1926 – First Fort Myers Branch of AAUW chartered. Chapter was disbanded the same year after the Great Miami Hurricane brought six-foot storm surge. 

1961 – Fort Myers branch was reorganized and re-chartered.  Study groups were formed in higher education, fellowships, international relations, mass media, social and economic issues, the status of women, and legislative issues. 

1962 – The first scholarship was awarded to Diana Ellman for study at Edison College (now FSW). 

1968 – Chapter members began taking part in public policy discussions around childcare and water management. A group of members traveled to Tallahassee to support ERA ratification.  

First AAUW Fashion Show and Card Party.  

1971 – AAUW begins hosting an annual six-part travel adventure film series – a tradition that continued into the 1990s.  

1989 – Cape Coral branch holds first Book & Author luncheon, inviting local authors.  

1992 – AAUW presents a play – “For and About Us” – written by member Florence Bischel. The play relates to the founding of AAUW in 1882.  

2000 – Chapter established first endowed scholarship at Florida Gulf Coast University. Members made donations in honor of people who had been important in their lives – a tradition that continues today.

2004 – Cover Girls Book Club established a memorial scholarship to honor Grace Romanelli. Now known as the Star Bright Fund, the scholarship is awarded when the fund reaches $1,000. Members donate in honor of friends, family, and chapter members.  

2005 – The chapter established an endowment for the scholarship at Edison Community College, now Florida State University.  

2006 – AAUW member Sue Gottcent bequeathed funds for an endowed scholarship. The Branch established the Sue Gottcent Endowed Scholarship with Southwest Florida Community Foundation.  

The Branch first participated in the Lee County Board of Elections Adopt-A-Precinct program where volunteers staff a voting location together and donate their stipends to the Branch. 

2019 – The Marie Glasgow and AAUW Friends Fun at the Foundation for Lee County Schools was established by Ron Glasgow in memory of our past president and friend, Marie Glasgow.  

2020 – Despite the pandemic, the volunteers continued their commitment to the branch and the elections and participated in Adopt-A-Precinct through the primaries and general election.  

2022 – In October, Hurricane Ian took a toll on our local area and the homes of many of our members. As a result, we skipped our October meeting and switched our fashion show fundraiser to a Bingo night.  

2023 – Our Ruth Bader Ginsburg program attracted the largest audience we’ve ever had including attendees from other Florida branches.  

Strategic Planning function was added to the board after our initial Strategic Planning sessions to ensure the future of the branch and alignment with National. 

2024 – Strategic Planning presented the results of a member survey to help guide future planning.  

Researched and written by Judith S. Sims & Lisa J Crotty