As we begin a new year, I want to take a moment to reflect on all we’ve accomplished this past year. As always, our mission was to focus on the support of women and girls in education. I believe we have done that very well in the past year, as we donated thousands of dollars to local scholarships and reached beyond our traditional groups by learning about a local women’s shelter service and supporting local food banks in need last fall. I’m sure we will meet and exceed last year’s accomplishments in 2026, and I’m excited for the upcoming year, featuring some excellent programs at our General Meetings.
January will bring us another performance by Brenda Cusik, re-enacting Grace Sparks: “The Girl Who Bosses 200 Bronco Busters.” It should be interesting to learn about the local character through Ms Cusik’s performance.
Our February meeting will feature the new Mayor of Prescott, Cathey Rusing. Jen Beyst will join us in March to discuss Cognitive Function Development, and local author and Peregrine Bookstore owner Michaela Carter will be at our April meeting to talk about her book, “Lenora in the Morning Light.” (I just picked up a copy so I can be informed before her discussion.)
The installation of our new board will be on May 9th, and our featured speaker that day is Coral Evans. She is the former Mayor of Flagstaff, Regional Director of Northern Arizona for Senator Mark Kelly, and a wonderful speaker you won’t want to miss.
Everything we do is because of your support as a member of AAUW. Whether you lead a committee, take part in an Interest Group, or bring a friend to a meeting, your participation is treasured.
As I begin my last few months as President, I intend to make the most of it. I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions, because I only disappoint myself when I can’t/won’t follow through, but I do try to make small self-improvements. I will try to bring more energy and activity to my life and my relationships, and maybe I’ll clean a few closets.
Best to all of you in 2026!
Upcoming Programs
General Meeting: January 10, 2026
Grace M. Sparkes
In 1911, a young woman began her career at the Chamber of Commerce, fresh from graduating from business school, and went on to leave a lasting legacy in Prescott, Yavapai County, and Arizona. Meet Grace M. Sparkes, who recounts her 35-year tenure at the Chamber and the Rodeo, drawing hundreds of thousands of tourists to Northern Arizona. Grace Sparkes was a visionary who foresaw the advent of interstate travel and ensured that Highway 89 would pass directly through Prescott. Her influential connections included Presidents, Senators, and Governors, securing millions of dollars for her cherished state, rodeo, and city.
Brenda Cusick, a researcher of pioneer women in Prescott, shares their stories in full costume and first person, having served on several Boards of Directors, including the Western Heritage Foundation.
BASKETS for Opportunities
Margie Crider will be bringing a wine basket to the January General Meeting. The Scholarship Committee will be selling opportunity tickets to raise money for our Opportunity Awards. If anyone else out there has something to bring, Margie has oodles of baskets. These are great awards, and the recipients all give us presentations to share their experiences. Last year we had a tea basket, a cat basket, a dog basket, and a pamper yourself basket. You can fill a basket with any sort of related items that might appeal to someone in our group. Please join me in finding a way to rase more money for these wonderful awards.
General Meeting: February 14, 2026
Cathey Rusing, Prescott Mayor, is our speaker for February. She earned her BSN from the UofA College of Nursing in 1975 and specialized in Cardiopulmonary care for 10 years in hospital settings. She moved to Prescott in 1986, with her husband Dr. Tom Rusing, to start a family and a General Surgery Practice. She has served on the Prescott City Council for 6 years and was sworn in as Mayor on November 18, 2025. Mayor Rusing’s focus has always been to put the best interests of the people of Prescott first, concerning water, growth and development, public safety, infrastructure, and protection of our natural beauty and quality of life! For more information, please visit her website at catheyrusing.org
AAUW Prescott Business
HOLIDAY BRUNCH
The annual holiday brunch was attended by over 40 members at Prescott Lakes Golf Club. Once again, the participants enjoyed the food and fellowship. This year, the red envelopes supported The Opportunity Award funds. Read more about this event below. Click here to see more photos of the event.
ANNUAL AWARDS
The 2025 MOVER AND SHAKER AWARD was presented to Margie Crider for her outstanding efforts in a multitude of roles in Prescott AAUW. For the past two years, she has held the position of Program Co-VP. She has also coordinated hospitality for our Monthly Meetings, the Lunch Bunch Group, and the Craft Group. She has assisted the Scholarship Committee in raising funds at the jewelry sale and by organizing and selling baskets.
Stephanie Brown, the winner of this year’s Ongoing Stamina Award, has been a member of our Branch for over 10 years. She was part of the Thumb Sketch team when it was printed and mailed to members. She’s been chair or co-chair of the Gourmet Group, Photography Group, and Great Decisions; she currently chairs one of the Great Decisions Groups and serves on the newly formed Archives Committee. She helped compile the branch history for the Centennial program in 2012. She’s a familiar figure at many AAUW events, preserving our activities in photos. Her thousands of pictures chronicle the history of our Branch and its members.
The 2025 Rookie of the Year award goes to Mari Rimple. Mari has had a significant impact on our Branch during her two years as a member. Mari jumped into a board position as Membership Co-VP during her first month with AAUW. Mari’s training in her new board position was less than ideal, but she took the initiative to learn her responsibilities and watch tutorials on the National website, and basically taught herself what needed to be done. Then she quietly went about organizing our membership responsibilities, keeping things running smoothly. Her work has made a real difference. Prospective members felt welcomed, renewals happened on time, and behind the scenes, she handled the details that challenged others. Her reliability and willingness to learn are exactly the kind of energy we need and appreciate in our Branch.
Mari has gotten involved in a number of our interest groups as well. She is part of the weeknight book group. Mari is a good listener and warm personality who helps everyone feel important and seen.
Archive Committee
“READ ME FIRST”
That is how we tell people that a document is important and should be read first.
The AAUW Prescott Archive Committee has uncovered a trove of information about our Prescott Branch founders, and we are working to preserve this collection for future historians: of AAUW Prescott, of Prescott, or history and culture in general. Our objective is to enhance the details we have of prior AAUW-Prescott Leaders, and, in some cases, rehabilitate the versions implied by very bad newspaper photos and scant recorded information. Along the way, we are having fun discovering illuminating and fun information about our Branch, beginning in 1949. This photo shows the First leather-bound scrapbook from our Bransh now archived in the Sharlot Hall Museum Research Center.
With each annual submission of our Branch documents to the Sharlot Hall Museum Research Center, we will include a “READ ME FIRST” explanation for future researchers. This ‘what, why, and how’ will explain and hopefully inspire the continuation of our project.
You, readers of the Thumb Sketch, will get little tidbits in our Spotlight on our History. We just thought you should know the rest of the picture. –The Archive Committee
AAUW-Arizona
The AAUW-Arizona State Board updated the resolution concerning Gun Violence. Please review it. Karen Ramos, AAUW Arizona President
AAUW Arizona President-Elect, Beverly Byrd, put together from AAUW resources, guidance in your outreach to elected officials and media in your area.
Advocacy Activities
Thank you to all for your generous food donations at the November general meeting. We filled the back of a member’s car and then some. Remember, hunger doesn’t stop after the holidays. Donate throughout the year!
Carol Clayton, President-Elect, and Penny Briner Ewell, Advocacy Coordinator, attended the Arizona Fall Forum at Sun Lakes, November 1st. “Hands Off Our History and Our Future” was this year’s theme. Keynote speakers highlighted the timeline of women’s rights – how far we’ve come while still having much work to do. Breakout discussions were held on healthcare, economic security, higher education, civil rights and DEI, and public education, with the aim of generating ideas of how we, as AAUW, can do small things in our communities to advocate for women. Bonnie Boyce-Wilson and Debbie Hansen of AAUW-Arizona: We Made History! Project led a Reader’s Theatre in which several AAUW members shared their personal stories. The day concluded with a panel of legislative, parent, and child advocates. It was truly inspirational to hear a middle-school-age girl tell about advocating for her family and families like hers at the Arizona Legislature.
CONVERSING WITH ECA
Yavapai College
In November, the Board approved starting a program with the Early College Academy students at Yavapai College. These junior and senior high school students attend YC full-time, working towards completing a certificate, acquiring general education credit, or even earning an associate’s degree. AAUW volunteers will spend time learning, listening, and conversing on a regular basis with the students. We are building the plane as we fly, so check your email or the website for further information as this program develops in the coming months.
LEGISLATIVE DAY
Mark your calendars — in pencil! AAUW-Arizona Legislative Day will likely be February 3rd or 4th this year in the Old Senate Chambers. If you’ve been to Legislative Day before, you know space is limited. Each branch will be given an equal number of seats for those who would like to attend. Education funding and gun violence are potential topics for the day.
SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS
Are you curious about what is happening in the local public schools? School board meetings are open to the public, and agendas, live and recorded links, and minutes are available on each board’s website.
Chino Valley – 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:00 p.m. Humboldt Unified – 3rd Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m. Prescott Unified – 1st Tuesday of the month at 5:00 p.m.
ADVOCACY RESOURCES
Want to know more about the state of education in Arizona or what legislation is headed our way? Visit the following websites to learn more. You can also sign up to receive newsletters and updates from these organizations as well.
Save Our Schools Arizona (SOS) – SOS Civic Engagement Beyond Voting (CEBV) – CEBV
ADVOCACY COMMITTEE
If you’d like to be on the Advocacy Committee or receive Advocacy Emails, follow these links to sign up. Advocacy Committee or Advocacy Email.
Scholarships
Sonya Tenney, Scholarship Chair
We finished 2025 with a strong fundraiser for our Opportunity Award. As has been a tradition at our Holiday Brunch, there were red envelopes on all of the tables. Members were encouraged to donate money in the envelopes, and all of that money will go toward our Opportunity Awards. The scholarship team is thrilled to announce that the total collected was $1,030. That is not an insignificant amount. A huge thank you to everyone for your generous donations. When we add that amount to what we have collected throughout the year, in 2025, we raised $1,544.52 for the Opportunity Awards.
Thank you so much for your willingness to give to our fund. I am inspired by your generosity.
Interest Groups
Book Groups
Susan Goe
The Friday Morning Book Group – Prescott Valley meets on the 3rd Friday of the month at 10:00 a.m. In the cold months (and the too-hot month of July!), we have been meeting at Carlito’s Café & Coffee House on 2nd Street, although we’re open to meeting in other locations. In the good weather, we have enjoyed Fain Park. All are welcome, so if you’d like to join us, let me know so I can confirm the location. You just need to send me your email address. Contact Susan Goe for more information. Our group selects interesting books from a variety of genres. Our reading list for 2026 includes: January 16 – “Becoming Madame Secretary” – Stephanie Dray February 20 – “Forty Autumns” – Nina Willner March 20 – “The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride” – Joe Siple April 17 – “Night Flyer” – Dr. Tiya Miles May 15 – “Oh, William” – Elizabeth Strout June 19 – “Clara and Mr. Tiffany” – Susan Vreeland July 17 – “A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II” – Sonia Purnell August 21 – “Crow Mary” – Kathleen Grissom September 18 – “Huckleberry Finn” – Mark Twain,“ and James” – Percival Everett October 16 – “My Friends” – Fredrick Backman November 20 – “The Princess of Las Vegas” – Chris Bohjalian
Our General Meetings will be held in Hope Lutheran Church in Friendship Hall through the door to the left of the main entrance. It s located at 231 W. Smoketree Lane, Prescott, Arizona 86301. Smoketree Lane can be accessed from Willow Creek Road or Prescott Lakes Parkway. There is sufficient parking for all.
