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Date: 2/7/2023
AMHERST — The League of Women Voters (LWV) Amherst will be celebrating its 84th birthday on Feb. 11, starting at 3:30 p.m. The celebration will be a virtual ceremony hosted on Zoom open to anyone, with a guest appearance by State Rep. Mindy Domb. Festivities will include humorous quizzes, speeches from LWV members and Domb, who will also be answering questions from attendees afterward.
This ceremony is the modern iteration of a practice that stretches back “at least 15 years” according to LWV Steering Committee Publicity Specialist Trish Farrington. What started off as an in-person luncheon for members and intersted friends alike to celebrate the league’s birthdays hosted at various local restaurants has turned into a virtual gathering due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“It was one of our most festive occasions through the year because people were together in a nice spot… at every one of them there was a speaker, someone who had been invited, who was in local government, a politician, people in the know of what was going on in the state but somebody local… The person would give a short talk and then be open for questions. We really felt like we were getting in on the ground floor of what was happening in the legislature,” Farrington said.
Farrington said some of the speakers at previous events included Stan Rosenberg, Ellen Story, John Oliver, Jim McGovern and most recently Domb and state Sen. Jo Comerford as examples of past speakers.
Due to the event’s virtual status, the LWV is opening it up to anyone interested. In an effort to compensate for the lack of in-person camaraderie, a humorous quiz has been prepared.
“It’s not a luncheon anymore, it hasn’t been for several years because it’s now a virtual Zoom event. This year, because it’s not in-person, we’re inviting anyone in the community who would like to come…because it’s not as festive as it was when everyone was together chatting, meeting new people…this year we’ve been thinking about how to spice it up. We’re having a quiz on the history of the League of Women Voters, which sounds kind of boring especially if you don’t know anything about the history, but you don’t really need to because it’s really meant to be silly. The answers are quite obvious and they’re quite humorous. Every time I look at the questions I laugh,” Farrington said.
In addition to the fun and games, there will be an acknowledgment of those in the LWV who have been members for 50 years, and anyone with inquiries for Domb about politics local and state can get their questions answered.
“There’s also going to be a moment acknowledging people who’ve been part of the league for 50 years. Hopefully some of them will be there. Mindy will speak after her quiz, and there will be questions and answers, of which there’s always a lot because obviously people are interested in what’s going on in the state and what’s to come, such as upcoming legislation.”
Farrington explained that the LWV has been in establishment for over a century as a national organization.
“The League of Women Voters is not just for women. It was actually established nationally over 100 years ago and it was for women’s suffrage. We have men and women [members], and it is bipartisan. The point of the league is not to advocate for any particular candidate or political party, it’s just to educate people about what’s going on; about local issues before town elections or state elections; we have candidate forums; we have published an election guide. It’s just to let people know what’s happening,” Farrington said.
The LWV registers voters and utilizes its various subcommittees to advocate for certain initiatives like one-payer healthcare and affordable housing, as well as hosting monthly dialogues on social issues like racial justice. The league also awards grants for local projects which fall in line with its ethics.
“We have things called ‘Civic Action Grants’ and anyone from the community can apply for one. It’s up to $2,500. It has to be for something that’s happening in Western Mass. that goes along with the league’s values. The form to apply is really easy to fill out. It’s good for anybody but it’s a really good way to get high school and college kids involved,” Farrington said.