GRESHAM AREA BRANCH
Welcome! Please explore our site - we would love to meet you and have you join us!
SAVE THE DATE! Our annual Brunch Auction will be held Saturday, December 5, at Edgefield McMenamins in Troutdale. With delicious food, great company, lots of wonderful auction items, and Carla Piluso as our auctioneer, it is sure to be a fun and action-packed occasion. Our branch's Fund Development Chair Bianca McCarthy (pictured at left) is in charge of this stellar event. Act now - you don't want to miss it! Click here to download a reservation form.
A GREAT LINEUP OF PROGRAMS! 
Our November 23 program will feature Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown (pictured at left). Brown served in both the Oregon House of Representatives and the Oregon Senate, where she was elected Majority Leader from 2004-2009. Because Oregon has no Lieutenant Governor, she is first in the line of succession to be Governor of the state should he be unable to perform his duties. We are excited to welcome this impressive woman to our branch.
Our October program featured Mattie Courtright of Metropolitan Family Services' Face to Face Mentoring program in Gresham (pictured at left). The program matches caring adult volunteers with local 5th graders who need a friend. These matches foster self esteem and enrich the lives of all participants. Mattie asked us to remember some important mentors in our own lives and what special qualities they possessed. The words "good listener," "non-judgmental," and "dependable" came up frequently. She urged members to sign up to be mentors and make a difference in the life of a child.
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT SELECTED Our branch has a scholarship 
fund established at Mt. Hood Community College for an outstanding second year student. This year's recipient is Tatyana Bondarchuk (shown at left with Scholarship Chair Mary Mayer). Tatyana is a
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Hi! I'm Tricia Aynes, AAUW Gresham Area Branch President. I'm glad you've discovered our website, and I hope you'll find it as warm and friendly as we are. Our branch is located in the north part of Oregon in the shadow of majestic Mount Hood, just minutes away from the stunning Columbia River Gorge and the bustling city of Portland. Whether you are a newcomer or a long-time resident, we welcome you! Membership is open to anyone with a two-year college or university degree or higher.
Our branch, founded in 1971, has 91 members. At the recent April 2009 AAUW Oregon State Convention in Bend, we received the top honor in recognition of our outstanding growth and achievement. Our goal is to reach "110 in 2010." Our members are a dynamic, multidimensional, professional group of women and men from science, business, education, law, and military backgrounds. We include residents of Gresham and surrounding cities. We are actively involved in promoting programs that empower women and encourage success. Our monthly meetings feature a wide array of interesting speakers who focus on current issues (see our "Meetings" page for more details!). Members have the opportunity to meet other professionals, expand their horizons, and form lasting friendships. We provide opportunities to develop leadership and networking skills while offering a balance of activities that combine friendship, learning, and advocacy. Our involvement includes local, statewide, and national activism. Join our national AAUW Action Network.
We are committed to community involvement and are active participants in many local programs (see our "public policy" page for more details!). We are proud members of the Gresham Chamber of Commerce. Our many social and educational groups offer a chance for members with similar interests to meet regularly to share ideas, interests, and hobbies (see our "groups" page for more details!). Branch fundraising events and donations promote education for women and girls at both the local and national level.
