AWC Going Dutch January_February 2019

Message from the President
by Suzanne MacNeil
Welcome to 2019! I hope your holiday
celebrations were filled with
family and lots of love. I started
the holidays in early December with those
eight crazy nights of Hanukkah. Then, it was
off to the U.S. where I spent time with my
mom, brother and his family in Jacksonville.
After Florida, we hit the cold climate of Lake
Tahoe where we rented a house for a week,
with plenty of space for family. It was the
perfect way to end the year…with my boys
plus one girlfriend and my sister.
The New Year marks the start of the second
half of this Club year and I’m looking
forward to the next few months of events
and activities, including the annual benefit
on April 13. Plans are still under way, but
our beneficiary organization has been chosen
(see page 46), and I know you’ll want
to attend to support it by buying a ticket
and bidding on fab items in our auctions. It
promises to be a fun and exciting evening.
Stay tuned for more information in the next
few weeks. Please mark your calendars for
Saturday, April 13!
The first half of the Club year has been
a whirlwind for your Board Members and
Committee Chairs as we started implementing
our three-to-five-year plan. Here’s
a recap of the work that has already been
accomplished, with so much more to come.
6 GOING DUTCH
As of the first of this new year we bid
adieu to GroupSpaces (good riddance) and
have migrated to our
new website platform
thanks to
Julie Otten, our
IT Chair and
Webmaster.
She worked
tirelessly,
and though
there are minor
tweaks under
way, the most challenging
aspects
of the project are
complete.
Marsha
Hagney, our
Vice President,
worked side by
side with Julie in
November and
December learning
how to populate the new calendar on the
website and helping Members sign up for
events and activities during our transition.
She told me she’s enjoyed learning new technology
skills and working with Members.
The newly refurbished Clubhouse
looks amazing and inviting, thanks to the
intrepid team of Jan Essad, our Clubhouse
Administrator, and Sunita Menon, our
Member-at-Large. Many of their wishes
came true as our landlord agreed to cover
the cost of some of the requests from Jan
and Sunita. The redo isn’t over yet!
Our Communications Team is led by
Audrey Goodman, who is also the Going
Dutch Editor. She is working to expand our
marketing materials and increase activity
on the Club’s public Facebook page over
the next year.
As I mentioned earlier, there is a benefit
event planned for Saturday, April 13.
The Benefit Committee includes our Club
& Community Chair, Naya Pessoa. Naya is
also working with Philanthropy Chair Holly
Savoie to prepare for our annual TLC Dinner
(see page 47) and the Easter basket project
for children and families who may need a
helping hand. Volunteers will be needed!
The GDPR has tested our Club in various
ways, not the least of which is ensuring
we maintain our Members’ privacy.
Melissa Rider, who chairs the Membership
Committee, is collecting forms signed >>11
Winter Welcome Back Coffee
and Borrel
Ring in the New Year by connecting and
reconnecting after the busy holidays!
Daytime best for you? Join us for our
morning coffee…
Evenings better? Stop by for an evening borrel…
The Winter Welcome Back Coffee and Borrel
are just what we need to settle back into our
routines after the holidays. Reconnect with
friends, meet new Members, or introduce potential
Members and share all that our AWC
has to offer. Learn about upcoming activities,
programs, philanthropic efforts, and volunteer
opportunities from our Board Members
and the chairs of our many programs and
activities. Come and go as your schedule allows!
What better way to start 2019 than in the company
of your AWC friends? Come join us!
We are still working on the details
for our February meeting as we
go to print, so please look to our
Facebook page and eNews for further information.
Thursday, February 14
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
AWC Clubhouse
Thursday, January 17
Morning Coffee: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Evening Borrel: 6 – 8 p.m.
AWC Clubhouse
FREE
February General Meeting
Did you know that any Englishspeaking
woman may join the AWC?
Invite your English-speaking friends
from other countries who have an
affinity for Americans to join us today!
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 7