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Date: 2/15/2026
Subject: LWV Bellingham/Whatcom - The Voter, February 2026
From: League of Women Voters Bellingham/Whatcom County






Legend of the League 

The League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County celebrates a special volunteer every year at the annual meeting as the Legend of the League. 
 
This award is a fun way to celebrate a person who has shown a strong and enduring commitment to LWVBWC and whose work has helped further the League’s  goals of making democracy work. The board is calling for nominations! 
 
Send your nomination to Eileen McCracken (360)746-1984 by April 1st. 

Update on Healthy Children's Fund

The League supported Proposition 5, to establish the Healthy Children's Fund in 2022. Three years later, how well is the fund fulfilling it's purpose?

Observers from LWVBWC’s Healthcare Issues Team (HIT) attend public meetings to follow progress of the Healthy Children’s Fund (HCF). Find out how our tax money has been spent so far.


Welcome New Members!

Since last March we have had the pleasure of welcoming 108 new members to our League. What an honor to welcome each of you!
 
Learn more about our work and what you can expect from the League.


New Member Orientation

Are you new to the LWV?  If so, please join us for an informal, small-group orientation.  We will talk about the history of the League, our mission and our work, and most importantly - how to get involved!

You must reserve a spot to attend - the study rooms only hold 6 of us!  I’m not supposed to serve treats but you are welcome to bring a cup of coffee!  The study rooms are to the left after the main entrance of the library.

Friday, March 6th 1 to 2:30 p.m. Central Library Study Room #1 – Register Here

Monday, March 9th 10 to 11:30 a.m. Central Library Study Room #2 –Register Here 


LWV Book Group Discusses Solito

Book group members will be joining activities of the Whatcom Reads 2026 program by discussing  Solito, written by Javier Zamora, on March 25.

Join us at Village Books for a lively discussion.

Healthcare Issues Team Update

The Bellingham Food Bank's Executive Director, Mike Cohen, will meet with us to discuss the Food Bank's mission, it's current operations, and the additional challenges it now faces. Please join us Monday, February 16, 2026, 10:00 AM until 11:30 AM us for a closer look at this important service in our community.
 
Registration is required!

Email and Security

Your security is important to us. Recently there have been a few instances where scammers “scraped” our general email addresses from the website and used them to pretend to be Eileen asking for help in the form of gift cards and such. Eileen says she will never ask for money. But to be safer, I have removed all email addresses from our public website. 
 
If anyone wants to contact a leader in our League, please click Contact Us at the top of every page. The Contact Us page has a full complement of leader contacts so you can reach whomever you wish.  

Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC): What Can You Do?


Several members of the Immigrant Support team attended a webinar in December – Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC): What Can You Do?  It was presented by Lydia Zepeda, the Immigrant Issues chair for the WA State LWV and a co-author of the Welcoming Immigrants study.
 
Learn more about NWIPC and learn how you can take action to support immigrants in detainment.

Volunteer Needed: Financial Review 

The LWVBWC is required to do an annual financial review. Board member Donna Meehan is going to lead this effort but we could use another person on her team.  If you have a background in bookkeeping or are just good with numbers and could spare about 4 hours we would appreciate your helping to check over our funds and processes.

Please contact Donna Meehan (406) 698-8974.


Civics Snapshots

Want a lesson in civics? Don't miss our educational videos on topics like the division of powers, Electoral College, Ranked Choice Voting, and more!



Shout Out

Shout out to Lane Davis-Coury for her work on the Healthcare Team organizing and motivating the observer group and for attending the meetings of the Public Hospital District formation group.

Shoutout to Judy Hopkinson who always works on whatever you ask for with a lovely smile and helpful ideas. The Climate Team loves working with you!

Upcoming Events

Please join us monthly on Wednesdays for Coffee
Wednesday, February 11 10:00 - 11:00 AM 
Next Chapter Café, Village Books 
 
If you are new, grab yourself a drink and let’s talk about what interests you and how you might find your place in the League!  If you are a longtime member, come get caught up with your friends and let us know how you are doing! 
 

Questions? Want to help with membership engagement? Please call Eileen McCracken 360-746-1984


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The League would like to welcome our newest members:

Cheryl Spector
Thomas Herbert
Elisa Kulp
Elizabeth Wonnacott
Leslie Bagne
Kathleen Bell
Karen McConnell
Martha Dearstyne
Penny Henderson
Rene Marie Keep
Rana Courchaine
Laura Ridenour
Chris Lindberg

Help the League do Our Work

Make a Donation | Volunteer Your Time | Stay Informed

LWVBWC thanks The Voter editors, Theresa Kingma and Becca Verda

PO Box 4041 Bellingham, WA  98227-4041
360-305-3523
Contact Us