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VISUAL HISTORY OF PAST EVENTS
April 2025
Community Event on Election Integrity
LWVTRI's third bi-annual community event, Election Integrity, was held April 12, 2025. Wesley Wilcox, Marion County Supervisor of Elections, was keynote speaker. Mr. Wilcox is on the board of The Election Center and is past president of the Florida Supervisor of Elections Association. His extensive knowledge of elections was apparent. Gail Formanack, Tina Getz, and Vickie Southwood planned the event. Kathy Hansen, Verna Fitzsimmons, Carol Pasquale and Carol Van Noy assisted.
August 2024
Candidate Meet & Greets
LWVTRI held Candidate Meet & Greets before the Primaries in both Marion and Sumter Counties. Both candidates and voters were appreciative. Many of the candidates emailed us afterwards. Here are some of their comments.
The Sumter event filled the large room from the time the doors opened until the close. Unfortunately, there were major thunderstorms the day of the Marion County event, but die hard Leaguers and are partners from Alpha Kappa Alpha braved the elements. As one candidate said: It was an honor to be allowed to attend and as a "hardened Floridian" the risks of the storm seemed to be far outweighed by the privilege to meet with and speak to the potential voters. My thanks to you and the League for standing up for our democracy and weathering the elements to help us all.
- Thank you, ladies, for a fantastic event! It is really one of the best I have attended. Such engaged voters and it was a pleasure to talk with each person who came by. Thank you for all the great work you do for the voters in our area!
- It was my honor and privilege to share with the voters of Sumter County. Thank you for the venue and the opportunity to be there to communicate with our voters.
- It was a wonderful event. It was an amazing event that allowed us to speak to residence one on one. Great job.
The Sumter event filled the large room from the time the doors opened until the close. Unfortunately, there were major thunderstorms the day of the Marion County event, but die hard Leaguers and are partners from Alpha Kappa Alpha braved the elements. As one candidate said: It was an honor to be allowed to attend and as a "hardened Floridian" the risks of the storm seemed to be far outweighed by the privilege to meet with and speak to the potential voters. My thanks to you and the League for standing up for our democracy and weathering the elements to help us all.
October 2023
Community Event: Disinformation. Spot It! Stop It!
LWVTRI's second community event was held on Saturday, October 21, 2023 when Lake County Supervisor of Elections, Alan Hays, explained the safeguards his office has in place to ensure election integrity. He addressed the problems caused by the false narratives being spread through social media.
The second half of the program was a workshop where audience members tested their skills in validating information. The solutions provided the guidance and tips that can make it easier to spot and stop disinformation.
The second half of the program was a workshop where audience members tested their skills in validating information. The solutions provided the guidance and tips that can make it easier to spot and stop disinformation.
June 2023
Juneteenth Votercade
The League of Women Voters was honored to be one of the anchor sponsors and participants on the Transformative Justice Freedom Ride to support voting in Florida. The votercade harkened back to the days of the Freedom Riders who risked their lives to help African American people vote in the South. Today, the threats of police attacks, vicious dogs and lynchings have been replaced by legislation that is making it harder for eligible voters to cast their ballot - particularly those from traditionally underrepresented or underserved communities, including first-time voters, non-college youth, new citizens, communities of color, the elderly, the handicapped, and low-income Americans to vote.
Our local League had voter registration and a speaker at the stops in Ocala and Leesburg where approximately 400 residents participated. We also had a little time to enjoy the other activities - including line dancing.
Our local League had voter registration and a speaker at the stops in Ocala and Leesburg where approximately 400 residents participated. We also had a little time to enjoy the other activities - including line dancing.
March 2022
Sisters of Suffrage: Standing on Their Shoulders
LWVTRI was one of a diverse group of organizations from The Villages and neighboring communities that called themselves the Sisters of Suffrage (SOS.) We collaborated to celebrate the centennial of the passage of the 19th Amendment and educate others about the contributions of American women.
The celebration was originally planned for 2020, but we were in the middle of a pandemic that year (and the next) just like the Suffragists were as they fought for the vote. We finally had our celebration on International Women's Day on March 8, 2022.
The celebration was originally planned for 2020, but we were in the middle of a pandemic that year (and the next) just like the Suffragists were as they fought for the vote. We finally had our celebration on International Women's Day on March 8, 2022.
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March 2022
Community Event: Uprooting Prejudice
Checking in
Stephen Poyner, Education Curator of the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida, explains the conversational approach successfully used by Daryl Davis, speaker and activist.
Audience members visited the display tables of groups with a diversity, equity and inclusion vision before and after the program. This display was from the Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center of Central Florida.
Numbers were handed out so audience members engaged in the Open Mic segment of the program
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Moderator, Lou Sasmor, introduced Ann Patton, award winning journalist and author of UNMASKED: The Rise and Fall of the 1920s Ku Klux Klan
The large audience gave up their Saturday afternoon to learn ways they could make a difference.
Stephen guided the audience through an exercise in engaging in mindful conversations.
Lou Sasmor created a safe environment where audience members felt comfortable enough to share their thoughts with an audience approaching 200
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LWVTRI's Co-President, Gail Formanack, gave the closing remarks.
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2021 EqualiTea
 Katina Stephens - Regional Director of Southern Christian Leadership Foundation
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Screening of a segment of PBS's The American Experience: The Vote
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2020 League's 100th Anniversary Celebration
We celebrated the League's 100th anniversary just a bit late (it was founded February 14, 1920) with a full house at Manatee Recreation Center. We also honored the charter members of our own chapter: Judy Brown, Joanne Coen, Janet Duncan, Helen Gazdonovic, Carolyn Johnson, and Linda Thomas.
The Fight for Women's Suffrage, a PPT developed by our League which has been launched statewide, was presented to the large audience of members and guests. And what is a celebration without a cake - which we had before going to lunch to say a fond farewell to our founder, Joanne Coen, who is moving back north.
To make a joyous event even better we added five new members to our roster!
The Fight for Women's Suffrage, a PPT developed by our League which has been launched statewide, was presented to the large audience of members and guests. And what is a celebration without a cake - which we had before going to lunch to say a fond farewell to our founder, Joanne Coen, who is moving back north.
To make a joyous event even better we added five new members to our roster!
2019 EqualiTea
Our League welcomed our friends from AAUW as well as community members from throughout the Tri-County area to our 3rd annual EqualiTea. We filled FishHawk Rec Center with 100 participants!
Our speaker, Carolyn Ingham, shared the story of Alice Paul's efforts to secure women the vote. Her challenge to us was to remember and appreciate the three generation of women who were relentless in their fight for suffrage. May we, our daughters, and our granddaughters never take for granted the right they sacrificed so much to secure.
Our speaker, Carolyn Ingham, shared the story of Alice Paul's efforts to secure women the vote. Her challenge to us was to remember and appreciate the three generation of women who were relentless in their fight for suffrage. May we, our daughters, and our granddaughters never take for granted the right they sacrificed so much to secure.
