On July 18, 2005, at the Leelanau Coffee Roasting house
in Glen Arbor, Michigan, several women sat around an
outdoor table discussing what, if anything, could be done to
counter the effects of the right-wing agenda in this country.
Inspired by enthusiasm for this effort, Celeste Crouch and
several others began to discuss goals and methods to
achieve them. The women agreed to meet again, inviting
like-minded friends to join them.
Several meetings followed, each with greater attendance
than the one before; soon meetings had to be moved to a
local restaurant. For several weeks, meetings continued
regularly, and membership continued to grow.
The group chose a mission statement and agreed to call
themselves Leelanau Independent Women for Democratic
Action. Papers were filed with the state and federal
governments, making the group a legal political action
committee.
Then the work began! We endorsed our first candidates
for office, campaigned to support recycling and farmland
preservation in Leelanau County, and urged the defeat of
an anti-affirmative-action initiative. We galvanized support
to elect a write-in candidate for the Glen Lake School
Board, marched in parades and participated in festivals to
promote our candidates and issues, and started a recycling
program at the Homestead Resort. We wrote numerous
letters, held fund raisers, and ran ads, too.
By August 2006, LIWDA had grown into an organization of
more than 90 interested people, two-thirds of whom had
become dues-paying members.
We have learned and accomplished much since our
humble beginnings. We hope you will join us as we
continue working to make government work for all!
in Glen Arbor, Michigan, several women sat around an
outdoor table discussing what, if anything, could be done to
counter the effects of the right-wing agenda in this country.
Inspired by enthusiasm for this effort, Celeste Crouch and
several others began to discuss goals and methods to
achieve them. The women agreed to meet again, inviting
like-minded friends to join them.
Several meetings followed, each with greater attendance
than the one before; soon meetings had to be moved to a
local restaurant. For several weeks, meetings continued
regularly, and membership continued to grow.
The group chose a mission statement and agreed to call
themselves Leelanau Independent Women for Democratic
Action. Papers were filed with the state and federal
governments, making the group a legal political action
committee.
Then the work began! We endorsed our first candidates
for office, campaigned to support recycling and farmland
preservation in Leelanau County, and urged the defeat of
an anti-affirmative-action initiative. We galvanized support
to elect a write-in candidate for the Glen Lake School
Board, marched in parades and participated in festivals to
promote our candidates and issues, and started a recycling
program at the Homestead Resort. We wrote numerous
letters, held fund raisers, and ran ads, too.
By August 2006, LIWDA had grown into an organization of
more than 90 interested people, two-thirds of whom had
become dues-paying members.
We have learned and accomplished much since our
humble beginnings. We hope you will join us as we
continue working to make government work for all!
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