EVENT: Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Rainbow Tea

On April 21, Senator Lightford hosted the fifth annual Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Rainbow Tea Celebration. The event was a huge success, and recognition was given to more than 100 grandparents who exemplify the courage to face the challenges of caring for their grandchildren while striving to keep their families together.

Members of Senator Lightford's 4th District Women's and Gentlemen's Committees were on hand early in the day to set up. Guests arrived and were welcomed into the beautifully decorated room. Guests enjoyed food, drink and entertainment, and beautiful gifts were raffled. Senator Lightford thanked the grandparents for their dedication to their families and their communities.

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EVENT: Mammograms for Mother's Day

Senator Lightford and the 4th District Gentleman's Committee hosted their third "Mammograms for Mother's Day" on Saturday, May 11. Senator Lightford is committed to decreasing breast cancer deaths by encouraging early detection.

Nurses from Loyola University Medical Center and Loretto Hospital, along with Lightford's 4th District Gentlemen's Committee, visited beauty salons day before Mother's Day.

The Gentlemen's Committee and nurse educators talked about the importance of breast exams and mammograms and distributed over 300 bags of educational materials and small gifts such as keychains and back massagers.

AUDIO: Lightford gives impassioned plea for more education funding

The Illinois Senate recently passed a spending plan for next fiscal year that includes an additional $155 million more for education than what is being spent in the current budget. The governor's proposed cuts to General State Aid were roundly rejected but even with the added money, Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford believes more still needs to be done.

Education funding for the next budget year is at an 89 percent proration level, and Lightford says she will continue to push for ending the embarrassing practice of proration and restoring education funding to its proper 100 percent level.

Last week, Lightford made a powerful argument for properly funding education during debate of the budget on the Senate floor. You can listen below.

If the player isn't visible, click here for the audio file.

VIDEO: Lightford discusses important issues of this session

Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford sat down Friday to talk about some of the isses important to the 4th Senate District, including pension reform, concealed carry and education funding among others.