Monthly Archives: March 2025

April Program: Author’s Luncheon

Sacramento Branch of AAUW

Citrus Heights American River AAUW

Present “The Rights Stuff”  Season Two

The Right to Learn from Another’s Journey

Lights, Camera, Action!!

Saturday, April 26, 2025, 11 AM to 2 PM

North Ridge Country Club, 7600 Madison Ave. Fair Oaks

Actions:

  • Find your March issue of Capital Ideas and reread the article about our Author’s Luncheon.
  • Invite a friend and/or neighbor to join you. Guests are welcome at our events, but please arrange for a separate registration form for each attendee. To honor the requirements of the kitchen at North Ridge, the deadline for registering is Friday, April 18.
  • Think of questions you would like to ask our author, Archana Maniar. She is an infectious disease specialist in Sacramento affiliated with UC Davis Medical Center as well as the author of Dry Spells, When the Rain Stops, what will be revealed?
  • Bring your copy of Dry Spells. You could ask for an autograph!
  • Choose your entrée; Chicken Marsala (with roasted potatoes and grilled vegetables) or Bay Shrimp Louis (mixed greens Bay Shrimp, avocado, eggs, tomatoes and Thousand Island Dressing on the side) or Butternut Squash Ravioli (with brown sage butter, Parmesan and steamed vegetables).
  • Choose your dessert: Chocolate Mousse Cake or Fruit Cup.
  • Remember that our meal includes Bread, Coffee, Iced Tea, Hot Tea and Water. Doors open at 11; lunch will be served at noon. We will have lots of time to socialize and buy her books.
  • Write a personal check payable to AAUW Sacramento (cost of the luncheon is $32) and mail to Reservations Coordinator (mailing address below) OR
  • Click <here> to use a credit card. Fees will apply. Sales will close at noon on April 18.

Here is the registration form for paying by check. Please print neatly.

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Name:                                                                             Branch:                                   

Email address                                                      

Meal choices (circle one in each category)

Main: Chicken or Salad or Ravioli

Dessert: Cake or Fruit

Please mail this form and a check for $32 written to AAUW Sacramento to Hedda Smithson, 4033 Main Street, Fair Oaks, CA 95628

Make sure it arrives before the April 18 deadline! Thanks!

President’s Message

President’s Message By Nancy McCabe

This message is a repeat from last month as we still need to fill some Branch Board positions: President and Programs.  Please consider one of these positions as you will get a lot of help and much appreciation!

A Love Letter to AAUW Sacramento, by Hedda Smithson:

Here is my take on our beloved branch. First – is it loved? Yes, indeed it is loved. We have endured and flourished for more than 100 years. If that isn’t love, it will have to do – until . . . (oops – bird walk!) With recent efforts to have more efficiency, our board has been downsized and the elected positions are fewer in number. We need candidate(s) for program director and our search for a president is ongoing.

We can see the headlines now:
                    AAUW Sacramento goes TOPLESS for 2025-2027
Well – that’s not an image we want to see. So – remember in school when the teacher asked for volunteers? And if no one raised her hand, the teacher just CALLED ON HER!

We don’t want that to happen – so – think about your skills and what you can contribute to our branch going forward! There will be LOTS of support offered – you won’t be alone. EVER! So – reach out and ask questions – and be sure to call us before we call you. It is time for one good woman (it could be two) to come to the aid of her branch.

Let the love flow … CALL Nancy McCabe. Phone number is on page 19 of the membership directory.

Book Groups Update

Book Groups Update By Sharon Anderson

If you wish to see what others are reading, or get ideas for your book group or yourself, please refer to the “books” page under “Activities” on our branch website (https://sacramento-ca.aauw.net/bookgroups/).

Each book group has its own tab, by book group number.  (These book group numbers correlate with page 6 of the branch Membership Directory.)  On each list, the meeting days, times and coordinator are listed.

April Book Groups

Book Group 1:
The Island of Missing Trees, by Elif Shafak, on April 10; coordinator is Susanna Mullen

Book Group 3:
Loving Frank, by Nancy Horan, on April 23; coordinator is Carolyn Meeker

Book Group 4: 
This is Happiness, by Niall Williams, on April 9; coordinator is Pat Morehead

Book Group 8:
Flirting with Danger, by Janet Wallach, on April 28; coordinator is Diana Squire

Book Group 10: 
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, by James McBride, on April 17; coordinator is Sandi Schoenman

Book Group 12:
Go as a River, by Shelley Read, on April 3; coordinator is Linda Cook

Living Our Mission of Equity By Charmen Goehring

We hope you will join us in a monthly equity conversation where we look at our own biases, seek actions we can take to attract diversity to our branch and become better people in the process. Each month, we read a section of our selected book then meet to discuss what we have learned, along with exploring other issues related to race and equity. We meet the first

Wednesday of each month from 7 to 8 PM on Zoom.

The Zoom meeting code is 737 420 3780 or you can join using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7374203780

We will discuss our current book, Erasing History, by Jason Stanley, on April 2 at 7 p.m. We will discuss the preface through chapter 3. It is so timely for our current moment. If you have questions and to RSVP, please email Charmen at charminme@yahoo.com.

Interest Group Happenings

Interest Group Happenings By Pat Winkle

If you are interested in participating in any of our Interest Groups, please contact the coordinators listed here. If you would like to propose a new Interest Group for our branch, please contact me and I will present your ideas to the board for approval. My contact information, as well as the contacts for each of the Interest Groups, is in your branch directory.

  • Art & Architecture: Friday, April 4, 11 a.m. The group will visit an Auburn art gallery featuring works of local artists. Contact: Deborah Dunn
  • Great Decisions I: Monday, April 21, 7 p.m. on Zoom. The topic will be “The future of NATO and European security”. Contact: Cathy Locke
  • Great Decisions II: Thursday, April 10, 7 p.m. on Zoom. Contact: Lynn Blair Wood
  • Great Decisions III: Monday, April 21, 1 p.m. Meets in a member’s home.
    Contact: Margaret McCarthy
  • Healthy Heart Lunch: Date TBD, 11:30 a.m. at Season’s 52 in Arden Fair. Contact: Jane Cooley
  • Reader’s Theater: Contact: Diane Petersen for updates.
  • Scrabble Just for Fun: Monday, April 28, 1 p.m. in the game room at Eskaton Village Carmichael.  Contact: Vivian Counts
  • Singles Dining Out: Sunday, April 6, 6 p.m. at Maydoon Restaurant 1502 16th St., Suite 111. Contact: Nancy McCabe

Tech Trek News

Tech Trek News By Lana Widman

The Tech Trek Committee is in full swing getting ready for this year’s Tech Trek camps.

We have received our nominations from the teachers, and we will be conducting interviews to select our campers.  We are sending six campers to the UC Davis camp July 13 – 19 and three campers to the Virtual Camp July 20 – 25.

The Tech Trek website has been revamped, and has a lot of great information and photos.  Access the site by clicking <here>.

The UC Davis camp committee is asking for volunteers to help with:

  • Pre-camp: Saturday, July 12 – 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Set up laptops, prepare and organize class materials, set up for registration
  • First day: Sunday, July 13 – 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.  Camper registration, greeters, dorm greeters.
  • During camp: Tuesday, July 15 – 6 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.  SAFE Credit Union Budget Cents event.  Set up/breakdown, salespersons.  Volunteers play the role of salespersons encouraging campers to buy services, housing and vehicles they may/may not need.  Volunteers will get brief training and should plan to stay for the entire three-hour time slot.
  • Last day: Saturday, July 19 – 9 a.m. to noon. Breakdown/pack up camp materials, take items to cars and storage unit.  Volunteers should be mobile and be able to lift boxes.

If you are interested in joining in the fun, send an email to the Sacramento Branch coordinator, Lana Widman. Lana’s contact information can be found in the Membership Directory.

MEMBERSHIP DOINGS

MEMBERSHIP DOINGS By Gloria Yost

The weather is changing and flowers are blooming everywhere.  Spring is here, and new members keep finding AAUW Sacramento.

Marlaina Spivy

  • Lives in Carmichael and will be a core teacher at the UC Davis Tech Trek camp in July.

Rosella Rowlison

  • Teaches at Galt high School and is interested in public policy, singles dining. She worked as a White House intern for Vice President Al Gore.

Vicki Kloock

  • Used to be a member in Wisconsin and found us on the internet

WELCOME Marlaina, Rosella and Vicki

 We are glad you have joined and look forward to getting to know you.

A personal pause – Gloria would like to give a heartfelt thank you to all of you in my AAUW family who called, sent cards and shared get well wishes after my nasty fall.  You’ve made my recovery easier.

24-25 Membership Ambassadors, so far  

Jan Stuter, Charmen Goehring, Gloria Yost, Hedda Smithson,

PJ Missman and Liz Jordan

WHO’s GOING TO WIN A FREE MEMBERSHIP?

February drawing winner – Liz Jordan

* * * * * * * *
Please become an ambassador by doing the following:

  • Bring in a new member — get your name on our Wall of Honor
  • Bring in a new member — get your name added for our drawings
  • Monthly drawing for prizes at meetings
  • Recruit the most new members — WIN a free AAUW membership for 2025-26

Help us Strengthen our Branch connections and friendships

Gloria Yost and Vicky Lovell – Our contact information can be found in the Membership Directory.

Celebrating April Birthdays! 

Happy Birthday to All!

  • Jeanne P Garcia                                   4/1
  • Anne Rhodes                                       4/1
  • Tom Smithson                                     4/1
  • Carol Nyman                                        4/3
  • RosaLee Black                                      4/7
  • Theresa Chekon                                  4/9
  • Sandi Schoenman                               4/10
  • Sandra Young                                      4/11
  • Ann Pickens                                          4/17
  • Pamela Saltenberger                          4/17
  • Janelle Kauffman                                 4/19
  • Karylle Gabrielle Ilao                           4/21
  • Loretta Hom                                         4/25
  • Margaret Brown                                  4/27

Lights: Our March Focus on DEI

Lights! Camera! Action!

Equal Rights for All

Our March Focus on DEI and So Much More By Barbara Smith

Even several days after the event, I am still so energized by all that happened during our branch meeting on March 15 that I want to share some of the highlights with all of you.

As we gathered, we had ample time to enjoy refreshments and view the amazing art on the walls of the Roberts Family Development Center before President Nancy McCabe called the meeting to order.  Then Lisa Howard and Jessica Waugh shined the lights on a challenging series of activities related to issues of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.  Each activity required thoughtful responses and an exchange of ideas by all of us. (action)  For example, we:

  • Answered individual quiz questions focused on Black History Month based on Lisa’s February Capital Ideas article
  • Watched a video illustrating intrinsic bias, how it develops and the devastating effect it can have even when neither party intends to cause harm
  • Used an illustrated handout showing a series of concentric circles called The Wheel of Privilege, which required us to place ourselves in various categories such as level of education, level of income, gender, etc. This required the most introspection and elicited the most open-ended discussion of the day! How do we see ourselves and people who are different from us?

About mid-morning, we were warmly welcomed by Tina Roberts (co-founder of the RFDC 24 years ago with husband Darrell).  She explained that their goal has always been to educate the family by providing after-school care, including homework help and teaching parenting skills.  They encourage family involvement on local school and other community boards to make their voices heard.  “Our community is only as good as its families, and we want to create a strong community,” she said.

I could go on and on, but I hope I have piqued your curiosity about the wonderful events of this memorable day, which reminded me of the importance of in-person meetings and open-ended discussions.  Talk to Lisa, Jessica, Nancy, Hedda, or me at the Author’s Luncheon on April 26.

Did You Know?

Did You Know? By Karen Burley

Legacy Giving

For those of you who love this organization and want to see AAUW continue to fight for equity for all into the future, you can become a Legacy Circle member. This is a gift that you leave from your estate and there is no minimum amount. There are many ways to set this up and you can contact me for more information. We have about 140 Legacy Circle members in California, including several in this branch, and we welcome more! Just this past month we welcomed member Barbara Smith into the Legacy Circle! Thank you Barbara!

As Judy Horan says, “Live, Love, Leave a Legacy!”

Speech Trek Contest Winners

Last month we omitted the photo of our Speech Trek Contest winners. First-place winner was Suyan Glozar, from Cosumnes Oaks High School. The third-place winner was Sierra Peters from Monterey High School. Second-place winner was Nikky Lin from Cosumnes High School.

AAUW California Public Policy News

From Amy Hom and Missy Maceyko, Co-chairs, AAUW California Public Policy Committee:  Please click <here> for the March issue of Public Policy News. Included is information about how to respond to the implementation of Project 2025 and the attack on our core values, as well as tips on how to balance well-being, media consumption, and action. Also included is an article “Prepare for Sexual Assault Prevention Month in April.”

Click here for the link to the Public Policy News Archive.

Scholarship Applications

In the March newsletter we provided information regarding our branch scholarships. This is a reminder that the Scholarship Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year must be received by April 30, 2025 for consideration by the scholarship committee. Please get the word out to potential applicants you may know.

Sunshine Chair

Pat Winkle is our Sunshine Chair and needs to hear from you if you know members who might appreciate a get well, sympathy or “thinking of you” card. As she doesn’t know everyone, she needs your help in remembering our friends. Her contact information is in the directory.

Printable Newsletter Articles

Click <here> for Printable Newsletter Articles.