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Kay Hendrikson
June 2023 |
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Hi All,
SAVE THE DATE! The DFL Senior Caucus Annual Membership Meeting is Wednesday June 28, 2023, at 6:00p using Zoom. You must be a member in good standing by noon on June 27 to attend and to vote. Click here to update, join, or renew your membership Remember we no longer have dues, but you do have to register your contact information in the last 12 months.
If you would like to run for an officer position or for a Member at Large at the Annual Membership meeting send an email to: dflseniors@gmail.com asap!
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Legislative Session is over. The Senior Caucus chose to focus on three important legislative priorities likely to have significant positive impacts on seniors. These were:
- Caregiver Workforce Shortage: Addressing the current health care workforce shortages in nursing homes, assisted living and in-home settings through higher wages and other recruitment strategies to restore staffing levels and prevent closure of senior facilities.
- Task Force on Aging: This task force, appointed by the Governor and the legislature, is created to identify and prioritize necessary support for an aging population to remain in their communities.
- Funds for Senior Nutrition: This proposal is to increase funding for senior nutrition such as meals preparation and distribution (meals on wheels, congregate dining and food shelves) provided through Area Agencies on Aging was passed.
The Senior Caucus provided letters of support, in person testimony, and on-going monitoring of hearings on-line or in person. Lots of work this session!
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Membership – We still have just shy of 600 members. We need all of you to help in 2023 to gear up for the next election cycles. Please help your local Chapter. Sure, take a (tiny) summer break but gear up! We’ve got membership recruitment and GOTV fundraising starting this summer. We need to start this year to affect next year’s election. There’s a lot of blue in MN but as you know we need to increase across the state to make a difference in 2023.
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Events
We like to see you and need your help to run all of these events:
- Annual Membership Meeting: June 28 zoom virtual-only, in the evening
- State Fair tabling with the Senior Caucus and the DFL Party August 24 – Sept 4, 2023
- Annual Gala: October 29, 2023
Send a message to dflseniors@gmail.com if you would can participate in any of these activities.
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Chapters
We’ve had a number of great local Chapter meeting this month:
- South Metro had legislators Rep. John Huot and Rep. Robert Beirman plus Sen, Judy Seeberger
- Minneapolis worked on position papers and recruitment efforts
- Anoka had speaker Ken McInnis, the chair of the AFL-CIO Retirees Council
- North Metro had speaker Sen. John Marty, discussing the accomplishments of the legislative session
- East Metro had speaker Sen. Nicole Mitchell, discussing the Omnibus spending bill
Join any Chapter meeting anywhere in the state. Check to see if in person or still on zoom.
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Book Club – June 19: Trumpism: American Politics in the Age of Politainment by Dr David Schultz
This short, readable volume condenses Dave Schultz’s insights from his fine career as a political analyst into ten vital rules explaining American electoral politics and political leadership. Schultz and Avery Gahler offer a clear, incisive, and useful guide to political warfare for citizens of all ages. Dr. Schultz will join us for this discussion.
Request the zoom link from dflseniors@gmail.com
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For more information about a Chapter in your area contact: DFLSeniors@gmail.com
There are no membership dues but we always appreciate your donations. To donate click here:
Be safe, have fun, be healthy!
Always yours,
Kay C Hendrikson, PhD
Chair, DFL Senior Caucus
“Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.” Stanislaw Jerzy Lec, American Author