On May 2, 1955, an organizational meeting was held for a Victor Valley Branch of AAUW. There were 25 potential members present. On November 28, 1955, the branch was chartered as the Victorville-Victor Valley, California Branch. According to Mary Fairbanks, a charter member, “I remember that although we wished to be called the ‘Victor Valley Branch’, we were required to have a post office name. So, when we applied for a charter, we were the Victorville-Victor Valley Branch. It was much later when the Victorville part of the name was dropped.” Most meetings were held in the homes of members in the early years. There was a hospitality committee and chair that took care of set up and refreshments.

Pictured above: Mertens, Congressman Cook, AAUW CA President Alicia Hetman and Carrie Childress, president of Victor Valley Branch AAUW.

Another accomplishment of this branch was the Community Concert Association. “It all started back in 1962,” said Wally Gould, “when a small group of citizens decided to elevate the culture of the community by arranging a series of musical concerts by inviting artists from various areas of Southern California.” They soon learned that it wasn’t feasible to work on their own, so, inspired by Betty Taylor and a gentleman named John Sauer, they tied in with the Victor Valley Branch of AAUW and together they laid the groundwork of what is now the Victor Valley Community Concert Association, Inc.

Delores Williams of Millionaire Mind Kids Mission with Carrie Childress – 2015 CWIMS Conference

FACTS:

• Our collaboration with Victor Valley College started in 1985. It evolved from a Girls Math and Science Conference to a Woman’s Career Conference and back to a Girls conference. In 2015-2016, Victor Valley College joined AAUW as a College/University Partner.
• We partnered with Victor Valley College, VVC STEM Department and San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools to present Celebrating Women in Mathematics and Science, a one-day conference for middle school and high school girls. Our 10th conference will be held at VVC for 300 girls on January 22, 2016.
• Memorial Scholarships to women returning to education at Victor Valley College since 1975.
• From 1991 to 2016, 141 Memorial Scholarships totaling $92,570 have been given. For 2016-2017, we awarded 7 students with $1,500 scholarships each.
• From 2005 to 2016, 72 Victor Valley girls completing the seventh grade to week long AAUW Tech Trek Math and Science Camp $74,500.