We wanted to let members know that we recently have had two members pass:
Anne Mouer
Mavis Wilson
Please contact Cherril Peabody for more information.
Daily Archives: June 10, 2015
June Potluck Social — New Time & Extended RSVP until tomorrow (June 11)
Come one, come all. Enjoy fellowship with AAUW friends and guests as we relax in the Knowles’ beautiful backyard.
Saturday, June 13, 2015
5:30 -8:30 p.m.
John & Della Knowles’ home
3743 College Avenue, Sacramento 95818
Their home is very near William Land Park. Street parking is available
Spouses and friends are welcome. Please bring one of the following to serve 8.
Appetizer Salad Main Dish Dessert
Beverages and paper goods will be provided.
Contact Gloria Yost, gloriayost@aol.com or (916) 961-3306 to sign up for your food item and let her know how many of you are coming.
President’s Column by Cherril Peabody
Cherril Peabody, AAUW Sacramento President for 2014-15
This is my last president’s column, so I have been looking back over the past year to see where we have been and what we have accomplished. One of my goals for the year was to buy a public address system for the branch so that we could hear our speakers at meetings, and we accomplished that right away. We inaugurated it at our Showcase meeting in September, where we had a full house to get our program year started.
In October, we participated for the first time in the Take Back the Night community event, the goal of which is to raise people’s consciousness about the need to make women safe from sexual predators. I believe our participation will grow in coming years. We also started exploring some new ideas about providing financial literacy training for girls in October. Those meetings led to a new partnership with several credit unions that offer interactive financial literacy training programs at local high schools. A few of our leaders presented a training at Pleasant Grove High School in April, and we hope that the number of our members volunteering with this project will grow in the years to come.
We also developed some guidelines for the interest groups and book groups to help them manage personality issues that arise in the groups from time to time. We sought input from the group leaders in developing the guidelines and offered them as a model with the understanding that they could develop their own guidelines if they preferred.
We sponsored a number of interesting events during the year. In November, Karen Duncanwood told our fascinated audience about her experiences as a Freedom Rider in Mississippi during the civil rights movement 50 years ago. In December, we had a great holiday luncheon at the Northridge Country Club with musicians from a local high school to make it even more festive. In January, we had a very successful Inter-branch Council Luncheon at Plates with two interesting AAUW fellows as speakers, both teaching at California universities. In February, Speech Trek held its most successful contest yet, with nine participants and a good contingent of AAUW members to cheer on the contestants. The winner, Ciera Miller, went on to win third place at the state AAUW Speech Trek competition in April. Ciera gave her speech again at the Installation Tea to enthusiastic applause.
In March, we had our theater fundraiser at a performance of “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.” Though we didn’t raise as much money as we had hoped, the event was well attended, and everyone seemed to have a good time. In April, we presented Israeli-American memoirist Karen Levy, who spoke at our annual Authors Luncheon very movingly about her experiences growing up in two very different countries. In May, thanks to the hard work of a whole bunch of our members, the Program Committee put together a delightful and very well attended installation tea, which also honored our 95th anniversary as an AAUW branch. We even saw some hats! We have one more activity to come, the potluck social at Della Knowles’ home this month. I hope to see many of you there – it will be fun!
As I end my term as president, I want to thank all of you who helped, some in official ways as board members and other leaders and some in unofficial ways, answering my questions – and I had many! – or doing me a favor when I needed help with something. This year has been a rewarding experience for me, and I couldn’t have done it all without your help and support!
Sacramento Branch Named Gift Honorees for 2015 by Donna Holmes & Marty McKnew
This month we continue our series on past presidents who were honored as the Sacramento Branch Named Gift Honorees for 2015. For every $750 donated to Funds on behalf of our branch, we can choose a Named Gift Honoree. This year we have chosen four of our past presidents to be honored.
Past President Molly Dugan
Molly Dugan, co-president from 2011 to 2013, has been a member of the Sacramento Branch for 10 years. In addition to these two terms as president, she was the branch secretary for two years and most recently served as Scholarship co-chair and on the Nominating Committee. This Sacramento native is planning to take some time off from serving on the board but will always be involved in AAUW activities. Member Cathy Locke recruited Molly for AAUW when they worked together at the Sacramento Bee. She joined AAUW for the mission but admits that the people are what it is all about.
At the age of 18 Molly began her career in journalism as a copy girl at the Sacramento Bee. With a Master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University, she worked for various newspapers, eventually returning to the Bee. In 2006 she had an opportunity to teach journalism at Sacramento State University and has been there ever since. It is her way of giving back for her wonderful career. In 2000 Molly married a fellow journalist, Dan Smith. We are so lucky to have this vivacious member as a vital part of our AAUW family.
Barbara Smith preparing for the 95th Anniversary Tea
Barbara Smith, co-president for the 2006-2007 year, will soon be joining the exclusive club of 50-year members of the branch. She has been newsletter editor many times as well as Program vice-president and recording secretary during her years of membership and can be found working behind the scenes on most AAUW events. Barbara joined in 1967 after being invited to a tea for prospective members. She liked what she saw and soon became active in branch activities. She has been a member of her book group ever since and took part in couples gourmet for over 35 years.
In 1970 Barbara was a member of the first local scholarships committee and the following year chaired a large fundraiser for local scholarships. Another project she remembers was the Balance of Nature Show members took around to grade schools. Many things have changed in her 48 years of membership. Noteworthy to Barbara was that her identity changed from Mrs. Roger Smith to Mrs. Barbara Smith to now just Barbara Smith. She is much happier with her current status. Barbara and her husband Roger have been married for almost 53 years and have three children and two grandchildren. Members like Barbara have enabled our branch to thrive for its 95 years.
95th Anniversary Tea Party a Huge Success by Gloria Yost
AAUW Banner
A beautiful Saturday afternoon in Rancho Cordova and a number of our members decked out in hats and gloves set the stage for a most enjoyable tea, installation and 95th anniversary celebration. A crunch of last minute reservations ensured that no one was left out of the conversations as we visited, enjoyed delicious food prepared by members, and discussed our tea cups and clever tea quotations, supplied by Kathy Papst.
Our Girl Scout helpers for the tea
Seven girl scouts and their leaders from troop #599 assisted with everything from set up to greeting us upon arrival, serving tea, helping with clean up and hauling items to our cars. They worked diligently until we had all clean-up work completed.
Outgoing President Cherril Peabody
We recognized our 50-year members and 16 past presidents for their continued devotion to AAUW and bestowed named gift honoree recognition to past presidents Molly Dugan, Nancy Lawrence, Marty McKnew and Barbara Smith. During a brief business meeting, Pat Winkle was elected as Co-Membership Director and Shirley Wheeler, Sandi Schoenman and Cherril Peabody were elected to the nominating committee.
Our 2015 Speech Trek winner, Ciera Miller, presented her prize-winning speech. President Cherril Peabody read a
Our local Speech Trek Winner Ciera Miller
special recognition letter from National commending our branch on its 95th anniversary. Gloria Yost installed the 2015-16 elected officers May Ruth Lynch, Jenny Woltz, Donna Holmes, Marty McKnew, Shirley Wheeler, Pat Winkle, Linda Patterson and Nancy McCabe. The year-end transition was completed as Cherril passed the gavel to incoming president, Nancy McCabe, and Nancy presented Cherril with her past president’s pin.
Incoming president Nancy McCabe & her granddaughter.
All agreed that the tea planning committee put on a very successful event. In addition, our event netted approximately $1,600 toward the completion of our 100th Anniversary Research & Projects grant. Thank you to all who lent teapots and serving trays for our use, prepared the delicious food, and helped with both set up and clean up. You all deserve kudos.
Jane Cooley & her granddaughter (and fellow AAUW member) Tiffany Ardisana
Many Hands Build Program Success by Gloria Yost
I want to thank the members who were involved in planning and developing the Branch programs this past year. Many more volunteered to be greeters and provide refreshments. I would not have been able to accomplish everything without all of you. I’d like to recognize those of you who took on special roles.
- Anne Rhodes and her helper, Alice Bauer, regularly made sure we had beverages and treats at our events.
- Linda Whitney arranged for greeters to welcome us at every meeting.
- Dawn Boyd handled reservations and nametags during the year.
- Laura Randles-Little organized the AAUW Showcase.
- Donna Holmes arranged for the holiday party entertainment.
- Mary Schneider organized our holiday philanthropy effort with the Oak Park Preschool.
- Liz Jordan, Shari Beck and committee organized the very successful Speech Trek Contest.
- Barbara Smith not only handled all the details for our author’s luncheon, she arranged for Karen Levy to speak.
- Sadie Lawrence organized voter education opportunities in the fall, and Robin Howlett partnered with AAUW Sacramento State to celebrate Equal Pay Day in April.
- Hedda Smithson maintained a database of attendance at Branch events.
- Mary Schneider (decorations), Kathy Papst, Barbara Smith and Anne Rhodes (food and tea) led the hard working group that put on our successful May installation tea.
- Shari Beck very ably handled all last-minute requests for e-blasts to improve attendance.
- Angela Scarlett kept our social media accounts and website up to date to promote attendance.
Other members of the program committee were: Izzy Brookshire, Vivian Counts, Molly Dugan Joan Hammond, Della Knowles, Vicky Lovell, Nancy McCabe, Marty McKnew, Cherril Peabody, Sherry Reser, Gina Schumacher, Linda Tinker and Pat Winkle.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
What ‘cha doing this Summer? (WOW on July 22) by Anne Rhodes
Women of the World is breaking with the tradition of AAUW Sacramento taking the summer off from having branch events. Numerous members thought that the popular WOW programs would be a perfect choice to bridge from one AAUW Board of Directors to the newly elected leaders. So, following the popular programs in the past, the WOW events planned for July and August will be interesting and informative, appealing to our members and the public at large.
On July 22 at 7 p.m., at Belle Cooledge Library,
5600 S. Land Park Drive,
WOW will host “Living and Teaching in Saudi Arabia: An American Woman’s Perspective,” by Karen Williams.
Williams was born in Guam, and the frequent trips to and from that small island conditioned her from an early age to become accustomed to traveling. Additionally, as a teen, she lived in England and Spain, where she traveled frequently within those countries. Traveling seemed to be in her blood, and it was only the raising of her daughter that temporarily curtailed her travel.
When her daughter left for college, Williams earned a Teaching English as a Foreign Language degree that prepared her for an English as a second language career. This allowed her to resume her travel again, this time with the intent of earning her way around the world.
Her first choice was a contract to teach first-year orientation at the Prince Sultan Women’s University in the capital city of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. It is a private Saudi university for women, and the classes she taught were designed to prepare the young women for future English-language studies. It is experiences from this interesting time that Williams will share during her WOW presentation.
The AAUW Sacramento branch members will find “Living and Teaching in Saudi Arabia: An American Woman’s Perspective” entertaining and educational. See you there!
Anne Rhodes, WOW Committee Chair
Scholarship Thanks by Molly Dugan
We are honored to have served as AAUW Sacramento Scholarship Co-Chairs and want to thank everyone who supported scholarships this year. Your generous donations have helped deserving young women pursue an education and a better life for their families.
We’d also like to thank those who contributed their time and energies to the scholarship committee. The scholarship co-chairs depend on the committee members to select winners, promote the scholarships on local college campuses and arrange events. Your hard work and devotion to the cause is greatly appreciated.
This year’s scholarship winners are Christina DeOllos, the recipient of the Kit Mahnke Scholarship; Thanh Ho, winner of the Donn and Mary Random Scholarship; Christina Ibarra, and Rachel Jahnsen. Check out the April newsletter for more information about these inspiring young women.
We welcome the new scholarship co-chairs for the 2015-2016 year, Susana Mullen and Anna Storey. We look forward to their leadership as we embark on a new branch year.
Thank you again for all your support.
Molly Dugan & Donna Holmes, scholarship co-chairs, 2014-2015