RRV LWV Summer Series final event 

MOORHEAD – The League of Women Voters of the Red River Valley is proud to invite the public to the final event in its Summer Series, on July 28 at 6:30 pm at the Moorhead Public Library. As do the League’s First Fridays, which will resume on the First Friday in September, our Summer Series speakers provide attendees information as well as a chance for discussion and the opportunity to learn more about the League of Women Voters.
The July event features the ‘founding four’ of the BadAss Grandmas for Democracy, a non-partisan group that originally formed under North Dakotans for Public Integrity in 2018. The founding four traveled across North Dakota with an initial goal of ensuring sufficient signatures for a petition for an initiated measure for the North Dakota Ethics Commission. Once that goal was met, the group realized the importance of staying connected and educating themselves for the purpose of preserving democracy for future generations. BadAss Grandmas for Democracy now meets via zoom on a monthly basis with members scattered across the country. The four, who come from different political parties and backgrounds, will share the story of the BadAss Grandmas as well as a bit of their personal histories in their presentation at the Moorhead Public Library on July 28.
The founding four include BadAss Grandma (BG4D) #1, Dina Butcher, who served as the ND Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture as well as Director of the Division of Community Services under Governor Schafer and Human Rights Director in the Labor Department under Governor Hoeven. Dina is well known across North Dakota and has also recently begun to share her personal story more openly, regarding the loss of family members during the Holocaust.
Dr. Ellen Chaffee, BG4D #2, served as President of Valley City State University for fifteen years, nine of those while simultaneously serving as present of Mayville State University. She has served as a senior consultant and senior fellow for the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) since 2008 and recently served as AGD’s interim president and CEO.
BG4D 3#, Kathleen Tweeten, had a long and distinguished career as the Director of NDSU Extension Center for Community Vitality at NDSU Extension Service. Finally, BG4D #4 is a well-known author and founder of Vogel Law Firm, Sarah Vogel. Author of The Farmer’s Lawyer: The North Dakota Nine and the Fight to Save the Family Farm, Sarah Vogel rounds out the founding four.
Join us at the Moorhead Public Library on Monday, June 30, at 6:30 pm to hear about the history of the BadAss Grandmas for Democracy. Prior to the presentation at the library, a reception will be held in their honor at the Rouke Art Gallery and Museum in Moorhead, beginning at 4:00 pm.
The League’s Summer Series events at the Moorhead Library are free and open to the public.