Sarah Preston, ACLU-NC Legislative Counsel, delivers keynote at Chapter's Annual Meeting.

Two Board Members re-elected, one seated, two thanked for years of dedicated service.

At the chapter's annual meeting, March 10, 2010, members of the ACLU of Wake County celebrated the group's 41st anniversary by re-electing Gigi Gardner and Matt Quinn to the Board of Directors, and seating Bill Rowe.

Quinn offered the Board's thanks for dedicated service offered by outgoing Board members, Loretta Mershon and Jutta Street, who have provided years of commitment and leadership.

Quinn briefly recapped the chapter's activities for 2009 and mapped out a plan for the year ahead.

During 2009, the chapter recognized state Senator Ellie Kinnaird with the W. W. Finlator award and hosted a successful Slater Newman debate on the campus of North Carolina State University.

Plans are already taking shape for this year's Slater Newman debate, and we are hopeful of having one or more volunteers join the Board to support identification and selection of Finlator awardees as well as ongoing efforts to reach out and recruit new members to the ACLU of North Carolina.

Sarah Preston, Legislative Counsel for the ACLU of North Carolina, highlighted the evening by reviewing several significant legislative victories and encouraging local efforts during 2009. She invited members to look ahead and prepare for 2010 goals that will include: defending reproductive freedoms, reforming key aspects of the juvenile justice system, prohibiting corporal punishment of disabled students and rescuing defendants suffering from serious mental illness from facing execution.