AAUW-PA January 2013 FYI
Two opportunities for involvement this Wednesday, January 23, in Harrisburg:
1. The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania invites AAUW-PA members to attend a press conference at the Capitol Rotunda at 1pm, regarding their case study of pipelines in Lycoming County, PA, which was funded through a grant from the US Dept. of Transportation. AAUW-PA has a Marcellus Shale position.
2. CeaseFirePA.org is holding a rally at noon to take a stand against gun violence. This is info for personal interest, because we have no stated AAUW-PA position.
Conversations: Expect a call from a state board member to your branch in February, because it’s once again time for Conversations
National Convention is in New Orleans from June 9-12. If you’re planning to attend, the Best Value registration pricing ends February 3, so don’t delay.
Awards Deadline Feb. 15 for Outstanding Woman, Teal, branch highlights, named gift honorees AND Gateway to Equity: Forms are attached; no form needed for branch highlights. Please consider issuing a press release announcing your honoree. Please remember to submit branch highlights and Teal Awardees to Linda Tozier, aauwpamembership@gmail.com , Outstanding Woman to Suzanne Kerlin at suzkerlin@aol.com, named gift honorees to Pat Byerly (aauwpaad@gmail.com) and Gateway to Equity to Peggy Schmiedecke at: aauwpapp1@gmail.com or Betty Hooker at: aauwpa2@gmail.com or mail to: Betty Hooker at: 820 Cragmoor Road, York Haven, PA 17370. Forms and the Gateway to Equity toolkit are also available at https://aauw-pa.aauw.net/connect/celebrate/ This is an easy opportunity to recognize good work improving the lives of women and girls while also obtaining visibility for branches.
The Annual Meeting will be held on Saturday, April 13 at Toftrees in State College. Members are welcome to book a room at the AAUW-PA rate for Friday night for $99 plus tax and attend an informal pizza dinner, town hall, and a movie at no additional cost. If you’d like to share a room, we can match you with a roommate which will reduce your room cost to $50 plus tax. If we can’t find you a roommate, the board pick up the difference. Let Pat (aauwpaad@gmail.com) know by March 18.
New Election Voting Process for AAUW-PA: The Board approved a system for members of AAUW-PA to vote by mail for elections if they are unable to attend the April annual meeting. There will be information in the Keystoner, and there will be a special mailing to branch presidents that should arrive mid-February.
Get out the Vote (GOTV) branch recognition in April: We will give participating branches a certificate. If your branch did GOTV activities, and is not listed here, please contact Peggy Schmiedecke at: aauwpapp1@gmail.com orBetty Hooker at: aauwpa2@gmail.com or mail to: Betty Hooker at: 820 Cragmoor Road, York Haven, PA 17370. If you have questions, you may call Betty Hooker at 717-266-1025.
Branches to be recognized are: Allentown, Beaver County, Bethlehem, Easton, Eastern Delaware County, Erie, Hazelton, Huntingdon/Juniata College AAUW Student Group, Lansdale, Murrysville Area, North Hills-McKnight, Towanda, Washington, West Chester-Chester County, and York.
AAUW-PA offers five NCCWSL scholarships — Do you know any college students who want to be leaders? If so, tell them about the FIVE (!) AAUW-PA scholarships (available for students who reside or attend college in PA) to attend the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL), May 30-June 1, 2013, at the University of Maryland. Students participate in leadership training, a Graduate School Fair, celebrating Women of Distinction, and more.
Students often don’t know about the conference or can’t afford to attend, so we need you to tell them. Please spread the word.
Scholarships cover the early-bird registration fee of $395, which includes all programming, housing, and five meals. Additional costs to the student include transportation, additional meals, and optional pre-conference activities. If several students from PA attend, they could perhaps carpool.
For an application form, go to: https://aauw-pa.aauw.net/connect/collegesuniversities/. Applications are due March 12, 2013, to Cathy Wieland, AAUW-NCCWSL, 43 North Grant St., Palmyra, PA 17078, or by email at cathywielandaauw@verizon.net.
For more information about the conference, go to: http://www.nccwsl.org/
New AAUW-PA Social Media Coordinator: Michele Buford of Pittsburgh branch has accepted the position of social media coordinator. Michele is also a member of the national social media taskforce. We thank Lisa Frikker-Gruss for her expertise and guidance to enable AAUW-PA to have useful sites.
CQ State Track being launched: AAUW now has a high-tech legislative tracking tool to help us take effective and timely action on policy issues on the state level. CQ State Track will be used to create a profile for each state. There will be more information to follow in the Keystoner and at the April meeting.