Today, April 12, is the last day to pre-order plants for curbside pickup from Good Earth Greenhouse, 7900 Madison, River Forest. Curbside preorder instructions are here. The plant pre-order list is here. If you want to shop in person from April 30-May 2, print the flyer here and take it with you when you shop. This is our last fundraiser for the year. Support a local business and beautify your surroundings at the same time!

Last Call!!! Voting, Ethics and Electoral Districts Please join the Second Tuesday committee on Tuesday April 13 at 9:30 to hear Tyler St. Clair from Common Cause discuss voting initiatives, ethics reform in Illinois, census data and the implications for congressional re-districting. As Illinois begins its re-districting process, join us to hear how this effort impacts your power as a voter. "Redistricting affects political power. It determines which party controls Congress and state and local governments across the country. Consequently, redistricting has a direct bearing on what matters a legislature chooses to tackle, and which to ignore.” (Brennan Center for Justice). Please register  here.

The Observer Corps Program is structured to ensure that processes and decisions made by public entities are made in the open. Trained League observers attend meetings, note what happens, and then report back to their community through the local League. The League has been a champion of governmental transparency since our founding in 1920. It is one of our core principles and a vital part of our mission. Our service in this area reinforces our reputation for fairness, nonpartisanship, and trust. Why be part of the Observer Corps? Observing makes a statement that the community is watching the process of government. The League observer is the representative of the public at these meetings to help ensure that the issues facing their community are being addressed “in the sunshine, in the open.” Training is available. We need a chairperson for this committee and observers for our local governmental agencies. Meetings are virtual until further notice. What could be easier than watching meetings from your living room or out on your back porch? And you can pick the Board you would like to observe! Check out the list of Boards here. We haven't had observers reports in over a year! Interested? Please contact Joan Petertil, Leslie Lauderdale, or Jane Hastings for more information.

Nonprofit Vote will be sponsoring a webinar on Thursday, April 22, on "Using Mapping to Reach Underserved Voters." Several mapping tools will be explored, including VAN, L2, Policy Map, and Map the Vote, and how you can utilize them to inform your voter engagement plans. Harnessing the power to educate and mobilize voters in your neighborhood can have a huge impact on turnout. You can register for the 3:00pm CDT webinar here.

Mary Ellen Matthies, a long time OPRF League and Cook County League activist, has passed away. She was a past Hazel Hansen award winner and our local President. When she and her husband Richard moved to Downers Grove, she became President of that League too. Richard was a dean at OPRF HS and also active in the community. Our condolences go out to Mary Ellen's two children, Kristen Angel and Kent Matthies. Cards can be sent to their addresses here.