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September 2002 Volume 2, Number 1

Committee Currents...

Legislative Advocacy
by Carrie Domogalla, District IV Representative

We will be providing you with information on Legislative Advocacy on this site. The information will change. Future topics will include how to get your club involved and choosing issues that relate to your area. Register your Club's Legislative Advocacy Chair now by calling or writing to Chair Gloria Scoggin, email , 925 735-9212 Fax 925 735-2046

Soroptimist service includes not only fund-raising for a project or hands on involvement to meet a need but also getting involved in the process of how our society makes its rules. Legislative Advocacy is not new! Soroptimists have participated in Legislative Advocacy from our inception.

All our Programs of services from Human Rights and Status of Women, Environment, Health, International Goodwill and Understanding, Economic and Social Welfare, etc. speak directly to your use of Legislative Advocacy to accomplish your Soroptimist goals. We can influence the status of women by giving Fellowship grants, Women's Opportunity Awards, supporting shelters for women, etc. But why would we stop there? Why not go to the root of the problem, laws that are nonexistent, inadequate or not enforced that make the need for special grants and shelters for women to begin with.

What can't we do! The Soroptimist Organization is non-partisan. No Soroptimist entity should or can ally itself with or support any particular political party or particular religious group. If you invite candidates to speak at your club meeting you need to invite all the candidates that are running.

Have you heard the expression, "Get the biggest bang for your buck"? Legislative Advocacy is one way to get it. Deal with the real issues, help solve the problems not just aid, make sure there is not more injustice. Change the laws, get the laws to be enforced. Awareness, Advocacy and Action -- They are what we are all about. They describe the motivation and process we use to achieve our goals.

It is always to be remembered who we are and who we represent through out the world. Legislative Advocacy demands a realistic and professional approach.

Committee Members
District 1, Jane Bartke, email
District 2, Dion Weaver, email
District 3, Jo Bennett, email
District 4, Carrie Domogalla, email
District 5, Tess Albin Smith, email