AWC Going Dutch March 2019

Message from the President
by Suzanne MacNeil
March General Meeting
by Dena Haggerty
I’ve been keeping tabs on some of our
newest Members since we ramped up
after the holidays. The Welcome Back
Kickoff in early January was split into two
sessions: a mimosa morning and an evening
borrel for those who work. The morning session
was jammed. At one point, we had almost
40 women in the Clubhouse, many of
whom we did not recognize. We welcomed
the newcomers with open arms, warm conversation,
and a chance to get to know us. The
evening borrel, while not as well attended,
gave one prospective Member our undivided
attention. We chatted, learned a lot about
her, just as she learned about what we can
offer her. She joined, as did 10 others who
attended the Kickoff.
In early February, I took part in welcoming
potential Members at this year’s Feel at
Home in The Hague Fair at the Stadhuis.
It’s an annual event hosted by ACCESS, a
nonprofit organization that serves the expat
community. You may have learned about
our American Women’s Club if you worked
with the staff at ACCESS when you first settled
in The Hague, as it offers information
and guidance to help expats make sense of
living in our little neck of the Dutch woods.
Some of the guests I spoke with asked what
the Club offers its Members. For the first
few hours of the fair, we rattled off our
laundry list of opportunities to become
involved, including our weekly Walkie
Talkies, Chat Craft and Cake, our monthly
Out to Lunch Bunch,
Thirsty Thursday,
Heart Pillows,
the General
Meetings, and
then worked
our way to the
tours, events,
activities, and
discounts at
Sligro, Hanos,
and the American
8 GOING DUTCH
Book Center.
Toward midday
I answered
the question of
what we offer
with a counter
question; what
would you like
from our Club?
The replies
were interesting.
Many of the women liked the fact
that we are a social organization with philanthropy
as a key part of who we are as
an organization. Some of the guests even
asked how they can become involved in our
philanthropic activities. Melissa Rider, our
Membership Chair, has contacted all the
women who provided their email the day of
the fair. I’m happy to report that their feedback
has been positive and Melissa has supplied
membership information to those who
have responded to her emails.
We gained more than 15 new Members in
the last two months, all women who want
what we all wanted when we joined: new
friends, a ready-made social life, the chance
to participate in a meaningful way in our
community, to learn new skills, and to have
fun.
Who are these new additions to the Club?
While we honor the privacy of Members
in Going Dutch, and I won’t share names,
I suggest you take an opportunity to introduce
yourself to these interesting women
the next time you see someone new at a
Club event or activity. Here’s a bit of information
about some of our newest Members:
• Finance professional who is an investment
analyst with experience in the oil
and gas industry and consumer products.
• Color specialist who offers color
analysis classes to empower women
to feel confident in themselves. Her
philosophy is that confidence >>47
For our March meeting, Tetyana
Benzeroual from Volunteer The
Hague will be joining us. Volunteer
The Hague is a non-profit project founded
by the Municipality of The Hague and PEP
(Participation Emancipation Professionals).
The project connects internationals with
meaningful volunteer opportunities at Dutch
non-profit organizations in The Hague area.
The organization’s website hosts hundreds of
volunteering vacancies especially suited for
non-Dutch speakers of every age, skill-set
and availability. In addition to introducing the
project and the opportunities for non-Dutch
speakers, Tetyana will be discussing how you
by Jan Essad and Sunita Menon
The construction on Johan van
Oldenbarneveltlaan is now just outside
our front door!
According to a Dutch website,
works will possibly continue
until July. However, we hope
they will finish early. Due
to this ongoing construction,
parking will be limited and public
transportation is recommended.
Parking is available on the southside of
the street and on the one-way streets off
can volunteer your way into a potential job.
Her presentation will discuss the value of
volunteering for building relationships and
career opportunities. During this presentation
you will discover ways to build confidence
and help the community, strategies to adopt
when considering volunteer organizations,
hidden career opportunities, and how to leverage
volunteering for career success.
Thursday, March 14
10 a.m.
AWC Clubhouse
Free
Construction Around the AWC
Clubhouse
Johan van Oldenbarneveltlaan. However,
public transportation is highly encouraged.
The Clubhouse is accessible
via Tram #16, Tram #1, and
Bus #21. Consult www.9292.nl
for the best means of travelling
to the Clubhouse from
your area.
We sincerely hope this minor inconvenience
won’t keep you from
coming to the Clubhouse to enjoy
scheduled activities and great company.
See you at the Club!
MARCH 2019 9