Sunday evening at 6:00 we gathered near the ballroom of the Hyatt for an LAF general reception, followed by the LAF 25th Anniversary dinner and birthday cake. Authors of Class Action: The Story of Lois Jensen and the Landmark Case that Changed Sexual Harassment Law (on which the movie North Country was based) Clara Bingham and Laura Leedy Gansler were the recipients of the Speaking Out for Justice Award and spoke at the podium, declaring that they should be giving LAF an award for speaking out for justice instead of accepting one.  A video address by Paul Sprenger, attorney for Lois Jensen, also was presented. Sprenger has spent 40 years breaking new ground with class action cases.

LAF Plaintiff Claire Schuster, professor of nursing at Berea College, spoke about her case, which is currently on appeal. The 2007 recipient for the Progress in Equity Award (a $5000 stipend) was given to Charter Oak State College, New Britain, CT, for their Women in Transition Program, which provides higher education opportunities for low-income, underemployed, single mothers to make the transition from low-paid work to a college degree through distance education. Honorable mention went to the University of Toledo’s Leaders in Residence Program, which serves as a strong example in which AAUW leaders work hand in hand with the local campus on issues important to the community.

2006 Top States and Branches awards were announced.  Ballwin-Chesterfield was 9th under Top Branches at $4,222; Missouri was 9th under Top States at $8.79; and Missouri was 10th for contribution growth over previous recognition year at 3%.

Delegates Dorothy Smith (Lebanon Branch), Julia Triplett (Ballwin-Chesterfield Branch), and Lynne Roney, AAUW of Missouri president (Kirkwood-Webster Groves Branch), in the top picture, and Linda Stark, Pat Shores, and Yvonne Morrison, of the Ballwin-Chesterfield Branch, have a chance to discuss the convention between dinner and the LAF awards program.