As we kick off the new year, I want to acknowledge National Girls and Women and Sports Day earlier this month. This day celebrates the monumental moments across women’s sports, primarily because of the effort and progress of Title IX. AAUW has advocated for policies and legislation to support equity for girls and women. Research has shown that for girls and women who play sports, it helps with their leadership skills and empowers girls and women to live healthier and more productive lives.
At our March meeting, we will have a little discussion about Women’s History Month. Yes, we’ll still acknowledge and celebrate how women have contributed to the progress of our country!
The branch will participate in the Great American Write-In on March 29, so please save the date. I will share more information at the March meeting.
The Nominating Committee will be seeking candidates to serve on the Board. Please consider serving!
Program: Wednesday, March 12, 2024 @ 7:00 pm @ Aldersgate Church, 1201 Irvine Blvd, Tustin 92780
Doors open @6:30pm Speaker: Sarah Heath of United Way onHomelessness in Orange County:
A total of 7,322 persons experiencing homelessness were counted during the Orange County 2024 POINT IN TIME count. This one-to-one count took place with a record turnout of 1,251 volunteers over three days, from Tuesday, January 23, 2024, through Thursday, January 25, 2024, covering 800 square miles of Orange County.
Who are these homeless people? How long have they been homeless? What landed them on the street and what can help them get off the street? Sarah Heath is a Community Engagement Manager for United to End Homelessness, an initiative of the United Way of Orange County.
Sarah is also an Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. Originally from Canada, she earned her Master of Divinity degree from Duke Divinity School in 2005. Sarah has been a public speaker for over 20 years. She is also the author of two books, What’s Your Story? and The Authenticity Challenge. Sarah is also listed in Orange COunty’s Top 100 Influencers for 2019. Robbin BurtonOCRobbin@gmail.com.
Membership:
We currently have 99 members in our AAUW TSAO branch!
Our Membership Drive for Branch year 2025-2026, will begin in April 2025. We will have Membership Packets including the updated Membership Form. Our Branch Board of Directors has voted not to increase the amount of our Branch dues in 2025-2026.
We are still waiting to hear from State and National about their dues rates for this coming year. If you know of friends or family members who might like to join our Branch, please let us know so we can send them a Membership Packet. New members can receive a 50% discount on national dues for their first year if they join at any of our meetings or events!
When you attend our Branch meetings and events, please seek out and talk to the members whose name tags bear a green dot. This indicates that they are new members this year, and we would like to make them feel welcome and included. Thank you!
Our branch Nominating Committee is currently accepting nominations for the election of next year’s (2025-2026) AAUW – TSAO Branch Executive Board, including:
President
President – Elect*
AAUW Fund
Membership
Programs
Secretary
Treasurer
*Note: President – Elect is like a ‘president-in-waiting’, who attends board meetings and learns the job so they may be prepared to assume the position the following year (2024-2025).
If you are interested in any of these positions, please nominate yourself. If you would like to nominate another member(s) to any of these positions, please nominate the member(s) by name (with their permission). Please note: Any of these elected positions can be filled by two (2) members, working together in a “Co-” capacity, such as: Co-President, Co-Secretary, Co-Treasurer, etc. This is a great way to get your feet wet in a position without having to work alone.
Please send your nominations to Judy Ortiz, Membership VP, at:judywortiz@gmail.com., or SylviaBorovay, Co-Membership VP, at sgborovay@gmail.com
Thank you
AAUW Fund
Connie Smith. 1959cps@gmail.com
Thanks to the generosity of our TSAO members, our branch raised $6,435 for the AAUW Fund in 2024. A big shout out to Cathy de Mayo and Celine Osborn for all of their efforts to raise money for the Fund last year! SAVE THE DATE: I’m excited about our “Culinary” fundraiser to benefit AAUW’s Greatest Needs Fund, scheduled for Saturday, April 19th. More details will be revealed soon, so be sure to save the date. I promise it will be a morning of delicious creativity and a fun time with friends!
Tech Trek Mary Witten. mary.l.witten@gmail.com
Thank you to all of our members who have donated so far to this year’s Tech Trek program! We still need at least $1800, so I am hoping that you can
1) make a check out to AAUW CA SPF with MEMO line Tech Trek Tustin-SA-Orange
2) send it to our treasurer, Nancy Fidel at 5570 Camino Dorado, Yorba Linda, CA 92887
or bring it to our March 12 (note change of date!) General Meeting
or bring it to our Tuesday, Feb. 25th fundraiser at Chick-fil-A at 17th St & Tustin Ave.
Thank you in advance! 🪴
On the last page is the flyer for our upcoming fundraiser together with Sycamore MagnetAcademy (one of our participating schools) at Chick-fil-A at 1701 N Tustin Ave, just north of 17th St., on Tuesday – February 25, between the hours of 3pm – 8pm.
Either print out the flyer from this email – or download a copy to your phone and Chick-fil-A will donate 20% of the price of your purchase (excluding tax and tip) to our AAUW TSAO Tech Trek sponsorship this summer! Please join us!
Parliamentarian Dana Cox.dbcd49@gmail.com
Stay tuned for updates to policies and procedures.
Webmaster: Tracey Clark ttermath@sbcglobal.net
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, Wine & Whine, 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!
Morning Books: Dana Coxdbcdb49@gmail.com & Judy w.Ortizjudywortiz@gmail.com Monday March 10, 2025 @ 9:30am An Unfinished Love Story by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Reviewer: Barbara Lubke
Hostess: Sylvia Borovay, 17421 Amaganset Way, Tustin 92780 714-812-5565
Treats: Nancy Fidel Upcoming in Morning Books:
Apr 14 – The Heaven & Earth Grocewry Storeby James McBride
May 12 –The Tattoooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Evening Books: Ann Nicholson & Jean Paris –arnicholson@sbcglobal.net Wednesday March 19, 2025 – 7pm on zoom Dispatches from Pluto by Richard Grant
Reviewer: Carolyn Thurston Upcoming in Evening Books:
April 16 – Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
May 21 – The Humans by Matt Haig
June 18 – Table for Two by Amar Towles
Save the Date: Upcoming events to put on your calendar:Great American Write-In: Saturday, March 29, 2025 – DELHI center, 505 East Central Ave., Santa Ana 92707 – We expect to participate as part of AAUW Orange County Inter-Branch Council.
Upcoming TSAO Branch Meeting Dates: March 12– due to Ash Wednesday on March 5 April 2
May 7 June – no meeting. Officer Installation DInner TBD
SAVE THE DATE: “Culinary” fundraiser to benefit AAUW’s Greatest Needs Fund, scheduled for Saturday, April 19th. More details will be revealed soon, so be sure to save the date. I promise it will be a morning of delicious creativity and a fun time with friends!
Secretary Cathy de Mayo.cathydemayo@gmail.com Celine Osborn celineosborn@gmail.com Minutes: Tustin-Santa Ana-Orange – Board Meeting 5:00 pm Tuesday, February 5, 2025 at Aldersgate UMC in Tustin…coming soon.
Next TSAO meeting: Wednesday March 12, 2025 @7pm at Aldersgate Church, 1201 Irvine Blvd, Tustin, 92780, between Red Hill and Newport. Doors open @6:30pm
