February 2014 Meeting

LWVNJ Annual Appeal and Callathon

By participating in Callathon, the LWV of the Princeton Area will receive 10% of whatever Princeton members donate to State. The Leadership Committee has agreed to make 100 calls. Anyone willing to take on part of this list should contact lwvprinceton@gmail.com. Completed lists will be collected at the next regular monthly meeting, March 11.

LWV National Convention

Lee Forbes will represent LWV-Princeton Area at the National Convention in Dallas, June 6-10. The Leadership Committee agreed to fund one delegate, however, others are welcome to attend at their own expense. Ellen Kemp advised Lee and other members to submit to her, as treasurer, all expenses for a given event and then make a contribution to the League to cover some expenses, if desired. Unless members follow this procedure, Ellen cannot create a budget.

LWVNJ Brunch

Lee will be attending the LWVNJ Brunch on Saturday, February 22 at the office in Trenton. Others are welcome to attend.

Communiversity

The LWV-Princeton Area will have a table at Communiversity on Sunday, April 27. Please volunteer to help! We have two-hour slots from 12:30 to 6:00. We'd also like to update the ballot questions on which the children vote. Contact us if you have suggestions and/or are interested in staffing our table.

Collaboration with Princeton Community Housing

On the evening of Monday, May 5, 2014, LWV-Princeton Area will co-sponsor a presentation by Princeton Community Housing to update the League and the greater Princeton community on the local affordable housing situation. The event will take place at Monument Hall in Princeton, the exact time to be announced.

Sheila Berkelhammer, past president of Princeton Community Housing and a member of LWV-Princeton Area, is being honored at the Princeton YWCA's 31st Annual "Tribute to Women" Awards Dinner on March 6th for her efforts on behalf of affordable housing. Congratulations to Sheila! To purchase tickets to the Awards Dinner, please click on this link tickets.

June Annual Dinner

Please send your suggestions for a topic and speaker for the LWV-Princeton Area annual meeting to lwvprinceton@gmail.com.

Membership

Much of the February meeting was devoted to brainstorming solutions to the Catch 22 faced by the League and many other organizations: members are needed to staff its activities, but without “active“ activities it is difficult to attract members. Brainstorming, which included emailed suggestions, yielded interesting solutions.

  • Locating new members: New members might be found through the 55+ Club, Welcome Wagon, Newcomers Club, and real estate listings or by setting up a table at the Frist Campus Center or by contacting the Office of Community Affairs at Princeton University. Members could invite non-member friends to join them at voter registrations or other events. Members of organizations with whom the League collaborates should be encouraged to join the League since the organizations share a mission.
  • Improving relationships with members: Potential members who express interest in the League by giving their contact information at League events should be contacted first by the member who met them, then followed up by the Membership Committee, and regularly sent the Update, the monthly newsletter. Before asking for money, the League might ask for their help with an event. Non-renewing members should continue to receive the Update. Mentors should be assigned to new members and should check up on any current active member who suddenly disappears. Fun meetings (perhaps coffee at Bon Appetit), whose purpose is to chat and exchange ideas, may be arranged.
  • During the brainstorming session, it was agreed that the membership packet needs updating. Beverly will work on the Handbook, Sandy will revise “Fun Facts,” Nancy will re-write the welcome letter, and Ellen will email all members an updated directory.
  • Directing members to activities: Since the League is alive and well at the national and state levels, members (new and old) could be directed to join their activities, such as Lobby Corps or state-wide studies. The LWVNJ is looking for board members, and since the LWV of the Princeton Area is close to Trenton, its members would be good candidates. Organizations with whom the League shares a mission, such as Princeton Community Housing or the New Jim Crow Project, might welcome help from League members. Voter Service, of course, can always be ramped up by anyone at any time on her own initiative, for example, arranging with the Crisis Ministry or the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen to register Trenton residents before the May mayoral election.

Condolences

Esther Dresner, a 50-year member of LWV-Princeton Area, died peacefully on January 26 at the age of 83 after a long illness. The League sends its condolences to her husband, daughter, and other family members.

March Meeting

The LWV-Princeton Area March meeting will be held Tuesday, March 11 at 10:30 AM at the Princeton Public Library, Second-floor Conference Room. Please arrive promptly at 10:30 since we must be out by 12:30. This will be the last daytime meeting. Starting in April, meetings will take place at 7:00PM in the Suzanne Patterson Building.