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President’s Message – January 2025
Hello Everyone:
I hope that you had a nice holiday season with family and friends. As we may be thankful for our holiday season there are many other AAUW members who have suffered with the wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Many have lost their homes, their businesses and their neighborhoods. Below is a short list of organizations that are assisting with the recovery.
Organizations supporting victims:
Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE): https://www.coreresponse.org/donate-emergency-response-fund/
American Red Cross- 1-800-RED-CROSS, text the word REDCROSS to 90999 or visit http://redcross.org/ On the donation page, you can direct your donation to the California Wildfires.
United Way of Greater Los Angeles: https://unitedwayla.org/
Salvation Army: https://socal.salvationarmy.org/southern-california/wildfires-in-los-angeles/
Organizations supporting firefighters:
California Fire Foundation: https://www.cafirefoundation.org/
Lost Angeles Fire Department Foundation: https://supportlafd.org/
Widows, Orphans and Disabled Firefighters Fund: https://www.wodff.org/
On January 8, Shannon Wolfe from AAUW sent an email with a survey regarding proposed changes to the Bylaws, dues and public policy priorities. Please check your email to ensure that you review and respond to the survey.
AAUW Lobby Days are scheduled for April 8 and 9 with training scheduled for March 31. You must register for the mandatory training webinar by February 21. see Public Policy below for details.
Please stay safe in this challenging weather and keep our Los Angeles friends and first responders in your thoughts.
Please make a calendar note that our March meeting is moved to the 2nd Wednesday, March 12 due to Ash Wednesday on our regular meeting date of March 5.
Other upcoming events are toward the end of this email.
Rebecca “Beckie” Gomez, PhD. rebgomeztoc@gmail.com
President, AAUW Tustin-Santa Ana-Orange
Program: Coastal Erosion in California – Why It Matters
Wednesday, Februray 5, 2025 @ 7:00 pm
at Aldersgate UMC of Tustin, 1201 Irvine Blvd – Doors open @ 6:30 pm
The southern California coastline is famed throughout the world and is home to some of the nation’s top beach destinations. From San Clemente to Malibu, a mix of wide sandy beaches and small cove beaches attract millions of people every year from near and far. Locals cherish great surfing, quiet walks, and fun beach activities. Visitors flock to beaches to splash in the water and create unforgettable memories, contributing nearly $10 billion per year to the economy. However, many beaches are now experiencing severe erosion and are increasingly threatened by changing climate conditions.
Speaker: Daniel T. Kahl is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Irvine in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Despite growing up in an inland state, Daniel’s personal and professional interests have always revolved around the coast. He spent several years working as a marine biologist, leading SCUBA and marine vessel projects along the West Coast before joining the UCI Flood Lab as a Ph.D. student. Nearing completion of his Ph.D., Daniel’s research has focused on beach dynamics, improving space-borne monitoring methods of coastal change, and evaluating the flood reduction benefits beaches provide.
Focusing on beaches in southern California, this presentation will explore how beaches form and how they are changing, what drives these changes, and how flood risk would increase if beaches were eroded.
Myra Radlow mradlow@sbcglobal.net
Did you miss last month’s program by Elizabeth Hansberg on ‘People for Housing’? Or want more info?
Here is the link to the full documentary on Missing Middle Housing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR7waJtXf8Y
People for Housing also has a YouTube channel with more info:https://www.youtube.com/@peopleforhousingoc/playlists
Membership
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!
Judy Weissberg Ortiz judywortiz@gmail.com
Sylvia Borovay sgborovay@gmail.com
| AAUW Fund |
31 AAUW Fellowship and Grant recipients are listed here:https://www.aauw-ca.org/aauw-2024-fund-fellows-and-grant-recipients/
Some recipients’ videos are on the website. If a video has been posted, you will find it noted at the end of the recipient’s information. The note indicates which of the three videos it was added to. Keep checking back on the website as more videos will be added. TSAO is planning to invite one speaker to share with us in person, but you can also view the videos and experience the wealth of knowledge and learn how the Fund donations are making a difference.
Also, the Named Gift Honoree Committee welcomes nominations from TSAO members to honor someone who has made exemplary contributions of time and talent to pour branch in the past year.
Please send nominations to: Connie Smith 1959cps@gmail.com.
Thank you
Tech Trek: 
Thank you to Connie Smith and Beckie Gomez for securing a $1500 grant from the Tustin Community Foundation for this year’s Tech Trek program! Combined with the $425 we have received for the 2025 Tech Trek science, technology, engineering, and math camp at Whittier College, our club can send 1 and a half girls this summer.
In November I tentatively reserved spots for 4 girls at a price of $1200 per girl, because TSAO has traditionally been able to send at least 4 girls to the science camp for the past 20 years (as far as I know). In 2022 we were able to send 6 girls due to last-minute openings at Whittier College and the fact we had “Covid money” left over from not sending girls in 2020 and 2021.
In the next couple weeks AAUW Tustin – Santa Ana – Orange (TSAO) needs to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the CA Tech Trek committee pledging the amount of money and the number of girls we will be sending to Whittier College in June of this year. At this point I am confident we will be able to raise the $475 needed to sponsor a second girl, but it would be disheartening to not be able to support one or two more math/science 7th grade superstars.
Please help our cause by writing a check made out to AAUW CA SPF with TECH TREK Tustin-SA-Orange in the memo line and mail it to our branch Treasurer: Nancy Fidel, 5570 Camino Dorado, Yorba Linda, CA 92887
Thank you!!
Mary Witten mary.l.witten@gmail.com
P.S. The reason we write the check to AAUW CA SPF, the AAUW CA Special Projects Fund, is an effort to make your donation 100% tax deductible. There are special forms to fill out in the process, and our donation goes directly into our Whittier College account.
Public Policy
Please join us for Lobby Days 2025! The event will be held on April 8th and 9th and is a wonderful opportunity to meet with state legislative offices and advocate for AAUW California’s priority bills. Meetings will be held in person at the Capitol on Tuesday, April 8th, and virtually via Zoom on Wednesday, April 9th. We encourage all AAUW California members to participate. A mandatory training webinar will be held on Monday, March 31st to equip you with everything you need to know for a successful meeting.
If you are interested in participating, please complete BOTH of the following steps:
Step 1 – Register for the Lobby Days event by February 21st. Register for event: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdE_zXndO2aMA0EQpqwybOAU01XPL6mQ8WOya4I5b4z2zTu9g/viewform
Step 2 – Register for the mandatory training which will be held on Monday, March 31st, from 7-8 pm Pacific.
Register for training: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_T3eULU8EQ0S5dDinavEZPQ?utm_source=AAUW+California+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=7501ae61a3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_01_09_04_08&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-7501ae61a3-1304101030#/registration
For more information about Lobby Days 2025, see the article: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13QwAuG0Cl-p_iTerjH89342SWfxYPJda/edit
Donna Sutton suttondonna54@gmail.com
Debbie Knox debbieknox1234@gmail.com
Parliamentarian
Stay tuned for updates to policies and procedures.
Dana Cox dbcdb49@gmail.com
Webmaster
AAUW National is in the process of re-designing Branch websites, and we hear that they are in the process of re-designing the existing websites, updates coming soon…
Tracey Clark http://ttermath@sbcglobal.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!
Urban Explorers:
Robbin Burton OCRobbin@gmail.com
I recently discovered a FABULOUS place in Long Beach. It is URBAN AMERICANA on Coronado Avenue. It is listed as having ‘vintage design’ but it is row after row of mid-century treasures. Furniture, pottery, framed artwork, glass pieces. Items are arrange in tableau after tableau of beautiful ‘scenes’ that trigger memories and imagination.
Check out the web page at: https://urbanamericana.com/
Let’s plan to go on Tuesday, February 11th. Let’s meet in the parking lot at Albertson’s at 17th and Tustin at 9:30am.
Lunch TBD.
RSVP to OCRobbin@gmail.com or 714-381-5079
Morning Books:
Dana Cox dbcdb49@gmail.com & Judy W. Ortiz judywortiz@gmail.com
Monday February 10, 2025 @ 9:30am
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
Reviewer: Flossie Friedman
Hostess: Tarry Goeden, 13522 Sussex Place, Santa Ana 92705
Upcoming Morning Books:
Mar 10- An Unfinished Love Story by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Apr 14 – The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
May 12 – The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Evening Books:
Ann Nicholson arnicholson@sbcglobal.net & Jean Paris
Wednesday February 19, 2025 – 7pm on zoom
Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
Reviewer: Kelli Nicholas
Upcoming Evening Books:
March 19 – Dispatches from Pluto by Richard Grant
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 (IBC).
Upcoming Branch Meeting Dates:
March 12* – 2nd Wednesday due to Ash Wednesday
April 2
May 7
June – no meeting, New Officer Installation Dinner – TBD
Secretary
Minutes: Tustin-Santa Ana-Orange – Board Meeting
5:00 pm. January 8, 2025, at Aldersgate Church, Beckie Gomez, President
Attendance: Tracey Clark, Tarry Goeden, MaryWitten, Beckie Gomez, Cathy de Mayo, Connie Smith, Myra Radlow, Sylvia Borovay, Celine Osborn, Lenore Simon, Sharon O’Hara; Debbie Knox.
Absent: Dana Cox, Judy Ortiz, Nancy Fidel, Donna Sutton.
Called to order at 5:00pm.
Approval of Agenda
President’s Report:
– Association sent out an email re a dues increase. Please read it and respond to them.
– CA Leadership meets this weekend
Secretary: Minutes – Motion to Approve by Tarry, seconded and motion carried.
Membership Report:
– Currrently have 99 members
– Discussion re business cards
– Discussion re table top signs. Celine moved that 2 11by18 roll up signs be purchased not to exceed $150. Motion seconded and motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report: $18,358 in checking.
– Our Branch doesn’t have all the correct paperwork to buy a CD.
Programs Report:
– Jan 9 Elizabeth Hansberg from People for Housing
– Feb 5 Daniel Kahl on Coastal Erosion
AAUW Fund
– Looking through Fellows videos info for a special event.
– Possibly open event to other Branches.
Tech Trek:
– Received $1,500 from the Tustin Community Foundation which will be sent to our TechTrek acct.
– Hoping to do some fundraising soon – maybe a cooking event.
– A campership costs $1200.
– We have about $400 in our account currently.
Public Policy:
– An email went out to all members with info.
– On January 22 there is a Reproductive Rights presentation on Zoom.
– Lobby Day is April 8 and 9 with training on March 31.
Parliamentarian:
– Few minor things need to be changed and then the Policies and Procedures will be voted on in Feb.
Interbranch Council:
– Next meeting is Jan 27.
Communications: Newsletter and Website:
– Tracey is working on the website. Please send her any recent photos.
Old Business:
– Great American Write-In is March 27. We will send our money it.
New Business:
Roundtable/Future Agenda items.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:30pm.