Monterey Peninsula
Messenger
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Monterey Peninsula Branch |
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Calendar of Coming Events
Thursday, May 12, 11:30 AM - May Branch Meeting. Rancho Cielo lunch and tour. Reservations required by May 4. Election of new board.
Sunday, June 5, 4:00 - 6:00 PM - June Branch Meeting. Art and Local Scholarship. Bringing together AAUW members, featuring those who are artists, to share an evening of wine and appetizers. Home of Maureen Vieth.
Sunday, August 14, noon - 2:00 PM - Annual picnic at Whispering Pines Park on Pacific Street, Monterey.
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MAY BRANCH LUNCHEON MEETING
Rancho Cielo Tour & Board Elections
Date: Thursday, May 12
Time: 11:30 AM
Location: Rancho Cielo, 710 Old Stage Road, Salinas (Click here for a map.)
Enjoy lunch in the country! Located on 100 acres, Rancho Cielo is a comprehensive learning center for underserved and disconnected youth. Set in the countryside, the site is designed to build self-sufficiency and self-esteem.
Accompanied by the Executive Director, AAUW members will tour the facilities that embody the Ranch’s belief that every young person deserves to have the choice whether to go to college, to work or both. You’ll see the student housing and the many recreational, educational and vocational resources that transform the lives of disenfranchised youth and empower them to become productive and responsible citizens.
Following the tour, we will be served a scrumptious lunch made by the Ranch’s Drummond Culinary Academy students. There will be a short business meeting to elect new officers. Please join us. Bring a friend, they’ll thank you.
Menu: Italian Theme Buffet (Guided by "EJ" Chef Estevan Jimenez)
· Shaved Spring Vegetable Salad (carrots, cucumbers, radishes, beets, hazelnuts, feta, white balsamic vinaigrette)
· Glazed Carrots (honey and thyme)
· Roasted Free Range Chicken (RC Rub, Preserved Lemon)
· English Pea Risotto (Parmesan, fine herbs, pea shoots)
· Crispy Skin Striped Bass (Sorrel pesto, red wine butter)
· Artichoke and Fontina Agnolotti (Roasted artichokes, wilted spinach, sun dried tomato, capers, CA Olive Oil)
· Dessert – Lemon Sorbet, Fresh Berries and Mint
Reservations and payment of $35 will be required by May 4, sent to Maureen Vieth at 25320 Boots Road, Monterey, CA 93940. If you are attending the April 30 meeting at Whispering Pines, save a stamp and hand Maureen your cash or check then. Holding your spot now can be done by email ([email protected]) or by phone (831 264-3658). We need at least 20 participants, so friends and guests are invited; a wonderful way to encourage a new member. Carpools will leave from California Pizza Kitchen by 10:45.
Maureen Vieth and Karen Hall, Programs
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JUNE BRANCH MEETING
Scholarship Recipients Featured at Art Show and Auction Fundraiser
Date: Sunday, June 5
Time: 4:00 - 6:00 PM
Location: Home of Maureen Vieth, 25320 Boots Road, Monterey, CA 93940
(This meeting will be held in person unless state/county governments apply restrictive Covid guidelines prior to the meeting. Click here for a map.)
Please join us for this fundraiser hosted by our Local Scholarship Committee and Maureen Vieth in her beautiful home! Meet three scholarship recipients who will talk about how our scholarships helped them in their journey to achieve their educational and career goals. One of the recipients, Kenya Burton, poet laureate of Salinas, will recite an inspirational poem.
This program will also feature beautiful works of art, ranging from paintings to hand-sewn quilts, created by our very own members. Some pieces have been donated for the fundraiser. If you would like to participate in the art show by displaying and/or donating your work of art, please contact Local Scholarship Co-Chairs Noelle Hetz (408-205-5079) or Maggie Pedersen (713-206-6507) as soon as possible.
Wine and appetizers will be served. We hope you can join us for this fun early evening event! Kindly RSVP by May 29 to Maggie Pedersen (713-206-6507 or [email protected]).
If you are unable to attend the fundraiser and would like to make a donation to the Local Scholarship Program, please make checks payable to "AAUW-MPB Local Scholarships" and send to Jeanne Krener, 25180 Pine Hills Drive, Carmel, CA 93923-8965. The LS Program is a 501(c)(3) program.
Due to your generous donations (and a significant memorial gift and two grants) in the past year, we are able to award $16,000 in scholarships this year to 8 students ($2,000/student) attending CSUMB, MPC, and Hartnell. Thank you so much!!
Maggie Pedersen & Noelle Hetz - Local Scholarships Chairs
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August Picnic - Save the Date
Save Sunday, August 14, noon to 2:00 PM, for our annual August picnic. This year it will be at Whispering Pines Park on Pacific Street in Monterey. It's a great way to re-establish connections with other members in preparation for the activities of the coming year. An eblast will come to you in summer with details, but for now, do put it on your calendar.
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PRESIDENTS' MESSAGE
What is an advocate?
According to Merriam/Webster, an advocate is (1) one who defends or maintains a cause or proposal [such as an advocate of education for women], (2) one who supports or promotes the interests of a cause or group [such as an advocate for women's health], or (3) one who pleads the cause of another [such as an advocate for social justice].
You joined AAUW because you believed it was important to help advance gender equity and create a more economically secure world for women and girls. You don’t have to march or protest, unless that’s your thing. You can become a Two-Minute Activist. Send emails and texts to your legislators to fight for equal pay, family leave, stopping sexual harassment, equality in education and more. Sign up to get regular alerts to be able to take timely action.
You can find out what the priorities are for AAUW’s Public Policy issues. Here are just a few examples.
· Raise the Federal Minimum Wage
· End Pregnancy Discrimination
· Support the Healthy Families Act
· Support the Gender Equity in Education Act
Read the Public Policy article in this newsletter to find out how several of our members participated in AAUW-CA’s Lobby Week to help shine a light on some key pieces of State legislation to help women.
Kudos to Outgoing Board Members!
The two-year term for some of our Board of Directors is coming to a close on June 30, 2022. A number of the Board members will stay on in the same or different capacities. You will have a chance to vote on the slate of officers for the next two years at our May meeting.
Please join us in recognizing and thanking these Board members who will be leaving the Board at the end of June: Nancy Soulé, Treasurer; Ardith Peck, Co-VP of Membership; Karen Hall, Co-Director of Programs; Noelle Hetz, Co-Director of Local Scholarships; and Susan Mar, Secretary. We also want to thank the members who volunteer for our committees. We appreciate everyone’s dedication and support. The Board is open to your ideas and suggestions. Always feel free to contact any one of us. AAUW-MPB is your organization.
Have a wonderful summer. If you can, please join us for our annual picnic in August. We’d love to see you in person.
Sincerely,
Fatima Dias and Joanne Webster, Co-Presidents
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NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT
Our new AAUW Monterey Peninsula Officers for 2022-2024 will be voted on at our May meeting by a majority of those present. We will vote on the nominees shown below. Other nominations may be made from the floor with permission of the nominee. The following women have agreed to be nominated to lead our branch forward for the next two years, starting July 1, 2022:
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Co-Presidents: Fatima Dias and Joanne Webster
Co-VPs Membership: Julie Smith and Anne Albano
Treasurer: Pat Fletcher
Co-Secretaries: Debbie Hobbs and Maureen Vieth
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Thank you for working on the mission to promote societal change in our community and to further improve women’s places in society through study, action and public policy advocacy. Special thanks to Pat Fletcher and Debbie Hobbs for serving on the Nominating Committee.
There are also positions appointed by the Board, not part of the election process. The following members have agreed to serve if appointed:
Tech Trek: Sharyn Siebert
Local Scholarships: Kathy Greenwald and Maggie Pedersen
Public Policy: Marilyn Erickson
Programs: Deborah Stern
AAUW Fund: Gabriele Simbriger-Williams
Communications: Caryl Rojas
We are also looking for volunteers to serve on either the Membership or Programs Committee. If you are interested, please contact Joanne Webster at [email protected] or Fatima Dias at [email protected].
Marilyn Erickson, Nominating Committee Chair
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While we are on the subject of elections, you may be confused by the fact that both AAUW National and AAUW California have elections at about the same time. You vote on each of them separately. This may help you sort out the two. |
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AAUW-California
This election runs April 23 - May 14, to elect members to the board of directors. You will receive an email ballot which must be returned by May 14. Candidate information is available at https://www.aauw-ca.org/. Here are the candidates:
Four Directors (2-year term 2022-2024)
• Karen Vanderwerken
• Sharyn Siebert (member of our branch)
• Marsha Swails
• Dawn Johnson
• Lenore Gallin
Three Directors (1-year term 2022-2023)
• Kathleen Harper
• Janice C. Lee
• Shauna (Oenning) Ruyle
• Stormy Miller Sabia
Secretary (2-year term 2022-2024)
• Tracey Clark
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AAUW National Election
This election opened on April 6 and voting closes at 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday, May 16. You are asked to elect members to the national AAUW Board of Directors and to weigh in on changes to the bylaws that would streamline the nominations process and ballot administration. All the information you need is on AAUW's
National Election page. Paper ballots have been mailed to those without email addresses on file and must be postmarked by Friday, April 29. Those with email should have received their Member ID, Voter PIN and a link for voting. If you have questions, contact them at [email protected].
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Tech Trek
Our Excited Tech Trek Campers!
Interviews are over and we selected eight wonderful young ladies to attend Tech Trek Camp this summer. Six of the campers will attend in person at Fresno State June 12 – 18. Two of our campers (twins!) will attend our June 19-24 Virtual Camp. Girls were selected from John Gutierrez Middle School in Salinas, Seaside Middle School in Seaside and Walter Colton Middle School in Monterey. We know they will have a wonderful time and we look forward to hearing about their experience at our Tech Trek fundraiser in the fall.
Pat Fletcher, AAUW MPB Tech Trek Director
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PUBLIC POLICY
Lobby Week was April 11-16. Sharyn Siebert was to have led our team to discuss the following three bills before the California Legislature by meeting with staff in State Senator Laird’s office. Unfortunately, the meeting has thus far been unable to take place.
AB 92 provides relief from the burdens that families face in paying for childcare by eliminating the childcare family fees through September 30, 2024. Marilyn Erickson was to speak on behalf of our branch to encourage passage of this bill. AAUW is a cosponsor on this bill, which was held over from the last legislative session.
AB 1666 would prohibit a lawsuit in California state courts of any out-of-state law that imposes civil liability on a person who receives, performs, or aids a person in the state of California in obtaining an abortion. Fatima Dias would have presented our position on this, which is to vote “Yes”.
AB 1968 is the “Uniform Guidance for Sexual Assault Survivors” bill introduced by Assembly Member Kelly Seyarto. Pat Fletcher would have discussed this bill. Under existing law, California’s public higher education systems utilize training for students, faculty and staff to promote environments where sexual assault and violence are prevented in addition to bringing attention to resources to respond to these traumatic events. However, the lack of uniformity on how information is presented on CSU and UC websites can make it a challenge for survivors to find crucial information. This bill helps to eliminate the confusion surrounding reporting options.
Marilyn Erickson, Public Policy Chair
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Morning Books
(via Zoom)
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Mon., May 16, 10 AM
Love Is the Best Medicine
by Nicholas Trout
Leader: Susan Henderson
Mon., June 20, 10 AM
This Is Happiness
by Niall Williams
Leader: Lois Carroll
Mon., July 18, 10 AM
Steinbeck: The Untold Stories
by Steve Hauk
Leader: Margaret Smith
Mon., Aug. 15, 10 AM
The Barbizon: The Hotel That Set Women Free
by Paulina Bren
Leader: LaVerne Whitmill
Kathy Poulson
Coordinator
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Joy of Reading Books
(via Zoom)
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Tues., May 10, 2 PM
The Henna Artist
by Alka Joshi
Leader: Nancy Soulé
Tues., June 14, 2 PM
This Time Next Year We'll Be Laughing
by Jacqueline Winspear
Leader: Meredith Tibbey
Tues., July 12, 2 PM
Circling the Sun
by Paula McLain
Leader: Chris Parmentier
Meeting at Chris' home.
Tues., Aug. 9, 2 PM
The Secret Keeper of Jaipur
by Alka Joshi (will attend)
Leader: Nancy Edwards
Nancy Soulé
Coordinator
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Evening Books
(in homes)
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Tues., May 17, 7 PM
The Honey Bus
by Meredith May
Leader: Diane Kremer
Host: Pat Fletcher
Tues, June 21, 7 PM
The Northern Spy
by Flynn Berry
Host: Miriam Lilley
Book Selection
Miriam Lilley
Coordinator
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Monday Book Group Gets Out |
After two years of Zooming, the Monday Book Group finally got to enjoy a luncheon at Tarpy's. |
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Hiking Group
A hike planning meeting was held April 13. Here is the current schedule.
May 4 - Marks Ranch Hike led by Donna Foote.
May 18 - Point Lobos Hike led by Fatima Dias.
June 1 - Toro Park Hike led by Julie Smith and Anne Albano.
June 15 - Garland Ranch Hike led by Deborah Stern.
July 6 - Deer Flats Walk led by Lucy Campen.
July 20 - Pacific Grove Walk led by Nancy Edwards.
August 3 - Elkhorn Slough Hike led by Judy Nejasmich.
August 17 - Moss Landing Walk led by Ardith Peck.
September 7 - The Preserve Hike led by Fatima Dias.
September 21 - Garrapata Hike led by Chris Parmentier.
Chris Parmentier and Ardith Peck, Co-ordinators
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Nancy Soulé led a fun, informative walk through the historic Old Town neighborhood of Monterey. The "sidewalk tour" featured stories of past occupants and architectural details that can be seen from the outside. You can plan your own Historic Home Walk here:
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Susan Murphy led a hike on the Mission Trail. This included a stop at the historic Flanders mansion in Carmel. |
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Romancing the Coast with AAUW
“Romancing the Coast” is back! We have two events scheduled as well as an organizational meeting in May. The group meets monthly to explore places of interest, mostly within the county but also farther afield.
Walking Tour of Historic Carmel: 10:00 am, Friday, May 20
Meet at First Murphy House, Lincoln and 6th for an informative, easy stroll through historic Carmel led by Carol Young. Optional lunch following, place TBD. RSVP to Carol Young at 831 236-7772 or [email protected].
Elkhorn Slough Boat Tour: 10:00 am, Friday, June 24
Enjoy a morning on the water, explore the slough, spot wildlife and savor an optional lunch after your adventure. The craft is a stable, 27-ft pontoon boat. Tickets are $43 for adults, $40 for seniors over 65. Reservations and payment must be made before June 3. RSVP and payment to Nancy Edwards at [email protected] or 831 238-3606.
Romancing the Coast Planning Meeting: 2:00 pm, Wednesday, May 11
The Romancing the Coast group is eager to have more members join our brainstorming and planning session. The group will plan adventures for the summer and into next year. Carol Young is the contact but leadership of the monthly adventures rotates among the participants. Excursions cover a wide variety of interests and many are at no cost.
We hope you are able to join us to learn more or to propose an adventure. Please join us at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, May 11 at Carol’s home, 905 Ruth Court, Pacific Grove. For questions and to RSVP, please contact Carol at [email protected] or 831 236-7772.
Carol Young, Co-ordinator
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To protect the information of our members, membership directory information about new members and changes for current members will not be shown in the newsletter. Instead, we will list their names, for you to go to the password-protected online directory (see the third column below) to see what is new, allowing you to make changes in your printed directory. - Editor |
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Directory Updates
If there are errors or changes in your directory listing, please tell us so corrections can be made. - Editor
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New Members
Kathy Bauer
Linda Hanger
Catherine O'Connor
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Online Directory
The password to our password-protected online directory on our website in the Member Center is on the second page of your pink membership directory. (If you cannot find it, call Debbie Hobbs, 408-234-2436.) This is where all of our members' contact information is readily accessible.
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New Member Bios
Kathy Bauer
Kathy has a BS from Buffalo State University (New York state) and an MS from San Jose State University. Her careers included Special Education teacher, Instructor at San Jose State University, Parent Educator, Stress Management for Employee Wellness Program, and Director of a local nonprofit, Partners For Peace. She is an avid gardener, photographer, walker and proud mother of two adult children, with two granddaughters.
Linda Hanger
Linda has a BA in Social Welfare from San Francisco State University. She is finally retired, having closed Stone Creek Kitchen, a local business she co-owned for the last 10 years. She has lived on the Monterey Peninsula since 2004, relocating from the SF Bay Area to become President at Evan-Moor Educational Publishers. For the 11 years prior she was the CEO of Nolo Press, a self-help legal publisher in Berkeley. Since she retired, Linda has been helping her husband with his business, taking lots of OLLI classes, going for long walks, and cleaning out long neglected closets. Her husband Dan is a general contractor specializing in water conservation and landscaping, so she has a lovely garden.
Catherine O'Connor
Cathy has a BA in Psychology from Cal State San Francisco and an AA in Nursing from MPC. She worked for Southern Pacific, later moving to Salinas to get married. She has two grown children. After returning to school for her nursing degree, she worked for a local hospital in the pediatric department. Later she became a home visit nurse.
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Board Meetings
(via Zoom)
May 5 at 4:00 PM
June for old and new board members.
In person at the home of Debbie Hobbs.
Date & Time TBD
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Websites
AAUW-MPB
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AAUW-CA
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Sept./Oct. Messenger
Please email articles for the Sept./Oct. newsletter to
Caryl Rojas by Aug. 15.
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AAUW DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS
If you paid the full $98 AAUW yearly dues, $59 of that is tax deductible. In addition, any donations to our charitable funds will be tax deductible for a tax year if paid by December 31st of that year and if you itemize deductions. Note that a donation to any of these three areas can also be made in honor or in memory of a friend or family member.
More information and a donation form (optional) may be found at this link to our website. If making a donation directly from an IRA as a qualified charitable donation (QCD), consult your tax advisor or www.irs.gov for further information.
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Tech Trek
Make check payable to "AAUW-CA SPF"
with Tech Trek in the memo line.
Send to Pat Fletcher
6 Overlook Place Monterey, CA 93940-4106
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AAUW Fund
Make check payable to "AAUW"
with AAUW Fund in the memo line.
Send your check to Gabriele Simbriger-Williams
880 Newton Street Monterey, CA 93940-1210
or donate at aauw.org, including your member ID for credit to our branch.
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Local Scholarships
Make check payable to "AAUW-MPB Local Scholarships".
Send your check to
Jeanne Krener
25180 Pine Hills Drive Carmel, CA 93923-8965
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Newsletter Schedule
Newsletters are published around the 1st of the months of September, November, January, March and May. There will be short "eblasts", containing reminders or special announcements. If you do not receive a newsletter, please contact me so we can fix the problem.
Please note that newsletter content will relate only to AAUW and branch matters, a policy of AAUW National.
Caryl Rojas
Newsletter Editor
(831) 899-9141
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