A Leaf from the President 2017 BRANCH PROGRAM and ANNUAL...
11
March 2017 2017 BRANCH PROGRAM and ANNUAL MEETING Rita Hassert, Library Collections Manager of the Sterling Morton Library at the Morton Arboretum will share works from this extraordinary collection with us. The Morton Arboretum Botanical Art Collection contains more than 12,000 works, including many exceptionally rare and beautiful original paintings, ink drawings, colored pencil sketches, lithographs, etchings, engravings, aquatints, illustrations, watercolors, garden plans, nursery catalogs, and pattern books. Saturday, March 4 Sterling Morton Library at the Morton Arboretum 9:15 am Social 9:30 am Program 10:30 am Annual Business Meeting and Election Arboretum Entry Fee Waived for Meeting Attendees Program Vice Presidents Peggy Connolly Susie Gullickson wheatonglenellyn-il.aauw.net Wheaton-Glen Ellyn Branch, NFP T w i g s A Leaf from the President March is one of the busiest business months for the Branch. It is a pivotal demarcation for membership terms, official changes in our governing rules, and for official board elections. Our nominating committee has put together an outstanding slate of officers to be voted on at the March 4 Arboretum meeting. We hope everyone will try to be there. In addition to our own Branch election, members may vote for directors of National this spring, too. Watch for info in your OUTLOOK magazine. Below is a paraphrase of plans that AAUW National identified for the future in its recent executive letter from Patrica Fae Hoe. I hope it will make us all feel confident with its clear emphasis on the basic values we care so much about. Kitty For the past two years, the AAUW Board of Directors has been conducting an organizational review and analysis regarding the long-term sustainability of AAUW programs and their alignment with our mission. Part of that process was the formation of a Resource Sustainability Task Force composed of current and former board members. As a result, budget priorities for the next fiscal year were realigned with mission priorities as follows: Pay equity (through programs, research, and advocacy) Campus leadership programs (NCCWSL, student organizations, college/university members, and our National Student Advisory Council) Research (informing AAUW’s public policy platform and programs) Increasing the number of women and girls in STEM through research and advocacy. AAUW will continue to provide strong advocacy in accordance with the public policy platform adopted by members, robust funding of fellowships and grants, leadership development and programs for women and girls now and in the future.
Transcript of A Leaf from the President 2017 BRANCH PROGRAM and ANNUAL...
March 2017
2017 BRANCH PROGRAM and
ANNUAL MEETING
Rita Hassert Library Collections Manager of the Sterling Morton Library at the Morton Arboretum
will share works from this extraordinary collection with us
The Morton Arboretum Botanical Art Collection contains more than 12000 works including many exceptionally rare and beautiful original paintings ink drawings colored pencil sketches lithographs
etchings engravings aquatints illustrations watercolors garden plans nursery catalogs and
pattern books
Saturday March 4
Sterling Morton Library at the Morton Arboretum
915 am Social 930 am Program
1030 am Annual Business Meeting and Election
Arboretum Entry Fee Waived for Meeting Attendees
Program Vice Presidents Peggy Connolly
Susie Gullickson
wheatonglenellyn-ilaauwnet
Wheaton-Glen Ellyn Branch NFP
T w i g s
A Leaf from the President
March is one of the busiest business months for the Branch It is a pivotal demarcation for membership terms official changes in our governing rules and for official board elections Our nominating committee has put together an outstanding slate of officers to be voted on at the March 4 Arboretum meeting We hope everyone will try to be there
In addition to our own Branch election members may vote for directors of National this spring too Watch for info in your OUTLOOK magazine Below is a paraphrase of plans that AAUW National identified for the future in its recent executive letter from Patrica Fae Hoe I hope it will make us all feel confident with its clear emphasis on the basic values we care so much about
Kitty
For the past two years the AAUW Board of Directors has been conducting an organizational review and analysis regarding the long-term sustainability of AAUW programs and their alignment with our mission Part of that process was the formation of a Resource Sustainability Task Force composed of current and former board members As a result budget priorities for the next fiscal year were realigned with mission priorities as follows
Pay equity (through programs research and advocacy)
Campus leadership programs (NCCWSL student organizations collegeuniversity members and our National Student Advisory Council)
Research (informing AAUWrsquos public policy platform and programs)
Increasing the number of women and girls in STEM through research and advocacy
AAUW will continue to provide strong advocacy in accordance with the public policy platform adopted by members robust funding of fellowships and grants leadership development and programs for women and girls now and in the future
UPCOMING EVENTS
Date Event Time Information
March 3 AM Lit 930 am Suzanne Gagnerrsquos
March 4 Special Branch
Meeting and Annual Business Meeting
915 am- 1100 am
Sterling Morton Library at the Morton Arboretum 4100 Illinois Route 53 Lisle
SPECIAL DAY - TIME - LOCATION
March 6 Book Sorting 1030 am U-STOR-IT 120 Tubeway Drive Carol Stream
March 8 Board Meeting 700 pm Kitty Johanssonrsquos
March 11 Film Group 700 pm Susie Gullicksonrsquos
March 18 Book Sale Sign Party 930 am Laura Desmaraisrsquo
March 20 PM Lit 700 pm Bonnie Wheatonrsquos
March 22 PM Non-Fiction Lit 700 pm Phyllis Fogelrsquos
April 2 Cultural Arts Event 200 pm Saturday Night Fever at Drury Lane
April 15 STEM Event 1000 am Wheaton Public Library 225 North Cross Street Wheaton
May 1-2 Book Sale Setup Various Glen Ellyn Civic Center 535 Duane Street Glen Ellyn
May 3-6 Book Sale Various Glen Ellyn Civic Center 535 Duane Street Glen Ellyn
May 22 Spring Banquet 530 pm Adellersquos Restaurant 535 West Liberty Wheaton
Save the
Date
The AAUW spring banquet will be held Monday May 22
at Adelles in Wheaton
Social time with cash bar begins at 530 pm followed by dinner at 615 pm
Complete details with menu choices and reservation information will be in the April issue of Twigs
Branch Election
Under the umbrella of Membership the Nominating Committee including Jean Lindsey Sue Herrmann Lisa Cherry and Karen Schulz has concluded work for this yearrsquos March Branch election We are very pleased to present a slate of nominees that combines newer and tenured members If the slate is elected the new officers will be installed at our Spring Banquet
Proposed Slate
Co-President - Lisa Cherry Co-President - Sue Herrmann Co-VP Program - Janet Arden
Co-VP Program - Donna Jean Simon Secretary - Patricia Bernhold
Membership Lisa Cherry and Karen Schulz lisacherryhomeaolcom okschulzaolcom
We were delighted to host our annual brunch for new members in early February and it was a lovely gathering We presented the One AAUW video and provided an overview of the structure and mission of our organization at the national state and branch level This was followed by a yummy brunch and a lively discussion of the new membersrsquo expectations and intent to participate and contribute to our Branch Special thanks to Karen and Jan Ciccarelli for organizing the event and preparing food We feel fortunate that such wonderful women have chosen to join us
Donrsquot forget that our best value for new members is always for those who join us at one of our public events (Branch meetings Book Sale STEM) and for those who sign up at such an event after March 1 new memberships are effective all the way through June of 2018
Book Sale Laura Desmarais
lkdesmaraisgmailcom
We are gearing up for the Book Sale Mark your calendars for the week of May 1 ndash May 6 This is an all-Branch effort as it is our only fundraiser of the year We have over 50 years of Book Sale history so we should know what we are doing What we really know is that it takes a special effort from the entire Branch to make this work We make it what it is It can be fun challenging and full of opportunities to bond with fellow members When all is said and done for some strange reason we say ldquoLetrsquos do it againrdquo I am dropping the gauntlet and making an all-Branch challenge Letrsquos have the most fun ever this year raising money for local and National scholarships
What do we do now
Volunteer There will be many opportunities to volunteer Marla Felsten has agreed to coordinate sign up by Branch members for sale week Sign up will be available at all Branch and interest group meetings and via email See April Twigs for specifics
Collect Books for the Sale There is a flyer on the website we can all use to solicit donations from family and friends We received a large number of books during February I know you responded to my request to do your part to bring in more donations It worked Letrsquos continue the push and have more books than ever donated during March and April
Branch members are available to pick up books if you canrsquot get them to the Realtor (see flyer) Contact Elaine Nissen at nissenelainecomcastnet or 6305346352
Attend the Book Sale Yard Sign Party Whoever thought this would be fun Last year we had a great time laughing and competing with each other to see who could get the most signs updated We need to change the dates on 150 yard signs Put the date on your calendar and join the party
Saturday March 18 at 930 am Laura Desmaraisrsquo House
Sort Books Mondays March 6 and April 3 at 1030 am at the storage locker Email Jean Tufano at vsq531qolcom or Stephanie Zvirin at szviringmailcom Let them know you plan on coming and they will give you directions
Book Sale sorting is held at 1030 at the locker See your Directory for location information
Yard Sign Amnesty If you still have signs in your garage or basement please bring them to a meeting or drop them off on Laurarsquos front porch We need them
As Bob the Builder says ldquoWe can do it Yes we canrdquo
Film Group Anne Hanley
ahanleymindspringcom
By the time we meet again we will know who won the Oscars (They air on Sunday February 26) At our February meeting there was a lot of support behind Manchester by the Sea and Moonlight Were we right A group of us also had a wonderful outing in February to see the nominated short films in animated and live actions categories If you have an opportunity to see them you should They were terrific Now it is on to March Our March meeting will be on Saturday March 11 at the home of Susie Gullickson We will gather at 700 pm As always the film selection will go out the weekend before If you are not receiving the announcement and would like to send me an email
AM Lit Kathy McCullough
kathymccullgmailcom
We meet on Friday March 3 at the home of Suzanne Gagner to discuss Mr Penumbrarsquos 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan Our discussion leader is Elaine Nissen with Gail Davis and Janet Arden serving as co-hostesses
Sloanrsquos book is an old school mystery set in tech-loving modern San Francisco A former web designer lands a job at a bookstore with very few patrons and even fewer purchases He discovers a conspiracy at play and gets his best friend and his love interest involved A clever and whimsical tale with a big heart
Looking ahead to April 7 Jean Lindsey will lead our discussion of My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante at the home of Carolyn Oesterle Our co-hostesses are Suzanne Gagner and Jeanne Koepke
The Glen Ellyn Library obtains a small supply of the selected books a month before the discussion Those who hold a card from another local library are also eligible to check out the books
If you would like to be added to my email distribution list for updatesannouncements please contact me
Non-Fiction Lit Sue Herrmann Ewa Bacon
sherrmann710gmailcom baconewlewisuedu
The PM Non-Fiction group will meet on March 22 at 700 pm at the home of Phyllis Fogel (630-629-7911 and prfogellivecom) Please let your hostess know if you are planning to attend Donna Jean Simon will lead our discussion
Our selection for March is The Disappearing Spoon And Other True Tales of Madness Love and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of Elements by Sam Kean The subtitle tells all The New York Times wrote ldquo[these are] incredible stories of science history finance mythology the arts medicine and more as told by the Periodic Tablerdquo The Glen Ellyn Public Library has a reserve section for us And please if this sounds interesting to you come join us and discover the joy of non-fiction reading
We will not be meeting again until after the Book Sale Get ready for the June 28 selection The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaportmdashthe tale of Tsar Nicholasrsquos doomed daughters
PM Non-fiction please contact Ewa Bacon (630-871-7741 and baconewlewisuedu) for more information (Editorrsquos Note No report for AM Non-Fiction this month)
STEM Fran Kravitz
fk1456sbcglobalnet
The Wheaton Glen Ellyn Branch AAUW presented a workshop on Wobbly Robots at the Glen Ellyn Public Library on Saturday February 11 We had 24 enthusiastic children in the morning session who were in grades 2-5 We discussed what makes up a robot from simple to complex and where they are used The kids were intrigued by the videos of a bomb disposal robot the Mars rover and a surgical robot peeling a grape The room was filled with busy children assembling a robot from a plastic cup vibrating motor and three colored markers Of course not every robot was a success but our AAUW assistants went to work helping the kids solve the problem Our afternoon session had nine eager
students in grades 6-8 These participants quickly understood the concepts and went to work building their robots Branch members assisting in this event were Stacy Adamek Laura and Steve Desmarais Jean Lindsey Cindy Lukens and Deb Ness
STEAM Feast at the Glen Ellyn Public Library will be held on Saturday March 18 The Wheaton-Glen Ellyn Branch of AAUW will have a table there powered by the STEM Wizards Please come and visit our table of hands-on activities
On Saturday March 25 our Branch will be participating in Tech Savvy This is a daylong program for middle school girls The program offers girls the opportunity to explore areas of science technology engineering and math workshops in the morning followed by an afternoon of Savvy Skills workshops The Tech Savvy program will be held at Triton College in River Forest Volunteers are needed for this program
Our next Branch STEM event will be on Saturday April 15 at Wheaton Public Library The topic will be on Squishy Circuits The workshop introduces students to understanding how a circuit works using conducting and insulting dough an LED bulb and a battery
We could use your help as a volunteer for this outreach program No science experience needed- just enthusiasm There is no better fulfillment than seeing a childrsquos eyes light up when they understand a new concept Please join us at our next STEM event
Cultural Arts Kathleen McCullough and Ellen McGowan
kathymccullgmailcom emcgowan123sbcglobalnet
Members and guests enjoyed a successful cultural arts event in February Special thanks to Peggy Connolly for hosting the group with wine and appetizers prior to the Buffalo Theater Ensemble production at the MAC We enjoyed a pre-show discussion prior to an excellent production of Good People written by David Lindsay-Abaire Look for another BTE event in the spring
Our play trip to Drury Lane for Saturday Night Fever is scheduled for Sunday April 2 at 200 pm Ticket price will be $57 if we have 15 people signed up Please contact Kathy no later than March 3 to reserve your seat You are welcome to invite friends and family as we do not have a maximum number for the event We will have a quick turnaround for the payment once we have your responses
Please contact Kathy to be added to the Cultural Arts database for email announcements
999
PM Lit Janet Arden
janardenicloudcom
PM Lit meets on March 20 to discuss The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende In 1939 as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis young Alma Belascorsquos parents send her to live with an aunt and uncle in their opulent mansion in San Francisco There she encounters Ichimei Fukuda the quiet and gentle son of the familyrsquos Japanese gardener Unnoticed by those around them a tender love affair blossoms Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Ichimei and his family are declared enemies and relocated to internment camps Alma and Ichimei reunite again and again but they are forever forced to hide their love
We will be meeting at the home of Bonnie Wheaton Please let Bonnie know (bonwheatonaolom) if you will be attending
If you would like to read ahead our April book is When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
National
Legal Advocacy Fund Gail Davis
kengaildaviscomcastnet
Although AAUW-LAF does not provide legal advice or legal representation it can provide other assistance such as funding for court filing fees preparation of briefs filings and other case-based costs and plaintiff court travel It can also provide other support such as signing an amicus brief or making an official statement of support AAUW members can be present at the court to provide emotional support
Recommendations for case support can be made at this site lafaauworg The LAF committee will decide on the applicantrsquos suitability for support
Public Policy Patricia Spence
pspence101aolcom
AAUW Marches On Because it is consistent with our Public Policy Principles AAUW officially supports the March for Science April 22 Earth Day httpsciencemarchchicagoorg According to our National office the event is mainly organized by individual scientists and not organizations so at this point AAUW is not a co-sponsor but encourages participants to carry the AAUW banner AAUW-Illinois Public Policy Coordinators may set up a gathering spot for Chicago AAUW branch members to assemble If so details will be forthcoming Our Branch along with 270 other organizations participated in the Chicago Womenrsquos March on January 21 The unexpected attendance of over 270000 caused the attendees to overwhelm the entire march route from the rally start point to Federal Plaza the planned termination point so the march was cancelled and its destination was reached
They tried to bury us They didnrsquot know we were seeds (Mexican proverb)
Washington DC ndash Advocacy AAUW recently signed on to three coalition letters announcing (1) opposition to the global gag rule which blocks federal funding of non-governmental organizations that perform or that merely mention the option of abortion (2) support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) and (3) support for equal access to high quality Career and Technical Education programs The global gag rule passed
Due to a tie-breaking vote by Vice-President Pence Becky DeVos became the Secretary of Education AAUW Action Network had urged all members to write to their senators to oppose the nomination of Becky DeVos to Secretary of Education The four dominant reasons for this opposition remain a concern for AAUW Secretary DeVos (1) did not agree to uphold and enforce the US Department of Educationrsquos Title IX guidance (2) did not agree that all schools receiving federal funds should follow civil rights laws (3) did not commit to supporting public education and to not privatize education and (4) failed to answer basic questions about her responsibilities as Secretary regarding school accountability She also did not demonstrate an understanding of the Secretaryrsquos role to ensure schools support students with disabilities The heads of the Departments of Education Justice (Jeff Sessions) Labor (TBA) and Health and Human Services (Tom Price) in particular will have significant influence on issues affecting women and children
Recently the US House of Representatives passed HR 7 the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act by a 238-183 vote AAUW believes strongly in the importance of choice in the determination of ones reproductive life and increased access to quality affordable health care and family planning services AAUW opposes all attempts to limit womens access to necessary medical care If adopted HR 7 would make it practically impossible for women to have any public or private insurance coverage for abortion regardless of their circumstances or need
Springfield-Advocacy As Twigs goes to press HB 40 is under consideration by the Illinois state legislature HB 40 repeals a trigger provision in
the 1975 Illinois Abortion Law that states if Roe v Wade is ever overturned or modified by the US Supreme Court Illinois will revert back to its pre-Roe law that made abortion an illegal criminal act HB 40 also allows women covered by
Medicaid and the State Employees Health Insurance to have coverage for abortion care AAUW supports passage of HB 40 You can too See the ldquoContact Your Legislatorsrdquo Directory page updated by Jane Palmer and mailed to you on January 29 or go to wwwhousegov and enter your zip code to identify your district its representative and contact information If you know individuals who live in Illinois House Districts 8 28 32 36 44 60 andor 80 urge them to contact their state representatives These representatives have not yet committed to a ldquoyesrdquo vote on HB 40 (Personal experience I called Rep Peter Breenrsquos office (D 48) to express my support of HB 40 His aide informed me he is ldquopro-liferdquo and she encouraged me to contact the office in the future It was a cordial conversation) Remember to enterupdate all of your national and state legislatorsrsquo phone numbers in your cell phone contact list
ldquohellipsisterhood like female friendship has at its core the affirmation of freedomrdquo (Mary Daly GynEcology 1978)
Special March Presentation at the Morton Arboretum
Our March program promises to be an exceptional opportunity to view treasures from the collections of the Sterling Morton Library of the Morton Arboretum The foundation of the Library was created with books from the collections of the Arboretumrsquos founder Joy Morton and his family Through the years these early collections were augmented with resources from a variety of sources Of special note is a collection of 72 original paintings by the 18th century German artist Barbara Regina Dietzsch acquired by Margaret Gray Morton and eventually added to the Libraryrsquos collections Joyrsquos granddaughter Suzette Morton Davidson shared her grandfatherrsquos passion for plants and trees An accomplished graphic artist who studied at both the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Sorbonne Suzette greatly expanded the Arboretumrsquos collection of rare botanical books and art Today the Sterling Morton Library continues to share knowledge and information about trees through a host of resources
Rita Hassert Library Collections Manager of the Sterling Morton Library grew up near New Lenox She spent her childhood days roaming outside or in her grandmotherrsquos garden nurturing a lifelong interest in botany science and gardening She received her Master of Science in Library and Information Science from the U of I and was delighted to join the staff of the Sterling Morton Library Rita finds great joy in her work at the Arboretum curating the diverse collections preserving and contributing to the legacy Joy Morton created Please join us Saturday March 4 when Rita will share works from this extraordinary collection with us
Branch member Don Westlake will return to the Mary Lubko Center
in Wheatons Memorial Park to present More Precious Memories
Wednesday March 22 100 pm to 200 pm followed by a dessert reception
Space limits the audience to 50 Make reservations by calling (630) 665-1415
There is a $5 fee
wwwgrovedentalcom
What is AAUW Mission AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy education philanthropy and research Membership In principle and practice AAUW values and seeks a diverse membership There shall be no barriers to full participation in
this organization on the basis of gender race creed age sexual orientation national origin class or disability Membership is not by invitation
Legal Advocacy Fund AAUWrsquos Legal Advocacy Fund provides funding and a support system for women seeking judicial redress for sex discrimination
Vision Statement AAUW will be a powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through research philanthropy and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women and girls
UPCOMING EVENTS
Date Event Time Information
March 3 AM Lit 930 am Suzanne Gagnerrsquos
March 4 Special Branch
Meeting and Annual Business Meeting
915 am- 1100 am
Sterling Morton Library at the Morton Arboretum 4100 Illinois Route 53 Lisle
SPECIAL DAY - TIME - LOCATION
March 6 Book Sorting 1030 am U-STOR-IT 120 Tubeway Drive Carol Stream
March 8 Board Meeting 700 pm Kitty Johanssonrsquos
March 11 Film Group 700 pm Susie Gullicksonrsquos
March 18 Book Sale Sign Party 930 am Laura Desmaraisrsquo
March 20 PM Lit 700 pm Bonnie Wheatonrsquos
March 22 PM Non-Fiction Lit 700 pm Phyllis Fogelrsquos
April 2 Cultural Arts Event 200 pm Saturday Night Fever at Drury Lane
April 15 STEM Event 1000 am Wheaton Public Library 225 North Cross Street Wheaton
May 1-2 Book Sale Setup Various Glen Ellyn Civic Center 535 Duane Street Glen Ellyn
May 3-6 Book Sale Various Glen Ellyn Civic Center 535 Duane Street Glen Ellyn
May 22 Spring Banquet 530 pm Adellersquos Restaurant 535 West Liberty Wheaton
Save the
Date
The AAUW spring banquet will be held Monday May 22
at Adelles in Wheaton
Social time with cash bar begins at 530 pm followed by dinner at 615 pm
Complete details with menu choices and reservation information will be in the April issue of Twigs
Branch Election
Under the umbrella of Membership the Nominating Committee including Jean Lindsey Sue Herrmann Lisa Cherry and Karen Schulz has concluded work for this yearrsquos March Branch election We are very pleased to present a slate of nominees that combines newer and tenured members If the slate is elected the new officers will be installed at our Spring Banquet
Proposed Slate
Co-President - Lisa Cherry Co-President - Sue Herrmann Co-VP Program - Janet Arden
Co-VP Program - Donna Jean Simon Secretary - Patricia Bernhold
Membership Lisa Cherry and Karen Schulz lisacherryhomeaolcom okschulzaolcom
We were delighted to host our annual brunch for new members in early February and it was a lovely gathering We presented the One AAUW video and provided an overview of the structure and mission of our organization at the national state and branch level This was followed by a yummy brunch and a lively discussion of the new membersrsquo expectations and intent to participate and contribute to our Branch Special thanks to Karen and Jan Ciccarelli for organizing the event and preparing food We feel fortunate that such wonderful women have chosen to join us
Donrsquot forget that our best value for new members is always for those who join us at one of our public events (Branch meetings Book Sale STEM) and for those who sign up at such an event after March 1 new memberships are effective all the way through June of 2018
Book Sale Laura Desmarais
lkdesmaraisgmailcom
We are gearing up for the Book Sale Mark your calendars for the week of May 1 ndash May 6 This is an all-Branch effort as it is our only fundraiser of the year We have over 50 years of Book Sale history so we should know what we are doing What we really know is that it takes a special effort from the entire Branch to make this work We make it what it is It can be fun challenging and full of opportunities to bond with fellow members When all is said and done for some strange reason we say ldquoLetrsquos do it againrdquo I am dropping the gauntlet and making an all-Branch challenge Letrsquos have the most fun ever this year raising money for local and National scholarships
What do we do now
Volunteer There will be many opportunities to volunteer Marla Felsten has agreed to coordinate sign up by Branch members for sale week Sign up will be available at all Branch and interest group meetings and via email See April Twigs for specifics
Collect Books for the Sale There is a flyer on the website we can all use to solicit donations from family and friends We received a large number of books during February I know you responded to my request to do your part to bring in more donations It worked Letrsquos continue the push and have more books than ever donated during March and April
Branch members are available to pick up books if you canrsquot get them to the Realtor (see flyer) Contact Elaine Nissen at nissenelainecomcastnet or 6305346352
Attend the Book Sale Yard Sign Party Whoever thought this would be fun Last year we had a great time laughing and competing with each other to see who could get the most signs updated We need to change the dates on 150 yard signs Put the date on your calendar and join the party
Saturday March 18 at 930 am Laura Desmaraisrsquo House
Sort Books Mondays March 6 and April 3 at 1030 am at the storage locker Email Jean Tufano at vsq531qolcom or Stephanie Zvirin at szviringmailcom Let them know you plan on coming and they will give you directions
Book Sale sorting is held at 1030 at the locker See your Directory for location information
Yard Sign Amnesty If you still have signs in your garage or basement please bring them to a meeting or drop them off on Laurarsquos front porch We need them
As Bob the Builder says ldquoWe can do it Yes we canrdquo
Film Group Anne Hanley
ahanleymindspringcom
By the time we meet again we will know who won the Oscars (They air on Sunday February 26) At our February meeting there was a lot of support behind Manchester by the Sea and Moonlight Were we right A group of us also had a wonderful outing in February to see the nominated short films in animated and live actions categories If you have an opportunity to see them you should They were terrific Now it is on to March Our March meeting will be on Saturday March 11 at the home of Susie Gullickson We will gather at 700 pm As always the film selection will go out the weekend before If you are not receiving the announcement and would like to send me an email
AM Lit Kathy McCullough
kathymccullgmailcom
We meet on Friday March 3 at the home of Suzanne Gagner to discuss Mr Penumbrarsquos 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan Our discussion leader is Elaine Nissen with Gail Davis and Janet Arden serving as co-hostesses
Sloanrsquos book is an old school mystery set in tech-loving modern San Francisco A former web designer lands a job at a bookstore with very few patrons and even fewer purchases He discovers a conspiracy at play and gets his best friend and his love interest involved A clever and whimsical tale with a big heart
Looking ahead to April 7 Jean Lindsey will lead our discussion of My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante at the home of Carolyn Oesterle Our co-hostesses are Suzanne Gagner and Jeanne Koepke
The Glen Ellyn Library obtains a small supply of the selected books a month before the discussion Those who hold a card from another local library are also eligible to check out the books
If you would like to be added to my email distribution list for updatesannouncements please contact me
Non-Fiction Lit Sue Herrmann Ewa Bacon
sherrmann710gmailcom baconewlewisuedu
The PM Non-Fiction group will meet on March 22 at 700 pm at the home of Phyllis Fogel (630-629-7911 and prfogellivecom) Please let your hostess know if you are planning to attend Donna Jean Simon will lead our discussion
Our selection for March is The Disappearing Spoon And Other True Tales of Madness Love and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of Elements by Sam Kean The subtitle tells all The New York Times wrote ldquo[these are] incredible stories of science history finance mythology the arts medicine and more as told by the Periodic Tablerdquo The Glen Ellyn Public Library has a reserve section for us And please if this sounds interesting to you come join us and discover the joy of non-fiction reading
We will not be meeting again until after the Book Sale Get ready for the June 28 selection The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaportmdashthe tale of Tsar Nicholasrsquos doomed daughters
PM Non-fiction please contact Ewa Bacon (630-871-7741 and baconewlewisuedu) for more information (Editorrsquos Note No report for AM Non-Fiction this month)
STEM Fran Kravitz
fk1456sbcglobalnet
The Wheaton Glen Ellyn Branch AAUW presented a workshop on Wobbly Robots at the Glen Ellyn Public Library on Saturday February 11 We had 24 enthusiastic children in the morning session who were in grades 2-5 We discussed what makes up a robot from simple to complex and where they are used The kids were intrigued by the videos of a bomb disposal robot the Mars rover and a surgical robot peeling a grape The room was filled with busy children assembling a robot from a plastic cup vibrating motor and three colored markers Of course not every robot was a success but our AAUW assistants went to work helping the kids solve the problem Our afternoon session had nine eager
students in grades 6-8 These participants quickly understood the concepts and went to work building their robots Branch members assisting in this event were Stacy Adamek Laura and Steve Desmarais Jean Lindsey Cindy Lukens and Deb Ness
STEAM Feast at the Glen Ellyn Public Library will be held on Saturday March 18 The Wheaton-Glen Ellyn Branch of AAUW will have a table there powered by the STEM Wizards Please come and visit our table of hands-on activities
On Saturday March 25 our Branch will be participating in Tech Savvy This is a daylong program for middle school girls The program offers girls the opportunity to explore areas of science technology engineering and math workshops in the morning followed by an afternoon of Savvy Skills workshops The Tech Savvy program will be held at Triton College in River Forest Volunteers are needed for this program
Our next Branch STEM event will be on Saturday April 15 at Wheaton Public Library The topic will be on Squishy Circuits The workshop introduces students to understanding how a circuit works using conducting and insulting dough an LED bulb and a battery
We could use your help as a volunteer for this outreach program No science experience needed- just enthusiasm There is no better fulfillment than seeing a childrsquos eyes light up when they understand a new concept Please join us at our next STEM event
Cultural Arts Kathleen McCullough and Ellen McGowan
kathymccullgmailcom emcgowan123sbcglobalnet
Members and guests enjoyed a successful cultural arts event in February Special thanks to Peggy Connolly for hosting the group with wine and appetizers prior to the Buffalo Theater Ensemble production at the MAC We enjoyed a pre-show discussion prior to an excellent production of Good People written by David Lindsay-Abaire Look for another BTE event in the spring
Our play trip to Drury Lane for Saturday Night Fever is scheduled for Sunday April 2 at 200 pm Ticket price will be $57 if we have 15 people signed up Please contact Kathy no later than March 3 to reserve your seat You are welcome to invite friends and family as we do not have a maximum number for the event We will have a quick turnaround for the payment once we have your responses
Please contact Kathy to be added to the Cultural Arts database for email announcements
999
PM Lit Janet Arden
janardenicloudcom
PM Lit meets on March 20 to discuss The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende In 1939 as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis young Alma Belascorsquos parents send her to live with an aunt and uncle in their opulent mansion in San Francisco There she encounters Ichimei Fukuda the quiet and gentle son of the familyrsquos Japanese gardener Unnoticed by those around them a tender love affair blossoms Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Ichimei and his family are declared enemies and relocated to internment camps Alma and Ichimei reunite again and again but they are forever forced to hide their love
We will be meeting at the home of Bonnie Wheaton Please let Bonnie know (bonwheatonaolom) if you will be attending
If you would like to read ahead our April book is When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
National
Legal Advocacy Fund Gail Davis
kengaildaviscomcastnet
Although AAUW-LAF does not provide legal advice or legal representation it can provide other assistance such as funding for court filing fees preparation of briefs filings and other case-based costs and plaintiff court travel It can also provide other support such as signing an amicus brief or making an official statement of support AAUW members can be present at the court to provide emotional support
Recommendations for case support can be made at this site lafaauworg The LAF committee will decide on the applicantrsquos suitability for support
Public Policy Patricia Spence
pspence101aolcom
AAUW Marches On Because it is consistent with our Public Policy Principles AAUW officially supports the March for Science April 22 Earth Day httpsciencemarchchicagoorg According to our National office the event is mainly organized by individual scientists and not organizations so at this point AAUW is not a co-sponsor but encourages participants to carry the AAUW banner AAUW-Illinois Public Policy Coordinators may set up a gathering spot for Chicago AAUW branch members to assemble If so details will be forthcoming Our Branch along with 270 other organizations participated in the Chicago Womenrsquos March on January 21 The unexpected attendance of over 270000 caused the attendees to overwhelm the entire march route from the rally start point to Federal Plaza the planned termination point so the march was cancelled and its destination was reached
They tried to bury us They didnrsquot know we were seeds (Mexican proverb)
Washington DC ndash Advocacy AAUW recently signed on to three coalition letters announcing (1) opposition to the global gag rule which blocks federal funding of non-governmental organizations that perform or that merely mention the option of abortion (2) support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) and (3) support for equal access to high quality Career and Technical Education programs The global gag rule passed
Due to a tie-breaking vote by Vice-President Pence Becky DeVos became the Secretary of Education AAUW Action Network had urged all members to write to their senators to oppose the nomination of Becky DeVos to Secretary of Education The four dominant reasons for this opposition remain a concern for AAUW Secretary DeVos (1) did not agree to uphold and enforce the US Department of Educationrsquos Title IX guidance (2) did not agree that all schools receiving federal funds should follow civil rights laws (3) did not commit to supporting public education and to not privatize education and (4) failed to answer basic questions about her responsibilities as Secretary regarding school accountability She also did not demonstrate an understanding of the Secretaryrsquos role to ensure schools support students with disabilities The heads of the Departments of Education Justice (Jeff Sessions) Labor (TBA) and Health and Human Services (Tom Price) in particular will have significant influence on issues affecting women and children
Recently the US House of Representatives passed HR 7 the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act by a 238-183 vote AAUW believes strongly in the importance of choice in the determination of ones reproductive life and increased access to quality affordable health care and family planning services AAUW opposes all attempts to limit womens access to necessary medical care If adopted HR 7 would make it practically impossible for women to have any public or private insurance coverage for abortion regardless of their circumstances or need
Springfield-Advocacy As Twigs goes to press HB 40 is under consideration by the Illinois state legislature HB 40 repeals a trigger provision in
the 1975 Illinois Abortion Law that states if Roe v Wade is ever overturned or modified by the US Supreme Court Illinois will revert back to its pre-Roe law that made abortion an illegal criminal act HB 40 also allows women covered by
Medicaid and the State Employees Health Insurance to have coverage for abortion care AAUW supports passage of HB 40 You can too See the ldquoContact Your Legislatorsrdquo Directory page updated by Jane Palmer and mailed to you on January 29 or go to wwwhousegov and enter your zip code to identify your district its representative and contact information If you know individuals who live in Illinois House Districts 8 28 32 36 44 60 andor 80 urge them to contact their state representatives These representatives have not yet committed to a ldquoyesrdquo vote on HB 40 (Personal experience I called Rep Peter Breenrsquos office (D 48) to express my support of HB 40 His aide informed me he is ldquopro-liferdquo and she encouraged me to contact the office in the future It was a cordial conversation) Remember to enterupdate all of your national and state legislatorsrsquo phone numbers in your cell phone contact list
ldquohellipsisterhood like female friendship has at its core the affirmation of freedomrdquo (Mary Daly GynEcology 1978)
Special March Presentation at the Morton Arboretum
Our March program promises to be an exceptional opportunity to view treasures from the collections of the Sterling Morton Library of the Morton Arboretum The foundation of the Library was created with books from the collections of the Arboretumrsquos founder Joy Morton and his family Through the years these early collections were augmented with resources from a variety of sources Of special note is a collection of 72 original paintings by the 18th century German artist Barbara Regina Dietzsch acquired by Margaret Gray Morton and eventually added to the Libraryrsquos collections Joyrsquos granddaughter Suzette Morton Davidson shared her grandfatherrsquos passion for plants and trees An accomplished graphic artist who studied at both the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Sorbonne Suzette greatly expanded the Arboretumrsquos collection of rare botanical books and art Today the Sterling Morton Library continues to share knowledge and information about trees through a host of resources
Rita Hassert Library Collections Manager of the Sterling Morton Library grew up near New Lenox She spent her childhood days roaming outside or in her grandmotherrsquos garden nurturing a lifelong interest in botany science and gardening She received her Master of Science in Library and Information Science from the U of I and was delighted to join the staff of the Sterling Morton Library Rita finds great joy in her work at the Arboretum curating the diverse collections preserving and contributing to the legacy Joy Morton created Please join us Saturday March 4 when Rita will share works from this extraordinary collection with us
Branch member Don Westlake will return to the Mary Lubko Center
in Wheatons Memorial Park to present More Precious Memories
Wednesday March 22 100 pm to 200 pm followed by a dessert reception
Space limits the audience to 50 Make reservations by calling (630) 665-1415
There is a $5 fee
wwwgrovedentalcom
What is AAUW Mission AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy education philanthropy and research Membership In principle and practice AAUW values and seeks a diverse membership There shall be no barriers to full participation in
this organization on the basis of gender race creed age sexual orientation national origin class or disability Membership is not by invitation
Legal Advocacy Fund AAUWrsquos Legal Advocacy Fund provides funding and a support system for women seeking judicial redress for sex discrimination
Vision Statement AAUW will be a powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through research philanthropy and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women and girls
Membership Lisa Cherry and Karen Schulz lisacherryhomeaolcom okschulzaolcom
We were delighted to host our annual brunch for new members in early February and it was a lovely gathering We presented the One AAUW video and provided an overview of the structure and mission of our organization at the national state and branch level This was followed by a yummy brunch and a lively discussion of the new membersrsquo expectations and intent to participate and contribute to our Branch Special thanks to Karen and Jan Ciccarelli for organizing the event and preparing food We feel fortunate that such wonderful women have chosen to join us
Donrsquot forget that our best value for new members is always for those who join us at one of our public events (Branch meetings Book Sale STEM) and for those who sign up at such an event after March 1 new memberships are effective all the way through June of 2018
Book Sale Laura Desmarais
lkdesmaraisgmailcom
We are gearing up for the Book Sale Mark your calendars for the week of May 1 ndash May 6 This is an all-Branch effort as it is our only fundraiser of the year We have over 50 years of Book Sale history so we should know what we are doing What we really know is that it takes a special effort from the entire Branch to make this work We make it what it is It can be fun challenging and full of opportunities to bond with fellow members When all is said and done for some strange reason we say ldquoLetrsquos do it againrdquo I am dropping the gauntlet and making an all-Branch challenge Letrsquos have the most fun ever this year raising money for local and National scholarships
What do we do now
Volunteer There will be many opportunities to volunteer Marla Felsten has agreed to coordinate sign up by Branch members for sale week Sign up will be available at all Branch and interest group meetings and via email See April Twigs for specifics
Collect Books for the Sale There is a flyer on the website we can all use to solicit donations from family and friends We received a large number of books during February I know you responded to my request to do your part to bring in more donations It worked Letrsquos continue the push and have more books than ever donated during March and April
Branch members are available to pick up books if you canrsquot get them to the Realtor (see flyer) Contact Elaine Nissen at nissenelainecomcastnet or 6305346352
Attend the Book Sale Yard Sign Party Whoever thought this would be fun Last year we had a great time laughing and competing with each other to see who could get the most signs updated We need to change the dates on 150 yard signs Put the date on your calendar and join the party
Saturday March 18 at 930 am Laura Desmaraisrsquo House
Sort Books Mondays March 6 and April 3 at 1030 am at the storage locker Email Jean Tufano at vsq531qolcom or Stephanie Zvirin at szviringmailcom Let them know you plan on coming and they will give you directions
Book Sale sorting is held at 1030 at the locker See your Directory for location information
Yard Sign Amnesty If you still have signs in your garage or basement please bring them to a meeting or drop them off on Laurarsquos front porch We need them
As Bob the Builder says ldquoWe can do it Yes we canrdquo
Film Group Anne Hanley
ahanleymindspringcom
By the time we meet again we will know who won the Oscars (They air on Sunday February 26) At our February meeting there was a lot of support behind Manchester by the Sea and Moonlight Were we right A group of us also had a wonderful outing in February to see the nominated short films in animated and live actions categories If you have an opportunity to see them you should They were terrific Now it is on to March Our March meeting will be on Saturday March 11 at the home of Susie Gullickson We will gather at 700 pm As always the film selection will go out the weekend before If you are not receiving the announcement and would like to send me an email
AM Lit Kathy McCullough
kathymccullgmailcom
We meet on Friday March 3 at the home of Suzanne Gagner to discuss Mr Penumbrarsquos 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan Our discussion leader is Elaine Nissen with Gail Davis and Janet Arden serving as co-hostesses
Sloanrsquos book is an old school mystery set in tech-loving modern San Francisco A former web designer lands a job at a bookstore with very few patrons and even fewer purchases He discovers a conspiracy at play and gets his best friend and his love interest involved A clever and whimsical tale with a big heart
Looking ahead to April 7 Jean Lindsey will lead our discussion of My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante at the home of Carolyn Oesterle Our co-hostesses are Suzanne Gagner and Jeanne Koepke
The Glen Ellyn Library obtains a small supply of the selected books a month before the discussion Those who hold a card from another local library are also eligible to check out the books
If you would like to be added to my email distribution list for updatesannouncements please contact me
Non-Fiction Lit Sue Herrmann Ewa Bacon
sherrmann710gmailcom baconewlewisuedu
The PM Non-Fiction group will meet on March 22 at 700 pm at the home of Phyllis Fogel (630-629-7911 and prfogellivecom) Please let your hostess know if you are planning to attend Donna Jean Simon will lead our discussion
Our selection for March is The Disappearing Spoon And Other True Tales of Madness Love and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of Elements by Sam Kean The subtitle tells all The New York Times wrote ldquo[these are] incredible stories of science history finance mythology the arts medicine and more as told by the Periodic Tablerdquo The Glen Ellyn Public Library has a reserve section for us And please if this sounds interesting to you come join us and discover the joy of non-fiction reading
We will not be meeting again until after the Book Sale Get ready for the June 28 selection The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaportmdashthe tale of Tsar Nicholasrsquos doomed daughters
PM Non-fiction please contact Ewa Bacon (630-871-7741 and baconewlewisuedu) for more information (Editorrsquos Note No report for AM Non-Fiction this month)
STEM Fran Kravitz
fk1456sbcglobalnet
The Wheaton Glen Ellyn Branch AAUW presented a workshop on Wobbly Robots at the Glen Ellyn Public Library on Saturday February 11 We had 24 enthusiastic children in the morning session who were in grades 2-5 We discussed what makes up a robot from simple to complex and where they are used The kids were intrigued by the videos of a bomb disposal robot the Mars rover and a surgical robot peeling a grape The room was filled with busy children assembling a robot from a plastic cup vibrating motor and three colored markers Of course not every robot was a success but our AAUW assistants went to work helping the kids solve the problem Our afternoon session had nine eager
students in grades 6-8 These participants quickly understood the concepts and went to work building their robots Branch members assisting in this event were Stacy Adamek Laura and Steve Desmarais Jean Lindsey Cindy Lukens and Deb Ness
STEAM Feast at the Glen Ellyn Public Library will be held on Saturday March 18 The Wheaton-Glen Ellyn Branch of AAUW will have a table there powered by the STEM Wizards Please come and visit our table of hands-on activities
On Saturday March 25 our Branch will be participating in Tech Savvy This is a daylong program for middle school girls The program offers girls the opportunity to explore areas of science technology engineering and math workshops in the morning followed by an afternoon of Savvy Skills workshops The Tech Savvy program will be held at Triton College in River Forest Volunteers are needed for this program
Our next Branch STEM event will be on Saturday April 15 at Wheaton Public Library The topic will be on Squishy Circuits The workshop introduces students to understanding how a circuit works using conducting and insulting dough an LED bulb and a battery
We could use your help as a volunteer for this outreach program No science experience needed- just enthusiasm There is no better fulfillment than seeing a childrsquos eyes light up when they understand a new concept Please join us at our next STEM event
Cultural Arts Kathleen McCullough and Ellen McGowan
kathymccullgmailcom emcgowan123sbcglobalnet
Members and guests enjoyed a successful cultural arts event in February Special thanks to Peggy Connolly for hosting the group with wine and appetizers prior to the Buffalo Theater Ensemble production at the MAC We enjoyed a pre-show discussion prior to an excellent production of Good People written by David Lindsay-Abaire Look for another BTE event in the spring
Our play trip to Drury Lane for Saturday Night Fever is scheduled for Sunday April 2 at 200 pm Ticket price will be $57 if we have 15 people signed up Please contact Kathy no later than March 3 to reserve your seat You are welcome to invite friends and family as we do not have a maximum number for the event We will have a quick turnaround for the payment once we have your responses
Please contact Kathy to be added to the Cultural Arts database for email announcements
999
PM Lit Janet Arden
janardenicloudcom
PM Lit meets on March 20 to discuss The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende In 1939 as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis young Alma Belascorsquos parents send her to live with an aunt and uncle in their opulent mansion in San Francisco There she encounters Ichimei Fukuda the quiet and gentle son of the familyrsquos Japanese gardener Unnoticed by those around them a tender love affair blossoms Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Ichimei and his family are declared enemies and relocated to internment camps Alma and Ichimei reunite again and again but they are forever forced to hide their love
We will be meeting at the home of Bonnie Wheaton Please let Bonnie know (bonwheatonaolom) if you will be attending
If you would like to read ahead our April book is When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
National
Legal Advocacy Fund Gail Davis
kengaildaviscomcastnet
Although AAUW-LAF does not provide legal advice or legal representation it can provide other assistance such as funding for court filing fees preparation of briefs filings and other case-based costs and plaintiff court travel It can also provide other support such as signing an amicus brief or making an official statement of support AAUW members can be present at the court to provide emotional support
Recommendations for case support can be made at this site lafaauworg The LAF committee will decide on the applicantrsquos suitability for support
Public Policy Patricia Spence
pspence101aolcom
AAUW Marches On Because it is consistent with our Public Policy Principles AAUW officially supports the March for Science April 22 Earth Day httpsciencemarchchicagoorg According to our National office the event is mainly organized by individual scientists and not organizations so at this point AAUW is not a co-sponsor but encourages participants to carry the AAUW banner AAUW-Illinois Public Policy Coordinators may set up a gathering spot for Chicago AAUW branch members to assemble If so details will be forthcoming Our Branch along with 270 other organizations participated in the Chicago Womenrsquos March on January 21 The unexpected attendance of over 270000 caused the attendees to overwhelm the entire march route from the rally start point to Federal Plaza the planned termination point so the march was cancelled and its destination was reached
They tried to bury us They didnrsquot know we were seeds (Mexican proverb)
Washington DC ndash Advocacy AAUW recently signed on to three coalition letters announcing (1) opposition to the global gag rule which blocks federal funding of non-governmental organizations that perform or that merely mention the option of abortion (2) support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) and (3) support for equal access to high quality Career and Technical Education programs The global gag rule passed
Due to a tie-breaking vote by Vice-President Pence Becky DeVos became the Secretary of Education AAUW Action Network had urged all members to write to their senators to oppose the nomination of Becky DeVos to Secretary of Education The four dominant reasons for this opposition remain a concern for AAUW Secretary DeVos (1) did not agree to uphold and enforce the US Department of Educationrsquos Title IX guidance (2) did not agree that all schools receiving federal funds should follow civil rights laws (3) did not commit to supporting public education and to not privatize education and (4) failed to answer basic questions about her responsibilities as Secretary regarding school accountability She also did not demonstrate an understanding of the Secretaryrsquos role to ensure schools support students with disabilities The heads of the Departments of Education Justice (Jeff Sessions) Labor (TBA) and Health and Human Services (Tom Price) in particular will have significant influence on issues affecting women and children
Recently the US House of Representatives passed HR 7 the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act by a 238-183 vote AAUW believes strongly in the importance of choice in the determination of ones reproductive life and increased access to quality affordable health care and family planning services AAUW opposes all attempts to limit womens access to necessary medical care If adopted HR 7 would make it practically impossible for women to have any public or private insurance coverage for abortion regardless of their circumstances or need
Springfield-Advocacy As Twigs goes to press HB 40 is under consideration by the Illinois state legislature HB 40 repeals a trigger provision in
the 1975 Illinois Abortion Law that states if Roe v Wade is ever overturned or modified by the US Supreme Court Illinois will revert back to its pre-Roe law that made abortion an illegal criminal act HB 40 also allows women covered by
Medicaid and the State Employees Health Insurance to have coverage for abortion care AAUW supports passage of HB 40 You can too See the ldquoContact Your Legislatorsrdquo Directory page updated by Jane Palmer and mailed to you on January 29 or go to wwwhousegov and enter your zip code to identify your district its representative and contact information If you know individuals who live in Illinois House Districts 8 28 32 36 44 60 andor 80 urge them to contact their state representatives These representatives have not yet committed to a ldquoyesrdquo vote on HB 40 (Personal experience I called Rep Peter Breenrsquos office (D 48) to express my support of HB 40 His aide informed me he is ldquopro-liferdquo and she encouraged me to contact the office in the future It was a cordial conversation) Remember to enterupdate all of your national and state legislatorsrsquo phone numbers in your cell phone contact list
ldquohellipsisterhood like female friendship has at its core the affirmation of freedomrdquo (Mary Daly GynEcology 1978)
Special March Presentation at the Morton Arboretum
Our March program promises to be an exceptional opportunity to view treasures from the collections of the Sterling Morton Library of the Morton Arboretum The foundation of the Library was created with books from the collections of the Arboretumrsquos founder Joy Morton and his family Through the years these early collections were augmented with resources from a variety of sources Of special note is a collection of 72 original paintings by the 18th century German artist Barbara Regina Dietzsch acquired by Margaret Gray Morton and eventually added to the Libraryrsquos collections Joyrsquos granddaughter Suzette Morton Davidson shared her grandfatherrsquos passion for plants and trees An accomplished graphic artist who studied at both the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Sorbonne Suzette greatly expanded the Arboretumrsquos collection of rare botanical books and art Today the Sterling Morton Library continues to share knowledge and information about trees through a host of resources
Rita Hassert Library Collections Manager of the Sterling Morton Library grew up near New Lenox She spent her childhood days roaming outside or in her grandmotherrsquos garden nurturing a lifelong interest in botany science and gardening She received her Master of Science in Library and Information Science from the U of I and was delighted to join the staff of the Sterling Morton Library Rita finds great joy in her work at the Arboretum curating the diverse collections preserving and contributing to the legacy Joy Morton created Please join us Saturday March 4 when Rita will share works from this extraordinary collection with us
Branch member Don Westlake will return to the Mary Lubko Center
in Wheatons Memorial Park to present More Precious Memories
Wednesday March 22 100 pm to 200 pm followed by a dessert reception
Space limits the audience to 50 Make reservations by calling (630) 665-1415
There is a $5 fee
wwwgrovedentalcom
What is AAUW Mission AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy education philanthropy and research Membership In principle and practice AAUW values and seeks a diverse membership There shall be no barriers to full participation in
this organization on the basis of gender race creed age sexual orientation national origin class or disability Membership is not by invitation
Legal Advocacy Fund AAUWrsquos Legal Advocacy Fund provides funding and a support system for women seeking judicial redress for sex discrimination
Vision Statement AAUW will be a powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through research philanthropy and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women and girls
Film Group Anne Hanley
ahanleymindspringcom
By the time we meet again we will know who won the Oscars (They air on Sunday February 26) At our February meeting there was a lot of support behind Manchester by the Sea and Moonlight Were we right A group of us also had a wonderful outing in February to see the nominated short films in animated and live actions categories If you have an opportunity to see them you should They were terrific Now it is on to March Our March meeting will be on Saturday March 11 at the home of Susie Gullickson We will gather at 700 pm As always the film selection will go out the weekend before If you are not receiving the announcement and would like to send me an email
AM Lit Kathy McCullough
kathymccullgmailcom
We meet on Friday March 3 at the home of Suzanne Gagner to discuss Mr Penumbrarsquos 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan Our discussion leader is Elaine Nissen with Gail Davis and Janet Arden serving as co-hostesses
Sloanrsquos book is an old school mystery set in tech-loving modern San Francisco A former web designer lands a job at a bookstore with very few patrons and even fewer purchases He discovers a conspiracy at play and gets his best friend and his love interest involved A clever and whimsical tale with a big heart
Looking ahead to April 7 Jean Lindsey will lead our discussion of My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante at the home of Carolyn Oesterle Our co-hostesses are Suzanne Gagner and Jeanne Koepke
The Glen Ellyn Library obtains a small supply of the selected books a month before the discussion Those who hold a card from another local library are also eligible to check out the books
If you would like to be added to my email distribution list for updatesannouncements please contact me
Non-Fiction Lit Sue Herrmann Ewa Bacon
sherrmann710gmailcom baconewlewisuedu
The PM Non-Fiction group will meet on March 22 at 700 pm at the home of Phyllis Fogel (630-629-7911 and prfogellivecom) Please let your hostess know if you are planning to attend Donna Jean Simon will lead our discussion
Our selection for March is The Disappearing Spoon And Other True Tales of Madness Love and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of Elements by Sam Kean The subtitle tells all The New York Times wrote ldquo[these are] incredible stories of science history finance mythology the arts medicine and more as told by the Periodic Tablerdquo The Glen Ellyn Public Library has a reserve section for us And please if this sounds interesting to you come join us and discover the joy of non-fiction reading
We will not be meeting again until after the Book Sale Get ready for the June 28 selection The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaportmdashthe tale of Tsar Nicholasrsquos doomed daughters
PM Non-fiction please contact Ewa Bacon (630-871-7741 and baconewlewisuedu) for more information (Editorrsquos Note No report for AM Non-Fiction this month)
STEM Fran Kravitz
fk1456sbcglobalnet
The Wheaton Glen Ellyn Branch AAUW presented a workshop on Wobbly Robots at the Glen Ellyn Public Library on Saturday February 11 We had 24 enthusiastic children in the morning session who were in grades 2-5 We discussed what makes up a robot from simple to complex and where they are used The kids were intrigued by the videos of a bomb disposal robot the Mars rover and a surgical robot peeling a grape The room was filled with busy children assembling a robot from a plastic cup vibrating motor and three colored markers Of course not every robot was a success but our AAUW assistants went to work helping the kids solve the problem Our afternoon session had nine eager
students in grades 6-8 These participants quickly understood the concepts and went to work building their robots Branch members assisting in this event were Stacy Adamek Laura and Steve Desmarais Jean Lindsey Cindy Lukens and Deb Ness
STEAM Feast at the Glen Ellyn Public Library will be held on Saturday March 18 The Wheaton-Glen Ellyn Branch of AAUW will have a table there powered by the STEM Wizards Please come and visit our table of hands-on activities
On Saturday March 25 our Branch will be participating in Tech Savvy This is a daylong program for middle school girls The program offers girls the opportunity to explore areas of science technology engineering and math workshops in the morning followed by an afternoon of Savvy Skills workshops The Tech Savvy program will be held at Triton College in River Forest Volunteers are needed for this program
Our next Branch STEM event will be on Saturday April 15 at Wheaton Public Library The topic will be on Squishy Circuits The workshop introduces students to understanding how a circuit works using conducting and insulting dough an LED bulb and a battery
We could use your help as a volunteer for this outreach program No science experience needed- just enthusiasm There is no better fulfillment than seeing a childrsquos eyes light up when they understand a new concept Please join us at our next STEM event
Cultural Arts Kathleen McCullough and Ellen McGowan
kathymccullgmailcom emcgowan123sbcglobalnet
Members and guests enjoyed a successful cultural arts event in February Special thanks to Peggy Connolly for hosting the group with wine and appetizers prior to the Buffalo Theater Ensemble production at the MAC We enjoyed a pre-show discussion prior to an excellent production of Good People written by David Lindsay-Abaire Look for another BTE event in the spring
Our play trip to Drury Lane for Saturday Night Fever is scheduled for Sunday April 2 at 200 pm Ticket price will be $57 if we have 15 people signed up Please contact Kathy no later than March 3 to reserve your seat You are welcome to invite friends and family as we do not have a maximum number for the event We will have a quick turnaround for the payment once we have your responses
Please contact Kathy to be added to the Cultural Arts database for email announcements
999
PM Lit Janet Arden
janardenicloudcom
PM Lit meets on March 20 to discuss The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende In 1939 as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis young Alma Belascorsquos parents send her to live with an aunt and uncle in their opulent mansion in San Francisco There she encounters Ichimei Fukuda the quiet and gentle son of the familyrsquos Japanese gardener Unnoticed by those around them a tender love affair blossoms Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Ichimei and his family are declared enemies and relocated to internment camps Alma and Ichimei reunite again and again but they are forever forced to hide their love
We will be meeting at the home of Bonnie Wheaton Please let Bonnie know (bonwheatonaolom) if you will be attending
If you would like to read ahead our April book is When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
National
Legal Advocacy Fund Gail Davis
kengaildaviscomcastnet
Although AAUW-LAF does not provide legal advice or legal representation it can provide other assistance such as funding for court filing fees preparation of briefs filings and other case-based costs and plaintiff court travel It can also provide other support such as signing an amicus brief or making an official statement of support AAUW members can be present at the court to provide emotional support
Recommendations for case support can be made at this site lafaauworg The LAF committee will decide on the applicantrsquos suitability for support
Public Policy Patricia Spence
pspence101aolcom
AAUW Marches On Because it is consistent with our Public Policy Principles AAUW officially supports the March for Science April 22 Earth Day httpsciencemarchchicagoorg According to our National office the event is mainly organized by individual scientists and not organizations so at this point AAUW is not a co-sponsor but encourages participants to carry the AAUW banner AAUW-Illinois Public Policy Coordinators may set up a gathering spot for Chicago AAUW branch members to assemble If so details will be forthcoming Our Branch along with 270 other organizations participated in the Chicago Womenrsquos March on January 21 The unexpected attendance of over 270000 caused the attendees to overwhelm the entire march route from the rally start point to Federal Plaza the planned termination point so the march was cancelled and its destination was reached
They tried to bury us They didnrsquot know we were seeds (Mexican proverb)
Washington DC ndash Advocacy AAUW recently signed on to three coalition letters announcing (1) opposition to the global gag rule which blocks federal funding of non-governmental organizations that perform or that merely mention the option of abortion (2) support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) and (3) support for equal access to high quality Career and Technical Education programs The global gag rule passed
Due to a tie-breaking vote by Vice-President Pence Becky DeVos became the Secretary of Education AAUW Action Network had urged all members to write to their senators to oppose the nomination of Becky DeVos to Secretary of Education The four dominant reasons for this opposition remain a concern for AAUW Secretary DeVos (1) did not agree to uphold and enforce the US Department of Educationrsquos Title IX guidance (2) did not agree that all schools receiving federal funds should follow civil rights laws (3) did not commit to supporting public education and to not privatize education and (4) failed to answer basic questions about her responsibilities as Secretary regarding school accountability She also did not demonstrate an understanding of the Secretaryrsquos role to ensure schools support students with disabilities The heads of the Departments of Education Justice (Jeff Sessions) Labor (TBA) and Health and Human Services (Tom Price) in particular will have significant influence on issues affecting women and children
Recently the US House of Representatives passed HR 7 the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act by a 238-183 vote AAUW believes strongly in the importance of choice in the determination of ones reproductive life and increased access to quality affordable health care and family planning services AAUW opposes all attempts to limit womens access to necessary medical care If adopted HR 7 would make it practically impossible for women to have any public or private insurance coverage for abortion regardless of their circumstances or need
Springfield-Advocacy As Twigs goes to press HB 40 is under consideration by the Illinois state legislature HB 40 repeals a trigger provision in
the 1975 Illinois Abortion Law that states if Roe v Wade is ever overturned or modified by the US Supreme Court Illinois will revert back to its pre-Roe law that made abortion an illegal criminal act HB 40 also allows women covered by
Medicaid and the State Employees Health Insurance to have coverage for abortion care AAUW supports passage of HB 40 You can too See the ldquoContact Your Legislatorsrdquo Directory page updated by Jane Palmer and mailed to you on January 29 or go to wwwhousegov and enter your zip code to identify your district its representative and contact information If you know individuals who live in Illinois House Districts 8 28 32 36 44 60 andor 80 urge them to contact their state representatives These representatives have not yet committed to a ldquoyesrdquo vote on HB 40 (Personal experience I called Rep Peter Breenrsquos office (D 48) to express my support of HB 40 His aide informed me he is ldquopro-liferdquo and she encouraged me to contact the office in the future It was a cordial conversation) Remember to enterupdate all of your national and state legislatorsrsquo phone numbers in your cell phone contact list
ldquohellipsisterhood like female friendship has at its core the affirmation of freedomrdquo (Mary Daly GynEcology 1978)
Special March Presentation at the Morton Arboretum
Our March program promises to be an exceptional opportunity to view treasures from the collections of the Sterling Morton Library of the Morton Arboretum The foundation of the Library was created with books from the collections of the Arboretumrsquos founder Joy Morton and his family Through the years these early collections were augmented with resources from a variety of sources Of special note is a collection of 72 original paintings by the 18th century German artist Barbara Regina Dietzsch acquired by Margaret Gray Morton and eventually added to the Libraryrsquos collections Joyrsquos granddaughter Suzette Morton Davidson shared her grandfatherrsquos passion for plants and trees An accomplished graphic artist who studied at both the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Sorbonne Suzette greatly expanded the Arboretumrsquos collection of rare botanical books and art Today the Sterling Morton Library continues to share knowledge and information about trees through a host of resources
Rita Hassert Library Collections Manager of the Sterling Morton Library grew up near New Lenox She spent her childhood days roaming outside or in her grandmotherrsquos garden nurturing a lifelong interest in botany science and gardening She received her Master of Science in Library and Information Science from the U of I and was delighted to join the staff of the Sterling Morton Library Rita finds great joy in her work at the Arboretum curating the diverse collections preserving and contributing to the legacy Joy Morton created Please join us Saturday March 4 when Rita will share works from this extraordinary collection with us
Branch member Don Westlake will return to the Mary Lubko Center
in Wheatons Memorial Park to present More Precious Memories
Wednesday March 22 100 pm to 200 pm followed by a dessert reception
Space limits the audience to 50 Make reservations by calling (630) 665-1415
There is a $5 fee
wwwgrovedentalcom
What is AAUW Mission AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy education philanthropy and research Membership In principle and practice AAUW values and seeks a diverse membership There shall be no barriers to full participation in
this organization on the basis of gender race creed age sexual orientation national origin class or disability Membership is not by invitation
Legal Advocacy Fund AAUWrsquos Legal Advocacy Fund provides funding and a support system for women seeking judicial redress for sex discrimination
Vision Statement AAUW will be a powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through research philanthropy and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women and girls
students in grades 6-8 These participants quickly understood the concepts and went to work building their robots Branch members assisting in this event were Stacy Adamek Laura and Steve Desmarais Jean Lindsey Cindy Lukens and Deb Ness
STEAM Feast at the Glen Ellyn Public Library will be held on Saturday March 18 The Wheaton-Glen Ellyn Branch of AAUW will have a table there powered by the STEM Wizards Please come and visit our table of hands-on activities
On Saturday March 25 our Branch will be participating in Tech Savvy This is a daylong program for middle school girls The program offers girls the opportunity to explore areas of science technology engineering and math workshops in the morning followed by an afternoon of Savvy Skills workshops The Tech Savvy program will be held at Triton College in River Forest Volunteers are needed for this program
Our next Branch STEM event will be on Saturday April 15 at Wheaton Public Library The topic will be on Squishy Circuits The workshop introduces students to understanding how a circuit works using conducting and insulting dough an LED bulb and a battery
We could use your help as a volunteer for this outreach program No science experience needed- just enthusiasm There is no better fulfillment than seeing a childrsquos eyes light up when they understand a new concept Please join us at our next STEM event
Cultural Arts Kathleen McCullough and Ellen McGowan
kathymccullgmailcom emcgowan123sbcglobalnet
Members and guests enjoyed a successful cultural arts event in February Special thanks to Peggy Connolly for hosting the group with wine and appetizers prior to the Buffalo Theater Ensemble production at the MAC We enjoyed a pre-show discussion prior to an excellent production of Good People written by David Lindsay-Abaire Look for another BTE event in the spring
Our play trip to Drury Lane for Saturday Night Fever is scheduled for Sunday April 2 at 200 pm Ticket price will be $57 if we have 15 people signed up Please contact Kathy no later than March 3 to reserve your seat You are welcome to invite friends and family as we do not have a maximum number for the event We will have a quick turnaround for the payment once we have your responses
Please contact Kathy to be added to the Cultural Arts database for email announcements
999
PM Lit Janet Arden
janardenicloudcom
PM Lit meets on March 20 to discuss The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende In 1939 as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis young Alma Belascorsquos parents send her to live with an aunt and uncle in their opulent mansion in San Francisco There she encounters Ichimei Fukuda the quiet and gentle son of the familyrsquos Japanese gardener Unnoticed by those around them a tender love affair blossoms Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Ichimei and his family are declared enemies and relocated to internment camps Alma and Ichimei reunite again and again but they are forever forced to hide their love
We will be meeting at the home of Bonnie Wheaton Please let Bonnie know (bonwheatonaolom) if you will be attending
If you would like to read ahead our April book is When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
National
Legal Advocacy Fund Gail Davis
kengaildaviscomcastnet
Although AAUW-LAF does not provide legal advice or legal representation it can provide other assistance such as funding for court filing fees preparation of briefs filings and other case-based costs and plaintiff court travel It can also provide other support such as signing an amicus brief or making an official statement of support AAUW members can be present at the court to provide emotional support
Recommendations for case support can be made at this site lafaauworg The LAF committee will decide on the applicantrsquos suitability for support
Public Policy Patricia Spence
pspence101aolcom
AAUW Marches On Because it is consistent with our Public Policy Principles AAUW officially supports the March for Science April 22 Earth Day httpsciencemarchchicagoorg According to our National office the event is mainly organized by individual scientists and not organizations so at this point AAUW is not a co-sponsor but encourages participants to carry the AAUW banner AAUW-Illinois Public Policy Coordinators may set up a gathering spot for Chicago AAUW branch members to assemble If so details will be forthcoming Our Branch along with 270 other organizations participated in the Chicago Womenrsquos March on January 21 The unexpected attendance of over 270000 caused the attendees to overwhelm the entire march route from the rally start point to Federal Plaza the planned termination point so the march was cancelled and its destination was reached
They tried to bury us They didnrsquot know we were seeds (Mexican proverb)
Washington DC ndash Advocacy AAUW recently signed on to three coalition letters announcing (1) opposition to the global gag rule which blocks federal funding of non-governmental organizations that perform or that merely mention the option of abortion (2) support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) and (3) support for equal access to high quality Career and Technical Education programs The global gag rule passed
Due to a tie-breaking vote by Vice-President Pence Becky DeVos became the Secretary of Education AAUW Action Network had urged all members to write to their senators to oppose the nomination of Becky DeVos to Secretary of Education The four dominant reasons for this opposition remain a concern for AAUW Secretary DeVos (1) did not agree to uphold and enforce the US Department of Educationrsquos Title IX guidance (2) did not agree that all schools receiving federal funds should follow civil rights laws (3) did not commit to supporting public education and to not privatize education and (4) failed to answer basic questions about her responsibilities as Secretary regarding school accountability She also did not demonstrate an understanding of the Secretaryrsquos role to ensure schools support students with disabilities The heads of the Departments of Education Justice (Jeff Sessions) Labor (TBA) and Health and Human Services (Tom Price) in particular will have significant influence on issues affecting women and children
Recently the US House of Representatives passed HR 7 the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act by a 238-183 vote AAUW believes strongly in the importance of choice in the determination of ones reproductive life and increased access to quality affordable health care and family planning services AAUW opposes all attempts to limit womens access to necessary medical care If adopted HR 7 would make it practically impossible for women to have any public or private insurance coverage for abortion regardless of their circumstances or need
Springfield-Advocacy As Twigs goes to press HB 40 is under consideration by the Illinois state legislature HB 40 repeals a trigger provision in
the 1975 Illinois Abortion Law that states if Roe v Wade is ever overturned or modified by the US Supreme Court Illinois will revert back to its pre-Roe law that made abortion an illegal criminal act HB 40 also allows women covered by
Medicaid and the State Employees Health Insurance to have coverage for abortion care AAUW supports passage of HB 40 You can too See the ldquoContact Your Legislatorsrdquo Directory page updated by Jane Palmer and mailed to you on January 29 or go to wwwhousegov and enter your zip code to identify your district its representative and contact information If you know individuals who live in Illinois House Districts 8 28 32 36 44 60 andor 80 urge them to contact their state representatives These representatives have not yet committed to a ldquoyesrdquo vote on HB 40 (Personal experience I called Rep Peter Breenrsquos office (D 48) to express my support of HB 40 His aide informed me he is ldquopro-liferdquo and she encouraged me to contact the office in the future It was a cordial conversation) Remember to enterupdate all of your national and state legislatorsrsquo phone numbers in your cell phone contact list
ldquohellipsisterhood like female friendship has at its core the affirmation of freedomrdquo (Mary Daly GynEcology 1978)
Special March Presentation at the Morton Arboretum
Our March program promises to be an exceptional opportunity to view treasures from the collections of the Sterling Morton Library of the Morton Arboretum The foundation of the Library was created with books from the collections of the Arboretumrsquos founder Joy Morton and his family Through the years these early collections were augmented with resources from a variety of sources Of special note is a collection of 72 original paintings by the 18th century German artist Barbara Regina Dietzsch acquired by Margaret Gray Morton and eventually added to the Libraryrsquos collections Joyrsquos granddaughter Suzette Morton Davidson shared her grandfatherrsquos passion for plants and trees An accomplished graphic artist who studied at both the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Sorbonne Suzette greatly expanded the Arboretumrsquos collection of rare botanical books and art Today the Sterling Morton Library continues to share knowledge and information about trees through a host of resources
Rita Hassert Library Collections Manager of the Sterling Morton Library grew up near New Lenox She spent her childhood days roaming outside or in her grandmotherrsquos garden nurturing a lifelong interest in botany science and gardening She received her Master of Science in Library and Information Science from the U of I and was delighted to join the staff of the Sterling Morton Library Rita finds great joy in her work at the Arboretum curating the diverse collections preserving and contributing to the legacy Joy Morton created Please join us Saturday March 4 when Rita will share works from this extraordinary collection with us
Branch member Don Westlake will return to the Mary Lubko Center
in Wheatons Memorial Park to present More Precious Memories
Wednesday March 22 100 pm to 200 pm followed by a dessert reception
Space limits the audience to 50 Make reservations by calling (630) 665-1415
There is a $5 fee
wwwgrovedentalcom
What is AAUW Mission AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy education philanthropy and research Membership In principle and practice AAUW values and seeks a diverse membership There shall be no barriers to full participation in
this organization on the basis of gender race creed age sexual orientation national origin class or disability Membership is not by invitation
Legal Advocacy Fund AAUWrsquos Legal Advocacy Fund provides funding and a support system for women seeking judicial redress for sex discrimination
Vision Statement AAUW will be a powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through research philanthropy and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women and girls
National
Legal Advocacy Fund Gail Davis
kengaildaviscomcastnet
Although AAUW-LAF does not provide legal advice or legal representation it can provide other assistance such as funding for court filing fees preparation of briefs filings and other case-based costs and plaintiff court travel It can also provide other support such as signing an amicus brief or making an official statement of support AAUW members can be present at the court to provide emotional support
Recommendations for case support can be made at this site lafaauworg The LAF committee will decide on the applicantrsquos suitability for support
Public Policy Patricia Spence
pspence101aolcom
AAUW Marches On Because it is consistent with our Public Policy Principles AAUW officially supports the March for Science April 22 Earth Day httpsciencemarchchicagoorg According to our National office the event is mainly organized by individual scientists and not organizations so at this point AAUW is not a co-sponsor but encourages participants to carry the AAUW banner AAUW-Illinois Public Policy Coordinators may set up a gathering spot for Chicago AAUW branch members to assemble If so details will be forthcoming Our Branch along with 270 other organizations participated in the Chicago Womenrsquos March on January 21 The unexpected attendance of over 270000 caused the attendees to overwhelm the entire march route from the rally start point to Federal Plaza the planned termination point so the march was cancelled and its destination was reached
They tried to bury us They didnrsquot know we were seeds (Mexican proverb)
Washington DC ndash Advocacy AAUW recently signed on to three coalition letters announcing (1) opposition to the global gag rule which blocks federal funding of non-governmental organizations that perform or that merely mention the option of abortion (2) support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) and (3) support for equal access to high quality Career and Technical Education programs The global gag rule passed
Due to a tie-breaking vote by Vice-President Pence Becky DeVos became the Secretary of Education AAUW Action Network had urged all members to write to their senators to oppose the nomination of Becky DeVos to Secretary of Education The four dominant reasons for this opposition remain a concern for AAUW Secretary DeVos (1) did not agree to uphold and enforce the US Department of Educationrsquos Title IX guidance (2) did not agree that all schools receiving federal funds should follow civil rights laws (3) did not commit to supporting public education and to not privatize education and (4) failed to answer basic questions about her responsibilities as Secretary regarding school accountability She also did not demonstrate an understanding of the Secretaryrsquos role to ensure schools support students with disabilities The heads of the Departments of Education Justice (Jeff Sessions) Labor (TBA) and Health and Human Services (Tom Price) in particular will have significant influence on issues affecting women and children
Recently the US House of Representatives passed HR 7 the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act by a 238-183 vote AAUW believes strongly in the importance of choice in the determination of ones reproductive life and increased access to quality affordable health care and family planning services AAUW opposes all attempts to limit womens access to necessary medical care If adopted HR 7 would make it practically impossible for women to have any public or private insurance coverage for abortion regardless of their circumstances or need
Springfield-Advocacy As Twigs goes to press HB 40 is under consideration by the Illinois state legislature HB 40 repeals a trigger provision in
the 1975 Illinois Abortion Law that states if Roe v Wade is ever overturned or modified by the US Supreme Court Illinois will revert back to its pre-Roe law that made abortion an illegal criminal act HB 40 also allows women covered by
Medicaid and the State Employees Health Insurance to have coverage for abortion care AAUW supports passage of HB 40 You can too See the ldquoContact Your Legislatorsrdquo Directory page updated by Jane Palmer and mailed to you on January 29 or go to wwwhousegov and enter your zip code to identify your district its representative and contact information If you know individuals who live in Illinois House Districts 8 28 32 36 44 60 andor 80 urge them to contact their state representatives These representatives have not yet committed to a ldquoyesrdquo vote on HB 40 (Personal experience I called Rep Peter Breenrsquos office (D 48) to express my support of HB 40 His aide informed me he is ldquopro-liferdquo and she encouraged me to contact the office in the future It was a cordial conversation) Remember to enterupdate all of your national and state legislatorsrsquo phone numbers in your cell phone contact list
ldquohellipsisterhood like female friendship has at its core the affirmation of freedomrdquo (Mary Daly GynEcology 1978)
Special March Presentation at the Morton Arboretum
Our March program promises to be an exceptional opportunity to view treasures from the collections of the Sterling Morton Library of the Morton Arboretum The foundation of the Library was created with books from the collections of the Arboretumrsquos founder Joy Morton and his family Through the years these early collections were augmented with resources from a variety of sources Of special note is a collection of 72 original paintings by the 18th century German artist Barbara Regina Dietzsch acquired by Margaret Gray Morton and eventually added to the Libraryrsquos collections Joyrsquos granddaughter Suzette Morton Davidson shared her grandfatherrsquos passion for plants and trees An accomplished graphic artist who studied at both the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Sorbonne Suzette greatly expanded the Arboretumrsquos collection of rare botanical books and art Today the Sterling Morton Library continues to share knowledge and information about trees through a host of resources
Rita Hassert Library Collections Manager of the Sterling Morton Library grew up near New Lenox She spent her childhood days roaming outside or in her grandmotherrsquos garden nurturing a lifelong interest in botany science and gardening She received her Master of Science in Library and Information Science from the U of I and was delighted to join the staff of the Sterling Morton Library Rita finds great joy in her work at the Arboretum curating the diverse collections preserving and contributing to the legacy Joy Morton created Please join us Saturday March 4 when Rita will share works from this extraordinary collection with us
Branch member Don Westlake will return to the Mary Lubko Center
in Wheatons Memorial Park to present More Precious Memories
Wednesday March 22 100 pm to 200 pm followed by a dessert reception
Space limits the audience to 50 Make reservations by calling (630) 665-1415
There is a $5 fee
wwwgrovedentalcom
What is AAUW Mission AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy education philanthropy and research Membership In principle and practice AAUW values and seeks a diverse membership There shall be no barriers to full participation in
this organization on the basis of gender race creed age sexual orientation national origin class or disability Membership is not by invitation
Legal Advocacy Fund AAUWrsquos Legal Advocacy Fund provides funding and a support system for women seeking judicial redress for sex discrimination
Vision Statement AAUW will be a powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through research philanthropy and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women and girls
Medicaid and the State Employees Health Insurance to have coverage for abortion care AAUW supports passage of HB 40 You can too See the ldquoContact Your Legislatorsrdquo Directory page updated by Jane Palmer and mailed to you on January 29 or go to wwwhousegov and enter your zip code to identify your district its representative and contact information If you know individuals who live in Illinois House Districts 8 28 32 36 44 60 andor 80 urge them to contact their state representatives These representatives have not yet committed to a ldquoyesrdquo vote on HB 40 (Personal experience I called Rep Peter Breenrsquos office (D 48) to express my support of HB 40 His aide informed me he is ldquopro-liferdquo and she encouraged me to contact the office in the future It was a cordial conversation) Remember to enterupdate all of your national and state legislatorsrsquo phone numbers in your cell phone contact list
ldquohellipsisterhood like female friendship has at its core the affirmation of freedomrdquo (Mary Daly GynEcology 1978)
Special March Presentation at the Morton Arboretum
Our March program promises to be an exceptional opportunity to view treasures from the collections of the Sterling Morton Library of the Morton Arboretum The foundation of the Library was created with books from the collections of the Arboretumrsquos founder Joy Morton and his family Through the years these early collections were augmented with resources from a variety of sources Of special note is a collection of 72 original paintings by the 18th century German artist Barbara Regina Dietzsch acquired by Margaret Gray Morton and eventually added to the Libraryrsquos collections Joyrsquos granddaughter Suzette Morton Davidson shared her grandfatherrsquos passion for plants and trees An accomplished graphic artist who studied at both the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Sorbonne Suzette greatly expanded the Arboretumrsquos collection of rare botanical books and art Today the Sterling Morton Library continues to share knowledge and information about trees through a host of resources
Rita Hassert Library Collections Manager of the Sterling Morton Library grew up near New Lenox She spent her childhood days roaming outside or in her grandmotherrsquos garden nurturing a lifelong interest in botany science and gardening She received her Master of Science in Library and Information Science from the U of I and was delighted to join the staff of the Sterling Morton Library Rita finds great joy in her work at the Arboretum curating the diverse collections preserving and contributing to the legacy Joy Morton created Please join us Saturday March 4 when Rita will share works from this extraordinary collection with us
Branch member Don Westlake will return to the Mary Lubko Center
in Wheatons Memorial Park to present More Precious Memories
Wednesday March 22 100 pm to 200 pm followed by a dessert reception
Space limits the audience to 50 Make reservations by calling (630) 665-1415
There is a $5 fee
wwwgrovedentalcom
What is AAUW Mission AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy education philanthropy and research Membership In principle and practice AAUW values and seeks a diverse membership There shall be no barriers to full participation in
this organization on the basis of gender race creed age sexual orientation national origin class or disability Membership is not by invitation
Legal Advocacy Fund AAUWrsquos Legal Advocacy Fund provides funding and a support system for women seeking judicial redress for sex discrimination
Vision Statement AAUW will be a powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through research philanthropy and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women and girls
wwwgrovedentalcom
What is AAUW Mission AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy education philanthropy and research Membership In principle and practice AAUW values and seeks a diverse membership There shall be no barriers to full participation in
this organization on the basis of gender race creed age sexual orientation national origin class or disability Membership is not by invitation
Legal Advocacy Fund AAUWrsquos Legal Advocacy Fund provides funding and a support system for women seeking judicial redress for sex discrimination
Vision Statement AAUW will be a powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through research philanthropy and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women and girls
