Join Us for Communications Cafe!
By Barbara Klein, LWVOR 1st Vice President and Communications Chair
Introducing Our New Communications Chair
I would like to introduce myself to all League members around Oregon. More importantly, I would like to introduce the new role developed for LWVOR that establishes a Communications Chair. It’s this role that I am assuming as one of the new state Vice Presidents.
Our new LWVOR president (and immediate past VP), Lisa Bentson is eager to expand communications among League members. It’s one of her top goals. You may have noticed that during the past few years we have offered a great deal more communication and information to members. Becky Gladstone (the past LWVOR president) started the “lateral” meetings which encouraged members with specific roles to talk with those in the same role from other local Leagues. If you have ever attended one, you know they often share interesting and helpful information.
As past president, Becky G is still in the loop for interacting with LWVOR. Additionally, despite Becky’s “retirement” (which I describe tongue-in-cheek), we maintain the institutional memory of our hardworking and creative staff, Abby Hertzler and Sarah Andrews. They are part of the communications committee along with other members, like Diana DeMaria who is the liaison to the Youth Council and Mimi Alkire who, as Secretary, keeps it all on track.
For years, the Action Committee, which is now chaired by our other new VP, Jean Pierce, has met regularly during legislation season. The dialogue between members on that committee is instructional and in-depth.
Recounting all this is to recognize that our League has made great strides to keep members informed. That doesn’t mean we can’t improve or expand our efforts.
Communications Cafe
Drawing on Becky G’s ‘lateral meetings,’ we would like to see a similar approach (maybe even with more fun) to bring our League members together from across the state. Fun may be down the road, as right now it seems that the “Transition” of the League of Women Voters nationwide is on everyone’s mind.
Most all of us have read some facts about the transition, but may still feel a bit unsure. I know my own local League (Rogue Valley) has been trying to gather information for a year. We get the picture, but maybe not the whole movie. We could all help each other more.
Later this summer, now that the national convention is over, we hope to have a Communications Cafe especially to discuss the details or questions some of us may still have for our local Leagues about the transition. We want this change to go smoothly.
I hope League members do not interpret our get-togethers as a time when they are going to be asked to do more. We KNOW you already do a lot. Our goal is truly better dialogue, better exchanges, better interactions.
Our one ‘ask’ will be that EVERY local League assign at least one person to attend the Communications Cafes (more always welcome). These people can report back to their local leagues.
I look forward to our first Cafe (virtual of course).