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SUSSEX COUNTY BRANCH CELEBRATES 60 YEARS, November 2007
The Sussex County Branch of the American Association of University Women celebrates its 60th birthday this month. The local branch is celebrating its anniversary at 7:30 p.m., November 13th, at the Sparta Methodist Church. Members of the branch will present a skit, 60 Years of AAUW, celebrating a comprehensive, all-inclusive look at AAUW-Sussex County Branch’s accomplishments since 1947.
In addition to holding regular monthly meetings with invited guest speakers, our members enjoy monthly book club meetings and Independent Film Evenings which encourage active discussion and varied opinions. The branch provides scholarships to women who are majoring in the arts at Sussex County Community College; sponsors career awareness trips for middle school girls in Sussex County, addresses gender issues and sexual harassment in local schools; and sponsors fundraisers for scholarships.
An on-going motif of AAUW is “ because equity is still an issue”. Since 1913, in fact, when AAUW released a comprehensive report detailing disparities between men and women’s pay in federal government jobs, AAUW has been working to eliminate pay inequity. A new research report states that pay gaps exit between women and men as early as one year out of college. Unfortunately, New Jersey ranks 49 th out of the nation. This month, to heighten awareness of this issue, our local branch is presenting the new publication, Behind the Pay Gap, to the six libraries within the Sussex County Library System, to the Sparta Library, and to the Sussex County Community College.
AAUW is in the forefront of promoting public awareness of crucial, current topics such as human trafficking and bullying in schools, in the workplace, in gangs, in the media, and in cyberspace. The national association of AAUW has been in existence for 126 years. It is one of the oldest nonprofit organizations dedicated to advocating for women’s rights, possessing a rich tradition of leadership, scholarship, advocacy, and action. Since its first meeting in 1881, AAUW has been a catalyst for change. Today, with more than 100,000 members, 1,300 branches, and 500 college and university partners, AAUW contributes to a more promising future and provides a powerful voice for women and girls—a voice that cannot and will not be ignored.
Friends, interested guests, past members, and prospective members are invited to attend our evening of festivities. For more information, call 973-786-6238. For more information about National AAUW’s history, visit the Online Museum at www.aauw.org/museum/index.cfm. For state information, visit www.aauwnj.org.
CAROLE'S CORNER, September 2007
Greetings to all of my AAUW friends,
I hope that you have had a wonderful, healthy summer. I know that my summer has been fast and frantic, but also lots of fun times with family and friends.
Actually, before you blink, it will be September and AAUW will be resuming for another year. I am emailing sections of the Fall Newsletter to relay information for a few upcoming events. You will still receive the complete Fall Newsletter and also the Yearbook via the post office or at the September Luncheon.
Please mark your calendars for our Welcome Luncheon: September 15, 2007, 11:00 at Bella Italia; 448 Route 206 South of Newton.
The cost of the buffet luncheon is $16.00 (including tax and gratuity) and the menu consists of the following selections:
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Individual mixed salad
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Eggplant Rollatine
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Breast of Chicken Limone
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Encrusted Tilapia
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Homemade Peach Sorbet
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Choice of coffee, tea, soft drinks, iced tea, or lemonade
Our Book Club is scheduled to meet at Stevie Fava's home on Tuesday, September 18th, at 7:00.
The Peabody Sisters by Megan Marshall will be discussed. Please bring books that you would like to suggest for upcoming months. Hopefully, a Book List will be prepared for the entire year, so that avid readers may whet their appetites with new genres and authors.
The Sussex County branch has been in existence for 60 years. We plan to celebrate this milestone on November 13th. Just think, women similar to you and me have been investing time and energy, making friends, and reaping the benefits of belonging to this fine association since 1947.
In past years, the AAUW Cultural Series was of special interest to all of us. I would like to declare a Pretty-please Invitation for someone to volunteer to chair the Cultural Series for 2007-2008. It certainly is nice to attend special events, but it is impossible to plan functions for a Cultural Series without a new chief at its helm.
Also, as you probably remember, increase in membership is our big push this year; for our branch, for AAUW-NJ, and also for National AAUW. At our branch board meeting in August, quite a bit of discussion dealt with the focus of increased membership of younger ladies in and around Sussex County. With that in mind, I would like to make a Membership sub-committee to focus on that issue. Carol Smith is our membership VP this year. I would appreciate if two (2) ladies would volunteer to form a sub-committee to help Carol address this important matter.
I realize that I am asking a great deal of the ladies in our association. However, increased member involvement yields a significantly better association; one that invokes pride and accomplishment among all of its members. If, for some reason, you have refrained from committing time to AAUW in the past, perhaps this is the year to spread your wings. I guarantee that you will greatly benefit from increased participation.
I believe that it is never bad to set high-reaching goals. It is bad, however, to have low expectations. I believe that we will experience growth this year with heightened awareness of the profound ideals which are set forth within American Association of University Women.
See you soon!
CAROLE’S CORNER, May 2007
Welcome to our online newsletter. It was my goal to create this AAUW website this year, and thanks to my daughter, Debra, I (we) achieved my goal. It is exciting to know that our branch’s activities will be an integral part of AAUW’s national website.
2007 marks the 60th year that AAUW has been represented in Sussex County. It would be nice to celebrate this milestone ~ perhaps in the fall. Just think, women similar to you and me have been investing time and energy, making friends, and reaping the benefits of belonging to this fine association since 1947. Yes, a party is duly in order!
Our May Luncheon at Tuscany Bistro was delightful. Our guest speaker, Adrienne Lesser, presented an overview on the issues of Human Trafficking, astounding many of our members with astonishing statistics. Happily, our state liaison representative, Sylvia Campbell, also joined us. Sylvia has been our branch’s liaison for (4) four years, keeping us updated with all things great and small. We certainly will miss her, but she enthusiastically stated that she will visit us often, and I plan to hold her to it! New officers were elected, and we gratefully appreciate the active roles that these ladies have accepted to perform in order to keep our branch viable. With sadness, we said to Margaret Anderson, “Thank you for a job well done, Madame President!” She was president of our branch for 7 years and a driving force, to put it mildly. She is still planning to remain active in our branch, but I will sorely miss her as co-president.
Remember Book Club fans, The Peabody Sisters: Three Women Who Ignited American Romanticism by Megan Marshall, was selected for summer reading. The following is a book description that I read on Amazon.com. “ Twenty years in the making and greeted by stunning reviews, The Peabody Sisters is a landmark biography of three women who made American intellectual history. The story of the Peabody sisters and their central role in shaping the thought of their day is a piece of history that has never before been fully told. Megan Marshall's masterly and vivid work brings the sisters, our American Brontes, to life along with the men they loved and influenced, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Horace Mann, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Marshall casts new light on a legendary American era in an epic tale with the scope and fascination of the great nineteenth-century novels.”
A major goal for AAUW-NJ during 2007-2008 is to increase AAUW membership in the state. I have already mentioned this to Carol Smith, our newly-elected membership chair. Let’s try to help her out! If each of us enticed one friend or acquaintance to come to one of our meetings to ‘check us out’, our branch membership would blossom. Our AAUW board members will be discussing various methods to encourage younger-aged women to join our branch. If you have suggestions, please bring them to my attention. We would love to hear your views on this subject and your other ideas that would add branch interest.
I look forward to seeing everyone on June 9th at our 1st Annual Picnic held at Sally Larson’s home. If you did not sign up to bring something, e-mail or call me for suggestions. The picnic is strictly for fun and frolic. Come casual and care-free, leaving every-day stresses at home! If someone dares to address a serious subject, let’s throw her in the pool!!
Take care and Enjoy the little things in life! ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carole
CORRESPONDENCE
By Sylvia Campbell, State Secretary, Dated December 5th, 2007
Good morning, ladies!
Ginny Lyttle has suggested that I send along to you items from the November State Board Meeting which might be of particular interest to you. If you have questions, please feel free to be in touch with either me or Ginny.
Treasurer Carol Holmelund noted IRS regulations re charitable organizations. The current balance in the state treasury is about $84,000; the Charitable Trust has about $80,000 in funds. Marian Haag said that all tax-exempt organizations must file on line in 2008.
Ginny Lyttle reports that AAUW's visibility has been increasing, thanks to participation and other activity at Montclair U., in Trenton, and in Washington (via Rep. Russ Holt). It was noted that "Women Graduates USA" has been founded with the intent to provide support for the IFUW, now that the Association has severed its ties. An explanatory article will appear in the "Garden Statement." Leadership trainng will be the focus of an all-day regional meeting in Maryland on June 21.
Regarding applications to the Charitable Trust for grants, one is pending and there may be a new one. Has your Branch considered a nifty project which could use some financial help from the CT?
Information about the January Bullying symposium can be found on the state's web. The NJ Business and Professional Women's Club will help provide publicity. Get a carfull going from your Branch!
The theme for the spring Annual Meeting will be the pay gap, and one speaker will be Carolyn Donovan, AAUW's representative to the United Nations. It was also decided that with a very full agenda, there will be no special entertainment. Branch baskets will again be included. Elections will take place for the following offices: President; Executive VP; Communications VP; Equity VP; and two District Coordinators. Information about nominations will be provided in the "Garden Statement."
Information about "Women as Agents of Change" will also be in the next issue. A brochure will be sent to each Branch, describing WAC and outlining nomination procedures. Make sure your Branch is involved!!
Ginny asks: What bills in the state legislature should AAUW focus on? Arlene Inglis and Sally Goodson will be working toward establishment of a TLC (Trenton Lobby Corps, not "tender loving care") within the next two years.
There are 13 members of the "virtual branch" so far. Sounds like the "wave of the future."
We are reminded that each Branch is expected to have within its bylaws a paragraph about dissolution procedures. Have you double-checked yours?
Postcards are being sent to tardy Branches noting lack of contributions to EF and LAF. Funds are slow coming in! Remember that while EF and LAF are now under the same "umbrella" management, each fund remains a separate entity.
From the North: Sally Goodson and Bettine Avenia will be working on Northern Interbranch meetings, one at the end of January, the other in March. It is hoped that each Branch will send either its president or another member to attend. A link in the form of a student Branch will be developed with Montclair U.
From the South: There will be a Governor's Conference for Women in Atlantic City at the Convention Hall on March 5. Details are not known at this time. Also, two Southern District Coordinators are needed.
Teen Tech will not be held this year. DeVry appears to be no longer available. Efforts are being made to firm up a site for April, 2008.
Sylvia Campbell
State Secretary
By Sally Goodson, Dated November 29th, 2007
Reminder of the next Northern Inter-branch committee meeting: Park West Route 46 West, Tuesday January 15, 6 PM
PLEASE SAVE THE DATE: The AAUW Northern Inter-branch will be held on Sunday, March 30 th, 1 pm at the Bergen Regional Medical Center Conference Room, 230 East Ridgewood Avenue, Paramus, NJ. Lunch and dessert will be provided at no cost. The program topic will be announced shortly.
Sally McWilliams is chair of the Women's Studies Program at Montclair State University. The MSU Women's Studies is hosting a program in February that our AAUW colleagues may find of interest.
Author and feminist activist Ellen Bravo will be speaking on the MSU campus on Thursday, February 21st at 11:30 AM. She'll be talking about her book, "Taking on the Big Boys."
Ellen Bravo is a long-time activist for working women. She began working for 9to5, National Association of Working Women in 1982, when she helped found the Milwaukee chapter, and served until 2004 as its national director. Now Ellen teaches Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, including masters level classes on Family-Friendly
Workplaces and on Sexual Harassment, and serves as a consultant to 9to5.
She coordinates the Multi-State Working Families Consortium, a network of state coalitions working for family-flexible policies. In addition to Taking on the Big Boys, Ellen co-authored (with Ellen Cassedy) The 9to5 Guide to Combating Sexual Harassment and wrote The Job/Family Challenge:
A 9to5 Guide (Not for Women Only. She’s also written numerous articles and reports, including “Quality Part-Time Options in Wisconsin,” funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and an article in the March 2007 special issue of the American Prospect. Ellen is frequently interviewed by the media and is a leading spokeswoman on working women’s issues. A business editor once described her talks as “moving, witty and sometimes bawdy.”
Ellen has served on several state and federal commissions, including the bi-partisan Commission on Leave appointed by Congress to study the impact of the Family and Medical Leave Act. She co-chaired the Economic Sufficiency Task Force of the Wisconsin Women = Prosperity project led by Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton and serves as treasurer for the campaign of Congresswoman Gwendolynne Moore. She is a member of several boards and committees, including the Working for Good Jobs in America Fund, the Work-Life Law Advisory Committee, the Ms. Foundation for Women Advisory Committee, and the Grants Advisory Committee of the Milwaukee Women’s Fund. Among her commendations is a Woman of Vision award from the Ms. Foundation. Ellen lives in Milwaukee with her husband; they have two adult sons. Ellen's website is www.ellenbravo.com
Save the Date - AAAUW Bullying / Harrassment , Saturday, J Brookdale Community College.
PLEASE SAVE THE DATE: The AAUW Bullying / Harrassment (in school and in the workplace) Conference will be held on January 26th, 2008, 9:00am to 3pm at Brookdale Community College.
Sally Goodson
AAUW Northern District Coordinator
By Sally Goodson, Dated June 7, 2007
I truly enjoyed getting this AAUW picnic invitation. This Saturday is not good for me however I hope you will keep me on top of what is happening in the Sussex Branch. I have a 2nd home in Hamburg at Crystal Springs so joining you & your branch will be easy for me. I am also impressed that you have a website. I will save the web address in "my favorites". Wishing everyone a wonderful time with good weather and good company.
Sally Goodson
AAUW Northern District Coordinator
By Adrienne Lesser, Dated May 28, 2007
Carole,
Thanks for the kind note. I had a wonderful time at your luncheon and look forward to working with you and others in your group in the future. AAUW does indeed give us the opportunity to meet and work with enormously talented women.
I hope to see you again soon.
Best regards to all.
Adrienne
By Mary Rapuano and Fatima Yenesel, Dated May 21, 2007
Dear AAUW Members
Thank you once again for giving me, Fátima Yenesel, and Jane Leach, the opportunity to talk about our wonderful experiences in the Dominican Republic. We are in the midst of setting up our next trip and would like to extend an invitation to interested AAUW members. We are planning to go on our trip from Tuesday, November 6th through Sunday, the 11th.
The format for our trip will be similar to years past in that everyone will be responsible for acquiring two suitcases, purchasing supplies, and collecting donations. We want to include educational supplies (books) to our growing list of items.
Thank you,
Mary and Fátima
By Sylvia Campbell, our branch liaison representative to AAUW NJ
Hello again (I'm not out of my job yet, I discover)......
Not wishing to start out with bad news, but....... It seems that Jersey City, Northern Valley, and Summit branches seem to have disappeared. The rest of the picture seems to be stable.
President Ginny Lyttle reports that Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea, will be the speaker at both Brookdale Community College and at the national convention. It is her intention to find a date and a site for him to come to NJ AAUW.
Much time was spent discussing the focus of the January issues symposium, and the topic eventually decided on was Bullying--in schools, in the workplace, in gangs, in the media, and in cyberspace. The date will probably be January 26, 2008, and the site will likely be Brookdale Community College again. The format of the meeing will be similar to that of last year's. Volunteers to help set up and run the meeting are needed. Contact Ginny!
Members who are going to the national convention in Phoenix are urged to let Doris Stewart know at doris.m.stewart@worldnet.att.net. There are concerns raised re the split of EF and LAF from AAUW, and amendment wording re AAUW's "own international business" again raises the issue of the departure of AAUW from IFUW. Delegates are free to vote as they see fit. If your Branch has had elections, please make sure your presidents' e-mail addresses have been sent to Ginny.
The Fall Focus meeting will concentrate on the issue of membership, especially ways by which MAL's can be involved in local Branches. The formation of "satellite branches" (affiliated either with the state or with local branches), as has been investigated in California, seems to have potential. I am sure this will be explored in more detail next October.
The "virtual branch" remains a work in progress. You can access it through www.AAUWNJonline.org.
What's needed? Ideas about what to put on the site, what a dues arrangement should be (it's free now to a Branch member).
The timing of "Women as Agents of Change" will be changed, to make more thorough the process of finding qualified candidates. The state's liaison representatives (Sally Goodson will be your new liaison) will be motivators in the search.
Pay equity and bullying remain key issues. AAUW is interested in learning via legislators why NJ has such a poor male/female equity gap but such a high median income. Plans are being made to be in touch with legislators to investigate that issue. The date of the School Boards Association meeting (fall meeting will investigate bullying) and who the participants will be have yet to be finalized.
EF reports that all but two branches have contributed, and the total is about $41,000. LAF total was$3750. EF and LAF shared the Annual Meeting basket raffle total of $900.
Charitable Trust branch reports will be in the "Garden Statement" and applications for grants can be found on the website.
There will be jobs up for election next year!! Information will be in the next issue of the newsletter. Be thinking ahead about the job you'd like to have.
Teen Tech for next year is a "work in progress." DeVry is undergoing physical structural changes, which means the number of rooms available is firmly set. Suggestions have been made to have two sessions, since there may be a limit of 75 participants at one time. A planning meeting will take place on June 20.
Projected dates for 2007-2008: Fall Focus meeting--October 13; Issues Meeting probably 1/26/08; Teen Tech--3/7/08; Annual Meeting--4/12/08
It has been a nifty four years, this business of being liaison. I've attended lots of interesting meetings, met some great ladies, enjoyed sending you my little newsletter, learned a lot about what makes your branches tick, and found corresponding with you always satisfying. It was especially fine to share your end-of-the-year luncheon or dinner; my regret is that I can't be with the Livingston ladies, because I'm participating in an awards ceremony at Ridge HS. Once again, keep me on your newsletter mailing list (or e-mail list), so that I can keep track of you and join you from time to time.
Sylvia
AAUW SUSSEX COUNTY (NJ) HONORED 2007
AAUW Sussex County Branch Honored at AAUW-NJ Annual Meeting . The AAUW-NJ Annual Meeting was held at the Forsgate Country Club in Cranbury, NJ on April 14, 2007. The Sussex County Branch was one of four branches in the entire state of NJ that received a Certificate of Honor in recognition of its increase in Membership.
AAUW Honored at Sussex County Community College. The Sussex County (NJ) branch of AAUW has long been a supporter of the Sussex County Community College. It has sponsored field trips for middle school girls to the college to assist them in discovering educational opportunities here in Sussex County. They have provided scholarships for Sussex County women majoring in the arts through the Virginia Randall Scholarship for the Arts.
With this history of cooperation, college president Mr. Harold Damato proclaimed November 14th the American Association of University Women Day on the Sussex County Community College campus.
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations are in order for Carol Holmelund, elected state treasurer of AAUW-NJ for 2007-2009. She had been serving as the state secretary for the past 2 years 2005-2007.
SLAVERY IS BACK IN NJ
By Carol Holmelund
Force, fraud and coercion have brought about 25,000 slaves to NJ from all over the world. In a day-long conference held Saturday, Jan. 27, an audience of 200 learned frightening information given by Prof. Terrence Coonan of Florida State University, Linda Rinaldi, NJ Deputy Attorney General, and Chiaki Nishijima of Polaris Project NJ; Mark Kelly of the US Bureau of Immigration & Customs of Newark, and Union County Prosecutor Theodore Romankow. Held at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, the conference was sponsored by the American Association of University Women of NJ with a grant from its national group.
Seventy per cent of our new slaves are women and girls, many children from 12 to 17 years old. Human trafficking is a crime that brings in about $9-billion a year worldwide to the criminals who run the business, and New Jersey is a prime area for bringing in people to work without pay.
Once duped into entering the USA by promises of good life and jobs, workers are kept as slaves by beatings, gang-rapings, and threats to families back home. About half work as sex-slaves, but others are domestics, farm workers, cleaners working for sub-contractors in legitimate businesses, in restaurants, nail parlors, and more.
It is difficult to detect this crime. Workers are moved frequently, and often don’t know where in the US they are. They are forced at gunpoint to call home and say all is well. Citizens and communities must help by looking beneath the surface, noticing signs such as no English language ability, a group leader who always speaks for the group, bruises and signs of violence, wall-to-wall mattresses on a bedroom floor. Call your local police or county prosecutor’s office asking for the Human Trafficking Liaison if you see such signs.
Non-governmental agencies such as Polaris Project help by offering care and safety to escaped slaves while awaiting the trial of their captors, and more safe houses are needed, creating a modern underground railroad.
COMMUNITY ACTS OF KINDNESS
- Share your umbrella with someone who doesn't have one.
- Write a thank-you note to a mentor or someone who has influenced your life in a positive way.
- Always say please, thank you, and you’re welcome with a smile, you’ll get them back!
- Leave an extra big tip for a friendly waiter or waitress.
- Defend others. Speak up when you hear someone use a racist remark, whether it’s a family member, neighbor, co-worker, friend or stranger.
- Discuss stereotypes and intolerance you see in what your child watches on television.
- Demonstrate a deep respect for other cultures, races and walks of life so that your children will, too.
- Pick up trash at playgrounds, schoolyards, or other community areas.
- Know your neighbors. Talk to them about safety, security and even noise level on your street.
- Organize a neighborhood clean-up day.
- Vote. Educate yourself about issues affecting you, your community, and our nation.
SIGNS OF A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HEART ATTACK
Women and heart attacks (Myocardial infarction)
Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have when experiencing a heart attack, such as the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest and dropping to the floor.
For symptons, signs, and risks of a heart attack, especially for women, please click the following links for additional information:
http://www.medicinenet.com/heart_attack/page2.htm
http://www.medicinenet.com/heart_attack/article.htm
Do remember the following:
1. Call the Paramedics if ANYTHING unpleasant happens to your body that you have not felt before. It is better to have a "false alarm" visitation than to risk your life guessing what it might be! Do NOT call your doctor. The Paramedics have the required materials, principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Doctor will be notified later.
2. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER--you're a hazard to others on the road, and so is your panicked driver who will be speeding and looking anxiously at what is happening with you, instead of the road.
To advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. 
