(Photo above: Shawn Gilbert, Pinkie, Barkley, Eileen Hinds and Taylor in the background at Danville Library)

At the invitation of the Contra Costa Library, LWV Diablo Valley members joined with LWV West Contra Costa County and numerous other civic groups and organizations across the county to participate in County Library’s Summer Exploration Stations.  What great fun to be out visiting at four different libraries across the county: Brentwood, Bay Point, Pinole, and Danville to meet young ones with their families and talk about ways to protect the environment.

All the children who visited the League’s station, learned, through the voices of our puppet friends -- Barkley the dog; Pinkie the wild, pink-haired lady; Taylor, the shy one, and Sarah, with her yellow braids -- about the differences between compostable produce bags and ones made of oil-based plastic. 

The children loved touching and learning about compostable bags from the puppets while also telling the puppets about how they each help to protect our environment.   With the guidance of the puppets’ League friends, the children learned about voting and also had the opportunity to actually vote on a special ballot. 

In this “mini-election,” the children voted on whether CA should pass a law requiring stores to give customers only compostable bags for produce.  Overwhelmingly, the children voted yes on this measure -- California should pass such a law.  Over the course of the four library days, the Leagues’ puppet friends spoke with many children, including the 124 young ones who cast a ballot.  Only 3 of the 124 voted against the measure. With targeted, good information about something that is beneficial to society, the children had the tools to make a confident decision about something to better the world.

The California State Legislature would be happy to learn that the children agree with its passage of Senate Bill 270 in fall of 2022.  California is the first state in the union to pass such a law. SB 270 will take effect January 1, 2025.

LWVDV would like to thank the Contra Costa Library for extending this invitation to the League to participate in its fun summer program.  It was a perfect blending of talking about the environment and learning about voting.  Another big thank you to the Contra Costa County Elections Office, specifically our new County Clerk-Recorder, Kristin Braun Connelly, and our Assistant Registrar, Helen Nolan, for their support. The County loaned the League one of its rolling ballot boxes so the young ones could cast their ballots in an official ballot box. In addition, the County provided official CCC “Future Voter” stickers. The stickers were a big hit!

Partnering with the CC County Library through the invitation of librarian Amy Mockoski offered the Diablo Valley and West County Leagues a unique new approach in talking about voting with young people and their family members.  Many parents and grandparents thanked the League for being a part of the library’s event.  They appreciated that their children were experiencing the act of voting about something important to the community. For sure, these four events strengthened outreach partnerships with the library, between sister Leagues, and with the County Elections Office.

A big thank you to Martha Goralka, Ann Munoz (LWV WCCC), Eileen Hinds, and Shawn Gilbert for joining all the puppet friends for this fun summer adventure.  (Barkley even had one of his big brothers visit us.)

Upcoming Tabling Opportunities for East County Outreach:

There are two August Voter Registration opportunities coming up.  If you can join one or both, please contact voter.services [at] lwvdv.org  Both of the following days are partnering days with the County Elections Outreach per the invitation of Dawn Kruger.

• Tuesday, August 22, @ LMC in Pittsburg, 11:00 to 1:00
• Wednesday, August 23, @ LMC satellite campus in Brentwood, 11:00 to 1:00

Shawn Gilbert and Eileen Hinds, Voter Services Co-Chairs