Kingston AAUW Calendar
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Sept 2, 16 - Public Policy Committee meetings
Sept. 6 - Voter Registration at Hannaford, 10 am on. Give an hour or two.
Sept. 14 -Picnic followed by Potluck and a Film - see details below
Sept 16 - Book Discussion, Kingston Library, 1 pm
Sept. 23 - Branch Meeting, Kingston Library,7 pm
October 4 - What's Up With Health Care? Mid-Town Community Center (Armory), 10am - 4pm
Make the KAAUW calendar a favorite and you'll always know what's happening. |
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Coming Events
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Fall Picnic: Sunday, Sept. 14th at ViVi's
Members, partners, and prospective members are
invited to Vivi Hlavsa's home to launch a new AAUW
tradition, a fall potluck picnic. Vice President
for Program Bette Nitzke will moderate a discussion "Coping With the Great
Depression" -- sharing stories of how our elders survived and
thrived during the period from the 1929 crash to WWII. And, we don't mean by using zoloff!
What to bring: a salad or desert to share and a beverage of your choice.
This month's Potluck and a Film will follow at 5pm. Stay or go-- your choice.
Film details and a link to directions below.
Where & When
1:00-5:00PM
ViVi Hlavsa's house
191 Lapla Road
Kingston
Please carpool.
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Potluck and a Film: Le Chiavi di Casa
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From ViVi Hlavsa: On Sunday, June 8th, we'll be meeting at
5 PM at my house (directions here) for our monthly film discussion.
We will see Le Chiavi di Casa or "Keys to
the House." Here's a synopsis: Gianni, the young father of 16-year-old
disabled Paolo, had abandoned the boy at birth. Paulo's aunt and uncle, who
have raised him, contact Gianni asking him to take the boy to Berlin for a battery of medical tests.
Images of people walking, running, skating, and dancing dot the screen as
Gianni and Paulo get to know each other, and Gianni tries to sort out his
obligations and desires with this engaging, mercurial, disabled youth.
Please carpool wherever possible. Bring some kind of covered
dish. We'll eat around 5, watch the movie around 6 and you'll be able to
leave around 8:30 .after a brief discussion. I hope you can make
it.
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Fall and Winter Trips
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Book Discussion Group:
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
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 From Marjorie Regan:
On Sept. 16, 2008 we will discuss The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid . Changez, a Princeton educated Pakistani has a wonderful job in NYC until 9-11 changes everything
We published the 2008-09 reading list in June and on the blog, here. It will also be in the directory.
Do join us at the Kingston Library, Tuesday, September 16 at 1pm.
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| Recent Blog Posts |
Our two websites are updated regularly.The first has AAUW news -- local, state, and national. You'll also find great member profiles with pictures. Recent updates include Pat Whelan, Irene Miller, Doris Goldberg, Ruth Wahtera, and ViVi Hlavsa.
The second,Unofficial Passions, includes a patchwork of things we care about -- blood drives, concerts, legislative issues, book and movie reviews.
Any member can submit items any time. Send them to any Communications Committee member.
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Kingston AAUW Branch Communication Committee
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Garnette Arledge
Doris Goldberg
ViVi Hlavsa
Susan Holland
Doris Licht
Irwin Rosenthal
Ruth Wahtera, Editor
If you have something you would like posted on either the Kingston AAUW or the Unofficial Passions site, e-mail the information to a committee member.
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| Greetings! |
This year officially kicks off with a potluck picnic at ViVi's on Sunday, September 7th. Join us there to hear about plans for the year; enjoy the fall weather, good food, and great conversation.
There's plenty happening -- voter registration, a new TV program, a public policy forum on health care for the whole region, new trips, and, of course, books and bridge.
Our mantra this year: car pool. Ask or offer a ride.
See you at the picnic,
The editor
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President's LetterMembership, Literacy, Voting
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There's lots of excitement
planned for the fall. Do come to our kick-off picnic at Vivi's on September 7th.
Much of the excitement stems from work we've been doing all summer.
Since
Susan Holland and I attended the AAUW State Leadership weekend, we've been
connecting across the river with the Poughkeepsie Branch. Bergie Lechowich, who
serves as both the State's and Poughkeepsie's
membership person, met with our membership committee August 5th. Her
encouragement sparked our enthusiasm. So far, I have sent fifteen prospective
members our new membership packet which includes an invitation letter,
membership form, interests survey, fall calendar of events, and pre-addressed
return envelope. At our voter registration booth at the Kingston Farmer Markets
August 9th, Anne Gordon, Virginia Kohli and I had five people ask
for more membership information. If you would like these packets, let me know,
I will get them to you.
This
month, as President of KAAUW, I invited local leaders active in the literacy
movement* to form a Leading to Reading
steering committee. At our first meeting, Elisa
Geliebter introduced Lisa Libraries
-- a Kingston-based nonprofit which donates thousands of children's and young
adult books to nonprofits. Great things happened! Stacey Rein, Executive
Director of United Way, agreed to share the United Way list of Ulster County
nonprofits serving children so they can benefit. Elisa and the children's
librarian at KAL connected on the library front. Four Kingston AAUW members have
volunteered and we're looking for two more to help with book distribution.
(Commitment - one Tuesday a month.)
Poughkeepsie
AAUW members -- Betty Harrel and others -- volunteer for Lisa Libraries and suggested
we participate, too. If you would like to help or find out more, please
RSVP at 679-5246 or email me.
We
are starting an on-line AAUW student club with our partner, the Ulster
Community College Foundation. College students are eligible for free AAUW
memberships. This idea stems from the Scholarship Awards Program in June that
Susan Holland and I attended. We were impressed with the students at UCCC -- their
drive for higher education and the variety of professions they are pursuing. I
have been in touch with a branch in Brevard,
NC, who offers their college
students training in "How to Negotiate That Important First
Salary." Let me know if you would like to participate as a mentor
and/or a trainer.
I
hope to see you at ViVi's. Let us know if you'd like a ride.
Warmly,
Garnette
*Kiwanis
and the Children's Home, United
Way, Ulster
Literacy, Sunrise Rotary, Kingston Rotary, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys and
Girls Club, Kingston Area Library, and Cornell Extension were invited.
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Branch to Host Regional Conference
What's Up With Health Care?
An AAUW Public Policy Forum
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Providing quality health care at a reasonable cost has challenged our public and private sectors for generations. Today, the number of uninsured people continues to grow -- 47 million, half of them children. But, discussion of solutions is decidedly absent from election campaigns.
The Public Policy Committee has planned the AAUW Region 4 Fall Conference with a public health care forum on Saturday, October 4th. Issues we will explore include:
- How can we provide everyone access to quality health care?
- Who decides what quality health care is?
- What are the benefits and disadvantages of the proposed systems?
To ensure a lively discussion, the morning will begin with a screening of SiCKO by the ever-controversial Michael Moore for those who haven't seen it or would like to see it again. Registration and lunch at noon will be followed by a panel discussion with representatives from the two proposed plans for universal coverage.
The forum will be open to the public as well as to AAUW members from other branches. Several organizations are considering becoming co-sponsors. Committed co-sponsors to-date include the NAACP and Benedictine Oncology Support Services.
We need volunteers to coordinate hospitality for our out-of-town guests and logistics of registration, etc. AAUW folks traveling some distance may want to arrive Friday or stay Saturday night for Kingston's First Saturday. If you can volunteer some time before the event and/or that day, or if you can host a guest, please call or email Irene Miller or Susan Holland.
More details will follow.
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Registering Voters in Person and on TV
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 Registering Voters: Throughout the summer AAUW branch members have been registering voters at special events and farmers markets. If you can give a couple of hours this fall, choose your location: ViVi needs help Saturday, Sept. 6th at Hannaford. Janine Mower can set you up in Woodstock. Anne Gordon is coordinating the Kingston Farmers Market.
Branch TV Program Premiers September 3rd: The team of Janine Fallon-Mower,
Rosalie Zimmerman, Doris Licht, and Garnette Arledge will launch the branch's
voter education television program Wednesday, September 3rd at 8:30
pm. Co-hosting and co-producing television comes naturally to both Janine and
Garnette. Janine produced a weekly show hosted by her husband. Part of
Garnette's post-graduate training was in studio production and script writing.
And, as an author, she has been interviewed nationally on radio and TV. Rosalie
is handling the camera work and Doris is
directing.
The live half-hour, program, Why Vote?, will feature conversations with
weekly guests about why voting is important. After the election, they will
cover other timely topics relevant to AAUW's mission.
The program will air Wednedays on
Woodstock Community TV. Those outside the Woodstock
viewing area can watch on line at www.woodstocktv.org.
We hope to distribute it to the other CTV
channels in the area.
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From the Past
Arlene Bruck, 1963 AAUW Scholarship Winner
by Bernie Carpino, Historian
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We know Arlene Bruck as our capable
Diversity chairperson. However, Arlene's first contact with AAUW was in 1963
when she received an AAUW scholarship upon graduation from Kingston High School.
After college graduation, she joined the Kingston
branch. She has contributed time, talent,
and expertise over the years since.
She coordinated fundraisers for the
Educational Foundation by organizing puppet shows, an evening at the Nutcracker
Ballet, cocktail parties, a Renaissance Fair and international programs. Arlene
chaired a committee that wrote and produced More Than Books, a film widely
shown in the community advocating for the Library.
In the 70's, AAUW recognized a lack
of reporting on child abuse in local hospitals and schools. Arlene chaired a
project that increased awareness and led improved reporting.
As president, 1995-96, Arlene promoted
the AAUW Women In Math And Science Study through a Saturday conference and the
branch held a well attended public panel on the ERA amendment.
Arlene was behind many of the
recognition awards the branch received at the AAUW State Conventions -- raising
child abuse awareness, the film More than Books, the 1991 high school
course Arlene and Mary Leonard wrote covering topics like Gender Equity,
Women's History, and the Holocaust. She receive a grant to study with the NYS
Gender Equity Project.
Arlene has seen AAUW change from an
organization of "white glove" sophisticates to one more liberal and feminist. Locally, we've aged.
Today, under Arlene's leadership,
the Diversity Committee works closely with the KHS Guidance and ESL
Departments. Our focus includes:
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Making refurbished computers available to low income students
- Providing holiday gift certificates to families
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Awarding an annual scholarship to a KHS graduate
to recognize their work promoting understanding and camaraderie among diverse community
groups
Arlene notes that
AAUW's work has contributed to improvement in both the graduation
rate and the number of KHS students going to college.
Does anyone know where there's a
copy of the library film More Than Books? |
September Branch Meeting
Have an Energy $mart Winter
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Patrice Courtney Strong will bring her expertise on energy savings -- free energy audits, opportunities for those of us on low and fixed income, Low Carbon Diet groups based on the book by David Gershon, and much more.
Many of us know Pat from her work with NYSERDA and the Kingston Mid Town Business Association.
Details: September 23, Tuesday, 7 p.m. Kingston Area Library
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News, Transitions, and Celebrations
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Welcome to new members: Susan Hirsch, Pat Whelan, Kaitlyn Brown, Perri Ardman, Judith Irwin, and Lyn Mayo.
*****
Will You Respond to Bribery?
Do you wish the branch would do
more to support your pet project? Ever wonder who else in the branch paints or
quilts? Looking for someone to help you write a letter to the editor? Take three minutes to complete this questionnaire and you might win a $25 Gift
Certificate to the bookstore of your choice. We want a bit more information
about you for the directory and your opinion on branch programming. Everyone who completes the questionnaire by September 7 will be entered into the drawing. ***** Did you ever hear of a wiki? Wiki wiki is Hawaiian for quick, quick. And a wiki is a quick website that teams and committees can use to work on projects together. We've started two -- one for the communications committee and one for the public policy committee. You are welcome to click on the links and take a look around.
*****
Support our supporters --We thank the following businesses for contributing to the wonderful Diversity Friendraiser in August: Hannaford, Shoprite, Sam's Club, The Wine Merchant,
Madden's Fine Wines and Spirits, Rondout, Deising's Bakery, Kentucky Fried
Chicken, Savona's Restaurant, Rondout, Little Italy and Mariner's Harbor, Acapulco
Grill, Ugly Gus Cafe, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Wood.
And our thanks to Arlene Bruck and her husband and Garnette Arledge, who worked so hard to make it happen. Thanks, too, all you AAUW members who contributed, attended, and brought friends. The proceeds go to our Kingston High School scholarship program.
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