Register Today! 1/23 Branch Meeting & Fundraiser Luncheon with guest speaker!

AAUW Kingston
Branch Meeting & Fundraising Luncheon

Saturday, January 23, noon

Women Empowering Women:
How you can get involved –
It’s a lot easier than you think!

Guest Speaker: Jordan Scruggs and students

Originally from the mountains of Western North Carolina, Jordan arrived in the Hudson Valley by way of Connecticut, where she received her Masters of Divinity from Yale in 2015. She worked as the Director of Community Ministries for Saint James United Methodist Church in Kingston for six years, where she connected members of the congregation with the local community in faith-based social justice work for poverty alleviation and building social equity.
Presently, Jordan works for SUNY Ulster Community College as the director of New Start for Women. New Start helps women in Ulster County with limited resources to obtain an education, skills, and the professional network needed for gainful employment and provides the necessary supports to eliminate barriers to their success. As a result of this work, Jordan is passionate about asset-based development and cultivating human resilience in the face of trauma.
In addition to her work with New Start, Jordan is also a member of several local boards, including Kingston Midtown Rising, Inc. and the Rising Hope Prison Education Initiative.
Jordan lives with her spouse, Kevin, and their daughter, Sage, in Kingston, New York.
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This is an important fundraiser for our group.
Please consider donating generously to allow us to
continue to provide scholarships to area students.

We will have a brief business meeting.
There will be time to greet our friends and share our thoughts in breakout rooms.
We’d love to see your lunch! There will be time to show us your lunch creation, too.

Please send a donation of $35 (recommended) by Thursday, January 21.
Pay as little or as much as you want for our scholarship fund.
Send checks made out to AAUW Kingston to our treasurer:

Marjorie Bot
58 Twin Ponds Drive
Kingston, NY 12401

RSVP: Lynn Gore*, lynngore54@gmail.com
The Zoom info will be sent to registered attendees on 1/22.

* From Lynn: “If you have never tried to Zoom, please email me.
I would be happy to help you ahead of the meeting.”

January literary group: 1/19/21 at *11:30 AM*

Please note the time change for this month!
January literary group
Tuesday, 1/19/21 at 11:30 AM
Speak, Memory:
An Autobiography Revisited (1966)
Vladimir Nabokov ‘s classic autobiography is no dry recital of dates,
names, and addresses. Instead, it is an impressionistic whirl through the author’s family history (including a gallery of Tartar princes and fin de siècle oddities). And Nabokov’s account of his tenure at St. Petersburg’s famous Tenishev School — where he counted Osip Madelstam among his schoolmates — offers a lovely glimpse into the heart of Russia’s silver age.
Call, text, or email Susan H. (susan-holland@usa.net, 845-389-3961)
and she will send you the Zoom information. Join us!

December meetings & more!…

Hi all!
Check our branch website calendar for more details about the online meetings
and other branch activities that are happening within the next week or so.
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– Sunday, December 13, 6 PM
Film discussion – Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (2014) 

– Tuesday, December 15
Because we are unable to collect toiletries for Family of Woodstock Women’s Shelter in person
this year, please consider making a donation so that we can purchase toiletries. A donation
in any amount is greatly appreciated! So by today (12/15), please send a check made out to
AAUW Kingston (write toiletries on the subject line) to Marjorie Bot (check your newsletter
or directory for her address). Plus, please see the P.S. below – thanks!

Wednesday, December 16, 3 PM
Branch meeting & annual holiday party!

Wednesday, December 30, 3 PM
Board meeting

Note: There’s no Literary Group meeting this month. We’re reading Speak. Memory
by Vladimir Nabokov for our January 19 meeting.
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Take care, be well, and happy holidays to you and yours!…Susan H.
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P.S. Gift-giving in the spirit of the season
As you enter into the holiday spirit and consider how you can share and give to others, consider
making a donation to AAUW. If you would like to have a direct and local impact, a donation to
the AAUW Kingston Scholarship Fund helps two SUNY Ulster graduates each year continue their
education. It also provides gift cards to needy families with children in Ulster County schools.
You can help by making a check out to AAUW Kingston (write Scholarship Fund on the
subject line). Send it to Marjorie Bot (check your newsletter or directory for her address).

Some upcoming meetings and events!…

Hi all, Happy Autumn!
Check our branch website calendar for more details about some of the online meetings that are happening within the next month or so. 
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Sunday, November 8, 6 PM
Film discussion – The Chambermaid (2019)

Wednesday, November 11
Veteran’s Day

Tuesday, November 17, 1 PM
Literary group – My Home is Far Away (1944) by Dawn Powell

Wednesday, November 18, 3 PM
Branch meeting with guest speaker Brooke Nelson

Thursday, November 26
Happy Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, December 2, 3 PM
Board meeting
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Take care…Susan H.

Thurs., 10/29 at 6 PM:  Protecting Democracy: Active Bystander Training

Join the League of Women Voters of the U.S. (LWVUS) organizing team
for their Protecting Democracy: Active Bystander Training, as they
outline de-escalation techniques to safely address tense situations at
polling places to ensure all voters can exercise their right to vote safely.
Register here:

Wed., 10/28/20 at 6:30 PM: What to Expect After Election Day

Path to the Presidency: What to Expect After Election Day
Register now for an important panel discussion co-moderated by the League of Women Voters (LWV) of NYC Co-President Diane Burrows and Vice President Crystal Joseph.
Speakers:
  • Dr. Kimberly Wehle, law professor, author, lawyer, and former CBS News legal analyst
  • Dr. Mark  Meirowitz, Professor, SUNY Maritime College
  • Liz Bander, LWVUS Board Member (from LWV of WA)
Let’s talk about scenarios, timetables and what local Leagues and members can do after election day.
Register here:

10/13 at 7 PM: 46th State Senate District Forum (livestream)

46th State Senate District Forum

At 7 PM tonight, Tuesday, October 13, the League of Women Voters of the Mid-Hudson Region and the LWV of Albany County will present a livestreamed forum featuring the three candidates running for the NYS 46th Senate District.

Candidates include Robert Alft (Green), Richard Amedure (Republican), and Michelle Hinchey (Democratic).

You can access this program at one of these two links:

1. LWVMHR Facebook page

2. LWV Albany YouTube channel 

— Susan H.

10/1 at 2 PM: AAUW webinar on the future of the Supreme Court

AAUW Webinar Announcement:

Perspectives from the AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund:
Justice Ginsburg’s Legacy and the Future of the Court

Thursday, October 1, 2020  2 p.m. ET

In the wake of the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, we invite you to join us for a webinar to learn about the accomplishments of this titan of justice and what the future holds. As evidenced by her honor as a 1999 AAUW Achievement Awardee, Justice Ginsburg was a champion for the rights of women and girls, and hugely instrumental in advancing AAUW’s priorities. But what does the future hold for her seat on the bench and how will it impact AAUW’s work? Join AAUW CEO Kim Churches and Director of Public Policy and Legal Advocacy Kate Nielson for a discussion of the past, the future, and your role in shaping history.

Register here today!…

Susan H.

9/16/20 at 3: Branch Meeting with guest speaker (online)

Online Branch Meeting And Social Hour
Dare Thompson Of League Of Women Voters To Speak

Are you ready to meet again to hear a good speaker and have a chance to socialize with other members? Are you getting anxious for news on how the elections will play out this year? AAUW Kingston will host a a Zoom event on Wednesday, September 16 at 3 PM. We have invited Dare Thompson from the League of Women Voters to be our guest speaker.

Dare will talk about the upcoming elections and clarify voting procedures, including absentee voting, early voting, and onsite voting. Dare, who has served since 2016 on the NY Women’s Suffrage Commission chaired by Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, will give us a few lesser-known details about the movement as we celebrate 100 years of ratification. There will be time for questions and to socialize in smaller breakout rooms.

New To Zooming And Need A Little Help To Get Started?
Video conferencing has become an everyday means of communicating with the world. It allows you to participate in AAUW meetings, the monthly Literary Group and Film Discussion, and so much more. If you have never tried it and would like a little demonstration on Zooming, check out this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9isp3qPeQ0E

If you need some personal coaching, email Lynn at lynngore54@gmail.com or call her at 845-687-9210.

6/24: Join Us for the Summer Branch Meeting & Social (online)!

AAUW Kingston
Summer Branch Meeting & Social
featuring the Strawberry Hill Fiddlers

Wednesday, June 24, 2020
3 PM to 4 PM on Zoom*
(Invitations with the link will be sent on 6/23)

Business Meeting
We’ll have a brief business meeting, to introduce the board members and to vote for the 2020-2021 budget as well as the 2020-2022 candidates for Recording Secretary (Dorothy Silberg. Outgoing: Judee Irwin) and Treasurer (Jean Mackenzie. Outgoing: Marjorie Bot).

The 2020 SUNY Ulster Scholarship winners will be introduced:
Toni Lee-Jones is an Independent Studies major at SUNY Ulster with a 3.5 GPA.
She expects to become a nurse practitioner because she wants to serve the community.

Chloe Faoro has attended SUNY Ulster through the Early College Program for students still
enrolled in high school and expects to graduate from high school with a 4.0 GPA.
She plans to pursue a communications degree at SUNY Ulster and then continue at SUNY
New Paltz. She hopes to develop her own media production studio.

Entertaiment
Strawberry Hill Fiddlers live!
The Fiddlers currently host four levels of fiddle groups whose performances represent the music of many cultures, and are directed by Andrea Velasquez, Chelsea Needham, and Carole Schaad. Its unique fiddling program is centered on learning traditional music by ear.
Open to violin, viola, cello, and bass players, the Fiddlers offers exposure to
various non-classical styles, improvisation, singing, dancing and body percussion.

Please come join the fun.
We miss you and hope to have more activities and fundraisers as soon as it is responsibly safe.
In the meantime, stay safe and stay healthy!

* Not sure how to Zoom?
– Download the Zoom app on your cel phone or iPad, or go to https://zoom.us/download on your laptop and click on the blue Download button under Zoom Client for Meetings (or, the web browser client will download automatically when you join your first Zoom meeting)

– Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9isp3qPeQ0E

– Contact Lynn (lynngore54@gmail.com) to set up a practice Zoom session