Board of Directors
 |  |  |
| President | Vice President | Treasurer |
| Sue Theden | Jennifer Derrickson | Christina Hiltrop |
 |  |  |
| Secretary | Member-at-Large | Member-at-Large |
| Valerie Hanserd | Paulette Gilbert | Patty Stadelman |
 |  |  |
| Voter Service Co-Chair | Communications | Membership |
| Carol Bailey | Joan Sage | Teresa Hill |
LWVGR Board of Directors meetings are held the third Wednesday of each month at 5:30pm. The membership is encouraged to attend. Please contact the League President to be included on the Zoom notification or meeting location.
LWVGR Committees
How to attend remote League committee meetings: Email the committee chair and ask how the committee is meeting during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many meet on a regular basis using Zoom. Accounts are free for basic services.
Issues and Action committees
The Issues and Action committees are the basis of the League of Women Voters mission strategy. These committees follow and act upon legislation and issues affecting League positions. These positions can be found at the state League website, by accessing the guide, Where We Stand. New members or interested observers are welcome to attend the committee meetings.
Interested in League issues? Contact the Issues Committee Chair, Claire McIntyre.
Each LWVGR committee presents at least one League/public educational event each year. These general interest meetings held once a month and are open to the public.
Communications Committee
The Communications Committee informs members and the public of League events and issues important on the local, state and national levels using marketing, media, and technology. Website, social media, email, e-commerce, and printed collateral are created and distributed by the committee. For branding and logo usage, inclusion in the media and/or public event list servers, or to volunteer, please contact the Chair. Those with an interest in the arts and communications, especially social media and design, are encouraged to join the committee.
Chair, Joan Sage.
Diversity Committee
The Diversity Committee is a research group formed to recommend strategy and tactics needed to have the local League representative of our community by culture, race, age, politics, and economic status. LWVGR wishes to be a complete reflection of the Winnebago and Boone County demographics and mind-set. Our short-term goal is to collect data through both a member and a non-member survey regarding views and attitudes toward the LWVGR and diversity in its membership. The non-member survey will be available soon, while the member survey will be completed this summer. The committee is in the recruitment process. Both League and non-League members are welcome.
Chair: TBA.
Education Committee
The Education Committee follows developments in federal and state legislation as it affects students in Illinois and the Greater Rockford Area. The committee continues to research the impact of the state budget on schools, school voucher programs and the development of the new charter schools in Rockford. The committee is also represented on the Early Learning Council of Greater Rockford. While some members have a professional education background, a strong interest in schools is all that is required. Meetings are TBA.
Chair: Rhonda Greer
Environmental Issues Committee
The Environmental Issues Committee raises awareness of importance of recycling, conserving energy, climate change, and the natural resources preservation, including land, water, mineral, food and air.
This committee is in the planning stage and is recruiting members. Meetings are The Third Tuesday of the month at 10:00 am at Earth Zero Waste, 327 West Jefferson Street, Rockford.
Chair: Penney Kenney
Gun Violence Prevention Committee
The Gun Violence Prevention Committee is being formed to help reduce the gun violence in our community. Our State and National Leagues have made Gun Violence Prevention a top priority. We will focus on making sure all community members know about the Red Flag law, what it means and how to invoke it. We will also lobby at State, National and local levels to have a comprehensive background check before one can get a gun license as well as making sure every citizen who wants to own a gun has a license and passed a background check. We will educate the community about the Second Amendment and its limitations. We will lobby for an end to possession of assault weapons. We do not want to limit the right of law-abiding citizens to own weapons, we just want common sense approaches to prevent gun violence. This committee is in the planning stage and is recruiting members. Meetings are TBA.
Chair: Danice Loveridge
Health Care Committee
The Health Care Committee studies various health care delivery systems, keeps up with legislation, and advocates for affordable health care.
The committee is considering studying the issue of the homeless in Rockford for the coming year’s issue and is looking for LWVGR members to join the effort. After more than a year of no meetings since our public meeting right before the COVID19 lockdown, we are happy that we can now meet in person. The committee will discuss opportunities for collaboration with the city, school district and county public health. Meetings are at the chair’s discretion, TBA.
Chair: TBA.
Immigration Committee
The Immigration Committee researches legislation and enforcement concerning immigrant and refugee rights. With nearly daily changes to immigration policies and pending state and federal legislation, this is an exciting year to be on the immigration committee. We will examine the US Citizenship Act of 2021 (S.348/H.R.1177) which proposes establishing an eight year path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants present in the United States. Meetings are on the third Thursday at 5:30pm at Dady Law Offices, 421 South Mulford Road, Ste 200, Rockford.
Chair: Attorney Sara Dady.
Librarian
The librarian keeps current and historical physical records for the League and archives them at the Northern Illinois University Regional History Department at Founders’ Library at its DeKalb, Illinois campus. Those with photos, printed materials, films or video of past League activities,
please contact Diane Cushing.
Local Government Committee
The committee promotes community vision/leadership by citizens. The Local Government Committee’s goal is to inform and educate our community on important current and local issues.
It does so by:
- Holding public forum during the voting season. These were done virtually during COVID.
- Inviting candidate to answer questions and explain their platforms.
- Monitoring local election authorities to review their progress on the League’s recommendations formed by the Local Government Committee as a result of their 2013 Updated Review of Election Services in Winnebago County.
- Reviewing and studying issues important to our community and State.
- Prepares studies on important issues in our area such as the Election Office Consolidation Study.
- The Observation Corps supplies non-partisan League members to attend public governance meetings and report on their progress.
We encourage new members to join our committee meetings held on Zoom on the second Thursday of the month at 12:00pm. Please contact the chair or check LWVGR calendar for the link.
Chair: Terri Schierer.
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee is responsible for reaching out to potential new members and engaging both new and current members. The Membership Committee’s project this year is to develop a strong plan to meet these goals. The focus will include working with the Diversity Committee to ensure the League continues to meet its goals of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) while planning events to introduce the League to the broader Greater Rockford community.
If you enjoy meeting people and creative problem solving, this would be a great committee for you to join. Meetings are TBA.
Chair: Teresa Hill
Scholarship Committee
The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) administers the LWVGR scholarship. League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford (LWVGR) members volunteer to serve on our and other CFNIL recipient search committees. Contributions to the LWVGR Scholarship may be sent to the CFNIL.
Coordinator: Janie Wilson-Cook. This committee meets at the discretion of the CFNIL during scholarship recipient selection season. To volunteer, contact CFNIL.
Sunshine Committee
The Sunshine Committee keeps in contact with members, noting illness, bereavement, and other life changes. Please contact the committee chair about any member’s needs that could use a little sunshine.
If you enjoy giving a personal touch by serving others, the Sunshine Committee is for you!
Chair: Kathy Scarpaci. This is an ongoing, non-meeting committee.
Voter Services Committee
The Voter Services Committee is concerned with voter registration, plus legislation on voter rights, voter suppression and district gerrymandering. Every spring committee members go to the local high schools and colleges to register students so that they can vote in the next election. In the fall Voter Services members and other deputy registrars man tables at public venues to register citizens. They also are available at naturalization ceremonies to register new citizens. Voter Services also recruits election judges. Throughout the year members actively participate in events to inform citizens about candidates and other vital issues to the community.
The committee is always happy to welcome new members. Voter Services is committed to promoting voting rights and challenging voter suppression. In addition, the Committee strives to inform citizens on important issues so voters can make informed choices. Last year, the pandemic disrupted in person registration events, but we expect to return to area high schools and colleges for in person voter registration this fall. We also look forward to providing registration events at local markets, festivals, back-to-school events, libraries and food pantries. Meetings are on third Thursday at 12:00pm, Noon, at Inscape Collective
201 Seventh St, Rockford, Illinois. Parking is in the back off First Avenue.
We personally invite you to join us. We could use your help.
Chair: Carol Bailey.
If you prefer to receive League notifications in your own digital calendar app, please visit the LWVGR Calendar page and subscribe to our calendar.