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Date: 1/29/2026
Subject: LWVOC Newsletter & Events
From: Lisa K Adkins


The LWVOC held its Annual Program Planning Meeting Jan. 24 at the Winter Park Community Center and celebrated our many League committees, their achievements in 2025 and focused on goals for 2026. Much appreciation goes out to the teams who helped put the event together, especially our Board members and to all in attendance, we appreciate your input and enthusiasm for the upcoming year! (photos by Carol Wonsavage)
Photo Album HERE  Shown below l-r: Sandy McAdams, new member, Lee Rambeau Kemp, Virginia Meany, Marilyn Baldwin and a room full of committed Leaguers!
Jean Yglesias took this quick snapshot of Linda Coffin and Sue Foreman.
Anne Patton snapped a pic of Gina Hall taking table comments for upcoming plans.

Leaguer Life Lately

 
Giselle Martinez and Virginia Meaney (Paul & Jill Heroux not shown) of the Immigration Committee were at this week's Immigration press conference in Tallahassee! They joined with Hope CommUnity Center and other immigration partners to lobby for the Visible Act and other bills that positively impact the immigrants in Florida.
 
Giselle Martinez y Virginia Meaney (Paul y Jill Heroux no aparecen) del Comité de Inmigración estuvieron en la conferencia de prensa sobre inmigración de ayer en Tallahassee. Se unieron al Hope CommUnity Center y a otros socios de inmigración para abogar por la Ley Visible y otros proyectos de ley que tienen un impacto positivo en los inmigrantes de Florida.
 
Click HERE to learn more about our IMMIGRATION COMMITTEE.
Connect the Dots with Kam: Bridging Policy and Everyday Life is a series of reflections from Leaguer Kamalakar Shenai. These will be a combination of reposts from other media as well as pieces written from a League perspective.
The Kitchen Table Gap: Why Nobody's Listening Anymore:
"Politicians use big, fancy words. Regular folks hear confusing talk and tune out."
Our Nominating Committee is in the process of interviewing prospective members of the 2026-2027 Board of Directors. Our board guides our priorities, encourages members in their activism and supports League efforts to defend democracy. If you feel called to serve the League in this capacity, please contact Kay Hudson lwvkay@gmail.com or any member of the Nominating Committee: Sandi Vidal, Gina Hall, Kathy Sheeran and Joan Erwin.
Getting away from it all! The Natural Resources Committee took a lovely mid-winter hike at D Ranch Preserve in Seminole County followed by lunch at the Osteen Diner. If this is your vibe, click the link above to join their group...enjoying and advocating for Florida's magnificent natural resources!
JANUARY has been a great start for joining new members. They've RESOLVED to be INVOLVED!
 
Eva Macias
Riley Blum
RK Kelley
Alexandria Karapondo
Ina Haughton
Gregory Golden
 
Deborah Lederer Holly Rogers Susan Spradley Anne Thomas

Larry Colleton JoAnn Gatlin Ella Tamashasky Angie Gardner
 
Share this newsletter and encourage your friends and family to JOIN HERE
*Current members, don't forget that you'll be renewing through our national LWVUS site! Watch your email for reminders!

Upcoming Events

Details on Events Calendar and Volunteering Opportunities
FEB-JUN, 2-5:00pm
Observe City of Orlando Council meetings and submit for posting on LWVOC website. Meetings are held on 2nd and 4th Mondays at 2- 5 p.m. Observe in-person at City Hall or online: City Council Meeting - City of Orlando.
 
FEB-JUN, 1:30 & 7:00pm
Observe Apopka City Council Meetings and submit for posting on LWVOC website. Meetings are 1st Wed of monthly at 1:30 p.m. & 3rd Wed monthly at 7 p.m. Observe in-person at City Hall or online at Live streaming on YouTube
 
FEB 9, starting at 8:45pm
We will be giving presentations and registering students to vote along with staff from the Supervisor of Elections office. All volunteers must have taken and passed the LWVFL Voter Registration Assistance Quiz and be registered with Orange County Public Schools as ADDitions Volunteers for Apopka High School.
FEB 11, doors open 10:30am
Open to all, register EARLY!
 
FEB 11, 10:30am-1:30pm
Sell League branded merchandise
 
FEB 13, starting at 7am
We will be giving presentations and registering students to vote along with staff from the Supervisor of Elections office. All volunteers must have taken and passed the LWVFL Voter Registration Assistance Quiz and be registered with Orange County Public Schools as ADDitions Volunteers for Oak Ridge High School.
 
>>Check out our Volunteering page for more ways to get involved.  
Several opportunities available that you can do from home!
 
>>Click How to Volunteer video for easy instructions!  Volunteer opportunities are open to League members only.
 
NEEDED:  Voter Outreach volunteers who speak Spanish or Haitian Creole!!  Please contact>> Saudi Ellis
Celebrate the 100 years of highlighting Black History with us at the FEB 11 Hot Topics. We're hosting a special conversation between two authors, Dr. Marvin Dunn and Dr. Rebekah McCloud. Dr. McCloud will be interviewing Dr. Dunn about his book:
A History of Florida: Through Black Eyes (2016)
LWVOC is pleased to welcome the “Friends of the League” team as NEW Silver Sponsors for our Hot Topics program. We extend heartfelt thanks to these Leaguers who have stepped up to support the League's monthly keystone event. Keep scrolling for a full list of Hot Topics sponsors.
 
Curious about becoming our next sponsor?
For more information, contact: Lee Rambeau Kemp.

$upport your LWVOC

Details on Giving page HERE
Join Us for an Evening of Vision & Action: Protecting Our Water Future, FEB 17
You’re invited to an inspiring evening with two remarkable environmental leaders who are transforming how we safeguard America’s most precious resource—our freshwater.
Click HERE to register.
Over wine and artisanal bites, discover the innovative strategies emerging from Florida and Colorado, where citizens are pioneering new approaches to ensure clean, abundant water for drinking and thriving ecosystems.
Special Guests:
Former LWVOC president and American Rivers lobbyist, Deirdre Macnab, recapping western efforts and Dr. Leslie K.Poole, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at Rollins College catching us up on our local water battles.
Candice Hoke, generous gift in memory of Getsy Horton Hoke
 
LWVOC offers multiple ways to $upport our non-profit with giving preferences such as "planned giving" as well as our "Giving Society".  Explore these and more on our Giving page HERE.  Contact Lee Rambeau Kemp if you have questions.

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

Also, check out our NEW Fund Development Committee page if you'd like to become more involved in our efforts.
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