We are the “Jesse Daniel Ames Chapter”
1923 Jesse Daniel Ames and nine other women faculty members at Southwestern University, the oldest institution of higher learning in Texas, organized the Georgetown Branch of AAUW. She served as president and was instrumental in establishing the Texas AAUW board. Click here for more information about Jesse Daniel Ames.
1931 Our AAUW branch disbanded during the Depression but was reorganized in 1944, actively serving the community ever since then.
1958-59 Children’s Theater Association plays were sponsored by our AAUW branch as a cultural contribution to the community.
1970’s Southwestern University and our AAUW branch co-sponsored a children’s theater program to enhance children’s experience of live theater and to introduce to them the concept of college, also raising funds for scholarships. Led by our AAUW branch, community groups collaborated with the Williamson County Commissioners Court to establish a Child Welfare Board for abused and neglected children. Members of the branch supported sponsorship of the Travis County Medical Society Blood Bank, which ran for many years.
1980’s Our AAUW branch started a summer school supply project for low-income families at GISD elementary schools. Branch members obtained supplies, sorted and sacked items for each grade level at each school. Although the Caring Place began to administer this project in 1994, AAUW branch members continued to fill sacks as a branch project through summer 2001.
1990’s We sponsored a spring public forum at the Williamson County Courthouse for local city electoral candidates. Georgetown’s first woman mayor was elected, and she joined Austin officials in welcoming delegates to the 2001 AAUW national convention held in Austin.
2000’s Branch members assisted the Austin Branch in planning and hosting the June 2001 national convention in Austin. In 2002, we again held a public forum for local city electoral candidates and our branch representative presented a break-out workshop at the 2003 AAUW national convention in El Paso on how to organize public forums. Our college scholarship program for an outstanding girl graduate at Georgetown High School made its first recent award in 2003.
2010’s Donations to the Wilco Museum in Georgetown underwrote a new “traveling trunk” on the Civil War, part of the hands-on educational outreach program to area elementary schools. Branch members assisted the Austin Branch in planning and hosting the state convention in Austin, April 2012. Also in 2012, our branch initiated our ongoing spring fundraiser — the annual spring style show with a light luncheon, a fashion show and a silent auction of gently used purses. We participated in inter-generational classes about feminism at Southwestern University. We expanded our GISD scholarship program to include the new East View High School. Fall & winter fundraisers during this decade included events like “Dining with the Stars,” “Dining with Chef Tony” (at the Berry Creek Country Club), a wine-tasting event “ScholarSips” and participating in the Sun City Garage Sale. In 2016, we held our 1st annual fall Duck Race fundraiser at the low water crossing in San Gabriel Park.
2020’s The branch adapted to the “pandemic new normal” with Zoom meetings and online silent auctions instead of in-person events. Duck races (outdoors!) and the scholarship program continued uninterrupted and we restarted in-person activities as soon as possible. We can’t believe we’re already mid-way through this decade! Our 9th annual Duck Race was held in October 2024. Our next Style Show and Silent Auction is in Spring 2025.