Welcome to a new AAUW year! As the Executive Board plans projects and programs into the future, we'd really like to know about your interests and preferences so we can align our programming with activities that will be fun, impactful, and relevant to our membership. Deb Kennedy has coordinated a survey that we hope all members will take time to fill out and submit. Thanks for your input! (Note: We distributed this survey in Gmail message a few weeks ago, but the Submit button in the message did not work, so please take the survey again if you think you already did it. Thanks!)

We have a number of volunteer opportunities including one-shot, ad hoc, and longer term commitments.



• Deb Kennedy is looking for volunteers to bring refreshments to events throughout the year, including the October 3 and November 14 events listed below. Contact Deb for more information.

• Jennifer Cochran and I have volunteered to serve on an ad hoc committee to revise our branch bylaws. All branches across the country need to update their bylaws in order to be in compliance with recent changes to national and state bylaws, and our branch bylaws were due for a refresh anyway. Jennifer and I would be delighted to have a third member to our committee to complete this task, which we expect can be accomplished in a relatively short time period. Please contact me if you are interested.

• I have been serving as the branch's internal and external communications point person for several years, and the job has grown to the point that it would be more efficient to have a communications team. Our communications efforts currently include Facebook, a Google account, occasional press releases to the Pioneer, posting our events to online community events calendars, and designing/updating print documents (e.g. brochures, bookmarks, posters). We also have a shell for a website, but I have not yet had time to develop it. If you have writing, social media, Google Apps, or web design skills, it would be great to form a team that could share in accomplishing these tasks and expanding our communications. Please contact me for more information and to express interest.

I'm looking forward to a great year with the help of all of you, especially our great team of board members! I hope to see many of you at the upcoming events highlighted below.

Leah Monger

AAUW-Big Rapids President, 2023-2024

Many thanks to Jennifer Cochran who is coordinating the upcoming candidate forum for the Big Rapids City Commission. Thanks also to Susan Grant for agreeing to be the moderator for the event. The forum is a great opportunity for the public to get informed about those looking to serve the city, and that the event will be recorded on Facebook Live and posted on the city website for those who cannot attend.

Tuesday, November 14, 6:00 mingle/6:30 museum tour

Museum of Sexist Objects

Starr 314, 901 S. State Street, Big Rapids

Take a walk through history and see the latest displays including the new BARBIE collection....over 80 Barbies!

Great guest opportunity!

Our tour guide is AAUW member, Dr. Tracy Busch, PhD, Professor of History & Director of MOSO 

Education: PhD, Georgetown University, Russian and European History; BA, Vassar College, 

Images from the Museum of Sexist Objects

Diane Blain volunteers at the Little Schoolhouse at School Section Lake and is a new (re-enrolled!) AAUW member. See her bio below. On June 17, twelve of us were treated to Diane's tour of the one room schoolhouse and her recounting of the fascinating history of the "Old Settlers." We enjoyed lunch together at the Antlers Fireside Grill in Canadian Lakes afterwards.

 Julie Alexander invited us over to her house in July for a casual NO AGENDA DINNER gathering. Twenty-two of us loved our time and conversation together on her deck. It seems our members occasionally like to play more than do business!

Thanks to all participating in these special activities.

We had twenty-two members attend the September 9 picnic that kicked off our branch year. It was great to see so many of us after the summer hiatus, and it was a picture-perfect day. If you missed the picnic, most of the information shared during the business portion of the get-together is covered in this newsletter, and we have a photo to show you the networking and socializing that you missed.

December -Holiday Dinner and awarding of scholarships

January - Possible virtual program for Black History Month

February - Festival of the Arts - AAUW sponsored program

March - Women's History Month/Equal Pay Day

April - Book Sale (Possibly a special educational fun event)

May - "Immovable Feast" and Annual meeting

Hi, my name is Kathi Parker and I’m your new recording secretary. Previously I was AAUW Program Coordinator (during the pandemic) and various book sale responsibilities. I felt being an AAUW member has brought me full circle, as my mother was active in her AAUW group!

I was born in Fremont, Michigan, enjoying a typical 50’s childhood with two brothers and one sister. My parents and grandparents were teachers so it felt natural to go into education. I began at Central Michigan University, and continued at Northern Michigan University after marrying Tom & moving to the U.P. We purchased an old school house and spent seven years refurbishing it into a home, with hardwood floors and blackboards in our garage.

Kathi Parker

I taught for three years and then took off 10 years to raise my son and daughter. During that time I served on a township board, a school board, chaired millage committees, directed a junior choir, began a children’s gymnastics program, and wrote for the local newspaper.

While living there I was trained in the dyslexic method. As a classroom teacher my students scored the highest in Michigan, twice. I was convinced it was because for three years one hundred percent of the students learned to read and spell using the dyslexic method.

After my husband died I moved here in 2003 to be near my ailing mother. Hired as a reading specialist, I taught first and second grade classrooms to read and spell using the dyslexic method. I developed my own program and after I retired in 2013, I spent four years editing it. This made the materials available for free. Currently people from all over the world are using my materials and I couldn’t feel more humbled. Visit my website at connectphonicsandspelling.com.

My interests are hiking/snowshoeing, yoga, reading, lettering, and genealogy. I have a one year old cavalier Tilly and one grandson, 6 year old Jack. He lives in Kalamazoo with my daughter Val and her husband Mark. My son, Don lives in Williston, ND and works as a civil engineer. Currently I tutor reading at Angels of Action and still get a thrill when students become so proud of themselves. I feel honored to be a part of a group of such amazingly talented women who are willing to go the extra mile to make the world a better place. May we band together to continue to rise up strong for women’s causes.  

Diane Blain

Hi! I'm Diane Blain and not new to AAUW. I was a member previously, then life got in the way, so I'm back.

I grew up southeast of Grand Rapids, graduated from Western Michigan University and taught Family and Consumer Science in Caledonia for 13 years. When FCS died in the mid-80's I went back and got another Master's Degree in Elementary Education.

 I taught 2nd and 3rd grades for 19 years. During that time I authored The Boxcar Children's Cookbook. 

I was a Fullbright Scholar and traveled to Japan, Thailand, and China. I also did ocean research on a tall ship with Sea Education Association, helped do ocean charting in the Alleutians of Alaska in the Teacher at Sea Program with NOAA, and participated with the Teacher on the Trail Program in the Iditarod.

My husband and I are both Scuba divers and have completed over 500 dives in Cozumel where we now spend our winters. We continue to enjoy traveling to many other parts of the world and in our own country.

After retirement we built our home on Horsehead Lake in 2005. I taught for Western Michigan University and Ferris State University in their teacher education programs. I was also an educator with Michigan State University Extension. My husband and I fish the Great Lakes in the summer for walleye and salmon. I work with the Little River School which is a one-room school on School Section Lake and our group offers a program called "A Day in a One-Room School" which is open to 3rd grade classes in Mecosta County. My husband and I have also been Great Lakes Lighthouse keepers for 10 years, enjoying our time in Ludington.

We have two grown children; our daughter, son-in-law, and grandboys live in Rockford and our son lives on Horsehead Lake.

I am excited to be a member of AAUW because of its belief in promoting, supporting, and empowering women to be leaders in their education and career goals.

Hello, I am Sandra Braden. I was born in Cairo, Egypt. I grew up in Reed City and spent summers abroad in Egypt with family. I moved to Big Rapids when I was in middle school where I spent the rest of my youth and graduated from Big Rapids High School. I attended Grand Valley State University and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in International Relations and Middle East Studies Minor. During my time at Grand Valley, I was a member of GVSU’s Cultural Appropriations Committee, participant in Model Arab League, member of International Relations Organization, member of Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society and President of Arab Culture Club.

Sandra and Justin

Following graduation, I was awarded the U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship and went to Washington DC following a summer abroad in Oman to study and achieve a proficiency certification in Arabic. I returned to Grand Valley State for my Master's Degree in Public Administration with Concentrations in Public Management and Urban/Region Policy Planning. I was a Graduate Assistant for Grand Valley’s McNair Scholars Program, and I also did my Graduate Internship with the City of Hudsonville. I was a member of GVSU’s Graduate Student Association, Executive Board Member of International City/Country Management Association, and member of Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society for Public Administration. For work I help with marketing for my mother’s business, Nawal’s Mediterranean Grille, Gourmet Cupcakes & Dessert along with managing the Mecosta County Visitors Bureau and Welcome Center here in Big Rapids. I am a Board Member and Treasurer for WISE. I work with many in the community and enjoy networking and coming together to bring out the best here in Big Rapids. I look forward to new chapters in my work career and hope to pursue new career goals in the public and nonprofit sector as well. 

I have had many exciting things happen in my personal life this past year. I am engaged to a wonderful man named Justin and we are getting married this September. We also purchased our first home together in Big Rapids and love the Victorian home and its charm – we are working hard to make this home our own and all the projects along the way and building memories together. In my free time I love to spend time with family and friends, cook, movies, books, and travel. I love my church community at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Grand Rapids as well, they have been great support for me during wedding time and my faith. 

I am happy to have joined AAUW and thank my best friend Sarah Lucas for inviting and introducing me to everyone and the group. This is a wonderful and supportive group of women who I look forward to getting to know more and become friends with and learn, grow, and support each other and the mission of the group. Thank you for having me!

AAUW-Big Rapids | AAUWBigRapids@gmail.com