GRAND JUNCTION BRANCH NEWSLETTER May 1, 2017

AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.

The pleasure of your company is requested as we celebrate the

90th

Anniversary

of the founding of the

Grand Junction Branch

of the

American Association of University Women (AAUW)

Thursday, May 25, 2017

11:30 am – 1:30 pm

The Egg & I Restaurant

Guests Special Musical Treat Surprises

This celebration corresponds to the Annual Meeting of the Branch

including

Election of New Board Members & Installation of Officers

Reservations Due by May 23: Contact Jane at 241-9684 or mjfitz2cats@gmail.com to say yes or no for seating, and/or to request transportation. Order from regular menu. Pay by separate check.

Branch President Lori Wood 234-5674 VP Membership Virginia Brown 201-0386 VP Program Elective Board Treasurer Jane Fitzgerald 241-9684

Secretary Kaye Wergedal 314-7644 Newsletter Editor Jane Fitzgerald

GRAND JUNCTION BRANCH NEWSLETTER May 1, 2017

AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.

Oboist Matthew Hudgens grew up in Grand Junction and is currently visiting family in the area.

Matthew received his bachelor’s degree in music performance from East Tennessee State

University and a master’s degree in music performance with a related field in early music from

University of North Texas.

Matthew has held a studio of over 40 oboe students in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and is

currently a faculty artist with the newly formed Maryland Wind Festival, based in Fredrick

Maryland. In addition, Hudgens has taught several Texas All-State master classes as well as

master classes at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

While working on his masters, Matthew began a focus on early music and historically informed

performance practice. He now plays the Baroque oboe and has performed with early music

ensembles such as; the Baroque Chamber orchestra of Colorado, Orchestra of New Spain, Austin

Baroque Orchestra, Dallas Bach Society, and Denton Bach Society.

Outside of early music, Matthew still passionately pursues modern oboe playing as well. He has

performed with the Johnson City Symphony, Grand Junction Symphony, Lone Star Wind

Orchestra, Lyric Stage Theater, and Symphony of the Mountains. He has also performed with the

famed artist Josh Groban, the acclaimed One O’clock Jazz band at UNT, and still continues to gig

in Colorado and Texas.

The Nominating Committee, consisting of Anita Pisciotte and Marj Carey, would like to make the

following nominations to the Branch Board for the 2017/2018 year:

Virginia Brown Jeannie Dunn

With Virginia Brown presumably being elected as President, it leaves her current position of VP

Membership vacant. Kaye Wergedal has agreed to take over that position. In turn, that leaves

the Secretary position available. Jean Yale as agreed to fill the Secretary position. Becky

Zlebnik has agreed to an appointment as Member-at-Large. Jane Fitzgerald will continue as

Branch Treasurer. Lori Wood will continue on as Scholarship Chair/CMU Foundation Rep.

Elections will be held at the Annual Meeting on May 25th. Additional nominations may be

made from the floor at that time. Installation of new Board members will immediately follow the

election.

Notes from President Lori

What can I say? These last four years has gone so fast! I’ve very much enjoyed leading this organization and getting to know so many ladies. I think we have accomplished a lot. Keeping the organization alive and meeting on a regular basis is actually the most important accomplishment we could ever do.

For so many of us, this is our social life. We look forward to seeing each other and having some thoughtful discussions. Some of the most interesting and successful women I have ever met are here at AAUW meetings. And maybe, just maybe, I can get to the point in life where I can slow down and enjoy our Jane Quimby Book Group or the Coffee & Chat meetings more.

I hope to continue to work with the scholarships that our branch has with Colorado Mesa University. I find it very satisfying knowing that I am, as well as all of you, doing what small part I can to make a difference in the lives of many women studying at CMU. I hope all join me in being thankful that we may have made a small, if not huge, impact on the life of just one woman.

GRAND JUNCTION BRANCH NEWSLETTER May 1, 2017

AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

Culture Club

The AAUW Culture Club is a loosely organized effort to inform interested members about movies, music and other cultural events in the Grand Valley. It is also a way to find others to attend these events with. Note: Peggy Rawlins at 263-4741 is the contact person for the group.

May 17 @ 6:30 pm (encore performance) Fathom Events presents Live from the Met in HD: Der Rosenkavalier, an opera by Strauss… at the Regal Theater (5 hours)

May 19 – May 21 Four Peaks Downtown Music Festival on Main Street, Grand Junction

June 2 @ 7:30 pm CMU Jazz Workshop Final Concert in the Robinson Theater

June 10 @ 10:55 am Fathom Events presents Live: The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition…at the Regal Theater (5-1/2 hours)

June 11 @ 7 pm Ancient Shadows – ZIKR Dance Ensemble at the Robinson Theater, CMU campus

July 20 @ 7:00 pm Fathom Events presents Live from the National Theater: Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes (Part 1), a play by Tony Kushner …. at the Regal Theater

July 27 @ 7:00 pm Fathom Events presents Live from the National Theater: Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes (Part 2), a play by Tony Kushner …. at the Regal Theater

Coffee & Chat

This informal group normally meets the 4th Saturday of each month at 9:30 AM to try to solve world/local problems through discussions….especially good if you cannot vent anywhere else. On May 27, we will meet at the Artful Cup. Hope to see you there. We will continue to meet on the 4th Saturday throughout the summer. Call Jane at 241-9684 with any questions.

FYI: May 23 is equal pay day for mothers. They make 73 cents to fathers’ dollar

GRAND JUNCTION BRANCH NEWSLETTER May 1, 2017

AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.

The Jane Quimby Book Group

Local author, Karen Vorbeck William’s mystery, “The House on Seventh Street”, was the topic of a group discussion at the April 21st meeting of the Jane Quimby Book Group. Members reviewed the pros and cons of the book, and several gave personal input regarding the author, her family, and the book’s settings. Members perused the books to be voted on for next year’s reading list, as well as a list of local authors’ contributions, giving data concerning the wide variety of material. Ballots are due on May 7th, with the final list being ready for distribution at the May meeting. Thank you to Peggy Rawlins, Lynnda and Marge Ebright for providing the refreshments.

NEXT MEETING: FRIDAY, MAY 19, 2017

AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH 9:30 – Social Time

10:00 – Club Business and Book Discussions

Reading lists for next year’s discussions will be distributed at this meeting. Please attend to get yours. The Jane Quimby Book Group is open to all. Kaye Wergedal and Lila Swallow will hostess. This is our final meeting for this year. We will resume on the 3rd Friday of September, the 15th.

The book up for discussion in May is Paula

Hawkins’ “Girl on the Train”. It is a #1 New

York Times Bestseller, a USA Today Book of the

Year, and, a major motion picture starring Emily

Blunt.

Discussion will be led by Deb Krabacher.

GRAND JUNCTION BRANCH NEWSLETTER May 1, 2017

AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.

Mary Rait / Mary Jewell Willsea Grant Winners Announced

A committee of four….Lynnda Ebright, Della Mottram, Jan Scheevel, and Kaye Wergedal…. met on Friday, April 28 to review 14 qualified applicants (out of 200 applications made) for these awards. CMU Foundation, which manages the grant, had informed AAUW Grand Junction Branch that the Mary Rait/Mary Jewell Willsea Endowed Grants Fund had a total of $8,800.00 available to award in the 2017-18 school year. Given that costs for higher education keep climbing, it was recommended by the committee to divide the total amount available into 6 equal scholarships of $1,400.00 each, for this year's awards. The recipients chosen for the 2017-18 school year awards are:

Azura Lokin, a senior BS (biological science) major Jennifer Burt, a junior BSN (nursing) candidate Kami Morfitt, a junior BSN (nursing) candidate Nicole Taylor, a senior BS (accounting) major

Stacy Trickel, a junior A.A. (Early Childhood Education) candidate Leslie Howard, a senior AAS - (Surgical Technology) candidate

All these women are non-traditional students (age 25 +) and have demonstrated need for financial assistance. Thank you to the committee for their outstanding work in this worthwhile effort…Kaye.

The committees for WCCC and Woman Vet Scholarships have not yet chosen awardees.

The Perfect Gift for College Grads

It’s graduation time! If you’re wondering what to give the college grad in your life, AAUW has

you covered. As a benefit of your AAUW membership, you can give recent college graduates a

free, one-year AAUW membership within two years of graduation — at no cost to you or them.

Forms are available at https://ww2.aauw.org/grad-gift/ or if you do not have access to internet,

contact Jane Fitzgerald, who can help you file the form. If you would be willing to pick up the

additional $28 cost for local & state memberships for one of these grads, let Jane know.

Your AAUW Branch Board wishes to acknowledge its members and let you know we appreciate you. Therefore we wish a Happy Birthday to those with Birthdays in May:

Jan Scheevel...May 2 Kaye Wergedal... May 20 oops Betsy Zollner...April 11

GRAND JUNCTION BRANCH NEWSLETTER May 1, 2017

AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.

WHAT YOU MISSED AT APRIL’S PROGRAM MEETING

Wow!! Speaker Army Recruiter Sergeant First Class Elvia Bourland held everyone’s interest as she described what today’s military is like for women.

Elvia said 15% of today’s Armed Forces are women…who knew?

DON’T FORGET THE AAUW NATIONAL ELECTION:

Vote Now for the AAUW Board, Bylaws, and More

AAUW members can vote now until June 15 in our biennial election. Check out our voter guide online and in spring Outlook, and make your voice heard on AAUW’s future. Go to

http://www.aauw.org/resource/national-election/

Branch Dues are Due Again

AAUW’s fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30, which means that membership renewals should be received prior to July 1, 2017. The Branch Treasurer will be sending out renewal notices soon. If you have email: You will receive a notice via email. It will be labeled as: memberinfo@aauw.org, Subject: AAUW Membership Renewal Notice. Instructions will be included on how to pay by credit card, debit card, or check. (Please make check payable to AAUW, not to our AAUW branch) If you do not have email: You will receive the same notice via snail mail. However, you will not be able to pay by credit or debit card since you cannot access the proper link. If you wish to pay now, you may do so by submitting a check to the Branch Treasurer Jane Fitzgerald at 2327 Eagle Point Court, GJ, 81507. (Please make check to AAUW, not AAUW Grand

Junction Branch.) Dues are: Member-of-Branch $77, Life Member-of-Branch $30, Honorary Life Member (has been a member over 50 years) $0, Branch Participant $25, Undergraduate Student $37. If you are not yet a member: Membership application forms are on-line at http://grandjunction-co.aauw.net, or from the VP Membership (currently Virginia Brown).