Members of the La Palma-Cerritos American Association of University Women (AAUW) gathered at Mimi’s Café in Lakewood, California, on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at a noon luncheon to thank the past board members for their service and to install new board members for 2022-2023.
Outgoing President Beverly Zwick welcomed everyone to the luncheon and thanked her executive and appointed board members for supporting and assisting her during her two terms as president. She served in the difficult years of 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, when the Covid 19 pandemic made it necessary to have virtual meetings and limited in-person meetings.
Installation Officer Tobi Balma arrived, as members were finishing their lunches, just in time to present Beverly Zwick with a President’s Pin, in appreciation of her service as President of the La Palma-Cerritos AAUW Branch.
Tobi Balma received an additional honor just before the luncheon. She was awarded the Connie Inskeep Award from the Long Beach Branch of the AAUW for her “exemplary leadership in AAUW.” Balma is a Founding member of the La Palma-Cerritos AAUW and has been an active member of AAUW National, AAUW CA, and the Long Beach Branch of the AAUW.
Balma selected as a Garden Theme for the Installation of Officers, “Nutrients and Growth.” She presented each of the elected officers with “gardening tools” as nutrients to help them grow “flowers” of new ideas and new members. The elected officers include President Celia Spitzer, Co- Program VP’s Faith Herschler and Cathy Niederman, Co-Membership VP’s
Saurabh Deedwania and Jackie Shahzadi, Co-AAUW Fund VP’s Tobi Balma and Sue Solomon, Secretary Christine Taxier, and Treasurer Marilyn Forsstrom. Balma hoped that the nutrients she provided would produce great growth in the branch in 2022-2023 as the Branch celebrates its 50th Anniversary of its founding.
Past Co-Membership VP Joan Flax presented two special 50 Year Life Membership Recognition Certificates to Beverly Zwick and Tobi Balma. Both have been members of the AAUW National for 50 years since 1972.
Newly installed President Celia Spitzer invited members of the La Palma-Cerritos AAUW Branch to come to the meeting on Saturday, June 25, 2022, at Heritage Park in Cerritos, to plan for programs and activities for the 2022-2023 505h Anniversary year. For more information about future programs and meetings for the La Palma-Cerritos AAUW Branch starting in September, contact Program Co-VP Faith Herschler at 714-821-4067.