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AAUW Kingston Bus Trip: The Great Gatsby on Broadway
Thursday, April 24, 2025
Cost: $165 for members, $175 non-members
All seats are in the orchestra seats and there are no stairs to climb.

Reserve your ticket by March 8, 2025
Email Lynn Gore (lynngore54@gmail.com).
Send a check after email confirmation.
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The party’s roaring on Broadway! The Great Gatsby is a “great, big Broadway extravaganza that explodes with life and energy” (Entertainment Weekly).
Directed by Marc Bruni (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), this story of extravagance and longing features choreography by Dominique Kelley (So You Think You Can Dance), a book by Kait Kerrigan (The Mad Ones), and a jazz- and pop-influenced original score by Jason Howland (Little Women) and Nathan Tysen (Paradise Square).
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Send checks made out to AAUW Kingston to:
Lynn Gore
400 Chestnut Hill Road
Stone Ridge, NY 12484
Provide contact information and pick up location (Kingston or Saugerties) for you and your guest(s).

Itinerary:
8:30 AM Departs Kingston Plaza
9:00 AM New Paltz Thruway Park & Ride pickup
11:30 AM Drop off near Broadway Theatre
2:00 PM Show at 1681 Broadway NYC
4:45 PM Pick up near the theatre
7:00 PM drop off in New Paltz
7:30 PM Return to Kingston Plaza
Return times depend on traffic conditions.

Lunch is on your own or you could join the group lunch.
A restaurant and the cost will be announced soon.
There is room on the bus if you want to head to NYC with us.

This trip is a fundraiser for women’s and girls’ scholarships.

Questions? Contact Lynn Gore (lynngore54@gmail.com, 845-687-9210).

Read with the AAUW Kingston Literary Group

Book List for September 2024 to June 2025
3rd Tuesdays (in general) at 1 PM (on Zoom – email Susan H. for info)

September 17 Cutting for Stone (2009, 541-688 pages, depends on edition) by Abraham Verghese
This novel by Ethiopian-born Indian-American medical doctor and author Abraham Verghese is a saga of twin brothers, orphaned by their mother’s death at their births and forsaken by their father. This book includes a deep description of medical procedures and an exploration of the human side of medical practices.
When it was first published, this novel was on The New York Times Best Seller list for two years and was received well by critics. With its positive reception, former United States president Barack Obama put it on his summer reading list and the book was optioned for adaptations.

October 15 Out Stealing Horses (2003, 258 pages) by Per Petterson
Out Stealing Horses is the story of Norwegian man Trond Sanders, aged 67, who goes to live quietly in a cottage in a remote part of Norway in 1999. He meets a neighbor, Lars, whom he recognizes from when they were boys, and this leads him to reflect on events that happened when he was a teen.
This novel is in many ways a coming-of-age story, as Trond’s memories develop themes including the relationship between humans and nature, the importance of solitude for self-discovery, and the impacts of childhood experiences, memories, and history.

November 19 Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage
(2013, 388 pages) by Haruki Murakami
When his close-knit group of friends abruptly cuts all relationships with him, a young Tsukuru is left depressed and without answers. Years later, Tsukuru attempts to reconcile with his old friends, embarking on a quest for truth and a pilgrimage for happiness.
Because of his former rejection, Tsukuru feels that nobody will ever truly love him or know why he feels that he is colorless and empty and why he compares himself to a train station. This novel also deals with father-son relationships.

No December meeting

January 21 Sea of Poppies (2008, 528 pages) by Amitav Ghosh
At the heart of this vibrant saga is a vast ship, the Ibis. Its destiny is a tumultuous voyage across the Indian Ocean; its purpose, to fight China’s vicious 19th-century Opium Wars. As for the crew, they are a motley array of sailors and stowaways, coolies, and convicts.
Sea of Poppies delineates the contemporary class domination, exploitation, caste biasness, untouchability, male domination, and quest for identity. The book provides us with a very colorful historical overview of India and its stormy relationship with the British.

February 18 The Swerve: How the World Became Modern (2011, 356 pages) by Stephen Greenblatt
Greenblatt tells the story of how Poggio Bracciolini, a 15th-century papal emissary and obsessive book hunter, saved the last copy of the Roman poet Lucretius’s De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things) from near-terminal neglect in a German monastery, thus reintroducing important ideas that sparked the modern age.

March 18 Foster (2010, 88 pages), Small Things Like These (2020, 128 pages) by Claire Keegan
Foster: In 1981 Ireland, County Wexford, a girl is sent to live with foster parents on a farm, while her mother gives birth. She has no notion of when she will return home. In the strangers’ house, she finds affection she has not known before, and slowly she begins to blossom in their care.
Small Things Like These is the tale, simply told, of Bill Furlong, an ordinary middle-aged man, who in December 1985, in a small Irish town, slowly grasps the enormity of the local convent’s heartless treatment of unmarried mothers and their babies (one instance of which has been exposed as the scandal of the Magdalene laundries).
In this haunting tale of love and learning, the existential chaos of a life ravaged by circumstance takes on a rhythm
of its own, one bound by loss and loneliness, but also an intelligent awareness of self.

April 15 A Tale for the Time Being (2013, 432 pages) by Ruth Ozeki
In Tokyo, 16-year-old Nao has decided there’s only one escape from her aching loneliness and her classmates’ bullying, but before she ends it all, Nao plans to document the life of her great-grandmother, a Buddhist nun who’s lived more than a century.
This novel explores themes of time, isolation, womanhood, family history, and identity to connect the narratives of Ruth and Nao: two people who are themselves searching for lost time, but also searching for a home inside themselves.

May 20 Day (2024, 275 pages) by Michael Cunningham
Michael Cunningham’s Day peeks into the lives of a family on a specific April date across three years as life changes because of Covid and other challenges. It is about the same family of brother, sister, her husband and their two young children, his brother, and baby mama. Cunningham takes a microscope to the intimate lives of each of these five adults and two children, capturing their nuances.

June 17 Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884, 362 pages) by Mark Twain
Mark Twain’s classic novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is told from the point of view of Huck Finn, a barely-literate teen who fakes his own death to escape his abusive, drunken father. He encounters a runaway slave named Jim, and the two embark on a raft journey down the Mississippi River, and come across all sorts of interesting folks.

Thurs., 2/20 at 4 PM: Branch meeting celebrating 100 years

Branch Meetings Celebrating 100 Years Of AAUW Kingston!

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Kingston branch of AAUW. To help us celebrate, our February branch meeting will take a look back at some of our past activities and members. We have asked some of our long-standing members to talk about their experiences with AAUW. Past President Vivi Hlavsa will headline the talk and, perhaps, we might take a peek at some of the photos from our archives. The meeting will be held on Zoom at 4 PM on Thursday, February 20. Directions for joining will be sent out closer to the date.

Other upcoming branch activities will be a March Zoom meeting with Lisa Kamen focusing on Women’s Mental Health and an in-person poetry reading in April at the Kingston Library.

1/14/25: Gov. Hochul’s 2025 State of the State Address

Gov. Hochul’s 2025 State of the State Address
Tuesday, January 14
1 PM to 2 PM

On January 14, 2025, Governor Hochul is delivering her 2025 State of the State Address! Tune in at governor.ny.gov to hear the governor’s plans to put money in New Yorkers’ pockets and make our state safer.

https://www.governor.ny.gov/programs/2025-state-state

Branch soup fundraiser through March 6, 2025

Soup Fundraiser through March 6, 2025
Eat some good soup and support our branch scholarships!

Made with top-quality freeze-dried ingredients, the delicious flavors are locked in
until you pour the packet in the pot with broth.
Add meat and fresh veggies as suggested or to your liking for a healthy meal.
No MSG. No Salt. No Preservatives.

Here is our unique branch fundraising web page:
https://fundraising.happyvalleysoupcompany.com/?fund=193
Please send this web page to your friends and relatives.
They can order and pay online and the soups are shipped directly to them.
Each package is $9.50. Shipping is calculated on the order form.
AAUW Kingston receives 50% for each soup package ordered on our fundraising web page.

How Does it Work?
1. Go to our unique branch fundraising web page:
https://fundraising.happyvalleysoupcompany.com/?fund=193
2. You should see YOUR PURCHASE MADE BY 3/06/2025 SUPPORTS AAUW KINGSTON near the top and Thank you for supporting: AAUW KINGSTON below that.
3. Scroll down and click on the START SHOPPING button.
4. Click on the ADD TO CART button for each soup you want to order.
5. When you are done shopping, click on View cart.
6. Click on the PROCEED TO CHECKOUT button and fill in all of the required fields.
**Important!** ==> Under Fundraiser Name, type: AAUW KINGSTON.
7. If desired, you can ship soups directly to others.

If you need help ordering, email Lynn Gore: lynngore54@gmail.com

With 13 varieties to choose from, there’s a flavor for everyone.
These make great gifts for the holidays, birthdays, and get well and welcome baskets.
Stock up your pantry with easy, quick meals.

Thank you for supporting our branch scholarships and enjoy your soup!

12/12: Branch meeting and annual holiday party

AAUW Kingston branch meeting and annual holiday party
Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024
2:30 PM to 4 PM
Kingston Library Community Room
61 Crown Street, Kingston
Turn off of North Front Street onto Crown Street (one-way). The library entrance is on the right. Park in the front or back of the building. There’s a ramp in front.
The Community Room is to the left of the circulation desk. To exit, turn left onto Green Street (one-way) at the back of the building.

Come enjoy the holiday spirit! All are welcome! Food! 50/50 drawing! Door prizes!
Music: featuring Carlene Thissen for your entertainment!

Bring a savory dish, finger food, or dessert
Coffee, tea, and water will be provided.

Let us know if you are coming so we can prepare.
RSVP: Lynn Gore (845-687-9210, lynngore54@gmail.com)

Please bring donations for the Washbourne House for the women and children sheltering there: toiletries, full-sized shampoos, conditioners, personal items such as nail files, hygiene products, diapers, and gifts for children.

AAUW Kingston scholarship donations are also gladly accepted!

The women from the SUNY Ulster New Start program have been invited. Please invite other young women – daughters, granddaughters, and friends!
Let us celebrate all women!

AAUW’s Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiative webinars

AAUW’s Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiative webinars

End 2024 on a high note and unlock opportunities for personal and professional growth with the American Association of University Women (AAUW). Join our empowering webinars this November and December, designed specifically for women, to enhance your career and financial skills and set yourself up for success in the new year.
Register:
https://www.aauw.org/resources/programs/womens-economic-empowerment-initiative/

Upcoming Webinars:

AAUW Money Smart: Smart Future
Date: November 21, 2024
Time: 3 – 4 p.m. ET
Gain vital personal finance skills to ensure long-term financial security, from budgeting basics to savvy investment strategies.

AAUW Work Smart: Refresher
Date: December 3, 2024
Time: 3 – 4 p.m. ET
If you’ve previously participated in any Start Smart, Work Smart or Work Smart Online programs, this is a perfect opportunity to brush up on your skills.

Fundamentals of Saving for Retirement
Date: December 5, 2024
Time: 12 – 1 p.m. ET
This session is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and tools needed to effectively plan and save for a secure retirement. By the end of the session, participants will have a foundation to make informed financial decisions. This session is being presented by our partner, The FINRA Investor Education Foundation.

AAUW Work Smart/Start Smart Deep Dive: Developing Your Value Statement
Date: December 10, 2024
Time: 3 – 4 p.m. ET
Understanding and articulating your value is crucial for successful salary negotiation. In this session, explore how to develop your Value Statement, the first step in the Salary Negotiation process: Knowing Your Value.

AAUW Money Smart Deep Dive: Budget and Credit Management
Date: December 17, 2024
Time: 3 – 4 p.m. ET
The AAUW Money Smart program is aimed at providing all women with the personal finance information they need to ensure their own financial security. Learn the ins and outs of budgeting and understand how to manage your existing credit and debt. We will cover how to set up a budget and how to improve your credit.

Our webinars are designed not just to educate but to transform. They provide practical, actionable strategies that empower you to take charge of your career and financial future.

Warm regards,
Deborah McCall
Senior Program Manager
American Association of University Women (AAUW)

P.S. Share this opportunity with others who might benefit. Your recommendation can make a significant difference in another woman’s life.

Our Fall Luncheon was a success!

Our Fall Luncheon was a success!

The AAUW Kingston Fall Luncheon, held on Saturday, November 2, 2024 at Reginato Ristorante in Lake Katrine, was a success! Many branch members, guests, and 16 students attended.

We heard from local author Susan Stessin-Cohn as she shared details of a new website developed in connection with the Ulster County Truth and Reconciliation Commission. She revealed stories from her new book, Bearing Witness: Exploring the Legacy of Enslavement in Ulster County, which documents a handful of notable Black residents of Ulster County, from the early days of enslavement under the Dutch and English, to the blossoming of free Black culture in the era following New York’s legal abolition of slavery in 1827.

Susan is a professional genealogist and a former professor of Education at SUNY New Paltz. She served as Director of Education at Historic Huguenot Street, and chair of the New Paltz Historic Land Commission. Susan co-curated several exhibits focusing on the history of the Hudson Valley on topics such as: slavery, 19th-century women’s needlework, poverty and the poorhouse system, the Civil War, and the Lenape People. She is currently the Historian for the Town of New Paltz, New York and serves as co-chair of the New Paltz Historical Society. Susan is also an award-winning quilter and currently resides in New Paltz with her husband Robert where they raised their four children, Mikael, Evan, Adam and Aliyah.