CALENDAR

Saturday, December 7 at 1 pm.  Holiday Dessert Party.  The Barn, 1 Monument Circle, Bennington.

Wednesday, December 11 at 1 pm. Scribble Sisters. Suzanne Kirkpatrick’s home.

Wednesday, December 18, at 1 pm. Book Group. Unitarian Universalist Meetinghouse, 108 School St., Bennington.

This month’s book is Foster by Claire Keegan (2022). Jan Day will lead the discussion, and we will screen the movie The Quiet Girl, made from the book.

Sunday, January 26 at 1:00 pm. Welcoming Refugees to Bennington, Bennington Free Library, 101 Silver St., Bennington.

Jack Rossiter-Munley, Program Director and Sheila Mullineux, AAUW and UU member, will explain the program and lead a discussion. Open to the public.  Members are encouraged to invite neighbors and friends.  Some of the Vermont newcomers will be attending the program, too!

ARTICLES

Rosin the Beaux: “Harvest Home” Holiday Program

By Deb Burns

Once again, we’ve invited the local fiddle-tune band Rosin the Beaux to play at our December 7 Holiday Party. We asked whistle player Deb Burns what the group is cooking up for us.

Most of the music the Beaux play was born in rural communities living close to the land. Whether from Ireland, Scotland, French Canada, Appalachia, or New England, the tunes often reflected seasonal rhythms and activities and an intimate knowledge of the natural world.

Our set list this year showcases “Harvest Home,” the traditional Irish and British community celebration that still occurs at season’s end, featuring music, dancing, feasting, and merriment. Our song titles refer to animals and birds, haying, the natural world, food, and drink — and most of the tunes are meant for dancing.

Guitarist Pat Dunlavey will teach a dance to two French Canadian tunes: the Gaspé Reel and the centuries-old “La Bastringue” — variously translated as “The Hoedown,” “the Dance Shack,” or “The Scramble.”

Two other traditional terms for this time of year are “InGathering” and “Days of Grace,” both suggesting rest and contemplation after the year’s hard labors.

Changes in Silent Angels

By Suzanne Kirkpatrick and Jennifer Kern

Silent Angels are AAUW members who want to support the scholarship for local non-traditional women students without having many bake sales or being asked at every local meeting to donate or take part in other small profit activities. Years ago, a member suggested that we just ask members who were willing to give yearly to give $100.00 or a sum more or less that fit their budget. These members are called Silent Angels, silent because their names are known only to the person who has a list of the angels and collects the yearly donation.

Before we talk about how the timeline for Silent Angels will be changing, we want to thank all members who have donated to the program over the years for making a college education a possibility for the recipients. We also want to thank Mary Feidner for being the first to collect the donations, deposit them, and write thank you notes to the Angels.

Because of changes at the Community College of Vermont CCV), the timeline for Silent Angels’ donations and our approach to the scholarship award has been adjusted. Now most of the counseling of students is done through Castleton University, not CCV in Bennington. Now, as you were informed in a past newsletter, our branch scholarship will be awarded to students who are going to any college or technical school. This year in the late spring, a notice will go out to many places so that local non-traditional students, students who are starting or continuing their college education later in life, will know about the possibility of applying for a scholarship.

Newer members, this is a call for you to consider being a Silent Angel. Current Angels, we hope you continue your support. You will be asked to send in a form submitting your name in the January newsletter to the member in charge of collecting the the forms, and later your donations, to our new Silent Angels Coordinator, Jennifer Kern. Your form should be turned in by February 1. Jennifer’s name and address will be on the form. If you forget the deadline, Jennifer will send you a reminder.

Thank you for considering being a Silent Angel or continuing to be one of the angels who helps to make college possible for women working on their education later in life.

Looking Ahead: Program Plans from January to April

By Berta Winiker

The Program Committee is hard at work sharing ideas, making museum arrangements, selecting and contacting speakers. They met at the Bennington Community Market on Tuesday, November 10. In attendance were two new members—Mary Elizabeth Groupe and Joyce Fuller. Suzanne Kirkpatrick, Sheila Mullineaux, Judy Murphy, Althea Church, Julie Haupt, Berta Winiker, and Dawn Rodrigues were also there.

Judy Murphy gave notice after serving for about 25 years as our publicity person. A big thank you to Judy and to her dryer for their service. To find out how the dryer helped, ask committee members. By the way, the dryer remains available for service.  Julie Mackaman has graciously agreed to be our publicist!  Fair Warning: You may be asked by newsletter editor, Dawn Rodrigues, to suggest and help arrange either a private or a public a program. 

Here’s what’s we’ve planned or beginning to take shape:

• February will be Janet Groom, Improv. It is tentatively scheduled for 2/22 or 2/23. 
• March will feature Deb Burns discussing “The Plastics Problem“ tentatively scheduled for 3/15, at our catered luncheon.
• For May, Mary Elizabeth Groupe will look into the possibility of a pre-program talk by Conductor Michael Finckel for the Sage Symphony outing on 5/18/25.
• We brainstormed a 2025 public program, likely in the fall, on the topic of Food Insecurity. Kate Bryan (Battenkill Health Center), GBICS, Kate Ebbott (Grateful Hearts), Tim Foley (Community Dinners), Jack Rossiter Munley and Lorraine Donatelli  (Community Cafe), Gleaning. Thea offered to organize this.
• And, finally, since we were on a roll, we thought about having another field trip! A visit to the SVAC in Manchester. Julie Haupt noted the richness of their exhibits and the frequent focus on feminism.

Our next meeting will be on 1/14/25 at the Bennington Community Market. Join us or listen in. We will move to a larger table if we should be so fortunate to have that problem. In fact, while we’re in brainstorming mode, what about forming a new Special Interest Group—The Lunch Bunch. Let Dawn know if you are interested:Dawn.Rodrigues@gmail.com.

December Museum Visit

By Berta Winiker