Dear Valued Supporters,
First and foremost, a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you who has signed our petition to support Gillette Reproductive Health (GRH). Thanks to your incredible advocacy, we have now reached 800 signatures! This overwhelming show of community support is truly inspiring and demonstrates how much GRH means to Gillette.
However, we have an important, and unfortunately, disappointing update to share regarding the City Council's decision.
On Monday, June 9th, at the Gillette City Council meeting, Mayor Shay Lundvall and Councilmembers Jack Clary, Chris Smith, and Tim Carsrud voted to rescind funding for Gillette Reproductive Health. This decision is a significant blow to vital healthcare access in our community.
We want to express our sincere gratitude to Councilmembers Heidi Gross, Nathan McLeland, and Jim West, who bravely voted to continue the city's funding of $30,000 from the City's 1% Tax Fund. Their support for GRH is a testament to their understanding of its critical role.
No public comment was allowed at this second reading meeting, which was frustrating for many who wished to voice their support directly. However, I was able to present the city administrator with printouts of over 270 new signatures to our petition, further demonstrating the widespread community backing for GRH.
Councilman Clary, who joined the meeting remotely via Google Meet, raised concerns about the "resounding community support" for GRH funding. He acknowledged that the council received hundreds of emails in support – far more than those against – plus over 500 signatures at the first reading on June 3rd. Yet, he stated something along the lines of "does not represent the entire community at large."
What does this mean? It means we need MORE signatures.
We need YOU to help us spread the word further. This isn't a left or right, Republican or Democrat, women's or men's issue – this is a community issue.
Without this vital healthcare resource, people in Campbell County will lose access to:
- Cervical and breast cancer screenings
- STD testing and treatment
- Pregnancy testing and prenatal vitamins
- Low-cost birth control
- And so much more
It has been unequivocally established that GRH does not perform abortions. Period. End of story. Their focus is on preventative health and essential reproductive health services.
The city has funded GRH for over 17 years, making the current decision to remove funding baffling and without clear reasoning.
Now, more than ever, we need your help! Please share, share, share this petition with anyone and everyone in Campbell County. Let's show our City Council that the voices of 800 (and counting!) community members are indeed representative of the widespread need and support for Gillette Reproductive Health.
Thank you for being a champion for healthcare in Gillette.