Dear {Contact_First_Name},
A very warm welcome to each one of you on the approach of Thanksgiving and the Christmas Season.
I am proud to be part of our club because so many great and friendly times are happening. What I’m most proud of, are the many new members signing up each month! As president, I am pleased to greet each one of you.
Have you seen all the wonderful events coming up?
The Angel Tree fund raising with lovely Christmas gifts to purchase accompanied with tea or wine and cheese at our board member, Cecile’s home, but also two exceptional Christmas markets in Cologne, not even mentioning our very popular Birthday parties, a new Hidden Brussels tour, neither forgetting the bowling nights, the monthly book club and our very first best cru wine tasting named “ Life is too short to drink bad wine”
So have a good look at our event calendar and if it’s not already done, register to all these fantastic events. We always have so much fun together!!
Wishing you a lovely Thanksgiving, a very Merry Christmas and on top of all a fantastic 2025 New Year with our so friendly American Women’s Club!
Much love to all, |
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Florence Jeannin President, AWCB |
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"Give thanks not only on Thanksgiving Day, but everyday of your life" - Catherine Pulsifer
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Angel Tree and the Season of Giving
By Melita Dawson-Campaignolle
Angel tree donations link here
Today I saw shopkeepers decorating their stores, the city workers were placing lights above the intersections and St. Nicolas chocolates and gift displays are prominent in all the stores. It’s beginning to look like Christmas! Yes, dear AWCB friends, the season of hope, joy, and giving is here!
I remember the exciting building up since the first weekend in Advent. As a little girl I watched films every Sunday night in anticipation for THE big day. ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer’, ‘A Christmas Carol’, and ‘The Grinch’, continue to be my favorites. They inspired me to be the best I could be and shared my joy with others through song or art.
These films continue to touch the souls of many because they represent the value of caring for family and community. They encourage us to think beyond ourselves and recognize those around us who might be struggling. Oasis, Le Cité Joyeuse, Maison de la Mere et de l’Enfant, and the Refugee center in Alsemberg are whose mission includes these same values. That is why AWCB continue to sponsor their St. Nicolas / Christmas celebrations.
I’m especially committed to the Angel Tree project because I grew up in a single-mother family without any connection to my father or grandparents or cousins. My mother was running from her own demons which caused us to uproot every two years. It was very challenging, but it was the generosity of the people in the small Iowa towns that allowed me to grow up feeling appreciated, accepted and able to imagine a future better than the existence I was born in to.
Small towns in Iowa operated as little villages. Everyone knew their neighbors and looked out for each other. I am who I am today because of the actions from my teachers and the different churches that gave my family food, sponsored me for Church Camp, gave me clothes, and encouraged me to believe that I was someone of value. I am grateful for my personal experience because it has given me the gift of empathy.
My Iowan upbringing has taught me that Christmas is the season of reaching out and helping disadvantaged families and children feel recognized, appreciated, and aspire towards a different future. I am very proud of my American culture and want to share it with other.
The AWCB operates as a little village. We support and care for our members as well as reaching out to the wider community by sponsoring these charities. The success of these charities depends on the generosity of clubs like ours. Unfortunately, the numbers of families in need are not decreasing.
I learned early in life that we might not get what we want, but also that getting what you need can be a challenge. Accepting to be the coordinator of The Angel Tree project is an opportunity for me to reach out to others and inspire them to contribute and validate the worthiness of those struggling around us and in need of Hope.
It is through your generous financial contributions that AWCB can continue to respect our commitment towards supporting the missions of these charities. We hope that our acts of kindness resonate in the hearts of the recipients and that as they age, they will be inspired to keep the actions moving forward.
Your contribution is a beacon of hope and encouragement to our future adults.
May your hearts be generously filled with love! |
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Update Lina's Project 2024
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In June we organized a fundraiser for Lina’s Project, named after AWCB member Nancy Evans’ daughter who passed away several years ago. This unique project sponsors summer activities for children living in extreme poverty in Brussels. We enjoyed a lovely luncheon, a silent auction and even a tombola. Everyone went home with a treasure of some kind, including Florence’s homemade jams and Marianne’s potholders, which were both very “hot items”. We raised 900€! This represented almost 20% of total costs for the year for Lina’s Project. Thanks to your donation, 56 children participated, including 3 children with special needs. We had a remarkable increase in thenumber of children participating in over-night camps taking place in the Ardennes, the Belgian coast and even a trip to Barcelona! 56 Happy Children (25 families) who participated: Saber(12), Chaddia (10), Grâce (9), Samira (15) Mohamed (13), Aya (11), Fatima Zora (6), Precious (4), Loic (12), Adossin (9), Synella (7), Exaucé (18), Lionel (13), Joyce (11), Ethan (7), Edward (15), Raphaella (12), Takwa (14), Houda (11), Salma (9), Wassim (19), Imane (16), Bilal (12), Doha (15), Mohamd (8), Lamia (12), Meriem (17) Mohamed (16),Hajar (14),Youcef(12), Othman (9), Nihal (14), Anfal (12, Wail (9), Youcef (8), Nour(5), Loubna (16), Jannat (6), Zefania (10), Makoumagbe (10), Fanta (9), Magbe (7), Abderrahmane (9), Yassine (7), Mohamed-Amine (14), Marwan (12), Mayssae (10), Valéria (11), Valentina (8), Aila (5), Camelia (7), Bilane (12), Jérémie (7), Younes (16), Safae (13), Marwa (7) Unforgettable memories were made, challenges were met, new skills developed, talents and new interests discovered, self-confidence built, new friendships blossomed and most important-the children had fun! You made it all possible through your generous donations! Thank you so much! � � �. Hope to see you next year. If you would like to receive a more detailed report including the specific activities offered to children, please contact me by email: nancy.evans737@gmail.com |
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Hearts for Hope Fundraiser by Kayali Lenssen, BIG Co-ordinator
Dear AWCB members, Hearts for Hope Participants, friends and family,
A BIG Thank You to each and every one of you who donated to the AWCB's Hearts for Hope Fundraiser! Our pillow makers were hard at work throughout out the month of October; together, we surpassed our fundraising goal and donated 900€ to BIG Against Breast Cancer. Because over 93% of the money raised for BIG goes directly to their clinical trials, we can be very proud of our results!
This generous donation will help fund studies such as the "Positive - BIG Time for Baby" study. 20% of women diagnosed with breast cancer are in their reproductive years. Today, 365 babies have been born to women who paused their endocrine treatment as a part of this study, and their three year relapse rate is similar to those who did not pause their treatment. Continued research is necessary, but these initial results are extremely encouraging.
Find out more about this and many other academic trials are ongoing through the global research and international collaboration within the BIG Against Breast Cancer network here.
Once again, AWCB members, family and friends have shown that we have a heart to help others, in more ways than one! |
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Selection of Special Upcoming Events
Its Thanksgiving and the run up to Christmas, so we have a PACKED agenda to share with you! All the details and booking info in the Events Agenda https://www.awcb.org/events |
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Bastogne Visit by Marriane Hubert
Next month Bastogne will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, one of the deadliest battle of WW2 for all armies involved.
AWCB organized a special two days visit in October in order to pay respect in memory of military and civils casualties.
Bastogne is only 2 hours away from Brussels and we all stayed at the Leo hotel, a landmark in the center of town.
The first day we visited the 101st Museum situated in the former Gestapo headquarters which displays an invaluable collection of authentic WW2 items as well as reconstitutions of realistic situations.
We also had a walking tour of the center of town: various monuments, General McAuliffe, General Patton, the Sherman tank, the Liberty Milestone 1147km (the first one is situated on Omaha Beach and symbolizes General Patton route). We also saw the Chiwi house (nurse in Band of Brothers, Spielberg) and the localisation of an AWCB member’s cousin house completely leveled on Christmas Eve 1944. There were several US casualties as her house had been requisitioned by the US army.
The group enjoyed a convivial dinner at our hotel with new AWCB member Meg Porter as well as WW2 author Isabelle Engels and her husband
The entire next day was dedicated to the new outstanding WarMuseum which is divided in 4 remarkable different sites.
1. The main museum with special effects war situations,
2. The Mardasson star shape monument with a crypte,
3. The I.T. WarRooms where MacAuliffe said “NUTS” and (1km away)
4. The Bois Jacques (fox holes) (4KM away)
That museum has also an excellent bookstore, souvenirs and a cafeteria
Next December 14/15 2024 weekend there will be HUGE commemorations in Bastogne with the last WW2 veterans still alive, the US ambassador, military officials and vehicles, reconstitutions, sight and sounds, etc |
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Recipe Corner - What's cooking today?
Ok, here is one of my favorite recipes to cook; great for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and actually any roast dinner! Kristen and the family LOVE these. - 2lb/500g new potatoes, quartered (do not skin!)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 tsp Mortons Kosher salt
Mix the potatoes and olive oil, then lay out flat on a shallow roasting pan (with baking paper underneath). Bake at 350F/175C for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Put back into the oven and cook until they are crisp and browned on the outside (about 40 minutes); they will be tender in the middle. Make sure to turn regularly! Remove and serve. Want something extra? Try adding a few small cloves of pealed garlic to the mix; it is SERIOUSLY worth it! TIP! Don't put gravy over them when serving, they will go soft. Put the gravy on the turkey and leave these poor potatoes alone; that way they stay AMAZING! |
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Dear FAWCO lovelies,
What a whirlwind it has been, traveling to all the Regionals this fall season! My heart is full from witnessing the incredible work you are doing in your regions. Whether near or far, traveling for a shared purpose is what FAWCO is all about! The sisterhood we share, and our collective care for what’s happening in the world, truly reflect the importance of our mission. It reminds us that the work we do is vital, our presence is valid, and our voices must continue to be heard!
As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s the perfect time to pause and give thanks for the connections we’ve built and the impact we’re making together. I am grateful for this incredible community and the opportunity to grow alongside you all.
I’d like to share a few thoughts I’ve picked up along the way. First and foremost, let kindness lead. Consider the impact of your words – not just what you say, but how you say it – and how they may affect the person next to you. Take a moment to reflect on the privilege of expressing your opinion. Ask yourself whether it will be received with understanding or potentially cause harm. Be open to the idea that others’ experiences and ideologies may differ from your own. And resist the urge to make assumptions based on appearances; values and beliefs often transcend what we see.
While we cannot control the actions of others, we can control how we respond and what energy we contribute to the world. In doing so, we create space for compassion, understanding and growth.
Above all, keep your heart open and your mind curious – always be learning.
Kanika Holloway FAWCO VP Membership |
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Thank you to our AWCB Sponsors! 🙏 |
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Your Logo Here?
Click here to learn more: https://www.awcb.org/Become-a-Sponsor
Our club needs a strong cash flow to support all of the social and philanthropical initiatives that we do. If you know of a business that might want to become a sponsor of the AWCB, then let us know at board@awcb.org and we will contact them. We are offering generous benefits for an annual rate of 300 Euros for non-members and 250 Euros for members. Thank you for referring sponsors and supporting your club! |
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AWCB Member Communications |
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Choose to enrich the club's philanthropic or social activities on offer, either one would be gratefully appreciated, and make new friends at the same time! It's your club, help us make it the most meaningful experience possible for you and other members! We always need help with communications, especially help in writing our newsletter, website updates, events planning and organization, and many other simple administrative and operational tasks - every little bit helps. Please contact us if you are interested. Thank you in advance and we look forward to hearing from you! |
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AWCB Member Directory
Have you met someone at a club and want to get in touch? Just log into our AWCB website and AWCB Community and then Member Directory and you can find the contact details of all members who have opted in to share their information. You must login to see information and you can change your own information and visibility by updating your profile. Please make sure your birthday is included in your profile so we can invite to our club birthday party events!
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AWCB Bulletin Board
While you are on the website, make sure you visit our Club Bulletin Board where you can announce something special, announce something for sale or to give away for free, mention an event you will go to, or ask for help or advice. Click here to see the AWCB Club Bulletin Board
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Get the App for our club calendar And view events on your phone! |
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