 |
|
|
|||||||||
 |
||
 |
advocacy Indiana Lobby Day gathers lawmakers and volunteers to talk about cancer Ginger Darwin-Vilmure, a 4-time cancer survivor from Elkhart, Indiana, is passionate about finding the cure for cancer. She and many other Hoosiers who care about cancer participate in Indiana Lobby Day, an annual American Cancer Society event that brings together volunteers from all over Indiana and state legislators to discuss making cancer a number one priority.  Ginger has been participating in the event for eight years. "Indiana Lobby Day is about constituency from all over the state coming in to talk to our legislators and let them know about the goals and aims of the American Cancer Society," she said. She also represented Indiana at this year’s Celebration on the Hill, the Society’s national advocacy event, in Washington DC in September.The event New volunteers for Indiana Lobby Day are always welcome! The Society makes sure volunteers are prepared to speak with legislators before the event. This year volunteers will participate in a conference call a week prior to the event which will update them on our legislative priorities and train them on how to talk with their legislators. Society staff is on hand at the event to answer any questions that volunteers may have. The day will be filled with fun and additional information and passionate speakers. The meetings with the legislators last about ten minutes or less, so it is important for the volunteers to get their stories across. The volunteers meet with their state representative or senator if they are available but sometimes they speak with a legislative assistant. According to Ginger, most legislators take the time to listen to the volunteer’s stories. "They are very receptive and are just people," she said. "Many people think our legislators are different, but they come right out of our communities." The importance of numbers  Ginger emphasized the importance of the number of people who turn out for the event. "I just think it is important that we come down in numbers," she said. "There’s nothing like a physical presence of many people coming together to get their attention and let them know that we are serious." At last year’s event, almost 400 volunteers turned out to meet with Indiana lawmakers. The volunteers asked their legislators to support a bill that proposed the prohibition of smoking in public transportation and another that proposed the increase of the tobacco tax by 50 cents, which both unfortunately did not pass. This year, the event will take place at the Westin Indianapolis on February 6, 2007. Ginger’s goal is to round up a whole busload of volunteers from north central Indiana to attend and the volunteers plan to revisit the tobacco tax increase issue. For more information about registering or getting involved with Indiana Lobby Day, please visit www.acsgld.org/inlobbyday. Pictured top: Ginger Darwin-Vilmure (right) with fellow Celebration on the Hill ambassador, Linda Burkett Pictured bottom: Indiana's capitol building | |
|
|