Please consider donating to AAUW
All funds go towards Education Awards and programming for local girls and women.
Mail your contribution to AAUW, P.O. Box 1031, Gaylord, MI 49734
Make your check out to “AAUW-Gaylord Area Branch”
Thank you!
AAUW Gaylord Branch Meeting – May 2023
AAUW Honors Founding Member Bonnie Vance
At our November 2023 meeting, we honored Bonnie Vance’s pioneering efforts in helping to establish the Gaylord AAUW Branch. In 1973, Bonnie, along with a small group of other Gaylord area women, had the foresight to form the Gaylord Branch, which still prospers today! We thanked Bonnie with a luncheon and a contribution from our Branch to the local Girl Scouts organization in honor of Bonnie. We were excited to have Amy Shamroe, AAUW Michigan President-Elect, attend that meeting, as well. Thank you to all who prepared and served the delicious luncheon!
Founding AAUW Gaylord Member, Bonnie Vance was honored at our luncheon
(L-R): Bonnie Vance, Any Shamroe (AAUW Michigan President-Elect), Helen Mate and Mary Tomaski (Gaylord Branch Co-Presidents)
Thank You for Another Successful Used Book Sale!
Thanks to your support, we had another successful Used Book Sale! AAUW volunteers filled the back room of the Otsego County United Way with thousands of donated books. On Oct 6th and 7th, we had a great turn-out of customers eager to give these books a new home. The over $2,500 collected at this event will be used to help support programming and awards so local girls and women can further their educational advancement. It’s a win-win for everyone!
Thank you SO much to all of those who volunteered their time and energy in making this annual event run smoothly, including the 22 AAUW members who lent an hand. Many friends and relatives of AAUW members were essential in making this event happen. Thanks also goes to Crossroads, Walmart and the Gaylord High School Key Club for their hard work. Special thanks goes to the United Way for letting us take over their space with mountains of books!
Just some of the many volunteers who helped out at this year’s sale: CiCi, Helen, Joan, Mary and Barb
Hank enjoys his new book found at the AAUW Used Book Sale.
Woman Making History – Dona Wishart 2023 Honoree
AAUW Gaylord Area Branch honored Dona J. Wishart as our 2023 Woman Making History on March 12, 2023. As the longtime Otsego County Commission on Aging Executive Director, Dona has been a tireless advocate for older adults and positively impacted thousands of lives in our community. Known for her professional and insightful leadership, Dona won the 2008 Athena Award, the 2021 Exemplary Service Award from the Michigan Commission on Services to the Aging, and other local, regional and statewide recognitions.
Our Woman Making History event was well attended by Dona’s family and her many colleagues and friends. The love and appreciation for Dona’s devotion to older adults expressed by those in attendance was palpable. Otsego County is very fortunate to have leaders like Dona working in our community.
Dona poses with her family at the AAUW Woman Making History event.
Thanks to those who made this year’s Woman Making History event possible. Left to right: Renee Elias, Dona Wishart, Mary Tomaski and Brenda Brummel
AAUW Gaylord Area Branch Donates $2,000 to Library for Early Childhood STEM Resources
Otsego County Library Director Jackie Skinner (r), and AAUW Gaylord Area Branch Co-President
Mary Tomaski pose with Audrey Baron, one of the library’s newest patrons. Audrey proudly
displays her library card as Mary hands Jackie AAUW GAB’s $2000 donation to the OCL. The
funds are earmarked for Early Childhood STEM resources to be enjoyed by patrons such as
Audrey.
AAUW Prepares Community Meal
On February 10th AAUW volunteers prepared a Community Meal at the First Congregational Church. This year’s menu was ham, cheesy potatoes, beans and slaw. Many members made cookies and donated funds for the project as well. Thank you to all who helped!
Meal recipients said the dinner was “yummy and one of the best!” All of our efforts were appreciated.
Emily Lauster Awarded AAUW Education Award
This past spring, the AAUW Gaylord Area Branch granted Gaylord High School graduate Emily Lauster its $1000 Education Award. Emily was a National Honor Society member, an award-winning band member, and active in the Drama Club and Key Club. She has earned the Girl Scout Silver Award. Volunteering in her community, Emily says she has learned “kindness, care, and the importance of making a difference.” Emily will be taking her academic, leadership, creative and volunteering passions to the University of Michigan where she plans to major in psychology.
Kelly Lauster, daughter Emily Lauster and AAUW Gaylord Area Branch Education Committee Member Sheila Simpson celebrate Emily’s award.
Please Join Us!
If you want to see what we do you can stop by our lunch meetings to check us out. We meet at noon on the second Wednesday of the month at the Otsego County Library (700 S. Otsego Ave.,Gaylord, MI 49735), and feel free to bring a sack lunch. We do not meet in July. In June and December we have an informal potluck at various locations. If you can’t make it to our lunch meetings, you can still be involved in our mission through our various activities (see the “About Us” page).
In case of inclement weather: If Law Enforcement calls a State of Emergency, we will not meet.
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) is a nationwide organization that advances equity and education for women and girls. The Gaylord Area Branch empowers through education awards, educational programs, and honoring the achievements of local women. For more information email aauwgaylord@gmail.com.
AAUW Gaylord Area Branch: Advancing equity & education for women & girls since 1973.