Summit Resident Shares Election Experience

The Fortnightly Club of Summit welcomed Jill LaZare as guest speaker at the November general meeting on Wednesday. Ms. LaZare shared her experience running for New Jersey State Senate in a lively nonpartisan discussion at Twin Maples Clubhouse.

Ms. LaZare explained that many non-political people decide to run for office after a "triggering event" in their lives. For her, this life-changing event occurred five years ago when her daughter Brooke tragically died from a drug overdose. Ms. LaZare then became passionate about battling opioid addiction and decided to step into the ring of New Jersey state elections.

"Politics is not a bystander sport. It affects all of us," she stressed. "Anything we can do to get more peoples' voices heard would be a good thing."

Despite a narrow defeat to incumbent Thomas Kean in last week's election, Ms. LaZare encouraged people to get involved in their local governments to enact change. She stated, "No one candidate is more important than our democratic process."

The Fortnightly Club of Summit is a volunteer organization of women from Summit, New Providence, Short Hills, Chatham and surrounding communities. The Fortnightly Club holds their general meetings at Twin Maples historic estate in Summit every second Wednesday of the month. The meetings are open to the public and new members, who are always welcome. To find out more, please visit www.fortnightlyclub.org.

(Image: Jill LaZare with members of The Fortnightly Club of Summit)