Many thanks to everyone who attended our Immovable Feast and Annual Meeting in early May! As the result of the election, I am now the incoming President for the Big Rapids branch. Thank you for your trust in me! Deb Kennedy was elected Vice President for Programs. While this position doesn't officially start until July 1, as you will see as you read the rest of this newsletter, she's already hard at work planning programs for the fall. Millie Gillies has agreed to serve as Secretary for another year. Marilyn Jablonski and Ali Konieczny will continue as co-Treasurers and Sarah Lucas will continue as Membership Vice President. Many thanks to Julie Alexander and Debbie Newman who have agreed to be our co-Public Policy Directors. We can still appoint members to serve in the positions of College/University Relations, Diversity, and STEM. If you have questions or interest in these positions (which we haven't filled before, so you could be the first!), please email me to express your interest.

I recently submitted a branch annual report to AAUW of Michigan. You can download the report below. We really did a lot and much to celebrate over 2022-2023! Kudos to everyone for everything you did to contribute and participate over the past year. I'm looking forward to the year to come!

Leah

Julie Alexander has invited us to a fun, casual gathering at her home at 420 Rose Ave, Big Rapids, and we hope many of you can join our fun! Her only request -- "Bring Wine!" and your own chair. We'll have a picnic menu (not a potluck!) $10-12 person.

We'll send additional details for all events as they get closer. 

PLEASE save the dates!

As always, guests are welcome!

"Welcome Kick off Picnic" Saturday September 9th, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. 

Small Pavilion, North End Riverside Park

Our traditional Three Girls Bakery lunch will be provided as we welcome our new AAUW year! Stay tuned for more information as the date approaches.

"Domestic Violence Month" Tuesday, October 3rd

Time/location TBD

Jane Currie, Executive Director of WISE (Women's Information Services, Inc.) will be our speaker.

Cocktails & Convos style small group dialog will follow.

Thanks to our success in attracting new members during this fiscal year, our branch received three free Shape the Future memberships. We are holding drawings to determine the winners of these free national memberships. If you have renewed your AAUW membership ($94 total for branch, state, and National dues), you will be entered in a drawing for a $72 FREE National membership!

We held a drawing for the first free membership at our May 4 meeting, and Susan Grant was the lucky recipient. Our second drawing will be June 30, and we will hold the final drawing at our September picnic. Be sure you have renewed your membership by June 30 to be eligible for the next drawing! Contact Marilyn Jablonski (231-796-0782) to arrange your payment.

Deb Kennedy

Deb Kennedy is currently our branch co-Membership VP with Sarah Lucas, but on July 1 she will become Programs VP. Deb was born and raised in mid Michigan and is back to the area after many years living in metro Detroit. She has a degree in psychology and sociology from CMU and spent her junior year studying in England where she met her husband Alex. They have been married for over 40 years and have two sons, living in Seattle and Toronto, and 2 adorable Canadian grandchildren, ages 6 and 3.

Deb’s first job was director of a rural human service agency before moving onto a career in business as a Mary Kay Sales Director, then into the political arena.  

While serving three years on the local Board of Education, Deb was recruited, campaigned and elected to the Michigan House of Representatives. She was proud to host AAUW and other groups for Pay Equity Day at the Capitol.

An avid activist, Deb’s volunteer community service has included neighborhood and women’s organizations, church, environmental, and educational involvements. Before moving to Canadian Lakes and joining the Big Rapids branch, Deb was a member of the Wyandotte-Downriver branch where she served in various roles, including President for five years. She is excited to be a new member of AAUW Big Rapids.

Deb has served as Secretary, Membership Vice President, and President of AAUW of Michigan. Her AAUW experiences and her entrepreneurship, political activism and community involvement led to her appointment on AAUW’s national membership committee in 2018.  

Deb enjoys travel, is an avid reader and member of two book groups, but mostly enjoys "net-weaving" with her female friends! 

I am Sarah Lucas and am Vice President of Membership for AAUW. I joined AAUW in Fall of 2021 at the encouragement of my mother, Mary Loesch, who has been a member for quite some time now. I am originally from Big Rapids and moved back to the area 2 years ago to start a position at Ferris State University teaching Philosophy.

Sarah Lucas with Willow and Maeve

My academic career started at Ferris as well. I graduated with a Bachelor of Integrated Studies in Philosophy and Religious Studies, then taught English as a second language in Daegu, South Korea for a year before getting my master’s in Philosophy from Western Michigan University.

I then worked as an office manager and licensed sales associate at Farm Bureau Financial Services in Flagstaff Arizona before starting my PhD at Purdue University in Philosophy. I am currently finishing up my dissertation with the plan to graduate this December.

Moving back home has been wonderful. I’ve been able to reconnect with friends and become closer with family as my family grows. My husband and I have two wonderful daughters, Maeve and Willow. We have loved getting reacquainted with the area and I have really enjoyed becoming more involved in the community. We love to travel and look forward to building stronger community bonds and growing our family in Michigan.

AAUW-Big Rapids | AAUWBigRapids@gmail.com