| You’re used to seeing our LWVOC teams at voter info tables, working the polls, or moderating candidate debates—but our impact goes far beyond the ballot box. We’re also on the front lines of advocacy for life-saving issues.
Huge thanks to Jill and Paul Heroux, Cheyenne Drews (below left), and our Co-Chair Linda Coffin (below right ctr) of the Gun Violence Prevention Committee. Alongside the Veterans Crisis Line, they stepped up at two Back-to-School events on July 26. Together, they distributed around 50 gun locks and over 200 info cards to help families understand the critical importance of securing firearms away from children.
This is what democracy in action looks like—protecting lives while empowering communities. JOIN US
"One 7 year old boy looked at me with such sad eyes. He then told me his friend found his dad’s gun and shot himself. My heart broke…our children should not have access to guns. Our work is so important...." -Linda Coffin
| | LWVOC also participated on the 26th at the Back-to-School event at Colonial HS. This event was manned by Trudy Boston and Mary Montanus, shown left.
Check Volunteering Opportunities page often and sign up. *We table and sometimes provide power points to provide voter registration and civic information at the following opportunities. For Voter Registration, you must have taken and passed the League voter registration test HERE | | |  | The Center for Independent Living celebrated the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and revealed a historical marker honoring Beverly Chapman who was instrumental in creating the Epass system, for greater accessibility in paying tolls. She was also named ‘Disabled Person of the Year’ in 1993. Leaguers pictured: Karolyn Campbell, Marilyn Baldwin and Jane Hursh
|  | Being a Leaguer means being together! Mary Dipboye and Christine Hammock put together a gathering at the Winter Park Pines clubhouse, where League members socialized and had the chance to connect with others in their zip code. Co-President Kathy Schmitz joined in, sharing some encouraging words!
Engage your social circle. Share this newsletter, invite them to a Hot Topics, and if they'd like to learn more about LWVOC, direct them to our About Us page here. | | |
| League of Women Voters Stands with Orange County Commissioners
The League of Women Voters strongly supports the Orange County Commission members who are being threatened by the Florida Attorney General and Governor. We have a long-standing history of supporting home rule and local government.
The Orange County Mayor and Commissioners are our duly elected officials, and their role is to act in the best interest of the county. Their decision not to assist ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) was thoughtfully made with input from the community. It is inappropriate for Attorney General Uthmeier to threaten to remove them from office and for Governor DeSantis to indicate his willingness to do so.
Stay Informed
Both members and non-members can sign up for email alerts to receive timely updates or community action not in the newsletter. Use this simple form. | | |  |
CLICK below to view a short "how-to video" on our YouTube channel and start your volunteering era with the League.
AUG 2, 9am Gun lock giveaway
Barnett Park Comm. Ctr.
AUG 3, 9am Gun lock giveaway
Children's Safety Village
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Check Volunteering Opportunities page often and sign up. For Voter Registration, you must have taken and passed the League voter registration test HERE
AUG 6, 6:30pm, Votechella
Celebration of the Voting Rights Act
AUG 20, 7pm, Social Justice Book Club
The book is “Autocracy, Inc: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World" by Anne Applebaum.
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The AUG 13th Hot Topics panel will look at a voucher law that helps parents pay for homeschooling or private schools and also will discuss how public school students and the community are being adversely affected. These programs and how education money is being siphoned from public schools will be the focus of the League of Women Voters of Orange County’s Aug. 13 Hot Topics lunch and panel discussion — “Diverted Dollar$: The Real Cost of School Choice.” Read the full press release here.
Beth Kassab, editor of the Winter Park Voice will be moderator for the AUG 13 Hot Topics. Panelists include:
- Stephanie Vanos, member of the OCPS School Board
- Annie Martin, an investigative reporter for the Orlando Sentinel with extensive work on education stories
- Dr. Norín Dollard, Senior Policy Analyst with Florida Policy Institute
- Dr. Tashanda Brown-Cannon, Chief Academic Officer at OCPS
Special book collection at the August Hot Topics! Details below. And this month, Scott Hottenstein will be hosting a Hot Topics Overtime after the program on the 2nd floor of the WPEC. More details to follow soon.
| WE WANT TO SEE YOU! When you're volunteering or attending a League event, take some pics and share them. Email: lisa.lwvoc@gmail.com
Our goal is to highlight as many of you as possible so send those selfies and quick pics of you and your fellow Leaguers.
Also, TAG us in your social media if you're sharing event pics or updates. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Threads as LWVOC or simply search League of Women Voters of Orange County. | | | |
LAST DAY TO REGISTER is August 4 for:
Special Election on Sept. 2,
Senate District 15
State Representative District 40
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Join us for the “People Power Block Party” Wed. Aug. 6, 6:30-8:30 pm at the Callahan Neighborhood Center, 101 N. Parramore Ave., Orlando, 32801, including food, remarks and music, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. The Voting Rights Act was
signed into law on August 6, 1965, a landmark in the fight for civil rights and participatory democracy. Various organizations, including the League of Women Voters, are coming together to celebrate the protections it promised and empower each other.
| | | | Some of the elected officials attending include: Orange County Supervisor of Elections Karen Castor Dentel, State Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis, Rep. Anna Eskamani, Senator Kristen Arrington, Rep. Johanna Lopez, Rep. Bruce Hadley Antone, and more. The goal of the Act was to eliminate discriminatory practices that had historically prevented Black and other groups of color from exercising their right to vote. While this law was enacted 60 years ago, much has been eroded and minority communities continue to face barriers to casting their vote. | | Today is the LAST DAY to give to our Summer Matching Campaign! Double your IMPACT and help us win this game-set-MATCH!
Thank you to following donors who are helping us win this MATCH! | | Martin and Wendy Derrow, a generous gift to the LWOC Fund
Elizabeth K. Bosserman, in memory of Terry Gillam
Nancy E. Flaherty, a generous gift to the LWVOC Fund
Caroline Emmons-Shramm, a generous gift to the LWVOC Fund and a new member of the Hot Topics Sponsors-Voting Voices | | Barbara D. Granade, Giving Society Member
Kay Hudson, in memory of Terry Gillam
Robert & Mary C. Dipboye, Giving Society Member
Leslie B. Feinberg, a generous gift to the LWVOC Fund | | | | |  | | Kimberly Buchheit
Taryn Young
Terry Kinane
Rose Kinane
Roberta Johnson
Lawrence Guerra (Associate Mmbr)
Cherish Adams
Emma Thompson
Visit JOIN HERE and learn about becoming a Leaguer!
SHARE this newsletter with your social and family circle so they can see the great benefits of becoming a Leaguer! |  |
SEE ABOVE
Visit our new Donate page to learn more about the many ways you can support the LWVOC.
Remember, after you join or renew on our national LWVUS page, return to our
local Donate page for a direct gift to the League of Women Voters of Orange County. | | |
Sponsors are vital to our work to empower voters by providing timely information for the benefit of non-partisan civic engagement in our community and we have a range of sponsorship levels available. To further explore how to become a sponsor, please contact LWVOC Vice President and Fund Development Chair Lee Rambeau Kemp HERE
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