Please mark your calendars for the Great American Write-In, which will take place on March 29, 2025, at the Delphi Center in Santa Ana from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This event is an opportunity to visit many organizations that represent various public policies. You can write to your elected representatives to advocate for multiple issues. Bring return address labels so elected officials know you are a constituent. Please carpool and arrive early! The Orange County AAUW Interbranch Council will have a table.
If the Nominating Committee approaches you to serve on the AAUW TSAO Board or a Committee, please consider saying “Yes!” Our branch is only as strong as its members. Your service is a great way to give back to our community!
The Board has agreed to participate in the summer Old Town Sunset Markets in Tustin, which will be held on the third Thursday from May to September. We will be looking for volunteers to help staff the table, inform the community about our organization, and recruit new members. More to come!
For those of you who were at the March meeting, in honor of Women’s History Month, I shared information about two Tustin women legends: Ursula Kennedy, the first female mayor of Tustin:
and Evelyn Furtsch Ojeda, a Tustin High graduate and 1932 Olympic Gold Medalist:
We are waiting to hear from AAUW-CA to see if they will make any changes to state dues for the branches before beginning Membership renewals for 2025-2026.
AAUW National dues will go up by $2 (to $74), but our branch dues will remain the same ($17 for the year).
Nominations for TSAO branch officers for next year are almost completed – we are still looking for a President Elect (Like a Vice President) to assist Beckie – this is more about learning how the branch functions than doing – so if you might be interested please call me (Judy Ortiz ) @ 714-504-5739
Also, the Great American Write-In on Saturday, March 29, is a great way to communicate with your elected representatives to let them know your opinions on urrent issues & events. They will have pre-printed notes or you can write your own and they will mail them fro you! All you need to bring is a pen and your return address labels (so they know which district you are writing from) You can pre-register or the event here: https://secure.everyaction.com/ygOgPwqsfEad5DvKi40c7w2
Join us for our Charcuterie Board Making fundraiser to benefit AAUW’s Greatest Needs Fund, on Saturday, April 19th. See flyer for details. Spots are filling up quickly, so please send your $100 donation to reserve your spot to: AAUW Charcuterie, 1241 Smoke Tree Lane, Santa Ana, CA 92705. If you prefer, you can also bring your check to the April 2ndTSAO AAUW meeting.
Tech Trek
Thank you to our amazing Tustin -Santa Ana – Orange Branch for your tremendous response to our Tech Trek fundraising appeal!!
We not only obtained our goal of sponsoring 4 girls this year, we have a healthy start for our 2026 Tech Trek program! I am deeply grateful for your support!
My Interview Teams of Chris Byrd, Tracey Clark, Sandy DiSario, Melissa Figge, Sue Guilford, Anna Ryan, Lenore Simon, Gloria Wildman, and myself, Mary Witten, are eager to commence our interviews of the girls on Thursday, March 27, at Sycamore Magnet Academy, and Thursday, April 3, at Lathrop Intermediate School. Both interview teams will be able to analyze the in-person interviews, applications, and student essays “across the board” of the eleven candidates we have at this time.
Two girls had to “drop out” of the interviews due to June scheduling conflicts or family hesitation of having a 7th grade daughter away from home for a week. Nevertheless, all nominees will be recognized for their nomination to the program and their outstanding academic achievement at their respective schools.
Thank you again for your outstanding support of our program! I am looking forward to our September 3, 2025 Tech Trek General Meeting when our awardees will share their tales of the great workshops, activities, and friends they made within their Whittier College experiences. Thank you for giving them this opportunity of a lifetime! 🏅
The Great American Write-In is your chance to be pro-active as a group and inform you elected representatives how you feel about their actions. It will also provide an opportunity to see what other local organizations are doing for our county.
Our TSAO branch website is beginning to be updated.
Eventually it will contain our branch calendar, copies of the newsletter and more, take a look: https://tustin-ca.aauw.net/
Interest Groups:
If anyone would like to revive the Games Group, Happy Hour, Movie Goers, Lunch Bunch, or DIning Out groups – or start a new social group within the branch – Please let me know (Lenore@lenoresimon.com) and I will place your info in the newsletter!
SAVE the DATE: Saturday, March 29, 2025 – Great American Write-In: DELHI Center, 505 East Central Ave., Santa Ana 92707 – TSAO is participating as part of AAUW Orange County Inter-Branch Council.
Saturday, April 19th “Culinary” fundraiser to benefit AAUW’s Greatest Needs Fund, scheduled for see AAUW Fund above for details.
Upcoming TSAO Branch Meeting Dates:
May 7 – at Aldersgate church, 1201 Irvine Blvd, Tustin 92780
June – no meeting. Officer Installation DInner – Volunteers needed to organize!
Absent: Dana Cox, Beckie Gomez, Donna Sutton, Debbie Knox, Celine Osborn
Called to order at 5:06 pm
President’s Report – Tarry Goeden filled in for Beckie Gomez.
Minutes: Approved
Treasurer’s Report – Accepted;
Judy Ortiz noted that the expenses on Jan. 21 reflected membership dues paid to State and National.
Membership Report:
All branch members were accounted for in National’s most recent records (103).
• Mary Witten moved and Lenore Simon seconded that we not raise TSAO Branch dues for 2025-26. Passed.
• The size, cost and location of our meeting room was discussed. Judy saw a potential rental space in Old Town Tustin at a similar cost that would include coffee and tea.
Programs Report –
Myra Radlow presented finalized speaker topics for March-May and is exploring topics for the coming branch year starting in September.
Lenore will email speaker bios/info to Tracey Clark to include on the website.
The Oct. 1 branch meeting will change to Oct. 8 to avoid conflicting with Yom Kippur.
AAUW Fund Report –
– Connie Smith has planned an AAUW Fund fundraiser with a charcuterie board demonstration Saturday, April 19 from 10:00 a.m.-noon. She is seeking a location.
– The Named Gift Committee will meet to select branch honoree(s).
– Connie is reviewing videos made by Fund Fellows/Grant Recipients and hopes to invite one to speak to our branch at a general meeting in the coming year.
– National reported that TSAO Branch raised $6,435 for AAUW Fund in 2024.
Tech Trek: –Mary Witten passed a sign-up sheet for branch members willing to interview Tech Trek applicants March 25, 26 and April 3.
– Mary has scheduled a Tech Trek fundraiser “Spirit Night” in conjunction with Sycamore Academy on Tuesday, Feb. 25 from 3-8:00 p.m. at Chick-fil-A, 1701 N. Tustin Ave., Santa Ana. If those purchasing food show an event flyer (on paper or on phone), Tech Trek will receive 20% of the bill.
– Mary said $2,111.97 has been raised to date for the 2025 Summer program, including monies from the Tustin Community Foundation grant. Cost is $1,200 per camper.
Public Policy: Donna Sutton and Debbie Knox were unable to attend but delivered to Tarry handouts to be distributed at the general meeting on AAUW Public Policy news, a list of contact information on elected officials and an Action Plan for Wildfire Preparedness.
InterBranch Council: Mary reported that Interbranch Council will provide postcards for those attending the Great American Write-In March 29. Each branch will contribute to the cost.
Mary will bring a sign-up sheet to the March branch meeting soliciting volunteers to staff the AAUW table at the Write-In.Communications: Newsletter and Website: Tracey has the branch website up and running at tustin-ca.aauw.net and is in the process of refining it.
Nominating Committee: Judy is seeking volunteers to serve on the committee. Mary Witten volunteered.
Old Business: Tarry called for a vote to accept the edited version of the Branch Policies and Procedures as presented in the latest email. Passed.
Discussion of a tabletop sign was deferred.
New Business: Myra raised the question of speakers who wished to receive the branch newsletter and if that was advisable/permissible. It was suggested that the Membership Committee discuss the question.
– Judy asked current Board members to email her if they wished to continue in their Board positions.
– Tracey reminded members to sign up for the mandatory March 21 training session for Lobby Days.
Next TSAO meeting: Wednesday April 2, 2025 @7pm at Aldersgate Church, 1201 Irvine Blvd, Tustin, 92780, between Red Hill and Newport. Doors open @6:30pm
