THE BEAR FACTS NOVEMBER 2020 |
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Dear {Contact_First_Name},
This month, many of us celebrate American Thanksgiving. The holiday remains one of my favorites because it adopts a truly universal concept that transcends cultures and countries – that idea of sitting around a table and sharing a meal with others as we give thanks. My parents emigrated to the United States knowing nothing about the holiday, yet I don’t remember a time when we didn’t share a special meal for it. And even though our extended family was on the other side of the world, we gathered at the Thanksgiving table with friends in our immigrant community.
Though the pandemic does not allow us to gather and celebrate this tradition in the same way this year, perhaps it does allow us to focus better on all for which we are grateful. To this end, I encourage you to join in our “Notes of Thanks” project, and share what you are most thankful for in this most extraordinary year.
The news of the impending “partial lockdown” is undoubtedly disheartening. But it is my continued hope that the Club can provide you with a sense of connection and community. As we have done throughout much of this year, we will offer our programming virtually. Though “Zoom fatigue” is real, I believe that the power of community and social connection – even virtually – can only strengthen us. We are always looking for new and different ways to engage with you in our virtual world to keep it interesting, so if you have an idea for an activity that you would like to share – or better yet, lead – please let us know!
We have other opportunities for you to stay connected with the Club and also get involved. Read our very active Blog, where our latest series is “Diversity Matters.” The series focuses on stories by Black women and women of Color who are engaged in anti-racist and social justice projects to inspire both reflection and action. You can also get involved with the Club’s participation in the UN’s international 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Or maybe you would prefer to give back to our community through our community service project in collaboration with Agape and Leben Lernen, e.V.
There is so much more news you can use in this Newsletter, especially on FAWCO, so I encourage you to read all the way to the end. Please also keep an eye on your weekly “What’s On” emails and check the calendar regularly to get the latest news and activities.
As we collectively navigate this next wave of restrictions, I wish you and your loved ones continued good health and wellness. Stay safe and be well!
Warmest regards,
Shweta
Shweta Gupta
President, The American Women's Club of Berlin
president@awcberlin.org
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Mary Ellen Brennan
Sophia Gilmore Maurer
Gillian Hargreaves
Qi Hu
We look forward to seeing you! |
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SAVE THE DATE!
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Please mark your calendars and save the date for AWC Berlin's Annual General Meeting, which will be held virtually on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 in the evening (time TBA). You will receive all of the details, including the proposed agenda, at a later date. We hope to see 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, Ferah Laue!
Many of AWC Berlin’s volunteers donate their time to the Club simply by doing what they love and sharing it with our members. Ferah Laue, who has been a member since 2017, is one such volunteer. Motivated by her love for the sport of Tennis, Ferah volunteered to coordinate a Tennis activity for the Club. From finding interested players to coordinating dates and times to play, Ferah has done it all with the Tennis activity. She coordinates the activity year-round for all levels of Tennis enthusiasts. Beyond Tennis, Ferah also volunteered her time this summer to the Club’s Summer of Fun-Raising initiative - this time motivated by her love for cooking. She donated FOUR workshops to our SFR campaign. Broadcast from the beautiful kitchen of her home Creperie restaurant, she enthusiastically taught participants how to make delicious creations from scratch, which included pogacha, torte, quiches and crepes. Thank you, Ferah, for sharing what you love with the Club!
Nomination submitted by Stephanie Biery.
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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. |
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Every Thanksgiving, AWC Berlin members gather around the table, each of us sharing what we’re thankful for. This year, separated as we are by the pandemic, we still want to continue the tradition of sharing our notes of thanks.
To this end, we invite you to tell us what you are thankful for this year here. We will post our members’ thoughts throughout the month of November on our social media pages. For more information or questions, contact My-Linh at PR@awcberlin.org. HAPPY THANKSGIVING! |
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16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CALL FOR STORIES AWC Berlin is joining 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. Starting on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and ending on December 10, Human Rights Day, we’ll post stories daily. To find out more and how to contribute, contact blog@awcberlin.org. |
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Seeking approximately 35 CHRISTMAS ANGEL VOLUNTEERS for our fourth annual collaboration with Agape and Leben Lernen e.V.
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As a volunteer, you will be given a handwritten letter from one of the young women at one of Leben Lernen’s mother-child facilities for whom you (perhaps partnering with your daughter) will prepare a Xmas shoebox. These are vulnerable, often physically and emotionally traumatized young women with young children, who have found refuge in a facility that provides support in the areas of education and training as well as counseling to help the women regain the health, confidence, and practical skills to re-enter society. To learn more or to participate, please contact Molly Brown at community@awcberlin.org. |
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Lissa Rosenbloom, who previously served on the AWC Berlin Board as 1st VP for Programming, has graciously volunteered to step into the philanthropy role for the Club. A big heartfelt THANK YOU to Stephanie Biery for her warmth, energy, and tireless dedication to the Club.
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2021 Local Charity Selection
The selection process continues for the local charity that AWC Berlin will support in 2021. The Local Charity Selection Committee has been hard at work meeting with each of the incredibly impressive nominated charities. We will soon announce the top two finalists. It will then be up to you, our members, to cast the final vote on which charity the Club will support. Please watch your email inboxes for more information!
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FAWCO Virtual OPEN Regional Meeting is November 6-8, 2020. AWC Berlin members are invited to attend. Live programming is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, but you are welcome to pop in anytime to explore the conference site, visit the Expo booths and interact with the different Sessions. For more information and to register, please click here. 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. *In the past 2 years, AWC Berlin has had two members receive Education Awards: Kristin Bayer (2020) and Maya Guice (2019). *For the first time ever, AWC Berlin is a sponsor of an Education Award! The Club is sponsoring, in memory of AWC Member Rhonda Staudt, the Women in Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine Education Award.
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). AWC Berlin participated in FAWCO’s SDG Photo Project. Over the course of 17 weeks, our members highlighted one of the 17 SDGs. If you missed our Club’s participation in the SDG Photo Project, you can check out all of the posts here. Thank you to all of our members who participated! FAWCO Youth. FAWCO has launched a new program specially for young adults (ages 15-25) — the Global Issues FAWCO Youth Group. The group meets monthly to learn about and discuss global issues. Youth who are members themselves or children of members are all welcome to attend. To learn more, please contact Mary Dobrian, VP of Global Issues for FAWCO, at globalissuesyouth@fawco.org. FAWCO’s Inspiring Women Magazine - AWC Berlin is Represented! Inspiring Women is FAWCO's quarterly magazine. The last two issues have featured members from our very own AWC Berlin! The Summer Issue of Inspiring Women - "FAWCO Women: Isolating Apart Learning Together" - focused on COVID-19. In the feature titled "'Quaranteaching' in Germany," AWC Berlin Member Katja Malinowski talks about teaching during the pandemic at an international school here in Berlin. The Fall Issue of Inspiring Women - “Visualizing A Point Of View” - focuses on women & photography. This issue has features on TWO of our members! In "The World Through Their Lens," My-Linh Kunst profiles female photographers she admires. In "I Am a Phoneographer," Karen Axelrad talks about taking her beautiful photos with her iPhone and her favorite apps. Congratulations, Katja, My-Linh and Karen, on your fabulous features! You can read those features and the entire Summer Issue here and the Fall Issue here. *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!
To learn more about FAWCO, or if you have any questions, contact Karen Castellon, our FAWCO Representative. |
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The Berlin Americana Blog
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Read Our Newest Blog Series: Diversity Matters
To deepen our engagement with anti-racism projects and foster inclusion within our Club, we are launching a new blog series, “Diversity Matters,” this month. We were inspired by recent FAWCO events, “The Anti-Racist Global Citizen”© and the “Women Speak Up Against Racism Workshop,” to share stories by Black women and women of Color who are engaged in anti-racist and social justice projects, stories to inspire both reflection and action.
Our first contributor, Bayo Callender, is an international human rights attorney and inclusion practice expert whose article introduces us to The Anti-Racist Global Citizen,© the organization she founded that draws on the expertise of a team of professionals and activists to guide individuals and organizations in implementing sustainable anti-racist practice and engagement. If you would like to learn more about the Blog, please contact the Blog Team at blog@awcberlin.org. |
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CALL FOR 2021 AWC BERLIN BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOMINATIONS
REMINDER: We will be electing a new Board of Directors at our Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, December 9, 2020. All of the details regarding the meeting, including whether it will be virtual, will be provided at a later date.
The Nominations Committee for the 2021 AWC Berlin Board of Directors includes Karen Castellon, Maya Guice, Janel Schermerhorn, and Claudia Tessier (Chair). The Committee's task is to prepare a slate of officers for the positions to be filled: President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer
If you are interested in being considered for the 2021 Board of Directors or recommending potential nominees to the Nominating Committee, please contact the Chair at nominating@awcberlin.org.
Note: Per the Club’s Bylaws, independent nominations, with the consent of the nominee, may be made in writing by 20% of the voting members (48 Regular and Associate Members) by November 18, 2020 (i.e., three weeks prior to the election meeting). |
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AWC BERLIN & SOCIAL MEDIA |
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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.
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German Conversation (West)
Mondays, Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 10:00am - 10:40am
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link) |
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Come and 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. Questions? Email german@awcberlin.org. |
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German Conversation (Ost)
Fridays, Nov. 6, 13, 20, 27, 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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Evening Book Club
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link) |
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This month´s selection is The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, by Rachel Joyce. From Goodreads: "Meet Harold Fry, recently retired. He lives in a small English village with his wife, Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does, even down to how he butters his toast. Little differentiates one day from the next. Then one morning the mail arrives, and within the stack of quotidian minutiae is a letter addressed to Harold in a shaky scrawl from a woman he hasn´t seen or heard from in twenty years. Queenie Hennessy is in hospice and is writing to say goodbye. Harold pens a quick reply and, leaving Maureen to her chores, heads to the corner mailbox. But then, as happens in the very best works of fiction, Harold has a chance encounter, one that convinces him that he absolutely must deliver his message to Queenie in person. And thus begins the unlikely pilgrimage. |
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Lunch & Learn: Art Object of the Month
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 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! This month's focus is The Mshatta Palace Facade. The ornate facade of the Mshatta (Winter Palace) dates back to the year 743, and is one of the highlights of the Museum for Islamic Art in the Pergamon Museum. The facade's decorative carvings are characteristic of early Islamic art, which blended pictorial motifs from various neighboring cultures. In 1903 it came to Berlin as a gift from the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II to Kaiser Wilhelm II, and has since been rebuilt three times, most recently after damage from a WWII allied bomb. |
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Kaffee Klatsch
Friday, Nov. 6, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link) |
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Kaffee Klatsch is our monthly Coffee Chat. Stop by to connect, catch up with old friends and make new ones. |
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Lunch & Learn: Hiking the Camino de Santiago
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 12:00pm - 12:45pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link) |
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Have you ever considered hiking on the Camino de Santiago in Spain? Either alone or with a friend? In this session, Karen Castellon will provide an overview of the Camino, its paths, a few logistics, brief background, and whatever sparks your curiosity or interest in a multi-day hiking adventure. |
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Lunch & Learn: Stylish with Olga: Women. Style. Sustainability
Monday, Nov. 16, 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Zoom (see registration confirmation email for link) |
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Olga Johnston Antonova is an eco stylist, sustainable fashion expert, and art historian devoted to researching the future of fashion. Join Olga to learn about Marlene Dietrich, a famous Berlin born style icon and a fashion and film star. We will follow trends that she inspired and will learn how to apply them to our own wardrobes. As she believes fashion is a tool for changing the world into a more sustainable and beautiful place, Olga will touch on the issues of sustainability in fashion and emphasize that having a strong individual style is the key to a sustainable wardrobe. |
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Genre Book Club (Romance)
Wednesday Nov. 18, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Virtual (see registration confirmation email for link) |
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An Extraordinary Union, by Alyssa Cole. From Goodreads: "As the Civil War rages between the states, a courageous pair of spies plunge fearlessly into a maelstrom of ignorance, deceit, and danger, combining their unique skills to alter the course of history and break the chains of the past." |
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Cooking Club with Nicky Thomas: Jordanian Meatballs
Monday, Nov. 30, 6:30pm - 8:15pm
Zoom (meeting details and registration in Wild Apricot available soon) |
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Join Chef Nicky Thomas from your own kitchen to learn how to make authentic Jordanian meatballs. Nicky will coach you through the steps to prepare and cook the meal, which can be prepped ahead then cooked the next day or easily frozen. And thanks to the magic of Zoom meetings she´ll be right beside you virtually to troubleshoot and answer questions along the way.
An ingredient list, which should not cost more than 10 euros, and some shops she recommends to find everything, will be provided in your event confirmation and reminder emails. |
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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. |
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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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