Melissa Wick

Greetings all,

The rainy weather took a break for us to gather to celebrate the life of our beloved treasurer, Voter Services sage and friend, Melissa Wick (you can see her full obituary here). She was certainly right that you could never rain on her parade, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have known her.

Melissa's husband and acting treasurer, Brian Kuehl, has requested that memorials be made to the LWVL-DC and the Lawrence NAACP in Melissa's honor. Memorial funds donated to LWVL-DC will help fund a new college scholarship, and the first recipient has been named [see article].

Please keep Brian and all of those who love Melissa in your thoughts.

June 19, 1865, is the date when federal troops arrived in Texas to announce the end of slavery, more than two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was declared. To honor this holiday, the LWVL-DC collaborated with Lawrence Public Library to hold a panel discussion on two important films, Freedom Summer and Fanny Lou Hamer: Voting Rights Advocate on June 13. I hope you will take the time to watch these remarkable films (available free on the library's Kanopy to everyone with a library card) even if you were unable to attend the panel discussion. Thank you to all who worked hard to put on this event.

The last day to register to vote for the August Primary is July 13. You can see current election information for Douglas County here.

We are seeking a new treasurer. If you or someone you know is willing to serve in this capacity, please reach out to me. And please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, comments or needs.

Wash your hands, tell those you love how much they mean to you, and stay well.

− Emily Riner