Gettysburg Area Democracy for America held its Annual Meeting on May 2nd in the Auditorium of Valentine Hall at the Lutheran Seminary for the purpose of electing officers for 2012-2013. Jeanne Neylon gave a report from the Nominating Committee presenting the following candidates who were all elected by acclamation:
- Chair: Elaine Jones,
- Vice Chair: R. Lasco,
- Treasurer: Carolyn Nunamaker,
- Secretary: Lou Hammann,
- Steering Committee At large: Warren Steen, Susan Star Paddock, Maggie Abbott Fowler.
- Chairs and liaisons of the task forces also on Steering Committee are Will Lane, Joe Carter, Peter Boving, and Joe Breighner.
Elaine Jones has been elected to chair the Gettysburg DFA every year since its founding in 2005. The new Vice Chair is Lasco. R. B. Lasco is a retired school librarian, who is also on the board of the Watershed Alliance of Adams County and a part owner of The Ragged Edge Coffee House.
“The new members of the Steering Committee bring an unusual depth of experience, organizational skills, and a wide range of interests to our group”, said Elaine Jones.
Warren Steen recently moved into semi-retirement after spending 22 years in the Civil Service and then 24 years in federal contracting in and around Washington, DC. Warren rejoined the Gettysburg DFA recently, stating that his issues of passion are public education and progressive politics. Warren believes “DFA affords us an opportunity to focus on political issues in a manner that attempts to avoid the divisiveness of party loyalties.” He adds, “So often, the ‘best’ solutions to major problems are only determined when people with different views clearly come to understand the issue and what must be done about it. “
Susan Star Paddock is a counselor in private practice in Gettysburg whose purpose is to help social profit organizations clarify direction. She has led the activist group No Casino Gettysburg since 2005, and has received several awards related to this work, which brought together a nationwide coalition from every political party. Susan is a member of DFA’s Transitions Group, which has been meeting for over a year as part of the global Transition Movement which was begun in Ireland by Rob Hopkins and seeks to build locally-based “resilient communities” around the world.
Maggie Abbott Fowler is an entertainment/tourism/hospitality professional who has lived in Gettysburg for 15 years. Among other endeavors she has formerly served as the Candidate Development Chair for the Gettysburg Area DFA. Maggie says “she believes a strong democracy is built with the hands, hearts and healthy perspectives of involved citizens.”
