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CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
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CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
(See articles below for more information)
AAUW Petaluma Events
Feb. 6 - Deadline for donating used books for Bi-Branch Brunch centerpieces
Feb. 10 - Deadline for Bi-Branch Brunch reservation/payment
Feb. 21 - Bi-Branch Brunch, Key Room, Novato, 10:00 - 12:00
Mar. 29 – AAUW Women’s Film Festival, Carole L. Ellis Auditorium, SRJC Petaluma, 2:00
Other AAUW Events
Mar. 7 - AAUW Santa Rosa & LWV program: “Protecting Our Right To Vote”, 10-12 (more information next month)
Community Events
Feb. 4 - National Girls and Women in Sports Day
(See articles below for more information)
AAUW Petaluma Events
Feb. 6 - Deadline for donating used books for Bi-Branch Brunch centerpieces
Feb. 10 - Deadline for Bi-Branch Brunch reservation/payment
Feb. 21 - Bi-Branch Brunch, Key Room, Novato, 10:00 - 12:00
Mar. 29 – AAUW Women’s Film Festival, Carole L. Ellis Auditorium, SRJC Petaluma, 2:00
Other AAUW Events
Mar. 7 - AAUW Santa Rosa & LWV program: “Protecting Our Right To Vote”, 10-12 (more information next month)
Community Events
Feb. 4 - National Girls and Women in Sports Day
Bi-Branch Brunch
No, that’s not a typo. Since the Novato Branch has disbanded, the annual brunch is Marin and Petaluma only - and it's our Petaluma Branch's turn to host.
Once again, we will meet at the Key Room in Novato at 10:00-12:00 on Saturday, February 21st.
The Key Room is located at 1385 North Hamilton Parkway. We will arrange carpooling closer to the event.
Our speaker, Kim Bruno, will be presenting: Detecting and Avoiding Financial Fraud
Have you been the victim of a financial fraud? Are you worried about being a victim in a financial fraud? Would you like to hear how you might avoid being a victim?
This talk will provide a background on the types of fraud that you may encounter and enable you to be more skeptical of potential investments, demands for payment, or other common fraudulent schemes.
Also, the talk will provide an overview of federal, state and local government resources you can call upon for assistance, either in attempting to recover funds lost to a scheme and/or helping authorities mitigate or stop the fraud schemes.
Kim is a retired federal attorney having worked at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the United States Department of Justice for over 33 years. He investigated and civilly prosecuted fraudsters, manipulators of commodity prices as well as participated in criminal prosecutions. The prosecutions included ponzi schemes and other fraudulent activities. He is a former member of the Corporate Fraud Task Force and the Enron Task Force.
Cost is $37.50. Please pay by 2/10. This will count as your RSVP.
To pay by credit card, click HERE or drop off checks to Patsy at 909 Pecan Way. Make checks out to AAUW Petaluma.
Event Menu: The Hamilton Omelette and local artisan cheese omelettes with fresh herbs
No, that’s not a typo. Since the Novato Branch has disbanded, the annual brunch is Marin and Petaluma only - and it's our Petaluma Branch's turn to host.
Once again, we will meet at the Key Room in Novato at 10:00-12:00 on Saturday, February 21st.
The Key Room is located at 1385 North Hamilton Parkway. We will arrange carpooling closer to the event.
Our speaker, Kim Bruno, will be presenting: Detecting and Avoiding Financial Fraud
Have you been the victim of a financial fraud? Are you worried about being a victim in a financial fraud? Would you like to hear how you might avoid being a victim?
This talk will provide a background on the types of fraud that you may encounter and enable you to be more skeptical of potential investments, demands for payment, or other common fraudulent schemes.
Also, the talk will provide an overview of federal, state and local government resources you can call upon for assistance, either in attempting to recover funds lost to a scheme and/or helping authorities mitigate or stop the fraud schemes.
Kim is a retired federal attorney having worked at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the United States Department of Justice for over 33 years. He investigated and civilly prosecuted fraudsters, manipulators of commodity prices as well as participated in criminal prosecutions. The prosecutions included ponzi schemes and other fraudulent activities. He is a former member of the Corporate Fraud Task Force and the Enron Task Force.
Cost is $37.50. Please pay by 2/10. This will count as your RSVP.
To pay by credit card, click HERE or drop off checks to Patsy at 909 Pecan Way. Make checks out to AAUW Petaluma.
Event Menu: The Hamilton Omelette and local artisan cheese omelettes with fresh herbs
The AAUW Women's Film Festival
Returns for the 4th Year on Sunday, March 29, 2026
Curtain is 2PM, and location is the Carole L. Ellis Auditorium at the Petaluma Campus, SRJC. There will be seven short films you'll want to see - they'll make you laugh, and think, and maybe light a fire to make you go out and fight for a cause when it is over.
Information about three of the films (more information next month):
Returns for the 4th Year on Sunday, March 29, 2026
Curtain is 2PM, and location is the Carole L. Ellis Auditorium at the Petaluma Campus, SRJC. There will be seven short films you'll want to see - they'll make you laugh, and think, and maybe light a fire to make you go out and fight for a cause when it is over.
Information about three of the films (more information next month):
- Speed Dating - Animated comedy on the pains of dating.
- CODA - Alex is a CODA, Child of Deaf Adults. She confronts her experience of being pulled between two worlds.
- Woman of a Certain Age - Kate gets life advice from herself at ages 6, 16, and 70. Cost is $18 for adults, $10 for students, free for SRJC students the day of the event. Come join the fun and surprises!
AAUW FUNDS
AAUW Petaluma Funds Non-Event
A notice of the AAUW Petaluma Funds Non-Event fundraiser this year will be arriving in your mailbox in mid-February. We hope you will be able to join us by contributing to one or more of the scholarships we fund, and also by lending your vote for your all-time favorite film. Details will be in the notice you receive, and we hope that you will "join" us again this year in this endeavor to enrich the lives of women and girls.
AAUW Petaluma Funds Non-Event
A notice of the AAUW Petaluma Funds Non-Event fundraiser this year will be arriving in your mailbox in mid-February. We hope you will be able to join us by contributing to one or more of the scholarships we fund, and also by lending your vote for your all-time favorite film. Details will be in the notice you receive, and we hope that you will "join" us again this year in this endeavor to enrich the lives of women and girls.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Happy New Year
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Happy New Year
The organization we now know as AAUW has gone through major changes since its founding in 1881 and will likely continue to evolve. The first meeting in Boston of seventeen female college graduates with advanced degrees was held with the focus on enabling other women to obtain higher educations.
The first branches formed of this new group had rigorous entrance requirements. Successful applicants for branch membership needed a qualified undergraduate degree from a qualified US university, had to be recommended by a current member, sometimes were asked to allow a site visit to their home, had to receive a unanimous vote from an executive branch committee and were charged an annual membership fee of one dollar. In the early days, few branches admitted women of color or Jewish members.
Back then, AAUW worked closely with and supported women who could not meet membership requirements. Marie Curie enjoyed generous financial support from AAUW in purchasing radium for her research, but could not have joined because her Ph.D. came from a French University. Our own first Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was granted honorary membership, but didn’t quality for regular membership as she had never attended college. In the days before national membership requirements, branches could choose their own criteria. In 1946, an accomplished black woman named Mary Church Terrell was rejected by the Washington DC branch on a 350-250 membership vote due to her race. National AAUW passed a nondiscrimination requirement on branches in 1950 in reaction to Church’s rejection.
Our evolution continued as AAUW National realized that having fewer membership restrictions and wider support of women’s rights and equity was a healthy step. In 1963, women who graduated from any nationally accredited university could join. Men with college degrees were allowed admission in 1987. People with associate degrees could join in 2005. Over the years, the trend has been towards striving for diversity and inclusion. I expect that dropping the degree requirement is our next step, as we realize that people of many backgrounds can be valued contributors towards our AAUW goals. As we reflect on our early days, we are reminded that society and attitudes towards others who are different from ourselves have changed. AAUW now embraces DEI programs, and we are the better for it.
Information Source: AAUW National’s Webinar, "AAUW’s History and Evolution- A Journey Through Time"
Co-President Marlene Abel
The first branches formed of this new group had rigorous entrance requirements. Successful applicants for branch membership needed a qualified undergraduate degree from a qualified US university, had to be recommended by a current member, sometimes were asked to allow a site visit to their home, had to receive a unanimous vote from an executive branch committee and were charged an annual membership fee of one dollar. In the early days, few branches admitted women of color or Jewish members.
Back then, AAUW worked closely with and supported women who could not meet membership requirements. Marie Curie enjoyed generous financial support from AAUW in purchasing radium for her research, but could not have joined because her Ph.D. came from a French University. Our own first Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was granted honorary membership, but didn’t quality for regular membership as she had never attended college. In the days before national membership requirements, branches could choose their own criteria. In 1946, an accomplished black woman named Mary Church Terrell was rejected by the Washington DC branch on a 350-250 membership vote due to her race. National AAUW passed a nondiscrimination requirement on branches in 1950 in reaction to Church’s rejection.
Our evolution continued as AAUW National realized that having fewer membership restrictions and wider support of women’s rights and equity was a healthy step. In 1963, women who graduated from any nationally accredited university could join. Men with college degrees were allowed admission in 1987. People with associate degrees could join in 2005. Over the years, the trend has been towards striving for diversity and inclusion. I expect that dropping the degree requirement is our next step, as we realize that people of many backgrounds can be valued contributors towards our AAUW goals. As we reflect on our early days, we are reminded that society and attitudes towards others who are different from ourselves have changed. AAUW now embraces DEI programs, and we are the better for it.
Information Source: AAUW National’s Webinar, "AAUW’s History and Evolution- A Journey Through Time"
Co-President Marlene Abel
President Marlene's Health Crisis at our January Program
I recently attended our informative and encouraging Healthy Aging Program at the Lucchesi Community Center. I arrived early and helped set up extra chairs for the large crowd. The first speaker talked about developing a personal exercise program.
I thought to myself about the benefit of my owning a seventy-pound pit bull who demands twice daily walks and pulls impressively hard on her leash. I felt good about my exercise routine. I felt healthy.
During the program, I fainted in the lobby and hit my head. I awoke to ambulance guys lifting me on to a gurney and taking me next door to Petaluma Valley Hospital's ER.
Since I’m a Kaiser patient, I was transferred that evening to Kaiser Hospital in San Rafael. What I know now is that I was immediately placed on a stroke protocol, starting in the first ambulance. I had a CAT scan. I had cognitive testing every two hours around the clock. They took vials and vials of blood for repeated blood chemistries. I was given meds to prevent future heart attacks or strokes.
My final test at Kaiser the next morning was an MRI. I was strapped on the MRI cart with a helmet on my head to keep me stabilized. As the technician said, being in the MRI Is like being a construction zone. I endured the noise and my claustrophobia for the short 15 minute scan. A neurologist later explained to me that the clear results showed that I hadn’t had a stroke but a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or mini-stroke.
I learned that I can not always be self-reliant. The moment I lost consciousness I was dependent on others to make the right call and summon help. So, know the signs of a stroke, act fast and save a life. Recognize sudden changes in balance, vision change, facial droop, arm or leg weakness, slurred speech. Time lost is brain lost.
I’m grateful. I'm okay and I'm home. Thank you for your outpouring of concern and caring!
Co-President Marlene Abel
I recently attended our informative and encouraging Healthy Aging Program at the Lucchesi Community Center. I arrived early and helped set up extra chairs for the large crowd. The first speaker talked about developing a personal exercise program.
I thought to myself about the benefit of my owning a seventy-pound pit bull who demands twice daily walks and pulls impressively hard on her leash. I felt good about my exercise routine. I felt healthy.
During the program, I fainted in the lobby and hit my head. I awoke to ambulance guys lifting me on to a gurney and taking me next door to Petaluma Valley Hospital's ER.
Since I’m a Kaiser patient, I was transferred that evening to Kaiser Hospital in San Rafael. What I know now is that I was immediately placed on a stroke protocol, starting in the first ambulance. I had a CAT scan. I had cognitive testing every two hours around the clock. They took vials and vials of blood for repeated blood chemistries. I was given meds to prevent future heart attacks or strokes.
My final test at Kaiser the next morning was an MRI. I was strapped on the MRI cart with a helmet on my head to keep me stabilized. As the technician said, being in the MRI Is like being a construction zone. I endured the noise and my claustrophobia for the short 15 minute scan. A neurologist later explained to me that the clear results showed that I hadn’t had a stroke but a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or mini-stroke.
I learned that I can not always be self-reliant. The moment I lost consciousness I was dependent on others to make the right call and summon help. So, know the signs of a stroke, act fast and save a life. Recognize sudden changes in balance, vision change, facial droop, arm or leg weakness, slurred speech. Time lost is brain lost.
I’m grateful. I'm okay and I'm home. Thank you for your outpouring of concern and caring!
Co-President Marlene Abel
PUBLIC POLICY - Preserve the Department of Education
In January the Board of AAUW Petaluma signed on to a letter from AAUW CA to our Senators requesting that Congress block the transfer of key education programs and responsibilities away from the Department of Education to other agencies.
Add your voice to preserve the Dept. of Ed’s ability to do its job including advancing gender and racial equity in every classroom and protecting students’ rights. Click HERE to access AAUW’s Two-Minute Activist page, then click on “Congress: Ensure the Dept. of Ed. Can Serve Our Students”.
In January the Board of AAUW Petaluma signed on to a letter from AAUW CA to our Senators requesting that Congress block the transfer of key education programs and responsibilities away from the Department of Education to other agencies.
Add your voice to preserve the Dept. of Ed’s ability to do its job including advancing gender and racial equity in every classroom and protecting students’ rights. Click HERE to access AAUW’s Two-Minute Activist page, then click on “Congress: Ensure the Dept. of Ed. Can Serve Our Students”.
PUBLIC POLICY - AAUW Silicon Valley Webinar on Roe Commemoration
Go to AAUW CA (https://www.aauw-ca.org/leah-litman-speaks-to-aauw-on-roe-commemoration-webinar-thursday-jan-22-2026/) and watch the webinar Leah Litman Speaks to AAUW on Roe Commemoration. It's a sobering assessment of abortion rights, the Supreme Court and misogyny in the US. Ms Litman is a leader for women’s issues and co-host of the podcast Strict Scrutiny.
The webinar was hosted by AAUW Silicon Valley Branch as their annual event, Step Out for Pro Choice.
Go to AAUW CA (https://www.aauw-ca.org/leah-litman-speaks-to-aauw-on-roe-commemoration-webinar-thursday-jan-22-2026/) and watch the webinar Leah Litman Speaks to AAUW on Roe Commemoration. It's a sobering assessment of abortion rights, the Supreme Court and misogyny in the US. Ms Litman is a leader for women’s issues and co-host of the podcast Strict Scrutiny.
The webinar was hosted by AAUW Silicon Valley Branch as their annual event, Step Out for Pro Choice.
Gold Book Update:
The email address listed for Margaret Smith is no longer valid.
Has your Gold Book information changed?
If your contact information in the Gold Book has changed, please contact Co-VP of Membership Sheila Garvey (click HERE) so that our membership database can be updated..
Would you like your updated contact information to be published in the newsletter?
If so, contact co-editors Barbara Guggemos (click HERE) and/or Anne Taylor (click HERE).
TWO REMINDERS:
The email address listed for Margaret Smith is no longer valid.
Has your Gold Book information changed?
If your contact information in the Gold Book has changed, please contact Co-VP of Membership Sheila Garvey (click HERE) so that our membership database can be updated..
Would you like your updated contact information to be published in the newsletter?
If so, contact co-editors Barbara Guggemos (click HERE) and/or Anne Taylor (click HERE).
TWO REMINDERS:
- The Gold Book, our membership directory, is for use only by the membership and may not be used for recruiting or solicitation.
- Don't just throw away your old Gold Book. Please shred it.
AAUW Safe Meeting Guidelines
Follow all state and local guidance. It is expected that anyone who is not fully vaccinated will wear a mask and maintain physical distance at all times. Stay home if you are feeling sick. Bring a mask, so you are prepared if masking is requested.
Follow all state and local guidance. It is expected that anyone who is not fully vaccinated will wear a mask and maintain physical distance at all times. Stay home if you are feeling sick. Bring a mask, so you are prepared if masking is requested.
AAUW on YouTube
Did you know that you can access webinars presented by AAUW CA on YouTube?
Just go HERE and click on “Subscribe.”
You can drop in to hear 35 AAUW Fellows give quick descriptions of their post-graduate work, learn how to use Instagram, catch up on AAUW positions, and more.
Did you know that you can access webinars presented by AAUW CA on YouTube?
Just go HERE and click on “Subscribe.”
You can drop in to hear 35 AAUW Fellows give quick descriptions of their post-graduate work, learn how to use Instagram, catch up on AAUW positions, and more.
Mission Statement
AAUW advances gender equity for women and girls, through research, education, and advocacy.
Diversity Statement
In principle and in practice, AAUW values and seeks an inclusive membership, workforce, leadership team, and
board of directors. There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, geographical location, national origin, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status.
Economic Security – Pay Equity
AAUW offers free on-line salary negotiation training. Sign up for Work Smart
Copyright © 2003
Petaluma Branch
American Association of University Women
Web Design by Ray Hendess
AAUW advances gender equity for women and girls, through research, education, and advocacy.
Diversity Statement
In principle and in practice, AAUW values and seeks an inclusive membership, workforce, leadership team, and
board of directors. There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, geographical location, national origin, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status.
Economic Security – Pay Equity
AAUW offers free on-line salary negotiation training. Sign up for Work Smart
Copyright © 2003
Petaluma Branch
American Association of University Women
Web Design by Ray Hendess