Dear {Contact_First_Name},

I cannot believe it's June already. Schools are already out in the USA, and our Club is getting ready to celebrate the quintessensial American holiday July 4th with our annual BBQ (see details below). I remember arriving in Virginia as a Vietnamese refugee in 1976 when I had the privilege of celebrating the Bicentennial at the Mall in Washington DC. WOW! what an introduction to AMERICA.

We are hosting the FAWCO Youth Cultural Volunteers Program June 23-30. The 7 sons and 5 daughters of FAWCO club members (aged 15-19) from the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Germany and France arrive to schedules including volunteer activities during the day, and social-awareness events in the evening: a Youth in Democracy workshop with AWC member Adri Oldham, a screening and discussion of "Girl Rising" (documentary about human rights for girls), a conversation with Margot Friedlaender (94-year-old holocaust survivor), and an Art workshop, and cooking with refugees. They will, of course, also enjoy experiencing the sights and sounds of Berlin. We do need TWO more HOST FAMILIES. If you could host 2 boys, give them breakfast and make sure they get to their first meeting point each day (via public transportation), please email me at president@awcberlin.org.

Our club slows down over the summer because most of us are away. But if you are in Berlin, and would like to organize a get-together, please feel free to post on our private FACEBOOK group and/or email me if you'd like to put it on the Club's official calendar on the website. Our next Newsletter will be September's.

We are sad to say good-bye to two of our most active members, Jennifer Cripe, chair of weekly German Conversations and bi-monthly Women's Salons, and Hollis Vaughen, treasurer and Kaffee Ost coordinator. We wish them the best in their move back to the US and look forward to them staying connected as Alum Members. :-) We do need volunteers to take over both of Hollis's volunteer activities so please email me if you could help.

Speaking of volunteers, we need help in:

• Web Team  (if you have some technical web skills, great! Otherwise, it's a great opportunity to learn)
  
• Assistant Treasurer (max 1-1,5 hours a month - plus 3-hour Board meeting)
  
• Kaffee Ost coordinator (once a month, coffee in the East)
  
• Philanthropic Chair (strong admin skills)
  

Please talk to me if you are at all interested - none of these positions are very time-consuming. We do everything very simply!

Happy Summer!

Love,

My-Linh

My-Linh Kunst
President, The American Women's Club of Berlin
president@awcberlin.org

AWC Berlin has joined FAWCO to get out the Vote! Did you know that only 4% of eligible American voters living overseas vote in the last presidential election? Please REGISTER now – it’s an important year for your voice to be heard. Depending on your voting state, you most likely have to register every year.

If you are not already a member of our private members only Facebook group, please click here and join "AWC Berlin Members Only PRIVATE" for casual exchanges among AWC members.

Ask your friends to visit us on Facebook or on our website!

AWC Berlin Facebook Policy

The AWC Berlin Private Members Only Facebook group is open to current members only and is a casual, respectful and friendly forum for member announcements (for example, babies! weddings!, etc.), discussion, information and questions regarding AWC-related topics and/or life in Berlin. 

• Only authorised AWC Berlin events that are already listed on the AWC calendar (website) can be created as an event in our Facebook group.

• Please do not post charity donation requests or political items not related to the AWC Berlin.

• You are invited to let us know about your business, but please limit commercial, self-promotional posts to Mondays and be sure to preface your post with MARKETING MONDAY. No comments are allowed on these posts.

• When in doubt, please contact My-Linh at president@awcberlin.org.

Thank you for your cooperation!

AWC Berlin Facebook Page | AWCB Website

Welcome to our New Members

We look forward to seeing you at one of the events below!

Invitation to Independence Day BBQ!

Join us for an American-German BBQ buffet including hamburgers, sausages and grilled vegetables, along with fries and salad. The cost is 20 Euros per adult (including water and filter coffee) and 10 Euro for children 5-16 years old. This year, we will be at the Sailing Club Gothia on the river Havel.  SC Gothia has reserved their cozy restaurant with the view of water for us, as well as tables outside, in case the weather is nice.

Though we will have a full buffet, in the “Americana” spirit, please feel free to bring along desserts or water melon to share. 

Click here to see this event in the AWC calendar. 

When: Saturday, June 30th - 1-4pm 
Where: Segeler Club Gothia, Bocksfeldstraße 21 Berlin, 13595 
RSVP: to rsvp@awcberlin.org by June 25th!

Join the AWC Berlin

We are a vibrant group of women of all ages and our members come from not only the USA but from other countries around the world. Please spread the word and invite your friends to join!

Did you know that the Club has a blog? Our Berlin Americana Blog posts musings from our members on global, local and personal issues and experiences. It's been quiet since March, 2017. Therefore effective immediately, we would like to do a weekly post of YOUR writings. Send your submissions to blog editor, Janel Schermerhorn, at blog@awcberlin.org. Musings can take any format - short or long, serious, tough, funny, or downright silly. But in keeping with our non-partisan status, please no political pieces.

 

Also, our LIFE STORIES project is still accepting submissions. LIFE STORIES is envisioned to be a beautiful published book of stories from our members. The project was conceived in the Moving Pen writing group and launched in June, 2017. There have been 10 submissions so far. As soon as we have 20, we will look into publication. You don't have to write your life story, just a snap shot, a small story, an experience which has given you knowledge or a realization that you did not have before - therefore answering the prompt, "What I know now that I didn't know then." If you think you are interested in submitting something, email Suzy and Janel at lifestories@awcberlin.org by June 30th - you DO NOT need a finished piece, just an idea. Suzy and Janel will work with you to shape your writing. 

June 2018 Calendar of Events

Daytime Activities

Max Beckmann at Potsdam's Museum Barbarini €14

Wednesday, June 6th 10:30am - 1:00pm Location: Museum Barbarini at Alter Markt Humboldtstr. 5–6, Potsdam, 14467 Cost: entrance fee €14 RSVP: rsvp@awcberlin.org

See the works of Max Beckmann, one of the leading German artists of the 20th century, at the beautiful Museum Barbarini in Potsdam. Max Beckmann: The World as a Stage is the first exhibition to focus on this theme, incorporating the artist's experiences in WWI, his exile after 1937, and the catastrophic situation that prevailed at the time in world affairs. It gives viewers new insight into one of Germany's most exceptional painters with loans from numerous international museum collections such as the Tate London, the Fogg Museum, Cambridge MA, and the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. In cooperation with the Kunsthalle Bremen. We will have lunch at an Italian restaurant next door afterwards. Please let us know if you will be staying for lunch. For more information click here to see this event in the AWC calendar.

German Conversation

Mondays, June 11th, 18th, 25th 10:00am - 12:00pm Location: Wiener Conditorei at Truman Plaza (Clayallee 175 in Dahlem) RSVP: by emailing: german@awcberlin.org

Come join us for coffee and conversation in a safe and judgement-free environment. We always have a good time! Usually we are joined by AWC Berlin members who are native German speakers. We are a small group these days, so please check the AWC Facebook page or email before heading over, to make sure that someone will be there.   Click here to learn more about this event in the AWC calendar.

New Members' Coffee 

Wednesday, June 13th 10:30am-12:00pm  Location: Karen Castellon's home in Zehlendorf RSVP: membership@awcberlin.org

Welcome to AWC Berlin!  Whether or not you have already had a chance to experience an event, outing, or meeting with our club, this is the perfect opportunity for you to meet other new members.  We hope to see you there!   See event here in AWC calendar.

Women's Salon: Peacebuilding

Friday, June 15th 11:00am-1:00pm  Location: AWC member Janel's home in Schmargendorf RSVP: womenssalon@awcberlin.org

If you liked the movie Hotel Rwanda or reading What is the What by Dave Eggers, or if you've been emotionally affected by news stories about war-torn nations and their aftermath, you'll want to come hear Janel Galvanek tell about her experience in the fields of peacebuilding and peace research spans Liberia, Somalia, India, Afghanistan, Cyprus, Georgia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. In addition to working for Germany's Berghof Foundation, a well-known peacebuilding organization, Janel Galvanek has created her own charity Growing Tree Liberia, born of many years traveling and developing a strong network of partners and friends in that country.  She will share her stories with us including issues like child soldiers and peace-building, and also about being an American woman working for a German company in Africa. Please bring along something to share for a light lunch afterwards. See event here in AWC calendar.

doTERRA Summer Essentials: Make & Take Event

Thursday, June 21st 11:00am-2:00pm  Location: TBD RSVP: rsvp@awcberlin.org

Get ready for summer at our essential oils make and take. We will learn about the wonders of essential oils in combating summer woes: bugs, bites and sunburn. We will make our own salves or creams. Cost depends on what you make to take. See event here in AWC calendar.

Recurring Daytime Activities

Kaffee Klatsch Ost

Monday, June 4th 10:30am-12:00pm Location: Kaffee Käthe at Kollwitzstraße 38 Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, 10405

Kaffee Klatsch Ost is our eastside “Coffee Chat” from 10:30 to 12:00. Stop by to connect, catch up with old friends or make new ones. No RSVP needed, just show up. There will always be someone there, with whom to chat. Click here to see this event in the AWC calendar. No RSVP needed, just show up.

Creative Writing Practice €80

Tuesdays, June 5th, (also Thurs June 7th) 12th, and 19th 10:00am - 12:30pm Cost: 8 wks/€80 RSVP: to mollybrowncreative@gmail.com

Join this diverse group of writers, whether you're a novice or a seasoned professional. No previous experience necessary!!  At our weekly gatherings, we apply various writing prompts as springboards to unlock and unleash our authentic voices, and share these writings in an atmosphere of trust and deep listening. Uncover the building blocks of good storytelling and discover the seeds of fuller, more developed pieces - from memoir to fiction. If you've never taken the class before, your first one is free. No classes during school holidays,  See event here in AWC calendar.

Tennis - Beginner to Advanced

Thursdays, June 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th 10:00am - 12:00pm RSVP: by emailing tennis@awcberlin.org

Join us for tennis – from beginners to advanced.  Our beginners group has lessons with an instructor while intermediate/advanced players play round-robins. You are welcome to contact our Tennis coordinators for more information. Click here to learn more about this event in the AWC calendar.

Kaffee Klatsch West

Friday, June 8th 10:30am-12:00pm Location: centrally located Park Cafe, Fehrbelliner Pl. 8, 10707 Berlin (at U7/U3 stop)

Kaffee Klatsch is our monthly “Coffee Chat” from 10:30 to 12:00. Stop by to connect, catch up with old friends or make new ones. No RSVP needed, just show up. There will always be someone there, with whom to chat. Click here to see this event in the AWC calendar. No RSVP needed, just show up.

Morning Book Club

Wednesday, June 20th 10:00am-12:00pm Location: Emi's in Zehlendorf RSVP: bookclub@awcberlin.org

We'll be discussing Exit West by Mohsin Hamid. Please bring along something light to share, Emi will have something baked, and beverages. Open to AWC Berlin members only, except nonmembers may attend once prior to joining. You can get Emi's address in your members directory copy, or ask for it when RSVPing.  Click here to see this event in the AWC calendar.

Evening Activities

New Members' Wine Reception

Wednesday, June 6th 7:00pm-8:30pm Location: Elizabeth Waller's in Prenzlauer Berg RSVP: membership@awcberlin.org

Welcome event for our newest members!  For more information click here to see this event in the AWC calendar.

Recurring Evening Activities

Literature Book Club

Tuesday, June 5th 7:00pm-9:00pm Location: Claudia Tessier's at Märkisches Ufer RSVP: by emailing bookclub@awcberlin.org

We’ll be discussing Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Please bring a light snack to share. Claudia will provide wine and water. Open to AWC Berlin members only, except nonmembers may attend once prior to joining. You can get Claudia's address in your members directory copy, or when RSVPing.  Click here to see this event in the AWC calendar.

Ronald McDonald House

Thursday, June 7th 6:00pm-10:00pm Location: Ronald McDonald House, Seestrasse 28  Berlin, Germany RSVP: RMDH@awcberlin.org

Every quarter, we cook dinner for the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House Berlin (RMDH). The house provides housing for out of town parents of patients at the nearby Charité hospital. We go grocery shopping, cook and serve for sometimes up to 50 people. We look forward to seeing you there for this fun and worthwhile community service event. Volunteers should arrive around 6 and we will need some to stay until cleanup around 10. Thank you for bringing smiles to these families.  For more information click here to see this event in the AWC calendar.

Weekend Activities

Dining Out: Tapas  

Saturday, June 16th 7:00pm-9:00pm Location: AndaLucia Tapas Bar & Restaurant, Savignyplatz 2, 10623 Berlin  RSVP: diningout@awcberlin.org

It's Tapas Time! Join us at AndaLucia's in Charlottenburg, for Spanish treats like Patatas Bravas, Calamari, Chorizo, Paella, yum. Click here to find this event on the AWC calendar.

Independence Day BBQ €20

Saturday, June 30th 1:00pm-4:00pm Location: Segeler Club Gothia Bocksfeldstraße 21  Berlin, 13595 RSVP: rsvp@awcberlin.org

See featured event above.  Celebrate this quintessential American holiday with our BBQ buffet. The cost is 20 Euro per person (including water and filter coffee) and 10 Euro for children 5-16 years old. This year, we will be at the Sailing Club Gothia on the river Havel.  RSVP by June 25th! Click here to find details on the AWC calendar.

View the AWC June Calendar

FAWCO Update

AWC Berlin is hosting the FAWCO Youth Program - June 23-30, 2018.  This is open to youth 15-18 years old from FAWCO clubs around the world. The FAWCO Youth Program was launched in 2013 with the mission to promote cultural understanding and raise awareness of global issues in our youth and help them develop into responsible and caring global citizens.  If you are interested in hosting a home-stay or helping with the program, please email My-Linh at president@awcberlin.org. FAWCO publishes special interest bulletins. To subscribe, register on the FAWCO website at www.fawco.org and click "Subscribe" at the top of the website. Here are a few of the latest: FAWCO Human Rights Bulletin - May 2018 FAWCO Environment Bulletin - May 2018 FAWCO Education Bulletin - May 2018 Target Program Bulletin - May 2018 Connections - Letter from Headquarters - May 2018 FAWCO News-in-Brief - May 2018

Forward this newsletter to your friends in Berlin!