President’s Message

Let’s Relieve a Little Stress

By the time you read this Thumb Sketch, the election may well have been decided. It doesn’t matter if you vote in person or early, a sigh of relief occurs when we relinquish our ballots. Let’s take a giant, deep breath of relief, no matter who we voted for. We’ve voted and that is what makes a democracy work.

I wondered why I need that deep breath. Was it “Election Stress Anxiety?” Yes! This is a real condition brought on by the heightened stress that builds up as election day gets closer. In fact, data shows that 68% of adults say the last election was a significant source of stress.

So how do we reduce that stress and move on to our normal lives? As an AAUW-Prescott member, you have lots of options: For example, join or continue participation in an AAUW-Prescott interest group. Our groups bring people together to share laughs, ideas and conversations. Our revitalized hiking group allows us to improve our health while enjoying the splendor of our area. Mah Jongg, Great Decisions and our many book groups expand our minds and horizons. Our dining groups sample the wonderful talents of our amateur chefs, and the Lunch Bunch is a perfect time to enjoy each other’s company at several restaurants in our area. Every interest group at AAUW-Prescott, allows you to meet friends, especially our newest members.

The holidays will be upon us, sooner than we think, and with them comes that stress again. 

Join us for the Holiday Brunch, December 14^th at Prescott Lakes. You can sign up online at this link but forms will be at the November 9^th General Meeting. Look for the signup sheets on the back table. Again, relieve a little stress.

Lastly, we are seeking nominations for our Annual Awards. The nominating forms are on our website here. Check out the categories and nominate those who you think warrant the award.

Thank you for this opportunity to serve you.

Upcoming Programs

General Meeting: November 9

Creating Connections:
Understanding Big Brothers & CASA in our Community

Jessica Hines is the Program Coordinator for the CASA office in Yavapai County. Her previous experience includes working with adolescents in a behavioral health settings for almost 20 years, working with unhoused veterans, and working for the state of Arizona providing a variety of services to persons with disabilities. Ms. Hines will be sharing the CASA Mission – to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children who are involved in the juvenile courts.

Naresa Cassady is the Program Manager for Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters and has lived in Yavapai County for over 40 years, the last 27 years in Prescott. She believes everyone needs a mentor and friend to guide and help them see their potential and opportunities. YBBBS works to create and support one-on-one matches that ignite the promise in us all. Ms. Cassady will encourage us to join YBBBS to help create positive connections that support a stronger community. 

General Meeting: December 14

December 14 General Meeting:
Annual Holiday Brunch, Awards and Recognitions

Saturday, December 14, 2024 
9 AM – 11 AM
Prescott Lakes Clubhouse 
311 Smoke Tree Lane, Prescott

As we’ve done in the past, our December meeting will be a brunch at the Prescott Lakes Country Club, which is a short distance from this year’s regular meeting location.

The cost for the Holiday Brunch is $21 and the menu has three choices—scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese, bacon and potatoes; French toast served with sausage; or a plant based meal. Seasonal fruit and assorted pastries will be provided to all. Detailed information regarding the Brunch can be found on our home page and at this link. Members can also use these links to download a printed reservation form to mail or hand deliver or make a reservation via Paypal.

We will once again share holiday memories with one another–and, if you have not heard the story, you may want to ask Sandra Bennet about the time a chimp came for Christmas.  

Come to join us for holiday fun!

Red Envelope Donations Support Opportunity Awards

This year, the Red Envelope donations will be used to raise money for the Opportunity Awards.  We have gotten great responses to the Awards and always look forward to hearing from our recipients.  

For more information about the requirements to apply for this award, click here. Please print the application form complete the form and provide additional supporting information. Mail it and supporting documents to AAUW Prescott at PO Box 10881, Prescott AZ 86304.

AAUW Prescott Business

AAUW Branch Award Nominations

Nominations are open for our yearly awards to be presented at the Holiday Brunch. Please complete a nomination form and submit it by Wednesday, November 30th. Contact Carol Dosse for more information.

Membership

Rebuilding Membership – Key Focus; 4 New Members Welcomed

We are so grateful that each of you is part of our AAUW-Prescott Branch. We are better because of your membership. We recently completed reconciling our membership lists with those who renewed their membership this year. As usual, there have been a number of past members who chose not to renew for this coming year. Consequently, our current membership has dropped to 112 members. While this is disappointing, we are excited about the future and are committed to trying to grow our membership. On the upside, we added four new members in the last month. 

We are excited about our new partnership with the Prescott and Prescott Valley Chambers of Commerce. New member Marnie Uhl is a long-time member and CEO of the PV Chamber. As she looks forward to her retirement in a few months we look forward to welcoming her into our organization, and we hope that perhaps her contacts with the Chamber will bring us more new members. Katie Citrenbaum is a new member coming to us from the Prescott Chamber, and we’re excited for that partnership as well.  Another new member is Breeanya Hinkel who is the Creative Director of Prescott Women’s magazine. Our final new member is Elizabeth Miller. Please be watching for these new members and welcome them to our meetings and interest groups.

In Memoriam

Susan King, President 2004-05

Past President Susan King succumbed to ALS on September 5, 2024. She joined AAUW in 1978 in California and held several offices there, including President. She and Bob moved to Prescott in 2000, where she joined the Prescott Branch. In addition to becoming President of our Branch, she held several other offices including Recording Secretary and Scholarship Chair. She was active in several interest groups including Hiking, Book, Photography, and Craft.

Susan was born and raised in Ohio and graduated from Kent State with a degree in medical technology, which led to a career in medical sales.

We will miss her, including many of us to whom she sent handmade cards on our birthdays.

AAUW Arizona

AAUW Arizona Fall Forum: Now We Lead

The annual AAUW-AZ Fall Forum takes place in Tucson on Saturday, November 9, 2024, from 9AM – 3PM at the Viscount Suites, 4855 E. Broadway Blvd. Click on this link to find out more information regarding the event. Most members should have gotten an E-blast from the state regarding the the full program, as well as a bonus trip to the Botanical Gardens in Tucson the day before. 

Advocacy Activities

We’ve had a great kickoff to our Advocacy Activities!  

Elections – Many of you will already have voted by the time the Thumb Sketch hits your email.  However, if you need information about candidates, propositions, and amendments, please see Advocacy Activities on our website or this link Advocacy.  If you need a ride to the polls, please contact me!

Two-Minute Activist – Concerned about legislation that focuses on women’s issues?  Being a two-minute activist is a great way to keep up with the most recent happenings.  Sign up to receive alerts which will inform you as to the news and how to take timely action.  Click on the icon above or here for more information  Two-Minute Activist.

Advocacy Committee and School Board Volunteers Needed – Please consider volunteering to help plan other advocacy activities for this year and/or attend various school board meetings.  We will continue to plan around our mission, focusing on equality for women and girls, especially as it relates to education, access to health care, and other opportunities.

Voter Registration Success– AAUW sponsored four voter registration days, two each at Prescott College and Yavapai College.  We registered two new AZ voters and had upwards of 20 students ask how to receive an absentee ballot, be added to the early voter registry, or register in their home state.  We also gave students information about the Opportunity Grant, available again in 2025.  Many thanks to Patti Allen-LaFleur, Carol Clayton, Martha Court, Cathy Cunningham, Carol Dosse, Lenore Hemphill, Kelli Klosterman, and Renee Vanuk (former member) for volunteering!

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Reality Store Event Seek Volunteers

On January 14, 2025, AAUW Prescott’s Community Action team will host “The Reality Store” event at Yavapai College. This engaging event is designed specifically for high school seniors and is a collaboration between AAUW-Prescott and Prescott High School Early College program

During the Reality Store, students will step into the shoes of 25-year-olds, making choices about marriage, children, and careers. They’ll experience budgeting firsthand, where they will pay taxes and decide how to spend their salary on essentials such as food, clothing, housing, and transportation for their “family” for the month. Our friendly AAUW members will be there as storekeepers at many different tables, ready to support students as they navigate their needs while managing a budget. Students will actively make choices about their spending and tackle unexpected life surprises along the way. In the end, we’ll have a wrap-up session to reflect on their challenges, the surprising insights they gained, and the sacrifices they made if their career salary didn’t quite cover their needs. This eye-opening experience will help them understand the cost of living and the importance of making informed career choices. Many discover for the first time just how much their chosen career can influence their lifestyle, motivating them to improve their school performance, or make changes in their plans and consider further education or training for a better-paying job that enhances their quality of life.

We’re looking for volunteers to help by interacting with the students at the Reality Store on January 14, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Each volunteer will be assigned a specific task. The volunteer will provide guidance and facilitate discussions with students about how to make spending choices to meet their families’ needs.

We’ll host a training session for volunteers at the Prescott Library in January. Look for an email with details on the date and time.

To volunteer, or if you have any questions, please contact Catherine Cunningham whose email is in the directory.

We’d love to have you join us!

Awards and Scholarships

Opportunity Award Well-Appreciated; Scholarship Program Gears Up for Giving Season

Since June, we have awarded two recipients with a $500 Opportunity Award to use towards an event, lecture, workshop, etc.

One recipient is obtaining her MA in Education from Prescott College and used this money to attend a HATCH Conference which is an innovative, invitation-only conference that brings together people in different fields to discuss ideas and work on projects together. This attendee was chosen to represent the City of Prescott and is one of only 100 people selected. 

Our second recipient is an international student obtaining her MS in Counseling from Prescott College. She used her award money to attend conferences and obtain certifications regarding eating disorders and treating ADHD in children. As a mother and student who is here on a visa to attend college, she is so grateful to receive this award.

We have several ways to contribute to the Opportunity Award coming up soon. At the November meeting, we will be selling tickets for four gift baskets, so bring your money and plan to enter this Opportunity Award drawing! We will have two wine baskets, a cat-lady basket, and a self-care basket. These make excellent gift ideas for the holidays! Tickets for this drawing are as follows: one ticket for $2 or three tickets for $5. We will draw winners at the November meeting and all proceeds go towards the Opportunity Award.

We also have AAUW Prescott-branded notepads available for $20 while supplies last, with the earnings going towards the Opportunity Award. Please bring cash or a check. Thanks to all who have already purchased one!

Lastly, proceeds from the Holiday Brunch Red Envelopes will also benefit the Opportunity Award. This will be discussed in more detail at our next meeting.

We are accepting donations for our AAUW Centennial Scholarship as well, which is awarded to students pursuing a career in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). Please consider contributing to the Art Walk and Stroll Through Victorian Prescott programs to help fund this scholarship. The Art Walk program provides people with a list of murals, sculptures, and memorials so they can plan a walking or driving adventure and appreciate this spectacular display of art. The Stroll Through Victorian Prescott accepts donations ($25 is the suggested amount) and provides a list of homes in the Prescott Historical area so people can walk this area and view these amazing homes.

Reach out to Kelli Klosterman (contact information in the directory) for information on any of these programs or to make a donation.

Take a look at our auction items below.

Interest Groups

Hiking Group Starts Up Again!

One of our newer members, Sharon Novak, has revitalized the hiking group, and several members enjoyed their first outing this past month on October 15. Sharon is very excited to restart the hiking group and has had an enthusiastic response. Are you interested in joining? We meet at a designated spot on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. We are notified by email where we will hike or it will be posted on the Hiking Group webpage here.

Please sign up to receive information emails at the Membership table at the next meeting or contact Sharon, whose contact information is in the membership directory.

The November hike will start at the Highland Center and venture through the woods to Lynx Lake and back, on the paved side of the lake. It should be a beautiful hike with fall colors.

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