The Branch Poughkeepsie Branch of the American Association of University Women, Inc. P.O. Box 1908, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Volume 23, Number 7 Our 55th year of publication. http://www.aauwpoughkeepsie.org March 2010 MARCH CALENDAR Online Calendar at www.aauwpoughkeepsie.org INSIGHT INTO HISPANICS 1 Word Games: 2:00 pm Hostess: Saranne Ratner (297-9360) IN DUTCHESS COUNTY Coordinator: Eleanor Aronstein (462-6452) 2 NEW INTEREST GROUP 12:00 noon Wednesday Professional Women’s Networking Group Artist’s Palate, Main St., Pok. See page 6. March 10, 2010 Contact: Kin Butwell 914-489-6400 or [email protected] 7:00 pm 3 Board Meeting: 7:00 pm Hostess: Nancy Grucza (298-2344) Reformed Dutch Church 5 Join Me on the Bridge: 4:30 pm Route 9, 4408 Albany Post Road Walkway Over the Hudson Hyde Park 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day. See page 4. 6 Trekkers: 9:00 am Mariel Fiori Planning Meeting, Walk DC Rail Trail Organizer: Karen Haynes (297-5700) Managing Editor, LaVoz... Coordinator: Karen Haynes (297-5700) 8 Aventures en Soleil: Visit starts 10:30 am ...award winning Spanish language newspaper Norwalk (CT) Maritime Aquarium, visit ($9 - $16) & lunch (your choice) Do you know that there is a Spanish periodical in Dutchess County? Reservations: Joan Cordani (855-5259) Coordinators: Peggy Lombardi (635-9091) Are you aware to what extent Hispanics influence life in Dutchess County and & Ruth Sheets (473-6202) what services and programs these Hispanics are being offered? 10 “The Branch” deadline for April. 10 Membership Meeting See next column. Find out more on Wednesday, March 10! 12 Daytime Literature: 10:00 am Book: The Space Between Us Mariel Fiori, recipient of the Ippie award for best overall design from the New by Thrity Umrigar York Community Media Alliance (see January The Branch) will be speaking both Hostess: Phyllis Teasdale (454-4582) about her periodical, La Voz, as well as her insight into the Hispanic presence in Coordinators: Diana Gleeson (229-8458) Dutchess County. Mariel founded this Spanish-language news, cultural and arts & Tiz Hanson (229-9394) magazine five years ago. It began as a quarterly and snowballed into a monthly 12 Girls’ Conference Reunion: 5:30 pm magazine. Poughkeepsie United Methodist Church Help needed - see page 5, “Live your..” Ms. Fiori wishes to clarify misconceptions on both sides and publishes articles by 15 Manderley Literary Society: 7:30 pm Spanish speakers, both natives and non-natives to the language alike. Book: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Born in Argentina, Ms. Fiori is fluent in Spanish, English and French and has spent Hostess: Patty Cerniglia (298-7655) time in Spain. She has produced and hosted a radio show, helped make a Coordinator: Ellie Burch (297-7828) documentary on Mexican immigrants in the Hudson Valley and served as 16 Cuisine: 6:30 pm interpreter for the Poughkeepsie School District. Presently she is working towards Theme: Secret Ingredients her MBA degree at NYU School of Business. Recipes: Pat Luczai (463-4662) Hostess: Nancy Smith (691-7547) There will be a short business meeting before the program begins. Coordinator: Betty Olson (889-4836) This event is free and open to the public. Calendar continued on page 2. Questions: Contact Gloria Ghedini [email protected] Calendar Continued... PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Online Calendar at www.aauwpoughkeepsie.org Linda Beyer *462-0345* [email protected] 17 Bridge I: 1:00 - 4:00 pm Hostess: Margaret Nijhuis (635-8612) Our award-winning, esteemed newsletter, The Branch, has been Coordinators: Linda Ronayne (897-9745) called our “lifeline.” It is our primary accurate, direct, consistent & Mary Ann Ryan (897-9679) connector between you, our members, and all the interesting and 17 Gourmet: Out & About: 6:30 pm varied activities going on in AAUW. I strongly recommend that Mahoney’s, Poughkeepsie you print it out immediately upon receipt each month and keep it Contact: Jeanette Cantwell (452-4188) posted by your phone. You can also refer to our activities [email protected] calendar on our website but, for detailed descriptions and 18 All those books...: 7:00 pm background information on events and individuals, you just can’t Book: The Big Rock Candy Mountain beat The Branch! by Wallace Stegner Hostess: Diana Gleeson (229-8458) Note all that’s going on…………14 interest groups, stimulating Coordinator: Carol Loizides (452-3208) general meetings, Equity for Life projects (we need a Let’s Read 19 Art on the Go: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Math leader), Diversity initiatives (don’t miss Jackie’s February TBA - weather dependent 16th interactive session on “Thriving in the Workplace……..” at Coordinator: Mary Coiteux (226-8275) DCC), major fundraisers (Writers’ Tea, DCC Endowment), State 24 Contemporary Literature: 7:00 pm Convention (April 23-25). And there’s more to come! Stay Book: Queenmaker: A Novel of King David’s Queen tuned, check your branch newsletter, print it out; don’t miss the by India Edghill fun! Dinner meeting at Cappuccino, Rt. 9, Poughkeepsie Call Ann Wade (229-5267) for reservations. MEMBERSHIP MATTERS Coordinator: Ann Wade (229-5267) Bergie Lebovitch *298-4045* [email protected] 24 Mah Jongg: 1:00 - 4:00 pm Hostess: Linda Roberts (227-5287) Do you know of any young woman about to graduate from Coordinator: Amy Schwed (462-2269) college? Would you be willing to sponsor their membership in 25 Bridge II: 1:00 - 3:30 pm AAUW at NO COST to either of you? The new graduate will Hostess: TBA receive a free one-year “member-at-large” membership. If she Coordinators: Cathy Kinn [email protected] chooses to join a branch, she will have to pay branch and state & Janet White (462-6675) dues. It’s the gift that keeps on giving... think of the networking 25 Pins & Needles: 7:30 pm capabilities that someone would benefit from by your “Give a Sewing Projects, Pat Luczai & Dina Gleeson Grad a Gift” sponsorship....I’m more than willing to assist you in Hostess: Margaret Nijhuis (635-8612) this painless activity. Call, email, whatever.... Coordinators: Jane Toll (463-2712) & Sue Osterhoudt (889-4469) Watch for a directory update coming in March. You will receive Tee Off Play will continue in the Spring. it attached to an email. Please remember this information is for Coordinators: Dorothy Evangelista (677-9046) the exclusive use of AAUW. & Linda Ronayne (897-9745) Get your registration in for the AAUW-NYS Convention. It appears we’re going to have a fantastic representation from the LOOKING AHEAD Fabulous Poughkeepsie Branch. EVERYONE is invited - including our newest members who are: Apr 10 Leading to Reading Day at Barnes & Noble. See page 5. Welcome Aboard! Welcome Back! Apr 18 Writer’s Tea 3 - 6 pm Locust Grove. Danielle Banta Kathleen Brown See pages 3 & 7. Sandra Goldberg Cecilia Dinio-Durkin Apr 23-25 AAUW-NYS Convention. Register by Susan Htoo March 1 and get 2 chances to win a $250 gift Judy Killmer certificate to Talbots. www.aauw-nys.org. Jacqueline Klein Congratulations See page 4. Lila Lynch to Bergie! May 11 Annual Meeting Christo’s, Anne Jeanne Moseley Constantinople will address “Gender and Susan Murphy Generation in American Philanthropy.” Erin O’Neill 303 Members! Oct 23 2010 Woman of the Year Ann Pinna Nov 6 2010 Live Your Dream Girls’ Conference Rebecca Reim - tentative date. See page 5. Sally Edwards Taylor Page 2 of 7 The Branch March 2010 IT’S AAUW-NYS CONVENTION TIME! FYI MARCH CULTURAL EVENTS Betty Harrel *462-2141* [email protected] Mary Coiteux *226-8275* [email protected] Do you prefer one-time projects? March is the time to shake off the winter doldrums. It is also the Do you enjoy laughing? time when the Fourth annual Restaurant Week shows off area Do you like cookies? chefs’ culinary expertise as they use local farm products to create If you can answer “Yes” to 2 out of 3 questions, we need fine dining at bargain prices. Participating restaurants (listed YOU! Our branch is in charge of registration for the AAUW online) offer three-course prix-fixe dinners at $28 and NYS Convention and we need volunteers for two tasks. three-course lunches at $20. For the first time, this much-anticipated dining event will include two full weekends. First! www.HudsonValleyRestaurantWeek.com We all know how our We’re assembling the registration packets on Tuesday, branch members like to include dining as part of their April 20 at 7:00 pm at the home of Betty Harrel, 28 Laffin organizational meetings. Lane, Poughkeepsie. We need people to put on labels, sort Hikes inserts, and stuff envelopes. What better way to walk off those delicious meals than to join the Mid Hudson Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club for the Second! following hikes. Volunteers are also needed to help at the convention with 3/13 Short hike to the highest point in the Town of registration. Most members arrive on Friday afternoon Poughkeepsie. See good views from the summit. The location of between 12:00 – 6:00 and we need people to work a two-hour hike maybe changed depending on weather conditions. Call after shift at the registration table. 3/6 for meeting time, location and other details. Rain cancels. Free. Peach Hill, Poughkeepsie. www.MidHudsonADK.org If you’re interested in helping on either project, please 3/23 A leisurely hike along the lovely path from Route 9 to 9G contact Betty Harrel ([email protected] or 462-2141) or and into Val-Kill, Eleanor Roosevelt’s retreat. Flat woods road Margaret Nijhuis ([email protected] or 635-8612). We and loop at Val-kill. About 4 miles.