Greetings from Pat

Dear Branch Members,

All the signs of the approaching holidays are upon us.  Ahead are traveling plans, getting together with family, shopping, cooking, decorating, and my least favorite, trying to get cards in the mail in time.  I once received a card from a friend around ten days after Christmas.  She covered herself by telling me I should accept it as my first one for the upcoming year.

We had a good turnout for November’s meeting at the Clinton County Communication Center.  Joanne Furl, Clinton County Quality Assurance Supervisor, who has been there for 26 years, took us through a dispatcher’s routine.  Many things are different than they were due to rapid changes in technology.  It was an interesting and informative evening.

We will be celebrating AAUW’s 125th Anniversary at our December meeting at Great Island Presbyterian Church.  Please try to attend.  Lisa May will also instruct us on how to make a Carolina Snowflake.  That should be fun. In January, at Ross Library, our meeting will feature Keith Woods, Financial Planner.  Keith will speak to us on Women and Financial Planning.  Lunch at Ruby Tuesdays will follow.  I hope to see a lot of you at both meetings.

Sincerely,

         Pat

American Association of University Women, Lock Haven Pennsylvania Branch, Minutes of the Branch Meeting of November 2, 2006

The American Association of University Women, Lock Haven Branch, met on November 2, 2006, at the Clinton County Communications Center.  Officers in attendance were Pat Burd, Angela Black, Andie Bennett, and Carol Hildebrand.  Following a very informative talk and tour of the center, Pat called the meeting to order.

Reports of Officers

Secretary:  There were no minutes from the October meeting as no business meeting was held.  The October meeting was Candidates’ Night.

Fiscal Officer:  Angela Black reported that the balance in the treasury as of October 31, 2006 was $3,650.31.  We have 48 paid members plus 2 members who received vouchers for a one-year free membership.  The full report is attached to the minutes.

Program Vice President:  Andie Bennett reported that our next meeting will be December 7, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. at Great Island Presbyterian Church. Lisa May will teach us how to make stars with basket-making reed.  A fee of $3.00 will be collected to cover the cost of the material.  Each person should bring 16 clothespins, a wash basin, and a towel.

Membership Vice-President:  No report.

Committee Reports

Write Read Write:  Pat reported that everything is in place for this program.

Public Policy:  Approximately 30 people attended Candidates’ Night and the evening went well.  Laura Long would like to work on a voter registration for women campaign.  Laura scheduled a meeting at her home for November 9, 2006 at 7:00 and asked that anyone interested in working on the project attend the meeting.

Unfinished Business

Tiger Den:  Pat reported that many people are helping with the provision of food for the Tiger Den volunteers and everything was in place for our scheduled day (November 3, 2006) to provide food.

Replacement of Bobbie Way for the Lockletter:  Pat asked that we all consider either taking on Bobbie’s job as editor of the Lockletter or think about who would be a good replacement.

AAUW 125^th Anniversary Project:  each Branch has been asked to submit a project for the 125^th anniversary.  Our Branch will submit the procedures that go into making a successful Candidates’ Night as our project.  This will be put together by Laura Long.

We will also celebrate the 125^th anniversary at our December meeting with special refreshments.

New Business

Gateway to Equity Award:  the Branches have again been asked to give a Gateway to Equity Award to a person or group of persons or an organization in the community.  Pat asked everyone to think about candidates for the award.

Book Discussion:  Pat reported that she informed Dianne Whitaker that we will be discussing the book Farmworker’s Daughter: Growing Up Mexican in America.

Pat asked the secretary to write a letter of congratulations to Cathy Marcinkevage Miller for receiving an AAUW National fellowship.

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

Carol Hildebrand, Secretary

Public Policy Committee Report

The Woman to Woman Voter Turnout Campaign Committee met at Laura Long’s home to start planning for increasing the number of women who vote in Clinton County.  Margaret Irwin, Andie Bennett, Patricia Burd, and Laura Long all discussed the importance of the woman’s vote and how it impacts social issues that are important to AAUW.

For more than a century, AAUW has influenced legislative debate and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day- educational, social, economic, and political.  The critical issues--educational equity, retirement security, a fair and balanced judiciary, civil rights, workplace equity, reproductive rights, health-care reform, and equal pay are at stake each time Americans go to the ballot box.  We strive to encourage women to get involved in the political process because they make the difference.

AAUW has a tradition of actively pursuing equity.  College women stood outside the White House in 1917 protesting the fact that women could not vote, and, in doing so, they became the first group ever to picket the White House for a political cause.

This campaign follows the two-year cycle with the goal of educating women voters on issues at stake and conducting targeted efforts to increase the number of women voters in national elections, increasing visibility, recruiting new AAUW members, forging new partnerships, and fostering leadership development.

We have a strategic plan for doing this:

Step one is to inform our membership of this opportunity to become involved in this two-year initiative gearing up for the big 2008 election..

Step two is to spread the word to the public and to find other organizations of women who want to partner with us.

Step three is to set goals and benchmarks so we can measure our successes.

The next meeting will be in early January and will include representatives from other groups who have been invited to join with us.

Please call or email Laura Long at 748-7316 or lauralong1@excite.com if you want to attend.

Write-Read-Write

Write-Read-Write is off to a great start this year--thanks to the generosity and willingness of our members.  We will be getting letters and selecting books for all of the 61 4^th graders at Liberty-Curtin Elementary School.  I met with some very eager and enthusiastic students on Nov. 9^th and explained the program to them.  The letters will be collected about the middle of Dec. and distributed (or mailed) at our Jan. meeting.  Books (gift-wrapped and accompanied by a letter) will be due by our Feb. meeting.  Thanks again for your support.  Nell

AAUW EdEQ Change

The AAUW Board of Directors and the AAUW Educational Foundation Board of Directors held an historic joint meeting in Washington, DC, October 13-15, 2006.  The joint meeting was designed to reflect on member input with regard to the Strategic Process and to determine how to move AAUW forward into the future.  The following vision and mission statements were adopted:

Mission Statement:  AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research.

Vision Statement:  AAUW will be a powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through research, philanthropy, and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women and girls.

Treasurer's Report
October 31, 2006