League leaders have been in Tallahassee this week representing LWVOC for the Spring 2025 Legislative Session. With Leagues from all over the state for LWV Lobby Days, they've been learning how to interact with government officials (and then doing it) so that our positions (your voice empowered) is heard as we seek better outcomes for our Orange County communities. In attendance:
- Sandy (Cassandra) McAdams, LWVOC Government Committee Co-Chair
- Karolyn Campbell, LWVOC Government Committee Co-Chair
- LInda Coffin, LWVOC Gun Violence Prevention Committee Co-Chair
- Fiona Shannon, , LWVOC Gun Violence Prevention Committee Co-Chair
- Cece (Cecilia) González Herrera, Incoming LWVOC Board Member, LWVUCF Member
- Kathy Schmitz, LWVOC President
- Barbara Lanning, LWVFL 2nd VP and former LWVOC President
Shown below L-R: Sandy McAdams, Kathy Schmitz, Cece (Cecilia) González Herrera, Karolyn Campbell
Below right; joining Leaguers from across the state
| Shown below left, Leaguers visiting Senator Arrington's office (L-R) Kathy Schmitz, Karolyn Campbell, LWVFL Co-President Debbie Chandler, Sen. Arrington, Sandy McAdams, Cece G. Herrera; below right, visiting Rep. Anna Eskamani's office. Leaguers also were welcomed to Rep. Johanna Lopez's office. | SPECIAL "Take Action" Alerts Now Available from Pres. Kathy Schmitz
“Alert lists” are open to both LWVOC members and non-members. They are a way to share timely opportunities, for example, upcoming rallies, volunteer needs, or urgent legislative actions. To keep email volume down, only I, or someone I specify, will be posting to this list.
“Sharing lists” are an additional option for LWVOC members. Within guidelines that will be posted, anyone who joins one of these lists will be able to post. Guidelines will focus on posting actionable information, avoiding debate, and maintaining a respectful tone.
Current topics are Immigration, Housing & Poverty, Women’s Issues & Health Care, and Defending Democracy
To sign up for any of the lists, fill out this simple form HERE.
| | ZOOM Committee Meetings
MAR 19, 7pm
DEIA Social Justice Book Club
MAR 25, 12-1pm-2pm
Education and NPV Zoom Meetings
Registration details below
MAR 25, 6pm
Spring Showcase & New Member Welcome
MAR 28, 8-10am
6th Annual Women's History Breakfast
APR 9, 11am
LWVOC Annual Meeting
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VOLUNTEER OPS
*We table and sometimes provide power points to provide voter registration and civic information at the following opportunities. You must have taken and passed the League voter registration test HERE
MAR 15, 11am
Petition Gathering-Right to Clean Water
APR 3 or 4, begins at 7am
Lake Nona High School; student presentation & registration
| | |  | To register for the EDUC Committee Zoom meeting, email Christine Bramuchi
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 | To register for the NPV Zoom meeting, click below:
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 | Zoom details below:
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| EVERYONE WELCOME!
At our Annual Spring Showcase, we'll be highlighting member accomplishments and sharing tips and tricks to becoming an involved Leaguer.
Whether a new member or "seasoned," join us for a short informative program and enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded friends.
Refreshments provided. FREE parking at the Winter Park Community Center!
| | | | GET YOUR TICKET TODAY for the 6th Annual Women’s History Breakfast MAR 28, 8am honoring fearless women who reshaped Orlando’s political landscape. Through the Glass Ceiling: Orlando’s Political Pioneers pays tribute to Mable Butler, Linda Chapin, Martha Haynie, Glenda Hood, and Mary I. Johnson: the first women to break top leadership barriers in the City of Orlando and Orange County. From the mayor’s office to the commission chambers and more, these trailblazers campaigned against the odds, won hard-fought victories, and expanded opportunities in spaces where their voices had long been underrepresented.
|  | | Joan Erwin (left) and Mary Montanus (right), with the President of LWV UCF, Alayna Kennedy, (left middle) and Larissa Perez, their Social Media Coordinator (right middle). Joan and Mary joined the chapter's campus meeting on Friday, March 7th, to celebrate women's History Month by presenting a program on Women's Suffrage and the OC League. |  | MAR 11 Election
Adopt-a-Precinct volunteers at Precinct #18 at WP Presbyterian Church processed an incredible 731 voters!! Much appreciation to this hard-working team.
Shown L-R: Alicia Homrich, Charlie Behrens, Kay Hudson, Jeanette Lambert, Melinda Wright, Myriam Maldonado (translator and deputy clerk) | | |
MAR 11 Election Shown above left, the Adopt-a-Precinct team at Winter Park YMCA; they were visited by our Supervisor of Elections Karen Castor Dentel (left to right - Rebecca Pando, Linda Dalton, Anne Packham, Karen C-D, Trudy Boston, Elizabeth Tiernan and Karen Willis). Photo right is the team at St. Andrews UMC (left to right - Patrice Cherico, Marella Green, Ada Valentin, Terry Osborne, Martha Kirby and Darlyn Jimenez). Another successful AAP election, participating in our democracy and supporting the League and it's mission. We are looking forward to the Orlando Election on November 4th. |  |  | TAKE ACTION against HB 1205, legislation currently under consideration to take power from Florida's citizen-led amendment process! To make your voice heard, Click HERE
Among a long list of new barriers to qualifying citizen-led amendments, the Governor’s proposal would eliminate petition collection by paid petition circulators and grassroots volunteers for citizens’ amendments and allow appointees of the Governor to insert partisan language on voters’ ballots to confuse voters and undermine a proposed citizen-led amendment. |  |
TAKE ACTION and tell your members of Congress to OPPOSE this act!
It is already illegal for noncitizens to register and vote in federal or state elections. The bill's requirement of a document to prove American citizenship to register to vote in federal elections is unnecessary and seeks to divide us. It also creates another barrier to voting. To send a message, click link HERE. | | |
| In lieu of Hot Topics, we will be hosting our Annual Membership Meeting at that time and space. SAVE THE DATE, April 9 and join us for a special presentation from newly elected SOE Karen Castor Dentel (also a longtime Leaguer) as well as our annual business meeting.
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Nicki Drumb
Rachel Gardiner
Jeanette Lockington
Cindy Backus
Not a member yet? Visit JOIN HERE and learn about becoming a Leaguer! |  |
Visit the Donate page to explore the many ways you can $upport LWVOC.
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Sponsors are vital to our work to empower voters by providing timely information for the benefit of non-partisan civic engagement in our community.
To further explore how becoming a Hot Topics Sponsor can align with your business goals, please contact LWVOC Vice President, Lee Rambeau Kemp HERE
A range of sponsorship levels are available. |  |  | | Statewide call to action: The League of Women Voters supports the Florida Right to Clean Water campaign, a citizens' initiative to amend the Florida Constitution with the right to clean and healthy waters. If our current laws were working, then we wouldn’t have manatees dying in record numbers, 80% of our 1000 springs impaired, and harmful blue-green algae and red tide in greater frequency and duration. A constitutional right takes precedence over legislation that permits pollution, restricts fertilizer bans, and allows radioactive materials to be used in our roads. Create a legacy for the future of our waters!
The Right to Clean Water! In support of establishing our basic right to clean and healthy water, LWVOC has committed to helping get this citizen initiative on the 2026 ballot. Please sign your own petition. Those who signed prior to 2024 will need to sign the new petition.
Learn how YOU can become an active volunteer here: https://www.floridarighttocleanwater.org/resources | |