Hello, University Women.  I am honored to be your new president.  I hope your summer is going well. 

Our new year has started with a real bang.  Denise Robins came up with the creative idea of  “A Secret Garden Tour” for Sunday, July 12.  She formed a committee, and what they thought was going to be small function ballooned into 16 folks clamoring to show off their gardens and 300 plus folks who came out to see the gardens.

I am told that there are others who have asked to show off their gardens next year.  I believe the committee’s efforts put us over the top for monies to endow the University Women’s Scholarship Fund.  We will wait for a report from our treasurer.  Kudos goes to Denise, Lee Hakel, Barbara O’Brien, Jo Tutolo, Dinah Vincent and Sandy Wicks for an outstanding fundraiser.  Thanks also to all the folks who gave up Sunday afternoon to welcome visitors to their gardens, Calico, Sage & Thyme and Grounds for Thought for selling tickets and anyone else who contributed time and energy that I may have missed.

The Fall Brunch has been planned and will be held at the Simpson Gardens Building on Saturday, August 29.  The clean-up will be included in the rental this year.  All members should bring a dish that serves at least eight persons and arrive at 9:00 am for set up.  The brunch will begin at 10:00 am.  Our board members and Barbara O’Brien will each decorate one table, and Ruth Milliron will give us tips on “Updating looks as one ages.”

Details on future functions will follow as plans are confirmed, but we do have some dates that you can add to your calendars.  Barbara and Roger Sanchez will host the Christmas Party again and have chosen Friday, December 11, as the date.  Our February function will change this year.  No information available yet.  The spring theater event will be May 12, 2010, when the Village Players will present Fantastix.  There will be a bust trip, but no details are available yet.

To access the University Women’s web site go to BGSU.edu and pick offices from the top of the home page.  In the right-hand column, six from the bottom, pick University Women and you will end up on our web page.  This is information that someone had asked to have included in the Newsletter.

With this band of creative angels that we have as a board, our 2009-10 year should be fun, interesting and exciting.

I look forward to seeing you at the brunch.

Pat Patton

419.352.6831