|
|
|
Committees |
|
 Community
Services Committee
This area of the LWV covers projects and
programs that involve outreach to the larger
community. Publicity, publications (i.e. Know
Your Town -- a guide to local officials),
Staples Tuition Grant, the Memorial Day
Parade, our website, and our three school
programs -- 1st Grade Recycling, 7th Grade
Voter Education and High School Civics --
all fall under the jurisdiction of Community
Services. Getting the word out to the public
about what we are doing strengthens the
League's ability to be effective and brings
us new members. |
|
Scholarships
Since 1990, the League of Women Voters of Westport has awarded a tuition
scholarship to a female Staples graduate who has shown civic responsibility or
plans to major in political science, social studies, or history in college. |
Member
Services Committee
The major
responsibilities of the Member Services
Committee are membership recruitment,
retention and involvement. It is responsible
for a variety of membership events
throughout the year including the Fall
Brunch, Post-Election Coffee, Holiday Lunch,
Winter Warm-Up Supper, Tag Sale and Annual
Meeting & Breakfast.
The Committee also publishes
the monthly Westport Voter and the
annual Member Handbook and maintains a
Telephone Tree and League answering machine
in order to communicate with members. A
database of information required by the
state and national Leagues is administered
by the Member Services Committee. |
| Program/Advocacy
Committee |
|
Program |
|
|
League program is central to achieving our purpose. It consists of issues that
League members choose for concerted study and action.
The program process begins with research, study, and discussion and culminates
in action and change. When the League makes an issue part of program, a
committee is formed and a study is launched. This leads to consensus and a
position on the issue. League action is based on our positions as well as on the
five founding principles. Program can be at the local, state, or national level. |
|
Observer Corps |
|
|
Members of the Observer Corps are the ears of the League at public meetings.
Observers regularly share their observations and, in the process, learn a great
deal about these governmental bodies -- how they function and what issues merit
League attention. Participants in the Observer Corps limit their role to
observation. They do not speak, testify, or act in any way in support of League
positions on issues under discussion. |
|
Action Committee |
|
|
This
committee meets on an ad hoc basis as issues
of interest to the League arise. It follows
these issues as they develop and, based on
information from both the Observer Corps and
the local press, determines a course of
action. Action may take the form of
meetings with elected or appointed
officials, statements at public meetings,
letters, or articles for the local
papers. |
| Voters Services Committee |
The Voters Services
Committee strives to increase citizen
participation in the electoral process and
to increase political awareness in a
nonpartisan manner. Each year, the committee
creates a Voters Guide which contains information
on candidates and issues for the upcoming
elections. The Voters Guide is distributed
to every household in Westport. During the
fall, the committee holds candidate forums
to enable citizens to increase their
awareness of candidates' positions on the
issues.
The committee recruits other
community organizations to be co-sponsors.
Questions from the audience highlight voter
concerns and issues. During the year, the
committee holds special voter registration
events and assists, when appropriate, with
absentee ballots. Also, "Get Out the
Vote" campaigns are developed as
another way to encourage local citizens to
participate in the electoral process. |
|
|
Community Services