To Oregon NOW Members

Thank you all for participating in the recent vote. The results are as follows:

Yes to decharter Oregon NOW 141

No to not decharter Oregon NOW 12

Obviously Oregon NOW will be dissolving. It will take a couple of months to fully finish the process. I want to thank you, our faithful and loyal membership, for hanging in there with us. It’s been an eventful journey with lots of highs and a few lows. Thank you to all the officers who have continued to serve with Oregon NOW. And my thanks to you for letting me serve and represent you as its President. It has been an honor and a privilege.

To remind you what this means:

You will continue to be a national NOW member. You will continue to be a member of a chapter, if that chapter is still chartered. Those chapters are: Portland NOW, Clackamas NOW, and Central Oregon Coast NOW.

Oregon NOW, Inc. will cease to exist, as will the Oregon NOW Foundation, and the Oregon NOW Equality PAC (ONE/PAC).

We will be discontinuing the phone service very soon, but if you have questions, please send me an email at president@oregon.org.

Thank you again.

Linda L. Klinge
Oregon NOW President

We would like to share comments from Oregon NOW members:

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry it came to this.

I'm so sorry we are all letting this happen.

Sorry that I am unable to help to sustain Oregon NOW.

Thanks for your work over the years.

Thank you for all your years of service for NOW.

So Sad. Thanks all for your hard work.

This is sad, but if no one is willing to perform the duties of the chapter it is the logical thing to do.

Thanks for all your work over the years for Oregon NOW. You've kept us going through good times & bad. It's not over but it's certainly time for a break.

Thank you for all your efforts. I do hope that NOW can be reconstituted in Oregon in the future.

Although sad, this decision was a good one; your letter was well-written and you spoke with truthfulness. I wish you and your staff the best.

Thank you for your service.

My thanks to you, Linda, and all the other officers who have devoted their skills & time to the good cause.

Thank you Linda, Robin, Lesa, Linda & Colleen for your service.

With regrets.

LLK... it's not your fault.

Thanks for hanging in there for so long .

Thank you for the work you have done.

Thanks so much for your service!

I will continue to work for NOW goals.

Thank you for all your hard work.

Thank you for all you have accomplished.

Thank you for all your work protecting the rights of women.

I'm sorry to see Oregon NOW close, but I can see that any organization needs available and dedicated leadership to continue. I joined NOW when the Roseburg chapter was organized in 1980 and I think of it as one of my most valuable activities. I met many women that I might never have met anywhere else. I count them as friends even after all these years. Good wishes and thanks to you.

Kudos to those who kept it going as long as possible.

Thanks for your hard work!

Thank you for your selfless labor for the benefit of many. This 91 yr old has always lived with her plate too full. You made a positive difference.

I've not been an active member of NOW at all on a local or state level, just supported NOW's call for legislation support, etc. From all that you've written, de-chartering Oregon NOW makes sense. Thanks for all you've done - each of you who have served in Oregon.

Thanks for your past commitment and courage to dissolve.

Over the years I have volunteered numerous hours on various boards. I know how challenging it can be to fulfill the requirements of charters and bylaws and support the mission. I want to thank each of you: Linda K., Robin, Lesa, Linda J., Colleen and the rest of the NOW volunteers for your dedication toward supporting women. Thank You! and please go forward with your life.

Thank You. We, a few old timers, do agree with you. There was grief when we closed our chapter. The talk among us continues. We do use abilities we acquired in the movement. You guessed right, some of us now in our 70s. Have no regrets. Each woman does what she can and what she knows to do. Sisterhood will survive.

So sorry to see the chapters and state go!

I regretfully concur with your arguments. An orderly dissolution is preferable to a messy one.

I appreciate all the work you have done. Being in the above 55 yr demographics & managing issues related to college age children & physically ailing parents leaves little time to be active It is reality. Thanks to all of you who have been active.

Thanks for all your hard work. Sorry the sun has set on Oregon NOW.

I'm sorry to see this happen but I understand the necessity of it. Thanks for all your work to keep this chapter functioning.

I am in the age bracket of the majority of Oregon NOW members, so I clearly remember the scope of the inequality of opportunity - and the treatment of women. I am very sorry to see the Oregon organization de-charter, in part because I am afraid that women who never experienced any adverse effects will not see the importance of helping women who still struggle. Thanks for what you've done.

This is the most heartbreaking letter to read. Among other things, it made me feel as old as I have become. I'd step up but I know I am not qualified -I have all the necessary passion but none of the skills. Good luck to you all. Good luck to us all.

Regretfully.