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November 2013
Message from President Maureen McKenna
December 2014
Dear DWCF Members,
So much has happened since ourlast newsletter!
First of all, DWCF leadership andmembers extend their condolences to the family ofpast president, Janie Holman. Ms. Holman wasadored and appreciated by all.
DWCF had a very informative and well-attended convention in September,2014. Thanks to the Region III
Convention Committee, who worked hard to makesure the convention was an inspiring one. OnSeptember 17-20, 2015, Region VI will be hostingthe DWCF annual convention at the Cocoa BeachHilton Oceanfront. Please mark your calendars andvisit DWCF.org for future convention information.Thank you, Patricia Farley, for serving as the2015Convention Chair. We are planning the DWCF Tally Days onMarch 30 and 31, 2015 at the 4 Points Sheraton,Tallahassee. Please visithttp://wwwDWCF.org/tallydays/ or contact MillyKrause, [email protected] DWCFLegislative Chair, for further information. Thespeakers who present to us on advocacytechniques, the press conference at the Capitolbuilding and the DWCF reception for legislators, allserve to make sure attendees leave our state capitalfeeling extremely motivated and assured that DWCFhas a strong political voice in Florida. Since the lastnewsletter, I have visited clubs, including DWC of
Upper Pinellas and DWC of Lee County. It isalways inspiring to see DWC activists across thestate. As of this writing, there are four newclubs slated to be chartered at the January,2015 DWCF Board meeting in Cocoa Beach.They will be located in Region I, V, VII and IX.Our membership is growing. Politically focusedDWCs will be pivotal in turning Florida blue inthe 2016 election. The mid-term election results will have animpact on the intensity and frequency of thelegislative advocacy DWCF members will needto employ for us to be heard. The results of themid-term election are spurring us on to localand state DWCF strategy sessions in prepara-tion for the 2016 elections. More to come!Please participate in the Monthly Town HallTele-conferences, read DWCF email blasts andattend all meetings in order to stay up to dateon actions we should take to move Floridaforward to a better future for all. I thank you all for your membership anddedication to DWCF. If you have anysuggestions or feedback for me, please contactme at [email protected].
I hope to see you in Tally on March 30 and 31,2015!!
Democratically yours,
Dr. Maureen McKenna, Ph.D.
President
DWCF, Inc.
During the 2008 Election period, sheasked each Club member to return homeand give 30 hours of weekly service to theObama campaign.
Her biggest challenge was that clubenrollment was not what she thought itshould be; under her term, themembership increased to 2,000, along withtwo new clubs.
Janie’s advice to future Presidents wasto be as inclusive as possible, and includeas many people as they could in theirAdministration. Janie could not make it to theConvention this year, but sent her regards toeveryone. As many of you already know, JanieHolman passed away in November. Janiewas honored for her contributions to DWCFat our last convention in St. Augustine. Ourheart goes out to Janie's family and we areso grateful for her incredible love andpassion for this work.
Janie Holman
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Janie Holman – 2007-2009Janie Holman was bornin Commerce, Georgia.She was married toStanley Holman andtogether they had fourchildren, sixgrandchildren and fourgreat grandchildren.
They moved to Orlando, Florida in 1957and then to Cocoa in 1959, where Stanleyworked as a Chemist for Kennedy SpaceCenter. Her beloved Stanley passed awayin 1998.
As an activist, Janie not only workedon several campaigns but also was aprecinct walker, phone banker, sign waverand Deputy Voter Registrar. Janie was aneducator in the Brevard County Schoolsystem from 1996 – 2000. She receivednumerous awards and honors during hercareer including, “Key to the City of Cocoa”and “Outstanding Service to BrevardCounty Schools” in 2000.
After she was elected DWCF president,at her first board meeting in January, atLido Beach, Janie asked Mark Heron,Lawyer to FDP, to conduct a financialcompliance workshop. At that time the clubdecided to start a CCE and Janie appointedNora Heron to be the administrator. Thefinancial compliance workshop was atCarolyn Helms’ request because their clubhad made improper donations to their DECand the FDP, and thought other clubs werejust as confused as to what are permitteddonations.
Remembering Janie Holman
By Mary Freeman, Chair, History Research
Did you know?The bylaws of the DWC indicate ONLY
registered Democrats are eligible for any categoryof DWC membership.
Clubs should be doubly sure when renewingDWC members next year that those renewing areindeed registered Democrats.
If there are those who should be taken off theDWCF email blast list because of a change in partyaffiliation, please notify President McKennaimmediately. Please include the person's name andyour club name.
Your next quarter membership list should notinclude those members who are no longerDemocrats.
Did you know? You can join any DWC across Florida. You
are not limited to being an active DWC member inyour area. You can only serve as an activemember in one club. While you can be an activemember in only one club, you can be an associatemember in additional DWCs.
Did you know? It only takes eight members to start aDemocratic Women’s Club. Please alert yourRegion Chair or the State President if you know ofsomeone wanting to start a new club.
Cynthia MooreChestnut, PhD, member ofthe DWC of Alachua, hasgraciously accepted theposition as Chair of theDWCF Candidate Trainingand Resource Committee.She will be spearheadingan exciting project to
provide a DWCF candidate training and mentoringprogram. Dr. Moore has asked President McKennato send out an email blast to recruit volunteers toserve on this committee to help develop andimplement the program. If you are interested, orknow a member who would be interested in servingon this DWCF committee, please contact Cynthia [email protected] Cynthia was a Representative in the House ofRepresentatives of the U.S. state of Florida for the23rd District. She received her Bachelors degreefrom the Florida A & M University in 1970, herMasters degree from Florida State University in1971, and her Doctorate from Nova University in1981. She served as the Director of ShandsEastside Community Relations and EducationCoordination, while also holding the position ofAlachua County Commissioner until November 2010where she lost her bid for re-election to RepublicanChallenger Susan Baird. In September 2011,Chestnut retired from her position as the Director ofthe Shands Eastside Community Relations andEducation Coordination. Cynthia M. Chestnut is amember of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority andcurrently serves as Vice President of theGainesville, FL graduate chapter Mu UpsilonOmega. She has also served as President of theTwenty Pearls Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3)charitable and educational arm of the Mu UpsilonOmega chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.There is a park in Gainesville named in her honor,The Cynthia Moore Chestnut Park & Clark ButlerNature Preserve. Still residing in Gainesville,Cynthia M. Chestnut has one son ChristopherMoore Chestnut, Esquire. Along with several step-daughters, she has a step-son, Charles Chestnut IV.
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New chair of candidate training andresource committee DID YOU KNOW?
DWC of Bay County honored lifetime member Margaret Lewis.
Lifetime member honored
Pictured Left to RightAlyce Distasio, 1981-1985 andMary Jim Everidge, 1973-1975
DWCF past presidents 1981 - 2013
Seated Left to RightMs. Janie Holman, from 2007-2009, Ms. Janet Goen, from 2009-2013and Ms. Rosemary B. Elrod, 1995-1999
Ms. Beverly Zufall 1999-2003 and Ms. Rosemary B. Elrod 1995-1999
Mrs. Lydia Krones 1989-1991Ms. Kerry McCarthy 1991-1995
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Janet was active with the Pinellas County DemocraticExecutive Committee where she served as State CommitteeWoman 2000 – 2008. In 2004 she served as a delegate tothe Democratic National Convention, held in Boston,Massachusetts. In 2008, she was elected by the State DemocraticParty officers to be one of Florida’s 27 Electors to cast thefinal vote for Barack Obama to become the 44th President ofthe United States. Janet and her husband Gerald reside inTarpon Springs, FL. They have two daughters, Jennifer andCynthia. Jennifer Goen lives in Fort Myers, FL and is theGovernmental Affairs Director of Gulf Coast University. Herother daughter, Cynthia Brown, lives in Fort Wayne, Indianaand works with Purdue University Extension Office ofWhitley County. Janet and Gerald have two grandchildrenand one great-grandson. Janet is currently Immediate Past President of theDWCF, Inc. Janet believes her biggest accomplishment asPresident was getting Tally Days started for the DWCF, Inc.She also started 14 new clubs during her presidency. AsPresident, she attended all NFDW conventions andSouthern Region events. Janet’s biggest challenge wastrying to get information back to local Presidents andkeeping all position filled. Her advice to future Presidents is, allow appointedcommittees to do their jobs and trust your members to dotheir best when taking an office or committee chair.
My job is to research and record DWCF, Inc.history and the history of its Presidents with reportsto be presented at quarterly meetings, newslettersand archived in a History of the DWCF, Inc. Journal.
I hope everyone enjoyed reading myfirst report in our July Newsletter,wherein I highlighted RosemaryElrod and Sarah Brown. I haveincluded photos of them in thisquarterly report.
I am honored to highlight for you, Janet Goen,who who served two terms as President, 2009 –2013.
Janet began her political career in 1984. Sheserved eight years as Clerk of Circuit Court in DekalbCounty, Indiana. In her first election she won by 47votes out of 33 precincts. In her second term shewon by 1,400 votes. In 1992, she was named “Clerkof the Year” by the Indiana Clerks Association. Alsothat year. Janet ran for Indiana House ofRepresentatives and was narrowly defeated.
After moving to Florida in 1994, Janet joined theDemocratic Women’s Club of Upper Pinellas whereshe served as President 2000 – 2001 after servingas Secretary, Treasurer, 1st vice president andRegion Chair.
History research chair’s report
Janet Goen
By Mary Freeman, Chair
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Mary Freeman is dressed as a Suffragist onWomen's Equality Day. Several members of theDemocratic Women's Club of Upper Pinellasattended the August meeting dressed asSuffragists in Honor of Women's Equality Day.
Celebrating Women’s Equality
DWC of Manatee County attended the Women’sEquity Luncheon in Sarasota. Standing: PattyBenson, Sheryl Boddy, Democratic CandidateRepresentative Henry Lawrence, Mary Duda,Lucy Lapide, Phyllis Virzi and Carol Graves:Seated: Mary Bass and Jeanne Gerken.
DWC of Charlotte County was also representedat the Women’s Equity Luncheon in Sarasota.Standing: Barbara Muir, Susan Williams,Chandra Rambali and Nancy Razvoza. Seated:Judy Schnabel, Trish Montgomery, Ginny Diehmand Mari Usera.
In 1916, Carrie Chapman Catt, asPresident of the National American WomanSuffrage Association, devised a six-yearplan to secure a Constitutional Amendmentthat would enfranchise women. During thistime, suffragists met with jail time, ridicule,social exile, torture, beatings and wereforced to live in inhumane conditions.
We women have come a long waysince 1920, but in some areas we have notprogressed far enough: 1) Women accountfor less than 20 percent of bachelor'sdegrees in engineering, computer scienceand physics; 2) Only 17 percent of U.S.Senators, Representatives and Governorsare women; 3) Three percent of Fortune500 CEOs are women; 4) Women make uponly 15 percent of corporate boards.Also, women are losing their reproductiverights, as state after state are enacting veryrestrictive reproductive health laws, eventrying to limit access to contraceptives/birthcontrol. It is very ironic that this year, inFlorida, Aug. 26 is also Primary ElectionDay. Women--it is your right, your duty,your obligation, to vote on this day. OurForemothers gave up so much for us tohave this right.
Gina Burrell, 1st VP, DWC of St. JohnsCounty “
For Women, August 26 has Special,Dual MeaningOn August 26, women acrossFlorida and our nation gathered tocelebrate Women's Equality Day.It commemorates the day in 1920 that the19th Amendment, giving women the right tovote, was finally ratified, after a 72-yearstruggle by women to win that right.However, it was not until 1971 that the U.S.Congress designated Aug. 26 as Women'sEquality Day. This was the result oflegislation brought forward by U.S.Representative Bella Abzug of New York.Since 1971, every sitting President hasissued a proclamation in honor of thishistoric event. In fact, St. Augustine CityCommissioner Roxanne Horvath hassponsored a proclamation recognizing Aug.26 as Women’s Equality Day in St.Augustine.
DWC of Highlands County celebratesWomen's
By Gina Burrell
See the proclamation on page 7 that Ginagot the City of St. Augustine to pass onAug. 25. It was presented to her by theMayor.
A Women's Equality DayCelebration took place on Friday, Aug. 22at a local cafe called DOS, owned by ayoung woman business owner, JulieStoppelli. Thirty-two liberal women friendswere present. All attendees had good foodand spirits and danced. The woman whowill be the next Mayor of St. Augustine,Nancy Shaver, also attended. It was anempowering evening. Editor’s note: Iron Clad Angels is awonderful movie which shows thestruggles of the suffragists. Check it out atyour local library.
Cont’d Proclamation
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For more convention photos, click on this link
http://daniellefountain.photoshelter.com/gallery/DWC/G0000QcJAtkTg66U
The elected officers of the DWCF would like the thankthe 2014 Convention Committee for an informing andinspiring annual DWCF Covnention.Gratitude is extended to:Convention Chair, Facilities/Logistics: Julia Heckendorn(St. Johns) and Michelle Wilger (CCDWA)Decorations:Lunch - Helen Russette (CCDWA). She donated theluncheon centerpieces, constructed the lighthouse, andfabricated the Eye-Pads and bookmarksDinner -- Marilyn Becker (St. Johns). She donated andarranged the flowers with help from Elaine Dominick.Registration: Joan McGinnis (St. Johns)Meals: Corrinne White (St. Johns)Communications: Sandra McMurphree (St. Johns)Sponsors: Jeanne Moeller (St. Johns)Workshops: Convention Vice-Chair Elaine Weistock(CCDWA)What's on the 2014 Ballot - Elaine Weistock with assistfrom Gina Burrell (St. Johns)Growing Your Club - Mary Lou Woods (St. Johns)Social Media - Michelle Wilger and Cary Herold (CCDWA)Mother Jones Presentation - Gina BurrellTrivia Game - Elaine Weistock with assist from Jane Stead(CCDWA)Civil Rights Tour - Julia HeckendornBlue Donkey Auction - Elaine WeistockRaffle - Mary Lou WoodsLuncheon Speakers: Elaine WeistockVendors: Louise Bergeron (CCDWA)Evening Keynote Speakers: Nancy Hurlbert, DWCF 1st VP
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Life Membership Award is presented toMelba Seron, DWC of Lake County, byPresident Maureen McKenna.
Daisy Black, DWC of Miami-Dade ispresented the Outstanding member of theyear award by President MaureenMcKenna.
Venghan “Winnie” Tang, DWC of Miami-DadCpimtu os [resemted with the HumanitarianAward by President Maureen McKenna.
Judy Meyers, DWC of Pasco isawarded the Local Club Rising StarAward by President MaureenMcMcKenna.
Dianne Krumel, DWC Excambia isawarded the Local Club Rising StarAward by President MaureenMcMcKenna.
2014 DWCF Convention awardeesOur most sincere thanks
Membership Growth winners 1st place went to DWC of Escambia County; 2nd place DWC of VolusiaCounty and 3rd place to DWC of Palm Bay.
Elaine Weistock, of Clay CountyDemocratic Women’s Alliance is presentedthe Local Club Rising Star Award byPresident Maureen McMcKenna.
A rare gathering of four past presidents ofthe Democratic Women's Club of UpperPinellas joining in support of the newDemocratic Women's Club of CentralPinellas. Left to right - B.J. Star, MaryFreeman, Janet Goen and Lois Fries.
DWC of Palm Beach Co. waving signs for Charlie
Joan McGinnis and Julia Hecken-dorn had the wonderful opportunity
to join a group of nearly 700 people attend-ing the Jacksonville Branch NAACP 49th
Annual Freedom Fund Awards Dinner,Wednesday, October 22, 2014. The key-note speaker was Donna Brazile, syndicat-ed columnist and TV political commentator.Ms. Brazile, citing the historical significanceof exercising the right to vote, delivered aninspirational and motivational speech. Shereminded the audience how difficult it wasto gain the right to vote and urged us to castour votes for candidates who would not takeaway our rights.
Following her speech, Ms. Brazile, asgracious as she appears on TV, signed pro-grams and organized those wanting pic-tures taken with her. Joan and I werethrilled and honored to get her autographand to be photographed with her.
Pictured L-R Joan McGinnis, Donna Brazileand Julia Heckendorn
Donna Brazile speakerat NAACP event
Meet Cora Lumpkin Upper Pinellas DWCpast presidents
The highlight of the November CharlotteCounty DWC meeting was the celebration ofbirthdays of two of our Legacy Members. HildaAdamczyk celebrated her 95th in October andEvelyn Booker celebrated her 90th birthday onNovember 10, the day of our meeting. Dr. LucyGarner (left) and Trish Montgomery, 1st VPDWC help Hilda blow out the “candles” on hercake. Evelyn was unable to attend thecelebration.
I was born andreared in
Hawkinsville,Georgia. Aftergraduating from HighSchool, I moved toMiami, Florida tofurther myeducation. I marriedand reared twochildren. My hobbies
are walking, watching sports and traveling.Some of my travel has taken me to Paris,Italy and Israel. I worked at AmericanExpress Travel Related Services as a TeamLeader, Internal Research Analyst andQuality Control Specialist. I retired fromAmerican Express after 32 years andmoved to Sebring, Florida where I currentlylive. In 2008, I joined the DemocraticWomen Club of Highlands County and havebeen an active member since. I served asSecretary from 2011 to 2013. I am nowserving as 2nd VP.
As Archives Chair for DWCF, I ask andencourage each DWC to donatedocuments, program booklets andmemorabilia items to me so that I can putthem in the DWCF Archives at UCF. Mycontact information can be found on DWCFwebsite under Standing Committee Chairs.You may email or snail mail me.
Thanking you in advance.
Cora Lumpkin, DWCF Archives & HistoryChair
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DWC of Flagler County supporting Charlie Crist
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Flagler DWC members came out to support Charlie Crist whenthe Crist for Governor bus visited Palm Coast this fall.
The members of the EPR/DWC spent timehelping candidates get elected in Polk County.We had people making phone calls, walkingneighborhoods, and running errands for those inthe offices. Special thanks go to RuthAnnEaddy, Campaign Chair of our club, who helpedorganize the efforts in the eastern part of theCounty, and to Marti Kara, also a member of ourclub, who was the Chair of the DEC CampaignCommittee. They both had enormous jobs to doand they did them very well, with extremeorganization and patience! Thank you everyonewho helped.
Pictured: (L-R) Kitty MacKay, Janet Russo, Kar-en Welzel, RuthAnn Eaddy
East Polk Ridge DWC helps candidates
Meeting at Venice Library to charter a newDemocratic Women's Club of S. SarasotaCounty. Janet Buley, President pro-tem, is sittingin chair. Candidates Ray Porter (CommissionerDistrict 4, standing in blue shirt) and Greg Para(State House District 6, kneeling.)
DWCF activities throughout the state
Sarasota County Desoto County Highlands County
First re-organizational meeting of Desoto DWCon August 16 at Mary Margaret's Tea and Biscuitin Arcadia. Region VII Chair, Sandra McClinton,is seated. Dr. McKenna and Betty Gissendannercame out to lend their support.
Walton County Charlotte County
Highlands County DWC holds a chili cook off.
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Rockledge County DWCInitiative
Christiane Wilson, DWC leader from DWC ofRockledge, reports DWC of Rockledge membersare gathering items for Thanksgiving Baskets togive to those in need. What a great DWCinitiative to help those in need during theHolidays. This initiative also provides visibility inthe community for the local DWC. Thank you!!
The DWC of Walton was proud to have afloat in the Seaside 4th of July parade,
At the recent Veteran’s Day Parade, NancyRavoza, past president DWC of Charlotte Countyhonors her late husband who was a former POW.
▪ Transportation funding measures were approved in Mary-land, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. Clayton County, Ga., vot-ers approved a contract with public transportation providerMARTA.▪ In Kentucky, the GOP promised to put the blue grass statein the “Right to work” (or Right not to get paid” as union mem-bers call it) group if they flipped the control of the state Houseof Representatives. While Mitch McConnell beat labor-en-dorsed Democrat Alison Grimes in the U.S. Senate battle, thestate House is still Democratic and by the same 54–46 pre-election margin. While McConnell v. Grimes grabbed most ofthe media attention nationally and statewide, unions closelywatched the house races. Even so, the House results aregood news for unions in an otherwise generally disappointingelection. With the Democrats holding onto the House, Ken-tucky will remain the only non-right to work state in the South.Jeff Wiggins, president of the Paducah-based Western Ken-tucky AFL-CIO Area Council, said that all that stands be-tween the union and a right to work law is that DemocraticHouse. The state Senate has a right to work Republican ma-jority. Gov. Steve Beshear, a union-backed Democrat, wouldalmost certainly veto a right to work bill. But in Kentucky, asimple majority of both houses of the legislature overrides agovernor’s veto.
In our own Florida state legislature Republicans al-ready had the majority but added even more numbers in theelection. Unions are beginning to gather and try to discoverwhat bills will be appearing in the next legislative session.Many fear that there will be a move to end union dues collec-tion through paycheck deduction, which has been a move byanti-union groups to reduce union membership. Many alsofear Parent Trigger will appear as one of the “RepublicanWalking Dead Bills”—no matter how many times you kill it, itjust keeps coming back.
Labor ReportByPatricia Farley, Chair
Looking for something Positive from theelection…………..
Well—election night was a majordisappointment for working familiesand our supported candidates. However we
can find some successon some state ballot initiatives dealing with some core worker issues,including wages, equal pay, education and paid sick leave. Check outthis list.▪ Voters approved increases to the minimum wage in Alaska, Arkan-sas, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota, as well as Oakland and SanFrancisco, Calif.▪ In victories for working women and families, voters in Oregon ap-proved the Equal Pay Measure.▪ In Massachusetts a measure calling for up to 40 hours a year ofpaid sick leave for employees was approved. Paid sick leave mea-sures in Oakland, Calif., Montclair and Trenton, N.J., also won.▪ Measures to strengthen voting rights were approved in Missouri,Montana and Illinois.▪ New York voters passed Proposal 3, an education funding initia-tive, and in Missouri, Amendment 3, which would have weakened dueprocess for teachers and would take local control of schools awayfrom parents, teachers and school districts, was defeated.▪ In Anchorage, Alaska, voters defeated AO-37, which would haveintroduced "right to work" for the city and prevented collective bargain-ing for city employees.▪ California voters also struck a blow to unfair laws and passedProposition 47, dealing with mass incarceration and unfair sentencingfor nonviolent crimes.
DWCF Committee Reports
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Land purchased under Amendment 1 shall include:
• conservation easements, and resources for conservationlands including wetlands, forests, and fish and wildlifehabitat
• wildlife management areas• lands that protect water resources and drinking water
sources,including lands protecting the water quality and quantity ofrivers, lakes, streams, springsheds, and lands providingrecharge for groundwater and aquifer systems
• lands in the Everglades Agricultural Area and theEverglades Protection Area
This is a tremendous step forward for our State, and the DemocraticWomen’s Club of Florida played an important role in making ithappen. Congratulations!
Are you interested in increasing your capacity to preserve ourenvironment? Consider becoming the Environmental Lead for yourClub. Environmental Leads and other interested Club members willrepresent their Clubs as members of the DWCF EnvironmentalCommittee and work on a variety of activities, from improvingFlorida’s waterways to learning about environmentally-friendly waysto garden and landscape your home. Speak with your ClubPresident about volunteering, or contact Nancy Shipes [email protected].
As many of you are aware, we did not have enough peoplesign up for the Everglades Tour Weekend, and so, we canceled it.In speaking with Representative Mark Pafford, who had generouslyoffered to lead the Tour, he has suggested we try re-scheduling theweekend and has offered his time to us again for a Tour in January.Please click on this link http://doodle.com/3dhg4yzwyrtbpehw tohelp us determine whether or not we should re-schedule the event,or contact Nancy Shipes at [email protected].
Nancy Shipes, Chair
At the DWCF Convention in September, the passed theAnti-Fracking Resolution. This Resoution will now go out toclubs, organizations and municiipal and county governmentalbodies for passage. As the lead ratifying organization, theDWCF has the opportunity to take the lead in getting as manyantities to pass the Resolution as possible so that legislatorsmay be made aware of support for the Resolution and thelegislation it demands.
Please call or write to Nancy Shipes to receive a copy ofthe Anti-Fracking Resolution and instructions. Contactinformation is on the DWCF website www.dwcf.org. Congratulations and thank you to all the DWCF memberswho contributed to Amendment #1 win by handing outAmendment #1 literature, holding club presentations onAmendment #1, speaking with voters and creatig anoverwhelming victory for Florida’s most fragile land and waterareas. Your dedication to Florida’s environment is going tomake a huge, positive impact on the quality of water and life inFl orida
Environmental chair’s report
The additional Doc Stamp funds that will be collected,as stated in Amendment #1, will be used to purchase landdefined as:
• beaches and shores• outdoor recreation lands, including recreational
trails, parks, and urban open space• rural landscapes• working farms and ranches• historic or geologic sites• together with management, restoration of natural
systems, and the enhancement of public access orrecreational enjoyment of conservation lands.
There are now two more Democrats on the Osceola CountyCommission, and they are both women; only the second andthird women to ever hold Commission seats. And, to make iteven more relevant, one is openly gay and the other is Hispanic.
Cheryl Grieb is the current Vice Mayor of Kissimmee, andhas held other local political offices in the past. But she wantedto do more. Serving on the County Commission will give her anopportunity to utilize her strengths and skills to better serve theentire County of Osceola. Grieb unseated a Republican incum-bent and former Tallahassee lawmaker by a narrow margin of106 votes, to win District 4. In District 2, Viviana Janer began her campaign early in theyear and won the August 26 Primary race. When her employer,Marriott Vacations Worldwide, learned of her political aspira-tions, they gave her an ultimatum; “Drop out of the race or resignyour job…” They felt that her participation in the Osceola Coun-ty Commission would create a conflict of interest with her em-
ployer’s business interests. Viviana chose not drop out of the race,did not resign, and was summarily fired from her job as an Auditorthat she had held for 11 years. Marriott International donated $1000to her opponent in March. Viviana ran against a Republican stalwart, John Quinones, whowas also a former state lawmaker and a seven year incumbentCounty Commissioner. She won her election by garnering 51.9% ofthe votes, becoming the first Latina to hold office in the OsceolaCounty Commission.
Both of these women are shining examples of what the Demo-cratic Women’s Club of Florida seeks to “…encourage qualifiedDemocratic women to run for elective offices with our endorsementand assistance.” We are proud to have endorsed Cheryl Grieb and Viviana Jan-er and congratulate them both on their successful elections in Osce-ola County. See photos on page 14.
Karen Welzel, Chair
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From the Campaign Screening Committee
DWC Member of Walton County, ThomasMcGee, won the election for Fire District #2 inWalton County. This was a nonpartisan race.Thomas had a Republican opponent. WaltonCounty does not see many Democrats gettingelected. Congratulations Thomas and is wife,Walton County DWC President, KarenMcGee!
Viviana Janer (far right) is being sworn in asDistrict #2.which includes Oceola County byState Representative Rangel.
Cheryl Grieb being sworn in as Vice Mayor ofKissimmee in Oseola County.
The Democratic Women's Club of Bay County workedtirelessly for the Gwen Graham campaign. Our memberspartnered with the Bay County DEC helping with phonebanking, canvassing door-to-door, and working numerousevents and fundraisers. On election night our efforts paidoff with the voters electing the first woman ever to the 2ndCongressional District seat. We will celebrate withCongresswoman Graham at our Holiday party onDecember 13th."
Victories on election day
DWC of Bay County members prepare the Gwen Grahamfloat for the July 4th parade.
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Charlene Edwards,Highlands Co. DWCmember, won election tothe Highlands Co. schoolboard.
This was my Facebook status on November 5th. I just haveto say this one time and then I will sigh and move on and getbackin the races to try to push the situation a little closer to whereI hope it will go. I apologize in advance for anything I say thatoffends you.
I am so sad about the election outcomes nationwide. I getall the rationalizations and spin, but it doesn't help right now. Ialso know that a few good things happened, like the passage ofAmendment 1 and the defeat of Amendment 3, plus the electionof Ken Cornell and a few other great folks. However:
I am very afraid for all of us! What happens when frackingcontaminates aquifers nationwide, including in Florida?Seriously think about that one! They will keep doing it as long aswe buy their poison! (Our next vehicle will not use fossil fueland our next house will be off-grid solar.) I am VERYpessimistic about what will happen to the planet with hope forclimate change mitigation slipping further beyond our grasp.With the recent cuts, and surely more on the way, of funding fornursing homes in Florida, the best that those of us getting oldercan hope for is a swift end when we become helpless. I know Idon't want to burden my children with that kind of care. I wouldhave done it for my mother, but she died suddenly and wouldnot have wanted me to, anyway.
I totally agree with a recent article I read about the fact thatglobal population growth is a rarely addressed recipe for globaldisaster because it offends too many people who have childrenor some religious belief that dictates they reproduce like mice, orsome other sore spot on this topic. Educating women around theworld can help with this, but how can it be enough? There arejust far too many of us and it will just continue to get worse.Constant growth of an economy or population is sounsustainable! I am beginning to agree with the view expressedby Agent Smith in The Matrix, that humans are like a virus, or acancer, growing out of control until we kill our host. I am left withthe feeling that anyone who brings even one more child into adoomed world is incredibly selfish, cruel, blind, or, so unable tocontrol her own life that she must be living in her own kind ofhell. I now look at pregnant women with sadness and a touch ofannoyance, particularly folks who are so unaware andunprepared in general that their child has little chance of doingmuch to mitigate the general morass we are in. I know this willoffend some folks, and I am sorry, but it's just how I feel rightnow.
How many public school students will be set up to failbecause of republican education cuts and profit greed? Theseare our children, our new citizens, these are PEOPLE who maybe handicapped for life by this election outcome. What kind oftragedy will their lives become, and how many other lives will
they damage? (I know that is unkind, but I guess I am still angryabout a burglary at my home done by someone's screwed upgrown, uneducated kids, plus I see the victims of people withoutoptions way too often at work and in the news.) How manyPEOPLE will die or become disabled because Florida will notexpand Medicaid? How many women will be forced to bearunplanned/unwanted children because they don't have access toreproductive health care?
I have my own guilt feelings for not doing more work for thiselection cycle, but realize it goes far beyond this. The one constanttheme in all of the whole thing is the greed of the 1%ers, the lackof consciousness of SO MANY people! Greed is what is behindmost of the push for constant growth, since that is what fuels"profits". (I wish I could type a sarcastic tone.) Their greed is theirmotive to manipulate the sheep they trick into voting for them bypandering to their fears, prejudices and suspicion of educatedpeople, easier because they are uneducated. Look up, onYouTube, George Carlin's rants about "They don't care about you"and the Big Club. The other factor is a need to control everyoneelse according to their rigid religious beliefs. I don't say they can'ttwist up their own lives with their ideas, but even most Christiansunderstand and are okay with the concept of free will. They alsoget the idea of sharing and true charity. I love the Golden Rule.There is a similar tenet in most faith doctrines, btw.
I can't give up on the world, but really get the Buddhistconcept of samsara today, (look it up). I again apologize to anyoneI have offended here, but I had to get this out of me.. I think it'stime to buy that 5 acre lot and start work on our off-grid sanctuary,before it gets too dangerous out here, just in case....
Samsara - The state that arises from ordinary beings' generatingand fixating on a mistaken concept of self and experiences, thebelief that happiness comes from external circumstances, otherpeople's behavior and material wealth. Samsara arises out ofwrong knowledge about reality (avidya) and is characterized bydukkha(failure, suffering, anxiety, dissatisfaction).
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Karen Epple , president, DWC of Alachua speaks out
Legislative Chair – Milly Krause
Preparations are under way for the yearly Local LegislativeDelegation Meetings. DWCF’s Goal is to have at least oneDWCF Member represent our club and speak to DWCF issuesat the local Legislative Delegation Meetings. In a few cases, themeetings were held before elections and, in those cases,members will be making individual appointments to meet withtheir local legislators. If you would like to attend the meetings inyour area, please speak to your local club’s legislative liaison orpresident. We would very much like you to either speak or bethere in the audience to support your club and DWCF.One of my duties at the convention was to facilitate themovement of the resolutions. All eight resolutions were easilyvoted in by delegates. If you’d like to read the resolutions, checkthe DWCF website or you can email me and I can forward youthe resolutions. Each of the resolutions were forwarded to each LocalLegislative Delegation. Contact – www.dwcf.org [email protected] .
There were a number of bylaw changes. A major changefor all clubs to act upon regards Legislator Liaisons. All clubsare now required to have a Legislator Liaison. As LegislativeChair, I work with the liaisons to carry out our mission. Pleasemake sure you let me know the name, email address and phonenumber of your Legislative Liaison.
Our September Legislative Liaison Meeting was held inperson, rather than as a teleconference, at the convention so wecould meet face-to-face and get to know each other.Expectations of the group and each person’s role werediscussed. We had an excellent turnout for our OctoberTeleconference and discussed plans for meeting our locallegislators as a delegation at the yearly Local LegislativeDelegation Meetings. Our next Legislative Teleconference willbe held on Wednesday, December 3rd at 7:30 p.m. Clubs,please make sure your club is represented if your LegislativeLiaison is unable to attend.
Nancy Hurlbert and I are working on Tally Days. While afew very enthusiastic members have already volunteered tohelp with Tally Days, more help will be needed as the timeapproaches. Let either of us know if you would like to help.Tally Days will be held on March 29th, 30th & 31st for the 2015Legislative Session. Please read the flyer in this newsletter.TO MOVE LEGISLATION FORWARD – Contact yourLegislators Often by phone and in person.-U.S. Senators –-Sen. Bill Nelson– http://www.billnelson.senate.gov/ Tally -850-942-8415 – DC-202-224-5274-Sen. Marco Rubio- http://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/ Tally-850-599-9100 –DC -202-224-3041-Florida Senate - http://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/Find-Florida House of Representatives -http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Before the 2015 Legislative Session --Take a tour of the above sites – check bills, legislativetracking and learn about your representatives, etc. Indulgeyourselves.-Make appointments and visit your local legislators while theyare not in session. Focus on one or two issues. Work as ateam with your representatives. Go in small groups of 2 to 4persons.
The regular 2015 Florida Legislative Session conveneson March 3, 2015 and ends on May 1, 2015. That’s 60 days.It is our hope to having weekly Capitol Cadre Colleaguesappear in Tallahassee each week of the session, which is stillin the planning stages. Since this is an 8 ½ week period,DWCF should easily be able to make a strong present withover 40 clubs to facilitate this happening. Finally, it was my pleasure to present Senator ArtheniaJoyner with the 2014 Legislative Advocacy Award at theConvention Banquet for her persistent commitment to theequality of all people. When you meet Senator Joyner, youwill know that action speaks louder than words.Sen. Arthenia Joyner Accepting the DWCF 2014 Leg.Advocacy Award
Legislative chair’s report
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Florida Senator ArtheniaJoyner is shown aboveaccepting the DWCF2014 LegislativeAdvocacy Award at the2014 DWCF annnualconvention.
October 10, 2014
The Tampa Alumnae Chapter ofDelta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.congratulates Senator ArtheniaJoyner on her receipt of theDemocratic Women’s ClubLegislative Advocacy Award. Shecontinues to be a trailblazer and arole model for women everywhere.Senator Joyner is well known forthe great things she has done forFlorida and we are proud that she isa member of our chapter. Wesalute her continued achievementsand wish her well in her futureendeavors.
Dr. Leslie BrownDr. Leslie Brown, President
SAVE THE DATES!!TALLY DAYS: MONDAY, MARCH 30 and
TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015(Arrive Sunday, March 29th for the Board Meeting and
prepare for Lobby Days EARLY Monday!)
Four Points Sheraton Downtown Tallahassee316 West Tennessee Street
Call 1-850-422-0071 to reserve a room.You must say you are from DemocraticWomen's Club of Florida when making
reservation
Reserve at $129 per room double occupancy athttps://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarGroupsWeb/res?id=1406189141&key=22FD963C
Hotel reservation deadline: 3/14/2015 at 5 PM EST
Event registration deadline: 3/23/2015 Cost per attendee TBD
No walk-ins can be accepted
Each club is to bring a drawing gift worth a minimum of $25
The hotel is ADA compliant and accessible. The hotel has complimentary parking on afirst come first serve basis. Valet parking is available for $5.00 per day and $10.00overnight. Please contact hotel to arrange for bus parking. Indicate you are from theDemocratic Women's Club of Florida.
This is a great opportunity to learn first-hand about Florida legislative issues andadvocacy. In the past, attendees have left DWCF Tally Days feeling educated andinspired to fight that good fight!
More information forthcoming. Meanwhile...
SAVE THE DATES!!
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Three DWCF Members speak out on the amendments votedin Nov. Hear what Nancy Shipes, Jodi James & Milly Krause haveto say:
DWCF supported Amendments #1 & #2 and opposed #3.Three of every four voters OK'd Amendment 1, also called theFlorida Water and Land Legacy Amendment.NANCY SHIPES, Environmental Chair, speaks on Amendment#1-Thank you to all the DWCF members who handed outAmendment 1 literature, held presentations on Amendment 1 attheir meetings, spoke with voters and gave us an overwhelmingvictory for Florida's most fragile land and water areas. Yourdedication to Florida’s environment is going to make a huge,positive impact on the quality of water and life in Florida.Here’s how it will happen–
Take, as an example, the revenue collected in Fiscal Year2012/13 (the most recent full year’s data available) when Floridacollected $963,280,100 in Deed Transfer Tax (also known asDocument Stamps or Doc Stamps). [This figure comes fromhttp://dor.myflorida.com/dor/taxes/doc_stamp_coll.html . HadAmendment 1 been in place at that time, at least 33%, or$317,882,433 would have been placed into the Land AcquisitionTrust Fund. At an average cost of about $5,000 per acre, thiswould have meant nearly 64,000 acres could have beenprotected in just one year.
Now, beginning on July 1, 2015, and continuing for 20 years, this33% of document stamp funds may not be comingled with theGeneral Revenue Fund of the State and may only be used by theState to purchase land a specifically defined in the Amendment.This is a win-win for Florida.
While Amendment #2 didn’t reach the required 60% to pass, itdid garner more votes than the governor, but 58% of Floridavoters voted for it.
JODI JAMES, DWCF Member & CANS Executive Directorspeaks on the failure of Amendment #2 –Hard to believe any issue that receives 58% of the popular voteis a loser; but on November 4th – 42% of the voters made losersof us all. Polls show over 88% of Floridians support medical mari-juana, but Amendment 2 was the victim of over 5 million dollarsin advertising by the opposition. The Just Say No gang has beenin business a long time, spending tax dollars on anti-marijuanacampaigns, rallying soccer moms and compelling grandparentsto fear cannabis. Armed with big dollars from right wingers likeSheldon Adelson, the No on 2 Campaign used their bully pulpit todefeat a doctor’s right to recommend cannabis to patients. The opposition painted a picture of pot shops on every corner,teenagers getting cannabis from doctors and anyone getting can-nabis for any reason – THEN - 58% of voters said, “Yes!”Amendment 2 was never going to allow a pot shop on every cor-
ner or allow 13 year olds to have their own pot doc but it wouldhave allowed otherwise law-abiding citizens an additional treat-ment option. Honest, law-abiding citizens lost when Amend-ment 2 failed. When people who are fighting for their healthneed to fear the penalties for accessing a plant that is proveneffective, we’ve lost our humanity.Jodi James and the Florida Cannabis Action Network areheaded back to Tallahassee in the coming weeks to work toexpand Florida’s current medical law to include more disorders,more access and more opportunities for patients. Membershipin FLCAN starts at $35.00 a year. Contact Jodi @[email protected] KRAUSE, Legislative Chair, speaks on Amendment #3Amendment #3, The Florida Prospective Judicial Vacancies,was defeated since it only garnered 52% of the required 60%of the votes.
Amendment #3 would have empowered the Governor to filljudicial vacancies by appointing a justice or judge from amongat least three, but not more than six, candidates selected bythe judicial nominating commission. The measure would haveallowed the governor to "prospectively" fill a vacancy, meaningthat the governor would have not needed to wait until a judgecompletes his or her term to pick a successor in situation asdefined:
· Reaches the mandatory judicial retirement age of 70.· Fails to qualify for a retention election.· Fails to be retained through election.
The Failure of Amendment #3 means the person who willsucceed Gov. Rick Scott will have the power to namereplacement justices who are to be retained through election.We will need to continue to monitor the return of thisamendment to continue to defeat it. The year 2018 will onceagain be a very important election year.
Afterthoughts on Amendments #1, #2 & #3
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The Democratic Women’s Club of Southwest Broward County is upand running. The Region IX clubs were so warm and welcoming at theoriginal meeting in September that we were pumped up and ready to startour own chapter. At the October meeting, we got eleven paid memberssigned up and sent in our request for charter. I am so proud of the memberswho had little time to help organize the new chapter because they were busystomping for Charlie Crist. One of our members was the campaign managerin her district and had T-shirts made for her volunteers that read “CharlieCrist’s Angels”. She was kind enough to let us add $5.00 to each sale at theOctober meeting to support our fund-raising. Energy and enthusiasm isboundless and we are focusing on what to do NOW and to prepare for the2016 elections. Currently our focus is social justice and learning about ourown community and how we can help. When 90-year-old Arnold Abbott wasarrested for feeding the homeless in Ft Lauderdale we immediatelycontacted his non-profit “Love Thy Neighbor” to find out what we could do tohelp. Mr. Abbott was so impressed with our commitment, he offered to comespeak at one of our meetings. DWCSBC will be volunteering at hisWednesday and Sunday hot meals for the homeless and are currentlypenning a letter to the mayor of Ft. Lauderdale to change the ordnancewhich currently prohibits “sharing food” with the homeless. DWC of SWBroward will be chartered in January 2015 at the DWCF Quarterly BoardMeeting in Cocoa Beach.
Cora Lumpkin, DWCF Archivist, being shown theDWCF Archives by Baruk, Senior Archivist, at theUniversity of Central Florida Library SpecialCollections and Archives in November of 2014.
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Welcome DWC of SW Broward!
President Maureen McKenna attended the NFDW South RegionConference in Nashville on November 15, 2014.Pictured are Judy Durish, Volusia County, Vera Krukemier fromDWC of Volusia, Susanna French who is NFDW South RegionDirector, Dr. Rae Hertz from DWC of Pasco and Dr.Maureen McKenna, DWCF President .
Attendees to NFDW conference
Visiting DWCF archives
The photo is from the "DWCF table at the Hispanic Gala" for the Dem Hispanic Caucus.In the photo are Denise Gore, Jodi James, Seeta Begui, Patty Farley-Crutcher, Region VI Chair,and Terry Sanders
The National Federation of DemocraticWomen have two internship awards foryoung Democratic women.
The Rilla Moran Woods Internship is amonth-long internship with the DNCHeadquarters with a stipend of $3000.00 forexpenses. An applicant must be 18-25 yearsof age, and endorsed by her localDemocratic Women's Club and the StateFederation Democratic Women's Club. Shemust submit a letter of application detailingher academic standing, her politicalinvolvement and a 200-word essayexplaining why a month's internship at theDNC will help her with her political or careerAmbitions.
The second place winner will receivethe Agnes Bird Internship Award.
The Agnes Bird Internship is for twoweeks in the State Party office or aCongressional District office arranged bythe State Democratic Federation. and with astipend of $1500.00 for expenses.
The deadline for application is MAY 1,2015. Application rules are the same foreach award, as Agnes Bird Internship is forthe runner up.
These awards are presented at theNFDW National Convention each year. Thisyear the convention will be held in AtlanticCity, New Jersey in June.Interested Democratic women applicants 18thru 25 years old should fill out the formsand get their necessary endorsements andsend their application to Patricia Sirois forthe Awards Committee to review. Patricia’semail address and phone number are s onpage two of the application referencedbelow. Click on the link, below, to print theapplication
URL:http://www.nfdw.com/PDF/2015_NFDW_Internship_Application.pdf
Internship offeredPlan ahead to 2015
FDP Hispanic Caucus Gala
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Region IVCourtney Chaplin46 wood Center Lanepalm coast, Fl 32137Phone: 386-283-5188email: [email protected]
Region VJudy Meyers5340 Carlton RoadNew Port Richey, FL 34652Phone: 727-967-4257Email: [email protected]
Region VIPatricia Farley Crutcher101 Bay View DriveIndian Harbor Beach, FL 32937Phone: 321-773-2949Email: [email protected]
Region IMildred Hall9017 Turnberry CourtTallahassee, FL 32312Phone: 850-893-4736Email: [email protected]
Region IIJudy Byrne Riley1501 Bayshore DriveNiceville FL 32578Phone: 850-217-4003Email: [email protected]
Region IIIMary Lou Woods87 Village Del Lago CircleSt. Augustine, FL 32080Phone: 904-461-5408E-mail:[email protected]
Region VIISandra McClinton5028 Pelican Blvd.Cape Coral, FL 33914Phone: 239-471-7704Email: [email protected]
Region VIII
Susie Johnson4808 Boabadilla AvenueSebring, FL 33872Phone: 863-385-0008Email: [email protected]
Region IXMishell Warner571 NW 194 StreetMiami Gardens, FL 33169Phone: 786-367-7795
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Democratic Women’s Club of Florida by Region
Click here for standing committee chairs: http://www.dwcf.org/standing-committee-chairs/
Click here for special committees chairs: http://www.dwcf.org/special-committee-chairs/
Email: [email protected]
PRESIDENT
Dr. Maureen McKenna
Phone: 863-214-4680
Email: [email protected]
1ST VICE PRESIDENT
Nancy Hurlbert
Phone: 352-483-4962
Email: [email protected]
2ND VICE PRESIDENT
Dr. Sharlyn Roach
Phone: 301- 815 -5799
Email: [email protected]
RECORDING SECRETARY
Anna V. Eskamani
Phone: 407-376-3609
Email: [email protected]
TREASURER
Carol Flaumenhaft-King
Phone: 352-483-2011
Email: [email protected]
PAST PRESIDENT
Janet L. Goen
Phone: 727-937-8590
Email: [email protected]
PARLIAMENTARIAN
Vacant
SERGEANT AT ARMS
Sandra Cogley Brown
Phone: 850-628-4031
Email: [email protected]
CORRESPONDINGSECRETARY/NEWSLETTER
Judy A. Schnabel
Phone: 941-637-7014
Email: [email protected]
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Elected Officers Appointed Officers
