The LWVD Newsletter
March 2024 | March Briefing
Viewing of Healing US
Tuesday, March 19
5:00 p.m.
(Note earlier time)
Zoom Link
The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that a basic level of quality health care at an affordable cost should be available to all US residents.
Colorado has made some gains toward these goals in the last couple of decades, but there is a long way to go, particularly in controlling costs. The state legislature is currently considering a bill (HB24-1075) that would require a cost analysis of and potential legislation for a universal health care process for Colorado and an advisory board to oversee this process.
At this briefing, LWVD will show the documentary Healing US. This film illustrates the costs of our current insurance system and the potential for looking at coverage in a new way. Learning to talk about the challenges we face as we try to bring health care justice to the US is tough. The film shows us ways that others are talking about health care reform efforts across the country. It also show us ways that activism can stimulate the discussion.
Diane Dunn from Colorado Foundation for Universal Health Care will respond to questions after the film. The briefing will be on Zoom and the link is above and available on our website. You do not need to be League members to participate. Please notice the time, earlier than usual at 5:00 p.m. so that there is time for questions after the one hour and 14 minute film.
Sally Augden
Program Committee
Editor's Note: Sally suggested this opinion piece from The Colorado Sun if you want to do some reading before the Briefing - Colorado legislators can ask, “Is universal health care feasible?”
| League Turned 104 on February 14
LWVUS celebrated with a live, virtual panel discussion about engaging young voters ahead of the presidential election. It included speakers from the organizations Young Invincibles, Students Learn Students Vote, and the League of Samford College. You can relive the moment with this recording.
| Voter Service Committee News
Help Wanted – Grant Writer
We Want You….
.…for a bit of time, that is. Our goal is to apply for grants to support Denver Decides. Denver Decides is a partnership between the League, Denver Channel 8, and Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation (INC) that produces televised election forums for candidates and ballot issues. The grant writing task may take between 10-20 hours over the next several months. If you are interested, please contact Pearlanne Zelarney (pzelarney@yahoo.com) who can provide specifics.
And speaking of grants, we did receive a grant from League of Women Voters US for the pilot year of our Youth Council. More to come as we begin to assemble our group!
March 2024 Presidential Primary and Precinct Caucuses
Throughout Colorado, ballots are now in the mail for the Presidential Primary. Most Denver voters take advantage of ballot boxes in their neighborhoods to turn in their completed ballots. If mailed, ballots must be received by March 5. Unaffiliated voters can cast a ballot for any one political party in the primary. (The main Colorado Primary Election, for everything beyond the presidential race, will be June 25.)
Political party precinct caucuses will be held on Thursday, March 7. For further information on caucuses, please see websites for your local political party or the Colorado Secretary of State website: Caucuses, Assemblies and Conventions FAQs (coloradosos.gov)
We’re Still Training Circulators
Please consider being trained as a Circulator to help register voters in the Denver area with the League of Women Voters of Denver. We register voters at local colleges, high schools, community events, jails, clinics, etc. (Note: Even if you were trained last year, the State of Colorado requires recertification each year.) Prior to the training, you will be asked to review some slides from the Colorado Secretary of State office.
We will continue to have virtual training opportunities. The next one is set for Tuesday, March 12 at 4:30 p.m.
If you are interested in a 90-minute training session, please notify: Anne Duncan at anned47@msn.com or 773.852.3197 (text preferred over call).
Lisa Haddox, Voter Service Chair
| 
Our first book club meeting was a success! Get a head start on our next book club book! We'll be reading Speak, Okinawa by Elizabeth Miki Brina. A “hauntingly beautiful memoir about family and identity” (NPR) and a young woman’s journey to understanding her complicated parents—her mother an Okinawan war bride, her father a Vietnam veteran—and her own, fraught cultural heritage.
RSVP
Cassandra Bishop, Membership Chair
| Coming Up!
Tuesday, April 16 - We will explore the Denver's Basic Income Program more than a year after the start. On Zoom.
And don't forget Annual Meeting! Saturday morning, May 18 in person at Montview Blvd. Presbyterian Church.
| Welcome New Members
Patricia Bass, zip code 80210, BassBlack97@me.com
Justin Schulz, zip code 80209, corppsych@comcast.net
| VOTER Articles Welcome!
We welcome articles from all members. We usually publish the VOTER on the fourth Thursday, so the deadline to submit articles is the Friday before.
| VOTER |
Article Deadline |
Voter Publication Date |
| April |
Friday, March 22 |
Thursday, March 28 |
| May |
Friday, April 19 |
Thursday, April 25 |
Please send your articles or ideas about articles to pzelarney@yahoo.com. | Community Events of Interest
An Historic Denver event for Women's History Month, suggested by Leaguer Cindy Sestrich:
Museum Insider Tour: Organizing Women
Historic Denver at Molly Brown House Museum
March 19, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
$20 – $24
Want the inside scoop? Want to know ALL the things? Join us for one (or all) of our monthly Insider Tours on select Tuesday evenings at 6:00 pm. This Women’s History Month, join Museum Director Andrea Malcomb for a conversation on the power of women when they collectively convene. As we walk through the historic home we’ll explore the impact of women, from clubs to political action, from Margaret’s time to our own.
More Info
Find the whole list of Historic Denver events here. | LWV Denver Units
A great place for meaningful conversations
MARCH SCHEDULE
Cheesman Unit
Next in-person meeting is March 26 (the fourth Tuesday) at 9:30 a.m. at Bobbie’s home
Leader: Bobbie Heisterkamp (303-333-6818)
Cherrington Unit
Meets in person (Thursday following briefings) at 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Next meeting is March 21,1:00 p.m. at home of Nancy Ulrich
Leaders: Peg Oldham (720-220-3988) and Andrea Mitchell
Highland/Woodbury Unit
In-person meetings on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 1:00 p.m.
Next meeting is March 20 at Sassafras Restaurant, 3927 W 32nd Ave, (80212)
Leader: Sally Augden (303-455-5800)
Observatory Unit
Meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 4:00 p.m.
Next in-person meeting is March 26th, location TBD
Co-Leaders: Diane Young (303-886-3365) and Jeanette Scotland (303-479-4368) | Consider a Sustaining or Benefactor Membership
We appreciate all those who pay $60 to be a member. However, the LWV Denver can only keep $8 of that $60 and the rest goes to Per Member Payments to the LWVCO and LWVUS. For those who are able, think about paying a sustaining $125 membership that gives the LWV Denver $73 or a benefactor $300 membership that gives the LWV Denver $248 to use for our education activities, to support our office and to continue our voter service resources for the city of Denver. Thank you!
Bobbie Heisterkamp, Treasurer
| Please Renew Your Membership or
Become a Member Today
If you received this email VOTER and are not a member, please consider joining us. If it's time to renew your membership, consider doing it online.
Follow this link to join or renew at one of our membership levels and remember that it covers Denver, Colorado and National membership. Also, please consider renewing at the sustaining or benefactor membership level. Membership dues are tax deductible.
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| Sustaining membership (includes an additional donation) |
$125 |
| Benefactor membership (includes additional donation)
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$300 |
Two regular members at the same address
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| Two sustaining members at the same address (includes an additional donation) |
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| Two benefactor members at the same address (includes an additional donation)
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Member needing assistance with paying dues
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$5 |
| Part or full-time student |
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Members: Forward this VOTER and encourage your friends and neighbors to join! | | 1980 Dahlia Street, Denver, CO 80220
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