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Date: 5/29/2024
Subject: Heights Chapter E-News - a Survey, a Gathering, and ?
From: Wendy Deuring


Heights Chapter E-News 
A Survey, a Gathering, and ?
Events:
  • PETITIONS IN! (tho there will be one-off signature collections at major events in June)
  • Tuesday, June 18th - Heights Chapter Annual Meeting -6-8:00, Maryann Barnes' home
  • June 27-30 - LWV National Convention in Washington DC - a GREAT experience!

Won't you take a few minutes to complete our Survey?

(link is revised.)
Note: This is separate from LWVGC's survey.  Doing both would be swell ;-)

 

Janice Foster, one of our newer members, noted how difficult it can be to understand the League of Women Voters as an organization, with our different levels and our defined processes, and as our Membership Leadership Development co-chair she decided we needed to develop a better way.  She, Elizabeth Tracy and Judith Beeler looked at the challenges and possibilities. 

 
Step One in the process is the following survey.  It's just 5 questions so not long to fill out, and will hopefully lead to a better understanding of you, our members, and also help you to find ways to be involved in the ways that interest you.  Won't you please take a few minutes to complete this?  We are asking for your responses by June 1st (which is THIS SATURDAY), but just go ahead and fill it out now while it's here in front of you if you haven't already.
And now for our own annual meeting
 
Quite a few of us attended the LWVGC Annual Meeting last Saturday and had the great honor of hearing from Justice Maureen O'Connor about changing the way our districts are drawn.  And now, per the bylaws, we will be holding our own Chapter's annual meeting on Tuesday, June 18th (postponed one week from the original post.)
 
The purpose of the annual meeting is to review the proposed budget, and the proposed slate of officers for the coming year.  NOTE that we are still in want of a second person to help with Membership, welcoming new members and following up with those whose memberships have lapsed.   Might that be you?
 
But in reality, the annual meeting is primarily an opportunity to gather together, share some food, celebrate our accomplishments, and - best of all - hear from our guest speaker -  Nancy Levin, director of our most excellent Heights Libraries, speaking on "The Freedom to Read Resolution" along with other issues facing the libraries today. 
 
We will meet from 6-8:00 pm on the 18th, at the home of Maryann and Geoff Barnes - 2230 Middlefield Road, 44106.
We will order in pizza (because someone really wanted some pizza  ;-)  )  and invite members to bring salads or desserts or a beverage if you wish to provide sustenance.   So that we have enough pizza and chairs, send an email to Heights@lwvgreatercleveland.org if you plan to attend (but we will welcome you regardless.)
 
See below for links to the Nominating Committee and Budget Reports
2024-25 CHUH Nominating Committee Report
lwvchuh 2024-25 budget pdf

Memorial Day - and the clouds parted and the sun shone!

 

Sending out HUGE thanks to members who came out on Monday - who put their faith in the forecast of the Weather Underground App - and did what we do on Memorial Day.

 
Jill Tatem and Janice Foster made their way to Gearity School to staff the table for voter registration and ballot signature collection, and to answer people's questions.  Bonus: Jill found her card table that was hidden somewhere in her house!
 
And there were SIX of us who marched, and called out, and collected signatures along the parade route:
Kathy Flora,Monica Gordon-Pershey, Sharona Hoffman,Amy Vegh, Wendy Deuring,
and BRAND NEW CHAPTER MEMBER Natalie Barrett who just moved to University Heights.
It was tough with Kathy Petrey and the Tree People tossing out candy in front of us, and a bunch of really cute preschool kids right behind us, but we still were able to call out to people to sign the petitions, and we did indeed collect signatures along the parade route as well as at Gearity.  (I'm told it's good that we weren't directly in front of the bagpipers.)
 
Biggest praise of all goes out to Mother Nature who got rid of the almost certain rain after 11 am and even brought out some blue skies.  Rain started up again about 1:30, and there were fewer people than usual along the route (maybe more people need to use the Weather Underground!) but those who were there seemed to have a great time.

And please accept my apology for the lack of photos.  Janice actually did take some pictures but I can't get the system to attach them... 
Citizens, Not Politicians Update
 
All Petition Books are being turned in now so that verifications and tabulations can be completed before the Secretary of State deadline at the beginning of July.  There will be some one-off events in June - major events with large numbers of people.  Petition books will be handed out to the volunteers AT the event, and will be collected and turned in at the end of the event. 
 
If you know of an event, please check the signup genius page to see if that event has been approved already. 
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4FA8AC2DA0F8C16-46536807-cnp#/
IF your event is not listed here, it needs to be authorized.  You can let me know, or contact Sue Dean Dyke. 
 
Otherwise, I suggest that we take a pause in June, and half of July, until the signatures are validated and the Ballot Initiative is approved for November.  AT WHICH POINT we are back on duty, educating voters at any and all public events, passing out cards, sending postcards, whatever works for you to help make sure the voters approve a revised plan.  Who wants to hang out at Wade Oval Wednesdays again?  The banner is ready to go, but will you be?
A Citizen's Guide to Democracy - An Idea to Share

 

On President's Day we gathered with members of the community in the Heights Main Library to watch the PBS video A Citizen's Guide to Preserving Democracy, based on the book "The Bill of Obligations:  the Ten Habits of Good Citizens" by Richard Haass.  After watching the video we broke out into small groups to discuss the 10 obligations of citizens and which might need greater attention now.  The discussions were lively and people seemed to find new motivation.  For the record, those 10 obligations are: Remain civil;  stay open to compromise and put community first; teach civics; value norms; reject violence; be informed; get involved; and promote the common good. 

 
We urge people to take this idea to other groups - to community clubs, organizations, workplaces - here and around the country, to bring these topics to the forefront.  The video (52 minutes long) is available online for free and Richard Haass' book "The Bill of Obligations: the Ten Habits of Good Citizens" is in libraries.
https:https://video.ideastream.//video.ideastream.org/show/a-citizens-guide-to-preserving-democracy/
 
Major thanks go to Rose Fairman, Blanche Valancy, Janice Foster, Joan Spoerl, Paula Goodwin, Jill Tatem, Carol Spackey and Eefje Kolkman for helping out, and most especially thanks to Betsy Tracy who saw the video and thought - wouldn't this make a good program?  And she was right!!!  Who else has a good idea?  Let us know.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: some links to programs and articles that might be of interest
 
- Public Education: The Wolf at the Door - an excellent webinar on the importance of public education. I strongly urge you to watch it if you weren't one of the almost 400 who were on for the original event.  ;-)  https://youtu.be/7VSnf8g2-aQ
 
 
- "American Democracy is cracking. These ideas could help repair it". Originally in the Washington Post and reprinted in the Plain Dealer on 1/28/24  Democracy is Cracking . 
 
- Cleveland City Club program on the prominence of bottled water- https://www.cityclub.org/forums/2023/12/15/not-just-a-pipe-bottled-waters-link-to-governmental-distr
Democracy Quotes to Inspire You
 
Democracy and freedom are the best revolution. They can give every individual more power to control their lives. And we can work together to create a just, sustainable world.  Bill Blackman
 

The only title in our democracy superior to that of President is the title of citizen.  Louis Brandeis  1937
CHUH Chapter Leadership 
 
We are delighted to report the following list of officers for the 2023/2024 year::
Chapter Chair: Wendy Deuring  (2022-2024)
Voter Service Co-Chairs: Betsy Tracy (2023-2025) and Rose Fairman (2022-2024)
Membership Development Co-Chairs: Joan Spoerl (2022-2024) and Janice Foster (2023-2025)
Treasurer: Khaliah Fisher-Grace (2022-2024)
Recording Co-Secretaries: Charlene Morse (2022-2024) and Kathy Petrey (2023-2025)
2024 Nominating Committee: Eefje Kolkman, Chair; Blanche Valancey and Carol Spackey
 
For the Cleveland Heights City Council, the University Heights City Council, the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education and the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Library Board of Trustees. Watching government promotes good government: 
 
 
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