Fall 2014
GEM Chips
The GEM Fund: AAUW Asheville Scholarship Endowment, Inc.
Greetings from Our New GEM Board President
On Tuesday, October 21, Susan Grabel and I had the pleasure of attending
UNCA’s Annual Scholarship Luncheon at the Kimmel Arena. Kimmel is a huge
space and it was absolutely full of scholarship donors and student
recipients. During this celebration of the generosity of supporters and the
academic excellence of the students, there were plenty of inspirational
highlights.
The student who spoke offering her perspective on being a scholarship
winner talked about her studies in chemistry and mathematics and how
receiving financial assistance helped her with the ability to focus on her schoolwork. She spoke of her ambition of going on to do advanced work in medicine and
biomedical engineering/design.
A student at our table, when Susan explained our connection with GEM/AAUW, described being in a
sociology class in the past week where our own AAUW president, Ann Snell, spoke about her
experiences as a student and a professional. The student expressed her desire to be an AAUW
member in the future. Ann must have done a fabulous job.
There were many highlights during this event, and Susan and I came away with a strong sense of
satisfaction and commitment to the role GEM plays in promoting the educational
advancement of local women. I want to pass this feeling on to AAUW Asheville and say thank you
for your support and involvement in helping to provide undergraduate scholarships to UNCA and A-B
Tech. You are truly making a difference.
Sincerely,
LaDean Peterson
GEM Celebrates Twelve Years of Growth and Giving
The fiscal year 2013-14 was another wonderful year
of growth and giving for the GEM Fund of AAUW
Asheville. Once again, our branch members and
friends were generous and enthusiastic, contributing
over $44,000 to either the endowment and/or the
active scholarship funds. Based on contributions from
the prior year, we were able to award 15 scholarships
for the 2013-14 academic year, twelve $1,000
scholarships to Asheville Buncombe Technical College
(A-B Tech), one $1500 special scholarship to an A-B
Tech Culinary Arts student, and two $2,000 scholarships to the University of North Carolina at Asheville
(UNCA) -- all, of course, awarded to worthy women
whose educations had been interrupted or delayed.
This fall the Board also voted to award a record 16
scholarships for the 2015-16 academic year. Starting
with a single scholarship of $500 at its inception
in 2002, the GEM Fund has awarded 73
scholarships for a total of $73,500. From its
original contribution of $500 from the branch,
the endowment fund has grown so that, as of
the end of the fiscal year June 30, the financial
portfolio has grown to a little over $125,000 in
the permanent endowment fund, plus additional
sums of around $12,700 in CD’s and a little under
$47,000 in checking accounts . This growth was
only possible because of the continued support
and
Contents
generosity
of the
President’s Message
p. 1
AAUW
GEM Scholars
pp. 2-3
Asheville
Fund Drive Season
pp. 4-6
Donor Lists
pp. 8-11
family.
GEM & Endowment Info
Business Partners
GEM Giving Opportunities
p. 12
pp. 13-15
p. 16
Fall GEM Chips, 2014
Page
Page
22
GEM Announces Fifteen Scholarship Recipients
for 2014 --15
Thanks to the generosity of the AAUW Asheville family, GEM awarded 15 scholarships
for the current academic year: twelve $1000 scholarships to students at A-B Tech, plus a
special award of $1500 to a student enrolled in the Culinary Arts program; and two $2000
scholarships to students at UNCA. This is what GEM is all about. Following are this
year’s recipients, the “faces of GEM” (Note that one A-B Tech recipient has yet to be
named.):
ATTENDING AB TECH
BRITTANY BALLARD
Brittany is currently enrolled in the
RIBN program, Bachelor of Science
in Nursing program, at A-B Tech.
Leah is currently enrolled in the
College Transfer Degree (AA)
program at A-B Tech.
Upon graduation, she plans to
transfer to Western Carolina
University to pursue a Bachelor’s
degree in Nursing.
She plans to graduate in December
2015 and transfer to a four-year
university.
LEAH BATEMAN
Sasha is currently enrolled in the
College Transfer Degree (AA)
program and plans to graduate in
December 2014.
SASHA BOWERY
BETH ECKER
She tells us, “I want to give back to
the world and I believe that begins
with a college education. My goal is
to become a Nurse Practitioner.”
JANET CONTENTO
Janet, currently enrolled in the
College Transfer Degree (AA)
program, comments, “I only have a
few more semesters to go before I
have my AA degree, and then I will
go on to a four-year university. I
understand now that having an
education is essential in today’s
world.”
Beth is currently enrolled in the
College Associate in Fine Arts
Degree (AFA) program at A-B Tech.
Jessica is currently enrolled in the
College Transfer Degree (AA)
program at A-B Tech.
She comments, “I believe that, in
order to better our lives, education
is one of the first steps. Moving
forward, I plan to further my
education by attending Warren
Wilson College.”
She writes, “Completing college
degrees at A-B Tech and UNCA will
bring me closer to my goal of having
a career [in acupuncture] that
inspires me.”
JESSICA FINK
— continued on page 3
AAUW Asheville Scholarship Endowment, Inc.
Page 3
New Scholarship Recipients, cont.
ATTENDING AB TECH
Anne is currently enrolled in
the Culinary Arts Degree
program at A-B Tech and, as such, is
the recipient of a unique GEM
“future chef’s” award.
ANNE GIBSON
She plans to graduate in May 2015.
Susan is currently enrolled in the
Associates in Arts (College Transfer) Degree program at A-B Tech.
She plans to graduate in May 2015.
SUSAN LIPPOLD
Misty is currently enrolled in the
College Transfer Degree (AA)
program and plans to graduate in
May 2015.
Cherish is currently enrolled in the
Associates in Fine Arts (AFA) Degree
program at A– B Tech.
CHERISH MILLER
She tells us, “I am always so
appreciative of people sharing their
time and expertise ad thoughts with
me.”
MISTY STOVER
Nova is currently enrolled in the
College Transfer Degree (AA)
program at A-B Tech and plans to
graduate in May 2015.
NOVA STUARTJAMERSON
She comments, “Although I have
taken classes from time to time at
A-B Tech, it was not until the fall of
2013 that I began to finish what I
started so many years ago.”
Misty writes, “A college degree is
also a crowning achievement. It is
a chance for me to show my
children that it is never too late to
go after your dreams.”
Christine is currently enrolled in the
College Transfer (AA) Degree
program at A-B Tech.
CHRISTINE SYMS
Christine tells us, “When I am
finished at A-B Tech, I will be
transferring to the UNC Asheville to
obtain a Bachelor’s degree in
Psychology and my K-6 licensure.”
Attending UNCA
 AMANDA CLOYD*
*2nd-year recipient
 JOAN MANDENG
Fall GEM Chips, 2014
Page
Page44
AAUW Asheville Family and Friends Make
Tributes
GEM
Fund Drive Season Great Success!
Once again, this year’s spring Fund Drive Season was a huge success,
thanks to the continually amazing generosity and enthusiasm of the
AAUW Asheville family and friends, who together contributed, in
one way or another, almost $21,000 from April through June, equal
 InLaDean
memory ofPeterson
Bebe Kelly led
& allthe
GEM
Board
to that of the previous year.
fund
drive bert
members,
past andHelen
present:McClintock,
Pat Argue Cathy
planning team, along with team
members
 In honor of the good health of the Quinn
Battle, Susan Grabel, Jeanne
Smolkin,
Karen
Mauro,
Marlene
 In memory of Mary Hyde’s special birthday
family: Mary Hyde
Shaklan, Millie Massey, Pat from
Argue,
and Alice
Doner.
literature
book club:
Pat Argue
 In honor of Emily Quinn’s son Duncan — a
In
honor
of
Pat
Argue
and
her
service
to
the
For the fourth year, the event took place at the historic Fernihurst speedy and complete recovery: Jayne GalGEM Board: Bev Briedis, Marilyn Kolton,
langer
mansion on the A-B Tech campus.
Branch members supplied a
& Martha McMullen and Prudential Founsumptuous buffet, under the guidance of LaDean Peterson. On  In memory of Sylvia Piecuch: Marilyn Koldation Matching Gifts
June 1, over 100 guests enjoyed the beautiful late spring day, with ton
 In memory
Bebebest
Kelly,oftheall,
mother
good wine, live classical guitar
music,ofand,
greatof Pat
 In honor of Norma Snapp and her service to
Argue: Melinda Brown, Susan Fishbein,
conversation, surrounded by
flowers and the ambiance of the
AAUW: Constance MacDonald
Marilyn Kolton, Helen McClintock, Martha
nineteenth-century mansion. The short program included words  In Guests
main entrance hall.
honor gather
of Jill inPreyer:
Eleanor Johnson
McMullen, Jacque Morgan, Fran Myers,
from Beth Stewart, Dean ofMary
ArtsPowell,
and Sciences
at
A-B
Tech;
2013-14
Jill Preyer, Jeanne Smolkin, &  In honor of Irene’s 80th birthday and Irv
GEM Board president, Pat Kathleen
Argue; fund
drive chairwoman, LaDean
Thibodeau
Rothberg’s 90th birthday: Gladys Podhurst

Peterson; and, best of all, words from two of our 2013-14 GEM
 In honor of Ann Clarke Snell and her work
Scholars.
as GEM Fundraiser Chairperson: Scherry
Eugenia
& Marjorie HertheChapman,
event, folks
hadHarrell,
the opportunity
to

In honor of Laura Brown Quinn, mother-inlaw: Emily Quinn
In addition to attending
participate in the spring fund drive in a variety of ways — bidding in
 Pat
Arguetickets, and/or contributing
 Jillian Johnson
the silent auction, purchasing
raffle
 Patricia Ashe
Kabat
directly to GEM as Elaine
contributors
 Catharineor
Battle

Sandy
Kaplan
sponsors. See page 8 and
for Al
a list
 Bev Briedis
 Marilyn Kolton
of sponsors.
 Melinda Brown
— Continued
next page
 Mary on
Kirk
 Fran Myers
 Gladys Podhurst
 Mary Powell
 Elizabeth Preyer
 Jill Preyer
 Sherry Brown
 Marilyn Kolton
 Sue Reynolds
 Barbara Campbell
 Pamela Lane
 Nancy Schuman
 Scherry Chapman
 Mary Lasher
 Jan Schwartz
 Susan Fishbein
 Betty Letzig
 Ruth Slawson
 Jayne Gallanger
 Renée Levine
 Jeanne Smolkin
 Louise Haas
 Anne and Robert Louttit
 Ruth Slawson
 Eugenia Harrell
 Constance MacDonald
 Norma Snap
 Suzanne Harter
 Barbara Mayer
 Ann Clarke Snell
 Marjorie Herbert
 Helen McClintock
 Juanita Spanogle
 Carolyn Hubbard
 Martha McMullen
 Peg Steiner
 Mary Hyde
 Arlene Merritt
 The Hughes-Cunningham
Fund, Vanguard Charitable
 Eleanor Johnson
 Eve Miller
Words from Fund Drive Chairwoman, LaDean
Endowment Program
 Marion Johnson
 Jacque
Brad Earnhardt on classical
guitarMorgan
Great food, wine, and conversation
Peterson, and from two of our 2013-14 scholars
AAUW Asheville Scholarship Endowment, Inc.
Page 5
Fund Drive Season, cont.
The Raffle
Karen Mauro and Marlene Shaklan “beat the bushes” to find
great goods and services for the raffle. Guests could buy
tickets at the door for over 25 items — everything from
theatre tickets to doggie treats. Especially popular were raffle
tickets for gift cards to great local restaurants, cafés, and
taverns (Our members enjoy the good life!). In addition, there
were three featured items, for which raffle tickets could be
purchased ahead: a one-of-a-kind necklace, valued at $425, by
local jewelry designer Suzanne Q Evon; a $250 gift card from
design studio Yesterday’s Tree; and a gliclée landscape
painting, called “Carolina Morning” and valued at $250, by
notable local artist Wendy Whitson. All together, the raffle
brought in $2200. Please see pages 13-15 to check out the
names of our business partners, who contributed items for our
raffle and reward them with your patronage.
Put your raffle ticket in the bag(s) of your choice!
Members’ Boutique
For the third consecutive year, the event also featured a Members’
Boutique. Talented members contributed their own hand-made
ceramics, jewelry, scarves, greeting cards, drawings, sculptures, and
photography. In addition to member-created works of fine art and
crafts, some members also offered unique special services, such as
a guided bird walk, a tour of three members’ gardens, workshops in
Zentangle and card making, a farm visit and picnic, and a fall
penthouse art tour and luncheon. Especially popular were the
special dinners offered by Suzanne Harter, who is planning a
fabulous French dinner for six, and by Meredith Miller, who
offered a Southern dinner for four. All in all, the Boutique brought
in $2,600. Even better, it highlighted the talents of our members
and provided for some wonderful opportunities for fellowship and
fun.
Guests peruse items in the Members’ Boutique.
Guests browse the Members’ Boutique.
Thanks to all those who contributed to or bid in the Members’ Boutique or raffle.
Members Contributing Goods or Services to the Members’ Boutique or Raffle








Portia Alexander
Cathy Battle
Joyce Boehlen
Alice Doner
Susan Grabel
Laura Greeley
Suzanne Harter
Beth Johnson








Molly Keeney
Marilyn Kolton
Sharon Kopstein
Pat Kutay
Millie Massey
Karen Mauro
Helen McClintock
Meredith Miller








Lynette Miller
Meredith Norwood
Jill Preyer
B A Schenk
Jan Schwartz
Ilona Sena
Jeanne Smolkin
Ann Snell
Fall GEM Chips, 2014
Page
Page66
Tributes
Winning Bidders Enjoy Boutique
Special Offerings

In memory of Bebe Kelly & all GEM Board
members, past and present: Pat Argue

In memory of Mary Hyde’s special birthday
from literature book club: Pat Argue

In honor of Pat Argue and her service to the
GEM Board: Bev Briedis, Marilyn Kolton,
& Martha McMullen and Prudential Foundation Matching Gifts
In memory of Bebe Kelly, the mother of Pat
Argue: Melinda Brown, Susan Fishbein,
Marilyn Kolton, Helen McClintock, Martha
Betsy Kirk, Deb Fulton-Helmer, Peg Steiner, Karen Mauro, and Beth Ellers are among
McMullen,
Jacque
Myers,
those joining hostess Helen McClintock
for a night
of funMorgan,
poker andFran
Jeanne
Smolkin’s
homemade pizza. All agreed theyMary
hadn’tPowell,
laughed so
in a long
time.Smolkin, &
Jillmuch
Preyer,
Jeanne
Kathleen Thibodeau


In honor of Ann Clarke Snell and her work
as GEM Fundraiser Chairperson: Scherry
Chapman, Eugenia Harrell, & Marjorie Her-
bert

In honor of the good health of the Quinn
family: Mary Hyde

In honor of Emily Quinn’s son Duncan — a
speedy and complete recovery: Jayne Gallanger

In memory of Sylvia Piecuch: Marilyn Kolton

In honor of Norma Snapp and her service to
AAUW: Constance MacDonald

In honor of Jill Preyer: Eleanor Johnson
Jill Preyer explains her garden design. Winning
guests visited four gardens: Jill’s and those of
 In honor
ofGrabel,
Irene’sB 80th
birthday
Irv
Susan
A Schenk,
& Aliceand
Doner.
Rothberg’s 90th birthday: Gladys Podhurst

In honor of Laura Brown Quinn, mother-inlaw: Emily Quinn
 Pat Argue
 Jillian Johnson
 Fran Myers
 Patricia Ashe
 Elaine Kabat
 Gladys Podhurst
 Catharine Battle
 Sandy and Al Kaplan
 Mary Powell
 Bev Briedis
 Marilyn Kolton
 Elizabeth Preyer
 Melinda Brown
 Mary Kirk
 Jill Preyer
 Sherry Brown
 Marilyn Kolton
 Sue Reynolds
 Barbara Campbell
 Pamela Lane
 Nancy Schuman
 Scherry Chapman
 Mary Lasher
 Jan Schwartz
 Susan Fishbein
 Betty Letzig
 Ruth Slawson
 Jayne Gallanger
 Renée Levine
 Jeanne Smolkin
 Louise Haas
 Anne and Robert Louttit
 Ruth Slawson
 Eugenia Harrell
 Constance MacDonald
 Norma Snap
 Suzanne Harter
 Barbara Mayer
 Ann Clarke Snell
 Marjorie Herbert
 Helen McClintock
 Juanita Spanogle
 Carolyn Hubbard
 Martha McMullen
 Peg Steiner
 Mary Hyde
 Arlene Merritt
 The Hughes-Cunningham
Helen waves a winning
hand! Johnson
 Eleanor
 Marion Johnson
 Eve Miller
Fund, Vanguard Charitable
Sherry Brown joins fellowEndowment
students to learn
the art of
Program
 Jacque Morgan
Zentangle from Cathy Battle.
AAUW
Asheville
Scholarship Endowment, Inc.
Page
75
Page
Page 7
Looking for
a Few Good Women!
GEM helps
women “gain
educational
momentum.”
Scholarships
change lives.
Find us on the Web under
“GEM” at
http://ashevillenc.aauw.net.
As you can tell from the preceding pages, the spring fund drive
and fundraiser party are great events. And, they are both fun to do
and fun to attend. We are looking for “a few good women” to
head up the planning for next spring’s fund drive and party.
Speaking from experience, as a former planning committee chairwoman, this task is neither onerous nor overwhelming. To the
contrary, it is great fun and so rewarding — providing scholarships
for local women and, at the same time, culminating in a great party
that says “thank you” to our the AAUW membership, friends, and
family. There are always many, many members who are willing to
help with all the various tasks — both small and large; we just need
a few branch members to step up to “take charge” and do the
initial planning. Perhaps you have some new ideas for the fund
drive season, for a different approach, different venue, or different
events. Or, perhaps you just want to add your personal touch to
what has become a nice tradition at Fernihurst. Regardless, the
new planning committee will be free to plan the fund drive season
and event(s) in the way they think best. While not serving on the
main planning committee, those of us who have chaired the
committee before will be here to help (including staying quiet) in
any way we can but hope that new voices will come forward to
usher in another great fund drive season in 2015. If you are
interested (Perhaps you’d like to co-chair with a friend?!), please
contact LaDean Peterson, last year’s chairwoman and current
GEM Board president, or Susan Grabel or me, Alice Doner —
both GEM Board vice-presidents and former fund drive chairwomen. It’s fun and it’s for a great cause! Contact us soon!
Page
Page88
Fall GEM Chips, 2014
12th Anniversary GEM Fund Sponsors*
Tributes
Diamond Level
 Anonymous
 Mary Powell
 Jeanne and Stuart Smolkin
 Ann and Farley Snell
 Marcia Flinn
 Susan and Lowell Grabel
 Jocelyn Williams Hill
 Eleanor and David Johnson
In memory of Bebe Kelly & all GEM Board
members,
Ruby
Levelpast and present: Pat Argue

 In
of MaryArgue
Hyde’s special birthday

Patmemory
and Edward
from
literature
book
club:
Pat Argue
 Beth Ellers
GEM helps
women “gain
educational
momentum.”
Scholarships
change lives.

Janet
and
 In
honor
of Richard
Pat ArgueGraham
and her service to the
GEM
Board:
Bev
Briedis,
Marilyn
Kolton,
 Marilyn Kolton and Louis
Dwarshuis
& Martha McMullen and Prudential Foundation Matching
Sapphire
Level Gifts
 Karen and Joe Mauro
 bert
Marion Mayfield-Johnson
 In
Helen
honorMcClintock
of the good health of the Quinn
Mary Hyde
 family:
Verna McGauhey
 In
Martha
honor McMullen
of Emily Quinn’s son Duncan — a
 speedy
Arleneand
Merritt
complete recovery: Jayne Gallanger
 Eve Miller
 In
Fran
Myersof Sylvia Piecuch: Marilyn Kolmemory
 ton
Susan and Robert Palmer
 LaDean and Carl Peterson
 In memory of Bebe Kelly, the mother of Pat

Portia and Larry Alexander
 In honor of Norma Snapp and her service to
Argue: Melinda Brown, Susan Fishbein,
 AAUW:
Judith Roach
 Sandra and Robert Bernard
Constance MacDonald
Marilyn Kolton, Helen McClintock, Martha  Barbara Robinson
 Lucy Borland
 In honor of Jill Preyer: Eleanor Johnson
McMullen, Jacque Morgan, Fran Myers,
 Anne Sayers
 Mary
Barbara
Campbell
Powell, Jill Preyer, Jeanne Smolkin, &  In honor of Irene’s 80th birthday and Irv
 Ilona and Michael Sena
 Kathleen
Alice andThibodeau
Robert Doner
90th
birthday:
Gladys Podhurst
 Rothberg’s
Joanne and
Martin
Swenson
In honor of Ann Clarke Snell and her work
 In honor of Laura Brown Quinn, mother-inas GEM
Fundraiser
Chairperson:
Scherry
*GEM donors
who
contributed
at the Diamond
(gifts of $1000
or more),
(between $500 and
law:
EmilyRuby
Quinn
$999),Chapman,
or SapphireEugenia
(between
$100 and
$499) levels
during the spring fund drive season. See the story
Harrell,
& Marjorie
Heron page 3 for more details.

 Pat Argue
 Jillian Johnson
 Fran Myers
 Patricia Ashe
 Elaine Kabat
 Gladys Podhurst
 Catharine Battle
 Sandy and Al Kaplan
 Bev Briedis
 Marilyn Kolton
 Elizabeth Preyer
 Melinda Brown
 Mary Kirk
 Jill Preyer
 Sherry Brown
 Marilyn Kolton
 Sue Reynolds
 Barbara Campbell
 Pamela Lane
 Nancy Schuman

 Mary Lasher
 Jan Schwartz
 Betty Letzig
 Ruth Slawson
 Renée Levine
 Jeanne Smolkin
 Anne and Robert Louttit
 Ruth Slawson
 Constance MacDonald
 Norma Snap
 Barbara Mayer
 Ann Clarke Snell
 Marjorie Herbert
 Helen McClintock
 Juanita Spanogle
 Carolyn Hubbard
 Martha McMullen
 Peg Steiner
 Mary Hyde
 Arlene Merritt
 The Hughes-Cunningham
 Mary
Powell
Additional Direct Contributions during
2013-14
 Kathryn Conway Preyer Charitable












Find us on the Web under
“GEM” at
http://ashevillenc.aauw.net.
Lead Trust
Martha McMullen
Scherry Chapman
Judy
Duncan
Susan Fishbein
Betty Letzig
Jayne Gallanger
Joe and Cheryl Chasin
Louise Haas
Leah Karpen
Eugenia Harrell
Betsy and Cary Kirk
Suzanne Harter
The “Poker Gals”
Vanguard
 contributions
Eleanor Johnson
 Eve
Miller
All
are gratefully accepted
and
acknowledged and honoreesFund,
and families
are Charitable
notified.
 Marion Johnson
 Jacque Morgan
Endowment Program
AAUW Asheville Scholarship Endowment, Inc.
Page 9
Birthday Dollars for Scholars Program Going Strong
Beginning in 2014, Jeanne Smolkin, GEM Board Treasurer, began sending out calls for
“Birthday Dollars for Scholars,” a program in which each month contributors could check off
the names of members with birthdays that month and send a contribution to GEM in their
honor. Recipients received a special GEM birthday card — created by GEM Board VicePresident Alice Doner — wishing them a “Happy Birthday” from branch members who had
selected their name. Many recipients have commented how pleased they were to receive
their card. Since its inception in January, the program has brought in over $6000 in
contributions. Following are the names of those who made one or more contributions
through the “Dollars for Scholars” program. Please consider joining the fun, honoring the
birthdays of your friends, and providing funding for college scholarships for worthy women.
Watch for Jeanne’s e-mail each month.
Birthday Dollars for Scholars Contributors





















Nini Abbott
Pat Argue
Pat Ashe
Cathy Battle
Lucy Borland
Beverly Briedis
Melinda Brown
Bobby Carney
Alice Doner
Deborah Fulton-Helmer
Jayne Gallinger
Joen Goodman
Susan Grabel
Barbara Griswold
Judith Hoy
Molly Keeney
Betsy Kirk
Marilyn Kolton
Lynn Lederer
Renée Levine
Jennifer McClery





















Helen McClintock
Linda McCracken
Eve Miller
Jacque Morgan
Fran Myers
Ellen Nutter
Karen O’Hara
Betty Paine
LaDean Peterson
Gladys Podhurst
Jill Preyer
Emily Quinn
Judith Rhodes
Barbara Robinson
Kitty Schaller
BA Schenk
Jeanne Smolkin
Ann Snell
Peg Steiner
Eleanor Walther
Carolyn Worthington
Fall GEM Chips, 2014
Page
Page10
10
Tributes
Joyce Boehlen, AAUW Asheville Vice
President for Membership, died on August 5, 2014,
after losing her battle with pancreatic cancer. Joyce
 In memory of Bebe Kelly & all GEM Board
bert
was a generous and outgoing woman, whom we
members, past and present: Pat Argue
 In honor
the good
will miss very much. Many
friendsofand
familyhealth of the Quinn
 In memory of Mary Hyde’s special birthday
family: Mary Hyde
members made contributions
in honor and memory of
from literature book club: Pat Argue
 Innames.
honor of Emily Quinn’s son Duncan — a
Joyce. Following are their
In honor of Pat Argue and her service to the
speedy and complete recovery: Jayne GalGEM Board: Bev Briedis, Marilyn Kolton,
langer
& Martha McMullen and Prudential Foun In
memory of Sylvia Piecuch: Marilyn Kol dation
Pat Argue

Kitty
McKeithen
Matching Gifts
ton
 Kay Ashlevitz

Hollis Millsap
 In memory of Bebe Kelly, the mother of Pat
 In
honor of Norma Snapp and her service to
 Argue:
CathyMelinda
Battle Brown, Susan Fishbein,

Bryce
Nelson
AAUW: Constance MacDonald
 Marilyn
Bev Briedis

Hart Nelson
Kolton, Helen McClintock, Martha
 In honor
of Jill Preyer: Eleanor Johnson
Jacque Morgan, Fran Myers,
 McMullen,
Sherry Brown

LaDean
Peterson
Mary Powell, Jill Preyer, Jeanne Smolkin, &  In honor of Irene’s 80th birthday and Irv
 Linda Bushar

Emily Quinn
Kathleen Thibodeau
 Bobby Carney

DianeRothberg’s
Raycroft90th birthday: Gladys Podhurst
 In honor of Ann Clarke Snell and her work
 In Sandel
honor of Laura Brown Quinn, mother-in Judy Colella

Sharon
as GEM Fundraiser Chairperson: Scherry
law:Schmeiser
Emily Quinn
 Alice Doner

Kathryn
Chapman, Eugenia Harrell, & Marjorie Her Susan Grabel

Theresa Selzer

 Wendy
Pat ArgueHaner
 Ellen
PatriciaHenk
Ashe
 Johnson
Marlene
 Jillian
Catharine Johnson
Battle
 Eleanor

Bev Briedis
 Molly
Keeney

 Melinda Brown
Betsy Kirk
 Sherry Brown
 Sonja Kozlowski
 Barbara Campbell
 Mary
Lasher
Scherry Chapman
 Helen
McClintock
Susan Fishbein




Shaklan  Fran Myers
 Kabat
Jeanne Smolkin  Gladys Podhurst
Elaine
Sandy
and
Al Kaplan

Ann
Clark Snell  Mary Powell
Marilyn
 Elizabeth Preyer
 Kolton
Jana and Gary Tull
Mary Kirk

Gun Wechsler  Jill Preyer
Marilyn Kolton
 Sue Reynolds

Carolyn Worthington
 Pamela Lane
 Nancy Schuman
 Mary Lasher
 Jan Schwartz
 Betty Letzig
 Ruth Slawson
 Jayne Gallanger
 Renée Levine
 Jeanne Smolkin
 Louise Haas
 Anne and Robert Louttit
 Ruth Slawson
 Eugenia Harrell
 Constance MacDonald
 Norma Snap
 Suzanne Harter
 Barbara Mayer
 Ann Clarke Snell
 Marjorie Herbert
 Helen McClintock
 Juanita Spanogle
 Carolyn Hubbard
 Martha McMullen
 Peg Steiner
 Mary Hyde
 Arlene Merritt
 The Hughes-Cunningham
 Eleanor Johnson
 Eve Miller
 Marion Johnson
 Jacque Morgan
Fund, Vanguard Charitable
Endowment Program
AAUW Asheville Scholarship Endowment, Inc.
Page 11
GEM Tributes for 2013-14
Many GEM donors chose to honor family and friends with a gift to GEM . When you
want to honor a special day or offer remembrance, please consider making a gift to GEM in
their honor: a gift that really does “keep on giving.” Following are GEM tributes f
or 2013-14, in addition to those for Joyce:
 In memory of her mother, Ellen Hull
Keever — Cynthia Keever
 In honor of the birthday of her college
roommate and life-long friend, Mary Howell
Mueller — Alice Doner
 In memory of Polly Cody, a former AAUW
Asheville Lifelong member — Norma Snap
 In honor of Eve Miller, “on the big round
one” — Melinda Brown
 In honor of Jeanne Smolkin —
Molly Keeney
 In honor of Ruth Slawson — Helen
McClintock
 In memory of the birthday of her
mother, Maxine Menefee LaRue, “whose
grace and kindness touched all those around
her” — Alice Doner
 In memory of the birthday of her grandmother, Sadie Alice Sharpe, “whose wit and
unbounded generosity lit up the lives of all
those around her” — Alice Doner
 In honor of the 90th birthday of her aunt,
Billie Menefee Gordon, who “still takes the
old ladies to church” and “whose great wit
and kindness continue to work magic for all
those who know her” — Alice Doner
 In honor of Leah Karpen’s being named a
“Woman of Influence” in the Asheville
community — Jayne Gallinger
 In honor of Fran Myers — Ellen James
 In honor of Marion Chamberlain —
Joanne Swenson
 In honor of Nancy Ransom: “You are an
inspiration in making the world better for
women!” — Beth Ellers
 In honor of Alice Doner — Tom and
Cynthia Menefee
 In memory of Leonard Teir — Nini
Abbott
 In memory — on Mother’s Day — of
Maxine Menefee LaRue, Sadie Alice Sharpe,
and Mildred Anne Palmer, “great women
who positively shaped my life” — Alice
Doner
 In honor of a “wonderful woman and great
friend,” Verna McGaughey — Bev Briedis
 In memory of her mother, father, and
brother — Jansen McCreary
 In honor of Ruth Slawson and Roberta
Carney — Joyce Davis
 In honor of Alice Doner — Mary Mueller
 In memory of Betsy Ewing — Juanita
Spanogle
 In memory of Connie Flippo — Pat Argue
 In memory of Grace Walker — Elaine Potter
 In honor of Melinda Brown — Pat Argue
 In memory of “Fred” — Shelley Freeman
 In memory of Michael Thomas Hayes, “a
real foodie who left us too early in life” —
Anonymous
 In memory of Emily Boyce — Pat Argue
 In memory of Glen Hultgren — Michael
Siegendorf
 In honor of Dr. Margaret Aydelotte and
Katherine Armitage, “thinking of you and
wishing you the best” — Marilyn Kolton
 In honor of Pat Argue, “a wonder
woman for GEM” — Marilyn Kolton
 In memory of Laura Enteen — Marlene
Skaklan
 In memory and honor of her mother “on
behalf of the estate of Polly Cody. We are so
grateful for the work of AAUW and for the
members able to share our final NC ‘farewell’
to our mother in Black Mountain on July 12.
Best wishes on behalf of my mom’s five
children.” — Harriet M. Cody
All contributions are gratefully accepted and acknowledged and honorees and families are notified.
GEM Tributes
Gifts that really do
“keep on giving.”
Another year of
growth and
giving!
Thanks to all
those who
have
supported
GEM during
the past year.
Fall GEM Chips, 2014
Page 12
Why the GEM Fund?
Our members know the importance of education in every woman’s life, so, in 2002, AAUW
Asheville members and friends founded the GEM Fund, an organization with the sole purpose of
raising funds for local undergraduate scholarships for deserving women. Starting with a single
scholarship in 2002, the GEM Fund has grown so that, beginning in the school year 2011-12 and
continuing through the coming academic year, GEM has been able to provide ten scholarships to
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (A-B Tech) and two to the University of North
Carolina at Asheville (UNCA). Since its inception, GEM has awarded 58 scholarships.
“Diamonds
aren’t a girl’s
best friend: an
education is.”
The GEM Fund is supported entirely by contributions or funds earned on investments from prior
contributions. We accept many types of donations, including cash, stock, insurance policies, and
legacy gifts. Donors may specify whether they want their contributions to go to the active
scholarship fund, which funds scholarships for the coming school year, and/or to the permanent
endowment fund, which ensures that money for scholarships will be available for future years. All
undesignated contributions are split evenly between the active and endowment funds and all are
gratefully accepted and acknowledged. Karen Mauro, GEM Board member and chairperson for the
GEM Finance Committee, has written the following the article to provide information on the
importance of the endowment fund in ensuring that scholarships will always be available in the
future.
What Is the Endowment Fund and
Why Is It Important?
On the GEM
“giving sheet,” you
may designate
how you want
your contributions
distributed, as
well as listing any
tribute information. Giving
sheets can be
found on and
printed from the
AAUW Asheville
website, under
“GEM” at http://
ashevillenc.aauw.net.
We have been fortunate at GEM in that we
have had, in the past few years, successful
fundraisers, generous donors and thriving stock
and bond markets. Indeed, they usually tend to
go hand in hand. Donors tend to donate more
either in cash or goods when they have what
they perceive as a windfall generously provided
by a bull market. Charities, such as ours, also
tend to feel more generous when their reserve
funds and their endowment increase dramatically in value and so want to increase scholarship payouts.
Yet, as stewards of these funds, we must
understand that we need to maintain a reserve
for scholarships so that in times of bad markets
and possibly lower level of donations, we aren’t
tapping into a declining endowment account to
maintain these scholarships.
In an article published in The Chronicle of
Higher Education, November 2010, three reasons donors most often cited as a major motivation for donating to a charity were:
 They felt their gifts could make a difference.
 They felt financially secure.
 They believed the organization receiving the
gift was run efficiently.
At some point, if an endowment loses money
because of declining markets or the number of
scholarships is reduced dramatically from flush
times, donors could interpret these declines as
inefficient management of funds and give less.
The challenge moving forward is to make sure
donors are responding to the critical needs for
sustainability and growth.
Every year we strive to maintain or increase the
number and/or amount of scholarships we
believe to be sustainable. By leaving assets in a
scholarship reserve fund, an organization such
as ours prudently allows for the loss of one
large donor, reduced contributions by others
and / or a market downturn. This allows for
the possibility of “waiting out” declines and
leaving the reserves for the inevitable bad
times.
GEM by laws state that we are to be a
perpetual endowment fund and by holding
reserves for possibly leaner earning future
years we are helping to do just that.
Karen Mauro, GEM Finance Committee Chair
http://chronicle.com/article/Donations-by-theWealthy/125319/
AAUW Asheville Scholarship Endowment, Inc.
Page 13
Fundraiser Business Partners
Twenty-six local businesses, service providers, and artists contributed gift cards for goods and
services to be auctioned at the June 1 fundraiser party, contributing over 30 gifts that raised over
$2200. Please thank these partners by patronizing their businesses, services, and studios.
3377 Sweeten Creek Road
Arden, NC
828-650-7300
Fall GEM Chips, 2014
Page 14
Please
patronize our
business
partners!
AAUW Asheville Scholarship Endowment, Inc.
Page 15
Pamela Udall
Page 16
Fall GEM Chips, 2014
The GEM Fund
As the philanthropic arm of AAUW Asheville, the GEM Fund supports AAUW’s
mission of empowering women by breaking down educational and economic barriers.
GEM raises funds to award undergraduate scholarships to women whose college
educations have been interrupted or delayed. Our goal is to help these women attend
local colleges, “Gaining Educational Momentum (GEM).”
Board of Directors
LaDean Peterson, President
Ways to Make Our GEM Shine
Susan Grabel, First Vice-President
Alice Doner, Second Vice-President
Jeanne Smolkin, Treasurer
Helen McClintock, Secretary
Karen Mauro, Finance Committee
Chairwoman
Pat Argue, Past President & Advisor
Marilyn Kolton
Pat Kutay
Millie Massey
Jill Preyer
Emily Quinn
Ann Snell, AAUW Asheville
President & Representative
Alice Doner, “GEM Chips” Editor
The GEM Fund is supported entirely by contributions or funds
earned on investments from prior contributions. We accept many
types of donations, including cash, stock, insurance policies, and
legacy gifts. Donors may specify whether they want their contributions to go to the
active scholarship fund, which funds scholarships for the coming school year, and/or to
the permanent endowment fund, which ensures that money for scholarships will be
available for future years. (See page 6 for more information on this topic.) In addition
to making direct contributions, there are some other important ways to make a gift to
GEM:
The Beatrice Rice Wells Legacy Society
The Beatrice Rice Wells Legacy Society comprises a special group of donors who
have graciously designated a contribution to the GEM Fund in their wills. Providing for a
donation to GEM in your will is an especially powerful way to support GEM and our GEM
scholars, a gift that truly does keep on giving. For more information, contact Jill Preyer at
[email protected].
For more information,
contact board
president LaDean
Peterson at 828-6503005 or LaDeanJune@
charter.net.
Tributes to Loved Ones and Friends
To honor the memory of a loved one or to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, holiday, graduation or just to celebrate those important people in your life, consider making a gift to the
GEM Fund. Additionally, you may want to honor a good friend; in the AAUW Asheville newsletter, you will find a list of that month’s member birthdays. Wish them a “Happy Birthday”
and, for special friends, consider making a gift to the GEM Fund in their honor. GEM will
send word of your thoughtfulness to you and your honoree. Not only do these gifts honor
loved ones; tributes and legacy gifts help worthy women get an education they might not
otherwise have. See page 5 of this newsletter to find examples of what GEM contributions
support.
The Gem Fund has 501(c)3 status and, as such, all contribution to GEM are entirely tax deductible.
Contributions an any amount are gratefully accepted and acknowledged.
The GEM Fund of
AAUW Asheville
4B Long Shoals Road, #135
Arden, NC. 288704
Contributions, with checks made out to the GEM Fund, may be sent to THE GEM FUND at 4B Long
Shoals Road, #135; Arden, NC; 288704.