Volume 50 No. 04
March/April 2015
Reading, PA
March General Business Meeting with Branch Officer Elections
The annual AAUW General Business Meeting for the membership to vote on the officers for the next
two years will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2015. The meeting will be held at the West
Lawn/Wyomissing Hills Library, 101 Woodside Ave, West Lawn, PA 19609 at 7 PM. The program for the
evening will be “If Coins Could Talk” by guest speaker, Barbara Goodling. After the program and
refreshment break AAUW will have a short business meeting and the officer elections. We will be
voting for 1 Program VP and 1 Director to serve on our board. Ballots and information to vote for
AAUW-PA officers will also be available. We hope you can join us for this important event.
Recognition of Women Brunch
Our Reading Branch of AAUW is again honoring the outstanding high
school senior young woman from each of the Berks County schools, our
graduate and re-entry scholarship winners, and outstanding branch
members at our Recognition of Women Brunch on Saturday, April
11, 2015, at 9:30a.m. at The Inn At Reading, 1040 N. Park Road,
Wyomissing.
A breakfast buffet will be followed by a guest speaker and the recognition awards.
To make a reservation please forward a check for $15.00 payable to AAUW Reading Branch, to Joan
Cook, 1905 Redwood Avenue, Reading, PA 19610 by March 27 with the information requested below.
Call Joan at 610-678-7999 with any questions.
Enclosed is my $15.00 per person for the Recognition of Women Brunch
NAME __________________
PHONE OR EMAIL ____________________________
Please enclose this information along with your check.
Interest Groups
March
Culinary Diversity, Tuesday, March 17, 6 PM
Dinner – The Peanut Bar
332 Penn St.., Reading, PA 19602
610-376-8500
Contact: Joanne Wrigley – 717-445-3015
Kutztown – Contact: Kaye Smith -610-375-7377 for group
information
Literature I – Monday, March 30
Review of Ten Women by David Benioff
Reviewer: Joan Worthington
Hostess: Joan Worthington – 610-790-9062
Co-hostess : Janet Neel – 610-929-4911
Fine Arts – Wednesday, March 25
Lunch – Jhe Pike Café
930 Pike St. ( corner of Pike & Moss), Reading , PA 19604
610-373-6616
Program: Visit Albright College – Friedman Gallery
Contact: Eileen Ritz 610-582-2421
Literature II – Tuesday, March 10, 1:00 PM
Review of Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini.
Hostess & Reviewer – Sylvia Heckler 610-682-7275
New members are welcome. The group meets the second Tuesday of
the month at 1 PM
Contact Loretta Sausen 610-987-3151 for group information
Home Arts – Wednesday, March 4, 7PM
Program – “If Coins Could Talk”
Speaker – Barbara Goodling
Hostess – Ann Wenrich – 610-372-2061
Co-hostess – Carolyn Seidel – 610-374-1664
Theatre - Contact: Ellie Hunt - 610-670-1808 –for group information
Travel – Contact Fran Malley 484-256-7619 for group information
April
Culinary Diversity – Wednesday, April 15, 6PM
Dinner – Glasbern Inn
2141 Packhouse Road, Fogelsville 18051
610-285-4723
Contact – Joanne Wrigley – 717-445-3015
Fine Arts – Wednesday, April 22, 11:30 AM
Lunch: TBA
Program: TBA
Contact: Vicktoria Troutman – 610-589-2952
Home Arts – April 1, 7 PM
Program – “Damsels and Dragons (flies that is)
Soeaker – Tony Schoch
Hostess – Barbara Balsbough – 610-478-9686
Mary Eckton – 610-678-9942
Kutztown – Contact: Kaye Smith -610-375-7377 for group
information
Literature I – Monday, April 27
Review of Maine by Courtney Sullivan
Reviewer – Ann Myers
Hostess – Kate Hoh – 610-375-1087
Co-hostess – Ann Myers – 610-371-0120
Literature II – Tuesday, April 7 – 1PM
Review of Darling’s Last Garage Sale by Faith Bass
Hostess & reviewer: Dolores Gombeda
New members are welcome. Meetings when held are on the 2nd
Tues. of the month at 1PM
Contact – Loretta Sausen – 610-987-3151 for group information
Theatre – Contact Ellie Hunt – 610-670-1808 – for group information
Travel – Contact: Fran Malley,484-256-7619 for more group
information
Book Bonanza News
Books are being accepted Monday and Tuesday mornings, 9:30 – 11:30 AM at the VF Outlet Red Building while members are
working there. They will also be collected the last Saturday in April from 9AM until Noon. In case anyone was wondering if we are
there on Monday and Tuesday, the policy is if Wyomissing School District is closed or has a late start we are not open. We were
closed several times this winter. Book Bonanza is our largest fundraiser and supports all of our scholarship programs.
STEM
AAUW plans to release a new research report on the underrepresentation of women in the engineering and tech fields.
AAUW’s upcoming research report, Solving the Equation: The Variables for Women’s Success in Engineering and
Computing, will feature the latest data on girls’ achievement in subjects related to engineering and computing, how few
women are working in these fields, and what can be done. If you are interested in receiving the report when it is available
or streaming of the launch event live on March 26, you can go to www.aauw.org and sign up to receive it. Fleetwood and
Exeter School Districts have asked our branch to help with programs in their schools to develop girls’ interest in the STEM
(science, technology, engineering and math).fields. I expect to attend a Community Partnership meeting at Exeter High
tonight to get more details on their program. If you are interested in helping with the STEM projects and have not
contacted me before about the subject, please give me a call at 610-582-2421 or send me an email at [email protected] .
AAUW Reading Branch History
In 1923 the Wellesley College alumnae living in Reading had an idea to get “like-minded women together.” Since
Reading was a factory town, there were few women college graduates, but the Wellesley women formed the College Club
with membership by invitation only. The College Club became an affiliate of the newly organized American Association of
University Women in December 1923 and observed AAUW’s open membership policy. The membership grew from 25 to
59 in the first year.
Study groups were organized. The pen and Book Club begun in 1925 became today’s Literature II interest group.
th
Meetings were held in a clubroom at 117 N. 8 St., Reading. However, during the years of WW II the clubroom was lost.
The national Association was also affected by the war and a “Paper Convention” was held. In 1950 the name of the
College Club changed and the Reading Branch of AAUW was formed.
In the past, the branch sponsored College Caravan, Town Fair and “Waste No Food” which became a state project. The
Reading Branch introduced the idea of a commission for women in 1985 and in 1993 the Berks County Commission for
Women became a reality. Courtney Stevens, a Reading Branch member, was the first elected president.
The Reading Branch has served the community for over 90 years by giving support to women and providing projects that
fulfill the AAUW mission. In 1990 the Reading Branch had the largest membership in PA. Three branch members, Delite
Hawk, Patricia Mitchell and Karen Conover have served on the AAUW-PA Board of Directors. Victoria Troutman served
as District Coordinator on the State Board of Directors.
It is the responsibility of the AAUW Reading Branch to support the mission and goals of the national AAUW organization
through the programs and projects conducted by its members. The Reading Branch has been involved in many
community based projects over the years. Cops N’Kids and Let’s Read Math are recent past projects. Ongoing projects
include Graduate Scholarships, Re-entry Scholarships, Senior Girl Recognition and County Science Fair Awards. The
scholarship projects are currently funded by Book Bonanza. Book Bonanza is a joint program of the AAUW Reading
Branch, the Friends of the Berks County Public Libraries, and the Literacy Council of Reading-Berks. In fall 2014 some
members became active in STEM programs in our local schools.
New Member Information
Audrey Smeltzer
333 Antietam Rd.
Temple, PA 19560
[email protected]
Phone – 484-926-2195
Cell phone – 484-638-3528 (preferred)
AAUW READING BRANCH
3045 Linda Lane
Reading PA 19608
Diversity Statement
In principle and in 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,
disability, or class. Membership is not by invitation.
Mission Statements
AAUW advances equity for women and girls, through
advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.
AAUW Educational Foundation provides funds to
advance education, research, and self-development for
women and to foster equity and positive societal change.
AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund provides funding and
a support system for women seeking judicial redress
for sex discrimination.
Branch Lines
Editor – Eileen Ritz 610-582-2421 Web Site: http://reading-pa.aauw.net Email: [email protected]
Jewelry Sale
The sale of “vintage” jewelry (unwanted jewelry from members and friends) began at the beginning of last year to provide funds for
our AAUW Branch Operating Budget. Our Book Bonanza funds are restricted to our scholarship awards programs. However to
provide other activities, program costs, and services such as printing and mailing to our branch we need money for those services.
The vintage jewelry sale was started to raise some of that money. We raised over $1000. last year selling it at our AAUW picnic and
at flea markets. This year we sold it at one flea market in the fall and raised over $100. An indoor yard sale has been scheduled for
March 28 at the Fleetwood Community Center, 110 W. Arch St., Fleetwood. Doors will open at 8:00 AM. Karen Parish and I are
planning to attend. If any members would like to join us you are welcome to come. I will be having a group over to my house to
price jewelry as soon as the ice melts from my driveway. If you have any jewelry that you would like to donate we are still collecting
it. If you want to contact me about the jewelry sale , I can be reached at 510-582-2421 or by email [email protected] . Thank you to all
those members who have donated to this fundraiser and those who helped with the pricing and selling of the jewelry..
Redner’s Register Tapes
Ellie Hunt is still collecting cash register tapes from Redner’s Market. This is another small fundraiser to support our branch projects.
If you shop at Redner’s, please save your tapes and send or give them to Ellie. She turns them in to Redner’s to get money for our
AAUW branch. Thank you to all those members who have donated to this fundraiser.
The next board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 11, 2014 at 7 PM in the Albright College Student Center.