April 2017
IN THIS ISSUE
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Taste of Chocolate
Tech Trek
Big Day of Giving
Electrifying Art
Officer Candidates
Scholarships
Public Policy
Board Meeting
Highlights
International Dinner
Section News
LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT
There are projects and events coming up soon that will benefit the
community and our branch. First, I hope you will participate in the
Chamber's "Spend With Ben" project. The goal of this project is to
boost the local economy by shopping in Auburn's stores and
businesses. If you participate by spending $100 locally, then save
your receipts, make copies, and drop them in the Spend With Ben
box at the Chamber; you are automatically entered in the "Ben" prize
drawing on May 17. There are several outstanding prizes, and
AAUW can use any prize that members win for one of our event
raffles if you choose to donate it to the Branch.
Trivia Bee is happening this Saturday, March 25! Lots of work
and preparation for this annual extravaganza means it will be its
usual great success. Get your tickets, now! Should be interesting we have 24 teams competing.
In April we will have election of officers for the new year. Delana Ruud and Bonnie Wilson have put
together a slate, and we will officially meet the candidates at the April 13 meeting. The STEAM project with our local Girl Scouts is happening on April 23 at the Elks’ Club. The girls
will learn about conducting electricity using Play Doh, batteries, buzzers and LED lights. We thank
our sponsors, AAUW-CA, Auburn Host Lions and Kiwanis Club, Sugar Plump Fairies, Target, and
the Girl Scouts. If you would like to join Sandra, Beth, Robin, and me, give us a call. We invite more
volunteers to help us.
Don't forget to take the time to be an AAUW 2 Minute Activist!
Looking forward to the very busy next few weeks.
Kathleen Shaffer
DATEBOOK
Annual Meeting April 13
Big Day of Giving May 4
Installation Luncheon May 13
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TASTE OF CHOCOLATE
Sunshine, pounds of chocolate molded into tasty desserts offered by the
merchants in the unique stores and restaurants in the Old Town business
district meant Taste of Chocolate was back. After a one-year hiatus, it could
not have come back on a more perfect day. The merchants, the chocolatiers
and event volunteers invited tourists and guests to wander
around Old Town and sample the chocolates offered at 18 different locations. The Sugar Plump Fairies were there as well, spreading their happiness to
those who passed by. Thanks to the community who helped make Taste of Chocolate a success. The event is sponsored
by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the Old Town Business Association.
"We are happy the event exceeded our expectations, and we received so many comments that
people were thrilled Taste of Chocolate was back," said the coordinators Linda Robinson of Sun
River Clothing, Pam Hart, and President Kathleen Shaffer of AAUW.
TECH TREK 2017 CAMPERS SELECTED
The Tech Trek Committee - Maureen Gazzaniga, Beth Taylor, Sandra Scott, and Chair Bonnie Wilson
- met in early March to interview and select the 2017 participants. The committee interviewed 16
candidates over two days, but could only select eight to go to Tech Trek camp at UC Davis in July. The committee selected: Bailey Brazil, EV Cain; Jerica Jay, Colfax; Kirsten Jilot, EV Cain; Morgan
Klink, Bowman; Sequoia Moore, Colfax; Kaela Pena, EV Cain; Madison Preston, Colfax; Pia Uppal,
Loomis Grammar; and Savannah Sheets, Colfax, as Alternate.
BIG DAY OF GIVING MAY 4
You can support Tech Trek on May 4 on the Big Day of Giving.
Big Day of Giving is a 24-hour online giving challenge that brings
together the region's nonprofit community to help raise much
needed funds and shine a spotlight on the work nonprofits do.
Last year donors contributed over $2,500 toward underwriting
the $7,200 cost of sending our eight Tech Trek campers to U.C.
Davis. Let’s make that number bigger this year!
ELECTRIFYING ART WITH THE GIRL SCOUTS
Our new project, Electrifying Art, in partnership with the Girl Scouts, is coming up on April 23. The
goal of this project is to spark younger girls’ interest in STEAM (science, technology engineering,
art, and math) subjects. We tested the AAUW-Auburn developed Electrifying Art curriculum with four Girl Scouts in early
March. The girls and their mothers were very enthusiastic about the project. These youngest Girl
Scouts, Daisies and Brownies, quickly picked up on how to light up their Play Doh sculptures.
Based on our testers’ experience - and the Mom’s feedback - we made changes to the curriculum
and project. During the April 23 event at the Elks Lodge, Girl Scout Daisies and Brownies will learn
how electricity is conducted using Play Doh and LEDs. You’re invited to assist or observe on event
day. For information contact Kathleen Shaffer or Sandra Scott.
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OFFICER CANDIDATES
At the Annual Meeting and Election, the membership will elect our new officers. Our elected officer
positions are: President, President-Elect, Program Vice President, Membership Vice President,
Secretary, Treasurer, and Nominations Chair. For the upcoming year here are the candidates:
President, Kathleen Shaffer
President Elect, Karen Flemming
Program Vice President, Lydia Jones
Membership Vice Presidents, Norma Sexton and Leslie Hobson
Secretary, TBA
Treasurer, Debra Sabo
Nominations Chair, Carol Hachmeister and Coleen Conley
Annual Meeting &
Election
Installation of
Officers
Thursday April 13, 5pm
Saturday May 13, 3pm
Regional Park, Lakeside Room
3770 Richardson Drive
Barnstormers Pilot’s Room @
the Airport, 13626 New Airport
Scholarship Speaker
Scholarship Speaker
Celeste Havener
Autumn Turner
Sweet treats will accompany
each of these Spring events.
Donations encouraged.
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PAST SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT UPDATES - MARY WALKER
We have recently received updates from a couple of our scholarship recipients from previous years.
It is exciting to hear that these young women have been so successful academically and in their
activities, and in Celeste’s case, gone on to meaningful and worthwhile pursuits beyond college.
Celeste will be our speaker at our April 13 Annual Meeting. You won’t want to miss hearing her tell
us more about what she has been doing.
Remember to use on our AmazonSmile link (http://smile.amazon.com/ch/94-6104515) whenever
you shop at Amazon. Bookmark this link to help you remember to use it each time you shop. The
percentage of purchases that we receive through this program goes to our Scholarship program.
Celeste Havener, Placer High, University of Colorado
I received a scholarship from AAUW to attend the University of Colorado in 2011. I have now been
out of college for over a year and wanted to pass on a quick update to AAUW. I graduated CU Boulder in 2015 magna cum laude with a BS in environmental engineering and a
minor in ecology and evolutionary biology. I was an active member of the Engineers Without
Borders Nepal team throughout college and was lucky enough to join the travel team for an
assessment project in Ilam, Nepal where we constructed a spring source protection system. I also
had the chance to study abroad on Semester at Sea, where I sailed around the world visiting 12
countries while studying global topics onboard. Additionally, I captained CU Boulder's women's
ultimate Frisbee team my senior year, leading the team to nationals where we placed 5th.
After graduating, I completed a yearlong fellowship with SPOUTS of Water, a social enterprise that
manufactures ceramic water filters in Uganda. I lived in Uganda for the year, establishing sales and
distribution systems for the start up. I had the opportunity to see the clean water crisis first hand. By
the end of my year, SPOUTS had distributed over 7,000 water filters, providing over 60,000
Ugandans with safe water, including school children and refugees.
I just returned to Auburn in December after my year in Uganda. I wanted to thank AAUW once again
for the support they provided. AAUW has really helped me go far.
Kate Woodall, Placer High, Whitman College
I am still at Whitman College, where I started 2½ years ago. My focus and vision for my future has
shifted around a lot over the time I’ve been at college. I intended to pursue environmental studies
and science, but thanks to many passionate professors, fellow students, and many experiences I
found myself drawn to the social sciences and humanities. I am currently pursuing a degree in
Sociology with a minor in Religion. Coming full circle, however, I have discovered a renewed
passion for environmental justice due to its deep connections to the social justice issues I am most
strongly tied to—namely racial justice, indigenous rights, and gender equity. Beyond my academic work, in the last few months I have traveled to Boston for the Newman
Fellows Civic Engagement Conference and to Standing Rock, ND to stand with the water protectors
against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Just this last week, I attended a Reclaim MLK Day march in
Oakland and the Women’s March in Sacramento. In light of these experiences and the current
political climate we face, I want to pursue social change work in either the non-profit or public policy
sectors. I’m hoping to join the AmeriCorps or teach English abroad immediately after college. I
appreciate the support from AAUW!
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PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES
From AAUW-CA “Equal Pay Day will be observed this year on April 4, 2017. The date symbolizes
how far into 2017 women must work to earn what men earned in 2016. According to national
Census statistics released in 2013, women working full-time, year round, make, on average, 78
cents for every dollar a male earns doing the same job. In California, women do slightly better, 85
cents on the dollar. Another year, another wage gap for women and their families. The pay gap is
even worse for women of color – for African American women the gap is 64% compared to white
men, and Hispanic women 54%.” AAUW members can work to help close the gap. You can find
your representatives at http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS - JACKIE MCGINNIS
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Treasurer: Current budget is $28,748.00; the Taste of Chocolate earned $1,490.00. Amazon
Smile use encouraged, with Auburn AAUW listed as your choice for a charitable organization. Nominations: The secretary position is open as yet; Lydia Jones has volunteered to be a
program vice president. Trivia Bee: 20 teams now! A banner is at the courthouse across Maple St. and more ads are
occurring. Fliers are ready for passing out. Raffle baskets wrapped at 3/11/2017 meeting. Special Event: Plans for an “Electrifying Art” STEAM project for 50 girl scouts is underway and
details were discussed for this 4/23/2017 event. Volunteers will be needed. Program Events: Updates on the next general meetings were noted. On 4/13/2017 (5 6:30p.m.), there will be a short, election meeting at the Lakeside Room at the Regional Park,
with cookies. On 5/13/2017 (3 - 5:00p.m.), is the Installation meeting at the Auburn Airport in the
Barnstormer’s room (with sweet treats) and includes presentations of scholarship winners and
Autumn Turner as a speaker. Scholarships: The Helen Francis Memorial Scholarship was established and will be presented
to a woman re-entering college. Tech Trek: 8 Tech Trek recipients have been chosen. By-laws: Pam Hart expects the revised by-laws in the near future.
New Business: An AAUW Funds Branch Named honoree was selected; special AirMedCare
enrollment for AAUW members was noted.
INTERNATIONAL DINNER - CAROL FRANCIS
We had a nice turnout of about sixty members and guests at our annual International Dinner
on January 27. We had an excellent and passionate speaker, Nancy Bushek. Nancy was
working in the Bay area as a young woman and found that her life lacked meaning. She
chose Tanzania as a travel destination, and she is now the director of the Educating
Tanzania Foundation. There are many orphans in Tanzania and constant pressure to make room for younger
children. Nancy's group works with the at-risk children so that they can go on to school and
have a place to live. Her mother, Anne Kennedy, told us about her experiences in the
program, as Nancy's whole family now helps out.
This is the last year for our team to be putting on the dinner, as it will hopefully move to the
program committee for next year. I started working on it with Mary Voyiazes, and have
enjoyed working with Barbara Gerletti-Weiss and Sharon Watson-Hamilton the past few
years.
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APRIL SECTION NEWS - NADINE FRALICK
ALL MEMBERS ARE WELCOME INTO THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS WHICH ARE A GREAT PLACE
TO GET INVOLVED. For more information call the contact people below.
• BOOKENDS: April 26th, Wednesday, 7:00, we will meet at Mary Stevens, 10143 Indian Hill Rd.
Newcastle. We are discussing any book by Sarah Vowell. • BOOKMARKS: April 19th, Wednesday, 1:00, we will meet at Elsie Gaura's. New members are
welcome. • BOOKSTERS: NOTE DATE CHANGE: April 11th, 2nd Tuesday, at 1:30 we will meet at Carol
Waechter's, in Forest Hill. We will read "A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman. ALL MEMBERS
WELCOME. • BRIDGE: Contact Meredith Bruck for the 2nd Wednesday group. Contact Jodie Hale for the 4th
Wednesday group.
• DRAMA READING: Will meet April 13th, 2 p.m. Thursday at Susan Rushton’s.
• GLOBAL ISSUES: NOTE DATE CHANGE: Will meet April 21st, Friday, 10:00 at Raley's Event
Ctr., 1915 Douglas Blvd. Roseville. The topic will be "Trade, Jobs & Politics".. DVD and
discussion. • HIKING/WALKING GROUP: April 7th, Friday, we walk Avery Pond off Rattlesnake Bar Rd., a 2.7
mile, easy trail along American Rv. off Auburn Folsom Rd. Meet at Burger King, LIncoln Way, at
9:30 or at the trail head at 10 a.m. April 20th, Thursday, we walk Bridgeport wild flower walk. Meet at Burger King, Lincoln Way, at 9:30 or at Bridgeport State Park at 10:15 for a 3 mile easy
walk along the So. Yuba Rv. (Buttermilk Trail). The native plants are labeled. Bring a snack or
lunch. For information contact Karen Tajbl.
• PAST PRESIDENTS: We will meet April 29th for lunch. For information contact Bonnie Wilson.
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