Our Installation Evening was again held virtually, via Zoom. Eric Sandhusen served as emcee. We began with Elaine Fondiller awarding the $1,500 Selene Katz Scholarship to Michelle De Pena, a high school senior at the Rosa L. Parks School of Fine and Performing Arts in Paterson. At Rosa Parks, Michelle majored in Communication Arts. In the fall, Michelle plans to attend Rutgers University.
This year, the AEU returned to awarding the Anna Garlin Spencer Volunteer award. The Board of Trustees voted to nominate Theresa Forsman as our awardee. Theresa is our FOCUS newsletter editor, which is a paid position. Joe Chuman’s retirement gift, however, was a book on his life in Ethical Culture. It is a book acknowledging his prodigious legacy to the Bergen Society and the Ethical movement. As part of her volunteer efforts as a Bergen Society member, Theresa shepherded this project beautifully, spending many hours from idea generation to actual book production. Without her efforts, Joe’s book would not have become a reality. She will receive a plaque from the AEU.
Interim Leader Curt Collier awarded 25-year pins to Janet Glass, Ken Karp, Terri Karp, Marilyn Kozin, Eleanor Kasmir, Alice Spivak, Alice Olick, Julie Askins, and Ellen McBride.
We then turned to the installation of our leadership for next year. Janet Glass was a gracious installer and led us through thanks to departing Board and Committee Chairs, and installation of the incoming Board and Committee Chairs. Curt Collier then closed with remarks. It was a lovely evening together.
Susan Lesh, immediate past president
