The Faribault branch is committed to the AAUW mission. The mission statement appears in our membership brochure and every issue of our newsletter. We center our programs on women presenters as well as women’s issues.

In September, a “Girl Power” theme was chosen to start out our program year. Amy and James Wolf talked about an exciting new program, called FIT GIRLS, that they will implement in Faribault.   Next, Jenny Kittleson spoke about her “awesome” experiences at the Science, Engineering and Physics Camp at St. Olaf College in July. She was the recipient of our Faribault Branch’s $570 Bringing Girls into Science, Math and Technology camp scholarship.

Our October program featured a group of 5 local artists representing The Paradise Center for the Arts.  Two of the presenters are Faribault Branch members!

In November, we look forward to hearing from Peggy Keilen, co-chair of Faribault’s Main Street Project.
For more of our 2011-2012 programs, please click on Faribault Program Calendar 2011-2012
The Faribault AAUW branch sponsors candidates’ forums each year that an election is held. It may be a forum for school board member candidates, state representatives, city council candidates, or mayoral candidates. The forums are recorded and presented on our local cable channel. Our moderators are thoughtfully chosen.  The public is encouraged to attend these forums and to turn in questions for the candidates.
For several years, we have given a scholarship to a South Central College female student. We qualify to be listed in the South Central foundation booklet in the Director’s Circle. This year the amount was $750. We also gave a $570 scholarship to a Faribault High School Junior so she could attend the Bringing Girls into Science, Math and Technology camp at St. Olaf.

Annually we present the AAUW Sportswoman of the Year award to a senior girl who excels in scholarship, sports, community activities, and extracurricular activities.

Each December, our holiday gathering includes a silent auction to raise funds to support the AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF).  LAF helps women who file law suits because of salary inequities, sexual harassment, or unequal treatment on the job.

Our annual book sale has become an anticipated event for members of our community. We gather and store books during the year and then in April or May we set up the sale at the Faribault West Mall. In recent years, we have chosen to extend past the weekend to garner more revenue. In addition to our scholarships, the sales also help fund Project STAR, a program that allows us to present a book to each child at preschool screening.

Each year, during women’s history month, the Faribault Daily News publishes four or five articles written by our members. The themes have varied over the years. Some years we’ve focused on local women.  In 2010 we wrote about women inventors.

We have strived each year to find ways to make AAUW a recognizable entity. Some of our programs are open to the public. This year we have our meetings in a classroom at District One Hospital. Our members can eat in the hospital cafeteria prior to the meeting. Each member is encouraged to invite a guest to any or all our meetings.

We have an active, vibrant book club that emphasizes women authors. We continue to participate twice yearly in the Highway Clean-up program.  Every third year we host the Tri- Branch Luncheon, a tradition we have long shared with the Northfield and Owatonna branches.

The Faribault AAUW branch continues its tradition of being a proactive group in the community.