Meet League Member Cindy Gunsolus

Cindy was born in Decorah, Iowa but grew up in New Richland. She attended a small school.  After high school she was in the Navy from 1974 to 1978.  She was taught to work with radar.  Radar was only used at sea, and as women could not go out to sea, this created a problem.  So, women were then able to be either secretaries or janitors.  In 1974 they tried to open up more jobs for women within the navy.  Radar was easy to teach, but they would not let women teach because they couldn’t share the sea stories as the men could, because women were not allowed to go to sea.  The men thought that women took their jobs on shore, so feelings of animosity grew.  They paid for her education when she left the military, and she was technically disabled so her education was paid for.  She began her education at the University of South Dakota at Spearfish for 1 year.  Then she transferred and went to St. Cloud State for 2 ½ years.  While there she majored in psychology.  Then she went to the University of Wisconsin, Stout, where she earned a Master’s in School Psychology.  She began work on her doctorate, but did not finish it.  Her doctorate would have provided her with a degree in counseling, but health concerns kept that from happening.
Between her Master’s and Doctorate work she was employed as a school psychologist for the Sioux Falls Public Schools.  She truly enjoyed the job working and testing not only the gifted students but also the very needy.  She had 2 different employers in WI prior to becoming ill and moving here.
Cindy’s volunteer activities throughout the years have centered mostly on League activities as when she was working there was little time for other activities.  Since her illness, she has not had as much opportunity.
Cindy first became interested in the Local League when reading the many articles in the paper about starting a League in the area.  She and her sister, Annamae decided to check it out and soon became members.
League has enriched Cindy’s life in many ways but Cindy says especially in the friendship she has with Florence.  They went to State Council together where the highlight of that event was that Sandra Day O’Connor was going to be the speaker.  At one point she was able to be seated right next to Judge O’Connor.  Overcome with awe at this opportunity, Cindy was speechless and just watched and listened to this compelling woman.  Cindy has also benefited from meeting other people and finds the programs and discussions always interesting and informative.
Cindy is currently very interested in the issue of hunger and how that impacts children in our communities.  She will be working on developing a panel event on hunger in our community.  In the past Cindy served as co-president of the League of Women Voters Park Rapids with her sister, Annamae.  She has also served by being a greeter and participating on planning committees.
Asked if she would recommend League of Women Voters membership to other men and women of the community, Cindy says, “The League gives us an opportunity to learn more about local, state, and national issues and also helps us take action in addressing those issues”.