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Fort Collins Joins the Global Plastic Free July Movement
Pledge to Take the Plastic Audit This July
Tuesday June 2nd, 2026
5:00-6:00pm
Fort Collins City Hall, 300 Laporte Ave.
Fort Collins has officially been recognized as part of the global Plastic Free July movement! A proclamation application was submitted to the city and approved, with our Mayor and all City Council members signing on to participate.
As part of their commitment, elected officials will be completing a one-week plastic audit — tracking the single-use plastics used in their own households and sharing results, photos, and personal reflections. It's a meaningful step toward our city's Zero Waste goals, and a great example for the rest of our community.
Want to join them? You can pledge to take the audit yourself and share the experience with friends, family, and neighbors.
You're also invited to celebrate in person at the Plastic Free July Proclamation and Rally on Tuesday, June 2nd.
Bring your signs and join local advocates! Attendees who pledge to take the plastic audit will be entered to win free raffle items.
Throughout July, Fort Collins libraries will also be featuring books on sustainability — a great way to deepen your knowledge and find inspiration.
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LWV Strong!
Larimer joins with Boulder and Weld counties
Heeding the Kenyan provision, “Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable”, the Unite & Rise teams from Larimer, Boulder and Weld Counties have decided to join forces to sponsor a panel event in Longmont on Monday evening, September 21. The panel will feature the clerks from each county in a Q & A format and take place at the Longmont Museum. Prior to the event there will be a reception in the Museum’s atrium for members of each league, as well as the public, to mingle and connect.
Our Larimer Unite & Rise team is looking for a few more sticks to join this collective bundle! Please make the collaboration as successful as possible by volunteering to be a helper on one of the following three event teams listed below. We promise the work will be fun, festive and finite (done on the 21st!). Better yet, you don’t have to lead it, just lend a hand!
| | | Event Day planning (Contact team lead Pam Franzen (mailto:pcfranzen@msn.com)). This team will be responsible for working with Boulder and Weld members to plan, organize and execute the reception prior to the panel
Coordinating Ridesharing (Contact team lead Beth DeHaven (mailto:bethadehaven@gmail.com)) This team will recruit and organize drivers to the event from Larimer County.
Marketing/Communication (Contact team lead Janet Schultz (mailto:jtorreyschultz@gmail.com)) This team will work in conjunction with Weld and Boulder members to advertise the event through social and print media, poster placement, emailing allies and networks, and spreading the word. |
Help Launch the "Is Media Ruining America?" Workshop Series
A 5-part media series
Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026
News Access and Literacy is seeking LWVLC members to help bring a vital new series to Larimer County.
The Program: Developed by the League of Women Voters of Jefferson County, "Is Media Ruining America?" is a five-part series that investigates the dangerous proliferation of fake news. The curriculum explores how disinformation fuels national polarization and poses a direct threat to our democratic institutions.
The workshops are built upon the book True or False: A CIA Analyst's Guide to Spotting Fake News by Cindy L. Otis, and are patterned after the Great Decisions program.
How You Can Help: The Jefferson County League has generously shared their materials with all Colorado local Leagues, and we are now ready to begin the planning phase for Larimer County. We are looking for volunteers to assist with:
- Venue Coordination: Securing locations for in-person
workshops.
- Facilitation: Leading and managing the
workshop discussions.
Project Timeline: We are hosting a virtual organizing meeting on Tuesday, June 2, from 4:30 to 5:30, with the goal of running these workshops throughout the month of August.
If you are interested in helping, please sign up on the LWVLC calendar page to receive the Zoom link for the organizing meeting. Contact Linda Hutchinson with questions (newsaccess@lwvcolorado.org). | | Great Decisions
Monday, June 1st, 2026
We will discuss: Ukraine and European Security, Chapter 5, in the 2026 Great Decisions book.
With reduced U.S. support for NATO and Ukraine, Europe faces strategic uncertainty. The Trump administration has signaled an intention to reduce its security role in Europe. What are America's stakes in NATO and Europe's strategic dilemmas, and how might Europe respond?
Great Decisions is on the LWVLC calendar and you can register there. A Zoom invitation will be sent to all previous participants If you are new to GD, and wish to participate, contact Annette DeMartine at ademartine@prolynx.com.
For more information about Great Decisions, please contact Karen Heckman at keheckman@gmail.com.
Upcoming meetings are always announced in the League Lines, and you can find us at https://www.lwv-larimercounty.org, under “Education Groups” in the “Our Work” tab.
Great Decisions meetings are held on the first Monday of each month from February to June and October to December. |  | | | | Informed Citizen Book Club
Morning regular attendees will meet at Epic Egg, 1477 E. Eisenhower Blvd, Loveland CO, 80537. Evening attendees must register for the event on the LWVLC website calendar. (https://www.lwv-larimercounty.org)
Please join us for a lively discussion of our April book on June 10, 2026:Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future by Vince Beiser (2024)
The powerful ways the metals we need to fuel technology and energy are spawning environmental havoc, political upheaval, and rising violence — and how we can do better. An Australian millionaire’s plan to mine the ocean floor. Nigerian garbage pickers risking their lives to salvage e-waste. A Bill Gates-backed entrepreneur harnessing AI to find metals in the Arctic.
These people and millions more are part of the intensifying competition to find and extract the minerals essential for two crucial technologies: the internet and renewable energy. In Power Metal, Vince Beiser explores the Achilles’ heel of “green power” and digital technology – that manufacturing computers, cell phones, electric cars, and other technologies demand skyrocketing amounts of lithium, copper, cobalt, and other materials. Around the world, businesses and governments are scrambling for new places and new ways to get those metals, at enormous cost to people and the planet.
Beiser crisscrossed the world to talk to the people involved and report on the damage this race is inflicting, the ways it could get worse, and how we can minimize the damage. Power Metal is a compelling glimpse into this disturbing yet potentially promising new world. (Penguin Random House)
Please join us on the second Wednesday of each month. Morning contact: Annette DeMartine: ademartine@prolynx.com Evening contact: Pat Skrentny-Lamb: pskrentnyamb@gmail.com
Next IC Book Club Meeting:
July 8 - Giving Up is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping a Democracy by Joyce Vance (2025)
| | Fort Collins - Juneteenth Celebration
Community Market and Fair
Saturday, June 20, 2026
12:00 - 4:00pm
Foothills Mall Fort Collins
Emancipation Day commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. A blend of the words June and nineteenth, it marks June 19, 1865, the day that Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and issued General Order No. 3, proclaiming that the enslaved African Americans there were free. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 and events marking the holiday sprang up around the country, including in Larimer County!
On June 20 beginning at noon there will be music, food, dancing, and community organization tables filling the inner courtyard. The League's table will promote membership and civic engagement — in particular the “Why Vote?” conversations. Here’s a June 19-20 schedule, which begins with a Friday-night free concert.
Women’s Equality Day
Engage. Empower. Protect. Stronger Together.
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
5:00-7:30 PM
Forge Event Center, Loveland, CO
Join us on August 19, 2026, for an evening of celebration, community, and recognition.
A few updates as we count down to the big night: nominations for this year's honorees are now closed, and we're excited to announce that award recipients will be revealed next month! Watch for silent auction item announcements coming soon, and ticket sales open TODAY- so stay tuned.
In the meantime, we're still looking for your support! Sponsorships and silent auction donations are still being accepted for a few more days. Your generosity helps the League of Women Voters of Larimer County continue its vital nonpartisan work in our community. Visit https://lwv-larimercounty.org/wed to learn more.
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It’s Your Environment Too
LWVLC ET invites you to the following events
EcoFest & Plant Swap
Saturday, June 6th, 2026
The LWVLC Environmental Team has helped start and nurture over 3,300 seedlings to give away. ET will table there to educate community members about climate change and its effects, especially on Pollinators. This is a great family affair OR if you want to take a 2-hour shift at the table, contact Jane Hamburger, mjbhamburger@gmail.com. We use the buddy system to learn from each other.
ET Education and Action meeting
Tuesday, June 9th, 2026
The educational piece will feature 350 NoCO’s initiative on “Make Polluters Pay” and climate super fund legislation. Following, we will have interest group updates and begin forming the research question for our group study on data centers environmental impacts, past and future; legislation, past and future; and pros and cons of recent and future improvements. This meeting is open to all LWVLC members and others with questions and insights. | A Workshop with Martin Carcasson, Ph.D: How to talk about our values with nuance
Presented by The National Issues Forums Institute
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
6:00-7:00pm
Join us for this free online workshop at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3. The workshop will be led by Colorado State University's Center for Public Deliberation (CPD) founder and director Martin Carcasson, Ph.D. The workshop will help us understand why it is so important that we be able to communicate our values to others as we celebrate America's 250th anniversary.
| Voter Services Team News
Tuesday, June 9th
6:30-8:30pm
Virtual (check calendar for link)
High School Voter Registration: The school year is ending and there will not be any more high school voter registration events until fall. Watch for emails in September when we gear up again. Many thanks to all those who assisted during the 2025-2026 school year!
Ballot issues: The Ballot Issues Committee of the Voter Services team will be getting organized in July to plan for providing information about ballot questions on the November ballot. At the moment, it looks like 10-12 questions are likely to be on the state ballot, and there is one local petition circulating in Fort Collins. Several of the state issues will be controversial and/or complex, so we anticipate many requests for in-person presentations. We’ll be sending an email in July to everyone who has helped in past years with summaries or presentations, to check on availability and interest to help this fall. If we have local issues we will need help with getting summaries written, and for all issues we will need help with distribution of pamphlet summaries and with in-person or Zoom presentations. If you haven’t helped us in the past but are interested, please email Carol Gertsch (c.j.gertsch@gmail.com) and Anne Hall (annehall4@comcast.net).
All are welcome to join us at our next regular Voter Services Team meeting which will be Tuesday, June 9th, from 6:30 to 8:30 online via zoom. Sign up on the monthly calendar to attend. |
Civil Liberties & Rights
Next Team Meeting
Saturday, June 20th, 2026
11:30am-12:30pm
Community Room, Harmony Library
In May, the Civil Liberties & Rights Team advanced the League’s goal of strengthening civil liberties and influencing local policy by drafting a resolution on privacy and mass surveillance and proposing that LWVLC submit it to the national League for consideration at the upcoming National Convention.
While non-binding resolutions are sometimes dismissed as symbolic, they play an important role in the policy adoption process by helping shape the public and institutional agenda. Before policies can become law, they must first become part of the broader public conversation. By submitting this resolution to the national League, we are helping elevate a thoughtful, rights-centered approach to emerging surveillance technologies that places constitutional liberties first. Adoption by the national League would also strengthen the visibility and persuasive power of these recommendations.
The resolution itself builds on the proposal our team previously submitted to the Fort Collins City Council.
We are also deep in the planning process for the upcoming Election Pep Rally in early August. The national League has designated August 8 as a national day of action for elections (https://www.lwv.org/nationaldayofaction)—the same day we had already planned our event—so we will be aligning our efforts with national goals while continuing to focus on the needs and values of Larimer County. We are especially excited to work closely with community partners, including leaders within the Latino community, to create an inclusive event that celebrates all voters and reaffirms our county’s commitment to voter access and democratic participation.
In addition to our work on privacy, surveillance, and elections, our team hopes to expand our efforts around civics education and immigration issues. To do that, however, we need more volunteers and leaders. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Amy and Jamie at amybrookelewis@gmail.com (mailto:amybrookelewis@gmail.com) and jroskie@gmail.com (mailto:jroskie@gmail.com). We would love your help as we continue working to strengthen civil liberties protections in Larimer County.
At the June 20 meeting, we will provide an update on local surveillance issues and continue organizing outreach to Larimer County leaders regarding our Election Access Pledge and the August 8 rally.
We look forward to seeing you there! | |
August 13, 2026
Care Communities Meeting Room
(Adjacent to Heart of the Rockies Church)
6514 Brittany St
Fort Collins, CO 80525
The next meeting of the Health Care Team will take place in August and will focus on actions leading up to the midterm elections to advance access to affordable care for all. Look for more details in the August League Lines.
Highlights of the May meeting:
- May is Mental Health Awareness Month. To celebrate, the Health Care Team sent a letter of appreciation for SummitStone Health Partners staff and ordered banners to be displayed at their 11 locations. See the SummitStone Newsletter to see a photo and read about ways to show up for someone who is struggling: https://www.summitstone.org/2026/05/20/may-2026/.
- Have you wondered how to explain the challenges with the current health care system and ways that voters can make a difference? The HC Facts sheet (What you need to know) provides answers and will be used for tabling events organized by the Unite & Rise Team. (Health Care Fact Sheet April 2026)
Summer break: The HC team will take a break from meetings in June and July. Team members can stay connected through monthly lunch gatherings on June 11th and July 9th at 11:30. Locations are TBD. Please contact Suzanne if you would like to join us! Kinney822@aol.com We look forward to seeing you at our summer lunch gatherings and/or at our August meeting! Please contact Suzanne Kinney (kinney822@aol.com) or Anna Fuller (annafuller68@gmail.com) if you have any questions. |
League Advocates for New Funding Stream for Affordable Housing
A proposed lodging tax in unincorporated Larimer County could help fund the housing our community needs
Larimer County has long been known as a welcoming and accessible community where people from all walks of life can thrive. But rising housing costs are putting that reputation at risk. More and more residents are finding it difficult to secure housing they can afford, creating the very real possibility that people will be excluded from living here simply because prices are too high.
To address this growing challenge, the League of Women Voters of Larimer County has joined with other local housing advocates in encouraging the Larimer County Board of Commissioners to explore new revenue sources dedicated to affordable housing development.
One tool of interest is a local lodging tax in unincorporated Larimer County. This proposal would not add to lodging taxes already in place in incorporated municipalities; it would only institute a new lodging tax for unincorporated parts of the county, tapping a new revenue source where none currently exists. Supporters believe this tool could help generate sustainable funding to expand affordable housing opportunities and preserve the inclusive character of our community.
You can read the advocacy letter here: 5-11-2026 - Joint Letter to Larimer County Commissioners on Funding Streams for Affordable Housing | | Data Centers in Larimer County?
Public Input Wanted!
Larimer County currently has a temporary moratorium on the building of data centers until August 25. During this moratorium county officials have been researching best practices and asking for public input through a survey. The public comment period closes on June 12. Links to the information page and the survey are below. Please take the time to comment on this important topic.
• Link to more information: https://engage.larimer.gov/datacenter#tab-76130 (https://engage.larimer.gov/datacenter#tab-76130)
• Link to survey: https://engage.larimer.gov/datacenter#tab-77302 (https://engage.larimer.gov/datacenter#tab-77302)
| | Colorado Citizen Observers Project
The Colorado Citizen Observers Project is a League of Women Voters initiative training community members to attend, observe, and document local government meetings — then share that information with the public and news media. Because hundreds of government meetings happen each month in Larimer County and most go unnoticed, this project creates an independent public record of the decisions that shape our daily lives. Subscribe or get involved at coloradocitizenobservers.substack.com.
What they've posted recently:
| | |  | Foco Trash Mob
FOCO Trash Mob's mission is to reduce single use plastics.
At LWVLC's Annual Meeting on May 18, used FOCO Trash Mob's plates and silverware. Anyone can utilize this service with a variety of place serving styles! Contact FOCOTrashMob.org
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Women Who Made Waves
Throughout history, women have challenged the status quo, expanded rights, and strengthened our democracy. This feature honors those who made lasting contributions—and inspire us to continue the work.
To celebrate Pride month, we are honoring Josephine Baker.
Josephine Baker was born in St. Louis in 1906, grew up in poverty, and left a segregated America behind to become the most celebrated entertainer in Europe. Paris embraced her. She never looked back.
Her impact went far beyond the stage. Baker was openly bisexual at a time when that carried serious risk, and she never hid it. For LGBTQ+ communities, she has long been a symbol of visibility and courage. | | | During World War II, she worked as a spy for French intelligence, carrying secret messages hidden in her sheet music. After the war, France awarded her its highest military honors. Back in the U.S., she refused to perform for segregated audiences and spoke at the March on Washington in 1963 - the only official woman speaker that day.
She adopted twelve children from different countries - her "Rainbow Tribe" - as a living statement about what family could look like.
In 2021, France placed her in the Panthéon, making her the first Black woman to receive that honor.
Josephine Baker refused to choose between who she was and what she believed. She was all of it — openly, joyfully, and at great personal risk. | |