Empowering Women Since 1940

INDEPENDENCE BRANCH Empowering women since 1940 www.independence- mo.aauw.net Vol. 76 No. 5 January 2016 EMPOWERING WOMEN SINCE 1881

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

place for the March Book Fair, and our branch had 6 members (continued on page 2)

We are half way in to our 76th AAUW Calendar Year and we have the opportunity Monthly Meeting to start over! How often do you get to ‘Start Over’? January 26, 2016, 7:00 p.m.

The previous 7 months were filled with A First United Methodist Church, 400 W. LOT of exciting activity, helping Maple Independence Branch move forward: we Program: Why Do People Abuse? have attended State, National and Inter- Branch Council meetings, held Speaker: Jean Peters Baker, Jackson County brainstorming sessions for Book Fair and Prosecutor College/University Team, our Website is continuously updated, a Voter Registration Jean Peters Baker served nearly every unit Day was held at the Blue River CC Campus, of the office before she was appointed personal hygiene items were collected for prosecutor in May 2011 and elected to the homeless women in response to our position in November 2012. She was hired September program, we celebrated as a young assistant by now U.S. Senator ‘Constitution Week’ with skit and song and Claire McCaskill. Her focus as prosecutor staged a ‘mock march’ on the has been to make Jackson County a safer Independence Court House for Equal Rights and better place to live, work and raise a for women and girls, there are regular family. One of her first steps was to form gatherings of the Adelante Book Group, neighborhood prosecution teams that monthly Public Policy updates are focused on neighborhoods beset by crime, presented, we rang bells for the Salvation especially violence. Jean briefly left the Army, toured Arrowhead Art at Arrowhead prosecutor’s office in 2010 when she was Stadium, Thomas Hart Benton Art display at elected as a Missouri State Representative. Nelson-Atkins and Christmas at Bingham She stepped down as state rep when she Waggoner Estate, several articles in the was appointed County Prosecutor. Examiner gave us ‘Print Space’ in front of the community, book collection barrels Calling AAUW Artists were updated, much preparation has taken The upcoming AAUW Art Contest is a terrific 11:00. Keep your eyes open for books and opportunity to display your work! For boxes. Our Saturday sessions will information to submit artwork, or to see last continue through January and February year’s art gallery, please visit the AAUW Art and no experience is necessary--we gladly Contest page at the AAUW website. Submit an train any willing volunteers! If you are electronic version of your design throughout delivering books from the libraries, please January. try to arrive around 9:00ish so we can process the books during that session. qualify for AAUW-MO Century Club in 2015! Working together, we can make lots of Does all of that make you think we’ve done money for AAUW projects!! it all for the year? Members, with boxes of personal books to This is where the ‘Starting Over’ comes in! donate, may contact Kathy Kelly(816- There are still so many things on our agenda, so 461-1255) or ([email protected]) many people to share AAUW with and scholarships to award! You see, there is still and arrange to deliver them on time for you to ‘start over’ this year and share Wednesday afternoons directly to U-Haul in the activities and community awareness to save a step in the handling process. outreach. Please plan to attend our 2016 Thanks, Your Book Fair Committee monthly meetings, sign up to work the Book Fair (sorting/pricing/selling), help with new member outreach, participate in Student Awards / Scholarship process, and say ‘Yes’ when called by the Nominating Committee.

Thank you for a very busy and productive The 2016 Book Fair Schedule is now 2015! Join me in available for signups. Each AAUW member making 2016 a is asked to work two 2-hour shifts, either fabulous ‘Start Over’, back-to-back or on separate days. as we continue into the next 75+ years of Check your calendar for March 4, 5 and 6, Independence with setup on Wednesday, March 3. Then contact Patt Braley at 461-8555 Branch AAUW. We or [email protected] to reserve your are making a preferred time slots. difference in our community! Your participation will help ensure another Our Vision Statement is: AAUW will be a successful fundraiser! powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through research, BOOK FAIR: Ways Each of You philanthropy, and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women Can Help to Get the Word Out and girls. 1) Take a flyer or two or more to put up Sue Shineman, President in your church, hair salon, places you volunteer, OR a place of business

Book sorting sessions . . . 2) Take 4 x 6 ads to your doctor's office begin at the 24 Highway U-Haul or other places where people "pay for facility Saturday, January 9 from 9:00- purchases" 3) Share a Facebook Post. Sue Shineman will post information on FB, you need only to "SHARE" it to your FB page

4) Announce the Book Fair at any gathering you attend during the month of February Minutes of the Adelante Book Group December 12 Laura Vernon led the December 8 discussion on Branch Meeting the memoir Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalon. Holiday Breakfast and While the book was challenging Tour of Bingham to us with its many scientific and Waggoner Home, Independence medical terms, it was much more challenging to Susannah who Hostesses: Kathy Kelley and Lizz Scott kept getting mis-diagnosis after The group met at the Bingham Waggoner mis-diagnosis from a myriad of carriage house at 8:30 am. Following psychiatrists and neurologists. Many times she heard the phrase breakfast, a short movie presentation about “It’s all in your head” or “mind the Bingham Waggoner Estate was given over matter” or “it’s stress and followed by a talk by Steve Schreiber, alcoholism”. She described herself as “my current President of the Bingham Waggoner thoughts were tangles like jewelry in a Board. jewelry box.” It wasn’t until the 23rd day of After breakfast, we had a brief her ordeal that Dr. Najjar, after doing a meeting with these reports: simple “clock” test, determined the right  Book Fair Committee: Kathy Kelley and diagnosis: NMDA – receptor autoimmune Jan Keeler, Co-Chairs. Sale is March 3, 4, encephalitis. Over 90% of patients go 5 with setup March 2. undiagnosed with this disease and are  AAUW Funds. Patt Braley labeled autistic or schizophrenic and receive inappropriate treatment, including A sign-up sheet for the New Member institutionalization. The memoir states that Outreach Brainstorming session was passed there are 100 different kinds of autoimmune diseases affecting 50 million people in the around. Meeting to be 10:00 am, Jan 18, US and that 75% of them are women. 2016 at the home of Sue Shineman. Susannah received strong support from Announcements: several people: her new boyfriend, whom  Jan 4, Newsletter deadline she later married; her mom, who visited her over her lunch break; and her dad who had  Jan 4, Board Meeting. 5:00 pm at the mantras “What’s the slope of the line? Judy Austin’s for pizza Always positive. Make progress every day”.  Jan 9, Book Pricing/sorting at the U- Susannah had “survivor’s guilt”: Why did I Haul – 9-11 am survive when so many others didn’t? She  Jan 26, Branch Meeting at IFUMC was determined to spread the word on this 7:00pm disease so others might be helped. She Respectfully submitted wrote an article for her editor at the New Sue L. Raymond York Post and from that has fielded Recording Secretary innumerable questions and speaking engagements. Susannah states, “I wouldn’t Yearbook Correction … take back the experience; too much light has As you fill in your new 2016 come out of the darkness.” This book is calendar, be sure to write the important for lay people and the medical correct date for our May meeting: May 14. profession alike. *Woman of Achievement* Our bell-ringing... for the Salvation Army raised $371.17 on our We have wonderful, worthy women in our kettle shift to be used midst and in the community. It is time to for their services. start thinking about who we would like to honor at the May Meeting with the Woman of Achievement Award. Look around you at women achieving in the political realm, the Brainstorming Session on New volunteer community, the career Member Outreach:Monday, January 18 at 10:00 a.m. at the environment, the educational system, or home of Sue Shineman, 718 our AAUW Branch. Complete the N. Forest Ave., 816-365- Nomination Form to recognize a worthy 1180. woman making a positive impact on our Independence area. It’s My Vote 2016 Webinar: Get Out the Vote Campaign Kick-off** Guidelines for Woman of Achievement 1) Nominations are to be made by branch AAUW is dedicated to making sure every woman is registered and has the members. information she needs to cast her vote. 2) Nominee must work or volunteer or have We’ll kickoff our 2016 Get Out the Vote worked or volunteered in the (GOTV) campaign with this all-member Independence area. webinar on January 13.With so much 3) Membership in AAUW is optional. at stake in this election, learn how your 4) A branch member will submit a written branch can register, educate, and turn out millennial women voters nationwide nomination listing achievements as part of our It’s My Vote: I Will Be of the nominee in the areas of: Heard campaign! * Professional / career experience * Volunteer / special activities All AAUW members are invited but * Educational background (no specific space is limited. This call will be college requirement) recorded and made available at a later 5) A brief statement of personal date. recommendation by the person making the Date: January 13, 2016 nomination. Time: 7:30 p.m. ET Nomination forms will be available at the Location: Online branch meeting and as a separate Register here today! Details for accessing attachment in this e-mail. Please send the webinar will be emailed to you shortly completed nomination forms to Lois after registering Domsch by April 1, 2016. [email protected] **We'll let our branch members know when 3349 S Scott Ave, Independence, MO 64052 and how the webinar is available for viewing at the later date. 816-461-7529(h) 816-809-5846 (c) FINANCIAL REPORT December 31, 2015 Independence Branch AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

Checking Account BALANCE ON HAND – 11/30/2015 $833.46

RECEIPTS Deposit – 10 December brunch reservations 164.00 TOTAL RECEIPTS $164.00 $164.00

DISBURSEMENTS #4437 – USPS – Postage for financial officer 6.32 #4438 – Steve Schreiber - December program honorarium 40.00 #4439 – VOID #4440 – Bingham Waggoner – Balance due for December brunch 370.00 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS $416.32 $(416.32)

BALANCE –12/31/2015 $581.14

Savings Account BALANCE ON HAND – 11/30/2015 $5,518.67

RECEIPTS November dividend 0.23 December dividend 0.23 TOTAL RECEIPTS 0.46 $0.46

BALANCE – 12/31/2015 $5,519.13

TOTAL ASSETS COMBINED ACCOUNTS Checking Account $581.14 Savings Account $5,519.13 . BALANCE –12/31/2015 $6,100.27