Combine school-age girls (think giggles, sparkles, and mini fashionistas) with running a 5K and a good old-fashioned fair, and you can only have fun! LWVSC was once again honored to have a booth at the Girls On The Run (GOTR) Celebration 5K at Jackson High School in Mill Creek on Sunday morning, June 4th. Between observing a unicorn head-butting contest (because anything can happen at GOTR) and seeing all the be-true-to-your-school-colors headbands and fingernail polish, the League gathered literally hundreds of votes for best ice cream flavor – Cookies ‘n Cream of course – and handed out colorful stickers that announced “I Voted Today!” and #Future Voter.
As their grown-up mentors shepherded their kids through the crowd of at least 1,400, our amazing volunteers Kate Lunceford, Linda Hjelle, Joan Smith, Carol McMahon, Phyllis DeCarlo, Jilda Nettleton, Lisa Sawyer, and Jen Winckler encouraged the girls and their siblings to vote. It was delightful to watch the young voters ponder their choices prior to voting and even do some electioneering by bringing friends to the League table specifically to VOTE! We need to sign those girls up for League membership in a few years!
Many of the adults asked about the League and what we’re about, making this a wonderful public-facing opportunity to get the League out there. We gathered three new voter registrations and learned in conversation the strong support that folks have for an engaged, informed community.
Having the opportunity to reach out to the Spanish-speaking community at the Afrolatino Festival was a special delight. We connected with folks in the community who had never heard of the League and built awareness within a group that is frequently marginalized when it comes to civic engagement. Getting two new voter registrations and a new member, Soledad Geminiano, was certainly the best part!
Here’s a travel tip for you: being at the Afrolatino Festival is the least expensive way you can take in the cultures of Central and South America – the flavorful food and refreshing drinks, the music, dancing, and cultural displays make you want to linger. Many thanks to volunteers Suleiny Altamirano, Soledad Geminiano, Kate Lunceford, and Michelle Stewart with special guest star Cecelia Stewart, Michelle’s daughter. Join us next year!
You always have fun tabling, and the rewards to the League are measurable. What cannot be measured is what you gain from listening to different perspectives and growing your understanding; this ultimately makes us better stewards of democracy.