Article Contributed on: 11/16/2007 9:13:02 PM
The Lakewood branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) celebrated its 35th anniversary of service to the community at its Nov. 15 meeting. Committed to advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research, the Lakewood branch of AAUW has been a major force on the local political scene with two mayors and two state senators coming out of the group.
The anniversary celebration gave a special acknowledgment to the charter members and the previous organization presidents. The past presidents recognized at the meeting were
Elnore Grow,
Linda Morton,
Betty Boyd,Joann Furay,
Gale Van Ort,
Betty Flaten,
Janet Weisheit,
Susie Trabant,
Diane Meyer,
Connie Smith,
Kathy Anderson,
Leslie Smith,
Faith Gunther and
Margaret Greivel.
The meeting also featured a program by actress, speaker and educator
Mary Jane Bradbury called "Well-behaved women seldom make history." Bradbury shared several inspiring stories of women who might not have made the history books but made history. She observed 19th century well-behaved women did not aspire to much nor was much expected of them. However, there were many female mavericks, nationally and in Colorado, who broke the trail for others to follow.
One example she cited was the doctor who became the only woman to win the Congressional Medal of Honor. After winning the medal for her service in the civil war, it was later stripped from her and was only re-authorized in the 1970s.
For more information about AAUW, go to www.coaauw.org/lakewood.