Congratulations to the four Leagues awarded Daniel Scharfman Citizen Education Grants. The total amount dispersed in this cycle for the four grants was $924.
For information on the grant program, click here.
The grant program offers funds to help Leagues carry out events and projects in the areas of citizen education and voter service. Generous contributions to the Lotte E. Scharfman Education Fund have made this successful grant program possible. Please consider donating to the fund. Donations can be made through the website, lwvma.org. A big thank you to those of you who have donated in the past, making this grant program possible.
LWV Bedford “Public News, Public Responsibility” Program
The Bedford League of Women Voters and The Bedford Citizen, a local online newspaper, will co-sponsor a public program this spring. A primary objective for both organizations is to support informed and involved citizenry. The League’s Observer Corp is equivalent to the electronic reporting on Town boards and committees by The Bedford Citizen. This similarity may provide a model for local Leagues to perpetuate the contribution of Leagues to their communities.
LWV Needham “League Friday Forums”
LWV Needham is holding a series of “League Friday Forums.” The forums are designed to present a community perspective on a local, state, or national issue. Unlike other forums, these are held in the daytime, and LWV Needham hopes to attract a new group of people who cannot come to evening forums. The forums are held at the Needham Public Library, and topics in 2014-15 include: “What’s Happening in Downtown Needham?” (Sept.); “Domestic Violence: A Needham Concern?” (Oct.); “The Politics of Food: The Local Perspective” (Nov.); “First Responders: How is Needham Prepared for Emergencies?” (Feb.); and, “Meet Needham’s Legislators” (March).
LWV Sharon-Stoughton “Sharon at Your Fingertips”
The Sharon-Stoughton League will participate in Sharon’s 250th Anniversary celebration by updating its booklet, “Sharon at Your Fingertips,” and posting it on its new website. This publication was written by a local League committee as a citizen’s guide to the town of Sharon in 1985; updating it with 2015 information will give Sharon residents a well-organized, searchable guide to town government, as well as contact information for local departments and officials. Once the digital version of the booklet is updated and posted on the website, LWV Sharon-Stoughton will print a limited number of hard copies for distribution, plus 1000 postcards with Sharon voter information. LWV Sharon-Stoughton will also print 500 postcards for the town of Stoughton, so that its residents can find updated voter information specific to their town on the League’s new website: www.SharonStoughtonLWV.org.
LWV Winchester Public Programs
LWV Winchester will hold two programs that will be open and advertised to the general public. The programs are: “Campaign Finance Reform: Democracy in the Balance” (Jan. 29), a presentation by LWV Board member Launa Zimmaro at the Winchester Public Library; and, “Is There a Better Approach for Winchester to Serve the Health Insurance Needs of Town Employees?” (Feb. 6), featuring invited speakers, to be held at the Sanborn House, Winchester.