Medina Branch Collects Honors at 2020 Virtual State Annual Meeting

We did it again! Medina County Branch members have reason to be proud as once again our branch took home honors at the AAUW Ohio annual meeting.

While sheltering in place rules were in effect in our state, delegates from 16 branches met online to carry on state business, elect state officers and be acknowledged for numerous awards.

Awards received by the Medina Branch this year were:

• Best Website Feature Event: Sister- to-Sister; Mary Baker, website manager
• Best Newsletter – large branch: (tie with Middletown Branch), Pat Chaloupek, editor
• The Social Media Award: Best Facebook page. Pat Chaloupek, site manager
• First place for “Diversity and Inclusion”, Kim Oliver, chairperson
• And the STARZ award for all-around efforts – we have won this every year since it was first given; submitted by President Alanna Arnold

Cindy Weisheit, one of the delegates, commented that because 66 people were registered, logging in on the “Zoom” meeting took a long time and the meeting lasted about two hours. Other delegates to the session were Alanna Arnold, Katherine Baker, Anne Gates and Jeri Penn.

Candidates for state office were introduced and elected at the meeting. They include: Mickey Radtkie, Toledo Branch, President; Chris Fowler and Marlene de la Cruz-Guzman, Athens, Co-Program Vice Presidents; Linda Lehman, Greater Cleveland Area, Membership Vice President; Naykishia D. Hand, Bowling Green, Fundraising Vice President; Debby Stein, Circleville, Secretary.

There was no candidate at the time for Finance Officer. A nominee has since emerged and will be voted on at an upcoming meeting of the joint Board of Directors, according to outgoing President Nancy Stellhorn.

A slideshow of projects and results of awards will be posted soon on the state website. Awards will be formally presented at the fall summit/convention scheduled for September 12.

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AAUW Ohio Convention 2020 Rescheduled…

          AAUW Ohio is watching developments of our current health crisis as we project when we might gather for a combined Convention 2020 and Fall Summit.  Assuming now that the bans on gathering will ease by fall, the Ohio Board has chosen a September date. Please save September 12, 2020 to plan to gather at the Quest Polaris Conference Center in Columbus.

          We have confirmed the new reservation date at the venue. Our speakers are willing to change their commitment to September 12. If you were sorry to miss our keynote, Lisa Maatz, you will have a chance to renew her acquaintance on September 12. Michelle Wilson and Dr. Cynthia Anderson have also assured availability on the new date.

          The board anticipates that the cost of the combined convention and summit will remain the same as convention alone. Those who have already registered for Convention 2020 may choose to leave their registration in anticipation of the fall event or they may email president.aauwoh@gmail.com by May 1 to request a refund.

Reprinted from an email sent to the AAUW membership, March 20, 2020 by Nancy Stellhorn, President, AAUW Ohio

Convention 2019, Recognition

 Medina County Branch received honors at the AAUW Ohio Annual Convention held in Chillicothe at the beginning of April.  We were one of two in the state recognized as best “Overall Communications – Newsletter, Website, Facebook”; we earned the “Daffodil Diversity Award”, a philanthropy award for contributing to Tech Savvy Funds and the Starz Award for branch practices with a maximum number of “glitter points” earned for twelve straight years. We also were acknowledged for achieving outstanding membership growth with the most number of new members in the state. “It’s been a good year!” commented Kathy Kraus, branch president, “And Medina Branch has much to be proud of.”

AAUW-Ohio Convention April, 2018, Chillicothe.

AAUW-Ohio Convention, May 2017

Medina County Branch was recognized by the state organization with four awards: The STARZ Award, the Daffodil Diversity Award, Philanthropy, and First Place in Communications (large branch). Attending from the branch were Paula Maggio, Jill Morton and Pat Chaloupek.