Grand Rapids Timberline
NEWS
FOR AND ABOUT
AAUW GRAND RAPIDS
BRANCH
MEMBERS
November 9 Program Meeting
Location: United Methodist Church, Grand Rapids
Program: 6:30 - 7:30 PM
TOPIC: Overview of “Start By Believing” Campaign
SPEAKER: Sherry Shadley, Support Within Reach
Sherry Shadley is the area supervisor for Support Within Reach for those impacted by sexual violence. She will tell us about the new campaign, “Start by Believing,” they have to educate the public on the fallacy of blaming the victim for what they were wearing. She will talk about the resources they can bring to help victims in our community.
Support Within Reach is a nonprofit, community service organization serving residents and those impacted by incidents of sexual violence. The SWR mission is to reduce the impact and harm of sexual violence in the communities they serve.
If attending in person, RSVP to Deanna Ensley by Nov. 8. Call or text or email deannaensley@yahoo.com
Join this meeting via Zoom, sign in any time between 6:00-6:30 PM: https://zoom.us/j/97650476264?pwd=cHcwMk13S2tRZ1p4S21La0grWm9Wdz09
Meeting ID: 976
5047 6264
Passcode: 672392
One tap mobile: 1-312-626-6799
**No cost. No meal
will be served due to restrictions at the church. Masks are required and only
three people will be seated per table.
RSVP to Deanna Ensley by the end of Sunday, Nov. 8. Call/text (360) 333-0228 or deannaensley@yahoo.com We must provide a list of attendees to the church for potential contact tracing. The first 30 people to RSVP will be allowed to attend. If you find you cannot attend, please cancel with Deanna so she knows another person can be added.
PLEASE NOTE: We have cancelled our December Christmas party at the Eagle’s. We will save the “Warm and Cozy” fundraiser theme for 2021.
President’s Message
Hello Members,
We continue to
try to evaluate our activities and meetings, whether they can be face-to-face
or via Zoom.
I was very pleased to have 10 members participate in our first Zoom meeting in
October. We met in person and also via Zoom. We will be doing the same thing in
November; see the Zoom information is included in this newsletter. We were very pleased to have Pat Mahoney (former Grand Rapids
resident who now lives in Lindstrom) and continues her membership with us. If you are a dual member or are out of town,
please join us on a Zoom call on Nov. 9.
We want to reach as many members as possible. We value our members!
The meeting on Nov. 9 will run from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. We will hold "Travel Treasures" in November, so if you have items, please bring them to the meeting.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of
the passage of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote. In New York's Central Park a bronze
monument of Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth and Elizabeth Cady Stanton was
unveiled on Aug. 26 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the constitutional
amendment that guaranteed women the right to vote. It is called "The Women's Rights
Pioneers Monument”. The three figures are gathered around a table for what
seems to be a discussion or a strategy meeting.
Anthony stands in the middle, holding a pamphlet that reads "Votes
for Women,” Stanton holds a pen and Truth appears to be in mid-sentence. When
we can travel again, let us know when you visit the new monument and take a
picture. If you haven’t already done so, remember to VOTE on Nov. 3!
We had Melanie
DeBay from the Itasca schools area Community Education program speak in
September. When Cathy Davies got
home from this meeting, she checked the catalog to see what class she would
like to take, and she chose "Learning to Play the Banjo." She has taken two classes and signed up for
two additional classes. We need a demo, Cathy!
Due to rising levels
of COVID illness, we have cancelled our December Christmas party and fundraiser
at the Eagles this year. We will use the
"Warm & Cozy" theme for 2021.
We are grateful
for all the cards that Juliet Jones sends to our members as our "Sunshine
and Caring" ambassador. Please let
her know of any member who needs an uplifting card and note.
The AAUW Hibbing
branch has postponed their annual book sale from February to April 16-18, 2021.
The membership
directories were passed out at the October meeting. Karen Karls and Nancy
Raymond took directories to give to those not in attendance and some of the directories
were mailed. A huge thank you to Arlene
Wheaton for putting together our directory.
We want to
remember our mission: Advancing gender equity for women and girls
through research and education and advocacy.
We hope to see
you at our November meeting--either in person or via Zoom.
Cyndy Agle, Co-President
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Education/Career: I grew up in Grand Forks, ND, and earned a degree in history and sociology with a certification to teach secondary education from the University of North Dakota.
After college, I worked for Control Data as a paralegal in an anti-trust lawsuit against IBM, a job that sent me flying around the country to investigate the case at a time when women were relatively new to the workforce. Later my husband John and I moved to Bismarck, where for 13 years I put my teaching skills to use at United Tribes Technical College, helping Native American adult students find success in the job market.
After my two daughters were born, we moved to Grand Forks, and I started a women’s clothing business designing and sewing apparel that I sold at art fairs and by mail order throughout the Midwest.
We then lived in Portland, Oregon, for a few years before settling in Grand Rapids. My years of teaching, designing and marketing and my entrepreneurial spirit have all served me well in my career as a Realtor, first through Prudential Lakes, and now with Remax Thousand Lakes.
Real estate has been a flexible career, and it’s one that I find interesting and energizing, so I am continuing to work now. This year has been a challenging one for many, but my job has kept me busy serving clients throughout Itasca County. The real estate market is strong because of low interest rates and a shortage of inventory, and I’ve been lucky to be able to do much of my work from my dining room table overlooking Lake Pokegama.
Personal: I take pride in being a lifelong learner, and I think that’s part of why I feel so at home with AAUW. I always have a book going on my bedside table or to take down to the dock, and I follow politics and current events and love discussing them with other smart, engaged women.
I’m also always looking for opportunities to meet and learn from people from other cultures, a trait I developed when I left the Midwest for the first time to hitchhike through Europe in college. My travels in recent years have taken me to Argentina, the Amalfi Coast, Thailand, Cuba, multiple European river cruises, and throughout the United States. What I’m looking forward to most is the ability to travel again when the Coronavirus is behind us.
I try to be adaptable regardless of what happens in life. Moves, changes, and events out of our control happen all the time. I try to see them as challenges rather than setbacks. I have met so many women in AAUW who feel the same way and who inspire me with their resilience and positive attitudes. I am so glad that my AAUW community has been such a vibrant part of my life here in Grand Rapids.
** INTEREST GROUPS **
Groups that are not currently meeting due to
COVID-19 issues:
*Bridge: Majestic Pines is not available due to visitor restrictions.
*Exploring Our Community: When we can safely gather again, watch for
activities for the upcoming year...we will have new events and the adventures
will be better than ever!
* Public Policy: KAXE meeting room too small for social distancing.
LITERATURE – Monday group
The Monday morning lit group will meet on Monday, December 7, at 10:00 AM at the Forest Lake Restaurant. If you plan to attend, let me know by Sat., Nov.28 so I can give the Forest Lake a definite number for our reservation, which will be in my name. To give ourselves more space for social distancing, we meet in the bar. We will not be reading and discussing a book, but please bring book suggestions for 2021 as we will be planning our reading schedule. We will also be sharing our favorite Christmas memories. If you like, please bring a monetary donation for Second Harvest. For more information and/or a reservation, contact Nancy Salmi @ 326-3147 or nsalmi@earthlink.net
LITERATURE – Wednesday group
The Wednesday Book Club has suspended meeting
until the COVID-19 situation improves. Contact is Vicki Holmstrom,
agiledog5@aol.com or 218-245-2294.
WALKING & TALKING group
We walk on Tuesday afternoons at 1 PM. The locations of the walks change but will be in the Grand Rapids area. We walk in places that allow us to walk together but maintain a safe distance. The cold weather has ended the post-walk outdoor visits. Any indoor coffee gathering will depend on the comfort level of individual walkers. The group is open to any members interested in walking. If you are interested in joining the group send your email and cell number to Kare Karls at k.karls@yahoo.com. You will receive an email on the weekly walk location. Members walk when they can or want to; no need to RSVP. We welcome new walkers.
BOOK Recommendations
Thank you to several members for their book suggestions.
From Julie
Skallman:
Winterdance:
The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod by Gary Paulson
Paulson is best
known for his young people’s fiction. My
kids loved his books as young teens.
This particular book is aimed at adults and follows his personal quest
to run the Iditarod. It is laugh out
loud funny at parts as well as honest about the difficulties of the race and
the mistakes he made.
The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens
Eskens is a
Minnesota author so the setting is familiar to many of us. It is for mystery lovers who enjoy likeable
characters. This is his first book, but
he has written 4 others featuring some of the same characters. He spoke about his writing at the Library in
the spring of 2019
The Dresden
Files: Book #1 is "Storm Front" by Jim Butcher
If you like
paranormal mystery and urban fantasy this series is for you. Harry Dresden is a practicing wizard and
detective in Chicago. If you enjoy the
book there are 11 more waiting for you.
The Expanse
Series Book #1 is "Leviathan
Wakes" by James
S. A. Corey
This series is for science fiction lovers. It has been made into a TV series. It is not your normal space battles only fiction. There is character development and interesting twists. I think he is up to book 6, but you can stop anytime and feel okay about it.
From Colleen
Nardone:
Goodnight
Mr. Wodehouse by Faith Sullivan. Jan Bilden recommended and loaned it
to her.
From Arlene
Wheaton:
A trilogy by Ann Benson: The Plague Tales, Burning Road, and A
Physician’s Tale. My husband picked up the first book at Hibbing AAUW’s
annual book sale just before the pandemic hit. We both read it and were struck
by some of the parallels to what’s going on today. The author skillfully weaves
back and forth between a modern-day deadly infectious disease outbreak and a
story line during the times of the Bubonic plague in Europe. The characters,
which continue the same through all three books, are so well developed and
interesting!
If you have books to recommend, please send them
to Arlene Wheaton, Arlene@honeybearwoods.com for our next newsletter.
“If American women would increase their voting turnout by 10 percent, I think we would see an end to all the budget cuts in programs benefiting women and children.”
― Coretta
Scott King
AAUW Grand Rapids Branch Meeting Minutes
October 19, 2020
The Grand Rapids Minnesota branch of AAUW met at the United Methodist Church on October 19, 2020. Because of Covid-19 restriction the usual evening meal was not served. In lieu of the meal, Julie Skallman provided dessert bars. Sixteen members attended in person and another 10 attended via Zoom. Nametags were provided for members attending in person given face masks were required.
Cyndy Agle, Co-President, opened the meeting. Announcements included the cancellation of the annual Christmas party and fundraiser in December, and the addition of the Zoom option for attending meetings. Travel treasures were supplied by board members and $27 was raised. The 2020/2021 Yearbook & Directory were distributed to members present and remaining directories mailed or delivered in person. The evening’s program was presented by Paula Nobs, owner of Presto Print. Her topic was “Covid-19 impacts of Women-Owned Businesses.” A spirited question-and-answer session followed. The November meeting will take place November 9, the second Monday of the month (one week earlier due to Thanksgiving holiday).
Respectfully submitted,
Dianne Anderson, Secretary
News from AAUW Minnesota State Board
By Deanna Ensley, Co-Branch Chair, VP of
Programs for AAUW Minnesota
On Sat., Oct. 24, the AAUW Minnesota State
Board held their quarterly (Zoom for the last two meetings) meeting. I will
start by saying there are several state board positions that will need filling
in 2021. If anyone is interested in being on the AAUW State Board, you can
contact me, Mary Ann Lucas Houx or Pat Powers. It is not nearly as challenging
as I had thought it would be and there is lots of space for learning about all
aspects of AAUW.
This board meeting was largely about statewide
AAUW Minnesota Branch needs. Many AAUW MN branches have been or are being
contacted about their current programs, needs and issues. The top responses to
date are 1) ideas to increase
memberships, 2) access to more programs/speakers, and 3) use of Zoom or virtual
meeting platforms. Fundraising is another big interest among branches.
How to increase membership is an ongoing question across AAUW. The best answer/results that have been suggested or demonstrated have
been about interesting and innovative activities to interest the membership and
hence the membership may draw new members as well as active recruitment by the
membership committees. National is talking once more of changing membership
requirements to bring in new types of members with various educational
background as a way to new members. There is talk on the Minnesota AAUW level
whether by the state board and/or local boards to offer scholarships to members
who may not have the disposable income for our membership fees.
A “Speakers
Bureau” or warehouse has been discussed to assist with future branch
programs. Dave Kirkwood, Bylaws Chair, set up a website to access all AAUW
National webinars as one possible source of programs.
Zoom or virtual meeting is the best and most
likely way to deal with COVID-19. It has been suggested that AAUW members who
are not familiar or comfortable with the electronics involved for Zoom or other
virtual platforms (Google has its own, as well as Microsoft, etc.), please
contact Deanna for Grand Rapids. Branches around the state will be reaching out
to help get participation in the online sessions. The AAUW State Board approved
a new Branch Project Grant for branches in need to be able to apply for the
funds to pay for and license to have Zoom accessibility for several branches,
based on financial need.
St. Cloud has offered to be the host for the 2022 AAUW Minnesota State Convention. The president, Linda MacLeod, has some great ideas. Deanna (me) as the state programs chair will be working toward a different and new convention idea with their proposal(s). I am personally jazzed about the possibility of something new as it is likely I will remain the VP of Programs as so far, I am unopposed.
A new program for Minnesota AAUW working with
teenage/high school girls is in the proposal stages. Savvy Teens is a very exciting established opportunity that St.
Cloud is hoping to perfect and introduce next summer depending on Covid.
Finally, “Ask
Us First” will be a new FAQ to be designed and distributed on our state
website to try to answer questions locally versus the noted frustration of
waiting for National to respond to questions ask of them from everywhere in the
country.
Things are happening with AAUW; everything is just slower and smaller as we try to figure out how to cope with the “new normal”.
Websites for local, state and national AAUW
information:
Our Grand Rapids AAUW blog: http://grandrapidsaauw.blogspotcom/
MN AAUW website: http://aauw-mn.aauw.net
National AAUW website: www.aauw.org
ADVANCING EQUITY
FOR WOMEN & GIRLS
– FOR MORE INFORMATION
NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION www.aauw.org
AAUW MINNESOTA www.aauwmn.net
