Category Archives: Branch Business

Strategic Planning and Call for Volunteers

Strategic Planning at Work

On May 20 at 11 a.m., we installed our new president and vice presidents of programming, heard from this year’s Speech Trek winner, and recognized our branch’s named-gift honorees and new 50-year members. We also voted on updates to our branch’s bylaws. More information on these topics can be found elsewhere in the newsletter.

Marty McKnew and Hedda Smithson, two of our strategic planning committee members, substantially revised the bylaws by eliminating duplicate sections and adding new verbiage for our new at-large director positions. Click the link below to read the clean copy of the bylaws.

Contact Marty at martymcknew@comcast.net to see the marked-up copy of the bylaws.

Click <here> for AAUW Sacramento Bylaws.

Volunteer to join the AAUW Sacramento Board as a DIRECTOR AT LARGE

in one of the following areas:

Member support – Communications – AAUW Priorities – Local Projects – Membership Development

AAUW Sacramento has REGROUPED with a newly Reorganized Board!!

  • Do you want to expand AAUW’s Mission supporting Women and Girls in Sacramento?
  • Would you like to be part of building deeper friendships and camaraderie?
  • Are you looking for a place to share your talents and skills such as enthusiasm, creativity, and bringing people together?

What you will do:

  • Serve as a voting member of the Governing Board
  • Take an active and collaborative role in leading and setting branch goals
  • Maintain active communication with the groups within your focus areas listed above
  • Keep the Board regularly informed about your focus areas’ activities/needs

What you will gain:

  • Leadership skills
  • New friends
  • Satisfaction of making a difference for our AAUW Mission

Sacramento Branch Needs You! Help us RENEW and REFRESH!

For questions or more information please contact President Nancy McCabe. Her contact information can be found in the Membership Directory.

May Program

May Program By Angela Scarlett

AAUW Sacramento will hold its May Meeting and Officer Installation at 11 a.m. May 20, 2023, at the Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento 95826.

We will install our new president and vice presidents of programming, hear from this year’s Speech Trek winner, and recognize our branch’s named gift honorees and new 50-year members.

We will also have a light lunch and enjoy the Dharma Center’s back garden again, as we have the center until 1 p.m.

We encourage everyone to bring a guest or fellow AAUW Sacramento member who hasn’t been able to attend an event in person. Please RSVP to Angela Scarlett at angela.scarlett@gmail.com or contact her on her cell phone (in our directory). If you would like to volunteer, don’t hesitate to contact her.

Authors Luncheon April Program

Authors Luncheon April Program By Angela Scarlett

Our Authors Luncheon will be a shared event with CHAR. Here are the details on the Authors Luncheon coming up soon:

Date: Saturday, April 29, 2023, 11a.m.-2 p.m.,

Location: North Ridge Country Club, 7600 Madison Ave., Fair Oaks

Menu: Choice of Chicken Marsala with roasted potatoes and grilled vegetables or Pasta Primavera with marinara sauce and grilled vegetables. Choice of Limoncello Cake or Fruit Cup. Bread. Coffee, iced tea, hot tea and water.

Reservations: Price $30. Checks made payable to AAUW CHAR or electronic payment accepted. AAUW Sacramento Branch reservations should be sent to Charmen Goehring (address in directory). Members may also send payment and RSVP via Venmo to @Charmen-Goehring (send it as “personal”). RESERVATIONS DUE BY APRIL 19. PLEASE INDICATE MENU CHOICE in “memo” section of check.

Hear local author Christine Hunter talk about the women and stories she encountered when writing her recent book, “We Can Do This!: Sacramento’s Trailblazing Political Women and the Community They Shaped”.

Chris is a former Sacramento City Planning Commission member and volunteer lobbyist. She has worked on many political campaigns. In her book, she took a deep dive into the women serving Sacramento from 1972 to 2014. Her book is available on Amazon if you want to read it before our lunch date. We may even have a special guest joining Chris to further add to the discussion.

Strategic Planning Committee Working Hard to Redesign our Branch

Strategic Planning Committee Working Hard to Redesign our Branch By Liz Jordan

On Sunday, May 1, eight members of the branch met to begin the process of planning how to help our branch through the latest leadership crises.  Many members may remember that the branch has gone through this process twice before in the last 30 years.  Each time, a committee met, figured out what were the problems in finding members willing to lead, and designing solutions that were imaginative and created with enthusiasm.  But the last two times, we have not actually followed through with enacting many of those solutions.  This time, we must succeed.

The committee went through long discussions on such questions as:

– Why does AAUW Sacramento Exist?
– What is important to us?
– What do we want to do as a branch?
– What do we need to do better?
– Why external trends could lead to increased success and engagement?

Finally, we came to the hard part: How do we achieve our goals? Ideas discussed were:

  • streamline our activities and our board of directors,
  • become more nimble in our responses to change,
  • restructure our programs, identify a yearly theme,
  • engage Interest Groups in branch activity and action

We broke into subcommittees for improving our outreach, restructuring the board and governance, restructuring programs and improving communications.  We plan to meet and share what we have developed in our subcommittees on June 1, 2022.

Any member with ideas or energy to offer should contact Marty McKnew.  See her contact information in the directory.

Leadership Slate Approved

Leadership Slate Approved by Branch By Liz Jordan

At the April 9, 2022, branch meeting, members unanimously approved the partial slate of officers provided by the Nominating Committee.  The attending members voted for Susana Mullen as finance director and for Carole Cline as secretary.  These members will assume their roles on July 1, 2022 and will serve for a two-year term.

The Nominating Committee was unable to find anyone to serve as president or as program director for the next two years.  In addition, the Nominating Committee chair, Liz Jordan, admitted that the committee was distracted with the crises of a leadership deficit, so they overlooked their responsibility to name three new members to the 2023 Nominating Committee.  Three members will be named at date to be determined.

Nominating Committee – Slate and Vote

Nominating Committee Report By Liz Jordan
With Two Positions for Membership Vote

The Nominating Committee, Linda Sparks, Vicki Nicholson, Nancy Lawrence, Cherril Peabody, and Liz Jordan, present an incomplete slate of candidates for the Branch vote on April 9, Branch meeting and Author’s Event.

 

The slate is:

Secretary for a two-year term: Carole Cline. 

Carole has just served one year as secretary, completing the previous term left vacant.

Finance Director for a two-year-term:  Susana Mullen

            Susana has an MBA in accounting and is retiring from an accountant position.

Open and Unfilled:  President or Co-Presidents

            This position is necessary for branch function.  Leads the board action and in decision-making.

Open and partially filled: Co-Directors of Program

One member volunteered with qualification for this position; she needs a co-director.  She is very experienced but will not serve as the sole director.

The Branch is slated to vote on April 9 at our branch meeting designated as the Author’s Event.  Every member can vote. 

Job descriptions for open positions are available on the sacramento-ca.aauw.net website under the Membership tab, Members Only link. Anyone interested in serving in either of the two open positions, please contact Liz Jordan, Vicki Nicholson, Angela Scarlett, or Nancy Lawrence.  Phone and email available in the Directory.

What Happened at the Leadership Crisis Meeting?

What Happened at the Branch Leadership Crisis Meeting? By Liz Jordan

On Wednesday evening, March 16, more than 35 members signed into a branch meeting, open to the entire membership.  The goal of the meeting was to help solve a leadership crisis: to find members willing to serve the branch.

Who Will Lead?  The annual Nominating Committee has not been able to find a volunteer[s] to serve as President or Co-Presidents or as Program Director or Co-Directors.

Other branch leadership needs discussed were for volunteers to lead our Tech Trek Program and one to lead our Public Policy activities.

Job Descriptions are available from Nominating Committee Chair Liz Jordan and/or by clicking on the Membership tab through to the Members Only link of the AAUW Sacramento website sacramento-ca.aauw.net.

Survey: The membership was alerted to this meeting by eblast and each eblast contained a link to a survey about branch activities.  The survey gleaned responses from about a quarter of the membership and then comprised the focus for the meeting discussion. (See article by Gloria Yost about what members responded).  The members attending this meeting were able to see some of the members responses, and then members were randomly assigned to one of five break-out rooms where they discussed one of the questions, as well.

The five questions from the survey, then discussed by the break-out groups, were:

  1. What are your reasons for being a member of AAUW Sacramento?
  2. Our mission is to empower women and girls. How do you think we can motivate our members to participate in mission-based activities?
  3. What reasons do you have for serving or not serving on a committee or as a board leader?
  4. Do you ordinarily participate in Branch meetings and programs? Why or why not?
  5. If we reduced the number of our branch outreach activities, which ones would you eliminate?  Or change and in what way? These four activities were discussed:
    • Scholarship – women 25 years or older, returning to college
    • Speech Trek – high school kids speak to a question about gender equity
    • Tech Trek – six middle school girls who have talent but may lack motivation go to STEM Camp on a college campus for a week.
    • NCCWSL – National Conference of College Women Student Leaders – conference once a year over Memorial Weekend at University Maryland.

Discussion: Volunteer recorders in each of the five breakout rooms kept notes and reported back to the larger meeting during the last half hour.  The discussion was wide-ranging, and all possible ways to restructure branch activity were on the table.  A strong possibility of a Strategic Planning Committee to work on streamlining branch activities and leadership positions is under discussion.

Please:  Anyone willing to serve in either of the open board positions or on the Strategic Planning Committee is strongly encouraged to call or write Liz Jordan, Nancy Lawrence, Cherril Peabody, Linda Sparks or Vicki Nicholson.  Please see the directory for contact information.

March 16th Branch Meeting – Important!

Important March 16th Branch Meeting 

7- 8:30 p.m.  on Zoom!!

What is the impact of AAUW in Sacramento?

  • Tech Trek: over last three years, 18 local middle school girls to STEM camp, for total tuition of $16,500.  Imagine the impact over the last 22 years!?!
  • Speech Trek: over last five years, 37 local student speakers won $4,675 in awards.
  • Scholarship: over past five years, 21 local women have received $42,000 in scholarship money toward a college degree.
  • NCCWSL: for the past two years, we have sent 5 young women student leaders to a national leadership conference at Univ. of Maryland for $2,400.
  • Advocacy: last year several members lobbied our state legislators about the impact of legislation on the equitable treatment of women and men all over California.
  • From 2019-2021 we helped reconstruct a new Sacramento County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls.

CALLING ALL MEMBERS TO A BRANCH MEETING TO BRAINSTORM SOLUTIONS.  March 16, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. over Zoom, we will discuss in small groups, 5 critical questions to help us find answers for the future of our branch.

  • Why do we belong to AAUW?
  • How do we ignite interest and motivation among members to continue our mission of empowering women and girls?
  • What inspires or prevents us from serving on branch board or a committee?
  • What inspires or prevents us from participating in meetings and programs?
  • Should we discontinue some of the outreach efforts described above?

Today, the Sacramento Branch of AAUW is in a crisis of leadership.  We cannot find volunteers to step forward to lead some of these important outreach efforts.  The Nominating Committee has searched for several weeks to fill necessary board positions; some critical positions remain unfilled.

FACTS: A branch must have an executive officer, a treasurer and a branch secretary to exist.

  • Over several weeks, the Nominating Committee has found two of the three required volunteers to serve for the next two years.
  • No local students will be attending STEM CAMP this summer from AAUW Sacramento. We have $17,000 in the account to send six girls.  We don’t have a Tech Trek Director.
  • We are not participating in Lobby Week in April organized by AAUW CA because we do not have a Public Policy Director.

 FACT: No outreach can occur, no money spent, no beneficiaries awarded without the structure of the branch.

The March 2022 branch meeting is an opportunity to brainstorm some solutions. Please attend! You will receive the Zoom link in an email prior to the March 16th meeting.

Holiday Luncheon!

Holiday Luncheon and Branch Meeting By Donna Holmes and Barbara Smith

The multi-cultural and varied religious observations that make up the December holiday season will be the emphasis of the Branch Holiday Luncheon on Dec. 11, 2021. Members and guests will gather at the North Ridge Country Club at 11 a.m.

We know that everyone will be excited to meet in person again, but trust Gloria Yost and Bonnie Penix to challenge us with some theme-related conversation starters on each table.

The official business meeting will begin at 11:30. This is one of four official meetings required per year. Lunch will be served at noon, followed by our guest speakers.  See below for the menu options and reservation form.

Note that all reservations must be received by Dec. 1.

Ahmad Ibrahimi

Continuing our tradition of providing gifts to worthy causes, members are asked to bring items to be given to recent Afghan immigrants through Deborah Sternin’s Comfort Toys project, an outreach program based at the Highlands Community Charter School, which serves more than 1,600 Afghan students and their families. We will be collecting soft, cuddly toys, dolls, children’s books, and coloring books and crayons.

Ahmad Ibrahimi and Lindsey Curtis, from the school, will be our speakers. They will tell us about their work and the Afghan community here. For more information about our speakers, please click here.

As per National AAUW and our board’s decision, all attendees must show proof of COVID vaccination upon arrival. Our greeters will be efficient and friendly, but please respect this requirement for everyone’s safety. No one will be admitted without proof of vaccination.

Menu:

  • Chicken Piccata OR Portobello Mushroom Ravioli
  • Both include Garden Salad, bread, and coffee, tea, or iced tea
  • Vegan available upon request
  • Seasonal candies will be on the tables for dessert
  • A No host bar available

Cost per person is $32.50, plus processing fees. Register and pay via credit card on Eventbrite here, OR by check payable to AAUW Sacramento sent to Donna Holmes. Donna’s contact information can be found in the branch Membership Directory. You can use the registration form found here. Please be sure to indicate your meal choice: chicken piccata, portobello mushroom ravioli, or vegan. Also remember to bring your gift for Afghan children.

ALL RESERVATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY DEC. 1.

AAUW Sacramento Annual Authors Event

AAUW Sacramento Annual Authors Event By Kim Rutledge

Saturday, April 10, 2021

12:30 – 2 p.m. via Zoom

Featuring historical fiction writer

Jillian Cantor

Please join us as we celebrate our annual Authors Event to hear Jillian Cantor speak. Cantor, a

Photo of Jillian Cantor by Galen Evans

best-selling author of 11 books for teens and adults, is known for her works of historical fiction, including “The Lost Letter” and “In Another Time”.  In her latest book,  “Half Life”, Cantor reimagines the life of Marie Curie, using a parallel structure to create two alternative timelines –one that mirrors her real life, and one that explores the consequences for Marie and for science if she had made a different choice.

Cantor has a BA in English from Penn State University and an MFA from the University of Arizona. She will be speaking to us via zoom from her home in Arizona, where she currently resides with her husband and two sons.

April is also the month for our annual meeting, and we will be electing new officers during the business portion of our gathering. The business meeting will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Cantor’s latest book, “Half Life”, is scheduled for release by Harper Perennial on March 23.  In partnership with local women-owned bookstores, we are encouraging members to order and purchase “Half Life” from them, thus supporting both local small businesses and AAUW’s mission.  In exchange, these bookstores are publicizing our Authors Event.    

             Underground Books:  2814 35th St., Sacramento, CA   95817

                        916-737-3333          gwest@underground-books.com 

             Ruby’s Books:  724 Sutter St., Folsom, CA  95630

                        916-790-8760          INFO@RUBYSFOLSOM.COM

            Face in a Book:  4359 Town Center Blvd., El Dorado Hills, CA  95762

                       916-941-9401

            Crawford’s Books:  5301 Freeport Blvd., #200, Sacramento, CA  95822

                       916-731-8001          sue@crawfordbooks.net

This meeting is open to the public so please invite friends, family and prospective members  who can join AAUW at this event and receive a discount as well as a bonus of three extra months on their 2021-2022 membership.

Register with EventBrite:   https://www.eventbrite.com/e/142636576841. The Zoom link will be sent out two days before the event.