AWC BERLIN NEWSLETTER

THE BEAR FACTS

DECEMBER 2020

Dear {Contact_First_Name},

It’s hard to believe, but we are nearing the end of the most extraordinary of years.  No one could have predicted the long and winding road that has been 2020, so I’m most definitely staying away from any predictions for 2021.  Instead, I'm going to pause, take in the holiday season that is upon us, and simply look forward to the promise of a new year. Although the pandemic is changing the look and feel of the season this year, it need not completely alter the spirit of it.  I hope that throughout this holiday season, you are able to find peace, joy, and the continued comfort of connection with your family and friends, as well as within our AWC Berlin community.

This month, join us for our most important membership event – our 2020 Annual General Meeting.  We’ll reflect back on this year that has been like no other and our resilience as a community.  More importantly, we will vote for our 2021 Board of Directors. 

This year’s AGM also will feature your vote for the 2021 Local Charity that the Club will support next year.  Our top two finalists – Papatya and the ReDI School of Digital Integration – are both incredibly admirable and worthwhile organizations, and you can learn more about both of them here.  After the business portion of the meeting, we have some lighthearted fun planned with our first ever “Ugly Sweater Contest.”  There is absolutely no pressure or obligation to participate in the contest, but if you’re up for it, join the AGM this year donning your ugliest (holiday) sweater!  

The Club has many other events coming up in the next couple of weeks, thanks to the tremendous work of our VP of Programming Dawna Grand and the support of our many wonderful event volunteers, so please check out our full list of December Events below.  Last but definitely not least, we continue our commitment to community outreach this month with a Food Drive (December 2-4) and a Second-Hand Collection (December 7-9), both of which will support Berliner Tafel e.V.  In November, we had the pleasure of hearing directly from Berliner Tafel and learning more about the organization in the process, and their work is truly inspiring. 

I wish you and your loved ones near and far a warm, peaceful and happy holiday season.  Stay safe, stay healthy and be well!

Warmest wishes,

Shweta

Shweta Gupta

President, The American Women's Club of Berlin

president@awcberlin.org

CLUB NEWS & HIGHLIGHTS

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Judith Fromm
Cavana Hazelton
Laura Maasry
Laura Moser
Valentina Tudisco

We invite you to join us this month for one or both of our new member welcome events: 

All members are invited to come meet new members and reconnect with ones you already know.

We look forward to seeing you!

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 

JOIN US on Wednesday, December 9, 7:30pm - 9:00pm

You are warmly invited to join us for AWC Berlin's 2020 Annual General Meeting (AGM) as we celebrate all that we have achieved together. But, more important, we need you!  We need you to decide which of the two remarkable local charity nominees we will support next year.  And we need you to elect a new Board of Directors, so that we can continue our work in 2021.

2020 Annual General Meeting Program and Agenda

7:30pm - 7:40pm -- Welcome attendees

7:40pm - 8:30pm -- Annual General Meeting and 2021 Board election

• 2020 Year in Review/Annual Report
  
• Election of 2021 Board of Directors 
  
• Vote on the 2021 Local Charity
  
• Discharge of the 2020 Board of Directors
  

8:30pm - 9:00pm -- Socializing and Ugly Sweater Contest (Optional)

If you are unable to attend the Annual General Meeting, but would like to vote for the 2021 Board of Directors, please sign up for the Absentee Ballot event.  An electronic ballot will be emailed to you on December 7, and will be active through December 8.

Come for Club Business and stay for the FUN and SOCIALIZING! 

This year we are pleased to announce that we are going to have an Ugly Sweater Contest as part of our AGM.  Wear your ugliest sweater (holiday or any old ugly sweater) to our meeting and try your chances at winning a fabulous prize!  Don't have an ugly sweater?  Join anyway!  

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, Angela Andersen! 

Angela Andersen joined AWC Berlin in 2018, and has been steadfastly serving on the Board of Directors as our esteemed Treasurer for the last two-and-a-half years.  Angela has always approached her role with strong conviction and her guidance for the Club, which is drawn from her years of experience with non-profits in Germany and the EU, has been invaluable.  Beyond her role on the Board, when coronavirus sent us online, Angela enthusiastically volunteered to create and host W.O.W. (Word of the Week). These sessions have always been filled with fun and intriguing nuggets of information to get us to better learn and appreciate German and Germany in a very unique way.  Not sure what to do about Wildschweine or the equally dangerous encounters on the S-Bahn?  Angela, with her quick wittedness, was a source of guidance for the German words we needed to know.  Angela thoughtfully crafts each one of these sessions with good humor and originality, and it is obvious that she pours so much of herself into them - and indeed, into the Club.  Thank you, Angela, for all that you do for AWC Berlin!

Nomination submitted by Shweta Gupta.

* * *

All of our events are volunteer driven and any member can lead an event. If you have an idea for any programming, or if you wish to host an event, please contact Dawna Grand, First Vice-President - Programming, at vp-programs@awcberlin.org.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

As we approach the holiday season, there are several opportunities for you to give back with our three community outreach projects.

For questions or more details, please contact Molly Brown at community@awcberlin.org.

*Christmas Angels

Thanks to the generous volunteers who've stepped up to be Christmas Angels this year. If you want to be on a waiting list to volunteer, in case someone drops out or more help is necessary, please contact Molly at community@awcberlin.org.

*AWC Food Drive

When: December 2 - 4, 9:00am - 3:00pm (drop off)

Where:  Laib und Seele at Berliner Tafel, Hall 1 at the Berliner Großmarkt, Beusselstraße 44 n-q, 10553

For more information, please click here.

*AWC Second Hand Collection

When: December 7 - 9, 12:00pm - 6:00pm

Where: Haltbar - Berliner Tafel's Second Hand Store, Pestalozzistraße 100, 10625

For more information, please click here.

AWC PHILANTHROPY

VOTE FOR THE 2021 LOCAL CHARITY!

In Spring 2020, we launched our search for a local Berlin charity that the Club will support in 2021.  The search began with our members, who nominated their favorite Berlin-based non-profit organization that focuses on women and/or children.  Each organization was visited by the Philanthropy Chair and a Board member, who then made recommendations of the two finalists to the Board of Directors.  The finalists are:

**Papatya

**ReDI School of Digital Integration

Our membership will vote and make the final selection at the Annual General Meeting on December 9, and the selected charity will be announced at the conclusion of the vote. 

Learn more about the top 2 finalists here before you cast your vote!

16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST 

GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

AWC Berlin has joined the UN’s international campaign to end gender-based violence, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, by highlighting issues and how we can make a difference in a new blog series. We began posting stories on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and will continue to post stories daily until December 10, Human Rights Day.

You can read all of the entries in this series in our Blog here.

VOICE OF THE MEMBER SURVEY
COMING SOON!!

In December, we're rolling out a "Voice of the Member" survey and we would sincerely appreciate your participation. You will receive an email inviting you to take part in the anonymous survey. 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.

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.

FAWCO UPDATE

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.  

FAWCO’s Inspiring Women Magazine - AWC Berlin is Represented Again!  

The most recent issue of Inspiring Women - "Sisters Act:  Women in Drama" - features THREE of our members, each of whom talks about their individual journeys in drama.  Verónica Isola, who also is featured on the cover, recounts her story in a piece titled "We are Such Stuff as Dreams Are Made On."  Yollette Thomas-Wunder talks about her journey in "Breaking Stereotypes One At A Time."  And in "Producing Theater for Social Change," Molly Moylan Brown recounts how she staged and directed productions of Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues in honor of V-Day for AWC Berlin and the larger Berlin community.  Each of these women and their stories truly are inspiring.  You can read their stories and much more in the latest issue here.

Congratulations, Verónica, Yollette and Molly, on each of your features!

*Did you know you can sign up to receive Inspiring Women directly to your email inbox?  If you are interested in receiving this publication, or any FAWCO publications, sign up!

AWC BERLIN & SOCIAL MEDIA

Besides the private AWC Members Only group, did you know we have 2 private sub-groups on Facebook?  Click the links below and ask to JOIN. 

**AWC Berlin Second-Hand Postings (to buy, sell or swap):  https://www.facebook.com/groups/653200785262766 

**Bookmarked in Berlin (for book lovers to share and discuss their favorite reads): https://www.facebook.com/groups/302249127866608 

Also, come “like” our public Facebook page and follow us on Instagram @awcberlin!

AWC ONLINE:  CALENDAR AND EVENT REGISTRATION

AWC Berlin members must log in with a user name and password to access events on our calendar and register for them. You can do this 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.

As always, so that we know to expect you, please remember to register for all events either through the AWC website or the Wild Apricot Member app (for iPhone users only). 

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 iPhone or Android device 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. The event registration feature of the app is not available to Android users yet (but we're working on it!). Android users can register via the Members only section of the website instead. Questions? WA-Admin@awcberlin.org.

DECEMBER EVENTS

New Member Coffee & Welcome
Tuesday, Dec. 1, 10:00am - 11:00am 
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

Let's get together to meet each other with a cup of coffee! We are looking forward to meeting all of our new members in (Zoom) person and to share some simple information about the Club's functioning and some of our upcoming events.

Literature Book Club
Tuesday, Dec. 1, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

This month's selection is Every Man Dies Alone (also known as Alone in Berlin), by Hans Fallada.

From Goodreads: "Inspired by a true story, Hans Fallada's Alone in Berlin is the gripping tale of an ordinary man's determination to defy the tyranny of Nazi rule. Berlin, 1940, and the city is filled with fear. At the house on 55 Jablonski Strasse, its various occupants try to live under Nazi rule in their different ways: the bullying Hitler loyalists the Persickes, the retired judge Fromm and the unassuming couple Otto and Anna Quangel. Then the Quangels receive the news that their beloved son has been killed fighting in France. Shocked out of their quiet existence, they begin a silent campaign of defiance, and a deadly game of cat and mouse develops between the Quangels and the ambitious Gestapo inspector Escherich."  

Drink-Think-Drink
Tuesday, Dec. 1, 8:00pm - 9:30pm 
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

Drink-Think-Drink is like a book club, but for podcasts. Each month, participants will listen to a pre-selected podcast ahead of the meeting. During the meeting, we'll discuss the podcast while enjoying a glass of wine, cup of tea, or whatever you like. Podcasts are a great way to be exposed to different topics and voices, and are typically less than an hour long.

This month's selection is "Beyond Doomscrolling," an episode from the podcast Hidden Brain.

Lunch & Learn: Art Object of the Month
Wednesday, Dec. 2, 12:30pm - 1:15pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

Join Dr. Frances Durocher each month to learn about some of the fantastic art objects in Berlin! In December, we will discuss the life of one of Egypt's most fascinating queens, Nefertiti, looking at the House Altar. The altar, created around 1345 BCE from limestone, depicts Nefertiti, her husband King Akhenaten, and their three daughters under the solar disc of Aten.

Artist Talk & Virtual Studio Tour with Caty Forden
Thursday, Dec. 3, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

Join us for a virtual tour of her studio and a chat with artist Caty Forden, former member of AWC Berlin.  Caty is a prolific artist who says "learning about the dramatic urban challenges and transformation facing Berlin and its growing population goes hand in hand with my personal need to understand though my art, my place in this city."

Education Awards: Learn More With Your FAWCO Rep
Thursday, Dec. 3, 7:00pm - 7:45pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

Are you going back to school? Do you have a child in university? Come learn more about applying for an Education Award sponsored by the FAWCO Foundation. AWC Berlin's FAWCO Representative, Karen Castellon, will share some tips that will help you apply for these $4,000 awards.

German Conversation (Ost)
Fridays, Dec. 4 and Dec. 11, 10:00am - 11:30am
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

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!

New Member Wine Evening & Welcome
Friday, Dec. 4, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

Let's get together to meet each other with a glass of wine (or your preferred beverage)! We are looking forward to meeting all of our new members in (Zoom) person and to share some simple information about the club's functioning and some of our upcoming events.

German Conversation (West)
Mondays, Dec. 7 and 14, 10:00am - 10:40am
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

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. 

Online Game & Trivia Night
Monday, Dec. 7, 7:30pm - 8:30pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

Let's play! Join us to play trivia and other games online with each other. All you need is your laptop and phone. The game board will be projected on Zoom and you will answer via your phone to play along. We hope you will join us -- the more the merrier!

Genre Book Club (SciFi & Fantasy)
Wednesday, Dec. 9, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

December's selection is This is How You Lose the Time War, by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone.
From Goodreads: "Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future. Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There's still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war."

Annual General Meeting
Wednesday, Dec. 9, 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

Please join us for AWC Berlin's 2020 Annual General Meeting, where we'll celebrate our members and all that we've done together this year. We'll vote for our next local charity, and vote for the AWC Berlin's 2021 Board of Directors. We'll also have an ugly sweater contest!

Reading of the Declaration of Human Rights
Thursday, Dec. 10, 8:00pm - 9:00pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

A group reading of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a great way to commemorate Human Rights Day, which is celebrated on Dec. 10 around the world. You are welcome to read a section or simply listen in, via Zoom. Children and other family members are also welcome to read as well.

Artist Talk & Virtual Studio Tour with Beate Tenberg-Spang
Friday, Dec. 11, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

Join us for a virtual visit of her studio and a chat with our very own ceramics artist Beate Tenberg-Spang. Beate will talk to us about her art, her process and her inspiration.

Cooking Club: Pavlova Roll and Winter Salads
Monday, Dec. 14, 6:30pm - 8:00pm (tentative; date/time to be confirmed)

Zoom (details and registration in Wild Apricot available soon)

Join Chef Nicky Thomas for a special Christmas-time edition of the Cooking Club, where she'll teach us how to make a traditional pavlova roll for your holiday feasts. She'll also showcase a few healthy winter salads to energize us in the colder days ahead.

Daytime Book Club
Tuesday, Dec. 15, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link)

This month's selection is The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates.

From Goodreads: "Young Hiram Walker was born into bondage. When his mother was sold away, Hiram was robbed of all memory of her -- but was gifted with a mysterious power. Years later, when Hiram almost drowns in a river, that same power saves his life. This brush with death brings an urgency in Hiram and a daring scheme: to escape from the only home he's ever known." 

HOW TO AWC BERLIN

AWC ONLINE

AWC members can manage their account, access the membership directory and sign up for events by logging into their AWC member account, either through the AWC website or mobile app. 

BENEFITS

• Register for and cancel events
• See your event registration
• Add events to personal calendar
• See who else is going
• Much more...

Step 1: log into the AWC website (request new password from the website if needed). Manage your events from the calendar.

Step 2: Download the Wild Apricot Member app and use your website email/login.

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.

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