Organizing 'Voter Guides' and 'Sex Ed Petition'

By Susan Greenleaf

When people in Worcester County receive a "Voter Guide" or a "Sex Ed Petition" this fall, some may wonder who did all of the work to put it together.

Judy Tetu of Sterling considers herself an average citizen. Like so many other mothers, she adores her grandchildren and loves to baby-sit them. She enjoys her home and volunteers to teach Sunday school. 

She decided many years ago that apathy and indifference don't fit into her life and she has found many ways to make a difference. She said, "Early on, I felt I was apathetic, complaining, but not doing anything. So I found outlets in which to get involved. My latest commitment happens to be Christian Coalition.

"There's a lot of people who don't go to church that participate in Christian Coalition. People with a moral sense of right and wrong are looking for a place to go with people of like mind. You don't have to be a Christian to be a member or to participate."

Although Tetu has been an activist for twenty-five years, she joined Christian Coalition seven years ago when they first started a chapter in the Worcester County area. She's been an invaluable team player, coordinating and participating in sending out candidate surveys for different races, helping at the polls, phone-calling for candidates, working on the database and mailings.
She served as Chairperson of the chapter but declined another term because, "I thought I could accomplish more as a worker than as Director." 

Presently Tetu is working on two major projects simultaneously. She's working on a candidate survey for the voter guide as well as a "Safe School" petition that will be circulated to all of Worcester County. The petition is seeking to remove the graphic sex education programs from the public schools.

"The point of all this is a desperate attempt to try and get people out of their apathy," she says.

When asked how she finds the time to do this while having a home and grandchildren, she admits with a laugh, "I have no time right now to clean my house and I'm working nights and weekends. I have company coming tonight and I have a headache."

"The organizations have a lot to offer, but they are only as good as the people who are willing to help. We can make progress if everyone realizes that their phone call to the governor, to the legislature, their signing a petition and spreading it around to their neighbors, that is how we're going to win the battle."

Judy emphasizes how the members of the Coalition are average people like anybody else. It's important to try and get the information to the people so they know where their candidates stand on the issues. I hope and pray that they will vote. I'd like to see the whole state go crazy." 

She compares citizen involvement in a democracy to a football team. You can't win with only a quarterback and a receiver, she notes. You have to field a full team in order to win.

"I believe we can make a difference if the people realize what is at stake," she says. 

For a copy of the Voter Guides or the Safe School Petition, contact Judy Tetu at 508-845-0404.