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PRESIDENT'S
MESSAGE
Our numbers tell the story
of the value of our work | | | It has been my honor and privilege to serve as president of the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County. It’s hard to believe it has been four years, a midterm election, a general election and everything in between. When Linda Kramer turns in our stats to the LWVUS, our numbers are questioned — because everyone pitches in and we do so much work, it's hard for others to realize how active our League is and how much work we do together. Thank you all.
I am excited about the new slate of officers and directors. They are dedicated and thrilled to lead the League. They have great plans for the future and will need everyone to continue their hard work and dedication to defend democracy and empower voters.
I want to thank all of you who volunteer your time and talents. Committee chairs, thank you for your dedication to the League and for your leadership. Directors, you continue to amaze me with your support and commitment. Executive Committee members, thank you all for supporting me and our mission. To those who support the League financially, we could not do the work without you. Dorneth Weir, Linda Kramer and Gary Schweikhart, thank you for always being there and going above and beyond.
It is important that members attend the annual meeting, either in person or by proxy. We need a quorum to continue the work of the League. If you have not received the annual report, you can view it on the website. The annual report includes the slate of new officers and directors, plus other information.
Again, thank you all for your support, kindness and friendship. The League is a great place to make new friends and do some amazing work. If you have not joined a committee, become involved and help us move our mission forward.
— Kathi Gundlach, President
| APRIL 16 ANNUAL MEETING
Click on the flyer for more information. | ELECTION OF OFFICERS, ADOPTION OF BUDGET
The 2025 Annual Meetings will be held in the ballroom of the Fountains Country Club in Lake Worth. You must register on the website so we know how many people to expect. There is no cost to attend the meetings, which are only open to members in good standing.
PROXY FORMS
Whether you plan to attend or not, please click both proxy links below and return both proxy forms immediately so we can count you toward the quorum and your vote can be tallied. We need this help to ensure we have a quorum to conduct business. Both proxies are required because there are two meetings, held back-to-back.
If you submit proxy forms and then attend, your proxy forms will be returned to you when you check in that day. Sending them even if you plan to be there is insurance against last-minute circumstances that prevent you from attending.
| THE INNER WORKINGS OF VOTING | League visits new Elections HQ complex | Some 70-plus PBC League members attended a talk and behind-the-scenes tour of the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections’ new office on March 27. The office now includes both a voting equipment center and tabulation center. Before the move, the tabulation center had been in Riviera Beach.
Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link gave a detailed overview about the headquarters, now at 4301 Cherry Road in West Palm Beach, and explained its services, local voter demographics, the job of poll workers, ways to vote (early, by mail and Election Day), proposed legislation on voting in Florida, the president’s recent Executive Order on voting, and more.
Link and her staff also took the group for a tour of the new building, including huge rooms of equipment for ballot mailing, opening, sorting, tabulating and more. The office includes a secure room for the canvassing board, as well as a public space from which the canvassing board can be observed. | | |  | League, others rally to support citizen ballot initiatives | | While bills to make the citizen ballot initiative process more difficult were being discussed in the Florida House and Senate, local Leaguers joined other groups to rally outside a local legislator's office in opposition to the measures. WPTV Channel 5 covered the story. | Florida League awards PBC League Election Expo | The Palm Beach County League brought an award home from its Lobby Days trip to Tallahassee in March. LWVPBC was one of three chapters honored by the League of Women Voters of Florida. The award for the 2024 Election Expo credited PBCLWV with “creating an innovative way for candidates and government officials to meet citizens.” The pre-election networking event was held in September at Palm Beach State College's main campus in Lake Worth. Co-hosts were PBSC and Leadership Palm Beach County. Story
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MEMBERSHIP TEAM
DUTIES TO TRANSITION
Many feet will fill
Darlene Kostrub's shoes | | | For the past 12 years, I have had the privilege of being Membership Chair of our League. I have served under four great presidents … Geanine Wester, Karen Wilkerson, Ken Thomas and Kathi Gundlach. I have learned a lot from them and from many others like Dorneth Weir, Joyce Sullivan and Dan Lishansky. I appreciate all the support that the Issue Group Leaders through the years have given to our efforts. Our Membership Team has stepped forward to help me divide Chair responsibilities. Going forward, these people will be who to contact for the following areas:
Membership Chair: Donna Colabella
Membership Co-chair: Alice Mann (Also: Name Tag Orders)
New Members: Linda Sorenson
Event Registration: Alice Mann, Liz Shapiro
Birthday Greetings: Susan Breece (Also Dues Renewal Thank-Yous)
Taste of the League/Orientations: Donna Colabella
Connect and Reboot: Marilyn Ricci
Answer League Phone: Linda Kramer (Also: Store League Banner)
Store Membership Materials: Trudy Wasserman
Hospitality Greeters: Deb Oistacher, Ellen Palmer and Fran Maher
Thanks to all. I am so proud of the tremendous impact our League has in the community and state. I wish you all the very best!
— Darlene Kostrub, Chair
| From left: Jose’s girlfriend Gabi, Christene Campbell-Gabor,
Joyce Sullivan, Pam Maldonado and Jose Garcia Gosling
at Pam's house recently. | Former League intern is now teaching, and aiming high | Those in the League around 2017 may remember our high school intern Jose Garcia Gosling. I learned about Jose one day at Greenacres City Hall when City Administrator Andrea McCue told me we should check out an outstanding student from John I. Leonard High School as a potential intern. Jose and his family had recently arrived from Venezuela and requested political asylum. I invited them for dinner, along with Sammy Alzofon. We had a wonderful time getting to know them and learning about the difficult decisions that led them to the United States.
Christene Campbell-Gabor served as Jose’s mentor that year. He aided voter registration events, especially with Spanish-language outreach, and worked on our mini crossword puzzle booklets. As he prepared to graduate, Christene wrote a stellar recommendation, and Jose landed several scholarships — one based on his participation with the League.
As an intern for the League and later for State Rep. David Silvers, Jose developed a strong foundation in public service. He earned his bachelor’s degree in international relations from Florida Atlantic University while working with the Palm Beach County Youth Services Department, advocating for youth mental health. In 2021, he transitioned to teaching, focusing on helping newcomers to the country.
Now, as a computer science teacher at his alma mater, John I. Leonard, Jose secured a grant for a state-of-the-art lab and is writing a textbook on information technology. He is also responsible for coordinating night school and is working on his master’s degree toward his goal of becoming a school administrator. He is a believer in empowering through education.
Did I mention he’s only 24? We are so proud of him. At his current pace, he is headed for great things. Our country is richer for having him here.
— Pamela Maldonado
| What is your background, skills and experience?
| The Palm Beach County League is interested in knowing about your background, skills and experience. The wealth of talent each of our members brings to our League is part of what makes us unique. It takes less than 60 seconds to complete this section and only the web administrator can see your responses directly on the website.
1. Log in (only available to members).
2. At the top right corner of the page, click the circle/down arrow and select Profile.
3. In the Profile screen, click the box in the middle “Additional Member Data.”
4. If it’s your first time on this page, respond to the “Photo Waiver Statement,” stating that you understand your photo may be taken at events.
5. In “Member Skills & Experience,” click on any items that apply.
6. If there is anything additional, add it in the “Comments” at the end of the list.
7. Click the SAVE button.
You can come back to this list at any time to add or delete information.
— Daniel Lishansky, Web Manager
| How you can avoid 'phishing' scams | Our officers recently received emails purportedly from the LWVPBC President, asking if they had time to work on a project and, if so, to email back. But it didn’t actually come from the President. It was a phishing scheme.
Phishing is a cyber scam where attackers impersonate trusted entities (like banks or companies) to trick you into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card details. They often use fake emails, messages or websites that look legitimate. The most common method is for scammers to go to legitimate websites and grab all the email addresses they can find. (That is why personal emails are not viewable on our website, except by members who log in first.) The best the scammers can do is scrape up organizational addresses that end with @lwvpbc.org.
How to avoid phishing attacks:
* Verify links: Hover over links before clicking to check the actual URL. This is always key. Check the actual address the email is from, not just the name that appears.
* Check sender details: Be cautious of emails with unusual sender addresses or urgent requests.
* Avoid sharing personal info: Legitimate companies won’t ask for sensitive details via email or text.
* Use security software: Enable spam filters and keep your devices updated.
* Confirm with the source: If in doubt, contact the company directly using official contact details, not links or phone numbers in the suspect email.
Whether it involves LWVPBC or any other email you receive, always be suspicious. Don’t click links or respond unless you are certain who the email is from.
— Daniel Lishansky, Web/Tech Team Chair
| Prevent League emails from going to your junk folder | Do important or time-sensitive emails end up in your junk folder? You can stop most of that from happening. Make sure the email address of the sender is in your Contacts list, because, generally, emails from people in your Contacts list will not be marked as junk.
For example, emails from LWVPBC advising of events, rallies, news, etc., will come from several addresses. Here are a few that you can put in your Contacts list. To make it easier, create one contact called LWVPBC and create multiple emails in that contact.
· Info@lwvpbc.org
· President@lwvpbc.org
· News@lwvpbc.org
· No-reply@mail2.clubexpress.com
Do the same for emails from other addresses if you want to ensure emails from those do not go into your junk folder.
Finally, take a quick look in your junk folder for recent important emails. Then delete everything else in your junk folder, especially if you have hundreds or thousands of emails in there. Then, go into your junk folder 1, 2 or 3 times during the day. It is easy to speed read through the preview of 5 or 10 emails and just delete them all. Then your junk mail will never be overwhelming, and it will be easy to see if there is something important in it.
— Daniel Lishansky, Web/Tech Team Chair
| We know you get a lot of League solicitations | I want to clear up some confusion about email solicitations for donations. Your local league is not sending them.
There are three levels of the League of Women Voters:
* LWVUS — National level, sometimes referred to as just LWV.
* LWVFL — Florida's state league.
* LWVPBC — Palm Beach County league, your local league.
Almost every solicitation you receive comes from LWVUS.
Emails from us, your local league, will have the banner that is on the top of this newsletter. It is a dark blue field with our league logo and the words "Palm Beach County." If you do not see that, it is not from us.
Note: If you make a donation to LWVUS, that money does not come directly to LWVPBC. However, when you make a donation at our local website, LWVPBC.org, 100 percent of that donation stays right here in Palm Beach County. If you are going to make a donation to the League, please consider making it directly on our local website, to LWVPBC.
— Kathi Gundlach, President | WELCOME THESE NEW MEMBERS TO THE LEAGUE | Their contact information is available in the Member Directory at LWVPBC.org.
Leslie Barron (West Palm Beach), Carol Boggs (Boynton Beach), Michele Buonaiuto (Boynton Beach), Gail Conforti (West Palm Beach), Maria Dominguez (Jupiter), Bonnie Douglas (Boynton Beach), Viviana Falco (Royal Palm Beach), Craig Goldenfarb (Palm Beach Gardens), Elizabeth Harrigan (Lake Worth), Lynn Heck (Palm Beach Gardens), Deborah Kashdan (Boynton Beach), Ellen Kintz (Delray Beach), Marianne Lentini (Boynton Beach), Linsey Bruce-Lefkowitz (Palm Beach Gardens), Lynn Levy (West Palm Beach), Beverlee Raymond (West Palm Beach) and Andrea Tomasek (Boynton Beach).
— Darlene Kostrub, Membership Chair
| By the numbers: Annual fundraiser a success | The League’s annual fundraising luncheon Feb. 26 featured a panel discussion with lawyer and MSNBC journalist Katie Phang and Lynn University author and historian Robert Watson. Joel Engelhardt of Stet News Media moderated the discussion. The event was held at the West Palm Beach Marriott and featured a luncheon and silent auction, with 210 attendees. It was the largest fundraiser held by the Palm Beach County league, and raised the most money in the history of the event.
The key message of the discussion, according to Stet: “With legislative gridlock in Washington, the action is shifting to city and county government. That makes strong local news coverage even more important.”
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'Connect
to Greatness'
Nominates
Founder
for Award | | | PBC League board member Dr. Cassondra Corbin-Thaddies, founder and director of Connect to Greatness, has been nominated for the Women in Leadership Award of the Executive Women of the Palm Beaches Foundation. Awards will be announced April 2 at the foundation’s luncheon at the Kravis Center.
Connect to Greatness, based in Boynton Beach, aims to empower and inspire African-American and Black boys in middle and high school in Palm Beach County to be leaders and change makers in the world. Its programs include the Boys to Men Leadership Academy for middle schoolers, Connecting Future Leaders high school program and Women of Boys Empowerment Program. Connect to Greatness also provides programming to support the students' parents and caregivers. Story.
| Day for Autism offers resources, including League | | From left, Pamela Maldonado, Nancy Zimmerman, Barbra Kavanaugh and Germaine Richards volunteer for the Palm Beach County League at A Day for Autism: Building Bridges with Law Enforcement, held Feb. 23 at the Village Park Athletics Complex in Wellington. Organized by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, FAU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, and Village of Wellington, the event offered positive connections to law enforcement for individuals and families dealing with autism, as well as booths representing community agencies and vendors offering resources. It featured therapy dogs, the PBSO mounted unit, Fire-Rescue, arts and crafts, bounce house, music, a petting zoo and more. | | Young Leaguers
help PB Pride festival
celebrate unity
Ashley Cacicedo-Surdovel and Jill Abbey volunteer Saturday at Palm Beach Pride, the annual local LGBTQ+ festival, at Bryant Park in downtown Lake Worth Beach. The event, organized by Compass Community Center, celebrates equality and respect. It features a parade, performances, a youth village and resources for seniors. The 2025 festival was held March 29 and 30. It is Palm Beach County’s largest gay and lesbian visibility event. | | | SAVE THE DATES: MORE UPCOMING EVENTS
Click on the flyer for details and registration.
| CALLING NEW MEMBERS, OTHERS INTERESTED IN THE LEAGUE | Zoom with League Leaders on Saturday, April 26, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. This event is for any new member who has not attended a formal orientation/Taste of the League or for anyone who has not yet joined but is interested in the League. This is a free event, but registration is needed.
| YOUNG LEAGUERS PLAN BEACH CLEANUP AT LOGGERHEAD | | The event is planned for Saturday, May 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at Loggerhead Marinelife Center, 14200 U.S. 1, in Juno Beach. Please RSVP to YoungLeaguersPBC@gmail.com. | |