Park Ridge to recognize 100th anniversary of women's right to vote

The Park Ridge City Council is slated to honor the 100th anniversary of the women's right to vote at its meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, July 17.

The meeting will be broadcast live on the City PEG Channel (Channel 17, Comcast; Channel 6, WOW!) and live-streamed at www.parkridge.us/events/default.aspx.

Members of the League of Women Voters of Park Ridge prepared a proclamation for the meeting to recognize the “courageous and powerful women who fought for the certification of the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution on August 26, 1920.” Those women included Park Ridge jewelry and silverware entrepreneur Clara Barck Welles, whose efforts included serving as chair of the parade committee for the Illinois Delegation's Votes for Women March in Washington, D.C., in 1913.

Inspired by these women from the past, the Park Ridge League continues its commitment to register, educate and mobilize voters through tools such as the IllinoisVoterGuide.org — an election information website that empowers voters across the state to find candidate information up and down the ballot in every precinct.

Although traditional get-out-the vote initiatives have been hampered by COVID-19, League members are still continuing in their efforts.

“Volunteers from our League registered 365 students at events at Maine East and Maine South High Schools before COVID-19 struck,” said Sarah Nugent, president of the League of Women Voters of Park Ridge. “Now, our members are finding innovative ways to continue to reach area residents and ensure that they continue to exercise their right to vote.” Those methods have included distributing Power Points on voting to area high schools and reaching voters through signs and door hangers.

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, the Park Ridge League is hosting a fundraiser from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, at Harp & Fiddle, 110 Main St., Park Ridge.

Mention the League of Women Voters of Park Ridge when dining in person or ordering carryout and a portion of the proceeds from your meal will be donated to the organization.

The League of Women Voters of Park Ridge is part of the League of Women of Women Voters of Illinois (LWVIL). Founded in 1920, LWVIL is one of the nation's oldest and most respected non-partisan civic engagement organizations. To find out more about the Park Ridge League, visit www.lwvpr.org. Membership is open to any person 16 years of age or older.