3/2013 Vol. 51, No. 7 March Meeting
Time: Saturday. March 9 at 11:30 A.M.
(Board Meeting begins at 10:00 A.M.)
Place: Royal Palm Yacht Club
2360 West First Street
Ft. Myers (Just off McGregor)
Program: Adrian Kerr
"Ancient Egypt and Us:
Its impact on our lives today”
This is an interactive talk for those interested in what we have learned from the ancient Egyptians and use today. Egypt was the dominant civilization in the Middle East for over 2,000 years and its kings are household names, but what is the relevance of the culture of Ancient Egypt today?
Born in England, Adrian Kerr is a Professor of Ancient Civilization and Cultures and Dean of Continuing Education at Edison State College.
He has spent the last thirty years researching, writing and broadcasting on the history of mankind. Professor Kerr is described as "a leading historical populist"; he is a published author and regularly appears on television and radio, contributing to programs which focus on ancient history, culture and comparative religion. His work also appears in the press particularly historical and travel journals.
Copies of Adrian Kerr's book Ancient Egypt and Us will be available for signing after his talk.
Menu: Plated: Pineapple Boat: Chicken, Tuna,
and Egg Salad Scoops on a Fresh Pineapple Wedge;
Mixed Greens and Molasses-Coconut Dressing;
Red Velvet Cake
Reservations: Members must contact Sandi Marshall at by Sunday, March 3, 2013. Reservations must be paid even when not used. Cost: $18.00 Checks only.
AAUW Fort Myers/
Lee County Branch
President’s Message
What wonderful coverage our branch received in the News-Press with our Edison Regional Science Fair Award. A big THANK YOU goes to Cathy Tucker, our Scholarships Co-chair and STEM coordinator; Judy Sims, Scholarships Co-chair; and to Charles Allen (Pat Allen’s husband) for their time and effort in going through the plethora of Science Fair exhibits to select our awardees. It was wonderful to meet the young ladies at our February meeting, and we wish them well in future STEM studies and potential careers.
Members attending the February meeting were introduced to Tech Trek, the AAUW initiative to promote STEM careers to young girls. All Florida branches are asked to help support this important undertaking, for which FL/AAUW has received a $10,000 seed grant. See the accompanying article about the FL/AAUW program, and please participate in our fundraising for it.
Ours is a busy branch! In addition to our usual schedule of interest groups, in February we had a lovely “Sip and Shop” at Mirage, planned by Melanie Jackman, and an afternoon learning about skin care with Peggy Thomas at Judy Sims’ home. Thank you to Melanie, Peggy, Judy and Marie Glasgow for arranging these opportunities to get together, and to all who contributed food, beverages and time to attend.
I have my hat picked out to wear to our Spring Tea on April 2! I hope many of you will join us for this lovely get-together at the wonderful Butterfly Estates. Candace Huetteman and Shannon Wright have planned an enjoyable event, so read the article about it, make your reservation, and break out those hats and “fascinators”!
Many thanks to our Nominating Committee: Cathy Chapman, Myrna Frantz and Phyllis Wayco, for putting together a terrific slate of officers for next year. Our special appreciation goes to those who have made the commitment to continuing the success of our branch! As a reminder, we are having our Annual Meeting and election and installation of officers on April 13. This is a month earlier than in prior years to accommodate those members who leave for the summer. Don’t forget our March program is also a week early on March 9!
President Ellen Schneider
Florida State AAUW Tech Trek Fundraiser
Tech Trek, the AAUW sponsored STEM program for girls going into the eighth grade will be July 21-26, 2013, at University of Central Florida (Orlando). There are four Tech Treks in the U.S. this summer, and Florida has been fortunate to have one, with a $10,000 grant as seed money. The attending girls only pay $50, but receive their room and board, instruction, field trips and recreational activities free. Our state AAUW is asking every branch to help make up the difference by raising funds in our branches.
A special raffle of a two-night weekend stay in a Club-Level 2-bedroom suite at the Sheraton Orlando North (including a $75.00 dinner certificate, complimentary breakfast and afternoon hors d’oeuvres) is being held, with the winning ticket pulled at the Florida AAUW state convention April 21. Every individual who makes a $5.00 donation will have her name placed in the raffle. If you want to donate more than $5.00, your name will be entered once for every $5.00 given ($20.00 will give you 4 chances to win!). Checks should be made out to AAUW with “FL TECH TREK” on the memo line. DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.
To “sweeten the deal,” our Fort Myers/Lee County Branch will be adding drawings for gift certificates (Beall’s, Olive Garden, and haircuts) at both of our next two meetings. Please bring your checks to our March 9 and April 13 meetings to help support this state AAUW STEM project for young girls.
High Tea at the Butterfly Estates
at Noon on April 2
“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”
Henry James in Portrait of a Lady
On April 2, you will have an opportunity to enjoy a High Tea at the Butterfly Estates on Fowler Street in Fort Myers. The affair will be held in the charming Flutterby’s Café. Teawill include sandwiches, scones, sweets and assorted teas. The Butterfly Estates also includes Mother Nature’s Gift Shop, Caterpillars Ice Cream and Fudge Factory, and a 3,614 square foot Butterfly Conservatory and Botanical Garden as well as the café. After tea, you can browse in the gift shop, satisfy your sweet tooth, or tour the conservatory with its cascading water, tropical plants and beautiful butterflies. Cost for the tea is $25. (Conservatory tour: $10) Reservations and advanced payment will be accepted at the March 9 meeting, or contact Candace Huetteman () or Shannon Wright () before March 22.
In order to insure a place, reserve early! The café can only accommodate 25 attendees.
Shannon and Candace will have fascinators for sale at the March meeting.
Thomas Alva Edison Kiwanis Science and Engineering Fair The 57th annual Thomas Alva Edison Kiwanis Science and Engineering Fair was held in February. The awards night was February 6th, and our AAUW Fort Myers/Lee County Branch presented two awards: Sarah Cook and jointly, Petrona Francisco and Gloria Sica Baten.
Membership News:
Nominating Committee’s
Proposed 2013-14 Officer Slate:
President: Marie Glasgow
VP Program: Suzan Harden and Nancy Kuyoth
VP Membership: Shelley Siriano
Secretary: Nancy Karchunas
Treasurer: Jayne Schwarz
Name Tags
Are you interested in a name tag? Please contact Marlene Palmer. Cost: $8.22 Make check payable to Marlene Palmer, 9149 Shadow Glen Way, Fort Myers, FL 33913 (239-768-9824) Be sure to include your complete name.
Interest Groups
Book Clubs
Contact Muriel Freedman at 481-0391 for information.
Book Cub I will discuss Defending Jacob by William Landay.
Book Club II will discussThe Coward’s Tale by Vanessa Gebbie.
Book Club IV will discuss The Presidents’ Club by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy.
Movie and Dinner
This month’s selection is Mao’s Last Dancer 5:00 P.M. on March 20 at the home of Colleen Wheeler, 9111 Southmont Cove #305, Fort Myers. Contact Pat Allen if you plan to attend. Restaurant is yet to be chosen.
Bridge
Currently, we have two groups of bridge players that meet during the month. On the second Monday the "Spades" meet. The "Hearts" meet on the third Monday. Both groups meet at 1 P.M. in the homes of the participating members on a rotating basis. Contact Audrey Anthony at 454-2696 or Fran Leeper at 481-2336. New members are encouraged to join.
Maj Jongg
Please contact either Jean Schoenthaler at 277-5174 or Gwen Spuhler at 541-1924 if you would like to play Mah Jongg on the first and third Thursday afternoons. If you wish to learn how to play, call Carolyn Nance at 549-7486.
Veritas Veritas will meet on March 13 at 3:30 P.M. at Mylerlee Manor. “ A Conversation with Joseph Campbell” on DVD will be viewed with further discussion of Myths to Live By following. Contact Marilyn Workman at 543-1168 for information.
Film Fare
A Very Long Engagement is French, beautiful and about love and war. WWI: the Battle of the Somme. Five French soldiers are ordered into no-man’s-land as punishment for self-mutilation in an attempt to escape military service. Did they die? Five soldiers were ordered in, five bodies were removed…what is this about 3 M’s and an albatross? Mathilde (Audrey Tautou), the fiancé of one of them, and Tina (Marion Cotillard), the lover of another, carry out separate and very different investigations and achieve very different results. The stories of all five are told. This is a rare film, serious, multi-leveled yet with a happy ending. Jodi Foster has a small role. “…Engagement” received many awards including the Cesar Award (French Oscar) for Best Supporting Actress (Cotillard), and was nominated for the Caesar Best Film. It won that category in the UK, the Critics’ Choice (USA), and Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth and the Florida Film Critics Circle! Available on Netflix.
(A word about Netflix: It is so reasonable and new films are available from 6 months to a year after they are out. If you don’t use a computer, perhaps a son, daughter or friend could help set up your account and establish a queue of films, updating occasionally.)
Amour, also French, winner of the 2012 Palm de Ore and nominated for 3 Oscars, is in theaters now. This is a realistically grim story about love and the everyday tragedy of growing old, the challenge of care giving, and the inevitability of death, something we Americans prefer not to think about. The ending is open to interpretation. I like to think that instead of the drama of walking into a bright light, his beloved is finishing up the dishes, just an ordinary daily task, and is ready to head out just slightly ahead of him, taking a moment to remind him of his coat. Their going is as ordinary as their daily washing the dishes. The film inevitably raises the controversial questions of assisted suicide and legalized euthanasia. If you don’t want to think about these things, you might want to avoid, Amour. Love may be the best part of life, but it can also weigh heavily and bring heartbreak.
AAUW
Fort Myers/Lee Co Branch
Marilyn Workman, Torch Editor
2760 Steam Boat Loop
N. Fort Myers, FL 33917
Torch Production
Editor-Writer: Marilyn Workman
Circulation: Judy Sims, Betty Bechtel
Contributors: Ellen Schneider, Marilyn Myli,
Marie Glasgow, Judith Sims, Muriel Freedman, Mimi Manpel, Pat Allen
Deadline for the April Torch, March 18