GODFREY - While the Godfrey Women's Club is by no means a political group, its Vice President Ginger Woodman said the group is hosting a public forum for all six people running for village trustee "for the betterment of Godfrey."
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The forum will be held on Thursday, March 9, 2017, at the Walter S. Ahlemeyer Atrium in the Trimpe Building on the campus of Lewis and Clark Community College (LCCC), beginning at 7 p.m. During the forum, all six people running for positions as village trustees will be taking public questions, screened through moderator Mark Ellebracht of WBGZ Radio, and an "impartial committee selected by the Godfrey Women's Club."
None of the candidates running have negatively responded to the invitation, Woodman said. Jeffery R. Weber, Mark Stewart, Sharon A. Campbell, Michael G. Stumpf, Jerome J. Jacobs and Nathan L. Schrumpf will each be in attendance for the forum, Woodman believes. During the April 4, 2017, election, voters will be allowed to select three of those six candidates.
Woodman said the Godfrey Women's Club volunteered to create the forum, because no one else was going to do it. This is the first year for such an event in Godfrey.
"There was no organization that was stepping up," Woodman said. "We thought it may be a good way - a better way - to inform voters, which would help the Godfrey area."
Before answering questions, each person running will receive as long as three minutes to introduce themselves and present their campaign platforms and ideas for Godfrey. All comments and answers from there will be timed using a spotlight. A green light will show until 30 seconds remain, during which it will turn to yellow. When a candidate is completely out of time, the light will turn red.
"We ask that all candidates adhere to this format," a release from the Godfrey Women's Club stated. "We also ask that all candidates remain after the forum to answer any questions from Godfrey residents."
This forum keeps with the club's tradition of bettering Godfrey, Woodman said, by keeping the voters informed. Informed voters, she reasoned, would create a better Godfrey.
"We felt like it was a good platform for the people who are running to let citizens know what is needed," she said. "We are certainly not a political organization at all, we just want to improve Godfrey."
Outside of the upcoming inaugural candidate forum, the Godfrey Women's Club also helps provide scholarships for students of LCCC, helps with needy families at Christmas, donates to other organizations such as Oasis Women's Center and Crisis Food Center in Alton and, for which it is most known, dedicating the signage welcoming people into Godfrey.
The organization's only fundraiser is the annual Carousel Luncheon in which women, and men, are welcomed into the Commons at LCCC for a luncheon and an opportunity to shop for several handmade gifts in November, which is directly before the Christmas shopping season.
More information and membership opportunities can be found on the group's Facebook page. Woodman said the Godfrey Women's Club is open to any woman who is a resident of Godfrey, adding she would certainly love to see new members.
"We could use some new blood and new ideas," she said.
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