Our final meeting of the fiscal year, previously known as the Moveable Feast, will be Thursday, May 4, at 6:00 p.m. Our now Immovable Feast will be held in the lower level of Artworks. Please bring a potluck item to share. We will also hold our annual meeting and elect new officers during the evening. Please contact Jennifer in advance to let her know if you plan to attend since we need a head count to know how many tables to set up.

Last Cocktails and Convos Event for this Year

Monday, May 8, 5:30-7:00 p.m.

We will hold our fourth and final Cocktails & Convos event of the year on Monday, May 8, in the lower level of Artworks. Our discussion topic will be Economic Equity. We will share issues on women's financial security, student debt, equal pay, etc. Remember to invite or bring your guests to this program…the discussion is always interesting & educational.

If you need posters to put up at work or other places, click the image at the left to download the poster file. You can also share the Facebook event if you use Facebook.

Marilyn Jablonski

Hello, my name is Marilyn Jablonski and I am co-Treasurer.

I joined AAUW in the 1990's when we moved to Big Rapids. I have been President and previously Treasurer of our branch. I graduated with a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan and later got a Masters in Library Science from U. of M. My jobs prior to Big Rapids were contract specialist, bookkeeper, and librarian. Upon moving to Big Rapids I went to Ferris and became an RN. I worked at our local hospital for 15 years.

My husband and I have had lots of adventures. We have lived in Monterey, Houston, and Richmond in the U.S. We lived for six years in then West Berlin, Germany, surrounded by Communist East Germany. We also lived for three years in Budapest, Hungary, and additional time in Debrecen, Hungary.

In retirement, we still travel-last year to Greece and this year to Ireland. We also drove out to Monterey last year-probably our last hurrah for cross-country drives. I am a long-time volunteer at Artworks and like to garden and visit our daughter and her family which includes our three grandchildren.

I’m Millie Gillies, and for the past few years I have been Secretary for the local AAUW branch. My main service to AAUW has been as Chair of the annual Book Sale, our source of funding for the scholarships we provide each year. I have been a member of AAUW since the 1980’s, and have greatly enjoyed the fellowship of this group.

I was born in Alma, Michigan, moved to Midland when in the 1st grade, and graduated from Midland High before attending the University of Michigan for a degree in general music education. After five years of teaching in the Avondale district, my husband and I adopted a baby boy, and at the time I had to sign away any rights to work outside of the home until he was out of school.

Millie Gillies

So, when he was six months old, we went to Somalia with an AID team sponsored by Eastern Michigan University, where he had been teaching. We spent two years on the campus of NTEC (National Teachers Education College) and almost another two years in Mogadishu, when the College became an accredited University. I taught music at the American School in Mogadishu and directed an adult choir of 60, coming from mixed races and religions. They all took part in our Christmas concerts. Most rewarding, even when I had to put all our copies of music onto ditto masters by hand. Following a major coup, we were asked to leave (all very pleasantly), so we came back to Michigan where we adopted a baby girl and went the next year to UBLS (the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland). We lived for a year in Francistown, Botswana and for another year in Manzini, Swaziland. We came back to Michigan when my son went into school. His first (the British called it “Baby School”) kindergarten was at the Stanley Williams School in Manzini. It’s a very dusty country, and his school uniform (short pants, hat, white shirt and green tie) had to be cleaned every day. He learned nothing, so first grade was greatly appreciated in Dexter, Michigan.

By the time I was able to work again, there were no music teachers being hired, so I found a job as a church secretary, and worked at that in Ann Arbor and then in Big Rapids. I came to Big Rapids thirty-two years ago, when my children grew up and left home and my father asked me to come. I went to Central Michigan University for a Masters in English while working at the First United Methodist Church as secretary, at Immanuel Lutheran Church as choir director, and in the Ferris State University Writing Center.  

Over the years, I have directed three community choirs, a barbershop chorus, two children’s choirs, three different church choirs, and an Annual Conference Choir for the United Methodist Church in Adrian, and I now have a women’s choir in Canadian Lakes. My barbershop quartet was together for more than 20 years, performing at various venues in and around Big Rapids. 

Thanks to Deb Kennedy who compiled the information, we now have an updated membership directory. We've incorporated corrections received since the first release. You can download the updated file here. Please send additional corrections and updates to AAUWBigRapids@gmail.com.

Looking ahead...Save the date!

An AAUW informal "No Agenda Gathering" is planned for Wednesday, August 2nd, 6:00 pm!

Julie Alexander will be our gracious host, and we hope many of you can join our fun.

More details will follow (but plan to bring wine!)

AAUW-Big Rapids | AAUWBigRapids@gmail.com