2025 Brunch – Recap
We had a beautiful day for the 2025 Membership Brunch on September 20. Roughly 60 members, guests, and Tech Trek students and parents enjoyed a tasty breakfast buffet in the bright and sunny venue at Oak Hill Park. To start the day’s program, Kate Waters, Tech Trek Chair,
and Lee Garverick, past Tech Trek Chair introduced the students who each spoke a bit about their camp experience. As always, it was inspiring to hear from these young people and gratifying to know that our branch was able to support them in attending the camp.
President Deborah Wechsler, who served as emcee for the event, informed us about the branch’s 2025-2026 theme “Standing Up for Equity” – as seen on the newly available DAW T-shirts. We’ll strive to enhance our branch’s partnerships with local and state organizations to help support this direction and we’ll expand the focus of our Third Thursday Member Meetings to be Community Programs, not just aimed at members. She also noted proudly that our branch achieved all five stars in AAUW National’s 5-Star for the past fiscal year which is awarded to branches that meet goals in specific focus areas defined by National.
The keynote speaker, Martha “Gus” Slavin was introduced by Judy Lauper, Membership Co-Chair and Brunch event organizer. Martha’s presentation about Unleashing Your Creativity was entertaining, upbeat, and motivational; a bit different from some of the weightier talks about issues that we’ve had in the past. She explained that creativity can take many forms beyond traditional arts; we’re creative every day as we deal with life’s problems and learn new things. To help us try out new ideas and stretch our imaginations, she gave each attendee an envelope full of materials to start practicing through some fun exercises. The activities she led us in definitely got everyone thinking and engaged!
After having our creativity inspired, Deborah filled us in on DAW branch business for 2025-2026. The goal for fundraising is $35,500 so we will have $31,000 available for Local Scholarships and Tech Trek. For more details about the budget – click here.
For Local Scholarships, Co-Chairs Ann Willoughby and Debbie Koos informed us about the new Single Parent Scholarship that will be managed by Los Medanos College with our funding. We will also have a new add-on award for a student majoring in a STEM field, similar to the existing Creative Endeavors Scholarship. These new awards will be available when the LS application period opens on October 31.
Key initiatives for our Public Policy efforts in the coming year will be continuing our presence at San Ramon Valley Unified School District board meetings, building our participation in AAUW California Lobby Days, and encouraging members to engage with the “Two Minute Activist” program.
Finally, the calendar for branch activities including proposed topics for the Third Thursday Community Programs was distributed to attendees. There’s a great range of topics to inform and motivate us and our friends in the community in our mission to advance equity for women and girls. To see the calendar and access a version you can print – click here.
Many thanks to Judy Lauper, Membership Co-chair, for organizing a wonderful event along with Monika Witte, Membership Co-chair.
Click here to see more Brunch photos
DAW Equity T-shirts – A new edition premiered at the Brunch!
These great shirts with an updated message of “STAND UP FOR EQUITY” on the back are now available. Here’s your chance to show your AAUW spirit! If you don’t have one already, or if you have one and would like to extend your wardrobe, shirts will be available at our Third Thursday Community Programs. There are a variety of sizes to choose from, but quantities are limited.
The new T-shirts cost $32. Please bring a credit card, a check (made out to DAW AAUW), or cash to the next DAW meeting so you can take home your new, impressive T-shirt.
About Martha “Gus” Slavin
Martha is a lifelong learner, having graduated with a B.A. in Fine Arts from Scripps College, with minors in French, English, and History. She continued her education by obtaining elementary and secondary teaching credentials and a certificate in Creative Writing from UC Berkeley Extension. She taught art, English, PE, journalism, and yearbook at a Fremont middle school for 17 years.
Martha Slavin
As an artist, Martha finds ways to integrate her art and writing. She creates handmade books and collages, paints with watercolors and other water-based media, and includes calligraphy and hand lettering in her work. She writes poetry, memoir pieces, and personal essays. Her artwork has been published in several magazines and books, and her personal essays have been published in two anthologies and in Story Circle Network’s online publications. She has exhibited in several galleries in the Bay Area, and her lovely watercolor of an oak tree is featured at the head of each edition of the Advocate.