MARQUETTE — “The League of Women Voters of Delta County, Marquette County Unit is celebrating Sunshine Week during March 11-17,” said David Allen of the Marquette Unit in a news release.

The League has supported Sunshine Week since its inception in 2005 as a way to highlight the importance of open government and freedom of information.

Allen added, “When I managed environmental litigation for the federal government, I was responsible for classifying documents and maintaining a public reading room, which is how I learned about the critical need for government transparency and an engaged public. As the coordinator of the League’s Observer Corps in Marquette, I’m thrilled to continue striving for an informed public that engages local government thoughtfully and effectively.”

The Observer Corps protects and strengthens the citizen’s right to know, and Sunshine Week is designed to highlight open government and freedom of information at the local, state and federal levels. The League promotes this nonpartisan effort to enlighten and empower individuals to play an active role in their government at all levels and give them access to information that makes their lives better and their communities stronger.

“Sunshine,” or openness in government, refers to two distinct areas: access to public records and access to public meetings. Every day, people have the right to know what actions their government is taking by attending public meetings and accessing public documents.

For more information on Observer Programs see the “Observing Your Government in Action – Protecting Your Right to Know — A Resource Guide” at www.lwv.org/observing-your-government-action-guide. Also, to learn more about the local Marquette County Observer Corps contact David Allen at 906-225-9102 or pdavid2@charter.net.