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Happy New Year and Welcome to 2025! As we move into this year with fewer ballots, there are still plenty of projects that need our attention, and we look forward to impactful local engagement in Orange County.
It is a good time to remember that the League of Women Voters has different levels (local, state, and national) and each focuses on issues and legislation at their level. National (lwv.org) pays special attention to things in Washington. State (lwvfl.org) deals with decisions being made Tallahassee. And, well, the League of Women Voters of Orange County (lwvoc.org) monitors things right here in Central Florida.
Of course, many issues manifest themselves at more than one level. Similarly, residents of Orange County care about and are impacted by issues at every layer of government. It’s just that, from a League point of view, the leadership on an issue comes from the level best equipped to have an impact.
This is important at this time when some of the issues that the League typically advocates for seem a little less likely to get attention in Washington and Tallahassee. So, trusting that our national and state folks are monitoring those domains and will call us to action when necessary, we can focus on what might need our attention in Orange County. And there is plenty! I hope you will be part of the process of identifying the areas in which we can have the greatest impact. One area particularly on my mind is all things having to do with regional growth (such as the rural boundary, transportation, and attainable housing). What’s on our mind?
Later this month (Saturday morning, January 25 th ), we will have our Annual Planning Meeting (register here). We will hear about the successes of the last year and emerging plans for the coming year. We will engage in lively conversation and create input for the Board’s consideration. All League members are encouraged
to attend… but our friends and those considering membership are welcome as well.
Now that you’ve turned your calendar to the new year, be sure to mark the date – and don’t forget to assist our planning by taking a moment to register – as we make our plans to move forward together!
Yours in Service,
Kathy
*Want to know about how the state and national Leagues work? Kathy will be offering Zoom sessions on each. The state offerings will be Thursday, January 23 from 12-1 pm and Tuesday, January 28 from 7:30-8:30 pm (check our Events calendar for links) National offerings will be scheduled in February.
Our Orange County Constitutional Officers will be sworn in on Wednesday, January 8, in a joint ceremony at Jones High School. (For more information and to reserve a free ticket Click HERE )
The fifteen members of the Orange County Legislative Delegation will gather Thursday, January 9, to hear input from local governmental agencies (9 am -12 pm) and citizen and local organizations (starting at 2 pm). LWVOC President Kathy Schmitz is planning to speak during the afternoon session. | | Thank you to all our members for your incredible support of our mission and goals this year. A special shoutout to those who have gone above and beyond by providing additional financial support—whether through general donations, joining the Giving Society as charter members, contributing at donor levels, or partnering with us as sponsors. We deeply appreciate your generosity!
LWVOC 1st VP and Fund Development Chair, Lee Rambeau-Kemp | | | Immigration: What is next for Central Florida?
The LWVOC will host its first 2025 Hot Topics on Jan. 8
Immigration advocates are concerned about what may happen after Jan. 20 since President-elect Donald Trump has vowed mass deportations of millions of undocumented immigrants. The Jan. 8 Hot Topics discussion will focus on how Central Florida and its residents may be affected by sweeping deportation orders.
Some questions to be discussed:
--What steps are immigrants in the community taking to prepare themselves and their families?
--How will farming, construction and domestic labor be affected? Will a labor shortage lead to higher prices?
--What can local communities do — if anything?
WESH 2 Anchor Nancy Alvarez, the child of Cuban immigrants, will moderate the discussion. The panel includes:
|  | | JANUARY 14, 6PM
Virtual-ZOOM New Member Welcome
Zoom in and learn all about your League of Women Voters of Orange County.
Start the new year with the information you need to become an informed and involved participant.
|  | What is the PURPOSE of our annual planning meeting?
-Setting priorities for grassroots involvement for the upcoming 2025-26 year
How do we IDENTIFY possible areas of advocacy?
-We engage our members through roundtable discussion and reflection on the past year's
accomplishments
When are those priorities DEFINED and what happens NEXT?
-Members are polled during the meeting and the results move on to the Board for final
discussion and future presentation at our Annual Meeting
*Members, log into the system first and
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| 48th Annual MLK Parade Celebration
JAN 18th, 2PM (Please note this is a corrected date from last week.)
Ready to march in a parade? Join fellow Leaguers as we join this historic parade marching in support for #Votes4All. This year’s theme, “Illuminating Tomorrow Together,” celebrates unity, progress, and hope for the future.
We ask marchers to wear red tops/blk or blue pants. A convertible will be available. All are welcome.
Click the link below to join us. Be sure to log into the system as a member first!
| | | | SPECIAL REMEMBRANCE
Andrea Kobrin, a long time League member, passed away in December. Andrea co-chaired Hot Topics with Ann Hellmuth and helped make it the keystone event for LWVOC. She was also Co-Chair of the Government Committee and a very involved Leaguer.
There will be a memorial service for her on Thursday January 9th at the Mayflower from 4-7PM.
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Stephen Rosenberg, Giving Society, in memory of Beverly Rosenberg
Kathy Sheerin, Giving Society, in honor of the democracy defenders of Voter Services Committee
Patricia Grierson, generous gift to the LWVOC Fund
Eithne J. Clarke, generous gift to the LWVOC Fund
Elizabeth A. Jackson, generous gift to the LWVOC Fund | |
Patricia Bowman, generous gift to the LWVOC Fund
Douglas Bowman, generous gift to the LWVOC Fund
Gloria D. Pickar, Giving Society, a generous gift to LWVOC Fund
Paula S. Krist, generous gift to LWVOC Fund
Barbara Kohlhaas, generous gift to LWVOC Fund
Elizabeth F. Hunt, generous gift in honor of Nancy Nix
| | | Sponsors are vital to our work to empower voters by providing timely information for the benefit of non-partisan civic engagement in our community.
To further explore how becoming a Hot Topics Sponsor can align with your business goals, please contact LWVOC Vice President, Lee Rambeau Kemp HERE
A range of sponsorship levels are available. |  |  | | 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 this citizen initiative on the 2026 ballot. Please sign your own petition. Those who signed prior to 2024 will need to sign the new petition.
Learn how YOU can become an active volunteer here: https://www.floridarighttocleanwater.org/resources | |