Recent Mailings

Congratulations to Nan Booth Simpson and Gary Harlow, recipients of this year’s Betty Lee Wright Award! This award was established to recognize local Democrats who work to further the ideals of the Party and provide leadership and inspiration for others. Gary leads the Program Committee that provides speakers and venues for our Social Saturdays and similar events. In addition to generously providing food and other forms of hospitality for WimDems activities, Nan is a very active and effective Democratic Precinct Chair. Thank you for your years of unflagging effort!

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EVENTS

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WimDems Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup

Saturday, January 11th, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM (Weather permitting)

Wimberley Medical Clinic, 9670 Ranch Road 12 (at RM 32)

All volunteers work with a partner. WimDems will provide reflective vests, gloves, trash sticks or trash grabbers, garbage bags, bug spray, sunscreen and water. Please dress appropriately for the weather including sunglasses, sunscreen, hat, and hair tie. Mary Espinoza is providing food and drink afterward at the rest stop area on RR 12. Please RSVP to [email protected]

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What Community Means to Me

Sunday, January 12th, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Community Pizza, 111 Old Kyle Rd, Wimberley

Interviews with selected community leaders and with other people who would like to take part. The focus is what community means to them and if it affects how they vote. These interviews will be recorded and used to inform the questions asked at Candidates Forum 2020 and for other uses.

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Rally at the Capitol

Saturday, January 18th, 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Texas State Capitol, Austin

Instead of a Social Saturday in January, we are encouraging WimDems to participate in the rally sponsored by Women's March ATX. Plans are afoot for ride sharing and a post-rally get-together. If you are going on your own, try to get to the Capitol by 11:00 AM. Here is a link to the sponsors of the rally: https://www.womensmarchontexascapitol.org/.

Women's March ATX is not sponsoring a march. There are references on social media about a march that starts at 10 AM on the north end of the Congress Avenue bridge, but we do not have any official information from a sponsor at this time. If you have a link to a sponsor, please send it to [email protected]

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Candidates Forum 2020

Sunday, January 26th, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Wimberley Community Center, 14068 Ranch Road 12

This moderated event is a forerunner to the March 3rd Democratic primary election. Candidates from a variety of national, state, and local races will introduce themselves and take questions from the audience.

Because of the large number of candidates in this primary, the candidates for judicial offices will speak at a separate event in February (see below).

Hosted by Wimberley Democrats, Wimberley Indivisible, Hays County Democratic Party, and Texas State Democrats, Candidates Forum 2020 is free and open to the public. Click here for the sponsor's Facebook page.

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Judicial Candidates Forum

Sunday, February 16th, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM

VFW Hall, 401 Jacobs Well Rd, Wimberley

Hosted by the Wimberley Democrats, this forum presents the Democratic primary candidates for judicial offices. Handouts will explain the variety of judicial positions and their importance to citizens’ everyday life. Then we will hear from the candidates themselves.

My apologies for sending out the wrong date for the MLK celebration. The correct date is below.

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Celebrate MLK

Monday, January 20th, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Community Pizza and Blanco Brew

9:45 AM - Start with a walk from Community Pizza to Blanco Brew.

10 AM to 12 PM - Live Music and Activities in the grassy area behind Blanco Brew. This includes a birthday cake and singing happy birthday to MLK at 11 AM, live music by Kit Holmes, crafts, face painting, origami, hair chalk, raffles, games and more.

If you are a local business or community organization and interested in hosting a table at the event, please email Lindsey at [email protected]

For more information, click here.

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The Wimberley Rally has moved!

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Wimberley Rally for Women's Rights

Saturday, January 18th, 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Blanco Brew, Wimberley

If you are not going to the rally in Austin, you can show your support for women's rights here in Wimberley. Be at Blanco Brew with your signs at 11:00 AM this Saturday. Speakers to be announced. If you have questions, contact Carroll Wilson at [email protected]

Blanco Brew is graciously letting us stage the rally at their business. If you can, park in a less-used part of the lot and walk over. And I know you need a cup of coffee and a snack to get you through the rally!

Judicial Candidates Forum

Sunday, February 16th, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM

VFW Hall, 401 Jacobs Well Rd, Wimberley

Free and open to the public.

This forum is presented by Wimberley Democrats and is moderated by Jimmy Alan Hall. Jimmy will start with an overview of the Texas judiciary system. Then you will have an opportunity to meet and greet local Democratic candidates running for county judgeships. In addition, the Hays County Elections Office has agreed to have the new voting machines at the forum and will give a brief talk and demonstration on how they work.

Background:

Texas is one of a few states that maintains a system of partisan judicial selection. A fair judicial system requires informed voters, yet few voters know how this judicial system actually works. These courts are important to each citizen's everyday life, making the selection of judicial candidates worthy of thoughtful consideration.

Handouts and information will be available for take-home reference.

Everyone is welcome!

Early voting begins Tuesday, February 18th!

Early voting for the primary starts tomorrow. For the official list of voting locations and times, click here. For the League of Women Voters' excellent guide to the candidates, click here. The League also has valuable voter resources at VOTE411.

If you experience problems voting, Texas Voter Protection is there to help. This is a group comprising a "Who's Who" of voting and civil rights activists. You can find their hotline phone numbers here. (Remember that it is illegal to make a phone call in the polling place -- step outside before calling.)

If you want to help support everyone's right to vote, you can volunteer as a poll monitor. Click "Become a Poll Monitor" on the Texas Voter Protection page to sign up. (NOTE: There is a training session at the Sententia Vera Cultural Hub in Dripping Springs this Saturday. You can sign up for that session here.)

This is an incredibly important primary that will determine the future direction of the party. Make sure your voice is heard!

The Steering Committee of the Wimberley Democrats

Let Wimberley know that we are proud Democrats!

The WimDems will have a table and canopy at the Wimberley Community Center on Primary Election Day to greet voters and provide information. Be part of our poll presence and make sure we are well-represented all day long! If you can help, please contact Laura Ewing ([email protected] or 281-703-4785) to schedule a time slot.

Primary Day is Tomorrow:

Let Wimberley know that we are proud Democrats!

The WimDems will have a table and canopy at the Wimberley Community Center on Primary Election Day to greet voters and provide information. (But we will not advise people on which candidate to vote for.) Be part of our poll presence and make sure we are well-represented all day long! If you can help, please contact Laura Ewing ([email protected] or 281-703-4785) to schedule a time slot. If you do not reach Laura, just pick your own time slot and leave her a message.

Celebration for Primary Candidates

Saturday, March 14th, 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

VFW Annex, 401 Jacobs Well Road, Wimberley

We are holding a celebration for all of the candidates who ran on the Democratic ballot in the 2020 primary. “Win, lose or in a runoff, they are our heroes because they put so much time, energy and determination into running for office this year,” says WimDems Chair Laura Ewing. “We want to show the candidates our appreciation.”

This event is free and open to the public, and it will provide an opportunity to meet, ask questions of, and thank all the candidates who ran. Each candidate will have an opportunity to speak to everyone and to share ideas to win in November. There will be good food and drinks for all, so come and celebrate with us.

Hays County Democratic Party Convention

Saturday, March 21st, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Owen Goodnight Middle School, 1301 N. SH 123, San Marcos

This is hands-on democracy in action, and you can participate! The convention will approve resolutions to be submitted for consideration at the state convention, and our county's delegates to that convention will be elected. For more information, click here.

Celebration for Primary Candidates

Saturday, March 14th, 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

VFW Annex, 401 Jacobs Well Road, Wimberley

We are holding a celebration for all of the candidates who ran on the Democratic ballot in the 2020 primary. “Win, lose or in a runoff, they are our heroes because they put so much time, energy and determination into running for office this year,” says WimDems Chair Laura Ewing. “We want to show the candidates our appreciation.”

Our program will also include "How to Help: Next Steps With Our Candidates." This event is free and open to the public. Each candidate will have an opportunity to speak to everyone and to share ideas to win in November. We ask that you bring appetizers and beverages to share.

A recent WimDems newsletter encouraged participation in the upcoming Hays County Democratic Party Convention. While State rules dictate that the convention must take place, you may be reconsidering whether your presence is necessary. You can still submit resolutions and apply to be a delegate without attending the convention. Also, plans are being developed for a "modified, abbreviated Convention format." Details are being posted at hayscountydemocrats.org as they become available.

There will be no face-to-face convention for the Hays County Democratic Party. They are planning for a live-streamed meeting. Details have not been posted yet, but keep an eye on https://www.hayscountydemocrats.org/.

You should still pre-register for the convention at 2020.TexasDemocrats.org. Please do so even if you had not planned to attend the original convention. Any resolutions should be submitted online to Resolutions Chairperson Diana Robinson at [email protected]

On another note, our friends at Wimberley Indivisible have set up a volunteer list for helping our neighbors who are impacted by the current situation. Visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040948aea92ca5fd0-covid19 to sign up.

Sorry for the recent blizzard of emails, but things are changing rapidly.

The following message was extracted from an email from the Hays County Democratic Party. The bottom line is that even though the County convention is over, you have until 11:49 PM to sign up to be a delegate. There seems to be some concern that we will not have enough delegates, so please read the following and help out if you can. To see the entire message, click here.

Robert Smith,

WimDems Registrar 

 Online Social Saturday: Local Impact of COVID-19

Saturday, April 18th, 4:00 PM to 6:00

Online via Zoom

The Wimberley Democrats have planned an especially timely and interesting program for the April Social Saturday. Erin Zwiener, Ruben Becerra and Rebecca Minnick will offer their perspectives on how state, county and city governments are responding to the pandemic. How are these efforts affecting the citizens? We are also expecting to learn how the state and county are working (or not working) toward expanding voting-by-mail for the run-off and possibly the national election. Rebecca will address the most critical needs that elderly and less fortunate citizens in the Wimberley Valley are facing at this time.

Our fourth speaker, Cynthia Millonzi, will introduce the newly-formed Imagine Wimberley organization, which is working to help existing non-profit groups in the area. She will tell those of us looking for ways to help others how to get involved in meeting those needs. There will be time allotted for asking questions after each of the presentations.

This meeting will be conducted with Zoom. Watch for an email with instructions later this week.

-- Gary Harlow, WimDems Program Chairman

Looking Forward to July!

We are forming a committee to plan this year's Fourth of July celebration-- a parade if possible, but something festive and safe in any case. If you can help, please reply by clicking here.

Online Social Saturday: Local Impact of COVID-19

Saturday, April 18th, 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Online via Zoom

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Good morning!

Here is the schedule for tomorrow's meeting:

4:00 Erin Zwiener, Texas State Representative

4:30 Ruben Becerra, Hays County Judge

5:00 Rebecca Minnick, Wimberley Mayor Pro Tem

5:30 Cynthia Millonzi, Imagine Wimberley

Each speaker will entertain questions after her or his prepared remarks.

How to join:

The easiest way to join is to click here and follow the instructions. If you have problems with that link, go to zoom.us and click "Join a meeting." It's near the upper-right part of the page. You will be prompted for the meeting ID and the password:

Meeting ID: 823 5483 3340

Password: 671771

You can also listen to the meeting audio on the telephone. Dial one of the following numbers and enter the meeting ID and password when prompted. When prompted for a "participant ID," take the option to skip it.

Dial by your location (these are NOT toll-free numbers):

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

+1 253 215 8782 US

+1 301 715 8592 US

Meeting etiquette:

• If you are not an experienced Zoom user, please sign in five or ten minutes early. Initial setup will not take that long, but give yourself some time to ponder the various prompts.

• Your audio will be muted when you join. Please leave it muted.

• For your privacy, the camera will be off when you join. Feel free to turn it on -- we'd love to see you!

• Send questions for the speaker via the Zoom Chat feature. Address the message to "Everyone."

Feel free to share this invitation with people you know. Please do NOT post it on Facebook or any other public place. That is the most common way for "Zoom bombers" to enter.

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you!

The Wimberley Democrats Steering Committee

Online Social Saturday: Local Impact of COVID-19

TODAY, 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Online via Zoom

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Just a reminder about today's meeting...

4:00 Erin Zwiener, Texas State Representative

4:30 Ruben Becerra, Hays County Judge

5:00 Rebecca Minnick, Wimberley Mayor Pro Tem

5:30 Cynthia Millonzi, Imagine Wimberley

Each speaker will entertain questions after her or his prepared remarks.

How to join:

The easiest way to join is to click here and follow the instructions.

If you have problems with that link, go to zoom.us and click "Join a meeting." It's near the upper-right part of the page. You will be prompted for the meeting ID and the password:

Meeting ID: 823 5483 3340

Password: 671771

You can also listen to the meeting audio on the telephone. Dial one of the following numbers and enter the meeting ID and password when prompted. When prompted for a "participant ID," take the option to skip it.

Dial one of these numbers (these are NOT toll-free numbers):

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

+1 253 215 8782 US

+1 301 715 8592 US

Meeting etiquette:

• If you are not an experienced Zoom user, please sign in five or ten minutes early. Initial setup will not take that long, but give yourself some time to ponder the various prompts.

• Your audio will be muted when you join. Please leave it muted.

• For your privacy, the camera will be off when you join. Feel free to turn it on -- we'd love to see you!

• Send questions for the speaker via the Zoom Chat feature. Address the message to "Everyone."

Feel free to share this invitation with people you know. Please do NOT post it on your Facebook page or any public group. That is the most common way for "Zoom bombers" to enter.

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you!

The Wimberley Democrats Steering Committee

​Now Accepting Scholarship Applications!

The Wimberley Democrats are sponsoring two $500 scholarships for graduates of the Wimberley High School or the Katherine Anne Porter School. Scholarships will be awarded primarily on the basis of financial need. The application deadline is Friday, May 1st. For the printable application and guidelines, click here.

 Online Social Saturday and Annual Meeting

Saturday, May 16th, 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Online via Zoom

This month's guest speakers are Gilberto Hinojosa, Texas Democrats Chair, and Julie Oliver, Candidate for US Congress. This will also be the annual meeting for the Wimberley Democrats. There are no items to be voted on this year, but we will discuss the year in review and our plans for the coming year.

How to join:

The easiest way to join is to click here and follow the instructions. If you have problems with that link, go to zoom.us and click "Join a meeting." It's near the upper-right part of the page. You will be prompted for the meeting ID and the password:

Meeting ID: 890 8070 7711

Password: 618572

You can also listen to the meeting audio on the telephone. Dial the following number and enter the meeting ID and password when prompted. When prompted for a "participant ID," take the option to skip it.

Dial in for audio (this is NOT a toll-free number):

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

Meeting etiquette:

• If you are not an experienced Zoom user, please sign in five or ten minutes early. Initial setup will not take that long, but give yourself some time to ponder the various prompts.

• Your audio will be muted when you join. Please leave it muted.

• For your privacy, the camera will be off when you join. Feel free to turn it on -- we'd love to see you!

• Send questions for the speaker via the Zoom Chat feature. Address the message to "Everyone" and start your question with "Q:" to make it stand out.

Feel free to share this invitation with people you know. Please do NOT post it on public Facebook pages or any other public place. That is the most common way for "Zoom bombers" to enter.

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you!

The Wimberley Democrats Steering Committee 

Two upcoming virtual events with Beto...

Virtual Voter Registration Phone Bank with Beto

Thursday, May 21st

6:30 PM to 9:00 PM

Help call unregistered Democrats who recently moved to Central Texas to ensure that they mail in their registration forms. Click here to sign up.

Flip the Texas House: Virtual Happy Hour with Beto

Friday, May 29th

5:30 PM to 6:30 PM

Click here to buy a ticket ($25).

Wimberley Democrats Fourth of July Celebration

Saturday, July 4th, 10:00 AM

www.WimDems.org and YouTube

This year's parade has been cancelled, but we can still celebrate online. A video celebration will drop on our website and our YouTube channel at the parade's customary starting time. There are two ways you can participate:

Photo Contest: Send us an original photograph exemplifying Democratic values. Further guidance provided soon. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top choices!

Virtual Parade: Send us a 15-second video clip of your personal parade -- hold a sign, go down your driveway on the vehicle of your choice -- be as creative as you wish, but please keep it respectful. No prizes, just fun and fame!

Look for an email with contest rules and prizes, as well as guidelines and instructions for uploading photo and video files.

And check out these two online events with Beto:

Virtual Voter Registration Phone Bank with Beto

Tuesday, May 26th

6:30 PM to 9:00 PM

The first phone bank in this series was a huge success, but there are still more people to reach! Help call unregistered Democrats who recently moved to Central Texas to ensure that they mail in their registration forms. Click here to sign up.

Flip the Texas House: Virtual Happy Hour with Beto

Friday, May 29th

5:30 PM to 6:30 PM

Click here to buy a ticket ($25).

This year's parade has been canceled, but we can still celebrate online. A video celebration will drop on our website and our YouTube channel on July 4th at 10:00 am. There are two ways you can participate:

• Photo Contest: Send us an original photograph that expresses something that Democracy means to you. Cash prizes of $100, $75 and $50 will be awarded to the top three choices! Winners will be selected by popular vote. Photos must be submitted by Thursday, June 18th.
• Virtual Parade: Send us a 15-second video clip of your personal parade -- hold a sign, go down your driveway on the vehicle of your choice – be as creative as you wish, but please keep it respectful. No prizes, just fun and fame! Please submit video clips by Thursday, June 11th.

Click here for complete rules and instructions.

NOTE: Prize money will be provided by direct, targeted contributions from members of the event committee. Your donations to the WImDems will NOT be used for prize money.

If you would like to see how the WimDems use donated funds (or even make a donation!), click here.