Welcome to Poughkeepsie AAUW!
We have been advancing equity for women and girls as individuals and nationally since 1881 and as a local branch since 1925! We invite you to visit the pages of our website to explore the many parts of our organization. Our work continues. We welcome you to join us!
AAUW Membership – JOIN OR RENEW
Upcoming Events/Information
THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Celebration on December 10, 2023
Wallace Center at the Roosevelt Library
Hyde Park, NY
Details of the day – there will be an AAUW table.
FABULOUS FOODS
December 14, 2023
7:00 PM in person
The Freedom Plains United Presbyterian Church*
1168 Route 55, Lagrangeville, NY 12540
December is a time of celebration and tasty tidbits for many of us. Join us on December 14 at our regular meeting to find some new ways to expand your culinary experience.
Members of our Poughkeepsie AAUW chapter will tempt you with descriptions of foods which have found their way into their daily lives. Enjoy!
Our thanks to our members who are making this possible:
Blanche Bergman, Gwen Higgins, Marcine Humphrey, Pat Luczai, Kay Saderholm, Gail Sisti, Maureen Trembly and Barbara Van Itallie
*Directions: https://bit.ly/3T3D4jc
Contacts: Gail Sisti or Kay Saderholm at program.aauw.poughkeepsie@gmail.com
Join Poughkeepsie AAUW on Zoom ….
A View from the Clean Energy Future
January 11, 2024
7:00 pm on Zoom
Advanced Registration is REQUIRED
Presenter: Sean Dague
REGISTER HERE
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Imagine a world where our energy no longer comes from extracting and burning huge amounts of oil, gas, and coal, and the fast clouds of pollution that come from them. How will we live our daily lives, how will we get around and what will our homes look like to be ready for this transition?
Climate leader Sean Dague will give you a view of that world, because it’s already here. All the solutions we need for this transition exist today, we just need to deploy them faster. He’ll show you how we make this transition, both individually and collectively, through his journey removing fossil fuels from his home, and engaging in climate policy. You’ll see why this is a better future, a healthier and more affordable future, and one that we should be excited to create. And you’ll see why we need to accelerate this future, and how you can do that, both at the individual and collective level.
Program Announcement and speaker bio
Contacts: Gail Sisti or Kay Saderholm at program.aauw.poughkeepsie@gmail.com
Recent Events & Information
Women to Women: from Poughkeepsie to Chermaitre, Haiti
What can we create?
On November 9, 2023, Lila Meade, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Haiti Project at Vassar College, and Sara Neequaye, Vassar College sophomore, and VP Women’s Initiative Student Committee gave a presentation on the work done by the Haiti Project at Vassar College which was started in 2001.
Twenty two years later, the impact has been significant and profound for the region. The people of 45 villages are now getting healthcare through the clinic that the project has built, 250 children are enrolled in primary school getting breakfast and lunch, 40,000 trees have been planted, purified water is now readily available up and down the mountainside, and women are coalescing towards financial independence. Lila and Sara spoke specifically about the women of Chermaitre and their struggle to raise huge families with little income.
“The History of Women in Wine”
with wine tasting
On Sunday, October 29th we enjoyed a very interesting afternoon with Arnie Serotsky, who has been collecting and studying wine for 45 years. He was our guide through the history of selected women in the world of wine.
The event was a fundraiser for AAUW’s scholarships, national fellowships, and community outreach programs.
If you were unable to attend but would like to contribute to this important fundraiser, please use the donate button below or send a check to the address on the event information form below:
Questions: Margaret Nijhuis 845-419-2771 or margaretnijhuis@gmail.com
Select the PayPal/Donate button below, follow the onscreen directions (select Donate by PayPal or Donate by Credit Card). When PayPal has a box for special instructions (indicated by a + ), click in that box and type “donation” your phone number and your full name. You do not need a PayPal account, you can use your credit card at the PayPal site. Any amount would be appreciated.
“THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS”
On October 12, 2023 AAUW Poughkeepsie welcomed Franceska Macsali-Urbin, Supervising Ranger; Kevin Oldenburg, Lead Ranger and Dani Massaro, Park Guide. Together they represent over 75 years of experience at the site talking about Eleanor Roosevelt, her life and her accomplishments. This year will mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the declaration in 1948. Our speakers started with the discussion of the time it took to replace “men” with “human beings” and went through other problems that faced the writing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 16 – “equal right as to marriage” and article 20 – “right of peaceful assemble and association” were also discussed. Eleanor’s chief role was keeping everyone working together even though there were many differences of opinion.
“The power of the Universal Declaration is the power of ideas to change the world. It inspires us to continue working to ensure all people can gain freedom, equality and dignity.”
Enjoy the short video below which was showed at the meeting and check back later for a list of activities that will take place in December to celebrate the signing.
President Celia Serotsky Report
Reports from your board and appointed office holders.

On Thursday, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 a large group of Poughkeepsie AAUW members and friends met at Freedom Plains United Presbyterian Church for the opening of the AAUW program year. There was a discussion of the programs and events offered by AAUW both locally and nationally. Displays to explain the organization and refreshments added to the pleasure of the evening.
AAUW 2023 Open House Announcement
Poughkeepsie Branch AAUW Annual Meeting
Dinner, Election & Installation of Officers, Awards, Guest Speaker

Pat Luczai, Cornerstone Award 2023
POUGHKEEPSIE GRAND HOTEL
JUNE 8, 2023
It was a wonderful evening and a happy time to celebrate our organization and the place we live.

Melaine Rottkamp
Speaker: Melaine Rottkamp, CEO and President of Dutchess Tourism
Art as Life: Becoming an Artist
- Hawkin’s Houdini’s Lament/ No Strings Attached Choreographed by Katherine Duke Photo by Steven Pisano
- Katherine Duke in Erick Hawkins’ Cantilever Photo by Tony Cenicola
May 11, 2023
Katherine Duke, Artistic Director of the Erick Hawkins Dance Company, dancer and choreographer, shared the personal artistic milestones that led to a life-time commitment to carry forward the choreography and techniques of Erick Hawkins and the musical compositions of Lucia Dlugoszewski.
Four dancers from the Erick Hawkins Dance Company—Erin Jennings, Leighann Kowalsky, Jeff Lyons and Kristina Berger— accompanied Katherine. They demonstrated Hawkins’ floor work for us and danced excerpts of two of Hawkins’ dances, to the music of Lucia Dlugoszewski.
As a special treat, we shared a glimpse into the future. Jasper Lyon, son of Jeff Lyons, 7 years old, played Bach’s Minuet 3 on cello and Sabrina Cohen, daughter of Kristina Berger, 9 years old, closed our program dancing her own choreography to the music of Frederic Mompou.
Luncheon to Honor the AAUW Woman of the Year
April 23, 2023
Mill Creek Caterers
17 NY-376
Hopewell Junction, NY 12533
Directions: http://tiny.cc/ygy2vz
More about our honoree
Past Woman of the Year Recipients
