AAUW held its Annual Social on Thursday, April 25^th, at 7 p.m. at the Sheldon House

At this event, this year’s scholarship winners were honored and we welcomed new members.

AAUW Member, Marilyn Zagora, JCC Academic Dean was our guest speaker. She presented “Education as a Path to Leadership.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

International Women’s Day Dinner, Friday, March 8, 2013

AAUW Members,
We had such a wonderful time last night at the Jackson Center. Our speakers, Kathy Mang and Paige Mecca, were so informative, funny and inspiring. We had 70 attendees from Zonta, AAUW and the community.
We raised $280 for the speakers’ organizations through the raffle sales of four beautiful baskets – two provided by our members Deb Illig and Candy Johnson—thank you.
The food was great and our volunteers were so helpful. Thank you Elaine Damsteegt, Gayle Schulte, Dolores Thompson, Alice Alessi, Dixie Siegel, Traci Langworthy. Thank you to Christina Marsh, co-chair of the program, for her outstanding work with the caterers. Thank you to Kathy Colby for helping with the Programs.
Everyone seemed to have a good time, and also learned a lot from both the speakers and each other.
I’m so proud of us! I hope more of you will be able to join us next year.
Happy day after International Women’s Day 2013!
Maggie

Celebration Planned for International Women’s Day

The Jamestown Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the Zonta Club of Jamestown will co-host an International Women’s Day Celebratory dinner on Friday, March 8th, at the Robert H. Jackson Center beginning at 6 pm. The celebration is open to the public and will feature two speakers: Katherine Mang of Mothers Clubs of Haiti and Paige Mecca of Solar Liberty Foundation who will speak about their experiences helping women in Haiti and East Africa. Reservations can be made by calling 483-5448. Dinner is $25 per person.

Katherine Mang has been working with Mothers Clubs of Haiti since 1993 as a Board Member. In her primary role, Mang educates people about this micro-lending program and raises funds for the loans that help poor women of East Africa and Haiti start businesses. Mang has taken seven trips to Tanzania since 2003 and three trips previously to Haiti. In 2009, she spent three months in Tanzania living in a village and getting to know club members and the program better. Mang served in the United States Peace Corps in Honduras from 1969-1971. Information about Mothers Clubs is available on its website, www.mclubsth.org.

Paige Mecca, Executive Director and founder of Solar Liberty Foundation, is an attorney with a Master’s Degree in Social Work. She earned her Law and Master’s degree at the State University of New York at Buffalo and has an undergraduate degree from
St. Lawrence University. Prior to her work with Solar Liberty Foundation, Mecca practiced family law, working on behalf of children as a law guardian. Mecca founded Solar Liberty Foundation as a way to help people in dire need in less developed nations who have no access to electricity. Information on Solar Liberty Foundation is available on its website, www.solarliberty.org.

International Women’s Day is held annually on March 8th to celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and across nations. It is also known as the United Nations (UN) Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace. The first International Women’s Day occurred on March 19 in 1911. The inaugural event, which included rallies and organized meetings, was a big success in countries such as Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. International Women’s Day, is a public holiday in some countries such as (but not exclusive to): Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova. The UN drew global attention to women’s concerns in 1975 by calling for an International Women’s Year. It also convened the first conference on women in Mexico City that year. The UN General Assembly then invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace in 1977. The day aimed to help nations worldwide eliminate discrimination against women. It also focused on helping women gain full and equal participation in global development.

AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Zonta Club is an international women’s service organization dedicated to advancing the status of women locally and globally.

Katherine Mang
Biography

Katherine Mang has been working with Mothers Clubs of Tanzania and Haiti since 1993 as a Board Member, Educator and Trainer. She works with the Director, Barbara Grove of Naples, Florida.

Her primary role with Mothers Clubs of Tanzania and Haiti, Inc., a 501C-3 charitable organization, is to educate people about this micro-lending program to start businesses for poor women of East Africa and Haiti as well as fundraising for the loans. Kathy speaks to local civic and religious organizations and has a support list of people in WNY who contribute to the loan program.

In 2012 she went to Guatemala to train Mayan leaders and potential club members in micro-lending.

Kathy has taken 8 trips to Tanzania since 2003 and three trips to Haiti. In 2009 Kathy spent 3 months in Tanzania living in a village and getting to know club members and the program better. Her usual length of stay is 3 weeks, in which she and the Stateside Director meet with the Director in Tanzania They do program budgeting, program planning, training, visiting women in the villages and give out loans.

Kathy’s first contact with a developing nation was when she served in the United States Peace Corps in Honduras between 1969 and 1971. She has taken several trips back and has traveled in other parts of the world. She has done this while raising a family and working.

Kathy retired 4 years ago from the Office of Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud & Protection and continues her work and commitment to Mothers Clubs.

All trips for Mothers Clubs are paid for personally while 100% of funds raised go to the loans for the women.

You can learn more about Mothers Clubs by visiting their website at: www.mclubsth.org

Paige Mecca’s Bio -

Paige Mecca, Executive Director and founder of Solar Liberty Foundation, is an attorney with her Master’s Degree in Social Work. She earned her Law and Master’s degree at the State University of New York at Buffalo, and has an undergraduate degree from St. Lawrence University.

Prior to her work with Solar Liberty Foundation, Paige practiced family law, working on behalf of children as a Law Guardian. She also worked with domestic violence victims and counseling perpetrators. Paige has a particular interest in issues affecting women and children both in the United States and abroad.

While an undergraduate student at St. Lawrence University, Paige traveled around the world on Semester at Sea abroad program. The trip inspired a passion for travel and a desire to help people in developing nations.

After Paige’s two brothers started Solar Liberty Energy Systems, Inc. a solar electric company for design and integration, Paige founded Solar Liberty Foundation as a way to help people in dire need in less developed nations who have no access to electricity.

Paige also is founder and President of Allegro Power, LLC, an electrical construction company. The company specializes in solar electrification installations.

“Being in the Driver’s Seat – Destination Dreamland: Planning your Financial Future in Difficult Times” January Program Held at the Jackson Center

AAUW Holiday Party

The 2012 AAUW Christmas Party was held 12/12/12 at the Marvin House. After a delicious dinner, our musical guests, Lucille Miller and Melanie Gritters entertained us with a heart-warming medley of Christmas carols. To each guest’s amusement, we also played a game to the story of the “Right Family’s Christmas,” designed to create a bit of good natured confusion and fun and everyone went home with a delicious treat!