A Letter from Laura

Spring is finally coming to Clinton County.  The robins abound and the flowers are peeking out of the ground.  It is time to get out and brush away the last remnants of a winter that was long and cold.

AAUW has a lot going on with the beginning of April.  The nominating committee is ready to announce a new slate, the book sale is coming up soon, the Children's Festival is just around the corner, and our Book Review on "Reading Lolitta in Tehran" at our April general meeting--so much to do.

I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

Love and Peace,

Laura

The April program features a book discussion led by Betty Nelson.  It focuses on the current book, Reading Lolita in Teheran by Azar Nafisi.  This is a very timely account of what it's like to be a woman in a country ruled by Muslim fundamentalists... a country where a woman who dares to wear make-up can be beaten or arrested; where a woman who attempts to go to university can be jailed.  The author, a native of Iran, conducted a secret seminar for a group of young women who wanted to study Western literature--a subject forbidden by their government.  Ms. Nafisi has received high praise for this absorbing account of life for women in a hostile culture.

Please join us on April 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Great Island Presbyterian Church for a lively discussion and meeting.

We will make our selections from the menu at LeJeune Chef restaurant for our May meeting.

Thoughts and concerns
Our best wishes go out to members dealing with illness

Jayne Arnone
Kay Crisanti
Mary Pursell

Minutes of the Branch Meeting
of February 5, 2005

The American Association of University Women, Lock Haven Branch, met on February 5, 2005, at Great Island Presbyterian Church with 17 members and one guest in attendance. Laura Long welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order.

Reports of Officers

Secretary:  As the last business meeting was held in October and the minutes of that meeting had been published in the November Lockletter, a reading of the minutes was not done.

Treasurer:  Amy Carroll reported that the balance in the treasury as of February 5th is $4,784.75.

Program Chair:  Andie Bennett reported that the program for the March 3, 2005 meeting will be a presentation on identity theft, scams of the elderly, and internet fraud.

Membership:  No report

Reports of Committees

Diversity:  No report.

Education Foundation:  Beth Brobst reported that she received a note from Pam Piette along with her donation to the scholarship fund.  In the note Pam stated that she would like to see some of the scholarship money go to a single mother.  Beth sent Pam a thank you letter which included some background information on each of the scholarship recipients so that she would know that we are already meeting this request.

Legal Advocacy Fund:  Madeleine Davis reported on an article concerning a research project which appeared in the Keystoner.  Copies of the research report are available to members upon request.  The Legal Advocacy Fund donations envelope was passed around.

Book Sale:  Nell Carnein reported that the inventory from a used book store in Lock Haven which went out of business was donated to the branch.  Pricing and sorting has been progressing well at both the book store and at the library.  The inventory from the book store is almost finished.  Nell reported that the book sale will again be at the Covenant United Methodist Church this year as we are unable to use the cafeteria of the former high school which is now owned by Lock Haven University.

Lockletter:  A combined February-March Lockletter was sent out.  The deadline for inclusion of articles or information in the April Lockletter will be March 19, 2005.

Yearbook:  The membership agreed that we will include the name of spouses in the Yearbook next year.

Publicity:  No report.

Public Policy:  Linda Frye stated that she will send out the letter which AAUW National sent in response to the remarks made by the President of Harvard regarding the ability of females in the sciences.

Parliamentary Advisor:  No report.

Hostess:  The Children’s Festival will be held April 9, 2005, at the Thomas Field House.  Pat Burd has agreed to head up the AAUW booth where we will provide refreshments.

Care and Concern:  No report.

Historian:  No report.

Old Business

Write Read Write:  Pat Burd reported that on February 8, 2005, she will be handing out the gift books to the two 5th grade classes at the Dickey School.

Visionary Club:  Tony Tomasi collected donations for the Visionary Club of Millbrook Playhouse and reported that we had exceeded our goal of $250.00 for the year.  Amy Carroll suggested that with the excess funds we buy an advertisement in the playbill of the Millbrook for the upcoming year.  The membership agreed with this suggestion.  Toni will let us know how much we will need to purchase the advertisement.

Membership Dialogues:  Jayne Arnone reported that she sent the replies she received concerning AAUW membership requirements to National.

New Business

Nominating Committee:  Pat Burd, Lois Day, and Linda Frye agreed to serve on the Nominating Committee.  The offices of President, Program Vice President, and Secretary need to be filled for the upcoming two years.

Announcements:  The February Board meeting will be held on February 17, 2005, at 3:00 at the Ross Library.

The March membership meeting will be held on March 3, 2005, at 7:30 at Great Island Presbyterian Church.

As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Submitted by, Carol Hildebrand

Minutes of the Branch Meeting
of March 3, 2005

The American Association of University Women, Lock Haven Branch met on March 3, 2005, at Great Island Presbyterian Church with 12 members in attendance.  Officers in attendance were Laura Long, Carol Hildebrand, and Andie Bennett.  Laura called the meeting to order.

Reports of Officers

Secretary:  The minutes from the February meeting were approved as read.

Treasurer:  No report.

Program Chair:  Andie Bennett announced that the program for the April 7, 2005, meeting will be a discussion of Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi.  Andie will bring the menu from LeJuene Chef to the April meeting in preparation for our May dinner meeting which will be held at LeJuene Chef.  The cost of the dinner is $25.00 per person which must be paid in advance.

Membership:  No report.

Reports of Committees

Diversity:  No report.

Education Foundation:  Beth Brobst reported that she will have scholarship applications in the library by March 15^th. Beth gave out flyers about the scholarships to be placed throughout the area and asked that they be posted after March 15^th. Applications must be received by Beth by June 1^st. Beth will open each one as it comes in to make sure that each is complete and will call the applicant if anything is missing.

Legal Advocacy Fund:  No report.  Madeleine Davis passed around the Legal Advocacy Fund envelope.

Book Sale:  Nell Carnein reported that pricing and sorting at the bookstore is just about complete and that there will be a price and sort at the Ross Library on March 8, 2005.

Lockletter:  The deadline for inclusion of articles or information in the April Lockletter will be March 20, 2005.

Yearbook:  The callers will each call their page to obtain the names of spouses for the 2005 – 2006 Yearbook.

Publicity:  No report.  Beth Brobst stated that she will place an article in the newspaper about the scholarships.

Public Policy:  Linda Frye sent around AAUW Action Network concerning privatization of Social Security.

Parliamentary Advisor:  No report.

Hostess:  The Children’s Festival will be held Saturday, April 9, 2005 at the Thomas Field House.  The Branch will provide refreshments from 1:00 – 4:00.  Pat asked for volunteers to work in the booth and enough people volunteered to fill the available time slots.

Care and Concern:  No report.

Historian:  No report.

Unfinished Business

Visionary Club:  Toni Tomassi reported that the Branch has $29.00 over the $250.00 needed to meet our commitment to the Visionary Club.  Therefore, we will ask for donations at the next Branch meeting to see if we can collect enough to take out a $100.00 advertisement in the Playbill.  If we do not collect enough to make the $100.00, we will determine if we can make up the difference from miscellaneous funds.  Toni also stated that she will try to have the name of the Branch written out in full on the brick which acknowledges our gift to the Visionary Club.  Toni will include an article in the Lockletter concerning our plan to collect enough for an advertisement.

Write Read Write:  Pat Burd and Laura Long delivered the books to the two fifth grade classes at the Dickey school.  The children truly appreciated receiving the books.  Pat will pick up the thank you letters prior to the April meeting and pass them out at the meeting.

Nominating Committee:  The Nominating Committee announced the nomination of Carol Hildebrand for Secretary and Andie Bennett as Program Vice President.  There was no nominee as of yet for President.

Announcements: 
The March Board meeting will be held on March 17, 2005, at 3:00 at the Ross Library.

The April general meeting will be held on April 7, 2005 at 7:30 at the Great Island Presbyterian Church. 

As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Carol Hildebrand, Secretary