CCL Greater Highland Park/Deerfield celebrates its one-year anniversary this month! Co-led by @Sunday Mueller and @Francesca Kelly, this Illinois chapter has a dedicated core group of about 20 active members who show up for events and meetings. Two of those dedicated members are @Lida Obniski, who serves as the group’s liaison to their representative, and @Jo Anne Gottfried , who helps with chapter development and youth outreach.
“Lida traveled to the June conference for lobbying and loved the experience. She stays in regular contact with our representative's staff,” Francesca shares. They actually held a virtual lobby meeting less than a month after they launched the chapter, and they’ve kept up the relationship since then. “We've sent letters and cards, and recently sent children's drawings, made at our summer tabling events.”
The chapter has hosted six tabling events this year. “A good conversation-starter has been the Yale Six Americas jars and beads,” Francesca says. “Some of our best conversations were had with people who initially characterized themselves as ‘dismissive’ or ‘doubtful.’ We put a premium on listening and asking questions.”
And the conversations don’t stop there! “We've had several in-person coffees hosted by different members and at cafes. We aim for one in-person event every month,” Sunday says. For their one-year anniversary this month, the chapter is planning a big in-person meeting to get organized for broader outreach.
“Our leaders are newbies who are still learning. We know there are many more things our chapter could be doing, but we are busy grandmas who are still working and volunteering, and we don't let the ‘perfect’ get in the way of the good — or even the adequate!” Francesca says. “Our low-key approach has actually led to people wanting to get together and take action because there's little pressure. We're proud of gently encouraging our people.”
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