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Sheila’s Message
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” Melody Beattie
Welcome to the 2024-25 AAUW year!
Thank you all for a wonderful first year as president of this branch. It really has been an honor to work with this group; you are so giving in so many ways. Your generosity of time and resources is truly creating a vision for tomorrow. I hope all of you are having a wonderful summer. The board has already met to plan for the coming 2024-25 year; you’ll read much about that, as well as about our theme Community of Voices: Let Your Voice be Heard -in this newsletter.
In my letter here, I would like to discuss the following: our new board for the 2024-25 year, our HCC book scholarships, Furaha All Girls’ School in Kenya, a new and exciting fund raiser, the Pride event, our Toni Bram Scholarship drive, and the MD State AAUW Conference.
First, I want to thank Marlene Leib for all her work on this board during the last Many years. I will miss her on this board as she has been a great mentor for me. Many of you know that she has moved BUT she will still be a part of our branch and our activities. And a big welcome to brand new board members Jeanette Page-Hawkins and Maureen North, who will be taking over the Communications duties, Jeanette putting together the newsletter and Maureen coordinating our daily communications; and to Denise Carnaggio, who will be leading the Judith Resnik Awards Brunch. A big thanks also to Jeanne Blades and Peggy Dymond, both of whom could have been off the board but are now in positions for two more years. (You’ll see the list of Leadership and Interest Group Directors later in this newsletter).
During the summer, the Scholarship Committee met to discuss the applicants for the two HCC
scholarships. The two women chosen were Norilda Ounnarath, a psychology major, and Lauren Carlson, a nursing major. They each receive $750 for use in purchasing books/supplies related to their courses at Harford Community College. Thanks to committee members Anna Berglowe-Lynch, Denise Carnaggio, myself, and newest member Jodie Spears for reading, rating, and discussing the applications and applicants.
Regarding Furaha All Girls’ School, you are truly creating a vision for the future of so many young women. First, I want to thank Rose Ann Ward and all of you who played Bunco last year. Donations for Furaha All Girls’ School totaled over $70. That money along with a state grant of $200 and a personal donation enabled the school to purchase a television and the materials needed to mount it for the young women. Objectives for use of this television, as submitted by the school director, include “providing current events, historical dramas, documentaries, economic and business programs. The young women will be able to use the television for a broader education as well as research. By watching programs about other women, they can learn to advocate for themselves. They will be able to see the world.
The addition of a smart TV will also help the girls overcome some of their own biases and see that women can become successful in a career. They may have no idea what women in other countries can achieve. Their view of the world will broaden exponentially.” Additionally,
teachers will be able to use the television in their lessons with the added components of a USB and/or DVD. This device will provide a new type of education for the young women. See the picture with some of the top students, staff, and the television. Jeanne Blade and I presented information about Furaha and how our branch is helping the school and the students, at the MD Summer Conference. (Jeanne also did a fabulous presentation on how to maneuver through the national AAUW site; this should be online at the MD AAUW site soon). I wanted to present our project statewide because I received information this summer that the Furaha school director is working with his county officials to build a library on the school grounds. This library would serve both the county citizens as well as the school with the first floor designated for beginner and primary books and the second floor for secondary and tertiary books. This project is huge and way beyond our ability to provide what is needed. Jeanne and I brainstormed, and she came up with the idea of taking this to the state. Our presentation was well received, and I am now working with other state members who have contacts with two other organizations that may be able to assist: Women First and Empowering Women in Education. Our Harford Branch board approved one fundraiser for the library this year: a Bunco event currently being planned for May 1.
Talking about fundraisers, Rose Ann Ward along with Jeanne Blades, Karen Thames, Kathleen Hampton, Jodie Spears, and Bev Peters are planning a Road Rally on Oct. 13. Please be sure to read about this in this newsletter and plan to attend this fun event with your friends.
Our branch will once again be participating in the Pride event in Havre de Grace at Concord Point Lighthouse Park on Saturday, October 5, 2-6 PM. If you would like to volunteer an hour or more at our booth, please let me know. It’s fun, you’ll meet some great people, and play a game with spectators at our table.
This year is year three of our commitment to Duncan Moreen Kendi at Furaha All Girls’ School in Kenya. In mid- to late October, I will be mailing out letters to you with recent information about Duncan Moreen and asking you to contribute to her tuition, room and board for her third year at the high school. Please look for that in your mailbox.
Finally, AAUW Maryland is a co-sponsor, along with states from Florida to New York, of a three-day conference of AAUW members at a conference center just north of Richmond, this September 27-29. Sessions will include presentations by Gloria Blackwell, AAUW CEO, and Meghan Kissell, AAUW Senior Director of Policy and Member Advocacy. Topics will include the challenges of our public schools, artificial intelligence, poverty, voting rights, inclusion, and Title IX. For more information and the link to registration, see this site: https://aauw-md.aauw.net/. At the state conference, past state president, Tracy Lantz, mentioned some possible reimbursement for attending; so please let me know if you’ll be attending and I’ll investigate this for you.
Have a fun-filled end of summer and I look forward to seeing you at our exciting meetings this year.
Thank you again for all that you do.
Sheila Allen
Submitted by AAUW President, Sheila Allen
