Monthly Archives: October 2016

37th Annual Take Back the Night Next Saturday, October 8 & Mark Your Calendars for Authors Luncheon on April 8

Participate in the 37th Annual Take Back the Night and Help Raise Awareness by Nancy McCabe

The Official Take Back the Night Icon

The Official Take Back the Night Icon

Come join the AAUW Sacramento branch on Saturday, Oct. 8 for our third year of co-sponsoring the Take Back the Night rally and march through midtown. Take Back the Night aims to end sexual- and gender-based violence through awareness building and supporting agencies that provide services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

We are a part of the resource fair, which begins at 5:30 p.m. There is also programming in the same location until 7:30, when we break down the tables and prepare for the march through midtown at 8 p.m. AAUW marchers carry our banner and march along with the other participants in a show of support for women’s issues. It is a good way to become better known as many Second Saturday attendees visit our table to see who we are. We also network with other co-sponsor agencies.

If you can join us, please let Nancy McCabe, mccaben@comcast.net, know to expect you.

Mark Your Calendar for the Authors Luncheon by Jane Cooley

The Sacramento branch annual Author’s Luncheon will be held at Plates on April 8, 2017. This year’s speaker is Cindy Samples. Mark your calendars now. Look for menu and reservation information in future newsletters.

President’s Message by Nancy McCabe

For me, the high point of our annual showcase meeting is the presentation of scholarships, which are funded by current member donations and legacy gifts from deceased members. This year was no exception. As in past years, we awarded three scholarships to women attending California State University, Sacramento.

Donna Holmes & scholarship winner Brandi Veal

Donna Holmes & scholarship winner Brandi Veal

Donna Holmes, a third-generation college graduate and 30-year AAUW member, donates one annually in honor of her parents, Mary and Donn Random. Her awardee, Brandi Veal, is in the school of business and plans to get her master’s degree in library science to provide a service to the community.

Melanie Mahnke Kirrene & Scholarship winner Christine Ibarra

Melanie Mahnke Kirrene & Scholarship winner Christine Ibarra

Kit Mahnke, the branch president from 1973-74, was a life member for whom AAUW meant a great deal. Her family has donated a scholarship each year since she died. Her daughter, Melanie Mahnke Kirrene, presented their award to Christine Ibarra and promised to continue giving scholarships as she enjoys reconnecting with her mother’s friends. Christine is studying speech therapy and is a very active community volunteer.

Maha Haidari was awarded the branch scholarship, which is funded by contributions received with our dues. She is studying civil engineering and is interning with Sacramento County.

Each of the awardees gave an acceptance speech to tell us what the scholarship means to them, and they shared about their educational goals. Each recipient told scholarship co-director Anna Storey how welcome they felt at our meeting. We had three members of our campus affiliate in attendance, and Maha plans to join their group.

I am very proud to be a part of awarding these scholarships as I know how much it means to be a college student with more goals than money. It is a good thing to pay forward and help a woman on her way.

Public Policy Updates by Inger Lindholm

"Aunt Sam"

“Aunt Sam”

This has been a banner year for ballot measures for California. More than $500,000,000 has been spent by private donors, unions, coalitions, building industries and corporations to promote their interests and persuade the public. Moreover, each year the number of qualifying proposals increases. Voters must approve the measures by 55% for constitutional amendments and two-thirds for other measures.

To prepare for the election on Nov. 8, my suggestion would be to pick one or two propositions of interest. You can utilize the following online resources to research your Proposition(s):

What is a ballot measure? A ballot measures is a piece of proposed legislation to be approved or rejected. Propositions/ballot measures are considered a direct democratic process. They are important because they establish laws, can affect outcomes in our daily lives, change culture and can have huge costs or savings to the voter.

Come to the Branch Strategic Meeting on October 22 and Be Part of Shaping Our Future! by Linda Patterson

strategic-planningAAUW Sacramento Branch will hold a Branch Strategic Planning Meeting on:

Saturday, Oct. 22 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Sacramento Department of Human Assistance Office
2700 Fulton Ave., Sacramento

Sandi Gabe, a member of the AAUW California Board of Directors and facilitator with the AAUW Leader-On-Loan-Program, will lead the meeting and facilitate the discussion.

All AAUW Sacramento Branch members are invited and encouraged to attend. 

At this meeting, the future direction of the AAUW Sacramento Branch will be discussed and determined. Group discussion will included an examination of the current strengths and weaknesses of the Branch, future goals, and priorities for programs, activities, and interest groups.

Now is every member’s opportunity to step forward and share ideas and desires for the Branch. As a membership organization, we can only do what are members are willing to do. Sandi promises to help us have an interesting and fun day planning for the future of AAUW Sacramento.

Please mark your calendars and plan on attending this important meeting on Oct. 22.

The group will take a short break for lunch but will not have time to leave the building so please plan on bringing a bag lunch, water, beverages and whatever snacks you will need for the day. No refreshments will be available in the building.

 

We hope to see you at the branch’s first strategic planning meeting in many years!

Interest Group Updates by Cherril Peabody

At our recent Showcase meeting, quite a few people signed up to join an interest group. Here’s another opportunity for you to sign up if you were unable to be there. If you would like to add to your enjoyment of branch membership by joining one of these groups, please contact Cherril Peabody at capeabody@comcast.net or 916-973-0821.

 The following existing groups are accepting new members:

  • Art and Architecture
  • Board Games (Day and Evening)
  • Book groups 2, 6, 12, and 33
  • Chicago Bridge
  • Cultural History
  • Film Fans
  • Great Decisions III (Day)
  • Readers’ Theater
  • Scrabble Just for Fun
  • Singles Dining Out
  • Travel
  • Walk-To-Lunch
  • W.O.W. (Women of the World-Needs a new leader)

There is a description of each group in the 2016-17 blue Membership Directory and Handbook.

We have several new prospective groups, most of which were described in the September Capital Ideas newsletter:

  • Couples Dining Out (Younger Couples – needs a leader)
  • Great Decisions IV (Evening- needs a leader)
  • Charades (Has a Leader)
  • Opera (Attending Metropolitan Opera screenings locally – needs a leader)

volunteer-clip-artPlease note that most of the proposed new groups and one of the existing groups need leadership, so please indicate when you contact me if you would be willing to lead a group.

 

 

Membership Matters by Pat Winkle and Shirley Walker

Welcome New MembersPlease join us in welcoming the following new members to the Sacramento branch of AAUW:

ASHLEY GILREATH has been a member of AAUW before joining our Branch. She received her BA in Environmental Studies and Economics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and her Master in Environmental Science and Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Ashley lives in Carmichael and works full time as a Program Manager — Conservation.

BERNARDETE NUNES was referred by Deborah Dunn. She received her BA in International Relations from the University of California, Davis. Bernardete lives in Elk Grove and is interested in joining Art and Architecture.

TAMARA OLSON received her BA in Sociology from the University of Minnesota. She is a retired Account Executive at G.E. Capital and lives in Sacramento. Tamara is interested in a number of our interest groups.

KAREN ZUMWALT received her BA and her MS in Health Education form California State University, Sacramento. She is a retired school administrator and lives in Sacramento. Karen is interested in a number of our interest groups.

Fall Funds Update by Marty McKnew and Donna Holmes

aauw-fundsHappy Fall to all from Marty and Donna!

 

 

For all of you who admired the professional nametags many of us were wearing, here is how to get one of your own: http://aauw.source4.com/b2c/sites/AAUWMember/Home.asp

Click on the first tab, “Wear AAUW” and you will see the ‘Customized Name Badge With AAUW Logo.’

The badges come with pin back for $8 or magnet back for $10, including tax and shipping. Although the badges hold three lines of text, we choose not to use our board titles as they change. Enter your full name as you like to be addressed and our branch’s legal name: Sacramento Branch, Inc. The pin arrives in about a week.

Funds are an umbrella for so much of what we do! Some quick examples:

  • In 2015, $3.7 million in grants and fellowships were awarded to 241 women, 25 of them from California, in graduate studies, Marie Curie, or Tech Trek.
  • Legal Advocacy provides legal case support and campus outreach projects such as ‘Tenure Denied’ or for Laura Mancuso and the women wrestlers at the University of California, Davis.
  • Public Policy works on government relations, civic engagement, and field organizing.
  • Leadership Programs includes The National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL), campus action projects and Elect Her.
  • Eleanor Roosevelt Fund researches and publishes reposts including Why So Few?, How Schools Shortchange Girls, Behind the Pay Gap and, our newest, Barriers to Leadership.
  • Undesignated, #9110, gives money for the national roll out of Tech Trek and anywhere the greatest need is!

Amazing work! Thank you for taking part!

Showcase 2016 Recap by Cherril Peabody

Speaker Reva Wittenberg

Speaker Reva Wittenberg

Our branch outreach programs were in the spotlight at this year’s AAUW Sacramento branch Showcase on Saturday, Sept. 17 at the Arden-Dimick Library. Interest group sign-ups were also available.

Donna Holmes updated us on our 100th Anniversary Grant. We are doing very well in reaching our goal of $75,000. Thus far we have raised $52,000, or 70% in four years

 

Linda Whitney with Speech Trek members Ann Arneill & Liz Jordan

Linda Whitney with Speech Trek members Ann Arneill & Liz Jordan

Liz Jordan, who co-chairs Speech Trek, spoke about how their committee works with high school. Gloria Yost and Linda Whitney shared about upcoming participation with Schools Credit Union in their Bite of Reality program with high school seniors. This is a program where students are given a scenario of their family structure and income and they have to purchase the necessities of life from us at different stations. It is a lot of fun, and the participants learn that life is not cheap! Consider volunteering when we have specific dates and places. You won’t regret it!

Gloria Yost & Linda Whitney

Gloria Yost & Linda Whitney

Their committee is also presenting a program for all adults about what information is needed if you are incapacitated or deceased and someone has to make decisions on what you leave behind. Who will shut down all of your Internet activities? Where is the gas outlet in the house? Did I promise the car to my granddaughter or her brother? See you there on Feb. 4.

Jo Reiken updated us on Tech Trek and Public Policy. Tech Trek is a wonderful STEM camp at UC Davis where we send six 13-year-old girls to learn their potential in the science fields and open their eyes to the possibility of attending college. Public policy is putting into action the very reasons that AAUW was founded — to advocate for women and girls. Please read their articles in each Capitol Ideas newsletter.

Nancy McCabe, Pat Winkle & Shirley Walker

Nancy McCabe, Pat Winkle & Shirley Walker

Shirley Wheeler and Pat Winkle updated us on membership. They spoke to the advantages of joining at a branch meeting as a new member saves half of the national dues for the year she joins. Offer to host a few new members in your home to get acquainted with them. That is easy, fun, and a way to make new friends.

Our speaker, Reva Wittenberg, the associate director of campus wellness at California State University, Sacramento, spoke on what CSUS is doing to prevent and deal with campus sexual assault. The topic was timely, and her presentation was informative.

If you missed the showcase, you missed an opportunity.