THE BEAR FACTS JANUARY 2021
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Dear {Contact_First_Name},
Happy New Year! The start of a new year is often a time for optimism and new beginnings. Despite the circumstances under which we welcome 2021, I, for one, believe that the start of this year should be no different. Ok, so maybe it’s best to be cautiously optimistic? Regardless, I’m looking forward to a fresh start and hoping for a year that is filled with new experiences, lots of laughter, and brighter days for all of us.
In December, we held our first-ever virtual Annual General Meeting during which we reflected on our Club year. If you were unable to attend, you can review our annual report here. We also elected our 2021 Board of Directors and selected our new 2021 local charity. Congratulations to Silvia Malo, Dawna Grand, Kathy Lyon and Twana Rhodes on their election to the Board! I’m grateful for the opportunity to be starting a second term as your President, and am eager to continue the work with this awesome and dedicated team of women. Congratulations also to Papatya, which our members selected as the local charity that the Club will support in 2021. We are excited to support this very worthy organization this year. You will be hearing much more about Papatya in the coming weeks and months, including how you can help. As we say goodbye to 2020, I would like to take a moment to say thanks. Thank you to the 2020 Board of Directors and Committee Chairs for all of their hard work and dedication in a most challenging year. Thank you again to our outgoing Treasurer Angela Andersen for all of her contributions to the Board over the last two-and-a-half years. Finally, a heartfelt thank you to our army of other volunteers in 2020, which includes not only those who led our regular activities, but also countless members who gave their time to offer virtual workshops and events. In a year when our entire life seemingly was online, we are grateful to those who lent their talents, skills and expertise to teach the rest of us a thing or two while allowing us to remain connected with one another.
The Club gets back in the swing of things this month with a number of our usual events, including our Monthly Membership Meetings where you can get club news and hear from a guest speaker. In the U.S., the month of January is recognized as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. At this month’s meeting, we are pleased to welcome as our guest speaker, Jade Keller of The Freedom Story, a nonprofit that aims to prevent child trafficking in Northern Thailand through education, resources and culturally relevant programs. Among other things, Jade will talk about what trafficking is and how it intersects with other societal concerns. I hope to see you on January 19, for this important discussion.
In the meantime, I wish you and your loved ones peace, joy and good health in the new year!
Cheers,
Shweta
Shweta Gupta
President, The American Women's Club of Berlin
president@awcberlin.org
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Heather Halbach Annie Loupy Alison Nowak
Theresa Power
We look forward to seeing you!
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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Without dedicated volunteers, there would be no AWC Berlin. From every activity to administrative function, there are members stepping up to make this club a rich social, cultural and philanthropic outlet for our 250+ members. If you'd like to nominate a member, please email newsletter@awcberlin.org. Thank You, Molly Brown!
Community outreach and connection with our Berlin community represents one of the foundations of AWC Berlin. Molly Brown, who joined the Club in 2014 as one of the original five members of the relaunched AWC Berlin, has served as our Director of Community Outreach, enabling numerous volunteer possibilities for our members. Molly’s passion for community service has been particularly evident in her work with the Berlin refugee community. She reached out to organizations and coordinated several opportunities for our members, including the “Aunties” teams for pregnant refugee women, English tutoring for students in the Wilkommen Klassen at JFKS, and the Teen Cooking Project at Kreuzberger Himmel.
Molly has offered her time to the Club in many other ways. For example, she has delivered creative writing workshops to club members and served as the Chair of the Nominations Committee. In June 2018, when the Club was the host of the FAWCO Youth Program, she set up a number of volunteer opportunities in Berlin for the youth participants. As if all of that was not enough, Molly twice staged and directed productions of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues in honor of V-Day for AWC Berlin and the larger Berlin community.
Molly’s commitment to volunteerism and community, and indeed to AWC Berlin, has inspired and enriched our Club. As she steps down from the role she has played for so many years, a heartfelt thank you to Molly Brown for all that she has done for AWC Berlin and the relationships she has fostered with our shared Berlin community.
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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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A warm CONGRATULATIONS to the members of the newly elected 2021 Board who begin their terms on January 1, 2021. Also, at our Annual General Meeting last month, we delivered our Annual Report to the membership, which you can review here.
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VOICE OF THE MEMBER SURVEY
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You will soon be receiving a special email with an invitation to take part in a 2021 "Voice of the Member" survey and we would sincerely appreciate your participation. The information you provide will be shared with the Board of Directors and will be used to develop strategies for club events and projects. Our goal is to hear what's important to you, and to take action to improve the American Women's Club of Berlin (AWC).
The survey is brief – it should take about 10-20 minutes - and will be 100% confidential. Please take the opportunity to tell us about your experience with the AWC in 2020 and what you would like to see in 2021. We are looking forward to receiving your feedback!
Thank you in advance for your input. Please reach out to any of the Board members should you have questions or concerns.
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MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MEETING Tuesday, January 19, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
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Join us for this month's Monthly Membership Meeting with guest speaker, Jade Keller. Jade is a Research Writer & Executive Editor for The Freedom Story, a nonprofit that aims to prevent child trafficking in Northern Thailand through education, resources and culturally relevant programs. In honor of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in January, Jade will talk about what child trafficking is, how it differs from abduction or illegal immigration, and how it intersects with other societal concerns.
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Announcing Our 2021 Local Charity: PAPATYA!
At last month's Annual General Meeting, you voted to support Papatya as our local charity for 2021. Papatya offers help and protection to girls and young women of migrant backgrounds who have fled their homes because of cultural and domestic conflicts and are now threatened by their families.
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Back in 2019, when our Club last selected a local charity, Papatya was the runner-up. This worthwhile organization again has sought our financial help for the continued renovation of the crisis shelter. The most urgent need is new flooring in the living room.
The girls and young women who come to Papatya are emotionally shaken and suffer from a feeling of insecurity. It is all the more important to offer them the most pleasant possible environment. We very much look forward to helping Papatya be able to make the much needed repairs and be able to offer such an environment.
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Education Awards and Development Grants. Applications for the FAWCO Foundation’s 2021 Education Awards and Development Grants are now available! For more information, including the awards available, how to apply and the timeline for applications, visit the FAWCO Foundation’s website here. The deadline for applications is January 27, 2021. If you apply, please contact Karen Castellon to get tips on an effective application and to obtain the required signatures from the Club. To learn more about FAWCO, or if you have any questions, contact Karen Castellon, our FAWCO Representative.
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AWC BERLIN & SOCIAL MEDIA
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Lunch & Learn: Art Object of the Month - Nefertiti Part II Wednesday, January 6, 12:30pm - 1:15pm Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)
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Join Dr. Frances Durocher each month to learn about some of the fantastic art objects in Berlin. The beautiful bust of Queen Nefertiti is one of the most famous icons of ancient Egypt. In Nefertiti Part II we will focus on its incredible discovery in 1912 by Ludwig Borchardt and the attendant Nefertiti fever following its display in Berlin, along with new research on the queen herself.
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Online Game & Trivia Night Thursday, January 7, 7:30pm - 8:15pm Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)
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Let's play! Join us to play trivia and other games online with each other. All you need is a laptop and phone. The game board will be projected on Zoom and you will answer via your phone to play along.
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Let's Dance! Saturday, January 9, 5:00pm Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)
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Each week we create a playlist then dance like no one is watching. That's because no one is watching. The earth has shut down for a second time and while we are waiting for our turn to vaccinate, why not have a giggle or two with friends.
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Qi Gong & Tai Chi
Sunday, January 10, 5:00pm - 5:30pm Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)
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Let's do some Matrix moves! Just a bunch of us putting on a video and moving, exercising and cultivating energy together for half an hour. We will alternate between Tai Chi and Qi Gong exercises throughout the weeks.
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German Conversation West Monday, January 11, 10:00am - 10:40am Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)
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Come join us for German conversation in a safe and judgment-free environment. We always have a good time! Usually we are joined by AWC Berlin members who are native German speakers.
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Evening Book Club: Trevor Noah Born a Crime Tuesday, January 12, 7:00pm - 9:00pm Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)
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From goodreads.com: "The memoir of one man's coming of age, set during the twilight of apartheid and the tumultuous days that followed. * * * Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that man's relationship with his fearless, rebellious and fervently religious mother -- his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life."
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Women's Salon: Desperately Seeking Sustainability -- for myself, and the planet Wednesday, January 13, 7:00pm - 8:00pm Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)
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Sustainability is about more than just protecting our planet. The practice of implementing habits and routines that are sustainable can also be applied to balancing career, family and self care. From a fast-paced agency career that took her from NYC to London and then to Berlin, to creating her own purpose-led business, Berlin-based sustainability consultant Meg Koch will share some of the insights and lessons she has learned along the way.
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German Conversation (Ost) Fridays, January 15, 22, 29, 10:00am - 11:30am Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)
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Are you a fear-rabbit (Angsthase) when it comes to speaking German? I know, know! Speaking German is no walk in the park (kein Ponyhof). But even if you only understand train station (nur Bahnhof verstehen), you'll love our conversation sessions. No judgement. Just a fun way to meet new people and catch up with old friends. We usually have a native speaker join us. All are welcome, whether you studied German, are a native speaker, or just wish to practice!
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Monthly Membership Meeting Tuesday, January 19, 7:00pm - 8:30pm Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)
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At this month's Monthly Membership Meeting, we are pleased to welcome Dr. Jade Keller, a Research Writer & Executive Editor for The Freedom Story, a nonprofit that aims to prevent child trafficking in Northern Thailand through education, resources and culturally relevant programs. Child trafficking is a global concern that has bubbled in and out of public consciousness over the past 20 years, and with it, several myths and stereotypes about it. In honor of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in January, we'll talk about what child trafficking is and how it differs from abduction or illegal immigration. We'll delve into who is most vulnerable to it, and how trafficking intersects with other societal concerns such as racism, gender-based violence, climate change, poverty, healthcare, and immigration. We'll also discuss the main forms of combating trafficking: prevention, intervention and aftercare.
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Artist Talk & Studio Tour with Kristy Kropat Thursday, January 21, 1:00pm - 2:00pm Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)
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Join us for a visit of her studio and a chat with our very own interior designer/pattern designer/engineer Kristy Kropat. Kristy will talk to us about her design, her process, and her inspiration, particularly her Berlin U-Bahn inspired series.
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Genre Book Club (SciFi & Fantasy) Wednesday, January 27, 3:00pm - 5:00pm Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)
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From goodreads.com: "This is the way the world ends. Again. Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find out that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze -- the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization's bedrock for a thousand years-- collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman's vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing enough ash to darken the sky for years. Or centuries."
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AWC BERLIN ONLINE AWC members can manage their account, access the membership directory and sign up for events by logging into their AWC member account. You can access your account from your smartphone via the Wild Apricot Mobile app, or simply by going on any computer with internet and visiting the "Members Login" area of the AWC Berlin website. Calendar and Event Registration As a reminder, AWC Berlin members must log in with a user name and password to access events on our calendar and register for them. So that we know to expect you, please remember to register for events you wish to attend.
IN THE MEMBERS ONLY AREA, you can:
- Register for and cancel events
- See your event registration
- Add events to personal calendar
- See who else is going
- Much more...
Step 1: Go to the AWC website and click "Members Login" (request new password from the website if needed). Manage your events from the calendar.
Step 2: You could also download the Wild Apricot Member app to your smartphone or tablet and use your website login on the app.
Step 3: Poke around and get familiar with the tools. See the Instruction Guide for detailed steps and pictures of set up and navigation. Currently, the event registration feature of the app is not available to Android users, but otherwise the app is fine for Android users. Questions? WA-Admin@awcberlin.org.
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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 authorized AWC Berlin events that are already listed on the AWC Calendar 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 send your question to facebookpolicy@awcberlin.org.
Thank you for your cooperation!
AWC Berlin Facebook Page | AWCB Website
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