Changing the World, One Woman at a Time.

Interest Groups

Interest Groups are small gatherings of members who get together to share and explore old and new interests. The groups are open to all members. Details of each meeting may be found in the newsletter. Participants should let the hostess or group leader know in advance if they plan to attend a particular meeting. Groups generally meet monthly, Sept. through May, but may continue through the summer months.

Any member may form a new interest group at any time, but each group must provide its own leader. Groups may be continuing or of short duration. If you have an idea for a new interest group, write up a brief description, including your contact information, and send it to the newsletter editor and the webmaster as well as to the president.

Each group name below will link you to more details further down the page.

Active Interest Groups

Books and Bites
Share your favorite books over a lunch at a local restaurant.

Bridge Group
Play bridge! Experienced but not too serious.

First Saturday Gourmet
Share good food and pleasant company.

First Thursday Book Club
Discuss an assigned book at a member's home.

Global Concerns
Discuss topical events in this study group.

The Lunch Posse
Patronize donor restaurants

Movie Night
Watch movies at a member's home.

Nonfiction Book Group
Discuss an assigned nonfiction book over coffee at a local restaurant.

Out and About
Explore local attractions and events.

Inactive and Proposed New Interest Groups

Crafts and Conversation
Craft and chat monthly at members' homes. Suspended as of January 2011

Mah Jong
Play Mah Jong!

Active Interest Group Details

Books and Bites

Meets the third Thursday of every other month at 11:30am.

Not a Book Club as such. We meet at a local restaurant (usually the Cameo Cafe at Green Meadows) for a light lunch and book discussion. Rather than a specific assigned book, members share their opinions of books they have read or are reading. Lively discussions ensue. Please reserve with Marilyn so she can let the restaurant know how many to expect. Call her, 892-5895, or sign up at the general meeting. We welcome new members!

Group Leader: Marilyn Lewis, MarilynLewis @ aauw-vancouver . org

Restaurant Location:
Cameo Cafe, 7703 NE 72nd Ave., Vancouver
Be sure to check the newsletter for possible location changes!

October 20: Cameo Cafe

November 18: No Meeting

December: No Meeting

January 19: No Meeting

February 16: Cameo Cafe

March 15: No March Meeting

April 19: Cameo Cafe

May: No meeting in May. Next meeting will be October 18.

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Bridge

Meets the fourth Friday (usually*) each month from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Directions to The Quarry at Columbia Tech Center, 415 SE 177th Ave., 98683. See schedule below.

Have some fun and play bridge once a month. Meetings are at the Quarry Community Room. Everyone is asked to bring a sack lunch and a cup. Three hostesses each meeting will provide drinks, snacks, and a dessert. Gatherings usually end around 3:00pm. Current or new members, experienced or beginning bridge players are always welcomed. Contact a hostess to play.

Change Coming: Beginning June 2012 the bridge group will meet at the Peachtree Restaurant and Pie House, 6700 NE 162nd Avenue.  (Basically at the corner of 162nd and Fourth Plain) Directions to The Peachtree. The times will stay the same. We will drop the contribution box and the snacks at our new location.

The hostess will bring dessert and paper plates and plastic forks. Coffee will be provided free of charge at the restaurant. Those members who like to drink tea may bring their tea bags and they will provide hot water. I'm sure you can use your own cup if you wish. You will get a 10% discount on food that you order. Each person will pay individually at the register

Group Leader: Ruth Harbaugh, RuthHarbaugh @ aauw-vancouver . org

See Winners list & notes.

Saturday, October 22, 1:00-4:30pm: Fall Bridge Dollars for Scholars Tournament Fundraiser
Scholarship Fundraiser sponsored by the Bridge Interest Group. Retta Dykstra is chair of this event.
See details on Special Events Page.    See event photos.

Tuesday, December 20, 10:00am: Royal Oaks Country Club
Holiday Luncheon hosted by Marilyn Lasof & Ruth Harbaugh. $20.00 charge for lunch. Thanks to Donna Roberge, member of the club.

Saturday, April 21, 1:00-4:30pm: Spring Bridge Dollars for Scholars Tournament Fundraiser
Scholarship Fundraiser sponsored by the Bridge Interest Group.

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First Saturday Gourmet

Meets the First Saturday of selected months at 7:00pm

There will be an organizational meeting immediately following the Sep. 10 branch meeting for those interested in being part of the Evening Gourmet group. If you’re interested, but can’t attend, call Karen Manelis at 360-713-7663 or e-mail her KarenManelis @ aauw-vancouver . org

Who: Open to couples or singles (Branch members plus spouses, significant others, friend, etc)

What: Shared gourmet dinner. Each member will contribute a dish from a pre-planned menu (recipes provided). Hostess will provide home, dishes & a bottle of wine!

When: First Saturday of October, December*, February, April, and June at 7 p.m.

Where: Member's homes

How: Meetings will rotate among members homes. Each hostess will establish how many people she can accommodate, so there may be more than one hostess for a meeting, but the menu will be the same at each location.

Why: To enjoy good food and pleasant company!


Menus:

Oct. 3: Take Out/Dine In. Each participant will be given a category (appetizer, soup, salad, main dish, side dish, dessert) and asked to bring his/her favorite take out or deli food that fits the category.

Nov. 5, 6:00pm: 1930s 80th Birthday Bash. First Saturday Gourmet will meet Sat Nov 5 for a 1930s-themed dinner party (in honor of the branch's 80th birthday).  Flapper costumes & Zoot suits appropriate. Open to all branch members.  Contact Karen Manelis if interested in attending.

* Dec 9: (Wednesday), 6:30 p.m., Red Lion at the Quay. Join other AAUW members for a no-host dinner and enjoy the Christmas Ship Parade. Reservations are required, only 20 spaces available. Contact Retta Dykstra 210-4650, RuettaDykstra @ aauw-vancouver . org

Feb. 6: Menu to be determined.

Apr 3: No Meeting in April.

May 5: No Meeting in May.

Jun 2: HAWAIIAN LUAU
Hosts: Paul & Anna Whipple
Contact Karen Manelis at 713-7663 for more information.

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First Thursday Book Club

Meets the first Thursday of each month at 2:00pm.

We meet in members' homes for light snacks and a rousing book discussion. The host provides the snacks.  The discussion leader guides the discussion.  Our books are selected at our January potluck meeting.  Our criteria are that it is easily available from the library or relatively inexpensive such as in paperback and not previously read by the group.  This group is at capacity as of February 2010 and not accepting new members. Contact Elsie to be added to the waiting list

Group Leader: Elsie Chan, ElsieChan @ aauw-vancouver . org, 597-3554.

See past selections of the First Thursday Book Club

July 7, 2011 Carol Brain hosts. Camille Wainwright leads the discussion of The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis.
Discussion Questions

August 4, 2011 Martha Marsh hosts. Elizabeth Sawyer Scovel leads the discussion of Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese
Discussion Questions

September 1, 2011 Sharon Heydet hosts. Nancy Stepsis leads the discussion of Cane River by Lalita Tademy
Discussion Questions

October 6, 2011 Diane Grubel hosts. Kay Pankratz leads the discussion of The Places in Between by Rory Stewart.
Discussion Questions

November 3, 2011 Nancy Stepsis hosts. Bonnie Hubbard leads the discussion of A Country Called Home by Kim Barnes.
Discussion Questions

December 1, 2011 Iona Clark hosts. Mary LaHusen leads the discussion of Bucking the Sun by Ivan Doig.
Discussion Questions

January 5, 2012 Location and time TBA. January is our potluck planning meeting to decide our reading selections for the year. Bring your list of book suggestions.

February 2, 2012 Elizabeth Sawyer Scovel hosts. Elsie Chan leads the discussion of The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.
Discussion Questions

March 1, 2012. Elsie Chan hosts. Nancy Stepsis leads the discussion of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet by Jamie Ford.
Discussion Questions

April 5, 2012 Sharon Heydet hosts. Elizabeth Scovel leads the discussion of The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff.
Discussion Questions

May 3, 2012 Martha Marsh hosts. Mary La Husen leads the discussion of Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami.
Discussion Questions

June 7, 2012 Iona Clark hosts. Camille Wainwright leads the discussion of Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky.
Discussion Questions

July 5, 2012 Nancy Stepsis hosts. Diane Grubel leads the discussion of Parrot and Olivier in America by Peter Carey.
Discussion Questions

August 2, 2012 Diane Grubel hosts. Kay Pankratzl leads the discussion of Sunset Park by Paul Auster
Discussion Questions

September 6, 2012 Camille Wainwright hosts. Elsie Chan leads the discussion of Moloka'i by Alan Brennert
Discussion Questions

October 4, 2012 Carol Brain hosts. Sharon Heydet leads the discussion of The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
Discussion Questions

November 1, 2012 Mary La Husen hosts. Joe Varga leads the discussion of Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay
Discussion Questions

December 6, 2012 Elsie Chan and Joe Varga host. Iona Clark leads the discussion of Shalimar the Clown by Salman Rushdie
Discussion Questions

January 3, 2013 Location and time TBA. January is our potluck planning meeting to decide our reading selections for the year. Bring your list of book suggestions.

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Global Concerns

Meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at 1:00 to 3:00pm.

This long-standing and popular study group encompasses current topics of broad significance. A transition from member-based presentations to outside speakers has taken place in the past few years. Members provide light refreshments. We welcome new members!

Location: Clark County Genealogical Society Library Annex, 715 Grand Blvd. See map

Group Leader: Nancy Stepsis, NancyStepsis @ aauw-vancouver . org
See past programs.

September 27: 300 Cups of Tea: Adventures in Library Land in Fujian, China
Speaker: Amy Lee, User Experience and Public Computing Coordinator, Fort Vancouver Regional Library 

Amy is a native of Hong Kong. She earned her Masters in Library Science from the University of Michigan and has over 20 years of experience working as a public librarian.  Her particular interests are strengthening users' experience and literacy skills for immigrant populations.  She acted as the Interpreter Librarian during a three-week trip to China visiting different libraries through the Horner Library Staff Exchange Program in 2010.   In exchange, seven library directors from China  visited the Portland/Vancouver area last August


October 25: Demystifying Islam

Speaker: Harris Zafar of Southwest Portland, a freelance writer and local religious leader.

Zafar serves on the national leadership board of a Muslim youth organization, and speaks and writes about Islamic issues locally and nationally. He is the spokesman for the Ahmediyya Muslim Community, a Muslim sect that rejects all forms of terror. The Ahmadiyya movement has been present in the United States since the 1920s.

November 22: No Meeting

December 27: No Meeting


January 24: Mexican Women Immigrants and Community Formation

Speaker: Dr. Luz Gordillo, Assistant Professor in the Department of Critical Culture, Gender and Race Studies at WSUV.

She is author of Mexican Women and the Other Side of Immigration. Her research focuses on gendered historical processes of Mexican immigration between the US and Mexico. Her work questions national territories as contested spaces that include shared histories of immigrants moving from one country to another.

Read more about Dr. Gordillo


February 28: The Beautiful Volcanoes of Vancouver’s Backyard.

Speaker: Carolyn Dreidger, a Hydrologist with the US Geological Survey (USGS) www.usgs.gov.

Carolyn Driedger has worked at the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory since 1990. Her main scientific interests include glaciers on volcanoes, glacier-related floods, and volcanic hazards caused by snow and ice on Cascade volcanoes.

Carolyn witnessed the catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980 and took part in the geologic and media responses. This experience deepened her interest for developing public information products and services about volcano hazards with the hope that societies might be better prepared for future Cascade eruptions.

Since 1995, Carolyn has worked diligently to inform public officials, emergency planners, park interpreters, and educators about volcanic hazards in the Cascades. Prior to her work with USGS, Carolyn taught Earth Science for three years in a Junior High School in Pennsylvania and worked as a seasonal park interpreter for the National Park Service.


March 27: "America's Jihad"

Speaker: Dan Sockle, a Rotarian from the downtown Vancouver club. Sockle was a communications intelligence analyst and criminal investigator for the US Army, retiring as a supervisory agent/CW3 from Ft. Lewis, WA, in 1992. He served as a CID agent in the first Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm), and as a Research Manager/Cultural Advisor (contractor) on "Human Terrain Teams" in Kirkuk and Baghdad, Iraq, in 2008-2009.

America’s Jihad is the title of Sockle’s upcoming class at Clark College (Apr 12 - May 10) and the working title for a collaborative book project. "Jihad" is one of the most misunderstood concepts. The U.S. struggles mightily over the three levels of jihad found in the Quran. How did the U.S., western allies and the world--more united than at any other time in history--become, ten years later, more divided? How did we get from the pride and sprit expressed on 9/12/2001 to the current divisiveness.


April 24:

Speaker: Ara Serjoie
Ara was born in Tehran, Iran and lived there until the age of 12. He witnessed the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He obtained a BA from Utah State and an MA in Public Administration from the University of Utah, where he was a Hiatt Scholar and a member of the Pi Alpha Alpha National Honor Society. Ara is VP of Development for the Clark College Foundation. He serves as the chief fundraiser for the college and works to build relationships within the community acquiring financial support for the college and its students. In addition to his fundraising career, Ara has volunteered in various capacities for a variety of social justice organizations both locally and nationally.


May 22: No meeting in May.

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The Lunch Posse

Meets the fourth Thursday of each month, February through June, for lunch.

The AAUW Lunch Posse patronizes the establishments that generously donate gift cards to our holiday raffle fundraiser. Members, plus friends & spouses, are invited to visit one of the restaurants, as a group, on the 4th Thursday of each month, have lunch and say “thank you” to the management. The group meets between February and June.

If you would like to attend, please contact Elsie Chan or Kathy Walker.

Group Leaders: Elsie Chan ElsieChan @ aauw-vancouver . org, 597-3554, and Kathy Walker KathyWalker @ aauw-vancouver . org

February 23: Rose’s Deli & Bakery (www.EatAtRoses.com)

March 22: Taste of Asia (www.TOAtogo.com)

April 26: Evergreen Pieway (www.EvergreenPieway.com)

May 24: Beaches (www.BeachesRestaurantAndBar.com)

June 28 The Grant House (TheGrantHouse.us)

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Movie Night

Meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00pm.

Meets the second Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. of each month at the home of Judy Wiesmann’s. Movie selections are decided on by the participants.  Each person attending is asked to bring their own food and drink. Some months members each contribute $1 per slice towards a delivery pizza. Printable directions to Judy's.

Group Leader: Judy Wiesmann, JudyWiesmann @ aauw-vancouver . org, 601-8390
See movies viewed in previous years.

September 13: Freedom Writers
(2007) PG-13 Urban Drama
This moving drama is based on the life of California educator Erin Gruwell and her unorthodox teaching methods.
Bring something for a salad. Hostess will provide lettuce and bread.
Read more about it at allrovi.com.

October 11: Departures
(2009) PG-13 Drama Japan
Freshly unemployed, young cellist Daigo Kobayashi has an epiphany in which he realizes he's been heading down the wrong career path. Retreating to his hometown, he trains for a new professional role as a nakanshi.
Read more about it at allrovi.com.

November 8: Dear Frankie
(2004) PG-13 Family Drama UK
Faced with the prospect of raising her son, Frankie, with a good-for-nothing man, the resourceful Lizzie spirits him away to Scotland with good intentions and pretends the boy's father is aboard the HMS Accra. But after years of Lizzie's skillful lying, the jig is up when Frankie learns the ship is docked right by their home. Now, the only way to protect Frankie's heart is to find a man willing to pose as his dad.
Read more about it at allrovi.com.

December 13: RED
(2010) PG-13 Action Comedy
RED: Retired and Extremely Dangerous. CIA old guys get back into action. A group of former government assassins fights back against the CIA after they're targeted for knowing too much.
Read more about it at allrovi.com.

January 10: Micmacs
(2010) R French Fantasy Comedy
Micmacs. A satirical look at the global arms trade. A delightful French comedy
Read more about it at allrovi.com.

February 14: P.S. I Love You
(2007) PG-13 Romance
Grieving widow is surprised to learn that her husband left a series of letters behind to help her cope with the pain of being without him.
Read more about it at allrovi.com.

March 13th: The Legend of 1900
(1999) R Italian Period Drama
Novocento, raised aboard an ocean liner after being abandoned there as an infant, becomes a virtuoso piano player, never setting foot on land.
Read more about it at allrovi.com.

April 10th: Where the Heart Is
(2000) PG-13 Comedy Drama
A 15-year-old Tennessee transient who has to grow up in a hurry when she's left pregnant and abandoned by her boyfriend on a roadside.
Read more about it at allrovi.com.

May 8th: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
(2008) PG-13 UK Period Romantic Comedy
Charming 1930s-era comedy, desperate Miss Pettigrew gets swept up in a dizzying world of glamour and high society.
Read more about it at allrovi.com.

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Nonfiction Book Group

Meets the third Thursday of every other month at 10:00am.

The Nonfiction book group will meet on the third Thursday of alternate months to discuss a specific work of nonfiction. The nonfiction group will meet at 10 a.m., at DuckTales Kitchen, 612 N Devine Rd. in Vancouver for coffee and book discussion.

Group Leader: Pat Sjolander (Nonfiction Books chair), PatSjolander @ aauw-vancouver . org, 546-0163

See books read in previous years.

July 21: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

August - No Meeting

Sept. 15: Frances Perkins, the Woman Behind the New Deal by Kirsten Downey

October - No Meeting

Nov 17: The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson.

December - No Meeting

Jan. 19: Leap of Faith-An Unexpected Life a memoir by Queen Noor of Jordan

February - No Meeting

March 15: The Women at the Washington Zoo Marjorie Williams

April - No Meeting

May 17: Somewhere Inside: One Sister’s Captivity in N. Korea & the Other’s Fight to Bring Her Home by Laura and Lisa Ling

June - No Meeting

July 19: The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria

August - No Meeting

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Out and About

The specific day and time depends on the event. Check the newsletter & website for details.

Interesting adventures are planned: tours, plays, museums, gardens, restaurants, etc. Events may have minimum or maximum participation limits so please RSVP promptly.

Group Leaders:    Kara Lynn Rankin, 901-5331, KaraLynnRankin @ aauw-vancouver . org
   Pat Stephens, 574-2428, PatStephens @ aauw-vancouver . org

See listing of previous outings.

Friday, September 16, 10:00am: Tour the Pendleton Woolen Mill at 2 Pendleton Way in Washougal.
This is an historic building and company, with deep ties to Oregon and Washington. See Pendleton Heritage on the company website.

Meet on the steps of the mill store for the 10 a.m. mill tour (takes about an hour & is about a 1-mile walk) & then visit the store. www.pendleton-usa.com
For those interested, we will have lunch in the area afterwards.
To attend, contact Pat Stephens 574-2428, PatStephens @ aauw-vancouver . org.
We may wish to arrange carpools.

October: No Out and About Event scheduled for October.

November: No Out and About Event scheduled for November.

December: No Out and About Event scheduled for December.

January: No Out and About Event scheduled for Januray.

February: No Out and About Event scheduled for February.

Sunday, March 11, 2:00pm  See the play Happy Anniversary
Matinee production of Happy Anniversary by playwright Gary Corbin at Serendipity Players, 500 Washington St., Vancouver AAUW members and guests are invited to see a play together on Sunday, March 11 at 2 pm. It is presented by Serendipity Players, 500 Washington Street, Vancouver, WA 98660.

This is a world premiere of Happy Anniversary by local playwright, Gary Corbin! Corbin's delicious story of a couple's relationship post-marriage gives us pause at the banquet of life's possibilities.  What is it about relationships that feed our success?  Note: Strong language - recommended for 12 years & older.

Please purchase your own ticket ($12 General Admission) http://www.serendipityplayers.org and let Kara Lynn Rankin at KL-Rankin@comcast.net or 360-901-5331 know you will attend.

After the matinee on March 11, there is a "Conversation With Playwright, Cast and Crew" event. This is a free event hosted by Serendipity Players, with special guest, playwright Gary Corbin. Please accept our invitation to learn the answers to all your dramatic questions. The venue will accommodate only 50 people - first come, first served. We plan to start this event promptly at 4:00 pm


April: No Out and About Event scheduled for April.


May: No Out and About Event scheduled for May.

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Inactive and Proposed New Interest Group Details

Crafts & Coversation
This group met the second Monday of each month to work on, display, and discuss all types of crafts. Knitting was the most common craft--the group began as the Purl Girls Knitting Group. Beginning and experienced crafters were invited to come and share their WIPs (Works In Progress), UFOs (UnFinished Objects) and finished projects.

The group met both in members homes, bringing a sack lunch, and at local restaurants.

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Mah Jong
This group met the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00pm at a member's home to learn and play Mah Jong.

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