AAUW NEWS OF NOTE

President: Kay Campbell (781) 740-0788

Membership VPs:Sheila Doherty (781) 848-8122 and Hollie Bagley (781) 749-6274

Program VPs:Allison Marshall (781) 749-8591 and Jane Moore (781) 659-9443

Mission Statement: AAUW promotes equity for all women and girls, lifelong education, and positive societal change.

Vision Statement: AAUW is committed to making a significant impact on education and equity for all women and girls.

We will remove barriers and develop opportunities to enable women and girls to reach their full potential.

This shared vision drives the work of AAUW at all levels.

HINGHAM AREA BRANCH APRIL 2006

CALENDAR

April 8/9, Saturday/Sunday State Spring Conference – “Sex, Money and Power”

Holiday Inn, Marlborough

April 11, Tuesday Branch Meeting “Your Life As Art – Memoir Writing”

Presented by Suzanne Strempek Shea, Hingham Public Library

Business meeting at 6:45 PM, Program at 7 PM

Kay Campbell, facilitator

April 20, Thursday Girls’ Game Night, 7:00 PM

home of Sandy Carle in Weymouth

May 4, Thursday Writers’ Group, 7:30 PM

home of Kay Campbell

May 9, Tuesday May Banquet at Reggio’s, Weymouth MA

BRANCH MEETING

On Tuesday April 11^th , Suzanne Strempek Shea, noted Massachusetts author and popular writing instructor, will be our speaker at the Hingham Public Library. She’ll be talking about writing memoirs, and will be reading from two of her latest books that are in that category, Shelf Life, and Songs from a Lead-Lined Room. Visit her website: www.suzannestrempekshea.com to read more about her. We are pleased to be co-sponsoring this meeting with Buttonwood Books, and with their vast e-mail list, we expect a good-sized crowd to attend our meeting. Plan to join us, for a speaker who’s highly recommended by our own branch members! We are holding the business portion of the meeting at 6:45PM in order to vote on our budget before the 7PM program. Please plan on coming in time for the meeting.

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Kudos to Pat Granahan and Jane Street for organizing a highly successful and educational branch meeting on town energy planning. It was well-attended and it gave us great community exposure, thanks to the

co-sponsorship of the League of Women Voters and the publicity that they organized. Thank you for finding such a timely topic and a great speaker.

This month, popular Massachusetts author Suzanne Strempek Shea will talk to us about “Memoir Writing: Your Life as Art”. Several branch members have heard her speak and read from her work, and she comes highly recommended. Maybe you’ll be inspired to write, and maybe even join our branch Writer’s Group! On that night we will also vote on our proposed budget for the year. We’re holding the ‘branch meeting’ portion of the evening at 6:45PM to take care of the vote before the program.

I hope you will consider attending the Spring Convention on April 8^th and 9^th at the Holiday Inn in Marlborough. Check your “BayStater” or the state website: www.aauw-ma.org for details. In addition to thought-provoking topics and excellent speakers, it will be an important meeting for our branch, as Pat Bologna is up for election as State President.

Thank you, all of you who volunteered at our My Turn to Learn College Fair on March 4^th. We were very lucky with the weather, and it was a big success. Hollie Bagley, a key member of the My Turn to Learn steering committee, wrote a report on it herein – thanks for all your hard work, Hollie, (and for writing the article too!)

Happy Spring everyone! Kay Campbell

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

As we approach the annual meeting in April, it seems to be a good time to reflect upon the AAUW year. We hope you share our thoughts that the past year has been a good one for membership. Starting with our strategic planning session last June we have held constant focus on increasing our membership. With the addition of our 40^th member we reached our goal. Now that the February 1 membership count is in, we are proud to announce the Hingham Area Branch increased its membership by 25%! Quite a feat, thanks to all of us working together—members, program, publicity. While we are thrilled with our accomplishments this year, we must continue to go forward. Membership growth and retention is a 24/7 responsibility. All of us must share our passion for AAUW’s mission by continuing to introduce people to AAUW through personal contact, program, and publicity. Tell prospective members about our community service programs (Mary Pratt, teaching tolerance, financial literacy, alternative energy, memoir writing), our camaraderie (pot luck, holiday social, book discussion supper, May banquet), our interest groups (writers’ group, adventures in dining, girls’ game night), our action project (My Turn to Learn, an in-mall college fair for non-traditional students), our state conferences (Giving Women Wings and Sex, Money and Power). Tell people we raise funds for the Educational Foundation to support fellowships and research and for the Legal Advocacy Fund to support litigants in sexual harassment cases in higher education. The Hingham Area Branch has much to offer. Shout about it! We need to get the word out. This is the very best time to recruit. Anyone who joins now will be a member through June 2007. Why wait for Pot Luck? Wouldn’t it be nice to start off the next year by introducing new members at both the May banquet and Pot Luck? Contact Sheila (sheilad1234@usadatanet.net or 781 848-8122) for an enrollment brochure.

Chit chat: Cathy Kuchinski McCormack sends her regards to us from North Carolina along with her check for the Sema Faigen International Fellowship Fund. Jenn Morash has switched gears and is back in school pursuing her master’s degree. Pat Bologna is making good use of our AAUW networking to find speakers for a very special program for bright young women at Notre Dame Academy. So far she has drawn upon the talents of our own Kay Campbell and Taunton Area Branch President, Beryl Domingo.

We extend our deepest sympathy to Kay and her family on the passing of her father on March 14, 2006. May he rest in peace.

Sheila and Hollie

PUBLIC POLICY

A variety of topics to consider this month –

A new national survey shows that 1 in 3 low-wage workers and 1 in 5 workers overall feel pressured to go to work when they are sick with the flu, because they fear job loss. Forty-nine percent report they either do not get paid sick days or have access to only minimal time off. Paid leave ties in with pay equity issues as women are more heavily impacted by the lack of paid time to care for themselves or a family member when sick.

AAUW and its coalition partners are calling on the House to support the establishment of the National Women’s History Museum in the Old Post Office Annex in Washington, to allow the Museum to play a critical role in integrating women’s contributions and progress into our national history. This permanent home would be a gift to future generations, to honor the past, inform the present, and help shape our future.

The Senate is currently considering attaching the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA) as an amendment to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. The House passed HCPA as an amendment to the Children’s Safety Act in Sept., 2005. AAUW supports this amendment, which would add gender, sexual orientation, and disability to the list of bias-motivated categories, as a way to ensure passage of a vitally important piece of civil rights legislation.

The theme for AAUW’s National Conference for College Women Student Leaders, to be held from June 7-10 in Washington, is “Summit on Sexual Harassment: Leading Change on Campus and Beyond.” Also, the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Civil Rights in the US Department of Education has notified school boards and educators across the nation that protecting students from sexual harassment using Title IX sexual harassment guidance must become a top priority. AAUW’s recently published Drawing the Line: Sexual Harassment on Campus found that nearly two-thirds of US college students have experienced sexual harassment on campus.

Diane and Jennifer Morash

WRITER’S GROUP

The Writer’s Group will next meet on Thursday, May 4th at 7:30 PM at Kay Campbell's house. The topic/assignment this month is poetry. If you are interested in joining or attending our group for this special poetry session, please contact Kay Campbell or Patricia McKay. The writer’s group is a great way to explore many facets of writing, and we welcome new members.

GIRLS’ GAME NIGHT

The next game night will be April 20 at 7 PM at Sandy Carle's house in Weymouth.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

The Nominating Committee announces the following slate-

Kay Campbell, nominee for the second year for Hingham Area Branch President

Sheila Doherty and Hollie Bagley, nominees for Co-Vice President, Membership position

Frances Schlesinger, nominee for Recording Secretary.

Elections will take place at the April branch meeting, with installation scheduled for the May Banquet.

SAVE THE DATE Tuesday, May 9^th - Our Annual Dinner

..      Come one, come all to our annual May Dinner....It will be held on May 9  at 6:30 at Reggio's  Italian Restaurant located at 1037 Main Street ( Route 18 )  in South Weymouth.   We will be feasting at an Italian buffet while enjoying each other’s company.   At some meetings we don't have a lot of time to chat, but as the year comes to an end let’s take this opportunity to join in a "FUN" gathering.   Reservations should be made with me by MAY 2 by phone at 781-848-8122 or by e-mail at SDoherty1234@usadatanet.net.   A check for $20 made out to AAUW-Hingham should be sent to me to cover the cost of the meal.  See you there!   Sheila Doherty, Social Chair     

My Turn To Learn

My Turn To Learn: A College Fair for the Non-Traditional Student was a huge success. Many prospective students visited each of the eleven college exhibit tables to hear about programs for non-traditional students, ask questions about courses, financial aid and the application process. The atmosphere was very festive, with balloons, free raffles and goodies that created a welcoming feel for folks who stopped by.  The co-sponsors, Bank of America and Nellie Mae, as well as TERI, a college access resource, were great resources to have on hand. They were very busy providing much needed information to prospective students about the application process and financial aid. 

The Brockton Mayor's office was represented by the Director of Community Services, an endorsement of a very worthwhile project for the community. AAUW was highly visible with a display table for resources and information. AAUW-MA President Patricia Ho as well as our own President-Elect Pat Bologna were present and ready workers. Twenty-seven AAUW members from four branches wearing “Ask Me About AAUW” and “My Turn to Learn” buttons were at the mall to do whatever needed to be done. Thank you Pat Bologna, Sheila Doherty, Ruthanne Kennedy, Sharon Lemoff, Patricia McKay, and committee members Heather Gregory, Hollie Bagley, and co-director Kay Campbell for forwarding AAUW’s mission in such an outstanding way. As the day drew to a close, the exhausted MTTL Committee congratulated themselves for a job well-done. “It was a lot of planning, but well worth the effort,” echoed through the mall.

Here’s what two participating colleges had to say: “Thank you for inviting Eastern Nazarene College to attend. Please contact us if you repeat the fair next year. It was truly a pleasure to participate in an event that was run so efficiently and promoted the opportunity of adult education in such a positive and appealing manner. On a personal note, I was very excited to learn that my name had been drawn to win a $25.00 gift certificate to Kay Jewelers! So, all in all, the day was rewarding on a personal and professional level!” Christine Galbraith, Eastern Nazarene College. “Our representative Akeisha enjoyed the unique fair and great atmosphere which turned into a successful day of recruiting for us.  Please keep us on your mailing list as we definitely plan to return next year!” Ken Sawada, Newbury College.

For photos and more information about the fair visit www.aauw-ma.org and select the Special Interest Programs button and www.myturntolearn.net, the fair’s website.

American Association of University Women

Hingham Area Branch

2006-7 Dues Bill

It's membership renewal time again!

Renew your AAUW membership by sending a check made out to :

AAUW - Hingham Area Branch

And mail to: Virginia Giordano, Treasurer

Renewal deadline is June 1, 2006

Association Dues $45.00 Includes subscription to AAUW Outlook

State Dues $13.00 Includes subscription to BayStater

Branch Dues $11.00 Includes subscription to News of Note

Total Dues: $69.00

Life Members: $24.00

You can also make a contribution to EF, LAF as well as the Hingham Area Branch’s

Scholarship Award.

Voluntary Contributions:

Educational Foundation $________

Legal Advocacy Fund

(suggested $3.00) $________

Scholarship Award $________

Total amount enclosed $_______

Update your Directory information below. If the information is correct in the current directory, you only need to write your name below:

Name_____________________________________________

Spouse (optional) ___________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________

Phone: (___)_________________________

e-mail: _____________________________

Check here if you only want your e-mail used within the branch: ____

College: _______________________________ Degree: __________________________

Major: ________________________________ Year: _____________

Graduate School: _______________________ Degree: __________________________

Major: ________________________________ Year: ______________

Have you ever been named an EF Named Gift Recipient? _______ Year _________