President's
Message |
Greetings, AAUW Sisters!
Welcome as we get ready to kick off the 2014-15 year
with AAUW SAINT GEORGE BRANCH!
Our first luncheon meeting is right around the corner.
Mark your calendar for
Monday, September 8 and watch for your invitation
to come via email on August 21. It is on the second Monday of September due to Labor Day
being on the first Monday of the month. I promise you won’t want
to miss this luncheon!
Your Board of Directors has been meeting throughout the
summer and working to improve the functions of the
Branch as we support the mission of AAUW.
You will continue to experience great luncheon
programs this year as you have come to expect.
Planning is well underway for a unique author’s event
that is sure to sell out, and our traditional
February fashion show is scheduled and in the works
as well. The planning wheels are also turning for our
other regular programs, including
Reality Stores, Great Decisions, public
policy,
scholarships, and eSMART (even though the
eSMART season has just wound up with two highly
successful summer camps!).
There are many, many opportunities to become involved;
please jump right in and find something that interests
you, fulfills you, helps you make new friends, and/or
gives new meaning to your life. The more you give of
yourself, the more you will get back from AAUW.
So what’s new?? AAUW Saint George Branch is now a
Utah corporation! As you might recall, in the spring
of 2013 the Board of Directors voted to incorporate the
Branch as a Utah corporation in order to streamline
operations (which had prior to that time been separated
into two loosely organized associations – the “regular”
branch and a “Ways and Means Committee” which controlled
the charitable activities and funds of the branch).
This important step has been accomplished and we are
now incorporated and structured to take advantage of the
laws that limit liability of corporate officers and
members. The organizers of the corporation adopted
interim bylaws to govern until the membership could vote
on permanent bylaws.
Now, as a new corporation, we need the membership to
adopt new bylaws. A vote will be taken at the
general membership meeting on Monday, September 8, to
amend the bylaws. You will receive official notice at
least ten days prior to the meeting, along with a
copy of the amended bylaws that the Board of Directors
is proposing for approval.
We ask that you read through the amended bylaws prior
to the September 8 meeting, and that you support the
Board by voting in favor of those amended bylaws. (A
two-thirds vote of those present and voting at the
meeting is required to amend the bylaws.)
On behalf of the Board, thank you for your support as
we transition into a more effective and modern
organization.
Marianne Sorensen
President
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News / Announcements |
Please submit your news by the 7th of the month you want the notice to start. No
forms - just send a regular email message with your
information in the message itself
or as an attached document. Send to:
lysa@riverroad-productions.com
|
A Quest for
Community |
Welcome back! We look forward to another wonderful program year with you as we kick off the 2014/2015 season with:
Our Sisters, Ourselves: A Quest for Community
Please join Co-Presidents Marianne Sorensen and
Donna Howell and Program Vice President Angela
Thoburn in an interactive discussion of our AAUW Branch who we are as members,
where we are as an organization and where we go from here.
After a presentation on our Branch's updated organizational structure, committees, projects and guiding principles developed by the Board we introduce two key questions:
1) What do we want St George AAUW to be?
2) How do we develop a meaningful sense of community?
The mission of AAUW is to help all women and girls have a fair chance in the world. As we work hard to effect change and support others we believe it is critically important to support one another as well.
Your voice, your thoughts and your heart are important as we move forward.
Whether you are a 20 day or 20 year member your input matters - we hope to see you there.
Back to: In This Issue |
What Does the
Hobby Lobby Decision Mean? |
Submitted By: Jeannette Johnson
Summary from: www.aauwaction.org:
According to the Supreme Court, an employee's
contraception is her boss's business after all.
In a
disappointing 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court sided with
two for-profit companies that had challenged the
Affordable Care Act's contraceptive coverage
requirement, which says that certain preventive health
care services like contraception must be covered without copay or cost-sharing. … (the two) claimed that
providing certain services in their insurance plans
violates their religious freedoms and that they
shouldn't have to provide this kind of health coverage
for their employees. In return, health advocates argued
that corporations don't have religious freedom — and
that bosses have no business controlling their
employees' access to any contraception.
Imagine...
if an owner of a closely held corporation is against equal pay for women
because he believes that disrupts men's superiority in their homes?
The court sided with the businesses, saying that
“closely held” corporations cannot be required to
provide contraceptive coverage of any kind for their
employees. Not only did the Supreme Court get it wrong
again, but they also singled out a huge portion of the
population — women — for discrimination.
Justice Samuel Alito did not limit the court’s ruling to (just a
few) forms of contraception only. Thus, companies can
refuse to cover ALL forms of birth control if they
choose to do so — we'll see how it plays out.
In addition, the reasoning behind the court's decision
creates a slippery slope by which corporations can
challenge other medical procedures or medicines in the
future. As the New York Times noted, the Hobby Lobby
ruling may extend beyond health care, "open[ing] the
door to many challenges from corporations over laws that
they claim violate their religious liberty." Imagine if
an owner of a closely held corporation is against equal
pay for women because he believes that disrupts men's
superiority in their homes?
In today’s status quo, where healthcare coverage is
overwhelmingly tied to employment status, allowing an
employer to refuse to cover certain forms of
contraception will reduce women's access to these health
services. With nine out of 10 corporations classified as
closely held, this decision has the potential to affect
millions of women employees.
Women already have less disposable income to spend on
health care services because of the gender pay gap, and
college-educated women are especially burdened by high
levels of student loan debt. Moreover, the impact of the
Hobby Lobby decision is expected to fall more heavily on
low-income women — whose access to health care is
typically limited to begin with — and black women, who
make up almost 16 percent of minimum-wage women workers.
…For many workers, not covering the cost of that
contraception can amount to not allowing employees to
use this basic health care service as they and their
doctors see fit.
Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the
Supreme Court’s ruling, we can all agree that this
decision and other Supreme Court decisions issued
throughout our nation’s history can have a great effect
on our lives. Nominating and confirming Supreme Court
justices is just one important example of the
responsibilities that our elected officials have, and we
urge everyone to cast an informed vote. Make sure you’re
registered to vote at
www.aauwaction.org and that you
get to the polls in November.
Back toBack to: In This Issue
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eSmart Camp for Girls |
|
Red and Yellow teams checking
out equipment that removes the chip from
cell phones for when evidence is hidden
behind a password. |
Once again, we had a superb Core Team, fabulous staff of
workshop instructors, outstanding counselors, and
wonderful volunteers. Despite a few (not too unusual)
bumps along the way, we consider this another smashing
success!
I have not finished compiling the stats for this camp,
but should be able to provide a complete report by the
September AAUW meeting.
I would like to thank board members
Donna Howell and Lysa McCarroll for attending the last
closing ceremony. A big thank you ad should appear in
Friday, August 15 Where It’s At section of The Spectrum.
I need to express my thanks to all AAUW members who
provided support as volunteers, financially, or just a
positive verbal expression of encouragement.
Gloria and Team
2013-14 eSMART Core Team |
Linda Adams |
Erin O’Brien |
Lisa Bratten |
Janet O’Riley |
Rosemary Hargrove |
Gloria Prahl |
Donna Howell |
Rachel Ramsay |
Vicki Jennings |
Christina Schultz |
Dawn McLain |
Pamela Wootten |
Back to: In This Issue
|
Thank You Dawn
McLain!! |
We would like to acknowledge the many contributions Dawn McLain has made to AAUW. No, she is not leaving us, just spending a bit less time serving the branch. Her business,
Write It Up! and her involvement as Co-Chair of the
Southern Utah Nonprofits Association are currently demanding more of her time, so she is
"cutting back" some while remaining in place as the website administrator for the branch.
In the past few years Dawn has served on the branch's
Board of Directors as publicity chair. She was very
instrumental in modernizing the branch's communications.
Dawn donated many hours researching, implementing and maintaining our website. She also helped put into
operation our ability to make luncheon reservations
online. Her advice has always been of great value to the
Board of Directors and it's counting on being able to call
on her for assistance in the future.
As the same time Dawn has served on the eSMART Core
Team, donating hundreds of hours to publicity and
establishing a website for the LoveUtahGiveUtah
state-wide fundraiser. She has helped with the fashion
show doing publicity and modeling. Last year she
encouraged audience members to donate $300 each to
support the full cost of a girl to attend camp resulting
in thousands of dollars in additional income to the eSMART program. Dawn was
instrumental in obtaining a
Gannett Grant (through The Spectrum). She has found the
best prices for the logo items we provide for the girls
in camp. She is a cherished eSMART advisor.
We all owe her a big: Thank you, Dawn! We appreciate
you.
Back to: In This Issue
|
Members Matter |
Barbara Brahm is back in St. George, from her lengthy stays in the hospital & skilled nursing facility in California! Barbara is currently recuperating at:
Coral Desert Rehabilitation, Room 2230
1490 E. Foremaster, St. Gerge, Utah 84770, Tel. 674-5195.
She is VERY bored, and would welcome visitors!
Please call first. Barbara’s surgery has alleviated some of her tremors; and for now she needs to use a wheel chair to get around; but is doing much better---Uppity Women reign!
Bobbie Sylvester is in Kolob Care and Rehab,
178 S. 1200 East
Saint George, Utah 84790, (435) 688-1207. She welcomes visitors but please call
first. A card would also be appreciated.
If you know of a member or their
family who could use a reminder that we care, please contact
Lesley McPeek at lh.mcpeek@gmail.com,
or Lolita Hagio,
at hagio@sunrivertoday.com, so
they can send them a WRITTEN message of support on behalf of our group.
Back to: In This Issue
|
It Only Takes An Evening |
To Change a Life Forever!
You are invited to enjoy an evening of inspiration, while raising funds to enable change through education for women and girls, as we hear from
author and documentary film maker Jennifer Jordan.
Our annual scholarship fundraising event will be held on November 1 from 6:00-9:00 at Fibonacci Art Gallery.
Jennifer Jordan of Salt Lake City, author of two award-winning books on K2, described as the “Savage Mountain,” will be our featured speaker. (Check out her website:
www.jenniferjordan.net).
Tickets are $75 each for a wonderful evening in a beautiful setting which will include heavy
appetizers, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, coffee and desert. Exciting items will be auctioned as well.
Every dollar given will assist the students and also our
community at large. The recipients of our scholarships are women who live in our community and want to return to school to finish their education, along with girls who are graduating from Mill Creek Alternative High School. All scholarships are in partnership with Dixie State University, keeping with our mission of advocating for women and girls in Utah and supporting education in our community.
For more information contact Katy Peterson, AAUW Scholarship Committee co-chair -
katypeterson3@gmail; 435-668-1538.
Click here to purchase
tickets online.
Back to: In This Issue
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Help Wanted |
You can still volunteer for AAUW committees, events,
various jobs even if you can NOT make a long term
commitment or regular meetings. Your knowledge,
expertise and help is appreciated! And will be put to
good use. Contact the committees, events or other
opportunities that interest you.
Publicist
Join our Communications team! PR/Marketing
background would be great! Bonus if you have any online experience,
i.e.: html/css coding, email marketing, social media.
Please contact
Lysa McCarroll
Author's Event
This event is coming up at 90 miles an hour and help is
needed! Please contact
Katy Peterson,
435-668-1538, for specifics.
Reality Store
Volunteers Needed for the 2014 Reality Store Committee!
Vicki Jennings:
den_vic@infowest.com is coordinating AAUW
volunteers.
The Utah Business Women’s Reality Store Program provides a
unique opportunity for 9th graders to learn about the challenges of budgeting in real life. Each student, prior to their participation in the Reality Store is randomly given an occupation and a monthly salary. They are also randomly assigned a family status (married/single; children); and are given a form on which their record their budget. Based on their monthly income students choose among options for housing, transportation, insurance, food, clothing, daycare (if needed) etc. They also visit the Finger of Fate station to experience life’s unexpected events.
Volunteers staff the various stations where the students visit to select options within their budget. The program has been scheduled at the following schools on the date listed. The program runs for the entire day 8:00 am – 3:00 pm and lunch is provided for volunteers. Shifts include 8:00 – 3:00 or half day 8:00 – 11:30 and 11:30 – 3:00.
Snow Canyon Middle School
October 29, 2014 - Wednesday
1215 North Lava Flow Drive
St. George UT 84770
Pine View Middle School
November 12, 2014 - Wednesday
2145 East 130 North
St. George UT 84790
Hurricane Middle School
November 13, 2014 - Thursday
395 North 200 West
Hurricane UT 84737 |
Dixie Middle School
November 19, 2014 - Wednesday
825 South 100 East
St. George UT 84770
Desert Hills Middle School
November 20, 2014 - Thursday
936 East Desert Hills Drive
St. George UT 84790 |
If needed, training sessions will be scheduled in October.
Please contact Vicki Jennings:
Back to: In This Issue
|
EVENTS CALENDAR |
Calendar items will run until the event has occurred. Please submit your event
by the 7th of the month you want the notice to start. No
forms - just send a regular email message with your
information in the message itself
or as an attached document. Send to:
lysa@riverroad-productions.com
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September 8, 2014
|
|
Member Luncheon |
Date |
Monday, September 8 2014 |
Time |
11:00 a.m. - 1:00
p.m. |
Where |
Courtyard by
Marriott
185 S 1470 E,
St. George, UT 84790. |
Cost |
$16 per person,
Paid Reservation Required |
Back to: In This Issue |
November 1, 2014
|
|
2014 Author's Event -
Jennifer Jordan |
Back to: In This Issue |
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IN THIS ISSUE |
President's Message
We're Getting Ready
News / Announcements
A
Quest for Community
What Does the Hobby Lobby Decision Mean?
eSmart Camp for Girls
Thank You Dawn McLain!
Members Matter
It
Only Takes An Evening
Help Wanted
Events Calendar
Uppity Women
September Luncheon
2014
Author's
Event
Etcetera
Luncheon Schedule
Board Meetings
Branch Contacts
Your Support Team
Good
Stuff |
NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS |
Please submit news, information, committee updates, etc. no later than the 7th of the month to be
included in that month's newsletter.
No forms - just send a regular email
message with your item in the message itself or as an attached document.
Email to:
Lysa McCarroll
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MEMBER LUNCH |
The St. George Branch Program and Membership Meeting
Luncheons are held on the first or second Monday of
each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Courtyard by
Marriott,
located at 185 S 1470 E, St. George, UT 84790.
Lunch is $16.00 per plate and features
educational speakers that are of interest to our
membership.
11:00 a.m.
Doors Open
11:30 a.m.
Lunch is Served
11:45 a.m.
Meeting Begins
12:00 p.m.
Program Starts
1:00 p.m.
Luncheon Over
September 8, 2014
October 6, 2014
November 10. 2014
December 1, 2014
January 5, 2015
February 2, 2015
March 2, 2015
April 6, 2015
(Annual Meeting at new Promise Church)
May 4, 2015
(Scholarships)
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED
Click here to
reserve online.
|
Back to: In This Issue |
BOARD MEETINGS |
Board Meetings are held at Jones-Waldo and start
promptly ;-) at 4 p.m.
September 15, 2014
October 13, 2014
November 17, 2014
December 8, 2014
January 12, 2015
February 9, 2015
March 9, 2015
April 13, 2015
May 11, 2015
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Back to: In This Issue |
CONTACTS |
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Back to: In This Issue |
WHO TO CONTACT IF... |
You have questions about the website:
Dawn McLain
You have troubles registering for luncheons, and other
tech-related questions:
Lysa McCarroll
Your contact information changes:
Joyce Spinelli
You need to register for a luncheon
but the deadline has passed:
Bonnie
Boling
You would like to submit an item for the newsletter:
Lysa McCarroll
|
Back to: In This Issue |
Uppity Women |
You are invited to
Back to School Night
Thursday, August 21st
5pm – ish
Entrada Country Club: enter from the Snow Canyon
gate.
Please join us for an in depth look
at Uppity U’s 2014/2015 course offerings
in the advanced M.U* degree program:
REQUIRED COURSES
Socially shallow studies
Calculate, my *ss
Sigh-cology 101
Eeek! onomics
(pardon my) French
ELECTIVES
Cackling for crones
Grin and tonic
Study A Broad
Advanced whine-making
P.E.-zier
*Master of the Universe
Hope to see you there!
RSVP to Kayla at
kaylakoeber@infowest.com
Back to: In This Issue |
Good Stuff
|
"This song is dedicated to the one I love...."
Puppy Composer
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Back to: In This Issue |
AAUW In the News
|
St. George News
Summer eSmart Camp makes girls ‘detectives of the
past,’ exploring archaeology
Southern Utah News
'Detectives of the Past' conduct workshop with
eSMART Summer Camp for girls
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Back to: In This Issue |
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