What a year…2010 was awesome…we did more than you think…keep reading.

 

NATIONAL NOW:

 

• President Terry O’Neill and her staff continue working to solve the budget issues.  Things are looking up for 2011 and beyond.

• Conference held in Boston, MA, 2-4 July, Theme…Loving Our Bodies, Changing the World!

• Terri Sewell, a NOW PAC endorsee, made history as Alabama’s first woman of color in Congress. She represents the 7^th Congressional District.

 

 

MIDSOUTH REGION NOW: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee.

 

• Mid-South NOW Conference – March 5-7, Jackson, MS

• New Regional Director: Christine Mullinax of Arkansas

• New National Board Members: Jenni Smith, President of MS NOW, Shirley Ann Rawls, President of Alabama NOW

 

 

ALABAMA NOW: Check out new logo (above)

• Focus: Equal Pay/ Violence Against Women

• Alabama NOW Membership Drive – April 1 - July 1 – 5 new members

• Partnered with Alabama Women's Resource Network, Alabama Arise, Planned Parenthood, and ACLU of Alabama.

• New Treasurer from Birmingham on board.

• Alabama NOW State Conference September 18, 2010. Theme: Writing Women Back Into Alabama History. Great conference…excellent speakers, good attendance.

• President, AL NOW, garnered 2 television appearances:

  •  against CBS airing the Tebow ad during the Super Bowl and,

  •  when now-Rep Joe Hubbard spoke at a meeting. The feud between him and his opponent was the spark that interested the press.

 

BIRMINGHAM NOW:

• Off to a slow start, but rebounded.

• Working several community projects.

 

 

HUNTSVILLE NOW:

• Working with a young lady in Huntsville to reactivate the chapter.

• Campaign blitz in the works and we plan to have an early Spring get together to put the reactivation in motion.

 

 

MONTGOMERY NOW: The hardest working chapter in the state…

• Diaper Bank – NOW President continued Elaine Fuller’s initiative … the bank is growing too fast and is now on hold until funds and diaper drives can help fill the shelves.

 

• Hate Crimes Vigil 2011 – Again an excellent event. It commemorates those in the LGBT community who have been murdered because they were gay. Also to remind the elected officials in Alabama the importance of including sexual orientation and sexual identity into the state’s hate crimes bill. Two AL NOW members were on the committee, Amy Applegate was chairperson.

 

• Equality Alabama Lobby Day for Hate Crimes Bill – President attended.

 

• Fundraiser for EA at the Capri Theatre – several members attended.

 

• NEW PROJECT:  Packed 10 purses for Aid to Inmate Mothers (AIM).  Every June Members will pack pajamas, toiletries, makeup to put into oversized purses for program participants being released from prison.

 

• Alabama State Pride Weekend in August  – set up a booth.  Sponsored by Color It Pride.  Made over $60 for general operating funds.

 

• CLINIC REPORT: Amy Applegate continues her great leadership in managing escorts and protestors.

• This was accomplished by 16 escorts, with 14 on active duty, 1 on leave and 1 who works on call.  

• Added 4 new escorts this year, some thanks to recruitment by current escorts plus some who drove by the clinic and became incensed at the protesters out front. 

!! READY FOR 2011…THE BEST IS YET TO COME !!