As your new president, I want to thank you for your confidence in me, and in our other elected officers and committee chairs (see the complete Board list here ). Look for more information about our new Board members in forthcoming newsletters.

Aided by an exploding roster of volunteers, we are planning an exciting ride over the next two years- highlighted, we hope, by helping keep Virginia's governorship in Democratic hands and defeating Governor Hogan here in Maryland.

We had a sell-out crowd for our Biennial Meeting June 19, where Congressman Jamie Raskin reminded us that, despite threats from the White House and the Republican majority in Congress, our nation's institutions are resilient and will survive. (Read Congressman Raskin's message here  or revisit it on our Facebook page here). In my acceptance speech at our June Biennial Meeting, I set out three goals:

Strengthening our County and our State by advocating for progressive Democratic policy objectives, keeping ourselves and our fellow Democrats informed through our luncheon/dinner speakers and our education programs and building alliances with other Democratic Clubs, issue-oriented coalitions, and the political groups that have emerged since November 9th;

Strengthening our Party by intensifying the work WDC has always done to support Democratic candidates and increase voter involvement, with a new emphasis on strengthening our Party structure at the county and state levels (see the description of PACE, our new Political Activism, and Civic Engagement
Committee, later in this newsletter); and

Strengthening our Club by connecting each of you to our work, encouraging you to join committees, and providing the high-quality programs, events, and speakers for which WDC has been known for 60 years.

If you are a new member who isn't yet involved or a longtime member who wants to do more, get in touch with our Membership and Outreach committee; we'll put you to work.  We are only as effective as our members are active. 

And our members are really active! Most recently, three WDC members were appointed to fill vacancies on the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee:  Suzi Kaplan, Enid Light, and Danielle Meitiv. Congratulations, all.

As we start our new program year, I want to thank our nominating committee (chair  Margaret Hadley, with Marian Kisch, Teddi Pensinger, and Bonnie Wicklund) for identifying such a strong slate of officers.

In addition to electing new officers at our biennial meeting, we voted to revise our bylaws (see the approved by-laws here ). Thanks to those who served on the bylaws review committee (chair  Betsy Loyless, with Sybil Cantor, Charlotte Crutchfield, and Beth Tomasello.)

Thanks also to outgoing Board members Dorothy Barthelmes, Lucy Freeman, Judith Heimann, Betsy Loyless, Madeleine Sigel, Beth Tomasello, and Bonnie Wicklund,  who contributed so much to WDC over many years. 

And, most of all, thanks to Past President Linda Kolko, for her encouragement, her wisdom, and her friendship. WDC would not be the force it is today without Linda's  leadership.

Fran Rothstein                                                                                                                                                                                                                          President Woman's Democratic Club of Montgomery County, MD