SAVE THE DATE
District Meetings

Join the dynamic women of AAUW-PA for an update from the AAUW Convention in St. Louis, networking with sister branches, and workshops on using technology to grow your branch.

District 2
Saturday, July 11, 2009
10 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Country Cupboard Inn
Lewisburg, PA

District 3
Saturday, October 17, 2009,
10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Montgomery County Community College Blue Bell, PA

Enjoy The Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen Fine Craft Fair on the other side of the campus after the meeting, www.pacrafts.com

District 4
Saturday, September 19, 2009,
10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

The Holiday Inn
Harrisburg/Hershey, Grantville, PA

Extend your day by visiting Penn National Racetrack, Hollywood Casino or Hershey, PA just a few minutes away.

Thank you to the 88 members from 28 PA branches who attended the state’s first effort to alternate a one-day Annual Business Meeting with an overnight state convention the following year. Lewisburg was chosen as a central location and
the 28 branches constituted a quorum for all business meeting votes.

Dot McLane, chair for the Every PA Member Survey, presented responses received to date from completed surveys. Eighteen percent of AAUW-PA members have submitted surveys. Dot will compile final numbers after May 15 and send branch presidents their specific branch responses along with statewide
results.

Sally Chamberlain, Program VP for the Educational Foundation, gave updates on AAUW public policy visibility and program offerings. Some key points include:

• AAUW representatives have been invited to the White House three times since January.

• There was an article in Parade magazine and one is coming in Redbook.

• The Program in a Box series is available to members at www.aauw.org.
•
A tax deduction may now be taken for $46 of the $49 dues paid to Association.

• The remaining $3 supports Lobby Corps and election-related activities of the AAUW Action Fund. Chamberlain also gave an overview of the proposed bylaws and led a short discussion about them that included AAUW's name change to the acronym.

After lunch, District Coordinators met with their respective branches to plan upcoming district meetings and elect nominating committee representatives and alternates.

Stephanie Johnson, Pittsburgh Branch, State Board Chair
Kathy Thrush Shaginaw, NEMCO-Makefield Area Branch, Alternate

District 1 Nominating Committee
Diane Mayo, Erie
Alternate: Mary McGinnis, Butler
Second Alternate: Margaret McGrath, Fox Chapel Area

District 2 Nominating Committee
Nancy Weinreb, State College
Alternate: Karen Graziano, Hazleton
Second Alternate:  Linda Frye, Lock Haven

District 3 Nominating Committee
Sue Norris, Valley Forge
Alternate: Linda Robbins, Allentown
Second Alternate: Davorka Sabljak, Philadelphia

District 4 Nominating Committee
Lila Packer, Harrisburg
Alternate: Wendy Dickinson, Carlisle
Second Alternate:  Karen Allen, Harrisburg

The state business meeting included officer reports and the election and installation of new officers.

With thanks to outgoing Davorka Sabljak, Kate Berrigan, and Margaret McGrath, members elected 2009-2011 officers Jean
Macaluso (Beaver Valley branch); Membership Vice President, Cathy Wieland (Lebanon Valley branch), Secretary; and Leslie Wachob (West Chester-Chester County branch), Finance Officer.

Recognition awards were announced for members and branches demonstrating AAUW leadership and action in promoting AAUW’s mission.

Fox Chapel branch proposed new business near the close of the afternoon.
Margaret McGrath, on behalf of Fox Chapel branch, moved that AAUW-PA support a three-pronged motion to amend proposed Association bylaws in St. Louis. The resolution was seconded, opened for discussion, and approved by a majority of the members. Information has since been received from Association Bylaws Committee Chair Caroline Pickens and AAUW Parliamentarian Coco Siewert that Fox Chapel’s resolution will need revision before being brought to the Convention floor. The status and viability of the PA Annual Meeting vote is not clear at this time.

A comprehensive Annual Meeting Yearbook was given each attending member. Two are being sent each branch to share with members interested in state status and activity, including award winners.

Training workshops began and ended the day. Fran Pierce of West Chester-Chester County branch presented the basics and importance of using Parliamentary Procedure in managing fair, orderly, and democratic meetings.

The panel on younger members and Emerging Leader Interns presented several ideas for attracting and involving younger members in mission-based projects and programs and on how to take advantage of the experience and wisdom of longer-term members for mutually satisfying mentoring. Ideas for attracting and involving younger members in mission-based projects
and programs and on how to take advantage of the experience and wisdom of longer-term members for mutually satisfying mentoring.

The unofficial count of PA members attending Convention in St. Louis stands at 34. We will be contacting each of them to coordinate a delegate reception Thursday evening of that weekend. 

Evaluations received from 42 members gave high ratings for the workshops that were presented and approved the one-day Annual Meeting alternating with a state convention.

Before closing the Annual Business Meeting, Susan Nenstiel moved that AAUWPA endorse PA leaders, Sally Chamberlain for AAUW President, and Linda Tozier for Director at Large, for election at convention in St. Louis. The motion was seconded and approved by all.

Once again, our thanks to all who could join us. Please mark your calendars for the 2010 AAUW-PA Convention, April 16-18, in Carlisle, PA.

What's Inside!!