August 2014 Advocate
Holly, Mary Ellen, Kathy and Liz: Please review and edit.
Our 2014-2015 officers: https://daw-ca.aauw.net/2014-2015/
President: Mary Ellen Blake
Co-Presidents Elect: Kathy McKnight and Liz Williams
Programs Co-VP’s: Judy Lauper and Melanie Wade
Membership Co-VP’s: Tena Gallagher and Soni Leighton
AAUW Funds VP: Carol Kennedy
Secretary: Kate Reed
Treasurer: Marilyn Lawver
President’s Message
We need your help! How often have you heard that? From the feedback I’ve been getting, the answer is; way too often and some members don’t understand why. Why? I’ve given this question a lot of thought and the simple answer is; since AAUW is a strictly volunteer organization, we can’t achieve our goals without everyone who’s able, volunteering. Each year we have a critical goal to generate enough revenue to send 12 girls from local middle schools to Tech Trek and to award nine Local Scholarships and one Creative Endeavors Scholarship. Another goal is to give back to the community and we do this by supporting Expanding Your Horizons (EYH).
We achieved these goals in 2013-2014; however, all three of these activities required docents, lots and lots of docents. And, if we want to achieve our 2014/2015 goals, we will continue to need docents. This need will not go away; however, we are working to find better ways to ask for volunteers. Ways that don’t require us to ask several times and in several different ways. Stay Tuned!
The next question was; why so many docents? The answer to that is also simple, but surprising. I think the best way to explain is to show you the list of volunteers needed for our Holiday Home Tour. Click here to see the surprising answer.
For those who asked, I hope this answered your question. And to all of you who have volunteered and for those who now plan to volunteer; a very big Thank You!
Mary Ellen Blake
President
AAUW BRANCH MEMBERSHIP BRUNCH
Saturday, September 27, 2014
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Roundhill Country Club
3169 Roundhill Road, Alamo
Info link : https://daw-ca.aauw.net/2014-membership-brunch/
Come renew acquaintances, make new friends, sign up for interest groups, donate and purchase used books, meet Tech Trekkers and prospective branch members, and listen to an interesting and entertaining speaker.
Our guest speaker this year is Marilyn Fabe, PhD, University of California, Berkeley, Senior Lecturer.
Marilyn teaches courses in the history and aesthetics of the silent film, the history and theory of the sound film, the avant-garde film, auteur courses on Alfred Hitchcock, Charles Chaplin, and Woody Allen, the film musical, the musical/noir and Film 50, introduction to world cinema. Her book ‘Closely Watched Films’ focuses on the accomplishments of fourteen film directors, beginning with D.W. Griffith and ending with Spike Lee and Mike Figgis, illustrating each director’s contribution to narrative film art.
Her recent research involves the connection of the director’s life to his or her films and, most recently, the phenomenon of seeing films again and again.
Introduce a friend to AAUW and our Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek Branch at our Membership Brunch!
They will be able to meet a group of wonderful women, find out about the goals of AAUW as well as discover all the interest groups that will be represented on that day. This will be a “Shape the Future” event so they may join for a reduced rate of only $61.50 instead of the regular $86 if they join that day.
We ask that you get your reservation in as early as possible. For further information, please contact our membership co-chairs: Tena Gallagher at 925-837-0826 or Soni Leighton at 925-286-1737.
Mail this form or pay on line at: https://daw-ca.aauw.net/2014-membership-brunch/
✂____________________________________________________________________________________
2014 Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek AAUW Membership Brunch Reservation Form
Name: _________________________________________ Phone: _____________________________
Email: _________________________________________________
I will be bringing a potential new member or guest. Name(s): _________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Cost Per Person is $28 if received before Sept. 14th, $32 after Sept. 14th.
Total No. Attending ____________Remitted: $_________
Please mail this reservation form and your check payable to
Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek AAUW, PO Box 996, Alamo, CA 94507
Reminder for 2014-2015 membership renewal
https://daw-ca.aauw.net/membership-payment/
Possible New Interest Group for Singles
Thursday, September 18 at 6:00 pm
A new interest group is being considered to be formed for single members. The goal is to meet other women without partners, build friendships, and facilitate social activities. The first meeting will be a Southern Shrimp Boil dinner on Thursday, September 18 at 6:00 pm. Please let Judy Lauper know if you are interested in the group, and if you can attend the dinner. jalauper@gmail.com
ADVERTISERS NEEDED!
https://daw-ca.aauw.net/advertising-needed/
Please pass the following information along to anyone you think who might be interested in advertising with us! Thank you . . .
The Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is offering an opportunity to advertise in our Newsletter, Membership Directory and on our website for the 2014/2015 year. The Newsletter is published online ten months during this time and reaches over 275 branch members. It is also printed and distributed to our community libraries and sent to other California branches of AAUW. The Membership Directory is published annually in October and is distributed to all of our branch members for their use throughout the year. Additionally, your business name will be listed on an insert in our annual Holiday Home Tour and Garden Tour brochures. We average over 700 attendees at each event.
Your advertising support will enable us to continue the mission of AAUW in advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research. Our Branch programs include:
•Awarding undergraduate and graduate level educational scholarships to local women
•Awarding scholarships to middle school girls to attend Tech Trek, a week long math and science program
The minimum cost of placing an ad in both publications is $175 for a business-card size ad. It will appear in the Directory and ten monthly, online Newsletters, with the ability to renew each year. A larger ad is available in the Directory.
We sincerely hope you will consider adding your business to our list of advertisers.
Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek AAUW Advertising Managers
Kathie Hixon kathiehixon@comcast.net 925-300-3072
Jennifer Krommenhoek jenniferjk@sbcglobal.net 925-989-1817
2014 Holiday Home Tour Preparations
December 12 and 13, 2014
Our 10th annual Holiday Home Tour will be on December 12 Friday and 13 Saturday this year. We are looking forward to another wonderful tour with excellent decorations and homes. We do need for all members to help us with suggestions on homes. We are looking for a home that has great holiday decorations either innovative or traditional that will delight those that visit it. We provide insurance and docents to safeguard the homes during the tour.
If you are interested in having your home on the tour or someone who really enjoys decorating for the holiday season and is willing to share their home for the tour, we would appreciate hearing their name and contact information. We are still looking for two or three more homes for this year’s tour. Please call or email either of us.
Regards, Roseann Rayes Krane and Anna Freitas, co-chairs
AAUW Funds News
Our branch received formal approval for the establishment of the Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek (CA) Branch 45th Anniversary American Fellowship in June. The completion amount for this fellowship is $200,000 and we have until 2029. This fellowship when completed will support women working on dissertations, planning research leave or preparing research for publication. It is part of the AAUW Funds Educational Opportunities Fund. To donate to our new Fellowship, please use the #4391 on your check.
Public Policy update August 2014
Much has happened following last week’s Supreme Court ruling that “closely held” corporations can refuse to provide contraceptive coverage of any kind based on the employer’s religious beliefs. There are currently at least 82 companies who have said they will opt out of covering contraception, and many more companies are expected to follow this path. This week, Congress introduced legislation to protect women’s access to affordable contraception. The AAUW-supported Protect Women’s Health From Corporate Interference Act also known as the (Not My Boss’ Business Act) would prevent employers from refusing to cover any health coverage (including contraception) guaranteed to their employees and dependents under federal law. This legislation would retain the coverage exemption for houses of worship and the third-party accommodation for religiously-affiliated non-profits.
The House and Senate passed (415-6) legislation that would authorize and fund federal job training programs. The bill will fund workforce training to close the skills gap and steer women into more nontraditional work sectors. President Obama visited Texas and requested $3.7 billion in emergency appropriations, in response to the rapid increase in child immigrants from Central America and Mexico.
In a bit of good news, the Department of Labor announced that 288,000 jobs were added to the U.S economy in June and that the unemployment rate declined to a five-year low of 6.1 percent However, there are still around three million long-term unemployed people. AAUW supports the extension of unemployment benefit eligibility.
Get involved with the Two minute Activist at aauw.org.
Asha Bajaj
Beverly Nidick
Cynthia Savell
Public Policy Co-chairs
Congressman George Miller luncheon
11:30 am. Saturday, Sept 13
Area representative George Miller, newly retired, will be honored locally by Concord AAUW, Contra Costa NOW and Planned Parenthood.
The Honorable George Miller, will be honored by AAUW Concord, Contra Costa NOW and Planned Parenthood at a luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept 13 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Concord. Cost is $45 per person
Congressman Miller, who represented Benicia-Vallejo, Livermore-Pleasanton, Danville-Alamo-WC and Concord branches, recently retired and was honored by the National Association of AAUW at an event in Washington DC in June. The Honorable Ellen Tauscher will be guest speaker as well as other officials at the September luncheon.
Send checks for $45 payable to:
AAUW Concord (care of) % Carlyn Obringer, 2992 Bella Drive, Concord, CA 94519
Include entrée choice of __Flat Iron Steak, ___Chicken Breast or ____Vegetarian Pasta Primavera
Seating is limited to 200. Checks must be postmarked by Sept. 1, 2014.
For carpool or seating arrangements for this branch, contact past president Karen Large, Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek AAUW at kjlarge@gmail.com or 925-891-4632.