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Many of our members frequently write letters to the editor or commentary articles, and many regularly communicate with local, state and national representatives. Whether they do it as individuals or as members of Women's Voices, our members are speaking out, and their voices are being heard. Here are some other events our members have attended, and efforts undertaken by the whole group:

Walk As One - August, 2008

Eighteen members, friends and supporters of Women's Voices turned out on a beautiful August morning to participate in the annual "Walk As One" event sponsored by the National Conference for Community and Justice. The Women's Voices team raised more than $350 to support the work of the NCCJ. Participants included: Nelda Carlisle-Gray, Hillary Elfenbein and her son, Teddy, Barbara and John Finch, Judy Martin Finch and her son, Sam, Julie Healey, Lea Johnson and her sister, Mary, Chi Mathias and her daughter, Mary O'Reilly, Alice Serrano, Mary Ann Tipton,, Mary Naener, Ken and Dorothy Edscorn, and Jan Mount.

Jeff Smith 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament And Community Fair - July, 2008

More than 500 youngsters turned out to play basketball at Fairgrounds Park on Saturday, July 19, and members of Women's Voices were there to cheer them on and provide information for adults who attended the community event. Under the direction of our Diversity Initiative, headed by Judy Martin Finch and Shelly Lemons, members distributed applications for voter registration and collected signatures for the Missouri Health Care For All effort. In addition to Judy and Shelly, participants included Barbara Richter, Susan Hayman, Barbara Finch, Mary Ann Tipton, Julie Healey and Jane Cocalis.

PrideFest - June, 2008

Women's Voices had a strong presence in this year's PrideFest Parade on June 29, thanks to the following enthusiastic marchers who made it happen:

Jeanne and Bob Bubb, Ruth Ann Cioci,
Mary, Dale and Marcus Clemons,
Jane Cocalis, Hillary and Teddy Elfenbein,
Barb Finch, Jean Ann Funk, Margaret Hasse,
Susan Hayman, Julie Healey,
Shelly, Brad and Sasha Lemons,
Judy Martin and Sam Finch, Ann Ross,
Ann and Pete Ruger, Amy Smoucha,
Marilyn Sue Warren, Beverly White,
Diane Duke Williams, and Laura West-Hennon.



Paraquad - April, 2008

Seven members of Women' Voices visited the headquarters of Paraquad Inc, on April 16, to learn about the work of that organization and how it helps individuals with various disabilities throughout the St. Louis region.

When Paraquad was started in 1970, it had a staff of four and its major purpose was to enable disabled individuals to live in the community, rather than in nursing homes. Today Paraquad has 136 full-time staffers and several dozen part-time employees. It provides 32 different services and continues to be a leader in advancing the independent living philosophy.

Disabled adults face a variety of challenges in housing, education, employment, and other areas, staffers explained. Lack of accessible housing is a major problem in St. Louis, where it is estimated that only .03 percent of apartments are considered accessible. Seventy percent of the disabled population is unemployed.

Paraquad is collaborating with the Washington University School of Medicine Program in Occupational Therapy in an Assistive Technology and Enabling Mobility Center, which combines clinical evaluations, skills training, education, outreach and community-based research to ensure that people with disabilities can fully participate in the community.

For more information about Paraquad, go to www.paraquad.org.



YouthBuild - March, 2008

One of the purposes of the Women's Voices monthly meetings is to help members learn about what is going on in our community and help us recognize each other's human needs. No one did this more beautifully than the Rev. Martha Brunell, who told us about the North St. Louis YouthBuild project in January, 2008. She challenged us to "get mad" about what is going on in the north St. Louis Hyde Park community. As a result of that challenge, several members of Women's Voices did, indeed, get mad and "got going." Here are some of the things that have happened:

  1. Jane Cocalis, one of our members who is a professional grant writer, worked with the YouthBuild program director to research local foundations and prepare grant proposals in an attempt to get continued funding for the program.
  2. Efforts were undertaken to get additional publicity about the program. On Friday, March 28, the Post-Dispatch ran a front-page article about the program and its progress and problems. This article resulted in more than $2,000 in donations to the organization, plus a $1,000 challenge grant. In several letters to the editor of the Post-Dispatch (published on-line), writers indicated they would be turning over their government "stimulus" checks to YouthBuild.
  3. Alice Serrano, a member of the Environment Focus Group, spent many hours working with the YouthBuild students in the "Ameren UE Gives Three" project, in which Ameren UE donated 1,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs to Women's Voices for distribution to low-income households in the Hyde Park neighborhood.
  4. Sarajane Campbell, one of our members, has been serving as a volunteer tutor at YouthBuild all year. She is helping students prepare for their GED tests
  5. The Board of Women's Voices is strongly supportive of this project. Board members approved a $100 contribution to YouthBuild at their April meeting.
Additional information about the YouthBuild project may be obtained from the web site: www.friedensforever.org. Donations via PayPal also can be made on this site.



First Freedom Breakfast

Rep. Rick Stream, Julie Healy
January 24, 2008

Women's Voices was one of 14 faith and community-based organizations from across Missouri that sponsored the "First Freedom Breakfast" in Jefferson City on Thursday, Jan. 24. Purpose of the event was to meet with state senators and representatives and talk with them about first amendment issues that may arise during the upcoming legislative session. Topics of discussion included the separation of church and state, school vouchers, tax credits for parents who send their children to private or religious schools,prayer in public schools, and the importance of keeping religious dogma out of the science curriculum in public education. Women's Voices opposes the use of school vouchers, tax credits, and school-sponsored prayer.



Women's Voices Supports Reproductive Choice

Ruth Ann Cioci, Mary Ann Tipton

January 22, 2008

Women's Voices is a proud member of the Freedom of Choice Council in St. Louis, which hosted an exciting "Fired Up For Freedom" event on Jan. 22 to mark the 35th anniversary of the Roe V. Wade decision. The event, at the Third Degree Glass Factory, featured performance artists and politcal updates on the status of reproductive health bills in Missouri. Funds raised at the party will be used to provide buses for the Missouri Prevention First Lobby Day, scheduled for March 4, 2008, in Jefferson City.





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