THE AMERICAN WOMEN’S ORGANIZATION OF MOSCOW
Newsletter APRIL 2020
#StayHome #StayConnected
Letter from the President Hello from afar, virtual hugs and kisses to my AWO family! These past weeks have been a life changer for many of us, not only here in Moscow but worldwide. We are going through a period in time in which we all have never experienced, where time seems to stand still, placing everything on hold and out of reach. This period of uncertainty has brought out emotions we never knew we had, mixed with fear, sadness and confusion. What good can ever come from such a gloomy time? Well maybe we are now teachers, homeschooling kids as schools are now closed. It’s difficult but it’s time spent with them that can never be replaced and a parent making an imprint on a child’s life. I can also attest to the fact that Homeschooling has sure tested and increased my patience level. You are probably cooking the most you have ever in your entire life! But somehow it seems like more fun, it’s a new chance given to try those recipes and prepare something new, taking us out of boring routine cooking. Viola!!! You are now a chef! But what about that special trip you had planned or that night out with friends, which now feels like a distant memory behind us. Well at the moment Mother Nature is healing and thanks us for the improved air quality, less pollution, trash and gas emissions. She thanks us for clean water which many areas haven’t seen for years, like the canals of Venice which have now allowed wildlife to once again return. And just like that we have contributed something positive to our earth, the home we have all been taking advantage of. I am not trying to diminish the pain and sadness brought on by this virus but instead trying to seek out the positive and making it now the focus. Staying healthy and safe is now our main priority. There is so much we can do from the constraints of our home. There is so much we can learn and now achieve, new and old goals that we never had time for are smiling at us. Time is now standing still giving us an opportunity to reflect and really live in the moment. We are all in this together and should continue to check in with each other. You are not alone, we are here for you and our Board has been sharing exceptional ideas and online interest groups to keep everyone busy and connected. So please utilize them, join us we would love to hear from you. Remember it’s all about perspective, attitude and time. And time for sure we now all have! See you online!
Michele
List of Contents:
14 Medical Care Help Lines 4
Notes from the Editor
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Events of the Month
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AWO Online Activities
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Green News
10 There and Back Again: No1 Boot Camp Review
12 Meme Picks of the Month
15 Movie Night Suggestions 16 List of Online Grocery Shops 17 News from FAWCO
21 Intermark Club Article 22 Special Offers for AWO Members 24 AWO 2019-2020 Board Members 25 Credits
Notes from the Editor This is the dawn of a new era. During the times of big changes, we must learn to stay calm, focus on our inner peace, meditate, and let our love-driven strength triumph over our fears of uncertainty. Yet again, the road to my inner journey is a little bumpy these days, as I’m slightly occupied with cooking, cleaning, solving elementary level math problems, more cooking, fixing computer bugs that magically appear when the homework needs to be uploaded to the school system, tidying up the kitchen counter over and over, feeding the dog, helping hubby getting used to home-office system, keeping the spirits up -‘cause that’s what mamas do, and more cooking, and more cleaning and... Don’t get me wrong. I’ve been managing my professional life in home-office mode for more than a decade. I’ve been practicing meditation for more than 12 years. I have a wonderful hobby that I can do at home. Eco-conscious approach had been in the mainstream of my life for many years. So it should have been easy. Right? Well, it’s not...
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Some days I start my daily routine with a very positive approach. Some days I find it hard to stay calm over a simple misunderstanding. I know that things will eventually get back to “normal”, an improved version of “normal” I hope, where we all start caring about the environment, the animal rights, and each other much more. Until then, I will keep on improving myself, learn to become more tolerant and maintain my razor sharp concentration skills. So this is me concentrating on the editorial notes about this issue. Where was I? Oh, yes... When your daily routine gives you cramps, try following a few of the activities that are listed in the following pages. When you feel down, call a friend or stay connected with our club via our Facebook group. Read about the “Inspiring Women in History” and what we have contributed to through our FAWCO activities. When you feel better, share your love and positivity with someone else. After all, we are all in this together. Love, Irem
Events of the Month: Performance: Cirque du Soleil “Cabinet of Curiosities” Enjoy a front-row seat to awe-inspiring moments of the largerthan-life shows of KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities, ‘’O’’, and LUZIA, with never-before seen angles that can only be experienced on your screen. Venue: Living Room Link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ5eUJNXrMw&feature=youtu.be
Exhibition: Louvre Museum “Egyptian Antiquities” Visit the museum's exhibition rooms and galleries, contemplate the façades of the Louvre. Our top pick is the Egyptian antiquities for this month. The exhibition includes collections from the Pharaonic period. Please note that the tour requires Flash Player application to open. Venue: Living Room, Study Link: musee.louvre.fr/visite-louvre/
index.html?defaultView=entresol.s489.p01&lang=ENG
Entertainment: Disney World Roller Coaster Rides Toy Story, Magic Kingdom, Mad Tea Party... Pick your favorite Disney theme park ride and hop on! Venue: Living Room, Bathroom (for underwater rides) Link: www.youtube.com/channel/UCYyJUEtYv-ZW7BgjhP3UbTg/ featured
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Performance: Bolshoi Theatre, until April 10, 2020 Bolshoi Theatre is streaming its favorite performances for a limited time on their youtube channel this month. All the broadcasts start at 7pm and are available for 24 hours only. So, save the date for your favorite shows! April 4: Marco Sprada April 7: Boris Godunov April 10: The Nutcracker Venue: Living Room (Dress code required: Smart Casual) Link: www.youtube.com/user/bolshoi
Mini Concert: Coldplay Coldplay’s Chris Martin live-streamed a mini concert while selfisolating from his home. He even took requests from commentators, and did a David Bowie cover. You can enjoy the full IGTV concert by clicking the link below. Venue: Various locations at home Link: www.instagram.com/tv/B90Ft_knpuT/?utm_source=ig_embed
Exhibition: Van Gogh Museum Although the museum is physically closed, the online museum brings Vincent van Gogh to us. If you click on the link below, you will find a selection of activities for kids, lessons for school children, a virtual tour, stories about the great artist’s life and work, and many more! Venue: Living Room, Study Link: vangoghmuseum.nl/en/whats-on/we-bring-the-museum-to-you
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AWO Online Activities: Movie Buffs. Watch the movie and then share your thoughts online with the group! We are starting with Marriage Story available on Netflix. Eugenie has also shared on Facebook some suggestions of good series to watch. Date: Started this past weekend! How: on our AWO Private Facebook Group, just reply to the post and join in the conversation! Cooking Club. The Cooking club will start our online Cooking club posting, and we'll be sharing recipes that we have been preparing at home. Date: Started March 30th. Online Fitness Group. Even though we are staying at home, let’s keep moving! Look for regular posts to give you new ideas and motivation! Date: Starts April 1 How: on our AWO Private Facebook Group; Just reply to the post with a comment (as simple as “Done!”) and/or photo to share . What: You won’t need any equipment--we will only use body weight, but will be utilising a Tabatastyle approach every so often. You can download a Tabata track with music and countdowns from iTunes and probably from other platforms. If you have dumbbells you can also use them with the exercises, but don’t feel you need to have them. Photography Challenge. Share your photos according to the topic of the day! This is open to all members to participate. Date: April 1-30 How: Just post directly into the private AWO Facebook group!
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Article Club. It’s all the fun of book club, with less time commitment! Read an article shared by the host and then meet online to discuss, with an optional glass of wine! The first article is: “The Confidence Gap” published in The Atlantic, by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman. Date: Thursday, April 9, 7:30-8:30 pm How: via Zoom; To join group, email Beth at beth_osowski@yahoo.com. Download Zoom at www.zoom.us/support/download Link to Article: https://www.theatlantic.com/ magazine/archive/2014/05/the-confidence-gap/ 359815/ Online Makeup Tutorials. Coming soon: online make-up tutorials from Kate, who is a Mary Kay representative. AWO Facebook Group Live Videos. Our talented Social Media chair Cindy Knight held our first Facebook Live Video last Wednesday evening! Look for future Live Videos where you can post comments and questions to the speaker.
If you have an idea of a way we can meet virtually or a new interest group to take online, please share it! Just let one of your AWO Board members know. Let’s use technology to make this time about “physical distancing” instead of social distancing -- and keep our social ties and friendships going strong. 8
Green News: by Masha Megrelis As we settle into a new routine of spending time at home, here are some book recommendations - all of them tackle pressing environmental issues. Plastic Free - How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too by Beth Terry Both a practical guide on how to reduce one use plastic in your life, and the story of the author’s awakening to the problem of plastic pollution.
The Food Revolution - How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World by John Robbins What we eat has a huge impact on the environment, and of course our health! For decades, Robbins has been on a mission to get Americans to understand this. His book is well written, well researched and may change the way you look at food forever. The Uninhabitable Earth Life After Warming by David Wallace Wells
The Story of Stuff - How Our Obsession with Stuff Is Trashing the Planet, Our Communities, and Our Health-and a Vision for Change by Annie Leonard This book explores in-depth our culture of overconsumption and why our current system of production is so bad for the environment. There is also a short documentary with the same name and a Facebook page with lots of useful information. Garbology - Our Dirty Love Affair with Trash by Edward Humes Who would have thought that a book about garbage could be so interesting? This book provides a fascinating look at what happens to our garbage - including what goes on in landfills and what happens with our recycling.
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This is a terrifying wake up call and shows us what life on earth will look like if major changes are not made now.
The Zero Waste Home - The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste by Bea Johnson Bea Johnson is the goddess of zero waste in America. Her story - how she and her family went from living a typical, middle class American life to one of pared down minimalism is an inspiration.
There and Back Again: No1 Boot Camp Review by Kelley Jackson
There is a great way to get away and focus on
yourself with a boot camp. I recently attended one for a week in Norfolk, UK at the beginning of March. It was a fantastic week that challenged me and got me to focus on myself and overall health. The place is called No1 Boot Camp and the website is no1bootcamp.com. It is a converted house and barn with a lot of open space near the coast in King’s Lynn in Norfolk. The trainers were great, as was the group of ladies that were fun to be around and at times supported and motivated each other. Make no mistake, it was hard! But at the end of each day you would feel great, tired and euphoric at the same time. A typical day would consist of a 7:00am start with mobility exercises, followed by our first session which changed daily. We then had breakfast, followed by session number 2. Around 11:00am we would
have a snack and then into session number 3. Lunch was always welcome and tasty and then session number 4 and another snack then we would end the day with a lovely hour and half walk.
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The food was prepared by a chef and was tailored to suit each person. We would have porridges with fruits or scrambled eggs, and we even had pancakes one morning. You never felt hungry and the meals were delicious. While I only stayed a week, there were a couple of ladies who were going to be there for over 4 weeks. You got to learn about various ways to exercise that you could take away with you and implement into your daily routine. It was a great way to re-tool your way of thinking and create a lifestyle change. I would highly recommend this for anyone, as there were different levels of physical ability there and an age range from about 25 to over 50. Starting with April 1st, I will be sharing some of the exercises and circuits on our private Facebook page for you to do along with me. All in all, I had a great time, worked hard, ate well and was able to spend time focusing on me.
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Meme Picks of the Month:
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Love and laughter - two of the strongest cures against many diseases and stress. As Coronavirus memes spread (and hopefully the disease not so much) we will be updating you with more of the funniest memes to help each other adjust to our new “normal�. Here are a few picks from the AWO Board:
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Medical Care Help Lines “In isolation you just lose the company but don't lose the purpose”. Amit Kalantri We haven’t lost our purpose at AWO and will continue to serve our members providing you with a friendly, fun and supportive environment even in times of social distancing. So we have been brainstorming, researching and collecting tons of information that we can all use to help us during this time. The resources listed are everything you need to know about what to do, who to call, where to shop, online stores, homeschooling activities, movies, new series etc . We hope you find this information resourceful and if you have anything you would like to share with us please feel free to post it on our Private Facebook page. Do you know how to call an ambulance in Russia? Or how about arrange a home visit with an Englishspeaking doctor? Do you know how to find out what options there are for the medical issue you are facing? With limited mobility, these questions are hitting a bit closer to home these days. Our team has been developing a medical tourism business over the past 8 months. With recent events, we expected to put the business on pause, but now, after some requests from fellow expats, we
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are making these contacts available to you. You will also see a chatbox feature on the site. You can fill in your medical inquiry and receive 3 options of doctors, within 5 minutes, in most cases. Because of the unprecedented situation we are all living through, we are rolling out the chatbox feature a bit earlier than we expected, so please let me know if you have any issues with it, and it will be functional from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., until further notice (there is a form on the site that will provide answers next day). http://www.trust-medical.ru/
Movie Ni̇ght Suggestions by Eugenie Kim When I was trying to compile a list of film recommendations, I would look inward and let my memory spark ideas. It's such an amazing medium, cinema makes thought evoking slices of life with such extensive human team work. Films have been a way of escapism for decades and in our current situation I find myself gravitating towards the need for feel good emotions. For me personally film is always about what I want to feel, sometimes a random emotion would trigger a memory of a film. Sometimes I feel a yearning for a fleeting memory of an emotion. So, I find myself wanting to watch a film like Interstellar, scenes from which have stayed with me for months, or World War Z because our current world makes me think of its plot. Not exactly feel good romcoms.
When we read a synopsis or watch a trailer we know if this is something that speaks to us. People have a vast array of tastes when it comes to creative content, especially in art, literature, film and TV. I am not imposing mine on you. The list below is just what came to me at the top of my head, there are so many wonderful films out there and different titles will resurface in my brain once in a while. I'll post them on our Facebook page and try to hit everyone's sweet spot. What I am feeling right now is mixed emotions. In no way are they negative because on a deeper level I am convinced that negativity, anger, superficial interaction, materialism and social isolation (not the kind we're forced into right now) but the lack of actual human connectedness is what got us into this mess in the first place. Be kind, rewind. In no particular order: The Descendants It's Complicated You've Got Mail Amelie The Intouchables Ford v Ferrari Captain Fantastic The Grand Budapest Hotel Silver Linings Playbook Carol Youth Whiplash While You Were Sleeping The Proposal Always Be My Maybe The Farewell Jojo Rabbit A Good Year Rocketman Goodbye Lenin One Fine Day My Big Fat Greek Wedding
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List of Grocery Stores you may use for Online Shopping As the Russian Government tightens the quarantine rules in Moscow, we wanted to share with you a list of online grocery stores that deliver to your doorstep. Tips for online shopping if you don’t speak Russian: 1 Use Google Chrome as your browser 2 Enter website address and when on the site page, google window will prompt for page translation. Click translate and the page will be in English. 3 If you receive the mobile number of the delivery person, try texting them if they call but you have trouble communicating.
Here are a few of the grocery stores for your consideration: 1. Good prices, but long delivery wait times. https://www.utkonos.ru/action. 2. Good Produce and Dairy. Quick Delivery time. https://vkusvill.ru/ 3. Good Produce and Dairy. Quick Delivery time. https://moscowfresh.ru/ https://www.auchan.ru/ https://www.okmarket.ru/en/ https://www.perekrestok.ru/ 4. Good selection of products. Doesn’t deliver everywhere due to high demand. https://av.ru/
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News from FAWCO by Annelize Smith
And one day she discovered that she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire, and that not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fear. - Mark Anthony, The Beautiful Truth
How the world can change in just a few days! With the shifting landscape of international health and travel advisories, FAWCO had to cancel our
The 2020-2022 FAWCO Target Project: Target 4.0 HEALTH - "Promoting Well-Being and Healthy Lives for Women and Girls" S.A.F.E. (Safe Alternatives for Female Genital Mutilation Elimination): A project of Hope for Girls and Women Tanzania - submitted by Jane Romain of the Munich International Women’s Club. Click here for the video presentation. * Fundraising towards this project will officially start on 21 March with a target of $142,062.96 to reach!
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scheduled Interim Meeting in Luxembourg that was supposed to take place during the week of 2022 March 2020. The last time an Interim Meeting was canceled was at the start of WW2, and that makes one realize how serious this health crisis is that the whole world is fighting. FAWCO has been working very hard behind the scenes to arrange and make all of the important announcements, which had to be planned for the meeting - and thereafter cancellation thereof too. The announcement of the new target project had to take place as well as the kick-off campaign starting to fundraise for this important health project. We are very excited to let everyone know that the project that got the most votes here in Moscow, also got the most votes all around the world! * 95% of funds will go to programs and services: i.e., psychosocial support, training, community outreach and education, Alternative Rites of Passage celebrations, safe haven, medical and healthcare. * 5% of funds will be used to monitor and evaluate programming through the 2-year period. Up to date, $17 816 has already been fundraised view the progress of the fundraising and how much each club has already contributed - click here: Club Donor Wall - Target Project: Health You may learn more about the organization by visiting the following resources: •Hope for Girls and Women Tanzania, •Trailer of the documentary In the Name of Your Daughter, •Join them on their Facebook page •Video providing more information on S.A.F.E
Anna Filosofova Born in 1835 into an aristocratic family, Anna Filosofova was one of Russia’s first women’s rights activists and a social philanthropist. Upon marrying into a family of country gentry, she grew aware of the mistreatment of serfs (indentured servants), in particular the frequent sexual exploitation of female serfs. As a result, she began to champion the rights of impoverished women. Recognising that education was a tool for empowerment, independence and financial betterment, Filosofova set about educating underprivileged women. In between all of her endeavors, she managed to raise six children as well. The most ambitious undertaking of Anna and her associates was, the promotion of education for women. In 1867 they sent a petition with four hundred signatures to Tsar Alexander II, asking permission to open the first higher education courses for women at Saint Petersburg State University. There was strong resistance from conservatives to the admission of women to the University, and they weren't supported by the Education Minister. Many female students went abroad in order to complete their education. In 1876 Anna was able to get official permission to open the first Russian women's university.
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Anna was known for her kindness and generosity, and she was often approached for help by the families of convicted and exiled revolutionaries. Her sympathies for these revolutionaries were unpopular with Russian officials. In 1879 she was exiled abroad for giving aid to revolutionary organisations, and only allowed to return in 1881. After the assassination of the Tsar in 1881, Anna, now known for her revolutionary sympathies, couldn't find supporters for further social projects. Her husband's official position was also weakened because of her revolutionary connections, and the family was forced to live more modestly. Anna returned to public life in the late 1880s and early 1890s when she began providing assistance for starving people in the Volga Region. In 1895 she founded and chaired the "Charity Association of Russian Women", a feminist organisation that was officially denominated a charity organisation because all forms of political activity were banned in Russia. The same year, a women's university of medicine was founded in Russia, and in 1904 women's university courses were again allowed outside of the capital. In connection with this, Filosofova was recognized by the Tsar for her work within the "Society for the Finance of Education courses for Women". In 1905, the universities of Russia were opened to women and the women's university courses were no longer necessary.
The same year, men were granted suffrage and political activity was permitted, after which the women's group presented their first demand for women suffrage. Anna was elected chairman of the International Council of Women in 1899. She also served as chairman of the first Russian women's congress in 1908. Anna's aims of unifying Russian women were unsuccessful, mostly due to the number of factions within the movement. After the congress, Anna and some of her associates received deprecating letters from the ultra-conservative Duma deputy. Anna made the letter public and took Purishkevich (the Duma deputy) to court, where he was sentenced to one month in jail. In 1908 Anna joined the Russian Theosophical Society, which she had helped to set up. In 1911 Russia celebrated the fiftieth jubilee of Anna's public activities, representing the progress and achievements of the women's movement in Russia. She died on March 17, 1912, in Saint Petersburg, and her funeral was attended by thousands of people. Sources for historical information: The Culture Trip: 11 of the Most Inspiring Woemn in Russian History Wikipedia: Anna Filosofova
Special edition of INSPIRING WOMAN : https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/ 63156432/inspiring-women-highlights-2019magazine
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Message from the US Liaison
Tax & Banking
US Citizenship
If you are a US citizen or resident alien, the rules for filing income, estate and gift tax returns and paying estimated taxes are generally the same whether you are in the United States or abroad. Your worldwide income is subject to US income tax, regardless of where you currently or generally reside. Important filing threshold information and deadlines have been posted on the FAWCO website.
As the coronavirus spreads, please be aware of international travel restrictions and precautions. Many countries are checking passports instead of letting residents/citizens re-enter their countries and travel destinations on their national identity cards. Immigration officers want to see where people have traveled. Travelers should be prepared for possible lines at immigration. The list of countries that are only allowing entry by passports is changing constantly, so it’s best to be prepared and assume that the passport will be checked. Also, be prepared that you may be detained in your destination of travel. Be sure to bring extra prescriptions, etc in case of delay.
US Voting The process of choosing state and national candidates to stand for election in November 2020 (actually October 2020 for most overseas voters) goes into full gear in March. If you have registered to vote in 2020 (and, in most states, declared a party affiliation), you will take part in this process. If you haven’t registered yet, what are you waiting for? Register today through FAWCO’s partner the US Vote Foundation. In most states, registering to vote, plus declaring affiliation with a political party allows you to vote in both the primary and the general election. (As usual with the US, there are exceptions: some states have open primaries, for example.) Registering for the Democrats Abroad primary, however, does not register you to vote in the general election. That is a separate process that you must also complete in order to vote in the general election.
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For more information please visit: US Issues Webpage
Read the full article here: https://intermarkclub.ru/quarantine/
intermarkclub.ru
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US Dental Care’s fully equipped mobile clinic DENTABUS allows you to get your dental treatments wherever and whenever that is convenient for you. If you are not comfortable with travelling to the city center, give us a call to get an appointment and let our dentists come to you! How does it work?
Book today:
+7 (495) 933-86-86 For more information: www.DENTABUS.com
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1- Give us a call to make an appointment 2- US Dental Care doctors will come wherever and whenever that is convenient for you. 3- The dental treatments will take place directly on board, as our mobile dental office is equipped with all the tools (including X-ray machine) necessary to carry out dental treatments of any complexity.
Maly Patriarshy Pereulok, 3 +7 495 650-3749 +7 906 780-9774 +7 906 780-7437
www.expatsalon.ru www.facebook.com/Expatsalon www.instagram.com/expatsalon
The Expat Salon offers 15% off for first time visitors and 10% discount for AWO members in following visits.
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AWO 2019 - 2020 Board Members:
Michele Kuhlen President
Kelley Jackson Special Events
Danielle Kuznetsov Salma Nurmohamed Vice President Secretary Spread Sunshine Coordinator
Irem Sunar Newsletter
Alla Anastos Membership
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Meg Aw Treasurer
Cindy Knight Social Media Website
Eugenie Kim Membership Chair
Beth Osowski Monday Updates
Annelize Smith FAWCO Representative
Photo Credits: Pages 5-6: mos.ru Editor: Irem Sunar Layout Design: Irem Sunar iremsunar.com
Proofreaders: Michele Kuhlen, Beth Osowski
