May 2015 Branch Out

NORTHERN PALM BEACH COUNTY
BRANCH OUT
Volume 56, Number 9
May 2015
Calendar
Installation of Officers
Tuesday, May 5 – (Cinco de
Mayo) – 7 p.m. Bridge Club at
Gloria Kaplan’s home. RSVP
to Judy Pierman.
Wednesday, May 6 – 6;30
p.m. Candidates night for
North Palm Beach Village May
12 election. North Palm Beach
Library.
Wednesday, May 13 –
Deadline for reservations for
May 18 installation of officers
dinner meeting. Send checks
to Jacquie Balaschak.
Monday, May 18 – 6:30 p.m.
Installation of officers. Juno
Beach Fish House, US 1 in
Juno Beach.
Wednesday, May 20 –
Deadline to RSVP to Ann
Hutchins for May 28 Year-End
Big Easy Bash.
Saturday, May 23 - 6 p.m.
Dinner Club’s Year-End Big
Easy Bash at Liz Shapiro’s
home. Open to all branch
members and their guests.
Tuesday, May 26 – Postmark
deadline for paper ballots for
national AAUW election.
Friday, June 19 – Deadline for
online voting for national
AAUW election.
Thursday, June 18 to
Sunday, June 21 – AAUW
National convention, San
Diego.
Saturday, June 27 to Friday,
July 3 – AAUW-FL Tech Trek,
St. Petersburg.
Monday, 6:30 p.m. May 18
Juno Beach Fish House
13980 U.S. 1 and Donald Ross Rd., Juno Beach
President:Gretchen Rauch-Herron
[email protected]
Newsletter: Carol MacDonald
Sally Bailey, Carol Whalen
[email protected]
[email protected], [email protected]
Web: http://northernpalmbeach-fl.aauw.net
AAUW Florida co-presidents Susan Berlin and Virginia Farace
will install the incoming branch officers at our annual dinner
meeting, to be held this year at the Juno Beach Fish House on
Monday, May 18.
Officers who will be installed are as follows:
▪President– Cheryll Plotkin
▪Secretary – Marie Flynn
▪Charitable Foundation representatives – Sue Slone, Susan Seufer
▪Program –Shirley Koo, Susan O’Connell, Leonie Escoffery,
Heather Naylor
▪Membership – Liz Shapiro.
At the restaurant, you’ll be able to choose from six menu items:
Grilled Mahi, Grilled Salmon, Fried Grouper, Chicken Francaise,
New York Strip Steak, or Vegetarian Pasta. Salad, dessert, tax, and
gratuity are included for $35. There will be a cash bar.
Feel free to bring your spouse, a guest, or a potential member, but
no dogs, please. Let Fido stay home. We need to know if you’re
coming and how many are in your party. But there’s no need to indicate your choice of entrees, since you’ll be ordering at the restaurant.
Send your check to cover the diners in your party to Jacquie Balaschak by Wednesday, May 13. ♦
Why you need to vote in AAUW election
A proposal that would eliminate the degree requirement for
AAUW membership is on the AAUW National Election ballot. Go to
page 3 to get highlights of this and other proposed changes, and
information on board of directors candidates. Make sure you cast
your vote by June 19 online, or by May 26 with a paper ballot.
You’ll need your AAUW ID number and a voter PIN. Both are on
the back of the most recent Outlook magazine, and in an email sent
April 15 or 16. Can’t find the email? Check your Spam folder. ♦
May 2015
Branch Out
Enjoy a taste of New Orleans
You’re invited to join the
RSVP by Wednesday, May
Dinner Club for a Year-End Big 20, to Ann Hutchins, at
Easy Bash Dinner Party at 6 p.m. [email protected] or
on Saturday, May 23.
561-863-1621. Names are
needed so you can enter the gate
The party is open to all
AAUW members and guests, and at Ironhorse Country Club.
will be held at Liz and Buddy
Shapiro's home, 8385 Ironhorse
Court, West Palm Beach.
Let Ann know the number
attending and type of dish you're
bringing (salad, main dish, or
dessert).
Bring a New Orleans-type
dish to serve five times the
Paper goods and nonnumber in your party. For
alcoholic drinks will be
example, if there are two in your provided; please bring your own
party, bring a dish to serve 10.
wine or beer, if you choose. ♦
Another success for April Is for Authors
This year marked the Fifth
Annual April is For Authors.
Since its inception in 2011
attendance has grown every year;
the number of books sold has
gotten larger; and the event
expanded in 2014 from one day
to a second for a special
workshop for emerging authors
on Sunday afternoon.
A new attraction this year
was a raffle that included
authors’ posters and books,
Barnes & Noble gift certificates,
and other small items, and that
raised over $700.
Activities were moved
around a bit this year. The book
sales and author signings were
moved to the cafeteria to give
In 2014, James Patterson, was both more space; the poetry
contest awards were moved to
the first featured speaker. This
the Media Center; and for the
year, there were two, Tyler
first time the chorus room was
Whitesides in the morning and
Sharon Draper in the afternoon, used for panel discussions.
both popular with their
Next year promises to
respective age groups.
continue the success. ♦
Maltz students entertain at April meeting
The Maltz
Jupiter Theater
may be known for
performances by
professionals, but
it also has a
Conservatory of
Performing Arts,
with programs for
students, as we
learned at our April meeting.
After Pam
Dyar, Maltz
development
director, spoke,
members of the
conservatory’s
Youth Touring
Group treated
us to a musical
performance. ♦
Page 2
Book Club off
to good start
Mark your calendars for
Thursday, October 8, if you’d
like to join the Book Club.
The meeting will be at 1:30
p.m. at the home of Susan
O’Connell, chairman. The rest of
the calendar will be organized
then, with meetings set for every
second Thursday of the month.
Sally Bailey, Maria Fanno,
and Carol Nill joined Susan for a
planning meeting last month. It
was suggested that reading a
variety of genres would be more
interesting.
You’re asked to bring
recommendations to the
October meeting. Susan is
recommending reading The
Traitor's Wife by Allison Pataki,
a story about Alexander
Hamilton's wife, so the club can
start with a fun discussion.
If you’re interested in joining,
let Susan know your email
address, so she can keep you
up-to-date. Contact her at
[email protected]. ♦
Another Candidates Night
for North Palm Beach
Our branch is sponsoring a
Meet the Candidates Night at
6:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 6,
at the North Palm Beach
Library.
Karen Marcus, honorary
member of AAUW, will be the
moderator. Refreshments and
greeters from AAUW are
needed. Please let Judy
Pierman (389-0714) know if
you can help.
A special election is being
held May 12, due to the death
of Councilman Bill Manue.
AAUW member Judy was
appointed to fill that seat until
the election. ♦
May 2015
Branch Out
Page 3
Elimination of degree requirement proposed
Should the degree requirement
for AAUW membership be
eliminated and membership open
to anyone who believes in the
mission?
That’s the most significant of
several proposed amendments to
the bylaws on the AAUW
National Election ballot, and
would result in a fundamental
change if passed.
First section. This is the
2015-2017 Public Policy
Program and the Action
Priorities. Most of the changes
are add emphasis or explanations
or change wording.
Second section. This has
proposed bylaws amendments,
including Proposal 1, which
would eliminate the degree
requirement.
If you agree, you should vote
yes. On the other hand, if you
think the degree requirement
signifies an educated membership
that does its homework before
embarking on any undertaking
and is why AAUW has the
respect of other organizations as
well as federal and state
lawmakers, you should vote no.
Proposals 2, 3A, and 3B,
proposed by the Governance
Committee make sense.
It’s worth noting that an
AAUW member proposed the
change, not the AAUW
Governance Committee. Here’s a
rundown of other items on the
ballot. Get your vote in online by
the June 19 deadline, or make
sure to postmark your paper ballot
by May 26.
Currently, officers may serve
two consecutive terms and then
must sit out for a term before
running for office. This does not
apply to the office of president.
Proposal 4, from an AAUW
member, allows directors who
have served two terms to then
serve as vice-president for two
terms, and then be president for
two terms. That’s a total of 12
years without a break.
If you think this proposal is a
good idea, vote yes; if you think
even the best board members
Farewell to branch leader Gretchen
Gretchen Rauch-Herron
joined our branch in 2008 after
initially joining AAUW as a
Member at Large. She served
as our Public Policy Chair, then
became Program Vice
President, and has been our
President for the last four years.
Sadly, she will be leaving
the area soon, before her term
is officially over at the end of
June, to join her husband, Chris
Herron, who started a new job in
his hometown of Houston, Texas, in
March. In the meantime, Gretchen
has continued to work as director of
early intervention programs at The
ARC of Palm Beach County, and
hopes to put her talents to work in
Houston.
She has served us capably in
spite of handling Chris’ serious
medical problems and lengthy
recuperation. Thank you, Gretchen,
for all you have done for our
branch. All the best in Houston. ♦
need a one-year break before
being vice-president, vote no.
Proposal 5, from the
Governance Committee,
proposes that anyone who has
served two terms on one
committee be permitted to
serve on another committee.
Now, committee members who
have served two terms must sit
out for a term unless they are
selected to be the chair.
If you think this proposal is
good, vote yes. If you think it
would reduce the number of
members who can serve on a
national committee, vote no.
Board of directors. Bios for
board of directors candidates
are in the latest Outlook. Links
and videos are available online
in the Meet the Candidates part
of the election site. It is
important to have a variety of
professional backgrounds, nonAAUW organizational
experience, and geographical
representation on the board.
Editor’s note: Thanks to Sally
Bailey for these voting highlights. ♦
New member
Update your directory with
contact information for another
new member: Lisa Hyman, 26
Selby Lane, Palm Beach
Gardens, FL 33418; 561-7990897; [email protected]
Sunshine and Shadow
Condolences and sympathy to
Barbara Quirk-Rizzo, whose
husband, Queque, passed away
suddenly last week.
AnnRuth Blum is on the mend
after back surgery. ♦
April 2015
Branch Out
Page 4
Pay your dues the easy way – online
Dues for 2015-2016 are due.
And you now have a choice in
how to pay.
You can do it the oldfashioned way, with a check
mailed to our treasurer. Or you
can save time and postage, and
pay securely with a credit card
online.
Our dues year runs from July
1 to June 30 of the following
year, so it’s time. The total
amount due is the same as last
year:
AAUW dues –$49**
State dues – $12
Branch dues – $13
TOTAL
$74
Here’s how to pay securely
online by using the link on our
branch web site.
1. Go to http://northernpalm
beach-fl,aauw.net and click on
the Membership tab at the top of
the page, and then on Renew
Membership Today–CLICK
HERE. That will take you to
www.aauw.org.
2. Click on Login at the top or
bottom of the page. You’ll need a
password and your member ID.
▪ If you never set up your
password, click on “First
time logging in? You will
need to register.” Complete
the short form. You’ll get an
email that will allow you to
create your password. Click
on the link in that email
message.
▪ If you had a password but
cannot remember it, click
on Forgot Password?
If you don’t know your
member ID, click on Forgot
Member ID? or check the
back cover of the latest
AAUW Outlook magazine.
3. Once you’re logged in, you’ll
be able to click on Access
Member Services Database.
4. Click on Renew My
Membership on the left. Fill in
the required information and
follow instructions for
submittal, and you’re finished. ♦
**$46 of your 2015-2016
AAUW dues is income tax
deductible! The other $3 of
your AAUW dues will support
the public policy (lobbying)
division of AAUW, which has
501(c)(4) IRS status and is
NOT income tax deductible. ♦
How to pay dues by mail, update directory
To pay your dues the old-fashioned way, make your check for $74
payable to AAUW NPBC, and mail it to:
Jacquie Balaschak
14272 Leeward Way
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410.
Let Jacquie know if your name, address, phone number, or email
address were not included in the directory or have changed. ♦
State conference attendees
Branch members who
attended the AAUW Florida
State Leadership Conference
April 17-19 in Melbourne were
(left to right) Liz Shapiro and
Sally Bailey, who are on the
AAUW Florida Board of
Directors, and Cheryll and
Wendy Plotkin, representing the
branch. ♦
Your suggestions needed
Your feedback helps ensure
that programs and activities we
design are of the most interest
to our membership.
Your comments and
suggestions are always
welcome, and we hope you’ll
take the time to complete the
interest survey on page 5.
Please print and complete
the survey and bring it with you
when you attend the May 18
installation of officers or the May
23 Dinner Club party. You can
also email or snail mail the form
to Shirley Koo, Program
Committee chair at the
addresses on the survey form.
Thanks for your help! ♦
No scholarships this year
The Scholarship Committee
decided not to make any
awards this year, due to the
small number and poor quality
of the applications received. ♦
May 2015
Branch Out
Page 5
AAUW Northern Palm Beach County Branch Interest Survey
Please complete and turn in at the May dinners on 18 or 23 or deliver via email to Shirley Koo at
[email protected] or mail to: 12476 Aviles Circle, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418 .
Name ___________________________________ Best Phone _________________________
Email __________________________________________ I work ______ I am retired _______
I would like to help with the following or am interested in seeing programs about:
free to choose as many as you like)
________College Events/Activities
_____Photography at events
________Branch Historian/Scrapbooks
_____Provide venue for special events
________Women’s Health Issues
_____ Human Trafficking Information
________Bridge Group
________Book Club
________ Publicity
(Check or circle. Feel
_____Dinner Club or dining out– singles &
couples
________Local Scholarships
_____Website/Social Media/Facebook
________World News about women
____Publications/Computer work/Flyers Brochures
________ Provide refreshments as needed
____ Attend Performances : The arts
_____ Financial Education for self/family
________ Fundraising Committee
________ Teach financial independence
_______ Market branch activities
_____ Creative Talents – Centerpieces, table
arrangements, etc at events
_____Politics or Get Out The Vote
_____ Daytime Meetings/Activities
_____Saturday Meetings /Activities
________Other activities
**I am willing to be on a committee for _________________________________
I have some ability or experience in the following areas: (circle any that apply)
Fundraising, marketing, writing, finance, Internet research
Computer skills (publisher, MS Word, Photo Shop etc) _________________________
Other ___________________________________________
Suggestions ( Your ideas for future fundraisers, programs or events.)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________