MESSAGES April – Issue 8
UWC Today
As this issue of MESSAGES was going to press, the terrible shooting at the Boulder Kings Soopers took place. Our hearts are saddened, and it is hard to find words to express our distress. We know that many UWC members have shopped there regularly for years and almost all UWC members have shopped there at least once. Our sympathy goes out to all our members who have been affected by this heartbreaking event.
President’s Message
“A healthy human environment is one in which we try to make sense of our limits, of the accidents that can always befall us and the passage of time which inexorably changes us.” — Rowan Williams
As I write this, am feeling overwhelmed and at a loss for words at the tragedy that has befallen our community. The loss of ten of our community members and the feeling of safety and well-being we have in going about our everyday lives touches every one of us. Making sense of this mass shooting is something we will all struggle with in the days that come. Boulder Mental Health partners is offering support at 1-844-493 talk, and if you would like to help the victims’ family or the community as a whole, Community Foundation Boulder County has established a fund to help in dealing with and processing these events. I think I speak for all of us at the UWC in saying that our hearts are heavy during this difficult time.
In addition to this, it has been one year since the pandemic officially started in the United States. When the country was first locked down, many people assumed that the inconvenience would last a relatively short time. A person with whom I was speaking recently opined that if we had been told in March of 2020 that the pandemic would cause major disruptions for more than a year (possibly into 2022!), we would have been shocked and disbelieving. I had a trip planned for May of 2020, and in March I thought I would still be able to go. A year ago most people really didn’t comprehend what we were facing.
Looking forward, we are anticipating celebrating our scholarship winners with a Zoom event on Tuesday, April 13, and bringing the year to its traditional close by holding a virtual Honors Reception on May 11. (Please see applicable articles in this issue of MESSAGES for details.) It is with sadness, however, that I inform everyone of the death of Carrol Kalafus, who was one of our members and also a former Board officer. She will be missed!
In the article I wrote for the March issue of MESSAGES I reflected on the way in which our University Women’s Club program year has unfolded during the pandemic. The organization has weathered a truly unique and challenging year in good form. As a collective and as individuals, I think we are all more sensitive to our limits (and limitations), to the accidents and tragedies that can always befall us, and to the challenges wrought by the passage of time.
Janet Brewer
2020-21 UWC President
thanks to Sharon Nehls for helping me find the words to express our collective grief
Upcoming Events
April Celebration – Scholarships!
April 13, 2021 – 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Scholarship Celebration – UNMASKING THE FUTURE
The University Women’s Club (UWC) at the University of Colorado has been around for over 100 years. During that time one of its most significant accomplishments has been providing scholarships to men and women who have demonstrated they have the ability and the motivation to advance their education but are challenged by finances. Every year the UWC collects funds and selects an amazing group of non-traditional (over 24, returning) CU undergraduate students as our scholarship recipients. We have, indeed, made a difference!
This year our Scholarship Luncheon will be on Zoom at 11:00 am April 13. Bring your own food or snacks, since we are unable to host a regular dinner yet.
It will be a joyful celebration of the club and the recipients of this year’s scholarships. Please join us. And, in a nod to how we all dress these days, we will have a “mask fashion show” of us all – bring along your favorite mask and put it on for an amazing group viewing and photo!!
Happy Hour / Tea Time Conversations on ZOOM!
We’d love to have you join one of our Happy Hour/Tea Time conversations. It is a great way to get to know new UWC members, and a great way get to know old friends better. We’re now meeting twice a month, the first and third Tuesday at 4:00. Contact Kathy Randall (katherineran@gmail.com) to reserve a spot for one or both conversations or to sign up for automatic inclusion for the UWC year.
April 6: What is one subject you wish you were taught, or taught better, in high school and why?
April 20: What is something you planned for that didn’t work out the way you planned/hoped/expected? (could be better, could be worse.)
Save the Date! May 11
UWC Honors Reception – Online
Save May 11, 11 am online for the UWC honors reception – entertainment and celebration!
News and Announcements
Did You Know?
You can watch UWC events online?
The UWC web home page (www.boulderuwc.org) has a section WATCH UWC ONLINE – with links to all the online events from 2020 and 2021 – including each lecture event, the membership tea, the vintage moves introductory class, and the Opera “non-brunch”.
UWC Images
Scholarships
Message from the Scholarship Committee Chair
Congratulations and a big thank you to our members! You stepped up and donated so generously to the Scholarship Fund this year, in spite of our lack of in-person events that are often a reminder of the importance of our Scholarship mission and an opportunity to donate.
With your generous donations, the Scholarship Committee was able to complete its task of choosing our 2021-2022 recipients, who are an exceptionally deserving group of non-traditional students. I could not do better at conveying the importance of this work of the UWC than by quoting the words of one of last year’s recipients who said, “With this Scholarship you are changing lives like mine ….You have inspired me, motivated me, and given me a push to keep going…and believe that it is worth it to dream big.”
Scholarship Committee members have been talking with our newly chosen 2021-2022 recipients via recorded Zoom about their life stories and future goals. These conversations will be played at our virtual Scholarship Celebration on April 13, when you can “meet” these amazing young people and hear their moving stories. Please mark your calendars for 11 a.m. on April 13!
And, since you won’t be at this event in person, which is usually important in generating donations to our Scholarship Fund, make a note to donate on-line when you register, or at any other time! Also while at the website, look for the “Support UWC “ section and learn how to sign up for the King Soopers and Amazon Smile charitable rewards programs, which enable automatic donations to UWC, so you have an additional donation at no cost to you!
Marge Riddle, Scholarship Chair
Scholarship Donors in March
Sue Collard, Kathy Israelson, Kathy Randall, Tamera Van Spriell
Support UWC through Shopping!
Look at this!
You can raise funds for UWC at NO COST TO YOU!
King Soopers and Amazon both have programs that will donate a percentage of your qualifying purchases to UWC at no cost to you whatsoever! Even better, once you’re set up, everything happens automatically. It’s “easy peasy!” University Women’s Club hopes that as many members as possible will enroll in these programs and designate UWC as the recipient of these donations. And to make it happen, we’re here to help you get enrolled.
King Soopers shoppers can join their Community Awards Program and Amazon customers can join the Amazon Smile Program. The vast majority of our members frequent both companies on a regular basis and should join both programs. For that matter, let’s also get our spouses, children, and adult grandchildren to join these programs to help us raise funds.
The decision to participate is truly a no-brainer!
Support UWC When Shopping at King Soopers
With the King Soopers Community Rewards program, you can support UWC with every purchase. You’ll simply need to create an online account and then register your Loyalty (“Shoppers”) Card to link it to UWC. Purchases at King Soopers would generate an annual gift of approximately $115 for a single-occupant household and $230 for a two-person household.
Please click here for instructions on how to do this.
Designate UWC in the Amazon Smile Program
With AmazonSmile, you’ll automatically help UWC every time you shop, with no cost to you of either time or money. You can link your Amazon account to the University Women’s Club through the AmazonSmile Program. Then just shop using the AmazonSmile website (smile.amazon.com) and UWC will earn a percentage of your qualifying purchases. Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations.
Please click here for instructions on how to do this.
Do You Have Questions or Need Assistance?
If you have questions or need assistance setting up your accounts, please contact UWC Board Member, Norma Portnoy at normaportnoy1112@gmail.com. She will be glad to walk you through the enrollment processes, step by step, on the phone, while you are on your computer submitting the necessary information.
Thank you!
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING in this program to help UWC raise needed funds.
Members in Need of Support?
Membership Courtesy
If you know of a member who would appreciate a card, note, or any personal contact due to illness, death, or other reasons for support, please inform Betty Huff, 303-919-8712.
Interest Groups
Interest groups are a vital and integral part of the University Women’s Club.
March was a long, long, difficult month. Hopefully, April will be better. Perhaps joining an interest group or re-engaging with one could help. It’s a great way to find new friends, deepen our connections to others, and give or receive much needed support.
Groups that are taking new members are listed below. To join, you can contact the Group Chairs listed for each group. You can find email addresses by consulting the downloadable document (Link below) with Interest Group information. Alternatively, you can fill out an interest group form to indicate the groups that interest you, and the chairs of those groups will contact you. Please remember you need to be a member of UWC with dues paid to join an interest group or continue as a member. If by some oversight you still haven’t paid your UWC dues, please do so as soon as possible.
New groups are welcome. If you have an idea for a new group, please contact Interest Groups coordinator Helen Hooper (720-778-6124). To form a new group, you will need five members including a group chairperson. To start a new book group, please contact Kathy Randall (303-530-1095).
Interest Groups Information
Link here to printed version that includes chair email addresses
Bicycling – Meets every Thursday from May through October;
Chairs: Betsy Barrett (602-677-4627), Gail Smith (303-960-5004).
Book Group – Biographies – Third Friday 3:00 pm on ZOOM;
Gina Cook (630-862-5707).
Book Group – Evening – second Thursday 3:00 pm on ZOOM
Chairs: Judy Reid, (303-440-6040 ), Linda Toomre (303-818-5550).
Garden Group – third Wednesdays (meetings will resume in the spring)
Jyotsna Raj (303-447-8831); Jean Rohrschneider (720-542-9788).
Golfing – New Members Welcome;
Susan Planck (303-499-3916).
Italian Conversation – Wednesday 1:30-2:30 pm on ZOOM
Maxine Wilson (303-530-4619).
On the Road Again – taking virtual road trips until in-person meetings can be resumed
Kathy Randall (303-746-4528).
Out to Lunch – 4th Wednesday at noon on ZOOM
Chairs: Jyotsna Raj (303-447-8831) and Jean Rohrschneider (720-542-9788).
Reader’s Theater 2 – 3rd Monday at 4:00 p.m. on ZOOM
Patty Ludke (303-817-1020); Kathy Randall (303-746-4528).
Spanish Conversation Advanced – Meets twice a month, late Wednesday afternoons. Contact chair for details
Diana King (303-530-1860).
Spanish Learners Beginners and Intermediates – Contact chair for details Carol Cech (303-499-4843).
Sunday Afternoon at the Movies – 2nd Sunday meeting on ZOOM.
Diane Thoms; Kathleen Peterson (303-579-8652).
Groups that are on hiatus until in-person meetings can be resumed:
- Bicycling – Easy Riders – Mary Greenwald
- Bridge on Wednesday – Ginnie Ross
- French Conversation – All Speaking Levels – Beth Karpf
- Hiking – Heidi Lynch, Frieda Holley
- Music – Carol Green
- Needlecraft – Ginnie Ross
- Snowshoeing – Mary Greenwald (new chair needed)
- Theater Goers – new chair needed
Groups that are full:
Book Group — Afternoon – Carol Saunders and Pat Phillipson
Book Group – The Bookies – Kathy Randall
Book Group Small – Fiction and Non-Fiction – Joyce Bograd
Book Group – Second Monday – Helen Hooper
French Conversation – Dot Thompson
Readers’ Theatre 1 – Jeannette Hillery
NEW SOCIAL ACTIVITY THIS YEAR
Zoom Happy Hour/Teatime Conversations – First and Third Tuesdays 4:00 p.m. on ZOOM. Contact Kathy Randall (303-746-4528; meeting signup announcements will be sent to the UWC mailing list).
Executive Board
President – Janet Brewer
President Elect -Tamera VanSpriell
Past President – Merry Bullock
Secretary & Secy Elect – Karen Bell
Treasurer & Treas. Elect – Kathy Herder
Communications – Betty Huff
Email/Directory – Berry Todd
Historian/Yearbook – Vacant
Honors Reception – Tamera VanSpriell
Interest Groups – Helen Hooper
Lecture Registration – Lynne Barnett
Margaret Willard Award – Kathleen Peterson
Membership – Karen Neff
MESSAGES – Merry Bullock
New Members – Kathy Terrill
Nominating Committee – Arlene Gerwin
Opera Brunch – Sandy Johnson
Parliamentarian – Frieda Holley
Program Chair – Norma Portnoy
Program Co-Chair – Sharon Nehls
Repository/Email Monitor – Lorna Yoder
Scholarship Committee – Marge Riddle
Scholarship Luncheon – Mary Pierce
Telephone Tree – Helen Hooper
Website – Joyce Spencer
Calendar
APRIL
06 Tuesday – Board Meeting 10:30 a.m.
10 Saturday – Messages Deadline
13 Tuesday – 11:00-12:15- Annual Spring Scholarship Celebration
MAY
11 May: 2021 Honors Reception and “Tea”