Here’s a summary report on the branch finances for the first quarter of the fiscal year 7/1/2009 – 6/30/2010. [For details, see Branch Treasurer's Report 9/30/2009.]

Assets start of year: $187.68 (see account balances in the FY09 report)

Income 7/1/09 – 9/30/09: $29

• Dues: $15
• Donations: $14

Expenses 7/1/09 -9/30/09 : None

Assets 9/30/09:  $216.68

Note: On the detailed report there’s a reference to “dues receivable” which represent dues forwarded to AAUW through the “Membership Pilot Program” and not yet returned to the branch. Since Joanne Woodard is a College/University representative, she owes no dues for AAUW NC and the branch, but the system required that we send dues to AAUW as if she were a regular member. For all other members, the dues have been returned in a timely fashion.

FY10 Donors to the branch

• Doris Bernlohr, Burlington
• Susan Mason, Brasstown

Donate to the branch | Donate to AAUW funds

Membership Status

The branch has 45 members (43 renewed for 2009-2010). Of the 45 we have 25 primary (24 renewed), 19 dual (18 paid for the branch, AAUW NC, and AAUW), and 1 college/university representative.

Join/renew now | Give a gift membership

Earlier this fall, branch director Pat Abell sent this message to the branch members:

Dear Tar Heel Branch Members,

I joined AAUW because I believe in the many programs that have been developed for the benefit of women and girls. I believe women should be supported to reach their full potential. With just a little help many women can complete their missions and the benefits are reaped by all.

Our support for the many worthwhile grants and scholarships of the Educational Foundation including LAF is sorely needed at this time to continue the work of the organization. You may designate how you want the money to be used. Our branch is encouraged to donate before the end of December to show our interest and to inspire other branches to contribute.

The simplest way to give it to find the large “Donate” area at aauw.org — or go directly to https://svc.aauw.org/contribute/index_aauw_donation.cfml?CorpCode=C3.

As Pat says, with your gift to AAUW you may support many different efforts.

• If you’ve no strong preference, the “general support” donations are most appreciated.
• If you’d like to learn more about the different programs, check out this diagram of the funds.
• If you’d like to support North Carolina priorities, consider -
  • Fellowships > AAUW – Chipley, Ann. This will help bring the Ann Chipley Endowment, honoring a former president of AAUW NC, to the $100,000 level where it will start funding American, International, and Selected Professions fellowships.
  • Research and Project Grants > NC – Charlotte Branch. This will help bring the Charlotte Branch endowment to the $35,000 level where it will start funding Community Action and Career Development Grant

For more on this year’s recipients who are studying or working in North Carolina, see www.aauwnc.org.

President’s Message

Dear THB members,

It was beautiful in the mountains as many of us headed to Boone for the AAUW state meeting.  We gathered at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center on the campus of Appalachian State University on October 9-10.

We took care of many business items, had a few workshops, and enjoyed great fellowship with other members from around the state.

One of the meeting highlights was saying thank you to THB member/treasurer, Nancy Shoemaker for the many vital roles she has played in AAUW NC over the last decade. A framed copy of a resolution was presented to her by AAUW NC president Millie Hoffler-Foushee recognizing her many contributions. Congratulations, Nancy.

Congratulations, too, to branch member Queen Thompson who has been appointed to the AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund Committee. She is the only member from North Carolina other than AAUW Finance Vice President Millie Hoffler-Foushee who is serving on any of the national committees and task forces. Congratulations, Queen.

The new structuring of AAUW as a non profit organization has required us to update our bylaws to conform to new changes voted on in St. Louis in June. Board members spent time in Boone working on bylaws issues.  I am happy to announce that your bylaws committee members Nancy Shoemaker, Pat Abell and Doris Bernlohr have finished our update which is now posted on our website.

We also spent time in Boone going over the new AAUW Affiliate Agreement.  All AAUW states and branches must sign this new Affiliate Agreement affirming their affiliation with AAUW by October 31, 2009. By signing this new affiliate agreement, branches and states that are state tax exempt under IRS Code 501(c)(4) also affirm intent to be included in AAUW’s new group tax exemption. With the restructuring of AAUW so that the 501(c)(3) charitable entity is now the organization’s dominant membership entity previous agreements are no longer valid.  Signing this new Affiliate Agreement entitles members to deduct a major portion of their national membership dues on their federal tax returns for the first time.

As our branch without borders moves into our second year, our first nominating committee has been appointed by the board.  The charge to the nominating committee is to craft a slate for the election next spring — president, treasurer, and directors-at large. Many thanks to the following members who have agreed to serve on the committee:

Grace Knechtel, Chair/Raleigh
Judythe Atkinson/Winston Salem
Mary Morrow/Statesville

We currently have 45 members and we need the help of everyone if the branch is to be successful. Remember, I asked each of you to bring at least one new member into our group before Dec. 31. One way to do that is with our gift membership program. To get you started see the new “gift membership” section on the branch web site: http://tarheel.aauwnc.org/give-a-gift

Doris Bernlohr, President
Tar Heel Branch

Recent AAUW updates

• AAUW Celebrates Passage of Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act
• AAUW Member Wins Nobel Prize
• Urge your members of Congress to support AAUW’s policy recommendations!
• AAUW Provides Policy Recommendations for a True “Woman’s Nation” — this is AAUW’s response to the Shriver Report that’s been in the news lately

AAUW NC news

• NCVCE Annual Meeting – those near Raleigh who support AAUW’s work for clean elections may want to participate in this anniversary meeting/reception
• AAUW NC Fall Meeting – information is still being posted on what happened at that meeting

Other branch news

• Welcome new members – July-Sept.
• Are you planning your holiday giving? -  New gift packages available November 1
• Updated bylaws
• Another report on the convention – includes links to videos of programs from St. Louis in June
• Update to branch brochure – be sure to carry at least one with you

If you’d like to “stay in the loop,” one way to do that without getting even more e-mail is to join Facebook. Most people join Facebook so that they can share pictures and other updates with close friends, but it’s also a way to get information from organizations. So if you do join, please become a “fan” of AAUW North Carolina — simply login to Facebook, go to http://bit.ly/aauwnc-fb, then click the “become a fan” button at the top. Information from AAUW NC will show up in your Facebook home page along with the other information from your friends.

Earlier this month, the branch board appointed a nominating committee: Grace Knechtel (chair), Judy Atkinson, and Mary Morrow.

They are already at work recruiting members to serve on the 2010-2011 branch board. The slate they develop will be presented next spring when the branch will elect a president, treasurer, and 3-7 directors-at-large.

If you’d like to consider serving on the board starting July 1, 2010, please contact one of the members of the committee or a member of the current board to find out more about the positions and how they might fit into your interests. Again, we try to keep the administration of this branch as simple as possible, but if you have a particular AAUW interest, serving on the board may get you additional information from AAUW and AAUW NC and put you in a better position to advance your cause.

PS: We do not have a full complement of seven directors at large, so if you’d like to step onto the board for a term that would end June 30, 2010, please contact Doris.

The Tar Heel Branch would like to welcome the new members who joined us over the summer:

Grace Knechtel is a long-time AAUW member who has served on the boards of both AAUW NC and AAUW NYS. She is a current member of the Raleigh/Wake County branch and joins the Tar Heel Branch as her second branch. See reasons why members of other branches join the Tar Heel Branch.

Joanne Woodard is the college/university representative for AAUW for NC State University. She took advantage of the AAUW NC and branch policies of offering state/branch affiliation to C/U reps for no additional dues. She is also in charge of the e-student affiliate program for NCSU, and any students who join that way may also affiliate with the branch (and get access to branch networking tools) for no additional fee.

Kathleen Hilton is on the faculty at UNC Pembroke, a former member of the AAUW UNC Pembroke branch who maintained her membership in the AAUW national organization as a member-at-large. With Rose Stremlau, she hopes to revive the AAUW presence on that campus, but for now, she is more tightly connected to AAUW NC.

Branch members can get contact information for each other from the branch roster at www.aauwnc.org’s “member services database.” More personal introductions are encouraged on the branch e-mail list.

Is there someone on your holiday gift list who would benefit from a membership in AAUW? Maybe

• the new graduate who needs to be aware that “equity is still an issue”
• the new parent who can use information about how AAUW issues will affect his daughter
• the new retiree who may now have time for advocacy
• a sister, brother, daughter, son, niece, nephew or parent who may be interested in the “AAUW conversation” on such a wide array of topics

Consider the gift of a membership in the Tar Heel Branch which includes the benefits of an at-large AAUW membership as well as providing a connection to AAUW in North Carolina. This works for members who don’t live near any of the 21 community-based branches and for those who are too busy to fit “one more meeting” into their schedules. But, unlike the slightly cheaper at-large membership, the Tar Heel Branch members are connected to each other in a variety of ways and, as we grow, we hope to spin off satellites (and even new branches) in various areas of the state.

If your giftee later decides that they do want the more active membership of a community-based branch, they can transfer with no additional fee.

Gift memberships are available now, with special rates starting on November 1. Visit our gift membership page to learn  more.

The Bylaws Committee (Doris Bernlohr, Pat Abell, and Nancy Shoemaker) has reviewed the branch bylaws in light of the required changes after the 2009 AAUW convention. Modifications have been made and here is the new version:

AAUW Tar Heel branch bylaws, Oct. 2009

Note that at least one additional change is pending, but since that requires a vote of the branch (and that vote must occur in the context of the annual meeting), it was not included here.

For information on how the committee addressed items that were not clear in the AAUW instructions, see Nancy’s blog post.

At the Raleigh/Wake County branch meeting on September 3, Nancy Shoemaker gave a  report on the 2009 AAUW convention (which includes a copy of the new AAUW public policy program). Tar Heel Branch members may also be interested in that report.

See also additional videos of the Convention at the AAUW Youtube Channel.

The branch brochure has been updated to account for the $5 increase in branch dues as of July 1. Please print copies to have with you when you expect to meet people who would like to learn more about the opportunity to connect to AAUW in this way that also provides the benefits of connecting to the state organization:

AAUW Tar Heel Branch Brochure, Fall 2009

YOU ARE INVITED – SAVE THE DATE

What: Hors d’ oeuvres and wine

When:  Friday, September 25, 2009– 5-7 p.m.

Where: Home of branch member, Burlington, NC

This is strictly a social get-together for a couple of hours for anyone who can join us. Her  home in Twin Lakes is less then ten minutes from Exit 140 off I-40.  I hope many of you will join us. Bring a prospective member with you.

In September a reminder will be sent which will include directions and RSVP instructions.  Dress is casual.  We’re keeping it simple, and hope you will join us.

REPORT ON AAUW CONVENTION IN ST. LOUIS

As you may have heard by now, the St. Louis convention was energizing, inspiring, and surprising. Click here for a brief report on what happened.

REPORT ON AAUW NC MEETING IN HENDERSONVILLE

The AAUW NC meeting in Hendersonville provided information on two important aspects of AAUW programming: work on projects to engage girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and the new training project to help college women get the best possible salary in their first job. There was also a discussion on how the AAUW NC public policy priorities fit with the national priorities and how they are developed. Click here to learn more about the summer meeting.

Doris Bernlohr,
President, THB

These links are for further information on our complex organization. Click the ones that fit your interest and time. You can find all of these in the NEWS section on the branch website http://tarheel.aauwnc.org or http://aauwnc.org.

BRANCH INFORMATION

• Welcome to new members — find out who has joined us in May and June
• Branch status — some statistics on how this new branch model is doing as we finish our first year
• Branch financial report (draft) — how are we doing financially? List of 2008-2009 donors. [If you'd like to volunteer to review this report, please contact Doris or Nancy.]

AAUW NC Notes

• New map showing info on the branches (07/26/09) [There are technical difficulties with this, but when it works, it shows an icon for each community-based branch. We hope this will replace the map in our brochure.]
• New ways of communicating (07/16/09) – AAUW NC is using twitter to post updates. Learn more.
• Message from AAUW President Garfein (07/16/09) – This video message introduces you to the new chief volunteer at AAUW.
• Branch/State officer listing (07/07/09) – Did you know AAUW NC maintains public information on contacting all the branches: www.aauwnc.org/contacts/branches/
• New clause in AAUW Public Policy Program (06/28/09)
• New AAUW Bylaws (06/28/09)
• Healthy Youth Act ratified! (06/26/09) – See also the AAUW NC public policy summary for updates on other bills

This newsletter was distributed through the branch e-mail list, and an archived copy can be found there, too. The e-mail edition is more complete since it contains some member phone numbers and direct e-mail addresses.