Summer 2012 (june)

League of Women Voters of Central Vermont
Bulletin Summer 2012
Message from the Central Vermont Leadership Team
This spring has been an exciting time for the League of Women Voters of Central Vermont. Our Annual Meetingwas great due in part to the meeting space – the REACH office - graciously secured by longtime board member,Hedi Ballantyne; the wonderful array of food; the attendance of a new member, Fran Krushenick; and acaptivating presentation by Lyn Blackwell, Ph.D., author of Frontier Feminist: Clarina Howard Nichols and thePolitics of Motherhood. Lyn is an engaging speaker and taught us so much about Clarina, an important figure inVermont’s journalism, political and women’s rights history. If you don’t know much about Clarina’s life, weencourage you to learn more.
At the Annual Meeting, we formalized our new governance structure and approved the necessary changes in ourby-laws to reflect this. What was formerly referred to as “the Board” is now the “Leadership Team,” consisting ofKate Rader, Nancy Lynch, Gia Biden and Hedi Ballantyne. This core team is committed to expanding theLeague’s visibility, membership and activities in Central Vermont with coaching, guidance and accountabilityprovided at the national and state levels by the Shur Fellows of the Membership and Leadership Developmentprogram. The Central Vermont League is very excited to hear from Kate Rader upon her return from the 50th LWVUSNational Convention in Washington, D.C., which took place June 8-12. The agenda for Convention was packed.
The caucus topics alone are fascinating. They include: Roadmap to Reform in Health Care; What We ShouldKnow about the 2012 Farm Bill; Extreme Fossil Fuel Extraction; Beyond Polarization: Time to Get More WomenElected; Benefits of Using Vote411 in Election Work; Democracy in the Balance: Money, Speech and Power; ADepartment of Peace Study; Proposed Sentencing Reform Concurrence; National Popular Vote; HumanTrafficking in our Cities and Towns; Mitigating the Impact of Voter Photo ID; Our Food, Our Future; OurFederal Education Position; What Can You and the League Do About Climate Change?; and RedistrictingReform. Every one of these topics is timely and important to Central Vermont League members. At Convention,Kate saw a preview of Patriocracy, a film about hyperpartisanship, which the Central Vermont League plans toshow in Montpelier in the lead-up to the November 2012 Elections. Both Kate and Nancy have attendedConvention previously and enjoy describing the energy of such an event and the feelings evoked by connectingwith so many League leaders and members committed to the mission and policy positions of LWV. You will readabout Convention in the June Green Mountain Citizen.
We are also gearing up for the July 3 Independence Day parade! We will participate in the parade itself; this hasbecome an annual event where some of the local League members dress as suffragists and get a great receptionfrom the crowd. This year is especially exciting because we will be one of the hosts of the Democracy Tent, agathering place for politicians and constituents to foster dialogue and generate excitement about voting and civicparticipation. Please consider joining us for the parade or as part of our Democracy Tent presence on this keystoneholiday, which marks an incredible piece of our history. What better way to celebrate freedom and independencethan participating in the parade and tent activities as a Leaguer in our state capitol! Nothing makes that experiencesweeter…well, except homemade lemonade and fried dough, which is a great way to end any parade! In celebration of democracy,Gia Biden & Nancy Lynch The LWVCEN Streamlines
We also hope to sponsor a Legislative CandidatesForum, as we did in 2010. At its Annual Meeting on May 15, the LWVCENformally adopted a simpler, more flexible board There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned, followed by a potluck dinner and a talkby local historian Lyn Blackwell.
As has been the case with many local Leagues, theLWVCEN had difficulty filling leadership Welcome to the Democracy Tent!!
positions. In recognition of this problem, theLWVUS appointed a committee to “streamline” Montpelier's Independence Day celebration is a the League. Among their proposals is to stream- highlight of our League year, with our presence in line the management structure of a League by the parade always well-received. This year that replacing the traditional Board with a Leadership presence will be bigger and more important, as we Team. The streamlined Leadership Team structure host the new Democracy Tent, in collaboration makes it possible for as few as four League with the Secretary of State's Office.
leaders to simply manage the work of the League. The tent, located on the lawn of the State House, This year, after a year of working with the new will be the venue for a Meet-and-Greet between structure, it was proposed to amend our bylaws to candidates for political office and citizens from make this simpler structure official. The new around the area. There will be table space for campaign literature as well (instead of candidates'passing it out along the parade route).
Spokesperson/Convener – Nancy LynchSecretary/Treasurer – Kate Rader In addition to serving the candidates, we will be Media Relations/Member Coordinator – Gia registering people to vote and recruiting new members to the League. A wonderful opportunity for us to publicize the League's work and letpeople know what a terrific organization this is, No new local study was proposed, but we will make every effort to participate in new or ongoingstate or national studies. The LWVVT is in the We need your help to do this. The tent will be middle of a study of transportation funding, and open from 2:00-8:00 p.m., and we'll be lining up the committee welcomes new members, or in- for the parade about 5:30. Because we'll be formation gathered by others. No new national second or third in the parade, those marching will study has been recommended, but one could be be back at the tent by about 6:30. We'll be adopted by Convention, as occurred two years publicizing the tent from the parade, so the ago, which the Privatization Study came from a number of people and candidates should be increasing as the parade progresses.
No study does not mean no activities, however.
Let Nancy (nancyt1213@gmail.com; 498-5020)
We will be in Montpelier's Independence Day or Kate (catherine.rader@myfairpoint.net; 229-
parade, as usual, and will be hosting a Democracy 4737) know if you can help. This is a BIG DEAL, Tent from 2:00 – 8:00 p.m. See the story below.
and we really want you to be part of it.
See us on Facebook at League of Women Voters of Vermont!!
Naturalization Ceremony
Returns to the State House
If you can contribute time and/or cookies for the After a year's hiatus because of scheduling event, please let Gia (gia@ksefocus.com; 498-5018) conflicts, a naturalization ceremony will again be held at the State House on Monday, August 13.
This is always a very moving and rewarding The League has traditionally registered the new occasion to Leaguers who participate. You're citizens to vote, and the LWVCEN has hosted a welcome to attend the ceremony, but warned to reception for the new Americans, their families and arrive early, because the House chamber is alwaysfriends in the Cedar Creek Room. LWVCEN 2011/12 Calendar
(Public events are in boldface)
Montpelier Independence Day Celebration.
Join us in the parade and at the Democracy Tent!
Naturalization Ceremony, State House, followed by reception hosted by LWVCEN LWV Central VT
1186 Towne Hill RoadEast Montpelier, VT 05651 See us on Facebook at League of Women Voters of Vermont!!

Source: http://www.lwvofvt.org/files/summer_2012_june_.pdf