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January Newsletter - Volume 6, Issue 4
CONTENTS:
You may click on one of the above titles to go directly to that subject, or simply scroll down the newsletter.
Thanks to Sybil Cantor, Teddi Pensinger, Linda Kolko, Paul Schwartz, Bonnie Wicklund, Mary Lou Fox, Barbara Salkin, Ashley Rhinehart, Ed Kimmel, Kevin Gillogly, Kathy Deerkoski, Helene Guttman, Fran Rothstein, Emily Shetty, Tyler Carr, Nancy Holland and Joan Riggs for their contributions to this newsletter
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 UPCOMING WDC EVENT
 Thursday, February 11
Happy Hour
5:30 to 7 PM
Lebanese Taverna
7141 Arlington Road, Bethesda
Want to meet new people and talk politics? Join us at the next WDC Happy Hour. Every second Thursday of each month, Democrats who are passionate about politics gather to relax and network with WDC members and their guests. Whether you want to meet elected officials, make new friends, form new business contacts or just have fun, the WDC Happy Hour is the perfect place to meet and greet fellow Democrats. Members and potential members are welcome, so come and bring your friends!
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CO-SPONSORED EVENTS
Saturday, February 6
Third Annual State of Black Montgomery
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Silver Spring Civic Center
1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring, MD 20910
The State of Black Montgomery (SOBM) is an annual community dialogue that focuses on key issue areas in Montgomery County's African American Community. Hosted by the African American Democratic Club of Montgomery County and cosponsored by a large number of community allies including the WDC, SOBM is the County's largest forum dedicated to examining trends, discussing challenges, and defining solutions to issues that impact our community.
Please click here to become a sponsor at one of the levels below
*Platinum Sponsor: $1,000
*Gold: $500
*Silver Sponsor: $250
*Bronze Sponsor: $100
The 3rd Annual event will examine ongoing work on issue areas including Education, Economic Development, Social Justice, and Housing and Community Development. Additionally, the political landscape in preparation for the 2016 election will be examined.
To RSVP click here.
Friday, February 26 - Saturday, February 27
Young Democrats of Maryland 2016 Convention
Universities at Shady Grove 9630 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD 20850
We encourage you to join Young Dems and College Dems chapters from around Maryland on Feb 26-27 for an exciting schedule of workshops, speakers, and candidate interviews!
With the GOP running some of their most extreme candidates for President in history, Democrats must regroup and rally around our values and vision for a better community.
Get the skills, information, and connections you'll need to help make that possible at this year's YDM Convention.
Sunday, February 28
We at the WDC are co-sponsoring this event with several other groups. Come hear more from our Congressional Democratic candidates.
The candidates:
David M. Anderson
Kumar P. Barve
Ana Sol Gutierrez
William Jawando
Kathleen Matthews
Jamie Raskin
Joel Rubin
Moderator: Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee Chair Emeritus-Karen Britto
For further information contact Eliot Greenwald at 301-320-5750 or ejg14@cornell.edu .
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 MARYLAND LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR WOMEN (MLAW) 2016 LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION AND BRIEFING
 Tuesday, February 16
4:30 - 5:30 PM
Miller Senate Office Building
1 Bladen St.
Annapolis
Here is your opportunity to find out what's on the 2016 Legislative Agenda as well as to meet with your legislators to discuss women's issues. It's even FREE but you must register. Spaces are limited. Please be sure to bring a photo identification in order to enter the Senate building. You'll find several parking garages near the Senate building, as well as metered parking throughout Annapolis. You also may park at Navy Stadium and take the shuttle to the Miller Senate Office Building. Please click here for information and registration details. For additional information, contact WDC Advocacy co-chairs Fran Rothstein (fran.rothstein@verizon.net ) or Emily Shetty (emily.shetty@gmail.com ).
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2016 LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION
6:00 PM
Harry Browne's Restaurant
66 State Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401
We have been invited by The J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association and Maryland Hispanic Bar Association to a legislative reception with members of the Maryland General Assembly. The event serves as an opportunity to discuss pertinent policy with Maryland legislators during the 2016 Legislative session. There is no charge to attend but please RSVP as space is limited. Additionally, please only register if you are sure you can attend. Street and garage parking will be available. For more information, please contact Marylin Pierre at mpierrelaw@gmail.com or 301-279-9020.
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE'S ANNUAL BRUNCH
Sunday, February 21
12-30 - 3:00 PM
Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center
5701 Marinelli Road, North Bethesda, MD.
This year's theme is "Ready to Win!" The Brunch is an excellent opportunity to meet with fellow Democrats, see old friends and make new friends, and build for a successful election year in 2016. Please join us on February 21. This is an important year for County Democrats with many contested elections for President, U.S. Senator, three members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and many other down-ballot offices and ballot questions. The MCDCC is "Ready to Win!" with an aggressive game plan, but we need to have the funds to implement many of our initiatives, especially those aimed at increasing voter turnout. Please help us in these efforts. As in the past, the MCDCC asks that you bring a canned food to be collected and distributed to area food banks.
The WDC is sponsoring a table at the front. If you would like to sit with us, please send a check payable to WDC for $60 (include your Legislative District number) to:
Betsy Loyless
4849 Langdrum Lane
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Please note a change this year: the MCDCC will not seat people by Legislative District. Except for the priority seating at the front of the room for sponsors and those who purchase tables, such as the WDC, all seating will be open.
Send us your check today for your brunch ticket as the WDC table will fill up quickly!
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE'S SPRING BALL AWARD NOMINATIONS DUE FEBRUARY 6
The Annual Spring Ball will be held on May 7 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in North Bethesda. It is time to nominate County Democrats for awards to be presented at the Ball for service to the Democratic Party and our many diverse communities.
Nominations are due by February 6 at 5:00 pm. Email your nominations to MCDCC Secretary Wendy Cohen at wcohen@yahoo.com. The awards are listed below, and you may nominate more than one person for each award category or nominate the same person for more than one award. We encourage our MCDCC-chartered Clubs and Caucuses to participate in nominating individuals from their organization.
Jack Dean-Helen Peacock Precinct Official Award - Presented in recognition of outstanding Democratic Party activism within the Precinct Organization.
Rita Morgan-Bruce Jerney Community Service Award - Presented to a Party activist and volunteer who has shown outstanding commitment to public service, either in civic activism, helping the needy or generally working to improve the quality of life for all citizens of Montgomery County.
Democrat of the Year Award - Presented to the person who has given outstanding service and commitment to the Democratic Party over the past year. The recipient of this award has made a significant contribution to enhance the strength and vitality of the Democratic Party through general volunteer activity, helping to build the precinct organization, organizing Party events, exceptional fundraising success, or involvement in successful General Election activity.
Rosalie Reilly Lifetime Service Award - Presented in recognition of outstanding commitment and contributions to the Montgomery County Democratic Party throughout a career in public service.
Kelsey Cooke Volunteer of the Year Award - Presented in recognition of outstanding volunteer activity by a Democratic Party activist.
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Saturday, March 12
8th Congressional Candidates' District Forum hosted by Safe Silver Spring
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Takoma Park Middle School
7611 Piney Branch Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910
News anchor and television journalist Derek McGinty will moderate a two hour forum for the 8th Congressional District candidates for U.S. Congress at the Takoma Park Middle School. On the agenda: public safety and criminal justice issues. We hope you will join us!
Democrats David Anderson, Kumar Barve, Ana Sol Gutierrez, Will Jawando, Kathleen Matthews, Jamie Raskin, Joel Rubin, Republican Shelly Skolnick, and Independent Elizabeth Matory have confirmed their participation.
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Maryland Democratic Party VAN/VoteBuilder December Webinars from the
Maryland Democratic Party!
February 1st, 2:00PM-3:00PM (Beginner)
February 2nd, 4:00PM-5:00PM (Intermediate)
February 2nd, 7:00PM-8:00PM (Beginner)
February 5th, 10:00AM-11:00AM (Beginner)
February 5th, 12:00PM-1:00PM (Intermediate)
February 9th, 11:00AM-12:00PM (Beginner)
February 9th, 1:00PM-12:00PM (Intermediate)
February 10th, 7:00PM-8:00PM (Intermediate)
February 11th, 11:00AM-12:00PM (Beginner)
February 11th, 1:00PM-12:00PM (Intermediate)
February 12th, 1:00PM-2:00PM (Beginner)
February 12th, 3:00PM-4:00PM (Intermediate)
February 15th, 11:00AM-12:00PM (Beginner)
February 15th, 2:00PM-3:00PM (Intermediate)
February 17th, 10:00AM-11:00AM (Beginner)
February 17th, 3:00PM-4:00PM (Intermediate)
February 18th, 7:00PM-8:00PM (Beginner)
February 19th, 2:00PM-3:00PM (Beginner)
February 22nd, 1:00PM-2:00PM (Intermediate)
February 23rd, 7:00PM-8:00PM (Intermediate)
February 24th, 4:00PM-5:00PM (Beginner)
February 26th, 11:00AM-12:00PM (Intermediate
Registration closes 24 hours prior to the start date of the webinar. Please put WDC next to your name so we can confirm that you are a good Democrat!
And, as always, if you cannot make any of the above training sessions or are interested in a private training session, please contact Tyler Carr, Voter File Manager for the Maryland Democratic Party: tcarr@mddems.org; (410) 269-8818.
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MCDCC TO FILL VACANT DISTRICT 14 DELEGATE POSITION AT FEBRUARY 9 MEETING
On January 21, the MCDCC submitted to the Governor the nomination of District 14 Delegate Craig Zucker to fill the vacancy created by the January 1 resignation of District 14 Senator Karen Montgomery. Because MCDCC submitted only one nominee for the vacancy, it is virtually certain there will be a vacancy in the House of Delegates. The Maryland State Constitution (Section 13) requires the MCDCC to nominate a candidate to fill that vacancy. With the legislative session underway, MCDCC is starting the process to fill that vacancy today to ensure the residents of District 14 have full representation in the General Assembly as quickly as possible.
Therefore, the MCDCC is accepting applications for a vacant State Delegate position in Legislative District 14, which will be voted on at the February 9 MCDCC meeting at 7:00 p.m. (note earlier start time) at our office at 3720 Farragut Ave. #303, Kensington, MD. The applicant may be a male or female, must be 18-years or older, be a registered Democrat, and must reside in Legislative District 14.
Applications must include a 1-page cover letter stating the position applied for, as well confirming that they live in District 14. In addition to the cover letter, applicants must include a resume of no more than 2 pages that includes current and/or past positions in the MCDCC precinct organization or other elected positions, employment information, a history of involvement in past political campaigns, volunteer history for the Democratic Party, and current or past membership in MCDCC-chartered Clubs and Caucuses or other clubs related to Democratic politics.
The application deadline is Monday, February 8, 2016, at 5:00 pm. You may mail the application to the MCDCC office at 3720 Farragut Ave. #303, Kensington, MD 20895, email the application to montgomerydems@msn.com, or drop off the application at the MCDCC office at the address above. We encourage you to submit your application as early as possible to give MCDCC members time to review your application before the February 9 meeting. No applications or endorsements will be accepted after the deadline. You also may contact MCDCC members at any time during the application period (see contact information for MCDCC members at http://www.mcdcc.org/about/#centralcommittee).
Applicants will be given 3-5 minutes, depending on the number of applicants, to address the MCDCC at the February 9 meeting. The MCDCC office will be open at 6:30 p.m. on February 9 for those who wish to talk with members before the meeting. The public is invited to attend.
A confirmation email will be sent to you when the MCDCC receives your application. That email will have additional information about the process for filling the vacant position.
For questions, please call the MCDCC office during business hours at 301-946-1000
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Board of Elections Launches Recruitment for the "Future Vote" Program
The Montgomery County Board of Elections is seeking school-age students, grades 6-12, to participate in its "Future Vote" Program. Future Vote students will serve as Election Day student aides during the 2016 Presidential Primary Election on Tuesday, April 26. Students and their guardians must attend mandatory training to participate in the Future Vote Program and, if applicable, students will receive Student Service Learning (SSL) credits. Most students work in precincts near their home. This initiative combines civic participation and the opportunity to observe democracy in action. The Future Vote Program is available to all Montgomery County students. U.S. citizenship is not a pre-requisite and students with bilingual and American Sign Language skills are encouraged to apply. Interested parents/guardians may register their student(s) online by visiting https://www4.montgomerycountymd.gov/BoardOfElections/registerGuardianFv.seam .
Registration details from the website are provided below:
1) Provide Parent/Guardian NAME, DATE of BIRTH and E-MAIL to receive temporary password.
2) Retrieve temporary password from e-mail account provided.
3) Click "Sign-In" to complete application process by typing in temporary password and e-mail provided at preregistration.
4) Follow system prompt to change temporary password.
5) Complete Future Vote application by selecting training date and precinct location/shift during the online registration.
6) Parent/Guardian and child(ren) must attend mandatory training to serve
7) Additional instructions provided at training.
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VOTER REGISTRATION ACTIVITIES
by Kathy Deerkoski
Thank you to everyone who volunteered! The Voter Registration / Open Health Enrollment Drive was a great success. We registered close to 25 students and most of them agreed to be election judges. We also handed out about 50 applications to those students who were not able to complete the application at that time. Close to 50 students did not have health coverage and took the health care information so they can enroll in the Maryland Exchange.
Thank you Elaine, Posey, Linda, Fran, Lynn, Annette and Janet
Volunteers make a difference!
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WDC member Kathy Deerkoski, Dr. Gilberto Zelaya of the Montgomery County Board of Elections and WDC president Linda Kolko in front of a new voting machine at the WDC voter registration drive at Montgomery College in Takoma Park.
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by Bonnie Wicklund
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| | Congressman John Sarbanes |
Following wine, hors d' oeuvres and lively conversation among attendees at the Pooks Hill Marriott on Sunday, December 13th, President Linda Kolko introduced Maryland's U.S. Representative John Sarbanes to speak about "The Us Campaign--a New National Movement to Fight the Issue of Money in Politics." Born and raised in Baltimore, Sarbanes was elected in 2007 from the 3rd District, which includes parts of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery counties and Baltimore City. In Congress, Sarbanes serves on two subcommittees of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and has focused on efforts to clean up the Chesapeake Bay; ensuring that there are adequate numbers of health care professionals; and expanding access to higher education. He has now turned his attention to "fighting back against big money in politics."
Congressman Sarbanes said he has become convinced that many Americans have concluded that "big money and special interests have captured the machinery of government, and that ordinary people are left out." As a result, citizens have become cynical and disillusioned, and have "fled the town square," leaving the field open to extreme elements.
"How do we bring people back?"
To re-engage in the political process, Americans need to be convinced that they can power campaigns themselves, and that candidates can be made more accountable. To this end, the Congressman has introduced the Government by the People Act (H.R.20), with nearly 150 co-signers. Modeled on several state initiatives, the Act has several components. First, it empowers every citizen to engage in the political process by providing a $25 My Voice Tax Credit to donate to a candidate running for Congress. Second, if that candidate agrees to voluntary contribution limits, H.R. 20 would amplify each small donation with a six-to-one matching donation from the Freedom From Influence Fund. In addition, Congressman Sarbanes strongly advocates passing the DISCLOSE Act, which requires corporations to publicly disclose all of their political spending.
The Us Campaign
To build support for H.R.20, Representative Sarbanes explained how he had sought large contributions from private donors to establish a matching fund during the recent election cycle for his own reelection campaign, and then sought donations from ordinary voters to unlock the matching funds. Now he has launched a non-partisan website to establish chapters across the country to build support for meaningful campaign finance reform. He asked everyone to go to www.johnsarbanes.com to sign up in support of the Government by the People Act (H.R. 20).
Q & A
Answering a couple of questions addressing the overwhelming nature of fundraising in current campaigns from people frustrated with repeated robocalls and mailings, Congressman Sarbanes said that the reality is candidates are pursuing a "dwindling circle of active, committed voters" while ignoring everyone else. The solution is a "multi-dimensional effort to make people feel respected again."
Asked how redistricting reform fits in to his efforts, Rep. Sarbanes responded that H.R. 20 is one aspect of a
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| | WDC member Lucy Freeman, Eva Dillon of Montgomery Housing Partnership and Delegate Aruna Miller enjoying the holiday party. |
comprehensive election reform effort, including amending the Constitution to overturn the Citizens United Supreme Court decision; restoring the voting rights act; requiring disclosure and transparency in campaigns; and redistricting reform to counter extreme gerrymandering (of which his own district is a prime example, he noted ruefully).
Someone wanted to know whether the "Us Campaign" is looking for Republican support, noting in passing that Governor Hogan had used public financing to get elected. Sarbanes said that H.R. 20 has one Republican co-signer, but that he thinks it is an issue with bipartisan potential simply because congressional and all national campaigns have become so expensive. Several states have already instituted successful public financing for campaigns; in Maryland, he went on, public financing is available for the governor/lieutenant governor race but not yet for state legislators.
An added benefit of public financing is that it opens up possibilities for people to run for office who would never otherwise consider throwing their hats in the ring because they don't know anyone with lots of money, the Congressman added, thus increasing the chances for more diversity.
Finally, former WDC President Beth Tomasello asked for an estimate of how much "people money" it would take to match the present level of spending by PAC's and large donors in congressional campaigns. Sarbanes said that he has roughly calculated that his plan would require about $500 million per year over the first ten years. That's a lot of money, he said, but if congressmen were not so dependent on the donations of powerful corporations, beneficial changes could be made in government spending. He cited the law that prohibits Medicare from negotiating price breaks on drugs from large pharmaceutical companies--which spend huge amounts on lobbying--as a prime example.
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AN EVENING WITH SENATOR AMY KLOBUCHAR OF MINNESOTA
by Paul Schwartz
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| | WDC Vice President Betsy Loyless and Senator Amy Klobuchar |
The Woman's Democratic Club of Montgomery County has done it again. They were able to schedule another absolutely phenomenal guest speaker who was both informative and extremely entertaining. On Tuesday, January 19th, we had the privilege of having Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota address the WDC attendees and be thoroughly entertained with citations from her recently published book, The Senator Next Door. Using these references from her book, she was able to paint a picture of the many stops along the journey that saw her go from a middle class background growing up in Minnesota and working as an AW Root beer "Jug of Fun" girl to becoming a United States Senator from that very state and then face the challenge of Congressional gridlock.
She comes from a background that includes the influence her immigrant grandparents, who settled in Milwaukee, had on her and the example they set. Her grandfather spent his life working fifteen hundred feet underground in the mines in Ely, Minnesota, but, though never graduating from high school himself, understood the value of education and saved enough money to send his son to college. Her father was a newspaperman and her mother was a schoolteacher and both her parents provided a sound middle class foundation that emphasized giving back to the community. Public purpose is a driving force in how she approaches her work and how she approaches her life.
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| | Chrissie McHenry and Ashura Buckley enjoying the dinner. |
Her journey included running Minnesota's largest prosecutor's office on her way to running for Senate and becoming the state's first female Senator in 2006. Her election, though, was not the climax, it was a beginning of a new chapter in her life and her continued commitment to getting things done, now in a Congress that often seems incapable of getting anything done.
During her talk she mentioned those that influenced her and are admired by her such as Senator Barbara Mikulsi, the late Senator Paul Wellstone who was to a great extent her mentor, John Kerry, Barbara Jordan and, of course, fellow Senator Al Franken, who demonstrated that you can go from Saturday Night Live to the Senate of the United States and not lose your sense of humor. Actually, as Senator Klobuchar also indicated, a sense of humor is an essential asset to maintaining one's sanity in the halls of Congress. Senator Klobuchar also was gracious enough to field some questions from the audience at the end of her talk. She was asked about working with Michelle Bachmann and shared a story that involving President Bush the son that was soooo Michelle Bachmann. An answer to another question concerning tactics in Congress made it clear that Senator Klobuchar's reputation for working across the aisle to pass legislation that supports families, workers' rights and small businesses is well earned.
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| | WDC Board with Senator Klobuchar |
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ADVOCACY COMMITTEE UPDATE
During the current session, the WDC Board of Directors has identified the following top priority areas: employment, criminal justice, health and children's issues; and has shared our specific priorities with the Montgomery County State Delegation. Click here to view WDC letter sent to the Montgomery County State Delegation. In addition, the WDC Advocacy Committee delivered letters to Michael Busch, Speaker of the House of Delegates and Mike Miller Jr., President of the Senate, outlining the priorities of the board of the WDC during the 2016 legislative session. Click here to view the letter to Speaker Busch. Click her to view the letter to Snator Miller. For more information, please contact Fran Rothstein at fran.rothstein@verizon.net or Emily Shetty at (emily.shetty@gmail.com).
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MARYLAND WOMEN'S COALITION FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM UPDATE
by Mary Lou Fox
Maryland General Assembly is off and running. One important issue to be discussed in the legislature are the challenges presented by the Medicaid Redetermination process. Last week the Coalition sent a letter to Governor Hogan, signed by 47 organizations, that highlight the impact of the current process on Marylanders and we included a new Issue Brief.
We are currently analyzing draft legislation to determine what our priority bills will be. Watch for postings on our Legislative page. We expect discussion and possible legislation on Provider Network Adequacy.
The Coalition recently released its report on OBGYN providers available through the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. The report found that of the 1,493 providers listed, only 22.5% were able to provide a well woman exam within four weeks. Many other findings in the report highlighted the inadequacy of the OBGYN provider network.
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INTERVIEW
edited by Bonnie Wicklund
 New to the WDC board, serving on the Membership/Outreach Committee, Barbara Salkin was born and raised in New York City and moved to Montgomery County, Maryland just at the time when she decided to stop complaining about government and instead stand up and be counted. She became a precinct chairman and eventually a member of MCDCC. There came a point when being a Democratic volunteer had to be supplanted by a salaried position in her chosen field--marketing/public relations. She worked as the director of public relations for a D.C. law firm. Subsequently Barbara created Pangaea, Inc., a student exchange organization that obtained an agreement with the Russian Ministry of Education whereby we brought Russian high school athletes to the U.S. and in return took high school athletes from Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Kentucky to various cities throughout Russia. (After 9/11 Pangaea was discontinued because safety was questionable.) Thereafter, Barbara moved to Towson when she took an administrative position at Johns Hopkins. She returned to Montgomery County in 2010 and once again became a Democratic activist, which included renewing her membership in WDC.
READING
I love to read fiction/non-fiction primarily focused on historical events, especially in Elizabethan England, the American Revolutionary War, the American Civil War, and World War II periods.
VIEWING
I have always been a movie goer. My all-time favorites are: Rebecca, Lawrence of Arabia, Out of Africa, American in Paris. My TV viewing tends toward PBS, British drama and comedy-such as the British version of House of Cards, and As Time Goes By. And yes, I am a fan of Downton Abbey!
LISTENING
While driving or doing household chores I listen to music, mainly classical and Broadway musicals.
EXCITING POLITICIAN
I greatly admire Congressman John Sarbanes for his tenacity and non-stop efforts to change campaign finance. He has taken the time and effort to travel throughout the U.S. to promote his "Us Campaign." Perhaps someday his efforts will bear fruit and more individuals will be able to run for office without relying on "big money" for a campaign.
POLITICAL HIGH POINT
I worked for a friend who won his election by 7 votes, and I know where they came from: I organized a couple of people and we spent all day Getting Out the Vote; that's how he won. That is why I believe that GOTV is the most important thing we can do to win elections.
URGENT POLITICAL ISSUE
The re-establishing of "good government" in our country with a Congress that works together, not focused on party lines, but on what will best serve all American people.
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IN MEMORIAM
by Linda Kolko
The WDC mourns the loss of the following three members.
 WDC member Charlotte Jarvis Kidder Brewer of Chevy Chase died on January 22, 2016. Charlotte was a graduate of Barnard College who worked hard for causes in which she believed; environmental, conservation and political initiatives, including the Student Conservation Association and Rock Creek clean ups. She was a lifelong crusader for issues addressing climate change. In addition, Charlotte was a very active member of the WDC and her local Democratic club. She often drove people to the polls on election day. The Club extends its condolences to the entire Brewer family. To read Charlotte's full obituary, please click here.
Longtime WDC member Anne Fishman of Kensington, Maryland died on October 20, 2015. Anne and her husband Albert regularly attended our member luncheons and other events. The Club extends its condolences to her husband Albert and the entire Fishman family. To read Anne's full obituary, please click here.
 WDC member Naomi Kaminsky died on August 11, 2015. Naomi was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Oklahoma University. Naomi was proud of her work for the Interfaith Conference of Washington and the National Pharmaceutical Association. She volunteered as a medical insurance counselor, at the Library of Congress and as a tax preparer for the elderly. Naomi spent her final years working with others to establish Chevy Chase at Home, a non-profit organization that assists older adults who choose to remain in their own homes enjoying their independence. Naomi was a long time member of the WDC and attended many of our programs. The Club extends its condolences to her husband Irving and the entire Kaminsky family. To read Naomi's full obituary, please click here.
Note to Members: Please notify the Club President at wdcmcmd@gmail.com of any member who has passed away as we would like to include a remembrance of their life in the newsletter.
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JOIN OR RENEW NOW
Most current members have renewed - thank you! For those who have not, we must receive your renewal by February 1 to still be listed in the 2016 Membership Directory. Please renew now! WDC appreciates your continuing support and wants to remind you that your dues were due on September 1. Your voice and membership dues are crucial to the vitality and strength of the Woman's Democratic Club. Your $35 dues ($25 for members 35 years and younger) ($36.00 and $26 online, respectively, at www.womansdemocraticclub.org) pays for Club mailings; subsidizes events, programming, and the annual New Member dinner; and supports the important work of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee and Democratic candidates with campaign contributions. All non-renewing members are purged from the membership list. Click here to renew or join now.
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SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATE - WE'RE ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER!
Don't forget to like us on Facebook; we're listed as Woman's Democratic Club, Montgomery County.
WDC also has a Twitter account! Our Twitter handle is @WomenDems. Be sure to follow us!
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 UPDATE - POLITICAL BOOK CLUB
The Board of Directors of the WDC would like to thank Helene Guttman and the members of the political book club for offering such fascinating books and discussion over many years to our members. Unfortunately, as its membership has declined in recent months, the book club has decided to disband
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VOLUNTEERS: IT TAKES A VILLAGE
 Sharing your skills and expertise with us and joining a committee are fun ways to meet other members and make new friends while helping the Club accomplish its goals. We especially need volunteers to help with new member recruitment as part of the Membership & Outreach Committee and we need volunteers on the Advocacy Committee to help analyze and track important legislation.
We also need writers to prepare articles for our newsletter and photographers for our Facebook page and newsletter. Finally, we are looking for a member to help organize our monthly Happy Hour. |
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SUGGESTION BOX:
Do you have ideas for future programs? Do you know someone who would be a great speaker at a future WDC event? If so, please send an e-mail to wdcmcmd@gmail.com.
A lso, our Education Committee is seeking ideas for future programs in the Montgomery 101 series; if you have issues or subjects about the county you would like to learn about or study, please email Lucy Freeman at dorset4708@yahoo.com or call 301-654-8115.
Keeping members better informed, better connected and more politically effective since 1957
 
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Woman's Democratic Club
Sybil Cantor
Email Coordinator
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