 |  | The fall kickoff was a great success!
We honored Judy Buchanan as the 2025 recipient of the Florence Fifer Bohrer Award, honoring her years of service to our League chapter, the McLean County community, and state of Illinois (see story below).
During the Conversation About Youth Civic Engagement, we heard about the great work being done to ensure that today’s students become engaged in the democratic process.
Karla Huffman and Sarah Tipton from Heartland Community College, Deborah Halperin from Illinois Wesleyan University, and Katy Strzepek from Illinois State University discussed how they work with and motivate students’ participation. When asked about perceived apathy in today’s college students, they responded that the students are enthusiastic about participating but are often overwhelmed by the voting process they are experiencing for the first time.
John Bierbaum, Normal Community West High School teacher, and Ayushi Patel and Natalia Schmeiser, NCWHS students, discussed their experiences serving as election judges at the November 2024 General Election. Bierbaum noted that 50 high school students served as election judges in the county.
Lynda Minor and Rhonda Kirts from the League of Women Voters of Champaign County did a presentation on their chapter’s Youth Ambasssador Program. They have worked with students in roughly half of the high schools in their county. The students attend monthly training events during the school year that prepare them to give 30-minute voter registration informational sessions and hold a voter registration event in their high school. The students are required to attend at least one League chapter event. Asked for their advice on starting a similar program in McLean County, they suggested we poll the membership for interest, commit financial resources, and meet with school administrators and teachers. They generously offered to share their experiences and resources.
I look forward to beginning a youth ambassador program in McLean County. With continued collaboration and community support, the League looks forward to nurturing the next generation of engaged citizens.
Thanks to Beth Porter for coordinating the event and to all the volunteers who made the evening possible—Madonna Courtright, Martha Everman, Janice Forrest, Theresa Garrett, Diana Hauman, Alexis Kalish, Gail Lamb, Carol Odekirk, Cathy Pratt, Jim Russell, Cyndy Ruszkowski, Andie Sa-Lewis, Jodi Sherman, Shay Simmons, Mark Swerdlik, Peggy Swerdlik, and Laurie Wollrab!
| | Honoring Judy Buchanan: Trailblazer, Advocate, Leader
By Beth Porter
The League of Women Voters of McLean County is honored to recognize Judy Buchanan as the 2025 recipient of the Florence Fifer Bohrer Award. The award celebrates individuals whose lives reflect the vision of Florence Fifer Bohrer—the first woman elected to the Illinois State Senate and a champion of civic responsibility and community service.
Photo caption: Judy Buchanan was awarded the Florence Fifer Bohrer award by President Chad Kahl. | | | No Kings 2 Rally
Saturday, Oct. 18, Noon
The League of Women Voters of McLean County will be a co-sponsor of the No Kings 2 Rally on Saturday, October 18 from 12-1 PM on the lawn in front of the Bloomington Center for Performing Arts (BCPA). Both the Illinois and National arms of the League of Women Voters have encouraged involvement in these rallies from local chapters to “support the Bill of Rights, oppose federal overreach, and reject cuts to essential services,” see also https://www.lwvil.org/news/action-alert-no-kings-2
We encourage members to attend. You can help us promote the event by using social media or making a phone call to encourage others to participate. LWVIL has provided signage that you can print and take along.
Several members will be distributing information, and if you would like to join in that effort, please meet in front of the McLean County Arts Center (just east of the BCPA) by 11:45 PM. No need to RSVP. | | | | 50501 Next on Drinks & Dialogue
Learn more about 50501 at the next Drinks & Dialogue October 29th, 5:30 PM, at Gill Street Sports Bar. Guests Dr. Michael Gizzi, ISU professor of criminal justice, and Brad Bell will share their involvement with 50501, a national grassroots movement with local community groups.
New? Never attended before? Drinks & Dialogue events combine social time with learning. Join us as we gather in an informal setting, get to know each other better, and learn together about a topic of current interest.
| | | | Welcome to Our Newest August Members!
By Beth Porter
Debra Brownstone
Karla Chandler-Huffman
Andrea L Herman
| | | The Illinois Budget & the Big, Beautiful Bill
Invitation from Peoria LWV
The Greater Peoria League of Women Voters has invited us to attend a special event. Ralph Martire, Executive Director of the nonpartisan Center for Tax and Budget Accountability will be speaking on the impact of HR1 (also known as the Big, Beautiful Bill) on the Illinois state budget and our local communities.
The presentation will be Oct. 30 at noon at the Illinois Central College Peoria campus. The presentation will be posted afterward on the LWV of Greater Peoria YouTube channel.
| | New Member Orientation
By Beth Porter, Membership Director
New member orientation meetings are offered every other month. Orientation meetings are designed to inform new and prospective League members about the League's history, structure, and opportunities for involvement; however, all members are welcome to attend and may invite a guest. The sessions will be one hour or less.
Wednesday, November 12, 2025, from 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Sign up on the League calendar by November 3 to receive your Zoom link via the email address you provide during the sign-up process.
Upcoming Orientation Meetings:
- January 13, 2026, via Zoom, 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., sign up before January 10, 2026
- March 5, 2026, in person, one hour before a League Board meeting. 4:00 p.m. until 5 p.m. at the Bloomington Public Library
- May 2, 2026, via Zoom, 9:30 a.m. until 10:00 a.m., sign up before April 29, 2026
| | |  | The Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2024 include classics like Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, a National Book Award Finalist and a Michael L. Printz Award recipient.
|  | Jodi Sherman (left) and Kyle Ciani shared voting resources, book suggestions and ever popular “positivity” stickers at the Bloomington Public Library’s Banned Books Kickoff.
| | |
League Informed Readers about Voting
Banned Books Event at Library
By Kyle Ciani, Voter Services Director
The Bloomington Public Library (BPL) kicked off its inaugural Banned Books Week event on October 4 and the League’s Voter Services Committee was there. Jodi Sherman and Kyle Ciani talked with patrons about the importance of connecting children and young adults to books about voting rights. They shared resources on the VOTE411 electronic tool, which guides users to registration information and candidate statements.
People also learned about the American Library Association’s guide to books geared to a variety of age groups that encourage voting and civic engagement. This guide offers suggestions for books to read to infants and Pre-K children and early learners K-2, and books for emerging, middle level and young adult readers.
Banned Books Week ran October 5-11 and is designed to educate readers of all levels that reading is a fundamental freedom to be enjoyed by all members of a society. The League thanks the BPL librarians for the opportunity to participate in this important event.
| Gun Violence Prevention Study Team--Update
By Faith Russell
On September 24, nineteen of our local members met on Zoom to consider 25 consensus questions provided by the LWVIL for updating the state Gun Violence Prevention position. The study team chaired by Cathy Lust had researched the questions and provided recommendations regarding their acceptance.
Members participating in this meeting agreed with the study team recommendations for 18 of the questions with no further discussion needed. However, in the Consensus Meeting, seven questions were considered in more detail. In these cases, members added caveats or edits before coming to consensus. These additional comments will be passed on to the state League.
Currently, the study team is preparing their final report which will be placed on the November local board agenda for final approval, then sent on to the LWVIL. Our local league has made an important contribution through this work which provides the foundation for future lobbying efforts and actions.
| | Save the Date!
Local Impact of Government Funding Actions
Think federal actions don't affect us here? Think again!
Our next community information program will feature the efforts of The Documentation Project, a newly-formed community organization. The group is recording the local human impacts of government actions and sharing information with the community. We will hear about how recent government funding actions will affect us here in McLean County. Free and open to the public.
Wednesday, November 19, 6:30 PM
Bloomington Public Library
| | | LWV of Greater Peoria Interviews US Rep. Eric Sorensen
The LWV of Greater Peoria offered our two members of Congress (Sorensen, IL-17, LaHood, IL-16) the opportunity to sit down for a 30-minute recorded discussion about the Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The League did interview Representative Eric Sorensen on September 23 about this legislation and other issues. (Note: The League did not receive a response from Rep. LaHood's office by its deadline.)
| Upcoming Events
LWV Holiday Social Gathering: Thursday, Dec. 4 at 6:00 PM.
Details to follow. | LWV in the News
Read LWVUS public statements about our actions to defend democracy.
Read LWVIL published news and media coverage.
| League of Women Voters of McLean County
P.O. Box 932, Normal, IL 61761
Email: info@lwvmclean.org
Web: lwvmclean.org | |