Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long delivers keynote speech
The year 2017 marks the 60th anniversary of the Coastal-Georgetown Chapter of the American Association of University Women, a national organization whose mission is to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, philanthropy, education and research. An April 20 celebration held at Kings Creek Country Club featured remarks from several past presidents and a keynote address from Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, a Dagsboro native and member of the Middletown AAUW chapter.
Hall-Long spoke about her commitment to AAUW's mission, her journey to the state House and the importance of women supporting women, especially through education. "AAUW has an opportunity to make a real difference," she said. "Be proud that your organization has worked really hard to positively impact the lives of young women in Delaware.” She closed by congratulating the branch on its remarkable growth and wishing members continued success.
The chapter held its first meeting in April 1957, with 24 founding members. Today, the branch has 140 members and continues to grow. Branch President Kathleen Thompson said, "With so many accomplished women relocating to Sussex County, AAUW is an ideal place for them to share their unique talents. Our members have been active in a range of fields, from science, to education, to the arts, to politics ... it's a diverse and stimulating group, and we encourage women who live here full or part time to learn more about what we do."
The group meets monthly at Kings Creek Country Club in Rehoboth Beach for a luncheon with a featured speaker. This year, the group observed The Year of Celebrating Our Members and turned the spotlight on the unique personal and professional stories of its own members. These included a teacher who grew up in American Samoa, a minister whose faith journey took her on missions around the world, and a published author who discovered her creativity following a life-threatening illness. Thompson said, "Many of us have known each other for years through the organization, but these talks enabled us to learn things we might never have known. It was a fitting way to celebrate everything that our members and our branch have accomplished."
To empower young women, the branch conducts professional development skills workshops for high school students, raises funds for three college scholarships and judges at the Sussex County Science Fair. The branch also holds Diversity and ALA Notable Books book groups, studies foreign policy through the Great Decisions course and advocates for issues affecting women locally and nationally through the public policy committee. Thompson said, "There are countless ways to get involved. The first step is to come to a meeting as a guest and see what we offer." Membership is open to any woman who holds an associate’s degree or higher. For more information, go to www.georgetown-de.aauw.net.
