Dear Members and Friends,

As we are getting accustomed to the new calendar year 2012, League is winding down a very busy and productive fiscal year 2011-2012. Members approved a one-year trial of a new organizational structure, creating Leadership Teams to work with the board members. Many members participated in the teams; we hope to get more participation in the coming year.

Our priorities for 2011-12, Redistricting, Education, and Health Care, were covered over the year at well-attended Hot Topics meetings and through studies and action. We gained many new members during the year, thanks to a very active membership committee and all of you who talk about League to friends and acquaintances. The Election Law passed at the 2011 Legislative session was added to this list of priorities. Our Speakers Bureau was busy, even though it was not an election year.

You may have noted that the Florida League submitted maps to the redistricting committee after seeing that the Legislature's drafts of maps do not follow the guidelines in Amendments 5 & 6. Watch for more developments in this area.

At the end of January, we kicked off our "JUMP FOR THE VOTE!" voter service initiative for this important election year. Now we look forward to our Voter Fair on February 18, where we have invited other community organizations and their members to stress the importance of getting out the vote - see the meeting announcement at the beginning of this issue. While we are still precluded from registering voters because of the Florida Election Law and the lawsuit that the Florida League is involved in, we are able to invite other organizations to register voters at our events.

The Legislative Summit in Tallahassee is coming up February 21-23. There is still time to sign up for this. LWVPBC will reimburse the registration fee. If you would like to attend, you can get the details at www.lwvfla.org, or call me for details.

Upcoming June 8-12 is National Convention in Washington. Attending convention is a way to meet wonderful dedicated League members from across the country, and be awed by them. It will energize you. Check out www.lwv.org for details. We will probably be allowed 4 or 5 voting delegates, but are not limited in the number of members who can attend as observers. If you are interested, please contact me.  

On the local level, make sure to mark your calendars for March 31. Our Annual Business Meeting (elections, program, budget, etc.), which is our "convention," takes place in the morning. It will be followed by a gala luncheon featuring keynote speaker Chancellor of the University System of Florida, Frank Brogan. Be on the lookout for your invitation to this luncheon.

In League,

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

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The long awaited tour of Palm Beach County's Homeless Resource Center, 1000 45th St., West Palm Beach will be on Wednesday, March 21st, 10:30 AM.

I've been there and am excited by the thought and caring that has gone into the planning of this facility. You'll be excited, too.

One of our League's concerns is the homeless.

Several years ago, we voted to keep in touch with the 10 year plan. Building this resource Center was part of that plan.

Please contact me, Peg Ekberg, at 561-276-4898 or info@lwvpbc.org if you can join me for this tour.

The Membership Committee will hold the following February meetings:

• Thursday, February 9, noon ─ 2 PM at Panera Bread in the Village Shopping Center, West Palm Beach. All welcome to attend.

• Sunday February 26, 2PM ─ 4PM. Orientation for new members, potential members, and Wellington area members at the home of Nancy Gau, 2082 Hermitage Drive, Wellington. RSVP to Karen Wilkerson 561-276-4898. Karen will provide driving instructions.

Long-time LWVPBC Member, Alice Finst, has been appointed to the Site Plan Review and Appearance Board for The City of Delray Beach.

This board is made up of seven members, each appointed by the City Commission for a term of two years. The purpose of this board is to review new and existing buildings, signs and landscaping.

Alice has been attending and presenting her opinions at Delray Beach City Commission meetings and various Board Meetings for many years.  

This is a well-deserved appointment and the citizens of Delray Beach have gained from it. As League members, we should all be very proud.

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Please note that your next VOTER will arrive mid-March and will be the March/April VOTER. All information required for the March 31 LWVPBC annual meeting will be mailed to you via US mail.

Great Decisions = International Learning and Understanding!  

When:    Monday, February 27 - 2:00 ─ 4:00 PM

Where:   "505" Teen Center, 505 SE 5^th Avenue, Delray Beach

Topic:     Middle East Realignment

The popular revolts and upheaval of the Arab Spring have radically changed the face of the Middle East. The article on this subject in the Great Decisions 2012 Book was written by Augustus Richard Norton. He describes the grass-roots democracy movement that began during the spring of 2011 in the Arab world. He wrote, "Never in the modern history of the Middle East have so many millions demanded the dismantling of their autocratic regimes with such unanimity, perseverance, persistence and peacefulness."

That statement was written long before the Great Decisions 2012 book went to print. The horrors occurring in Syria, the unwillingness of Egypt's military to cede to civilian power, Libya's "militias" more uncontrolled than controlled, etc., will definitely make February's meeting one to attend. Let's hear the latest. Let's have a great discussion:

• What lies ahead for the Middle East's transition to democracy?
• What are the prospects for the governments that have held out in this new order?
• With many longtime U.S. allies ousted, how will the U.S. recalibrate its relations with the new regimes?

Karen Turner will present "Middle East Realignment" at the February 27th meeting. This first unit of the year will definitely be the "Middle East Made Interesting and Challenging!"

Great Decisions Meeting Dates and Topics for 2012 are:

      Monday, February 27th - Middle East Realignment

      Monday, March 19th - Promoting Democracy

      Monday, April 16th - Mexico, presented by Donna Haltman

      Monday, May 21st - Cybersecurity

      Monday, June 18th - Exit from Afghanistan and Iraq

            No Meetings July and August

      Monday, September 10th - Indonesia

      Monday, October 15th - State of the Oceans presented by Joan Davis

      Monday, November 19th - Energy Geopolitics

Great Decisions 2012 promises to be another informative, interesting, and perhaps, at times, controversial year. Observers can see that with the United States exiting Iraq in December, 2011, there will undoubtedly be unexpected results for informed discussion by June. That subject could also be visited with February's topic, "Middle East Realignment." "Cybersecurity" could be addressed by a number of our own Great Decisions members whose computers have been hacked within the recent past. Clearly, each 2012 topic has past, present and future importance and relevance to all Americans, not merely the Great Decisions members!

Great Decisions 2012 Briefing Books may be ordered by contacting:

• Joan Davis or Sally Robinson at 561-276-4898 or info@lwvpbc.org

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Donations

A big thank you to the following for their generous donations:

• Susan Shulman for her donations to Operating Fund and Eckler Fund, and

• Elayne Goodman for her donation to the Education Fund.

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