Find out who started our local League of Women Voters

After planning for most of 2019 to celebrate the 19th Amendment’s centennial year, League of Women Voters Minnesota (LWVMN) created a traveling exhibit to recognize the organization’s mission and history over the past century. Then we all know what happened: Covid-19. The exhibit was cancelled.
   
Now finally from Sunday, May 23 through Saturday, May 29, the celebration can begin. The LWVMN Traveling Exhibit will be here in Park Rapids at The Armory Arts & Events Center, (201 Park Ave. So.). The show will also include a look at local League history and memorabilia.

The exhibit will be open to the public starting Sunday, May 23 with a play titled “The Suffragists plus One” at 2:30 p.m. This play has been performed several times over the last 13 years by members of LWV of the Park Rapids Area (LWVPRA). This may be the last chance to see it. The exhibit will be open from 2 to 6 p.m. each day except Wednesday, May 26. That day the public is invited to view the exhibit between 3 and 7 p.m. See the exhibits, pick up coupons or gift cards from local restaurants, and go out to eat.

A grand door prize will be given in a drawing May 29. Visitors can enter the drawing every day and do not need to be present to win. The exhibit is free and open to the public. The Armory has a lift to accommodate those with mobility needs.

Exhibit visitors will discover that growing from the deep roots of the suffrage movement in the 19th century, Minnesota’s non-partisan League of Women Voters uses a statewide network of local chapters to encourage informed and active participation in government, register and empower voters, work to increase understanding of public policy issues, cultivate women leaders, and influence public policy through education and advocacy.

  Specifically, the goals of the 12-panel exhibit are:

• To recognize and celebrate a century of activism by LWV Minnesota
• To recall our history through a lens of diversity, equity and inclusion
• To activate visitors to educate themselves and to vote
• To remind visitors that democracy depends on their participation, and
• To empower visitors to act in defense of democracy

The local League’s goals of the exhibit are:

• To recognize and celebrate a century of activism by LWV Minnesota
• To recall our state and local history, and
• To remind visitors that democracy depends on their participation.
  

LWVPRA is a non-partisan volunteer organization, whose mission is to encourage informed and active participation in government and influence public policy through education and advocacy. All our programs are free and open to the public. Please direct any questions about LWVPRA activities, events or how to join LWVPRA (not for women only) by emailing lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org. Follow our activities, events on our website: lwvparkrapidsarea.blogspot.com/.