The original Women For was founded in Los Angeles in 1964. Modeled after this effective and influential organization, Women For: Orange County opened its doors in 1984. Known for informative meetings, citizen activism and support of progressive issues and candidates, Women For: Orange County proudly carries forward this legacy.
Spurred by the success of Women For: Los Angeles, writer Lynn Osen and congressional candidate Vivian Hall convened a group of Orange County activists to start the OC chapter of the organization. Hall selected ten committed members from the non-profit association, the Women's Network Alert. The founders were Ruth Bellows, Grace Dunkley, Constance Haddad, Vivian Hall, Lynn Osen, Joyce Rothfeder, Joann Rowland, Mary Lou Sortais, Vivian Thorp and Paula Werner. For years these women had been working to combat the entrenched reactionary politics of Orange County and joined forces to exert greater pressure on the community for reform. They lobbied through letter writing, made personal appearances, demonstrated, and offered public support for progressive candidates and issues.
Shirley Palley remembers that co-founder Vivian Hall moved to Orange County from Palos Verdes and had experience with the Los Angeles chapter of Women For. That chapter, although now defunct, began in 1964 at the beginning of the contemporary women's rights movement. Palley notes that in 1976 Vivian Hall was the first Orange County woman to stand for a congressional seat and was a skilled leader for the new Orange County chapter.
Early meetings, Palley recalls, consisted of a speaker followed immediately by letter writing tasks that were prompted by the suggestions of the speaker. Letters to appropriate representatives were mailed that same night. These letter-writing exercises were so popular that one member, Molly Lyon, developed a plan in 1985 for the Great American Write-In.
Since 1986, Women For: Orange County has had its Great American Write-In. Hundreds of people come out on a Saturday in Spring to network and write cards and letters to let government representatives know how they feel about a variety of issues. About 50 organizations set up tables at the event to offer information about issues in the community, the nation and around the world.
The second major event sponsored by Women For: OC is the Suffrage Day luncheon honoring outstanding Orange County women for their unique contributions and marking the anniversary of the day American women got the right to vote in 1920. The Women's Network Alert sponsored the first three Suffrage Day luncheons starting in 1981 and Women For: OC took it on as an annual event beginning in 1984.
Suffrage Day honorees are honorary lifetime members of Women For: Orange County
(See List of Honorees Here)
Spurred by the success of Women For: Los Angeles, writer Lynn Osen and congressional candidate Vivian Hall convened a group of Orange County activists to start the OC chapter of the organization. Hall selected ten committed members from the non-profit association, the Women's Network Alert. The founders were Ruth Bellows, Grace Dunkley, Constance Haddad, Vivian Hall, Lynn Osen, Joyce Rothfeder, Joann Rowland, Mary Lou Sortais, Vivian Thorp and Paula Werner. For years these women had been working to combat the entrenched reactionary politics of Orange County and joined forces to exert greater pressure on the community for reform. They lobbied through letter writing, made personal appearances, demonstrated, and offered public support for progressive candidates and issues.
Shirley Palley remembers that co-founder Vivian Hall moved to Orange County from Palos Verdes and had experience with the Los Angeles chapter of Women For. That chapter, although now defunct, began in 1964 at the beginning of the contemporary women's rights movement. Palley notes that in 1976 Vivian Hall was the first Orange County woman to stand for a congressional seat and was a skilled leader for the new Orange County chapter.
Early meetings, Palley recalls, consisted of a speaker followed immediately by letter writing tasks that were prompted by the suggestions of the speaker. Letters to appropriate representatives were mailed that same night. These letter-writing exercises were so popular that one member, Molly Lyon, developed a plan in 1985 for the Great American Write-In.
Since 1986, Women For: Orange County has had its Great American Write-In. Hundreds of people come out on a Saturday in Spring to network and write cards and letters to let government representatives know how they feel about a variety of issues. About 50 organizations set up tables at the event to offer information about issues in the community, the nation and around the world.
The second major event sponsored by Women For: OC is the Suffrage Day luncheon honoring outstanding Orange County women for their unique contributions and marking the anniversary of the day American women got the right to vote in 1920. The Women's Network Alert sponsored the first three Suffrage Day luncheons starting in 1981 and Women For: OC took it on as an annual event beginning in 1984.
Suffrage Day honorees are honorary lifetime members of Women For: Orange County
(See List of Honorees Here)
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