Welcome to the Owatonna, MN Branch of AAUW!

National Loon Center and Fresh Water Research and Education Center

Monday January 13, 2025, Social time 6:45 PM, Program 7:00 PM

via ZOOM!

Please welcome Maddi Nistler, a MN GreenCorp intern with an educational background in Environmental Studies, into your home via Zoom for an opportunity to learn about the National Loon Center (NLC).

The NLC is currently doing education and outreach from a temporary downtown facility in Cross Lake, MN, but they are due to open a world-class loon and freshwater resource and education facility in 2025!  The NLC aims to restore and protect loon breeding habitats and enhance responsible recreation.  The center will celebrate lake life as it equips visitors with the knowledge and resources to ensure that the call of the loon endures.

An invitation to join the ZOOM meeting will be sent to members as the date approaches.  Please email us at aauwowatonna@gmail.com if you are not a member but would like to join in!

Log on and join the social time starting at 6:45!

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It’s time to pay our dues!

Dues for the coming year are:
$72 Association + $9 State + $10 Branch = $91 total.  Please send a check for $91 to Linda Boorman, 1250 Edgewood Place, Owatonna, MN 55060. Check payable to AAUW Owatonna Branch.  (deadline is June 30, 2024)

For the coming year $82 of your annual dues will be tax deductible.

Membership voting concluded and did NOT pass on AAUW Bylaws Change to open eligibility to remove degree requirements for membership.  Thanks to all who took the time to vote.  Per the AAUW Election page:

  • The open membership initiative did not pass. Changes to AAUW’s bylaws require 2/3 majority (66.6%) to pass. AAUW members voted 65.1% to approve the measure, just shy of passing.

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Our officers for 2024-2025:
President:  Mary Schwanke
Co-Program VPs:  Mären DeLaitsch & Alana Bunkers
Membership VP:  Mary Overlee Olson
Secretary:  Sandi Tobin
Treasurer:  Linda Boorman
Co-AAUW Funds:  Trudy Severson & Shelly Rockman
Finance:  Eileen Newhouse
Visibility: Nancy Vaillancourt
Webmaster:  Linda Hoffman
Fundraising (Taste):  Mary Cronin & Linda Hoffman

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Dues for the coming year are:
$72 Association + $9 State + $10 Branch = $91 total.  Please send a check for $91 to Linda Boorman, 1250 Edgewood Place, Owatonna, MN 55060. Check payable to AAUW Owatonna Branch.  (deadline is June 30, 2024)

For the coming year $79 of your annual dues will be tax deductible.

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Here are the vendors who supported our 2024 Taste event.  

Be sure to thank them for their support – and support them!

    • Basilleo’s Pizza
    • Candullo’s Coffee
    • Confections by Karen
    • Costas
    • Mizuki Fusion
    • Old Town Bagels & Café
    • Owatonna Eagle’s
    • Owatonna Elk’s
    • Spare Time Entertainment
    • Steve’s Meat Market
    • Torey’s

Thanks to Thrivent Financial for supporting some of our Taste-related expenses in 2024.

Attendees gather at the Owatonna Eagles for Taste of Steele County, sampling a wide array of offerings from local businesses. (Josh LaFollette/southernminn.com)

Rachel Lee, of Steve’s Meat Market in Ellendale, serves up snacks at Taste of Steele County, an AAUW Owatonna fundraiser that supports scholarships for local women and girls. (Josh LaFollette/southernminn.com)

Jennifer Candullo, of Candullo’s Coffee, hands out samples at Taste of Steele County. Candullo’s Coffee was one of the new vendors at this year’s event. (Josh LaFollette/southernminn.com)

Cottage baker Karen Peterson shows off a tray of her cookies. Peterson, of Confections by Karen, also treated attendees to her candied jalapeños. (Josh LaFollette/southernminn.com)

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