| A special joint announcement from the League of Women Voters Orange County and the League of Women Voters of Florida: League of Women Voters Response to Gov. DeSantis Suspension of State Attorney Monique Worrell
ORLANDO, Fla. – The League of Women Voters of Florida and the League of Women Voters of Orange County express strong condemnation of the suspension of democratically elected Orange and Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell.
“Removing State Attorney Worrell and in turn subverting the will of voters in Orange and Osceola counties is a deeply troubling violation of the principles of democracy and undermines the very essence of our representative governance,” said Tiffany Hughes, president of the League of Women Voters of Orange County. “Removal of an elected official through means that disregards democratic processes is a grave concern for the integrity of our democracy.”
|  |  | Aug. 9 Hot Topics, Superhero Buildings- As Central Florida endured an excessive heat warning, the panel discussion probed how the energy efficiency of new construction and existing buildings can be dramatically improved and then combined with renewable energy to drastically reduce energy use. In addition to the program, the well attended HT Overtime offered attendees more chances to ask questions. If you missed it, click to read a RECAP of the event as well as the "Call to Acton" steps that can help you make a difference. A YouTube recording will be offered soon.
Shown above, L-R: Lee Rambeau Kemp, 1st VP, LWVOC; Mary Dipboye-Chair Energy/Natural Resources; moderator George Waldenberger, panelists-Lisa Pearcy, Ashley P Van Stone, Philip Fairey, Philip Donovan
Shown below, L-R: Rory Salimbene, Senior Facilities Exec. Director, OCPS; Mary Dipboye, Susan Windmiller-Hot Topics Committee Chair; Second Row L-R: Philip Donovan, Ashley P Van Stone |  | |
For the first time, Hot Topics will be hosting a Hispanic Heritage celebration! Join us next month to hear the inspiring stories of our panel shown above. | | LEAGUE TREASURE SERIES, Pt. 3
Barbara Knapp
The Orange County League and its activities have been so personally meaningful and vital to our community that some members have continued their commitment over decades. To salute them, the Membership and History committees this spring began a series of profiles of our long-time members so we can find inspiration in their stories and get to know one another better. Today’s profile of Barbara Knapp was written by Ann Patton.
Barbara Knapp was just 9 years old when her widowed mother took her and her sister Vivienne on a wild adventure: “We left our homeland, war-torn London, England, and set sail for seven days to cross the Atlantic to whatever was in our future in America,” Barbara remembers.
| | | The Post Secondary Education Outreach Committee teamed with Full Sail University at Full Sail's Health Fair on August 2. League volunteers Barbara Grodin, Mary Montanus, Sylvia McMillon and Terry Osborne introduced the LWVOC and supplied voting information to an enthusiastic group of students, as well as faculty and administrators. Many new members were enlisted.
*Shown below L-R with students: Terry Osborne, Barbara Grodin, Sylvia McMillon, Mary Montanus |  |  | | |  | | VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Hot Topics team needs help with checking in attendees, etc. Contact Pat Grierson for more information.
Also needed, event photographers and writers to summarize the program. Contact Susan Windmiller for more information. |  | Are you a LWVOC member that wants to make a big contribution to the League’s efforts to GET OUT THE VOTE while at your computer in your bathrobe?
Supporting VOTE411 may be just the volunteer activity that you are looking for.
We need a detail person who is comfortable with databases and websites.
If interested, contact:
Terry Gillam
407-222-8432
or
Kathy Sheerin
407-748-1198 | | |
 | | Yanique Moodie
Kodi Swank
Ernest Pollus
William English
Robert Garcia
Candace Been
Okechukwu Ezekwesili
|  | This could be you! $upport LWVOC
Honor or recognize someone with a donation.
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- An amendment to limit government interference with abortion-- The coalition "Floridians Protecting Freedom" has launched a citizen-led ballot initiative campaign to give women the right to seek abortions up to viability. Learn how to become a Reproductive Freedom volunteer here.
- The East Central Florida region is made up of Brevard, Glades, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, St. Lucie & Volusia Counties. We are gearing up for the next wave of volunteer organizing and we need your help. Contact admin@wvswfl.com, the regional organizer with answers to these questions and for more info:
1. How much time each week do you have available for volunteering?
2. Where are you located?
3. Is there a HUB in your area?
4. What type of volunteer efforts are you looking for? (Event canvassing, sorting/curing petitions, setting up a HUB, hosting a petition party)
| | |  | 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 the citizen initiative on the 2024 ballot.
| | |  | Climate First Bank is our Platinum Sponsor. The bank will be supporting LWVOC Hot Topics events for 2023. Climate First Bank is the world's first FDIC-insured community bank founded to combat the climate crisis. Climate First Bank offers a complete, full-service portfolio of simple and easy-to-use traditional banking products designed to do good for people and the planet. Please follow this link to learn more: climatefirstbank.com | |