The Yates County Branch of AAUW is a long-standing community of women, retired and working, who share common interests and promote educational opportunities for women and girls. We currently have 32 members. We are a fairly small rural chapter from central New York in the Finger Lakes region. We normally meet monthly at one of the member's homes.
Our meetings are advertised in the local weekly newspapers and are open to anyone who is interested in the program of the month. We start the year off with a "Build-a-Salad" get-together in the fall and end the year with a Pot Luck Dinner in the spring.
Our total annual dues are $70.00 ($49.00 to national, $13.00 to state and $8.00 to our local branch). This year, in November, our branch will celebrate its 80th Anniversary with a special dinner to commemorate the event. Many of our long-time members will share their remembrances of branch activities, events, and friendships.
We will also distribute copies of "An Informal History of the Yates County Branch-American Association of University Women-1931-1981." This publication was written by Marcia B. Dugan and Hazel M. Smith to commemorate our branch's 50th Anniversary. Grants and Awards.
Each year the Yates County Branch raises money to award a local woman with the Marcia Dugan Interrupted Studies Grant, named for a long-time member who recently passed away. This award currently stands at $1000. Cheryl White was the recipient of this grant in both 2010 and 2011. She continues to work on a degree in Occupational Therapy.
We also contribute a matching amount to the National AAUW Educational Opportunities Fund as a named gift to honor one of our members. Kris Pearson, vice president for membership, was named in honor of the work she has done to promote the membership in our branch. Kris was also named Emerging Leader for this past year.
To raise funds we hold a yearly Used Book Sale in the summer that the community looks forward to and supports, and we coordinate a Turkey Dinner, catered by Steve Owens, and do a Silent Auction. Some other projects from past years were: House Tours, Yard Sales, and 50-50s.
Our branch has organized a monthly Book Group that meets regularly at a local restaurant, The Wagner, in Penn Yan. We meet at lunchtime to enjoy a great lunch, discuss selected books, and enjoy some social time together. For example, we have discussed books by a local area author, Miriam Grace Monfredo, from Seneca Falls: Seneca Falls Inheritance, The Stalking- Horse, and Must the Maiden Die?
We read and recommended on the newly created AAUW NYS site for book recommendations, The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap Between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World, by Jaqueline Novogratz. Other books in the list include: The State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett; and Cleopatra, by Stacy Schiff.
All are welcome. If you live in beautiful, scenic Yates County, permanently or seasonally, we'd love to have you join us.
For more information please contact Cindy Shepardson (Co-President) by email for a newsletter, or Kris Pearson (Membership VP) by telephone at 315-305-4013, or by email if you would like more information about our branch or about membership.
The American Association of University Women advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research. The Legal Advocacy Fund provides funding and a support system for women seeking judicial redress for sex discrimination.