Dear Members,
Greetings from the incoming LWV OPRF Co-Presidents, Joan Petertil and Jane Hastings. Beverly Graham leaves big shoes to fill but we will try to keep you as informed about League activities and opportunities.
We hope you were able to join us for the LWV OPRF’s 97th annual meeting on June 3rd where we celebrated last year’s achievements and voted in a new slate of officers. A few highlights from 2020-2021 include: the fall kick-off, Reimagining Community Policing, hosting public meetings on civic topics, acting as local Fair Tax champions, sponsoring a “Powered Day of Action” on re-districting and, with LWV IL, a successful adoption of our state’s new Criminal Justice position. Despite the pandemic, the League also continued its voter efforts in helping to register and educate voters and hosted 12 candidate forums in partnership with the Oak Park and River Forest Libraries that were viewed by over 3400 citizens, live or recorded. Many thanks to all the volunteers who made this happen during a year of social isolation.
On June 12 and 13, the LWVIL held its bi-annual convention with six delegates from our League in attendance. Allyson Haut was re-elected President of the state League and Azisti Dembowski was introduced as the new CEO. You can see a summary of activity and accomplishments for the last two years at LWVIL Board at Work, Biennium at a glance. The League also adopted three primary action pillars: Voting Rights and Election Processes, Addressing the Climate and Equitably Meeting Basic Human Needs. You can go here for more details.
An LWV OPRF transition meeting between the outgoing and the in-coming board members and committee chairs was held on June 22. Thank you to departing members Kathy Balk, Carolyn Skipper, and Julianne Bonwit and a hearty welcome to the 2021-2022 board members and committee chairs!
This next program year will be as busy, with priorities such as continuing voter education and registration and sponsoring public meetings on topics of civic interest. We also plan on resuming our International Relations Great Books Groups, Drinks and Dialogue, and Second Tuesday while continuing with our legislative advocacy. We hope to re-energize the Observer Corps to keep members current on local government activities. Please let us know if you have a particular interest in one of these committees and want to get involved. It was a really tough year for Democracy but it survived and we’ll continue to fight for its health!
Finally, please mark your calendars for October 23 when the League will be happily making and selling doughnuts at the Oak Park Farmers Market.
May your flowers be beautiful, vegetables be bountiful, and barbeques be in person!
Happy summer!
Joan and Jane
