Our Branch is an active member of the community and we participate in a number of local events. We also work with other organizations in the area that also support equity for women and girls. We have several fundraiser events to raise money for our scholarships and for Branch activities.
Women’s Book Project
Since 1998, AAUW-TC has participated in the Women’s Book Project that has as its goal the distribution of books featuring girls and women as the major subject. The books usually are written for elementary and middle school children.
Each year, the branch committee selects an appropriate book, purchases it, and distributes it to 14 Traverse City elementary school libraries, 5 Leelanau county elementary school libraries, 6 Traverse Area District libraries, 1 each to the Suttons Bay and Empire libraries.
2024: Ida B. Wells Marches for the Vote by Dinah Johnson
2023: Just a Girl: A True Story of World War II by Lia Levy
2022: Many Meanings of Meilan by Andrea Wang.
2021: No book given due to pandemic
2020:How Women Won the Vote: Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, and Their Big Idea by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, illustrator Ziyu Chen.
2019: Library on Wheels: Mary Lemist Titcomb and America’s First Bookmobile by Sharlee Glenn.
2018: Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly, illustrations by Laura Freeman,
2017: I Dissent, Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark, a picture book biography written by Debbie Levy with illustrations by Elizabeth Baddeley.
2016: Great Girls in Michigan History by Patricia Majher
2015: Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
2014: Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts
2013: Brave Girl, Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
2012: Basketball Belles by Sue Macy
2011: Signed, Abidiah Rose by Diane Browning
2010: Eleanor, Quiet No More: The Life of Eleanor Roosevelt by Doreen Rappaport
Community Outreach
Fundraisers
Each year, we hold several fundraising activities that provide income to our Branch and help fund our scholarship fund.
AAUW Book Sales
- The semi-annual AAUW-TC book sale usually is held in the spring and fall on Saturday and Sunday in the Mercato at the Commons. Volunteers set up the sale on Friday.
Nearly every AAUW member participates by collecting books from friends and neighbors, separating fiction from non-fiction, and working shifts at the sale. - Member Book Sale at Meetings: the Branch sells used books at each meeting. Our members donate the books.
- Book Sales at the Farmer’s Market: the branch sells used books in the summer on Monday afternoon at the Farmer’s Market across from the Mercato at the Commons.
Working with local University/College
- We work closely with our local college, Northwestern Michigan College in co-sponsoring events.
- AAUW has a College/University partnership with NMC. Information on the program: AAUW College/University Membership FAQs.
- National Conference for College Women Student Leaders – NCCWSL www.nccwsl.org
AAUW and Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) co-sponsor a woman student to attend this conference, held annually. The conference is co-sponsored by AAUW and Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA). In 2011, more than 500 women from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Guam, and Jamaica attend NCCWSL.
This conference, and being around hundreds of driven, passionate, strong, and smart women, has climbed the charts to being one of the most defining points in my life”
—Bethany Petek, Pacific Lutheran University
Attendees from NMC
2019 Kristina Uribe (Yes, she attended twice, this year she received a full scholarship, so NMC and AAUW only covered her airfare.)
2018 Kristina Uribe
2107 no one from NMC attended
2016 Kia Schwert
2015 no one from NMC attended
2014 no one from NMC attended
2013 Jacquie Wilson
2012: Mackenzie Campbell
2011: Shauna Quick
2010: Erica Hamilton