It was a celebration that was a century in the making!

The Bradford Branch of AAUW celebrated this once-in-a-lifetime occasion with a luncheon and special program at the Bradford Club on Saturday. Scrapbooks, banners, photographs, and membership booklets from past years were on display allowing members and guests to explore the rich history of the organization.

Holly Spittler, president, gave a welcome and introduced guests. She also acknowledged the efforts of the 100th Anniversary Planning Committee under the leadership of Ann Cavallero.

Sally Ryan Costik, Curator of Bradford Landmark Society, explained that her talk, Women of Note, would focus on four women, Belva Lockwood, France Perkins, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, and Anna Edson Taylor. Perkins, a member of AAUW, was the first woman to serve in a U.S. Cabinet position for a president. Zaharias was a famous athlete, and Taylor went over Niagara Falls in a barrel.

After Costik’s talk, Marcia Abbott, a former AAUW member and Bradford resident, presented the Landmark Society with a family heirloom with historic significance. Her great-grandmother, Elva Luce Smoyer, who had lived in Bradford, was a member of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union during the time of activist Carrie Nation, who was known to enter bars and breweries to smash barrels of alcohol with her famous hatchet. Abbott donated her Carrie Nation pin to Landmark. Costik accepted the gift on behalf of the Bradford Landmark Society with excitement and gratitude.

After the two presentations, Kay Hurley, secretary, recognized the branch’s Honorary Lifetime members by reading their names and asking them to come forward. Members who achieve this status must be members for a minimum of 50 years. They include: Ann Cavallero, Becky Danias, Jeanette Matto, Anne Branch (not present), Phyllis Pionzio (not present), Rebecca Ryan, and Jane Sanderson.

Terri Smith Leven, chairperson of scholarship committee, discussed AAUW’s history of local scholarships and endowed scholarships through the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. Ann Cavallero recognized past presidents who were in attendance by calling their names and having them come forward to receive a small keepsake. Longtime member Becky Danias took a few minutes to reminisce about her experience.

The program ended with a loud round of applause and a sense that AAUW’s mission “to advance gender equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy” is as relevant today as it was when AAUW was first established in Boston, MA years 140 years ago.