As it marks 60 years of existence, the Vero Beach branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), is proud to have provided thousands of dollars in scholarships for girls and women in Indian River County. And that’s just one of the group’s many efforts to promote education and opportunities for our local girls.
Founded in 1964 by Lenore Feibel and Dorothy Forbes, who served, respectively, as inaugural President and Vice President for Membership, the organization began with 54 charter members who established a tradition of service that’s been upheld ever since. As one of the largest AAUW chapters in the state, the local branch currently has over 100 members.
Beginning with that 1964 inception, the mission of AAUW-Vero Beach has been to provide scholarships and offer programs to empower women and girls in Indian River County. Some of its efforts have become local institutions: A children’s theater group started by AAUW became the Riverside Children’s Theater. The Senior Expo that connects senior citizens with organizations — created by AAUW in 2019 — grew so rapidly (despite being interrupted by COVID) that it was eventually handed off to the Senior Collaborative. Members of the local AAUW branch volunteer in numerous ways, including as mentors for college-bound girls, and tutoring children and adults through Literacy Services; members also have been involved in STEM programs such as the local Science Fair and Tech Trek. And the local branch helped the Treasure Coast Girls Coalition secure its first national grant from the AAUW-National organization in Washington, D.C., in 2022.
For the community, the AAUW-VB offers five Book Review Breakfasts each year, which are free and open to the public, featuring local experts discussing a book of current interest. The monthly speaker series from October to April features experts on a variety of topics. Recent topics have included issues surrounding gun violence, how citizens can help advance science research, mental health issues, women in leadership on corporate boards, and the influence of culture on girls’ self-perception.
In addition, the AAUW-VB sponsored Book-Author Luncheons for many years, featuring such authors as Debbie Macomber, Charles Todd, Lisa Unger, Mary Alice Monroe, and more.
The core purpose of the organization, however, has always been empowering women and girls by way of education. The types of financial assistance have grown with the times. For years, we provided scholarships annually to women who had completed their associate degree at IRSC and were moving on toward a bachelor’s degree—totaling about $35,000 since 2013.
More recently, in 2019 the branch began providing EOC stipends of $2000 each to women pursuing their LPN degree through IRSC’s accelerated program, and in 2022 the branch began awarding scholarships of $1000 each to young women graduating from a local high school and going on to college. About $30,000 has been distributed through these two programs alone.
AAUW-Vero Beach fundraisers are the primary source, supported by the generosity of members, for the scholarship funds. This year, the branch is hosting two fundraisers: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (followed by a Royal Afternoon Tea), starring Sheryl Faye as the Queen (March 3, Emerson Center), and a Mah Jongg “Play the New Card” event (April 12, Bent Pine). More information is available on the website, AAUWverobeach.org.
Past members, current members, and guests are invited to join in the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the AAUW-Vero Beach at 11:15am Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Vero Beach Country Club. Cost is $35. Go to the website AAUWverobeach.org to register.