|
|
AAUW of Michigan |
|
Advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research Vision: AAUW will be a
powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through
research, philanthropy, |
|
|
|
Local Branches Check the links at left to see the exciting events and activities of the local branches. By Jennie Lombard, AAUW of MI District Director Adrian In April, the sale of geraniums is the focus as a major fundraiser. These flowers are delivered the week before Mother’s Day and allow this branch to give local scholarships. Three were given this year, to women who are returning to colleges in the area; $1,000 to Sienna College, $1,000 to Adrian College, and $500 to Jackson Community College. Programs this year have included a trip to the Toledo Art Museum to view the new Glass Building and the mummy exhibit, a Candidates’ Night and a May Brunch. A possible summer trip to the University of Findlay, where there is a wonderful collection of original prints from children’s books, may occur during the summer. Albion This branch has had a full year beginning with two branch meetings in September, one a membership invitational potluck and the second to finish sorting books in preparation for their book sale. The October meeting centered around the artist Philip C. Curtis and there was an exhibit of his paintings and a presentation on his art. November ‘s program was a book discussion about the book “Guide to Good Life” by Neil Newman. In December they held a Holiday Brunch with songs, readings and a collection for EF and LAF. A tour to a local manufacturing facility, Continental Carbonics, which makes dry ice, occurred in January. One of their members gave a talk about stem cells and their potential uses in February and in March the program was presented by an Albion faculty member on Antarctica and Global Climate Changes. April featured a columnist from the Miami Herald giving a keynote lecture at Albion and collaboration with the NAACP and the Chamber of Commerce to present a school board candidates forum. The year will end with a performance of the Albion High School Forensics team and a June planning retreat at a member’s lake cottage. Ann Arbor A successful book sale that grossed over $40,000 began the year, followed by an Open House to welcome new members. October’s meeting educated the members about the history of the book sale in an attempt to recruit new leadership. In November a Silent Auction with musical accompaniment was held for the first time, netting over $2,000. Scholarship recipients, a Named Honoree, recognition of Book Sale workers, and lovely music were all a part of December’s Winter Luncheon where $1,700 for EF and LAF was collected. January’s program was all about health, physical, emotional and mental. In February, a gathering for mentors and 38 new members was planned, followed by one act of an upcoming play, a storyteller and a group of young poets. In February, Ann Arbor was a sponsor for Nina Totenberg ‘s speech on “The U.S. Supreme Court and Its Impact on You”. In March there was a panel of women representing Girls on the Run, Big Brother, Big Sister, Girl Scouts, Raising Strong and Confident Daughters, and a research scientist from the Institute for Research on Women and Gender. Living with Proposition 2 and the Future of Scholarships was the topic in April with representatives from nearby colleges. The year ends with a spring luncheon that recognizes branch scholar recipients. Then members will begin preparations for the 56th Annual Used Book Sale which is to be held on Sept. 5-7, 2008 at Washtenaw Community College with book sorting from June through August.. Battle Creek This branch planned an Explorathon Event for March which was a career workshop for fourth and fifth grade girls to learn about non-traditional careers for women focusing on science technology and math. In addition they are continuing the program of Girls Take Charge, focusing on leadership and communications with a geology theme. In April they held a new and exciting fund raising event in the form of a “Cooking Show” held at a local church. Guests were treated to a demonstration of a lovely dinner which includes hors d’oeuvres, salad, entrée and dessert which will be served to the guests. Everyone received a copy of all recipes used and door prizes were given. Bay City In cooperation with the Delta College Planetarium, the Bay City hosted a Diversity Exhibit from the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame in September. This exhibit of ethnically diverse women who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame was on display for a week and an evening program open to the public was held with Dr. Jean Goodnow, President of Delta College, speaking on the topic of “Celebrating Diversity”. In October, Terry Swier, President of the Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation, spoke about the MCWC’s recent court battle with the Nestle Corporation. They also took a tour of the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Bay City. November featured a representative from the United States Coast Guard Station in Essexville speaking about Homeland Security in their area and the responsibility the Coast Guard has throughout the U.S. Volunteering for organizations, events and projects brings life to the spirit of the community and in February, Cindy Miller, Director of the Volunteer Resource Center, was the guest speaker, bringing a long list of volunteer opportunities in Bay County. In 2006 Michigan had a volunteer rate of 32.2% with an average of 36.8 volunteer hours per state resident. At the March general meeting, Attorney Jan Miner answered questions about legal rights of women, covering many issues, particularly financial issues in the event of divorce, death of a spouse and possible remarriage. Regardless of marital status, it is important to be as educated as possible about our financial options, but it is also important to know where all of our important papers are and to let our family know the location. Being organized and knowledgeable can help avoid added stress in an emergency. For fundraisers, the Bay City Branch sold the “Women Pins” from Lucinda and in November made and sold Cheese Balls. In April they are beginning a new project in cooperation with one of their local nurseries and will be selling spring flowers, flats of annuals, hanging baskets, perennials, and anything else one would want for their yard or garden. Big Rapids They kicked off their year with their traditional “Welcome Brunch” at a member’s home on the beautiful Muskegon River. They participated in the Labor Day “All City Yard Sale” raising funds for their scholarship. Meetings included presentations on “Fresh Faces of AAUW”, “The View from Mexico”, “I Was a River Guide in Alaska”, and “Women in the Civil War”. They enjoyed their traditional spring book review program on “Like Water for Chocolate”, the book selected at a branch meeting. They honored the recipient of their $1000 scholarship at the December Dinner meeting and will close their year with their traditional “Progressive Potluck” meeting. “AAUW at the Movies” is their new feature this year. Members were invited to showings of “Real Women Have Curves”, “Iron Jawed Angels” and “Like Water for Chocolate” (after the book review). Everyone pitches in at their annual book sale which raises most of their funds for donations and scholarships. Birmingham A successful September Book Sale began their year. Holding a raffle based on the state lottery, they netted over $5,000, as idea borrowed from the Wyandotte Branch. At the December luncheon members adopted quilts donated by the crafts study groups and these were then given to the Children’s Hospital, with $780 going to LAF. In January, Philip Power, former newspaper publisher, former University of Michigan Regent, and Vice Chairman of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation spoke on the “State of the State of Michigan”. For February, a Valentine Boutique and Luncheon served as a fundraiser and netted $1,100. In collaboration with several other branches in the area, they put on a well attended Women in Transition Conference. On April 2nd they hosted their annual Explorathon with over 625 young people attending 40 workshops. The students listened to a keynote speaker, Dr. Felicia Coleman, Director of the Marine Biology Lab at Florida State University, who spoke about biology, marine ecology and the environment. This is the 27th year that they have held this event. The April meeting’s program featured the CEO of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. Their May meeting will honor past presidents and hear from a member who started “Forgotten Harvest” 17 years ago. This is a bridge between food wholesalers, retailers, restaurants, soup kitchens, emergency shelters and churches in the tri-county area. They have also scheduled a wine-tasting party as a fundraiser in May. Cass City /Thumb Area This branch does three RIF (Reading is Fundamental) distributions yearly for first, second and third grades, where each child receives a book. Branch members go into the classes and read to the students. Other activities for the year include a Fourth of July face painting and children’s art show at the town festival, a Halloween Carnival for the elementary students and selling Christmas wreaths for a fund raiser. They donate to the Literacy Council for books. The biggest event is their Flamingo Fling silent auction which helps raise money to give scholarships to women returning to college. This year they awarded three $1,000 scholarships. They have approximately $60,000 in the United Way account to guarantee that these scholarships will continue. Dearborn In January they heard from author Paul Ganson, a retired bassoonist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Maureen Linker, the recipient of the Susan B. Anthony Award, and a teacher of women’s studies at UM-Dearborn, will speak in February. She teaches women’s studies to prisoners in Plymouth and is an associate professor of philosophy and director of Women’s and Gender Studies at UM-Dearborn. Detroit In February they participated with the Grosse Pointe branch and the League of Women Voters in a “Running and Winning” workshop for grades 9- 12. This four hour session included Detroit students and dealt with running for public office. A theater fundraising event to benefit the Educational Fund was held on March 2nd and performed in a mid-18th century church located within Burgh Historical Park, preceded by a champagne reception. The play was “Five Tellers Dancing in the Rain” by Mark Dunn. The annual spring summit “Women Taking Care”, focusing on health, finances and political power took place on April 5th. This interactive summit had two concurrent sessions focusing on “Taking Care of Our Finances”, “Taking Care to Keep the Joy in Our Lives: and a general session “Taking Care of Our Political Power”. Escanaba The Escanaba Area Branch is focusing on pay equity, making and distributing “cookies with a bite out of them” to illustrate the pay/gender gap. They enclose a fact sheet about pay equity and have given the cookies to area high schoolers. They will be distributing them to college students on Northern Michigan University’s campus (with the help of the Marquette Branch) on April 22nd. During April they also presented their annual children’s theatre plays to area youngsters. One of their winter programs focused on long-term health care options and they also spent an evening at the movies watching “Iron –Jawed Angels” (history of the women’s suffrage movement in the U.S.) The May meeting is geared to a Kentucky Derby theme and they are encouraging members to bring guests along to enjoy the evening. A June Garden Party is planned as a recruitment tool. They are proud to be among the branches that increased their membership this year! Farmington Their annual fund raiser was held on March 1st at the Parisian in Livonia. On March 19th, a program was presented by Robert Steiner from the Detroit Institute of Arts, (DIA) on Queens, Goddesses and Divas. There was a slide presentation about powerful, prestigious, refined and beautiful women depicted in Asian, African, Native American and European Art.. On April 16th the Annual Awards Nights will be held at Schoolcraft College’s Vista Tech Center where the branch named grant honorees and community awards were given, in addition to the installation of officers. The co-program chair, Valerie Knol is the Mayor of the City of Farmington. Fenton Making cheese balls in November continues to be a popular project as a fundraiser, in addition to their August Book Sale. From their profits they give six local scholarships, four $600 scholarships to graduating high school seniors and two $500 awards to women returning to school. In addition they contribute to the Educational Foundation which has earned them honors in per capita giving. Programs have included visiting a book store, a session on financial literacy and a demonstration of Chinese cooking by one of their members. Flint Many projects are on the agenda for this branch. Last fall, they began the year by giving hats, gloves and mittens to Cooley Elementary School. At Christmas they sold candles and made up bags of personal hygiene items for the women in an adult foster care facility. Every meeting they hold a raffle. Two Book Sales are held each year, one in May and one in October. Programs have featured financial planning, the Chief of Police speaking on how women can protect themselves, a comparison of education by a Japanese college student, and a report from a former scholarship winner of her Peace Corp experiences. Frankenmuth Area Besides celebrating in December with a Christmas Party, this branch was busy selling holiday wreaths as one of their fund raisers. In March they used the posters from the Michigan Historical Museum, photos about significant women in history, displaying them in the Wickson Memorial Library. Their Annual Dinner Meeting was scheduled April 28 at Zehnder’s Restaurant. A nurse practitioner who has made several trips to Liberia with the Frankenmuth United Methodist Church will related her experiences of trying to educate and treat people and their illnesses. Frankenmuth is also the site for District 3’s meeting on May 17, 2008. Gaylord In October they held a profitable Book Sale. They downloaded Helen Milliken’s speech from last year’s Spring Convention and used it in a program. Each year they hold a luncheon that honors a woman in the community, along with a silent auction as a fundraiser. This year the woman was a pediatrician who was a pioneer in her field. Ending the year, they host a tea in May for graduating high school seniors and their mothers with a speaker. They give two scholarships to high school graduates and two scholarships to women returning to school. Grand Rapids The main events this year have involved luncheon meetings, one of which Deb Ensign, District 6 coordinator attended. The Science for Girls will hopefully be done next year, but this year it was not possible. The members will be participating in the Parade of Homes which raises $400 that goes to EF. They also support LAF with a collection. Grosse Pointe During this past year, Grosse Pointe has held several movie showings about women’s history. The “Iron Jawed Angels and “Passing the Torch” were two that were shown. On May 6th, the author of “Three Cups of Tea”, Greg Mortenson, will be speaking in Grosse Pointe at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial. Greg was one of the keynote speakers at the AAUW National Convention in June 2007. His focus is building schools for girls in Afganistan and Pakistan. In March they sponsored a “Running and Winning” workshop in collaboration with the League of Women Voters. They have used women from other countries as speakers to bring in an international awareness, as well as speakers from the Birmingham branch. Grosse Pointe District VII Director, Lynn Pierce, is planning to run for circuit judge and her position will be filled by Vicki Granger as she begins to prepare for her political run Hillsdale In 2008, the Hillsdale Branch has had several interesting programs. A tour was arranged to the local senior center and the group enjoyed a recital of dual pianos performed by several retired Hillsdale College faculty members. The February meeting from the Hillsdale County Art Works was cancelled due to bad weather, but that program will be arranged for next year. The International Focus group has been busy meeting with topics ranging from the Mayan Word, Childhood in the Philippines during WWII and Islamic Art. One of the most popular gatherings is the Breakfast Buddies which meets every first Saturday of the month at a local restaurant. Holland In November, after a very successful book sale with proceeds over $17,000, they held a Girls’ Dream Fair with 220 eighth grade girls from ten schools and nearly 45 professional women as presenters. Work has begun for the branch’s next Used Book Sale which takes place the last weekend of September. Books are collected at three locations, picked up by members every day at each location, with sorting taking place every Tuesday from April through September. This is the largest fundraiser for the branch and is a very popular event throughout Ottawa County and beyond. Proceeds from the sale are distributed to local non-profits, which apply for funds and to the AAUW Educational Foundation. Ruth Sweetser, President of Association, will be receiving the Distinguished Alumna Award from Hope College on May 3, 2008. This is the highest award given by the Alumni Association and the Holland Branch will hold a reception in her honor at a member’s home on Friday, May 2nd. Plans are underway to organize a team to participate in the Relay for Life, an event sponsored by the American Cancer Society on June 13 and 14, 2008. The event celebrates survivorship and raises money for cancer research and programs. On Wednesday, June 11, 2008, they are holding a Garden Tea in a member’s lovely garden to raise fund for the AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund. Last summer nearly $1,000 was raised at this highly anticipated event. Iron Mountain/ Kingsford This branch has added 15 new members and welcomed them recently with a cocktail hour. They are working on a new web site and hope to have some meetings in the future on financial planning. Programs this year have included a guest speaker on a local project involving a glider from WWII, a speaker on a Michigan Virtual High School, a candidate forum, a Christmas auction and celebration of local scholars and their families. They have sold candy bars as a fundraiser along with an Annual Book Sale in April. Each year they have a meeting where everyone talks about their favorite books read over the year. This is the first year that they are giving a non traditional scholarship to a local woman over the age of 22, who is returning to college. Jackson During 2007-2008, the Jackson branch meetings focused on “Herstories”. The year began with the stories of their Honorary Life Members at the Fall Membership Tea and the program was videotaped and shown on a local TV station JTV17. Zhenyu Li, a MSU graduate student from China presented a power point program about the changes in lifestyle of women in China in the 21st century and compared this information to lifestyles of women in the United States. Both last year and this year branch meetings have been held at nearby colleges and at Spring Arbor University they learned the stories of their non-traditional female students from a panel of graduates and staff. Faye Odeh, a Jackson business woman born in Ramallah, Palestine, told her story and her three wishes as a young girl. She wanted to be blond, attend high school and come to America. Bharti Sachdev, a Jackson physician, explained the power of education and how it affects women in her native country of India by sharing her experiences and insights of her life in India and her 20 year medical practice in the U.S. .Kathy Shaw, AAUW of Michigan President –elect, presented a program of her interviews of women inducted into the Michigan Historical Hall of Fame. The May meeting will feature EF students from MSU as guests, telling about their doctoral programs and three recipients for the branch’s scholarships will be introduced. The programs have been well received, attendance has increased, and the branch has become focused and energized. They are continuing plans for their book sale in the fall which provides money for scholarships, the book project which places books about strong successful women in the public school libraries and their Eleanor Roosevelt Walk in the spring. Some of their members visited 5th grade classrooms in the area, giving presentations about women left out of the history books. Dressed up in the appropriate costume they provided an interactive dialog with the students and referred to themselves as “WAGS”, Women Are Great Society”. Kalamazoo In the fall they presented a college awareness program in the Comstock Public Schools. AAUW members and other volunteers read “I Know I Can”, a book for early elementary school children up to third grade and discussed the importance of thinking about and preparing for education beyond high school at an early age. Each child received a copy of the book to keep. In May they are presenting this same program to the second graders in the Kalamazoo Public Schools. Early in the year they had a fun-filled and successful auction to raise necessary funds in which branch members provided unique items, many of them handmade. At their Christmas luncheon they decorated a small tree with stockings containing donations to their scholarship fund and to the Educational Foundation. Gifts of hand-knit hats and scarves were placed under the tree and later donated to a local community center. In February, they participated in Kalamazoo’s ReadingTogether activities by hosting a book discussion of this year’s selection, “Animal Dreams”. Six scholarships were awarded to local women who were returning to school or pursuing post-graduate studies in March. The women spoke of their goals for their education. An AAUW International Fellow who is attending Western Michigan University was also a guest. Lansing The big news for this branch was the $21,000 bequeathed to the Educational Foundation from one of their former members. They have been actively recruiting and have 15 new members, a 50% increase. A highlight was a talk by Gladys Beckwith, who has been in charge of the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame. In April they enjoyed a visit from Kathy Shaw, AAUW of Michigan President-elect and Jan Emery, AAUW of Michigan Educational Foundation Director. Plans are underway for hosting the AAUW of Michigan Fall Conference on October 25, 2008. Livonia For a third year, this branch has presented WOW (Women On Their Way), a mentoring program for 11th grade girls. Members were involved as Early Literacy Volunteers (ELVs), a program to help 1st through 3rd graders improve reading skills. Three fundraisers were held: an auction in November to raise money for EF and LAF, a Card and Game Night in February, and a Parisian Sale in March for local scholarships and branch activities. In April, members collected toiletries, cleaning supplies and towels for the Wayne County Homeless Shelter at Eloise. Branch programs included The Honorable Marilyn Kelly, Michigan Supreme Court Justice; Kelly Small of Vista Marie, a not-for-profit residential and community based treatment agency for girls; Dr. Fay Schuette, Schoolcraft College on “Race, Gender and the 15th Amendment” (suffrage for black men but not women); and Kathy Shaw, AAUW of Michigan President-elect, on LAF. Ludington Area In December they held their annual Christmas Party at Scotty’s Restaurant and were entertained by the United Methodist Church Bell Choir. Hundreds of new children’s books were donated to the Women’s Shelter for local children. In January they met at a member’s beautiful old Victorian home where they shared antique treasures and a story about the antique along with family history. Meeting in March at the Ludington Area Library, they enjoyed a presentation by one of their members and her husband about their trip to India. In addition, they donated $500 to the library. In April, another local couple shared with the branch some of their extensive musical box collection dating from the 1800’s to the present. There were musical necklaces, cuff links, cigarette lighters and holders and even a musical pot used before the water closet was invented. In May they hold a Spring Banquet where they will honor their Named Grant Recipient, install new officers and enjoy “The Two Marthas” a story about high class women versus working women in the 1800’s. Their Antique Sale, which raises all the funds for college scholarships for high school students, will be held on Sunday, July 13th at the Mason County Fairgrounds. Manistee In September they listened to the president of the League of Women Voters. Sean Henne, English professor at the West Shore Community College spoke to their branch in October about the “Big Read” project, conducted by the college and entertained them with a reading from the book. As a part of that project, this branch sponsored a panel discussion in November of the featured book, “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston. In March they heard the director of the county speak about a new 211 system which is being developed that acts like 911 but used for non emergencies. They voted to assist in the development, implementation and sustainability of this community resource by pledging $750 annually for the next three years. Other local projects they supported this past year included $100 to Manistee County Library, $250 to the Manistee League of Women Voters to help with the costs of their series educating women on running for public office and $100 to the Manistee-Mason-Oceana household hazardous waste collection day, the first ever collection day being sponsored cooperatively in the three counties by local conservation district staff. In April they listened to a presentation regarding the county wide recycling and hazardous waste program in neighboring Benzie County. All of these projects and their annual scholarship are possible through a very profitable annual yard sale held each June. The scholarship is awarded to a woman student at West Shore Community College and was increased to $1250 this year and is now renewable for the first time. Marquette In February they held a Saturday Valentine Brunch with a duet on two grand pianos. For March, they held a panel discussion on “Closing the Pay Gap”. Their 36th Annual Book Sale took place in April. Women and Art and a spring brunch are planned for May. They are working with the Escanaba Branch to celebrate Pay Equity Day on Northern Michigan University’s campus. Marshall An invitation to other members of District 6 was extended to attend their March meeting where the guest speaker was Ms. Kathy Lane, who discussed her experiences as a peacekeeper in South Africa. The branch will be ending the year with an April tour of their local hospital, Oaklawn. They will be touring the new additions and renovations that have recently been made to the hospital. In May they will conclude the year with a relaxing evening of dinner and discussion by gardener Vi Gogel, who will be sharing ways to create a butterfly garden. The Marshall branch had three successful fundraisers this year, which included a fall and winter book sale and a Christmas silent auction which benefited the Legal Advocacy Fund. Midland In December, the Issues luncheon was a huge success with 87 women in attendance. It was titled “Unleashing the Power of Women in Leadership” and Deborah Borg , Workforce Planning Leader for North America under Dow Chemical, spoke about the power of women in leadership positions, the major obstacles to women’s progress and tips on how to be successful. In February, their speaker was Cindy Elliott, a Dow Chemical global purchasing director, speaking on “Attitude and Aptitude” and exploring how these two attributes contribute to your growth and success. Members of Dow’s Women’s Innovation Network, WIN, were also invited. The 74th Annual Meeting of the Midland Branch was held in March where Ann Ward , immediate past president was presented with the Named Gift Honoree award for her contributions. “Positive Aging” was the program presented by Heddie Sumner, Director of Education and Resource Development for Midland County Senior Services. Mickey Edell and Sharon Belobraidich visited in March to tour properties as possible sites for the 2009 AAUW of Michigan convention which will be hosted by the Midland Branch. In April the Spring Used Book Sale at the Midland Mall and a School Board Forum co-sponsored with the Midland League of Women Voters took place. In May the topic for the branch meeting will be “What’s New in Resource Conservation “ and held at the Chippewa Nature Center. At an awards banquet sponsored by the Midland Area Community Foundation in June, the branch will present two $2,000 nonrenewable scholarships to both high school graduating senior women and to women in transition. Monroe Their main fundraiser continues to be the Old French Town bean soup mix, but this year they are trying something new. It is called “Flamingo Flocking” and the idea is to put flamingos in yards of selected people with a sense of humor. Then for a price, the groups will remove the bird or the person can buy insurance to prevent it from happening. It is all in good fun and will help to augment their scholarship funds. Their year began with a September potluck and membership rally and a program on recognizing antiques. The October meeting was held at the local library with a photographic display of famous Americans, Presidents and First Ladies. November‘s meeting was a book talk with recommendations for future reading. Dinner and wine tasting at the Erie Frog Lake Inn, along with a Christmas auction, took place in December. A look at renovations that were environmentally innovative was seen in a tour of a former convent in the area in February. They viewed the CD on “Fresh Faces of AAUW” and enjoyed a visit from Janet Watkins, AAUW of Michigan Vice President of Membership. Guest night occurred in March along with a program about Libby Bacon Custer, wife of General Armstrong Custer, a leading citizen of the past enshrined in a monument in town. Dinner at the Chelsea Common Grill and a play at the Purple Rose was scheduled for April and a tour of the Glass Building in Toledo is planned for May 17th. In June they will have a picnic and award their $1,000 scholarship. They have five prospective new members and working to increase their numbers. Muskegon/ N.Ottawa Their year began with a program on “Women in Art”. In October, they held their second authors luncheon at a nearby country club, and listened to an author talking about books for adolescents and children. “Tempting Tables”, a fundraiser with different set-ups was the November program. Along with this was a speaker who was a University of Michigan researcher in breast cancer. A holiday lunch with a docent tour of depression era houses took place in December. The rest of the year features “Women of Accomplishment” and an annual scholarship dinner. Many of their meetings have been with coalitions of other women’s groups. Northville-Novi In December the branch meeting was held at the Starring Gallery and food was set up in the foyer. In January they learned about the Youth Assistance Program in Northville. The chefs at Schoolcraft College prepared a hearty weekend brunch for February’s meeting. The speaker for that event was Michael Farrell, giving a presentation about Mary Cassatt, an Impressionist painter. From March 1 to 15 the branch rented the Diversity panels from the Michigan Women’s Historical Museum and displayed half of them at the Northville District Library and the other half at the Novi Public Library. In keeping with this was a tour of the Henry Ford to see the “Liberty and Justice for All” exhibit and then a guided tour and lunch at the Arab-American National Museum. For April, the speaker was Dr. Susan Thomas, an ophthalmologist practicing at the Livonia office of the U of M Kellogg Eye Center. She told of her experiences in Mongolia, traveling for ORBIS international as a trained medical eye specialist. Oakland Besides working with several other branches in the Women in Transition Conference, this branch has had many interesting programs and guests. They have included Katrina McCree from Women Arise, a group that works with former prisoners, a discussion about patient safety from representatives of Blue Cross-Blue Shield and Michigan Consumers Health, a talk about U. S.-China Relations by a Rich Stamps of Oakland University and Michael Bouchard, a sheriff speaking about the 21st century on a 20th century budget. One of the EF Fellowship recipients was a guest at one meeting. In March they held a theater benefit fundraiser for the Educational Foundation. In April an attorney on Elder Law talked about planning for the future. Celebrating their 70th Anniversary in May will end the year on a high note. Fern Bright and Victoria Dickinson, two of their members, are 50 year members. Fern is celebrating her 100th birthday. Paw Paw In September they had their annual book sale during the Paw Paw Grape and Wine Festival. This is a one day sale, move in and open at 9 a.m., and sell and pack up the remains at 5:00 p.m. They made $3600 which they use for scholarships. At the September meeting they showed the video “Great Women of American History” and discussed it among themselves. The February Books and Breakfast is always a popular one where members give a short report on a book they have enjoyed and wish to share. A special program in March was given by member Mary Burkett, who told and illustrated the founding and past 40 years of history of the Paw Paw Village Players. This drew former players from as far away as Kentucky. On April 16 at 7 p.m. they hosted Michigan Representative, Tonya Schuiltmaker, who spoke on current legislative issues. Tonya was recently appointed to the Tourism Task Force which is holding hearings around the state. This was a nonpartisan talk. They will wind up the year with their Awards Brunch where they will present the scholarship winners, the named gift recipient and other announcements. The Carnegie Community Center where they have had their meetings has been taken over by the Chamber of Commerce and it is uncertain if it will be available next year, so they are looking for a suitable inexpensive meeting place for next year. Plymouth/ Canton Every year in February or March this branch holds its annual children’s play. It has become a tradition in the community as well as a fundraiser. This year the play was “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and none other than our State President, Mickey Edell, and our State VP of Program, Sharon Belobraidich, were both on stage. The branch netted $11,000 and networked with the Girl Scouts for this project. Pontiac/Waterford This branch has been focusing on women and the many issues that they face in this complicated world. They have had speakers on Neighbors Helping Neighbors which focuses on area outreach programs to help families in need in our community and young women facing pregnancy concerns. Other programs have been about local anti-bullying efforts in their schools and a very in depth presentation of mothers, daughters and famous women leaders in Oakland County. The latter program was also done as a traveling exhibit which they are hoping to sponsor next March during Women’s History Month at the public library. They did a program on “Passing the Torch” about the women’s movement in Michigan, where guest speakers and members shared stories of their experiences and struggles to achieve equality and recognition. The branch also participated financially and physically in the Women in Transition Conference with Birmingham and Oakland. Port Huron In late summer this branch partnered with the Community Foundation to provide socks and other school supplies, all organized in backpacks, for elementary students to start out the school year. One of their branch meetings included two local high school students who had won awards for their entry at the International Science and Engineering Fair on “A Study of Vitamin D Deficiency in a Cross-Section of Women”. They have also partnered with other women’s organizations (Delta Kappa Gamma and Women’s Life Insurance Society) to attend a play at Stratford’s Festival Theatre in Canada and to contribute monies to their Book Project. These books were placed in school libraries in all of St. Clair County and were about women, usually written by women, for students in grades K-12, all reading abilities. Throughout the year items and supplies for Carolyn’s Place-Safe Horizons (a local women’s shelter) are collected and donated. They support the Educational Foundation by holding an annual Fall Fashion Show with members or their relatives as their models and a Silent Tea in the spring. They also support the Girl Scout Gold Award with $250. The year will end with a performance of the Fiddle Club from the School of Strings at the annual May breakfast, where last year pictures of our 125 years of AAUW history were displayed. Rochester In March they organized the 2008 “Sundaes and Science”: Mothers and Daughters Explore the World of Water, an event for girls in grades 5-8, The workshops which features three hands-on sessions entitled “Mix Water and Make Cosmetics:, “Water , Water Everywhere” and “Clean Up Your Act”. This branch also sponsors an essay contest designed to honor the accomplishments and highlight the influence of women during National Women’s History Month in March, open to 8th graders. Prizes were given at the April branch meeting. Romeo Throughout the year their main fundraiser is an ongoing Book Sale which is held every Tuesday and the first and third Saturday, from October through July, and over Labor Day, along with the “Peach Festival”. At September’s meeting they targeted new members. Other programs have included a Dr. Smith talking about increasing brain power and anti-aging strategies, prospective about war and women in the military by five military women, and information about the Macomb County Shelter for Women. They give two scholarships to high school graduates and usually hold a candidates night. Saginaw This branch has a book club that meets monthly. In September, they reviewed books read over the summer. Other programs have covered breast health, a celebrated Saginaw poet, a viewing of the “Iron Jawed Angels” and Women Heros. They voted to each donate a minimum of $15 instead of holding a fundraiser. In December they supplied gifts to the Harvest Home, a home for teenage pregnant girls. South Haven At the Fall 2007 luncheon, Dorris Akers, Executive Director of Water Street Glassworks, Benton Harbor, described an after school program designed to promote diversity through the arts. A Meet the Candidates forum was held for local officials prior to the November election. During their annual January Winter Celebration, they enjoyed good food, a live musical performance and a short dramatic skit while collecting donations for Warm Your Heart, the local heating assistance program. Ongoing branch activities included two monthly book groups, one during the afternoon and the other in the evening, assistance for a local Open Door supper program, and a gourmet dinner group. The branch continues its sponsorship of RIF (Reading is Fundamental) in the local elementary schools as well as financial support for the South Haven One Book, One Community project and the South Haven Girls on the Run Project. On the national level they provide funding for both the AAUW Educational Foundation and the Legal Advocacy Fund. Three recipients of the AAUW high school scholarship will be honored at the 2008 Spring Tea and a previous recipient will be the keynote speaker. Collecting, sorting and organizing used books for their annual fundraiser will occupy the membership during the summer months with the sale held during South Haven’s Blueberry Festival in August. A new scholarship has been established for an older adult at Lake Michigan College-South Haven Campus and will be awarded for the first time Fall Semester 2008. Traverse City Area Four years ago the membership of this branch was 51, and this year it is up to 86. Thanks to Ellie Tacke’s efforts, Northwestern Michigan College is now also an AAUW college member and the new dean of student services has joined the branch. While this branch has many “snow birds” they continue to have a very active lunch discussion group that meets at the Northwestern Michigan College’s culinary arts building with a view of the bay, two book groups, one in the morning at a book store and one in the evening for working women in homes, besides a public policy group. The latter is interested in pay equity and sending articles to the local newspaper. In connection with the Cherry Festival during the Parade of Homes, members volunteer their services and earn between $500-$750.for the branch. Their book sale, which nets $4,000, utilizes amazon.com and donated books. One member coordinates this project and works with the Interlochen Book Sale and publishers in the area. Wyandotte/Downriver Celebrating their 75th Anniversary in November and hosting the Spring Convention for AAUW of Michigan on May 3rd have been the major focus for this group. However, they have been having fun raising funds for awarding local scholarships. On June 17th they have planned their third annual golf outing on Grosse Ile. Last year, $1,000 of the $1,300 earned beyond their donation to the Susan B. Komen Cancer Foundation, was earmarked for a scholarship for a woman pursuing sports medicine, physical therapy, or a related field. The winter fundraiser was a card party, with tickets sold for a total of 56 euchre and bridge seats which raised $800 in one night. The hors d’oeuveres, beer and wine that are sold are very popular with the crowd and LAF is the recipient of the proceeds from a 50/50 raffle. Winnings are usually generously donated back to AAUW! A summertime “Dollars for Scholars” raffle, using Michigan Lotto numbers, has proved successful two times for them, rewarding their efforts with about $5,700 each time. There are a lot of folks who purchase the tickets hoping to win the two big prizes of $500 each and the odds of winning are actually pretty good. Their book sale takes place during October and 60% of the total proceeds are donated to EF. Networking with an educator’s sorority resulted in teamwork to collect items and compile gift bags for the girls of the Vista Maria Center in Dearborn Heights at Christmas time. In March they supported a local coalition participating in a program on Grosse Ile celebrating Women’s History Month. The objective of the month-long project was to assist in funding the high school library‘s acquisition of updated material pertaining to women’s contributions to society and highlight contemporary role models within the community to the students. They hope to enlist the Grosse Ile committee’s help in presenting a similar program to less affluent school districts in the future. Last update May 3, 2008 |
|
Send mail to Vicki Granger.
|
