October 2023 Contents Co-President's Message LWVLY Budget Amendment: Approved In Memoriam: Joan MacCallum Call to Action: Election Officials Needed! Voters' Services: Recent Events Report: Lynchburg Adult Drug Treatment Court 2023 Voters' Guide |
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Hello and happy fall! Our message this time is quick and easy: DON’T FORGET TO VOTE! Please reach out to five friends/colleagues/acquaintances and make sure they have voted or have a plan to vote. By the time you get this there will only be around 13 days left to cast your vote. If you have not voted yet, consider voting on Thursday, October 26, which is National Vote Early Day. For voters who vote in Lynchburg precincts, the Registrar’s office will be open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM business days between 9/22 and 11/3 for early in-person voting. The office will also be open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, October 28 and Saturday, November 4th for early voting. Office location: 825 Kemper Street Suite A Lynchburg, VA 24501 For those wishing to vote by mail, absentee ballot applications and instructions can be found online here. Applications can be sent by mail or email to the Lynchburg Registrar’s office at any time but must be received in the office by 5 PM on October 27.There is also a drop box for absentee ballots that will be available during early voting hours at the Registrar’s office. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 10036 Lynchburg, VA 24506 Email address: registrar@lynchburgva.gov PLEASE NOTE: It is not necessary to file an absentee ballot application to vote early at the Registrar’s Office. Absentee ballot applications are only required when the voter wishes to vote BY MAIL rather than in person at the office or in the precinct. If you request an absentee ballot and later decide to vote in person either early in the Registrar’s Office or on election day in your assigned precinct, please BRING THE ABSENTEE BALLOT YOU RECEIVED WITH YOU. If you do not produce the issued absentee ballot at early voting, you must either swear a state provided affirmation under penalty of law or vote a provisional ballot. If you do not produce the issued absentee ballot on election day, you may only vote a provisional ballot. On Election Day, all polling places remain open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. A polling place exists within each of Lynchburg’s 19 precincts, and when you register to vote, you receive a voter information card with the name of your precinct and polling place location. If you’ve lost or misplaced your card, email the Registrar's Office for a replacement, or call (434) 477-5999. Not sure where your polling place is? Thank you for all you do to support democracy! Sincerely, Jennifer Gauthier, on behalf of Bethanie Mickles Co-Presidents, LWVLY |
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Last month we asked members to review and vote on an amended budget (viewable here) after a math error in the total budget and surplus budget dollars was discovered in the previous version of the budget approved by members. Thank you to all who asked questions about the amended budget and voted. The amended budget was approved unanimously. |
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In Memoriam: Joan MacCallum |
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The task of writing a remembrance of Joan MacCallum for the league bulletin was daunting for me, so I asked those members who have known her much longer than me to share their thoughts. This is the tip of the iceberg to describe Joan’s life as I only asked for a few lines from everyone. Compiled by Sandy Knodel Just off the top of my head…the first thing I thought about when I learned of her death was her comment as a City Councilwoman that there was no room for partisan politics at council meetings. As she put it, potholes are neither Republicans nor Democrats. Would that Council would operate like that today! Aside from hearing problems, Joan was Joan. She was distressed by Council’s inability to get along. She helped me with some canvassing several months ago by mobilizing many of her neighbors. Losing Joan makes me remember Joan Jones, Helen Calvert, Rosel Schewel, Jo Farnandez, and others. They were giants! How lucky we were to know them! (Shanda Horner) When my family moved to Lynchburg in 1980, Joan had been on City Council a couple of years. I met her when I went to League of Women Voters meetings that first summer, and as the years went on and I got to know more about the city, she became one of the special and exceptional group of women that I really admired---a group that included Rosel Schewel, Joan Jones, Helen Calvert, Arelia Langhorne, Molly McClenon, and Ruth Ball. Plus, she and Bob were pillars of our church, First Unitarian! (now Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Lynchburg)! (Pat Bower) Joan was a dynamic leader in so many ways and on so many issues that are important to our community and our League. When I first joined the League, she and Shanda were working with city leaders to significantly improve and expand lower income housing options. And from there Joan went on to become a City Council member where she had great impact. She approached each issue with calm and thoughtful reasoning. I always admired her dedication to the work of Planned Parenthood in our community. I will miss her. (Ann Alty) …Joan was a great example and friend, had a confident sense of the community and willingly shared it. I am grateful especially for her guidance during trying situations… (Arelia Langhorne) My Two Favorite Joans One in bright orange and one in bright pink, a dynamic duo for sure (see photo below). Joan M. was my shero, and I will miss her wisdom and wit. Another history maker is gone, but I, for one, feel blessed to have known her. LWVLY is where I met Joan, but our paths crossed many times, and she became my friend and mentor. We both applied for the job of establishing a Planned Parenthood site for Lynchburg. Needless to say, Joan with all her experience, contacts, and familiarity with Lynchburg, got the job and built a place of confidential, accessible and affordable healthcare for women (and men) in the city. She was a vital part of the group of women already mentioned that did so much for Lynchburg. When we moved here 30 years ago, downtown was a ghost town. But these women changed so much of that with creating and investing in ideas such as Riverviews, one of the first places that got the ball rolling for businesses to take the chance of moving downtown. There are so many more examples, but I will leave that for others to share. (Sandy Knodel) |
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On June 3, 2022, I took this photo (below) of Joan and Ann van de Graaf in Joan’s home. (Judy Lee) Thank you, Judy. A lovely memory of a deep and lasting friendship. (You were canvassing for signatures for Beau Wright!). (Ann van de Graaf) |
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Call to Action: Election Officials Needed! |
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The following call comes from Juleigh Brown, Lynchburg's Deputy Registrar: Election Officials are still needed to help ensure a smooth election this November. This is a paid position for the full day of work & for each training session attended in person.
I have attached our application here. If you have anyone interested please have them contact me either via email, phone (434) 477-5999, or by stopping by the office. The will need to swear in an oath with our office. We require an online training, lecture training, and a hands-on training session. We also are offering a few Super Session trainings to give later applicants the same opportunity to fulfill the training requirements. They are going to be held at our office on October 27, 1pm-5pm or October 28, 1pm-5pm. They are also able to attend the hands-on trainings on 10/25, and then they only would need to attend half of the Super Session for the missed lecture portion.
I would love to get more members of our community involved in the whole election process. Please let me know if you have anyone interested! Juleigh Brown
Deputy Registrar
Lynchburg Registrar's Office 825 Kemper St Lynchburg, VA 24501 (434) 477-5999 |
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Voters' Services: Recent Events |
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On September 20, LWVLY members attended Central Virginia Community College’s student appreciation picnic. Many thanks to member MJ Pearson for donating a Charley's Restaurant gift card. Many people stopped to sign up for the raffle, giving League volunteers a chance to talk with them about voter registration! On October 19, LWVLY worked alongside Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity to hold a very successful voter registration event at Virginia University of Lynchburg. Special thanks to Ron Shoultz and his brothers in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity for making this happen! To see more photos from our recent events, be sure to visit the LWVLY Facebook page. Submitted by Jan Willinger |
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Lynchburg Adult Drug Treatment Court |
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What a joyous occasion the graduation ceremony was for the five individuals who had successfully completed the Lynchburg Adult Drug Treatment Court program on September 25, 2023. The newly established Carla Heath Leadership Award was given to a graduate chosen by her fellow graduates as someone who “exemplifies the triumph of recovery, who is supportive of others, and who shows leadership among his or her peers.” Judge Watson made the announcement and handed the award to Molly McClenon (observer) who handed it to Jennifer Gauthier (LWVLY President) who handed it to the recipient. Each graduate spoke briefly. The Carla Heath Leadership Award recipient said, “I always thought that I would never stop using drugs. I thought that was the way I was going to die. They gave me a second chance which they did not have to do. I took the bull by the horns and I haven't stopped and I'm not going to. I will not die of addiction.” One graduate said he wanted to get better for his daughter. Another said through drug court he has learned the skills to cope with recent struggles without resorting to substances. Judge Watson said, “I wish some of you could have seen these people when they entered drug court and compare it to where they are now. It's almost a miracle and it's something that the first time I ever saw it happen in drug court I couldn't believe it. Now I've come to expect it. And so it taught me not to give up on anybody.” Judge Watson also said, “These individuals are graduating from drug court because they made a commitment to themselves and they made a commitment that they have followed through on. They worked hard and they never gave up on themselves. Drug court's not easy.” As an observer, I wholeheartedly concur. The change in people is a miracle. Staff do not give up on people. Drug court is hard! (See summary of five phases below.) Please read Emma Martin's September 27 article about the graduation (used in this report) in The News & Advance here. Drug court is a collaborative effort by the Lynchburg Circuit Court, Commonwealth Attorney, Public Defender, Virginia Health Department, Department of Corrections and Horizon Behavioral Health. Currently there are 20 participants. Four to six people have almost completed their requirements and will soon graduate and then be ready for the next graduation ceremony. A very brief, very generalized summary of the five phases: Phase I. Drug test at least 2X/week. Court 2X/month. Negative tests 14 consecutive days. Counseling and group &/or individual programs with Horizon Behavioral Health. Phase II. Drug test at least 2X/week. Court 2X/month. Negative tests 14 consecutive days. Counseling and programs overseen by HBH. Phase III. Drug test at least weekly. Court monthly. Negative tests 45 consecutive days. Counseling and programs as needed. Look for a job or training. Phase IV. Drug test biweekly. Court monthly. Negative tests 45 consecutive days. Counseling and programs as needed. Begin paying court costs & restitution. Phase V. Drug test random. Court monthly. Negative tests 45 consecutive days. Begin community service.
Submitted by Molly McClenon |
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Our current voters' guide is available for download here. LWVLY prints and distributes this guide at numerous locations and events in town, but we encourage members to share printed or digital copies as well! |
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The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy. We never support or oppose any political party or candidate. |
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