French literary giant Victor Hugo said, "As the purse is emptied, the heart is filled." That catchy phrase, written in the 19th century by the “Les Misérables” author, suggests that generosity and acts of charity can bring a sense of fulfillment and pleasure that outweighs material possessions. Nearly two centuries later, this sentiment holds true for many philanthropists and non-profit organizations. For Kathi Farber, president of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) of the Coachella Valley, the purse metaphor has even deeper meaning.
The second annual AAUW Purse Auction – the brainchild of Amy Dailey, fundraising VP for the organization – took place on March 6 at Palm Valley Country Club. It was a big hit. The afternoon of fashion, food, and fundraising featured a fabulous array of handbags, pocketbooks, and purses, including a coveted Stella McCartney bag. Fuego, the beloved mascot of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, hosted a live auction for a hockey package.
AAUW, a national organization, was founded in 1881. The group works for gender equity for women and girls through education, research, and advocacy. Farber, who was an educator for 40 years, says she wants to see young ladies flourish. “It gives me joy to give back to the community to provide opportunities for the next generation of women to be prepared citizens and leaders,” she says.
AAUW uses funds raised at the Purse Auction and other events to invest in the community. It helps girls and young women chart an educational path. Farber says there are 17 middle schools in the Coachella Valley, and 16 are Title 1 schools (public schools that receive federal funding to address achievement gaps and support students from low-income families). Many parents of these students did not go to college, and many of these kids have never left the Coachella Valley. AAUW offers several programs – many STEM-based – to help inspire, facilitate, and support these young women.
A STEM summer camp for seventh and eighth grade girls has taken place at University of California San Diego and Whittier College each year since 1997. It costs approximately $1,200 per child to make this life-altering experience happen. The one-week camp includes field trips, aeronautical engineering, dissection of a pig, and extracting DNA from strawberries, among other remarkable opportunities. One young girl went home after attending the camp and said, “I want to be an aeronautical engineer.”
Locally, the Tech Trek STEM programs include behind-the-scenes visits to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens wildlife hospital, a tour of the Coachella Valley Water District, robotics studies, and a trip to the CSI Forensic Lab in Thermal. Another program sends several girls to the University of Maryland each May for a weekend workshop and the National Conference of College Women Student Leaders – NCCWSL (which gained the nickname “Nick-whistle”).
AAUW brings thousands of college women together from across the country for leadership training, inspiration, and networking. Networking is intangible to young students who come from low-income communities. One young delegate from the Coachella Valley said the best part of the NCCWSL conference was “meeting all the other young women from across the country and getting contacts and networking.”
Farber says 96% of students who have gone through the STEM camp go on to attend a four-year college. This year, three senior high school students went to UC Berkeley on full scholarships.
A group of women founded the Coachella Valley chapter of AAUW in 1949. As the Coachella Valley grew, the branch expanded across the region. It has members in nine areas, including the Salton Sea area. Today, there are more than 70 members, but Farber says they always seek to welcome new members.
The Purse Auction was a success, despite weather challenges and the fact that it was a popular night for events around the Valley. The fundraising goal for the year is $50,000 – the amount necessary to send girls to STEM camp, continue the leadership program, and offer activities to enrich education for young women. To find out more about AAUW programs, become a member, donate, or get involved, visit www.aauwcoachellavalley.com.
