What New Interest Group Would You Love for the OUWC to Offer?

What’s New?

OUWC member, Bethany George, was hired this summer to be executive-in-residence at the Ohio University Innovation Center.  You can read more about it in this Lancaster Gazette article

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUWC member Kristine Hayes has started a new career in Athens at The Athens Real Estate Company.

Are you on Facebook? Did you know that the OU Women’s Club has a Facebook page?

Interest Groups!

The OUWC has a new year kicking off on September 14th at our annual fall reception.   In addition to catching up with old friends, making new ones and enjoying tasty treats and beverages, you will be able to sign up for interest groups!   If you are not able to attend the reception, you may sign up for interest groups on your membership form or by contacting the group leaders listed below.

1. Community Service – Kate Leeman (leemank@ohio.edu)
2. Day Book Group – Jean Witkowski (witkowsj@ohio.edu)
3. Evening Book Club – Beth Tragert (etragert@columbus.rr.com) and Eileen Theodore-Shusta (theodore@ohio.edu)
4. International Cooking – Jane Newton (jane.k.newton@earthlink.net)
5. Ladies Night Out – Anna Jensen (jensena@ohio.edu)
6. Lunch/Bridge – Ana Ungar (ungarana@hotmail.com)
7. Lunch Uptown – TBA
8. Movie Night – Lesli Johnson (johnsol2@ohio.edu)
9. Newcomers – Teri Combs (combst@ohio.edu) and Kellie Pauley (epauley2@columbus.rr.com)
10. Scrapbooking – Jan Weckman (jaweckman@columbus.rr.com)
11. Stitch & Chat – Mary Culp (culp@ohio.edu) and Dawn Stout (dstout9@columbus.rr.com)
12. Walking and Hiking – Christine Smith (csmith82@columbus.rr.com)
13. Winetasting – Bethany George (georgeb@ohio.edu)

Let’s Do Some Stuff!

Wow! By the looks of our blog, it would appear that we haven’t been up to much around the OUWC lately. Quite the opposite really, which might explain why updates have been lacks lately. Just a quick rundown since we last checked in…(read these in superfast “disclaimer voice” for full effect)…

Holiday Luncheon

Book discussions

Healthy dinners

International dinners

Ladies Nights Out

Baby Showers to benefit local non-profits

Members having new babies!

Wine Tasting Events

 An Art of Living & Breathing lecture

Culinary Classics

So much more…

Here is a look at current and upcoming events:

April 20th, join us at noon for a tour of the Athens Train Depot on Union, across from Star of India. After our tour, some members will be gathering for lunch @ Lui Lui.

The Community Service interest group is doing a little fundraising for some May events and everyone can participate to whatever extent you’d like. You can contribute food, funds, fun or all of the above.

Here are the details:

May 7th – Girl Power Breakfast: More details will be sent later, but the date is May 7. We need volunteers to help serve (at some ungodly hour on a Saturday morning), bake (1 dozen or one loaf of something breakfast-ey) and to donate money to help cover the cost of juice, fruit, go-gurt, etc. Kristine Hayes has volunteered to do the shopping so you can either give money to her or donate through the collection site @ http://ouwcservice.bbnow.org/donate.php . If you would like to bake but can’t attend, items can be dropped off the day before to Room 174, Building 20, The Ridges (SBDC office right next to the scary elevator). Also, if you plan to bake, please let Kate Leeman (leemank@ohio.edu) know so she can keep track of how much we have.

May 14th Come out to Peden Stadium for the Russell Runs for a Reason 5K! Join other members of the OUWC as we walk, run, push a stroller or walk a dog for our reason…to raise funds to benefit the Athens County Food Pantry. The interest group is planning a “tailgate” for both pre & post event at the corner of Oxbow & South Green Dr. near Emeriti Park. If you want to participate in spirit, your contribution to the food pantry can be collected at http://ouwcservice.bbnow.org/donate.php but feel free to come participate or support your fellow members. If you’d like plan to walk or run in the event, please contact Anna Jensen (jensena@ohio.edu) so coordination of t-shirts and fees can be arranged.

Save the date for the upcoming Spring Tea with Mrs. McDavis on May 18th.

No Wine Left Behind…

 

Wondering what to pair with your kids' halloween loot?

We had a great time at our kickoff wine tasting held at Bella Vino on October 30th.  Owner, Lili Chandler,  gave us a “treat” on beggar’s night by leading us through a wine and “junk food” tasting. This was a first for most in different ways – for some it was an interesting introduction to their first OUWC wine tasting with the group, while for others it was their first bite of a Twinkie!

 The pairings included:

Masciarelli, 2009 : Tostitos with Lime!

Darby & Joan Chardonnay (currently on sale for $5.99!) : Candy Corn, Twinkies & Popcorn

Darby & Joan Cabernet Sauvignon, unoaked : Snickers!

Kinkead Ridge Cabernet Franc (from Ripley, OH…believe it or not!) : Snickers, Twinkies (by this time in the tasting, we were eating everything!) 

Our next event is coming up soon and promises to be just as interesting! On Friday evening, November 19, our interest group founder, Sarah Mitchell, will be hosting the group at her home. The theme for this month’s event will be “Wine…from a box?!” We’ll be sampling several boxed wines to help get rid of the stigma (or perhaps re-assert that the stigma is correct!). If you don’t believe that great wines can come from a box (I, for example, am a convert), you’ll have to come and try for yourself!

Please RSVP by responding to Bethany George by Tuesday, November 16 so we can prepare accordingly. The cost for this event will be around $10/person and we’ll try between 3-5 boxed wines (TBD based on RSVPs). I will send an email out with details on address/time/cost by the 17th. Looking forward to seeing you all soon! Best, Bethany

Healthy Cooking Group Notes

Hello Ladies,

Our first healthy cooking club meeting was fun, tasty, and informational!  We discussed what actually constitutes healthy cooking (amounts of sodium, fats, etc) and talked about challenges when eating out and trying to fix a healthy meal when eating in.  All the while enjoying hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks, water, a vegetable packed mixed lettuce & kale salad (all from Farmers Market), Spanish rice with fresh hot peppers and spices, and brushetta with a choice of three toppings.  For dessert we ate baked brie with fresh apples, honey and bread and had chocolate cake made only with one can of diet coke!

Next month we are meeting on Wed. Nov. 17 @ 6:30.  Our challenge this month is to cook one of your families traditional Thanksgiving dishes but…make it healthier to eat.  So look at the recipe and see what you can take out, replace, or change to make it healthier.  I need to know ahead of time what you are bringing so we have a good variety of dishes.  I will bring a cranberry side dish. Every member brings  dish to share with copies of the recipe to share.

We need someone to host the meeting please.  If you are interested, please email me and let me know.  Host responsibilities include: A dish, drinks, and directions to your house. 

Thank you and let’s get cooking!

~Kate

The Tribe (of OUWC Evening Book Clubbers) Has Spoken!

The initial meeting for the 2010-2011 OUWC Evening Book Club was a resounding success.  And by success, I mean, the books have been chosen.  The evening began with a fantastic lasagna dinner hosted by co-chairs Belle & Melissa L.  Attendees were instructed to bring an appetite and two books for which they’d advocate & offer up for vote.  With nearly 30 members in attendance, we had a lot to get through before we could get to dessert, my usual motivator for efficiancy. 

After the selections were posted, each member received 9 votes which they could distribute between titles any way they wished.  “Strategery” is the only word to describe this!  As we enjoyed chocolate mint truffles from Janet, cheesecake from Belle, cookies & coffee, the votes were tallied.  What follows is the result of those deliberations.  

Over the course of the next year, we’ll select one “bride” each month to read, gather together & discuss while sharing food & fun.   The list of books offered up and not chosen, the “bridesmaids” if you will, are also available for you to add to your personal reading list.  Enjoy!  Hope to see you at our first discussion, November 12th, 7:00 pm to discuss Salt, A World History.  Stay tuned for more details.

Co-Leaders Belle & Melissa tally the votes!

Book club = All smiles!

Kristine Hayes & Jen Cantu anxiously await their opportunity to recommend a book for the year.

Will this be the year it makes the cut?

Happening now in the world of OUWC…

What a busy time of the year!  The university is busy cleaning up the place to play host for Parent’s Weekend and Homecoming 2010 is just around the corner.  Professors and instructors are frantically writing, giving and grading mid-term exams.

Oddly, while all this work is going on, I find it is my social calendar that is bursting at the seams!  Here’s a rundown of fun things you can find yourself doing with the Ohio University Women’s Club over the next few days:

10/6 – Evening Book Club.  Darn it, you missed it! (maybe) Pencil in 11/12 on your calendar now if you want to join  us to discuss Salt, A World History.

10/7 – Ladies’ Night Out @ Purple Chopstix, 7PM.

10/8 – Lunch Uptown @ Lui Lui, 11:45.

10/9 – Declutter Club is meeting in the afternoon.  Contact smitch.sarah@gmail.com

10/11 – Community Service Group is meeting at Kate Leeman’s to plan out the year.

10/13 – Newcomers Group, and anyone else who’d like to join them, will get a campus tour.  Meet at the information desk at Baker Center at Noon.

10/14 – Day Book Club meets at 10AM to discuss I Owe My Soul.

10/15 – DEADLINE to register for Oktoberfest!  10/22 @ Nelson Commons. Guests Welcomed.  Checks made payable to OUWC and sent to Kristine Hayes.  See you there! Prost!

You can find more detailed information about each of these events under the specific event tab.

Mark your calendars!

Below are our scheduled events for 2010-11.  Look for more details in your monthly Communique.

September 15th – Our annual Fall Reception will be held on campus in Walter Hall at 7:30 PM.
October 22nd – Oktoberfest!
November 17th – Passion Works tour
December 15th – Holiday Luncheon
January 19th – Health & Wellness Event
February 19th – Wine Tasting
March 16th – Culinary Classics
April 20th – Train Depot Tour
May 18th – Annual Spring Tea

The Latest on Interest Groups for 2010-2011

Based on the responses I have received so far, here is an updated list of the Interest Groups that we currently offer and plan to continue next year.  I have included the names of confirmed group leaders and note which groups are seeking new leaders.  Below that list are a few suggestions for new groups.  Please let me know if you would be interested in any of them, or if you have other ideas as well as whether or not you’d like to get involved as a group leader or co-leader.

• Community Involvement/Service – Kate Leeman
• Day Book Club – Lynda Berman and Alice Peterson
• Evening Book Club
• Happy Hour
• Healthy Cooking – Kate Kahler
• ** International Cooking – Due to great demand, an additional group will be forming and will need a leader.
• Jewelry Making
• Ladies Night Out
• Lunch/Bridge
• **Lunch Uptown – This group needs a new leader
• Newcomers – Teri Combs and Kellie Pauley
• ** Playgroup – This group needs a new leader
• Scrapbooking/Cardmaking/Stamping
• Stitch& chat – Dawn Stout and Mary Culp
• **Walking/Hiking – This group needs a new leader
• Wine Tasting – Bethany George

Just a Few Suggestions for New Groups:

• A book club that specializes in mysteries
• An altered art/book group that meets to work on art and share ideas together.  Wondering what altered art is all about?  Check out this website devoted to altered books.
• A Decluttering/Swap Group – For a fun way to declutter, clean out your closets, sort through your bookshelves and bring any unwanted items to a monthly meeting where they may find a new home and you may find their replacement.  Each month could focus on one type of item.  E.g., books, clothing, accessories, household stuff, toys/other kid stuff.