Documentation for the La Crosse branch begins in 1938 with a scrapbook, detailing the various meetings and social events of the branch. These were events such as teas, the annual holiday Christmas ball, and other entertainment-related fund-raisers. Over the years, the focus of the group shifted from social gatherings to a community-service orientation. The later years show a strong emphasis on fundraisers for academic scholarships and healthy community involvement.
The Art Fair on the Green and Children's Film Festival are two such projects. Art Fair on the Green is typically held in July and the proceeds go to benefit an arts scholarship. This has grown into a large event over the course of the years. The Children's Film Festival is dedicated to providing quality movies for children at an affordable rate and is usually held in cooperation with a local movie theater.
One of the largest areas of community involvement has been the Children's Theater annual production. This project began in 1959 as a way to introduce area children to live theater, and in the early years, the AAUW planned and executed the entire production. In 1976, collaboration began with UW-La Crosse Theater Department, and the AAUW's roll shifted to business, publicity, and financial concerns. The UW-La Crosse Theater Department took control of the acting, directing, script-modifications and other production issues. Over the course of the years, the production moved from targeting families to focusing on school field trips, offering the majority of the plays during the school day. Unfortunately, in 1996 the long affiliation with the UW-La Crosse Theater Department ended and the AAUW had to abandon the project. The involvement of the AAUW in this project is well documented.
Another fund-raiser was the Home Tour which began in 1960 and continued through 1994. Throughout the years, the focus has been primarily on unique and historically valuable homes, often including a great deal of research regarding the past history of the home, furnishings, and architectural information. The logistics of the event take a great deal of planning and are carefully detailed. These include communication with the homeowners, preparations for the houses, purchasing insurance for the day, and other details. The research component of this project is worthy of note in its detail and extensiveness.
A visible presence and active community involvement have made the La Crosse Branch of the American Association of University Women an important part of the city of La Crosse.
