An organization founded to help women gain the right to vote will celebrate its 82nd anniversary Thursday.

“This is a time to remind everyone, as well as ourselves, that this wonderful organization was founded and is still successful,” said Ruth Jones, publicity chairwoman for the league. “We celebrate every year.”

Carrie Chapman Catt founded the League of Women Voters Feb. 14, 1920.

The Ames League of Women Voters will hold its annual celebration 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Fireside Room of the Northminster Presbyterian Church, 1416 20th St.

The members will also discuss business, however.

“This is the meeting when we talk about local issues and national positions,” said Nancy Brown, president of the Ames League of Women Voters. “When revised national positions come out, local chapters vote on it.”

The league was begun to further women’s suffrage. Now it helps all citizens participate in local, regional and national debate, on both a political and social level.

“Carrie Chapman Catt was an advocate for all women to increase all their rights,” Jones said.

To increase awareness, the Iowa chapter has expanded avenues of information to include interactive and online resources.

During each year, the league selects issues it believes need attention on the local level and uses these reports to support their stance on issues to elected officials.

“At our annual meeting, we discuss issues that we think are important and undertake them if there is enough people to volunteer,” Brown said.

In June, six or seven members will report on their latest research topic – recycling.

Past studies have included issues such as land use, leisure and recreation, nonresidential parking and child abuse from caregivers.

“This takes people, as well as a lot of time and effort, to research these studies for the league,” Brown said.

The group focuses on issues that affect people in both political parties.

“We are a nonpartisan group,” Jones said. “We often don’t even know each person’s party. We just don’t talk about that.”

Jones said the group discusses and debates issues and comes to conclusions that could be parallel to either party.

“Many issues are supported by both Republicans and Democrats, and some issues are not supported by either,” she said.