NEWS FOR
AND ABOUT
AAUW GRAND RAPIDS
BRANCH
MEMBERS
EDITOR: Arlene Wheaton,
(218) 232-4989
MISSION: AAUW advances gender equity for women and girls through research education and advocacy.
President’s Message
Hello,
Well, I just watched the Duluth weather
forecast and it looks like we will have a nice Easter and that spring may
actually be on its way. The samples of warm weather we have had are nice.
Although looking at past year's photos seems the lake may be more open today
than a year ago?
I hope some of you have been enjoying the AAUW Minneapolis Branch Monday Zoom meetings this past month. If not receiving the link or having trouble, please contact me. The email that Cyndy Harrison from the AAUW MN State Board sent out was developed by Minneapolis Branch President, Diane Boruff and myself. The email is very thorough and seems to work very well. I hope you will be able to enjoy the presentations over the next six weeks or so.
The AAUW Minnesota 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting,
Saturday, May 1, 2021 (latest time published 10 am to 12:30 pm; we all will
receive an announcement email from Cyndy Harrison) is coming up and the AAUW
State Board is working on getting it organized. Kim Churches, Chief Executive
Officer of AAUW, will speak around midday during the meeting. I will have more
exact information at our April 19th AAUW Branch meeting. I am looking forward
to our in-person meeting! I hope especially if you have received your
vaccination(s) that you will feel comfortable enough to come for the Book Sale
and socializing!
State board elections will be announced at the Annual Meeting on May 1st. It seems I will be the continuing MN AAUW VP of Programs. I have found it to be basically a rewarding task and not too demanding except that Covid changed the "usual" as we all know. I anticipate running for VP of Public Policy when Jan Carey becomes the Board President, this is not official and so far only discussed with Jan. Cyndy Agle has me running for AAUW State President someday. Maybe in four years?
Take care,
Deanna Ray Ensley, Co-President Grand Rapids AAUW, VP Programs AAUW MN
April 19 Program & Dinner Meeting
We will hold our first in-person monthly meeting since November on Mon., April 19 at the United Methodist Church in Grand Rapids. There will be no speaker, but we will have time to engage with each other in a lively discussion.
5:00 - 5:45 pm Social time
5:45 - 6:15 pm Light dinner (see details below)
6:15 - 7:00 pm Short business meeting and fun questions with discussion
The evening will also include Travel Treasures drawings and our Used Book Sale.
RSVP to Deanna Ensley by Thurs., April 15. Call/text (360) 333-0228 or email deannaensley@yahoo.com
Boxed Sandwich Meal
Due to COVID-19 restrictions at United Methodist Church we will not be able to use the kitchen. We miss our wonderful caterers and look forward to welcoming them back one day soon. We will be serving a light dinner meal at our April 19th meeting.
An assortment of Jimmy John’s boxed sandwiches will be served along with bottled water. Sandwiches will include ham, turkey, beef and veggie. Each meal will includer a bag of chips and pickle spear. Cost for the meal is $12.00.
Looking forward to seeing you, even with a mask on. - Elaine Thorstenson
ELECTION OF TWO OFFICERS
We have two Board
positions that are open. In odd-numbered years, we elect the Treasurer and
Program Vice President. We will vote at our April meeting.
Our new officer
nominees are:
Treasurer: Julie Skallman AND Programs: Laurie Clausen
**USED BOOK SALE
Scholarship Fundraiser
Bring your used
books—good reads—to our April 19 meeting for our biannual book sale fundraiser
for our scholarship funds. Donate and have fun browsing.
Price guide we
use for the sale:
Paperbacks: $1.00 Hard Cover: $2.00 10 books for $10.00
“Any time women come together with a collective intention, it's a powerful thing. Whether it's sitting down making a quilt, in a kitchen preparing a meal, in a club reading the same book, around the table playing cards, or planning a birthday party, when women come together with a collective intention, magic happens.”
― Phylicia
Rashad
From Cheryl Vogel, Treasurer
Annual dues for our AAUW Fiscal Year 2021-2022 are $85 and are due by the end of June. National raised its dues, so our Branch decided to lower our dues to maintain the current $85 membership fee.
It would be helpful if you can pay your dues at the April 19th meeting. We again will enter names of all who pay their dues (prior to the May meeting) for a drawing for a refund of the dues or FREE membership.
You may also mail your check directly to me: Cheryl Vogel, 20401 Mishawaka Shores Drive, Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Dual members (whose primary Branch is in another MN town, will pay their National and State dues through that Branch. They will pay $14 dues to our Branch.
Dual members (whose primary Branch is in another State) will pay dues to MN State and Local, as well as National, State, and Local to their primary Branch.
NOTE: Of the $62 National Dues, $59 can be deducted on your income taxes.
Feel free to call me, Cheryl Vogel, if you have questions at 763-229-8098.
Membership Corner
From Marj Lavalier, Membership Chair
It helps our treasurer Cheryl Vogel a lot if we can pay our annual
membership dues at the April or May meeting. We can give her our checks at the
April 19th meeting at the United Methodist Church. I will be sitting
with her as we greet members and collect payments for the April meal.
This is a challenging time for everyone, young and old. At the same
time, it is more important than ever that we continue to support our local AAUW
branch. You know if you are or have been a member of AAUW the values and
mission of advancing gender equity for women girls remains vitally important and
needs your support.
We are the third largest branch in Minnesota, and we give out two scholarships every year to women in financial need. We should be very proud of the work we do. To continue to be a strong, vibrant organization we need everyone to renew.
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Laurie
Clausen
First-year member of AAUW
I am originally from Chisholm and lived about five miles north of town for most of my life. I moved to Hibbing in 2014, married my husband in 2017 and we are hoping to move closer to the Grand Rapids area within the next three to five years so that I can be closer to my office. I have three adult daughters, two living in Duluth and one in Chisholm.
I was introduced to AAUW by Lori Ridlon, who is a member of the Hibbing branch. I joined the Grand Rapids branch last fall and was able to attend a few meetings in person. I really enjoyed getting to know a few of the other women, and I'm looking forward to when we can meet in person again so I can get to know more of you!
I am a strong believer in supporting women; in fact, my goal as a Financial Advisor for 2021 is to focus on women. My mission is to give women a greater sense of confidence, to give them more encouragement and support, and to empower them so they can make good financial decisions.
I began my career in the financial industry in 2004, earned my licenses in 2007, and went back to school in 2009, knowing that Finance was the career for me, to earn my bachelor's degree in Business with a focus in Finance. I have been with Edward Jones since 2012. My role has changed over the years, leading me to my current and most enjoyed role of Financial Advisor.
I currently volunteer for various organizations in Grand Rapids, including United Way and the Chamber. I spent 14 years volunteering for a local church in Chisholm, teaching religious education to children of all ages.
I am looking forward to when we can start getting together again.
** INTEREST GROUPS **
Groups that are not currently meeting due to COVID-19 issues:
*Bridge: Group is on hiatus.
*Public Policy: Not meeting at this time.
*Exploring
Our Community
When we can safely gather again, watch for activities in the months
ahead. We were planning an outing to the Maple Fest at Fideldy’s in
Cohasset, but this event that is typically held in mid-April has been CANCELLED
due to the pandemic. Contact is Juliet Jones, kcjones50@yahoo.com or
327-2696.
**NEW Writers Group
Emilie Zasada and Marilyn Rossman would like to start a Writers group. If anyone would like to join us they can call and we will set a date and a "safe place” for doing and changing and catching up on what we “think we should be writing for and who and catching up on the past few years or remembering the past for our families, etc. Our last group was about 6 or 8 of us, and we had a good time remembering and exchanging comments on the current year, which we hope will change and be healthy. Call or email: Marilyn Rossman, 326-6775, mbro@paulbunyan.net or Emilie Zasada, 326-4909, emiliezasada@mac.com Emilie will be traveling the first two weeks in April so an email would be good for connecting with her.
LITERATURE –
Monday group
On hiatus until sometime this summer when we can meet outdoors. Contact is Nancy Salmi, 218-326-3147 or nsalmi@earthlink.net
LITERATURE –
Wednesday group
Not meeting at this time. Contact is Vicki
Holmstrom, agiledog5@aol.com or 245-2294.
Walking & Talking group
We walk Tuesday afternoons at 1 PM. The locations
change from week to week but will be in the Grand Rapids area. We walk in
places that allow us to walk together but maintain safe distancing. Winter does
add the challenge of snow and ice since we always walk outside. The group is
open to new members interested in walking. If you’d like to join us, send your
email and cell number to Karen Karls at k.karls@yahoo.com You will receive an email with the weekly walk location.
Members walk when they can or want to; no need to RSVP. We generally walk for about one hour. If the weather is really dreadful, we may cancel and we’ll let you know. However, we are a hardy group of women who value the fresh air and exercise as well as the companionship.
Sunshine and
Caring
REMINDER: If you or anyone you know could use a word of encouragement, a sympathy or get-well card or “thinking of you”, please notify Juliet Jones at kcjones50@yahoo.com
Our Branch Scholarships
American Association of University Women (AAUW) scholarships were established with the belief that education is the gateway to equal opportunity for women.
Our scholarships focus on non-traditional female students who are seeking to complete their academic goals. Currently, two scholarships are provided through the AAUW Grand Rapids Branch: the Itasca Community College (ICC) Scholarship offered through ICC, and the AAUW Anniversary Scholarship offered through the Grand Rapids Community Foundation (GRACF).
Women who are eligible must be 25 years of age or
more, with a minimum GPA of 3.25. Other criteria for eligibility include:
·
For the ICC Scholarship, the prospective
applicant must be working toward an AA degree at ICC with plans to complete a
four-year program.
·
For the AAUW Anniversary Scholarship, the
applicant must have completed a minimum of an AA degree or its equivalent, and
planning to complete a certification program, a Bachelor of Arts or Science
degree, or a post-graduate degree.
· Preference is given to a student not eligible for financial aid.
For additional information contact:
ICC Scholarship
Charles N. Black, Director, Itasca Community College Foundation, (218) 322-2451, Charles.Black@itascacc.edu
AAUW Anniversary Scholarship
Brianna Spry, Program Administrator, Grand Rapids
Area Community Foundation,
(218) 999-9100, Brianna.spry@gracf.org
AAUW Scholarship Committee
Helen Ahlbrecht, (218)
245-1859, helenahlb@paulbunyan.net
Kathleen Spencer, (218) 910-9468, Kmspencer21@outlook.com
Also, our AAUW Chapter has funded two camperships for girls to attend the ICC Senior High and Junior High Engineering Camps held in the summer. However, currently due to COVID-19, the summer camps have not been scheduled.
For additional information contact: Kim Damiani, Director of Engineering Outreach, (218) 322-2370, kimberly.damiani@itascacc.edu
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
May 1: AAUW State Convention via
Zoom
Oct. 2: AAUW Fall Gathering in Brainerd
Note: It was held it in Grand Rapids in Fall 2018. The six northern branches of
Ely, Duluth, Hibbing, Virginia, Brainerd and Grand Rapids make up the Northern
Conference.
Hibbing AAUW Annual Use Book Sale: Rescheduled to February 2022 due to the pandemic
and the unavailability of the Hibbing Armory this spring.
DONATION THANK YOU
Dear AAUW Grand Rapids leaders and members,
It's unreal that it has been more than a year since we closed the
AAUW headquarters office to keep
everyone safe and working from home. Much as we have since the pandemic
shutdown the world as we once knew it, I am confident your national staff will
continue to focus on the most pressing issues facing women and girls in this
uncertain time.
I just learned from our team that your Grand Rapids Branch made a
generous donation to support our greatest needs. Please share my deep personal
thanks with all those whose passion for AAUW's mission made this gift possible.
Your support is especially important now as COVID19 has exacerbated and
highlighted inequities that run deep, and we have many challenges to address-in
the 117th Congress and the Biden-Harris administration, but also in every
sector in our society. Your generosity gives us a head start as we embrace the
months ahead with determination, an abundance of resilience and clear-eyed
optimism.
Again, thank you so very much on behalf of all of us for your generosity.
Please continue to take every precaution, stay safe and be well-but do remain
connected with your fellow branch members in virtual programs and
activities. And, I hope to
"see" many of you on a Zoom AAUW webinar soon.
With gratitude,
Kimberly Churches, Chief Executive Officer, AAUW
AAUW
Grand Rapids Branch (6013 MN) Finance Report
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January 2020– March 2021 - THIRD Quarter
Financial Summary - Fiscal Year 2020-2021 (Based
upon 03.10.2021 Bank Statements):
Prepared by Cheryl Vogel
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v Total Income Third Quarter: $186.07 o Dues received: $170; Dinner Fees: $0; Individual
Donations: $15; Checking Account Interest: $1.07.
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v Total Expenses Third Quarter: $ 1,616.47 o National &
State Dues: $425; Dues Overpayment Refund: $15; Zoom services to
support virtual meetings: $100; Sunshine & Caring Committee: $76.47;
AAUW Foundation: $1,000.
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v Year-to-Date Net Revenue: ($4,340.18) o Note: The majority of dues payments were received
in the previous fiscal year, while the payments to State and National
occurred in this fiscal year. § Dues: Paid in previous Fiscal Year: $5,293. o
There were no
dinner fees collected or catering services paid in the first three quarters
of 2020.
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Checking Account (03.10.21)
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$ 7,831.86
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Savings Account: CLOSED:
Funds transferred to Checking Account
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TOTAL CASH-ON-HAND
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$ 7,831.86 |
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
