Here's what the media is saying about the Women’s Voices Illinois Tour:
Women legislators field question from hospital nurses
Reporter Progress, IL - Oct. 25, 2007
Female lawmakers start ‘listening tour’
The State Journal Register, IL - Oct. 25, 2007
Politics must get women involved
Aurora Beacon News, IL - Oct. 25, 2007
Quincy hosts GOP women of House
Quincy Hearld Whig, IL - Oct 24, 2007
Older women kicking up their heels
Aurora Beacon News, IL - Oct 24, 2007
Female legislators urge women to get involved
Aurora Beacon News, IL - Oct 24, 2007
GOP tour stops in Elgin
The Courier News, IL - Oct 24, 2007
GOP leaders continue their women’s movement
Chicago Daily Herald, IL - Oct 23, 2007
Republican state lawmakers continue tour
Chicago Daily Herald, IL - Oct 23, 2007
GOP works to appeal to suburban women
Chicago Daily Herald, IL - Oct 22, 2007
Posted by Rep. Ruth Munson
October 28th, 2007
Had a great discussion with more than 60 nurses, technicians, administrators and doctors at Good Samaritan Hospital.
Lunch and hearty conversation with leading women in Elgin.
An emotional moment for all — While in Elgin, we joined Libby Hoeft in paying a visit to the memorial statue of our colleague Doug Hoeft.
October 26th, 2007
Day 1 - Live blogging isn’t as easy as we thought.
The end of day one (and dessert) prompts a thumbs-up from Rep. Pihos.
October 26th, 2007
The Quincy leg of the trip was great. We journeyed to Quincy in the late hours of the evening and because our much needed road projects are not complete it took a little longer than it should. However, this too can change. Those on the tour enjoyed Quincy’s historical beauty and enjoyed our mid western friendliness. I was so proud of the people of my District for just being who we are.
Posted by Rep. Jil Tracy
October 26th, 2007
College students at CLC in Grayslake took a few minutes from studying to share their concerns including the need for more multi-cultural training in our school systems to prepare students for a global marketplace.
Our next stop was a quick and casual drop-in visit with students at College of Lake County. We wanted to engage them in dialogue on the future of the State of Illinois and get a college student’s perspective on what we can do in Springfield to address these needs.
The facilities at CLC were extremely impressive. All of us know the importance community colleges plays in our education system. The students were even more impressive, many were working full time and going to school at night, or raising families during the day and juggling the intense demands of balancing their family lives and working to offer more to their children and themselves by advancing their education. Conversations varied from the challenges of transferring community college credits to four-year universities, to diversity training for teachers, to single moms juggling childcare costs and availability while returning to school. All expressed their appreciation to have the opportunity to attend such a wonderful local college.
Posted by Rep. Sandy Cole
October 23rd, 2007
Women’s Studies students at Fremd High School in Palatine asked the toughest questions, like how do we balance our lives between public service and family.
The students at Fremd High School in the Women Studies class were very engaged in hearing about how women legislators balance a career in government or leadership with their personal and family lives. Legislators shared their diverse backgrounds that lead them to their current state positions and their personal stories of how they were able to grow into their position.
It was encouraging to hear the students’ awareness of current events and answer their questions on the “moment of silence” that the General Assembly recently passed. A conversation ensued about how to raise one’s voice and concerns and take the responsibility of advocating for something one passionately believes in.
Posted by Rep. Sandy Pihos.
October 23rd, 2007
Our second stop on the tour was at Avenues to Independence is an organization that provides residential, vocational and daily living support for adults with special needs. Also housed within the same building as Avenues is “Have Dreams” – a service provider for children with autism. After touring the Have Dreams area of the facility, we met with leaders of a number of non-profit agencies that provide services to the developmentally disabled, those with mental illness and senior citizens.
The agencies shared with us some basic statistics: 1 in every 150 children will be diagnosed with autism, community-based mental health providers are caring for more individuals because of the move away from institutionalized care, and our senior population continues to grow as people live longer and the baby boomers reach retirement age. While the need for service continues to grow, these agencies are facing employee shortages. They project that in the coming years there will be more than 1/4 million positions in these agencies that will go unfilled and they project the lack of qualified employees will be one of their biggest challenges in the coming years.
The agencies referred us to a study conducted by the University of Illinois that evaluated the funding of community agencies providing services for our residents with Mental Illinois and Developmental Disabilities. They asked that we help address the findings in the report.
After a very productive meeting at a non-profit agency in Park Ridge we climbed back on to the bus to head to Fremd High School in Palatine.
October 22nd, 2007
At the CBOE in Chicago we learned that rising taxes were causing families to make different decisions about where to live and where to buy gas, clothing and other essentials.
We just completed our tour of the CBOE and heard from fourteen very successful female executives . All of these women were enjoying their careers immensely. They allowed us the opportunity to listen to their concerns about a number of issues. Specifically about education curriculum and funding equality in the public school system. They also raised concerns about putting necessary resources in place to help the needs of aging parents and loved ones. Something that surprised us was that their concern went beyond rising property taxes, but also concerns over the various tax increases proposed throughout state, city, and county governments.
October 22nd, 2007
Conversations. We all have them. During our conversations we exchange ideas. We chat about the day’s events. We complain about the need for change. And, sometimes conversation leads to action. That’s what happened when Republican women legislators got together to talk about the goings-on this year in Springfield. What started as a “discussion” about the frustrations of this session ended with a call-to-action. We had work to do and we were not going to allow feuding factions in leadership to paralyze us.
WOMEN’S VOICES ILLINOIS IS BORN
Women make up more than 50% of the population and are the family decision-makers when it comes to healthcare, education and caring for their aging parents. Women have a lot to say about these issues and much, much more. As policymakers we want to hear from them. So we’re embarking on a 3-day Listening Tour of the Northern part of the state…to hear what’s on the minds of Illinois women. To engage in conversations. And, to take women’s voices back to Springfield.
This blog will be our journal of the tour and the results that follow. During the tour (which starts Monday, October 22) we’ll post our thoughts and observations. We encourage you to follow along and add your voice to the conversation.
Posted by Rep. Ruth Munson
Here’s the Listening Tour Itinerary:
MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2007:
8:00 a.m.: KICK-OFF BREAKFAST
Chicago Board Options Exchange, 400 S. LaSalle, Chicago
11 a.m.: SOCIAL SERVICE ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
Avenues to Independence, 515 Busse Hwy., Park Ridge
1:00 p.m.: MEET WITH FREMD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 1000 S. Quentin Rd., Palatine
5 p.m.: REPRESENTATIVES GREET STUDENTS AT COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY
College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2007:
9 a.m.: HEALTH CARE LEGISLATIVE FORUM/AVAILABILITY
Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, 3815 Highland Ave., Downers Grove
10:15 a.m.: ATTEND “MOM’S GROUP” MEETING
Early Childhood Education Center, College of DuPage,
425 Fawell Blvd, Glen Ellyn
Noon: LUNCH WITH ELGIN-AREA WOMEN LEADERS
Al’s Café & Creamery, 43 DuPage Ct., Elgin
5:00 p.m.: WOMEN’S BUSINESS RECEPTION
Coco’s Chocolate Factory,
Plainfield Small Business Park, 13717 S. Rte. 30, Suite 113, Plainfield
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2007
8 a.m.: BREAKFAST WITH PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S GROUP
Hampton Inn, Quincy
9:30 a.m.: WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE FORUM AT BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD
Blue Cross Blue Shield, 1400 N. 30th St., Quincy
October 21st, 2007