League of Women Voters honor Dee Rowland

Intermountain Catholic

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Dee Rowland (seated, left) and her husband, John, chat with Chauncey Hall (standing, left) and Emily Hall at the April 18 League of Women Voters (LWV) luncheon at Little America. Rowland, government liaison for the Diocese of Salt Lake City, was honored for her advocacy work on behalf of LWV, the poor, and the marginalized in Utah.IC photo by Barbara S. Lee

SALT LAKE CITY — Dee Rowland, government liaison for the Diocese of  Salt Lake City, is not a woman who toots her own horn, but she is very gracious when others do it for her.

The League of  Women Voters, of  which Rowland has been a member for years, and served as it’s president in 1979, honored Rowland with their Community Service Award at their 15th annual State of  the Community Luncheon April 18 at Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City.

In introducing Rowland, Ghi Ghi Brandt called her the "consummate community activist." She cited Rowland’s work on the grass roots, community, and national levels on behalf  of  welfare reform; her service as president and board member of  Utah Issues; and her service on the State Insurance Risk Board.

Rowland’s passion for peacemaking led her to found Women Concerned about Nuclear War, and travel to Russia to meet her counterparts in peacemaking. She has been a leader in the Salt Lake City community on issues of  immigration and migration, which Brandt said will be a special issue of  emphasis of  the League of  Women Voters (LWV) over the next year.

Upon receiving the League’s recognition, Rowland, a member of  St. Thomas More Parish, Sandy, said she has no idea what motivates her to become so involved in social action.

"All I know is that community action like that promoted by the League of  Women Voters is needed now more than ever," Rowland said. "We need people who will research the issues, then get the word out and educate others."

Rowland said she has worked harder as a volunteer for the LWV than she’s ever worked in any paying job she’s ever had.

"I remember working day and night on the unification project," she said. "That was in the days when the men would come to the meeting and ask me to get them more paper because they thought I was the secretary. When they realized I was part of  the committee, they would say, ‘What would a girl be doing here?’"

Rowland also recalls attending her first meeting at Salt Lake City’s Alta Club, and "blithely entering through the front door to looks of  shock and horror. I didn’t know women were only allowed to enter through the side door."

She said she also remembers speaking at a meeting on the subject of  the Panama Canal Treaty, only to be challenged by members of  the John Birch Society, who called her a communist.

Rowland thanked the LWV for carrying on through voter redistricting concerns, and said her primary interest today is the need for comprehensive health care reform.

"It is a disgrace that one out of  eight Americans live in poverty in the 21st century... we can do better than that."

Using Catholic social teaching as a guide, Rowland spoke out on behalf  of  the homeless when homelessness was not an issue. She said, "the lack of  affordable housing in this country is a direct result of  the cuts in federal funding in the 1980s."

She also has been vocal on issues of  nuclear disarmament, saying she would like to see the United States engaged in global nuclear disarmament rather than building new weapons.

"All of  the 2008 candidates for the presidency offer a platform for nuclear disarmament," Rowland said. "I dream of  the day when children will look up at their mothers and say, ‘Mommy, what was war?’"

Turning her own recognition into a time to recognize others whom she’s served alongside, Rowland thanked the LWV for building leadership among women, challenging them always to go one step further on the issues about which they are passionate.

Irene Sweeney, a member of  Cathedral of  the Madeleine Parish, and the founder of  the League of  Women Voters in Salt Lake City, also attended the luncheon honoring Rowland. "I had been a member of  the League before in other states," Sweeney said. "In 1951, I brought it here, and have been a member here ever since.

"It’s been exciting to watch the League grow and expand and become more effective over the years as more women have learned how important it is to be involved in the political process."

Sweeney said she remembers the first major project for the Utah LWV in 1951.

"We had a project called ‘Know Your Town.’ More than 150 women attended the first meeting at the Art Barn. The late Irma Branch was my good right hand. I remember meeting her and Deloy Bliss on the the steps of  the old Newhouse Hotel, which isn’t here any more.

"I’m very proud of  what the League has accomplished over the years," Sweeney said. "And I’m proud of  all that Dee has done in it’s name on behalf  of  others."

The afternoon was turned over to Dr. Joseph Jarvis, who spoke on the subject of  "Health Care For All."

"I know I am reaching out today to an audience that is unselfish with their time and generous with their talent."

Dr. Jarvis spoke of  the Utah Health Policy Project, saying, "we can solve our health policy problems if  we realize that we share the same problems as the rest of  the world, but we spend twice the amount of  money as the rest of  the world addressing them. Eighteen thousand people in the U.S. died last year for the simple reason that they were uninsured."