President's Message

Welcome to our 2026-2027 season, I look forward to working with all of you. We have an exciting year ahead with speakers at branch meetings, on-going projects and special interest groups. Our first branch meeting is Saturday, Oct 3, at the Collier County Education Association, 6710 Lone Oak Blvd, Naples, FL, just off Airport-Pulling. Teresa Stohs and Diane Moore from the Collier County League of Women Voters will speak about the proposed constitutional amendments on the November ballot.

Coming events include:

Dec 5 Holiday Luncheon and Silent Auction

Feb 8 Public Policy/Foundation event

Apr 3 Scholarship luncheon

Donna McCoy is chairing the planning of our Holiday Luncheon and Silent Auction, our major fundraiser for the Branch. She is looking for volunteers to help. I know it seems early, but it is time to think about items you can donate in support of the Silent Auction. Please contact Donna (d.mccoy919@gmail.com) for more information and to volunteer! As in the past, these proceeds support a girl for Tech Trek.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Christine Basler (cgbasler01@gmail.com) signed up as a leader for a Greater Naples AAUW team for the American Cancer Society Making Strides event on Oct 24 at the Paradise Coast

Sports Complex, 3940 City Gate Blvd S N, Naples. To support the walk, use the event website and enter “Christine Basler” as the team captain. I encourage your support for this walk since this cancer affects so many of us!!

As I look at previous correspondence and meeting minutes, the continuing need for volunteers in various capacities stands out. We are a volunteer organization with many opportunities to give back to our community. Please consider volunteering for special events (Holiday Luncheon comes to mind), for Branch board, committee positions and for

our many meaningful projects. We survive on volunteerism to support our Branch and our community involvement!

Lastly, I encourage you to renew your membership in a timely manner by using the link on the national AAUW website. The current (May) issue of our Gulf Breeze Newsletter has a diagram explaining how to navigate the website.

I’m looking forward to working with all of you in the next couple of years!!

Ginger Kelly

Public Policy Report

Summer, 2026 has been a busy time for the Education Ambassadors Subcommittee. Our top priority has been education and advocacy on Amendment 3 on property tax reduction that will appear on the November 3 General Election ballot. While schools are initially excluded, school funding will be indirectly affected. As part of our efforts, we distributed a new Palm Card created by the LWVFL Education Action Committee at the Nuestras Tierra festival in Immokalee and to our Members on Call. English and Spanish versions will continue to be distributed at subsequent events prior to November

3. In addition, we prepared a Letter to the Editor to the Naples Daily News on this issue for our coalition executives to sign. It was published on August 29.



Education Ambassadors had representatives present at all summer meetings of the Collier County Board of Education. At the September 9 meeting, we made a public comment on the budget, urging support, but warning of financial threats in the future. We also continued to monitor implementation of a new regulation restricting enrollment in State Colleges and adult education courses to only “lawfully present" applicants. We discussed the impact on dual enrollment with CCPS administrators and urged our Members on Call to submit comments on an additional new proposed rule that would

also bar undocumented students from enrolling in public Career and Technical Education programs. The Public Policy Committee will have a Welcome Back meeting during the week of October 18th at the new meeting facilities of the Collier County Community Foundation on Vanderbilt Road, date and time to be announced.

Donations Needed for Holiday Silent Auction

Those of you who have traveled north for the summer, I hope you’re enjoying your time reconnecting with friends and family there. And for those of you who, like me, spend the summers here at home in Naples, I hope you’re taking advantage of having Naples to ourselves! Although it is still very much summertime, the holidays will be here before we know it. Planning is already underway for our Annual Holiday Luncheon and Silent Auction to raise funds for our AAUW Branch. The Luncheon will be held on Saturday, December 5th at Countryside Golf and Country Club.

We need your help to make sure this event – and the branch programs that it supports – is a success. We are seeking donations of auction items. Have you received a lovely gift that you are unable to use? Donate it! Ask restaurants, stores or salons that you frequent to donate gift certificates. Do you have a skill or talent? Donate a handmade item or offer lessons! I’m donating a mahjongg set and 4 lessons. Maybe you are a skilled artist, baker or jewelry crafter and can donate one (or more) of your creations. Host a pool party or luncheon at your home or clubhouse. You can bring the items to a chapter meeting, or I can pick it up from you. Please contact Donna McCoy (423-416-4791) if you have any questions, need me to pick up your donation, or if you’re available to help on the day of the event.

Scholarship Committee

Did you know that Greater Naples AAUW awarded 17 Scholarships to deserving women in 2026? Are you interested in being part of this selection process in 2027? Please join us for the first meeting of the Scholarship Committee on Friday, October 16th at 11am! The scholarship awards made annually are a cornerstone for our branch activities and we invite all members who would like to take part in this selection process for 2027 to join us. 

We are getting started early this year because we will be opening our scholarship submission window on December 1st. The first committee meeting is when we divide and conquer the marketing efforts of our available scholarships. If you potentially have community connections that will help us get candidates to apply, we would appreciate your participation in this meeting. Please email Rebecca Roberts at rebeccaroberts625@gmail.com and you will be added to the email list to receive communications regarding the Scholarship Committee for the upcoming season. A Zoom link will be sent out for those that would like to participate in this meeting. Thank you! Please contact Scholarship Director Rebecca Roberts 239-318-9479 with any questions.

Judy Martin Welch READING IS FUN! Program

AAUW will conduct book distributions this school year at Golden Terrace Elementary and Lavern Gaynor Elementary. When the media specialists/librarians have their schedules for the year firmly in place, we will be able to set the dates for the distributions. Volunteers are needed so if you would like to join in the fun, contact Reading Is Fun Coordinator Judy Blackburn at 732-801-7913.

Special Interest Groups

The Great Decisions group will meet on Monday, October 5th, from 2:00-3:30 p.m. via Zoom to discuss U.S. foreign policy. This month’s topic is Ukraine and the Future of European Security. Everyone is welcome! Please contact Carol Light for the Zoom link if you are interested and not yet on her Great Decisions email list.

The Fiction/Non-fiction Book Group will meet on Friday, October 9th, to discuss The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong. Contact Susan Becker for details.

The Non-Sequiturs Group will meet on Thursday, October 15th, for a book talk on Greek by Osmosis by Laura Candris at Laura's home. Contact Nancy Beights for details.

The last virtual book group discussion until May will take place on Monday, October 19th at 11:00, Naples time. Barb Richardson will facilitate our discussion of Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray about Frances Perkins, Secretary of Labor under FDR. All are welcome! Contact Laura Candris for details.

On Wednesday, October 21st, Kathleen Hawryluk, a member of AAUW and an Ikebana (Sogetsu) Instructor, will present an Introduction to Ikebana at her studio. Time: 10 a m - noon Cost: $25 per student Address: 5081 Tamarind Ridge Drive, Naples,. Parking Limited please carpool. Minimum number of students: 10 Maximum 20. Please bring a clippers and an apron. Flowers, greens and containers provided.You will take home your own design in a provided container. There will be a short demonstration, followed by time for you to make your own creation, and then a very gentle critique and opportunity for picture taking. A fun morning for all. If interested, please contact Carol Siwinski 215-913-7667 and bring your contribution to the first branch meeting Oct. 3.

The first meeting of the Non-Fiction Book Club is at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, October 26th at the North Collier County Government Center Community Room, 2335 Orange Blossom Drive, Naples. The book selection is Wild Thing: A Life of Paul Gauguin by Sue Prideaux. We will meet on the following dates at 2:00 p.m. at the Government Center except for December.

October 26

November — No meeting

December 2 — home of Karen Clegg, Lunch at 1:00 followed by book discussion

January 25

February 22

March 22

April 26

All members are welcome. If you need further information, contact Non-Fiction Book Club Coordinator Karen Clegg, clegg115@gmail.com; 913-488-7707.

Save the Date!

Branch Meetings

October 3 - Teresa Stohs and Diane Moore from the League of Women Voters Collier County will discuss the three proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution that will be on the November ballot.

November 7 - James Chan from FSW will speak on AI in everyday life. 

January 9 - Lt. Wade Williams of the Collier County Sheriff's Office will speak about Human Trafficking.

February 6 - Jacqueline Coronel, an immigration attorney, will talk about immigration in Immokalee.

March 6 - Mary Domack from the Shelter for Abused Women and Children will speak.

Special Events

December 5 Holiday Luncheon and Silent Auction - Auction at 10:30; luncheon at 11:30. Countryside Golf and Country Club, 600 Countryside Drive

February 8 Catherine E. Hackney, PhD Lecture - “Higher Education under Attack: The Florida Perspective.” Speakers: Dr. Nancy Van Note Chism, PhD, Professor Emerita of Higher Education Administration, Indiana University and Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, IUPUI, and Dr. Michael V. Martin, PhD., President Emeritus of FGCU. Reception at 5:15, followed by the program. Grace Lutheran Church, Park Shore. 



April 3 Scholarship Awards Celebration Luncheon - Speaker: Dr. Starlette Sinclair, PhD., Associate Professor of Psychology, Florida Gulf Coast University & Chair, Institutional Review Board, Department of Psychology program coordinator, Honors College faculty fellow. Topic: "Gatekeeping: The importance of barrier-breaking, radical optimism, and lifting while we climb.” 11:30 a.m. Tiburòn Golf Club.