Greetings,

I have seen two undeniable signs of spring – robins and dandelions. And I noticed that my neighbor’s forsythia is blooming. Hooray!

For our March meeting we will be back at the BOLD office at the old train station, downtown Jacksonville. Our meeting will begin at 3:30 p.m. Evelyn Lynge will present a short program on STEM.

Ester Johnson, a Tastefully Simple representative, will also be at our meeting. I was unable to schedule both Pampered Chef and Tastefully Simple for the same afternoon. Ester will have samples of the spring line of products for us to try. She will also try to set up our “party” online so that members who cannot make it to the meeting will also be able to participate in our fundraiser. Our friends and neighbors may also participate.

I am looking forward to seeing you on the 22nd.

JoAnn

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2010 State Convention

The AAUW NC State Convention will be held at the Hilton University Place, Charlotte, Friday, April 16 and Saturday, April 17, 2010. You should have received the Tar Heel News by now. It is the convention issue and will contain the convention reservation form, convention programs and detailed hotel information. Please note deadlines.

The Hilton is located at 8629 J.M. Keynes Drive, Charlotte, NC 28262, next to the I-85 exit and just 6 miles from I-77. It’s a 100% non-smoking, lakeside property, whose meeting rooms and guest rooms have been recently renovated. The room rate is priced at $109 per night for double occupancy. You may book your reservation now. The number to call is: 1-800-HILTONS. Ask for “AAUW” and anyone answering can help you. You may also call the hotel reservation desk directly at (704) 547-7444. The deadline for making a reservation at the convention rate of $109 is March 17, 2010. Please book your room early to be assured of availability. If you have questions or need further information, please call Diane Schneider, Charlotte Branch President, weekday evenings, at: (704) 598-6268 or e-mail dmschneider@carolina.rr.com .

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We’re collecting purses at our next meeting!

We are gathering new and gently used purses, pocket books, totes, and wallets to benefit Onslow County Literacy Programs. Purses should be clean and good quality. They will be dropped off at The Daily News. At the Oh Baby Family Expo on May 22, those purses will be auctioned off to raise funds for literacy. Questions? Please contact Connie Gamble Ochse, (910) 346-8223, cgo@ec.rr.com.

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Our next meeting: March 22, 3:30 p.m. (this is a change from our normal time) at the old train depot downtown (BOLD offices), 421 Court Street, Jacksonville. Program: STEM by Evelyn Lynge and Tastefully Simple Fundraiser with Ester Johnson. Collecting purses for literacy.

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Our February Meeting: At our February meeting Dennis Burgard spoke to us about BOLD’s overview, goals and initiatives. BOLD’s Mission is to promote the preservation of the commercial and residential structures in downtown Jacksonville and to aid in the enhancement of the physical and cultural elements of the area; to educate the community about the historic role of downtown Jacksonville and of the physical and cultural attributes that exist there. An interesting factoid is that between the years of 1976 and 2006, no new construction took place in downtown Jacksonville. Since 2006, twenty new constructions have taken place.

We were pleased to welcome Margaret’s daughter, Barbara, as a guest at the meeting.

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CALENDAR

March 22, 3:30 p.m. Regular branch meeting at the old train depot, 421 Court Street, Jacksonville. Bring purses to donate. Program: STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) by Evelyn Lynge and Tastefully Simple Fundraiser.

April 16-17, 2010 – AAUW NC Spring Convention, University Place Hilton, Charlotte. Convention is a time to connect with your fellow AAUW members from all over the state. This group is a rich source of knowledge on a multitude of topics. Don’t miss it! Details in the Spring Tar Heel News. Notice deadlines.

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*Advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research.*