Celebrating June PRIDE Month

July 2026

By Joan Lacktis

We kicked off our summer with another stint operating a voting center for the June Primary Election. It’s a great way to give back to our community and earn some funds for the club. Other clubs might want to consider it. You have at least 15 members willing to undergo a day of training and then volunteer a day or so at the polls. It’s a nice way to get some funds to support your activities. You can do something special like charter a bus, hire a speaker, or just defray the costs of dinner or outing. It’s non-partisan and it’s fun!

Events this month include our Best Mixer Ever, a birthday brunch and our biannual business meeting. Members, be sure to mark your calendar for the July 18 meeting in Presentation Hall so you can be a part of planning our future. We will be choosing a Nominating Committee to identify candidates for our next slate of officers. Lavender Friends is a club for LGBTQ residents and their allies.

Poll Workers-2 — Lavender Friends Poll workers are ready for another voting day.

Club Members Work Polls During the Primary Election

Nearly two dozen club members took turns staffing a four-day Voting Center at the Holiday Inn Express here in Lincoln. Under the guidance of leader Barry White and co-leader Rob Lowry, the center processed 98 voters the first three days but on Election Day, that total soared to 535 voters! Another factoid: that final day — from opening the polls to closing down all the equipment — was a grueling 16 hours for those working the full shift.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. The money earned by these volunteers will be paid by the county directly to our club (details to come when we get the check).

Poll Workers-1 — One of our work teams during a lull in the action on Sunday, Day 2 of the four days

One of our work teams during a lull in the action on Sunday, Day 2 of the four days
Lavender Friends Poll workers are ready for another voting day.
Donna greets a voter.
Ed prepares a provisional ballot as Rob looks on.
Leader Barry and Co-Leader Rob.
Laura guides voter to the touchscreen voting option.
Sandi and Simon registering a voter.
Denise, Tom and Andrew at the check-In desk.
David helps a voter at the ballot scanner.