Southern Highlights

Volume 11 Number 6 March 2013

Shaping the World One Woman at a Time

Marijo Alexander and Sue Grove, Co-Presidents

Co-President’s Thoughts

What a great AAUW year this has been so far! Our programs have been excellent and the small groups have been busier than ever. The Great Decisions Group has doubled in size, the knitting group is meeting regularly on Saturday mornings, the book groups are going strong, Travel Group keeps sharing adventures, and First Friday lunch is well attended. I encourage everyone to take part in as many of these groups as you can. They give us an opportunity to get to know each other in small group settings.

I am so looking forward to our Women’s History Month endeavors. Judging the projects at the high school is really rewarding and fun, so if you are available on February 28^th, talk to Carolyn or Peggy about helping. We are thrilled to be having Lisa Maatz, Director of Public Policy and Government Relations for AAUW as the keynote speaker at the Women’s History Assembly at Austin High School on March 8^th. Please attend if you can. Lisa is an amazing woman and a wonderful presenter. AAUW is lucky to have her on staff!

Thank you to everyone who has started to bring items for our Silent Auction basket for the State Convention in April. Since it is in Rochester, I highly recommend that you go to it if you possibly can. You get a feeling for what a powerful organization AAUW really is. Thank you for all you do.

Think spring!!!

Sue Grove

Co-President

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Southern Highlights

Volume 11 Number 8 May 2013Shaping the World One Woman at a Time

Marijo Alexander and Sue Grove, Co-Presidents

Co-President’s Thoughts

Welcome Spring! I cannot believe that we are at the end of our program year! Thank you to everyone who made this year so successful. We have so many talented members in our chapter who come together for spirited conversations and hard work to carry out the mission of AAUW. Every year when I interact with the high school students as they work on their Women’s History Month projects, I come away refreshed and hopeful.

State Convention is another event that always inspires me. I love to watch talented women (and men) working towards our shared goals of equity for all. This June, Marijo and I will be attending the National Convention in New Orleans. I am excited to hear Melissa Harris Perry and Olympia Snow at the final banquet.

As I write this, we are up to our necks in books that are coming in for the book sale. A huge thank you goes out to everyone who has really stepped up and put in hours upon hours publicizing, sorting books, gathering boxes, and all the other tasks involved.

Thank you, too, to those who are willing to serve on the board. It does involve effort, but working together ends up being rewarding and fun at the same time. Please consider taking a position.

I am looking forward to the banquet to celebrate all that we have done this year. Be sure to attend and to invite a potential member to come to meet us. Take good care.

Sue Grove

Co-President

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Southern Highlights

Volume 11 Number 7 April 2013

Marijo Alexander and Sue Grove, Co-Presidents

Co-President’s Thoughts

Happy Spring! I can’t believe that we are already into the final programs for this year! It has been an amazing year for our AAUW branch.

Women’s History Month at Austin High School was a huge success. It is always rewarding to visit with the students about their projects and recognize how much of a learning experience it is for them. Lisa Maatz, AAUW’s Director of Public Policy, gave an inspiring speech that students and faculty really enjoyed and we even got front page coverage in the Austin Daily Herald. Several members of our branch along with members from Albert Lea and Rochester joined Lisa and David Kirkwood, a national AAUW board member, for lunch at the Old Mill. I accompanied Lisa and Dave to the SPAM Museum and Lisa tweeted from there. She thanked us all for the warm Minnesota welcome.

The April meeting is your chance to see the winning projects from the Women’s History Month and to meet the students. Please try to be at Riverland for this meeting. Then, in May, we have our year end banquet. Think of friends to invite to join us.

Also, the State Convention is in Rochester the end of April. Please consider attending if you possibly can. It is a great event. Don’t forget to bring something for our gift baskets for the Silent Auction. Our theme is “Our Favorite Things”.

Finally, don’t forget the book sale is the first weekend in May. We need all the help we can get for all phases of this major fund raiser: sorting any time now, setting up the Wednesday and Thursday before the sale, working at the sale, and packing up books early in the week following the sale. Please contact Laura Tjomsland , Joyce Goetz, or Sue Grove for more details. Also, you may take books to donate at any time now. Just deliver them to the front desk at the library.

Thank you for all you do.

Sue Grove

Co-President

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