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August 6, 2019  The League of Women Voters of Darien is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the LWV with a speaker series featuring women using their power to bring about change in our society. The anniversary celebration kicks off in September when the LWV of Darien welcomes Shannon Watts, Founder of Mom’s Demand Action and author of Fight Like a Mother.
Shannon Watts shares her powerful story of how one mother’s cry for action started a national movement to fight some of the richest and most powerful people in America: the gun lobby. Along with her observations and wisdom, Shannon shares moving messages of perseverance, courage, and compassion, and outlines the core mantras and principles that Moms Demand Action has used to battle the NRA and the intimidating tactics they employ to prevent gun safety progress. Bringing activism into the everyday, Fight Like a Mother will inspire anyone motivated to work for change and channel their values into action.
Thursday, September 19th
11:00 AM Welcome
12:00 PM Lunch and speaker
Wee Burn Country Club
410 Hollow Tree Ridge Road, Darien, CT 06820
Send check for $75 luncheon and speaker program/ $100 luncheon, speaker program and copy of Fight Like a Mother in advance to:
Evonne Klein, 19 Saltbox Lane Darien, CT 06820
Or pay online:
Please click on the secure link below to make your payment with a debit, credit card or your Paypal account. You can then proceed to checkout.
Please select payment type and click on “Pay Now”.
April 29, 2019 Darien League of Women Voters
Agenda for May 1st, 2019
Darien Historical Society
45 Old Kings Highway North (next to Goodwives Shopping Ctr)
9:10 Coffee and Conversation (BYOB Coffee)
9:30 Short Business Meeting
Call to order (Gwen Mogenson)
- Approval of April 3rd, 2019 minutes
Treasurers Report (Stephanie Maher)
- Annual Director and Officers Insurance (D&O) insurance premium in process of being paid. This protects us from potential legal issues related to our public events.
- Working on proposed 2019-20 Budget to be voted at June 6th Annual Meeting (more about Annual Meeting to follow)
Secretarial Team (Mogenson)
- Thank you to Vicki Baldwin for taking the April meeting minutes.
School Consolidation Speaker (Clara Sartori)
- We were unable to schedule a speaker regarding The Hartford Foundation fact based school consolidation study. Will try again in fall.
Darien LWV Volunteer of the Year (Sartori)
- Congratulations to Shelly Skoglund, our Volunteer of the Year! Shelly produced the Fall 2018 Voters Guide, served as a question sorter at Candidates Night and actively recruited many of you as a member of the Nominating Committee. She and others will be honored at a luncheon at the DCA on May 21st. Thanks for all of your work, Shelly.
Government Guide (Mogenson)
- Thanks to Nina Miller, Deepika Saksena and Clara Sartori for researching and formatting our annual Gov’t Guide. This is a comprehensive publication listing contact information for our Federal, State and Local officials along with contacts for our local commissions. Enid Oresman will be distributing the hard copies around town and it will soon be available on our website lwv.darien.org
Darien LWV Annual Meeting (Karla Coe and Sandy Filmer)
- Our Annual Meeting will be Friday June 6th at the Darien Community Association (DCA). Business meeting at 1:00 PM followed by High Tea and speaker Kate Farrar, Executive Director for CT Women’s Education and Legal Fund (CWEALF).
- The non-profit CWEALF was founded in 1973 with a mission to advocate for and empower women and girls in Connecticut, especially those who are underserved or marginalized. They work towards gender equality through Legal Education, Public Policy and Advocacy and Advancement and Leadership.
Nominating: (Sue Okie, Shelly Skoglund, Stacey Tie)
- Thank you to all who volunteered to take on a Board position. We have many new members moving up which is very encouraging organizationally.
- To clarify: At-large Board Members are expected to attend our monthly meetings and our sponsored events. Help publicize our activities (personal email/invite a friend etc.) and agree to fill smaller, specific volunteer requests as they arise.
Motion to Approve a $200 contribution to the Darien Historical Society for use of their facilities for our meeting space (Sartori)
Motion to establish a LWV 100th Anniversary Planning Committee (Sartori)
- February 14, 2020 is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the League of Women Voters. The National League has declared it a League wide day of action themed “Women Power the Vote”. We are planning to partner with the Darien Historical Society on a possible display of historical memorabilia and the National League will also provide substantial resource materials.
- We encourage any member to participate in this celebration of women’s right to vote.
Discussion of the Proposed State “Bottle Bill”
Attached is positioning from the State league regarding their call to action on this matter.
The LWVCT has supported policies to promote recycling, including advocating for Connecticut’s original Bottle Bill, since the 1970′s.
WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT SUBSTITUTE HB 7294 (FILE #561), and TO ADD YOUR NAME TO THE CO-SPONSORS.
SUMMARY OF THE BILL HB 7294 (File #561)
- Adds sports drinks, energy drinks, juices and teas-This adds about 340 million new containers which represents more than 26,000 tons of glass, plastic and aluminum per year.
- Increases the deposit from 5 to 10 cents -This increases the financial incentive to redeem containers rather than litter them, put them into the trash, or into the single-stream recycling bin, and will save municipalities significant litter and waste management costs, Redeeming beverage containers is a better option than curbside recycling.
- Increases handling fee paid by distributors to retailers and redemption centers from 1.5 to 3.5 cents for beer and from 2 to 4.5 cents for other beverages-The handling fee has not increased in over 30 years (other state handling fees: NY-3.5¢; MA- 2.25 to 3.25¢; VT-3.5-4¢; ME- 3.5-4¢)As experienced in other states,we can expect additional jobs at new redemption centers.
- Increases the radius from 1 mile to 5 miles as the distance from a redemption center which allows “dealers” (retailers) to opt out of the requirement to redeem beverage containers.
- Allows beverage distributors to retain 20% of the unredeemed deposits (80% to the State General Fund).
- Establishes State beverage container redemption goal of 90%. CT CAN RISE TO THIS CHALLENGE!
Food For Thought (Karla Coe)
- FFT usually meets 3rd Thursday of the Month
- There was no meeting in April due to the school holiday schedule
- Note: Next Meeting is Thurs May 23rd,12:30-2:00 PM. Hosted by Ann Ferris, 30 Hale Lane. All members are invited
- Join a freewheeling discussion of a topical news subject. The topic is not announced in advanced so no preparation is required. Great Fun.
Observer Corps Light: (Mogenson)
- What does that name mean? In the dark ages (before Channel 79 and the town website) the League as a whole was known for having “observers” attend local government meetings and document the discussions and results. Given improved communication vehicles, we instituted “Observer Corps Light” where we feature a speaker at our monthly meetings who can speak to areas of local interest. Now you know.
- Thank you to Deepika Saksena and Juliet Cain for educating us about the multi-town effort in our area, the Pollinator Pathway and specifically, how you can help to make Darien a part of the solution. The RTM will be considering this topic in the near future. To learn more go to their website Pollinator Pathway Darien
- Another popular topic was BYO (Bring Your Own) an organization that is advocating for passage of a Darien Town ordinance to promote the use of reusable customer supplied shopping bags rather than single use plastic bags. For more information go to BYO Darien
- Welcome Judy Phillips, Executive Director of the YWCA Darien/Norwalk. Our organizations share a goal of empowering women and we hope to partner more effectively in the future. The YWCA sponsors many programs you may be familiar with, Parent Awareness speakers, the Gourmet group, and the upcoming “Women of Distinction” awards among others.
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Save the Dates:
LWVCT Education Fund Symposium on International Relations (SIR)
“Food Matters! Combat Hunger, Recover Waste, Create Energy”
Friday May 17th, 9:00 AM-12:30 PM
Jones Auditorium
123 Huntington Street, New Haven CT
Lockwood Mathers Mansion – 299 West Avenue, Norwalk
“From Corsets to Suffrage: Victorian Women Trailblazers”
May 16- Nov 3,2019, 12-4 PM
Opening Reception Thursday May 16, 5:30-7:30 PM, $10 for non-members
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