Club News

The Washington Branch of the American Association of University Women met at the Washington Free Public Library at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 11, with Debbie Stanton and Jenisa Hanson as co-hostesses.

Prior to the business meeting 14 members heard a very informative program from staff members of the State Hygienic Laboratory.

Rick Bonar, STEM and outreach coordinator, gave an overview of the work conducted by their staff. They are primarily located in the Coralville University of Iowa Research Park. However, the Department of Criminal Investigations and the Medical Examiner?s office are located on the DMAC Campus in Ankeny and there?s one staff member at a Lake Okoboji site. The department was founded in 1904 and conducts nearly 600,000 different tests each year with 5,000 tests in Washington County. These tests involve infectious diseases, air and water environmental contaminants and assist in newborn and maternal screening.

Rick told that the state of Iowa is in its 50th year of doing newborn screenings and is No. 2 in the nation in doing this testing. Heel sticks are done on newborns and that information is sent to the lab immediately, with the lab open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Once the lab receives that information, it is tested and, if any problems are identified, necessary treatment is begun immediately.

The laboratory doesn?t deal with individuals but rather collects and studies information gathered, looks for trends and passes on their information to the appropriate state or national organizations.

Amanda Hughes, environmental specialist, spoke about the ambient air monitoring done on the environmental side. She said they partner with the DNR at the state level and the EPA nationally, assisting in identifying the Air Quality Index. They have a staff of 17 who, year-round check the 100 continuous and intermittent air monitors located at 29 sites throughout the state. She said that Iowa has good air, and the more populated an area the worse the air becomes.

President Millie Youngquist called the short business meeting to order. Virginia Bordwell reported that she checks the Little Free Library every three days and books are disappearing quickly. She has a real need for adult books and members were encouraged to drop books off at her office. It was reported that local scholarship fund-raising greenery orders are due Oct. 24 to Kitch Shatzer or Virginia Bordwell and poinsettia orders are due Nov. 17. President Youngquist passed out the National AAUW brochure ?We Empower Women? and told the group that they had five new members this year. Local branch brochures are available at the Library and the Chamber. Marde McConnell passed out sign-up sheets for the Nov. 15 AAUW sponsored National Honor Society reception for WHS students and their parents. Debbie Stanton encouraged the members to check out the new AAUW website through facebook. In closing, President Youngquist reminded the group of the Feb. 17 STEM event for eighth-graders, jointly sponsored by AAUW, the Kirkwood Regional Center and the Washington Middle School.

Anyone wanting more information about the American Association of University Women, feel free to contact Marde McConnell, 653-3884; Debbie Stanton, 653-2097; Jennine Wolf, 461-1497 or Millie Youngquist, 653-4673. AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research. Membership is open to all graduates who hold an associate or higher degree from a regionally accredited college or university.