components of the League’s Annual Meeting is the presentation of the prestigious annual awards to League members. We are currently seeking nominations for the following three awards:
Susan B Anthony Voter Service Award
Someone who has worked diligently to register voters and inform voters on candidates & issues
Outstanding New League Members Service Award New member who has been actively involved and has taken a leadership role
Phyllis Renfro Community Action Award
Someone who has been exceptionally active in League and an activist in the community
Last year’s award winners are pictured. A list of all past winners can be found on page 19 of your LWVGE membership directory.
Please send your nomination, along with a short paragraph of why you nominated this individual, including what the person has accomplished in the past year, to Judy Kinn at jwkinnsm@astound.net. All nominations MUST BE RECEIVED by April 7, 2023, so do not delay!!!
A committee will review the submissions and make a decision on the recipients of this year’s awards. Award winners will be announced and celebrated at the annual meeting on April 27.
Thank you in advance for your help!
Submitted by Judy Kinn and Margaret DeLaRosa, Awards Committee Chairpersons
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Last year's Susan B. Anthony Voter Service Award winner Bernie Laszewski (right) | Last year's Outstanding New League Member Barbara Kwiatkowsky (right) | Last year's Phyllis Renfro Community Action award winner Erica Nelson (right) | |
Speaking of the Annual Meeting...links to materials to review before our Annual Meeting!
Please review the documents linked below and come prepared to vote on this material at our Annual Meeting on April 27
Please note that the "Combined Position Review" document contains 3 positions with proposed updates; please be sure to read the entire document and all 3 positions.
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LWVIL members at the Illinois State Capitol Building on February 22, including LWVGE member Jacquelyn Casazza (orange blazer) | |  |
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LWVIL Members Participate in Lobby Day for Illinois Polystyrene Foam Foodware Ban
Single use plastics are a big environmental and public health problem, which is why both LWVIL and LWV-Chicago are members of the Coalition for Plastic Reduction (CPR), a coalition of environmental organizations and civic institutions committed to reducing plastic pollution in our environment through meaningful policy change.
This legislative session, CPR is advocating for a ban on polystyrene foam to-go food and drink containers. Less than 1% of all foam is recycled, and the EPA estimates that Americans throw out 70 million foam cups A DAY. Styrofoam is also made from petrochemicals, including styrene, which has been classified by the World Health Organization as a “probable” carcinogen. Eight other states and over 200 communities already have some type of ban on this material. A ban on Styrofoam takeout containers and cups in Illinois would be a step in the right direction towards reducing single use plastics.
League members from all over the state joined together, along with nearly 40 other members of CPR in Springfield, Illinois, on February 22, to meet with elected representatives to discuss proposed legislation, SB100 and HB 2376. I was interviewed by the Daily Herald regarding this environmental and public health issue. You can read more about the legislation and the full article here.
Exciting update! On March 21, this legislation advanced out of the Illinois House on a 67-43 vote! Now onto the Senate! If you have not already, please contact your state senator regarding this important issue.
Submitted by Jacquelyn Casazza, Voter Editor
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League Members "Doing what they Do!"
Thank you to Karen Schultz, Media Relations, for capturing these photos of our League Members serving our community!
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Karin Daly and Nicole DeJoris expertly fielding audience questions and managing the Facebook live feed during the January "State of the Village" | |
Village President Mark Senak, Michelle Thorsell, Sarah Allen and Village Manager Mark Franz | |
Bernie Laszewski and Lynn Bruno attending the February Community Meeting | |
Julie Evans was recognized at the Glen Ellyn Community Awards as the Stuart Stone Citizen of the Year Award for her long-standing advocacy for the physically and mentally challenged members of our community, focusing recently on the need for more affordable housing availability for these individuals in Glen Ellyn. Wow!!!! | |
Karin Daly and Jacquelyn Casazza were recognized as the Glen Ellyn Park District "Volunteers of the Year" for their impactful collaboration through their community environmental non-profit, Go Green Glen Ellyn. | |
A fantastic group of League Members gathered together to attend and celebrate our own at the Glen Ellyn Chamber Community Awards! From L to R: Sarah Allen, Judy Kinn, Donna Jean Simon, Michelle Thorsell, Jacquelyn Casazza, Barbara Kwiatkowsky, Bernie Lasziewski, Julie Evans, Erica Nelson, Joyce Hothan and Karin Daly. | |
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No report for this issue. Please review the proposed amendments linked above in the Voter (under Annual Meeting Materials to Review) prior to the Annual Meeting on April 27.
Submitted by Rita Doyle, Legislative Issues
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We receive a report from Patch after each posted event. On average through January, we usually received around 10,000 reviewers. Presently in March there has been a big increase in the number of reviewers up to and over 18,000 per posting! Nice to see a lot more people viewing our LWVGE event postings!
Submitted by Karen Schulz, Media Relations
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Our next book club selection is "Formidable: American Women And The Fight For Equality 1920-2020" by Elisabeth Griffith. This book chronicles the efforts of white and Black women to advance sometimes competing causes.
Formidable has been enthusiastically recommended by League member Donna Jean Simon. She commented that the book was eye-opening and emotionally involving: "While Formidable is a densely packed history of the last 100 years in women's history, it does provide a wonderful overview of where women have been, and what challenges lie ahead. LWV is highlighted numerous times throughout the book regarding its role in our history." Love that!
The book will be available from the Glen Ellyn Public Library beginning April 6. Our meeting is Saturday, May 6, 2023, at 9:00am at the home of Shawn Fasules, 755 Chidester.
Please join us for coffee, or tea and scones and a lively discussion. If you have questions, comments, reach out to Shawn Fasules or Michelle Peterson
Submitted by Shawn Fasules, Book Club
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CALENDAR
Cantigny Awareness Series (CAS) noted in red
LWVGE Community Meetings noted in blue
Candidate Forums are highlighted
March 23, 2023 - Community Meeting, Mental Health in Milton Township: An Update on the 708 Community Mental Health Board
April 4, 2023 - Election Day for 2023 General Consolidated Election
April 12, 2023 - Civic Awareness Series, "Plastic Pollution and Community Solutions" at Cantigny Park (LWVGE member Jacquelyn Casazza is presenting), registration required for in person AND Zoom
April 20, 2023 - LWVGE Board Meeting
April 27, 2023 - Annual Meeting and Dinner at Reserve 22
May 6, 2023 - Book Club: "Formidable: American Women And The Fight For Equality 1920-2020"
Plans for events are subject to change. To avoid disappointment, please check the LWVGE website for final details.
Questions about League events? Get details here:
www.lwvge.org
| Please visit our website for the most current information |
PO Box 2391, Glen Ellyn, IL 60138
(630) 790-2237
(630) 347-0922
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