Draft of Regional Conference

To: Greater La Crosse NOW Chapter members

From: Chloe and Andrea

Re: Proposed Friday Event for Regional NOW Conference (April 23-24)

Please take a look at this description and possible program for the Friday evening event. The main activity could be run like “speed dating” one-on-one time with women across generations or in small groups talking with panels of women from 2 decades. We could have some “artifacts” to create a set around each of the generational clusters.

We need your input before we send it out to the Regional Conference planner

• Give us your ideas and reactions – is it interesting, meaningful?
• Think about some of the logistical questions (potentially 50 attendees)
• Can you think of women who would like to attend?
• Let us know if you are interested in working on this idea (we would need a planning meeting in early January so we can get the publicity out.

Friday, April 23

Registration at 6:00 pm

6:30 pm – 9 pm

Cleary Center

Audience:

NOW Conference attendees: included in conference registration

General public: $15 or $25 for two?

Possible titles: What Women Care About: An Intergenerational Gathering

Women’s Journeys: an intergenerational gathering/event?

Roadmaps and Journeys: an intergenerational event for women

• This event crosses generational borders and builds connections between women of all ages through dialogue and celebration. (Note: do we want to invite men, too? As in “Men who celebrate the progress of women are invited, too!”) The stories of women of each generation create a roadmap of feminism that is grounded in real life experiences. Participants will interact with women and girls of all ages and share perspectives on the challenges, strategies and successes that mark a century of change. This community event opens the Great Lakes Regional Conference of the National Organization for Women.

Sponsored by the NOW-Greater LaCrosse Chapter, UW-L Women’s Studies Student Association in partnership with UW-L Continuing Education and Extension.

Possible Schedule:

6:00 pm Registration and Reception (music, art exhibit, photo essay, etc…)

6:30 pm Welcome and opening

-Musician, comic, or visual presentation on women’s history

7:15 pm Introduction and panel of women from (politics, family, employment, other)

7:45-8:45 Stories from the Journey

Stations set up with representatives from generations:

1920-30; 1940-50; 1960-70; 1980-2000

Each generation will have 3-4 women representing diverse experiences and backgrounds with chairs that invite others to join them….

After a set amount of time, people will get up and move to another “station”

2 possible formats:

1. “speed dating” model with one on one time (more intimate and personal) Needed: one prop or one story to get things started.
2. small panel with room for 3-6 other women set up to answer questions and share experiences Needed: Tell one “illustration” experience and then open for dialogues

8:45-9:00 Gather again with some type of closing

Calendar Workplan

2011 La Crosse NOW Chapter Calendar Project

(Draft by Chloe and Andrea-12.15.09)

Jan-March Themes decided and assignments; Partners – AAUW? League? WSSA?

Possible themes:

Generations (January – new baby…Feb pre-teen; March:teen, etc…)

Girls and women in nontraditional roles and activities (vocation, sports, rural…)

Art and creative endeavors (women artists, musicians, and others)

Body image and becoming media savvy (See Project Girl for concepts…)

April – June: Take photos and collect information for possible submission

Do we want to have writings/quotes, etc..?

Do we want special dates noted?

Gather information on calendar production and prices

Sponsorships for costs or advertisements (fundraiser)

July – Aug Make selections for each month

Lay-out and design of cover, etc….

Develop marketing plan

Identify outlets for sales

Finalize

To print and figure out quantities

Sept –December Sell and distribute

-personal connections; gift promotion; outlets; media awareness;

December Meeting Notes

Greater La Crosse Chapter of NOW

December 15, 2009

Meeting Notes

Diversity Center, UW-La Crosse

Chloe and Andrea were present for the meeting-regrets from Betsy and Allie, with 7 members confirming attendance through Meeting Wizard. (We know this is a busy time of year for students and others alike). We discussed the following information and will send the notes to everyone.

Updates

National NOW: Please view the website for the 2010 agenda, to join -includes our local chapter, and access resources and wonderful links: www.NOW.org

State News: The office has been successfully moved; Chloe participates in regular conference calls with other officers and chairs of the chapters around the state (Madison, Fox Valley, and Milwaukee are regular attendees).

Our local chapter news: Heather provided print information on our local chapter at UW-L Invisible Children film at Graff Main Hall on Dec 7. It was a really snowy nights, so unsure if this was attended. A quick information sheet was created on our chapter for this event; there are nice brochures to distribute on NOW and issues briefs so please think of occasions for NOW to have a presence. Maureen and Andrea will track the Alternative State of the Nation event at Concordia Ballroom. Chloe is working with Allie to plan a showing of Iron Jawed Angels at the Sparta school district and will be scheduling another even t in Sparta during March. Planning for the April 23 and 24 NOW conference has started (see attached notes).

WSSA: No updates available.

Treasurer’s Report

We’ve added $18.94 from national NOW (rebates from 4 memberships-new/renewed); $12 from t-shirt sale; and, $2 from button sale.

Calendar project

We’ve drawn up a timeline to create a calendar for 2011 as a project for the year. Please see attached. If you are interested in coordinating this project for the chapter, let Chloe know. This could be a lot of fun!

Holiday, birthday, graduation membership promotion

Members are reminded that NOW membership (and t-shirts, etc…) make great holiday, birthday, and graduation gifts to the women and men in your lives! Chloe has girls/women’s t-shirts to purchase and buttons, too. The memberships can be obtained on line through the national site. (Chloe will do a little checking to see if/how a “gift membership” or donation can be made in someone.)

Proposal for Regional NOW conference

Chloe shared our ideas for the Friday evening event with Emily (chair of NOW – WI chapter). Please review the attached notes, contact Chloe with your initial reactions and ideas. The conference will be the topic of our next meeting. Please come ready to think creatively about the conference, especially the Friday night event which will be open to the public. We will need to get publicity out (through our networks and UW-L CEE) by early mid-February!

Next meeting:

Chloe will send out a Meeting Wizard for end of January: Tuesday or Wed evening (5-6:30 pm at UW-L Cartwright Cetner, downstairs in the Diversity Center) or Saturday (am or pm at Caribou coffee?)….

Meeting notes by Andrea Hansen, secretary