Carla Scearce, A LEADER, A DOER, A FRIEND…1972-2012

Carla Scearce A LEADER, A DOER, A FRIEND… 1972-2012

We came up with the idea of creating this booklet in the wake of Carla’s passing as a means of conveying to her family the memories expressed by many of her friends at the World Bank Family Network (WBFN) and the Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund (MMMF).

As we worked on gathering the contents for this booklet about Carla and sifted through many historical documents and photos to illustrate her contributions over the past forty plus years, we realized how even more creative and widely influential Carla had been. We found her imprint in an incredibly wide range of activities and realized that to cover everything would go beyond the scope of this booklet. We have thus selected just a few examples, which we think describe how she has helped to set the cornerstones of both organizations. New members and volunteers have continued, and will continue, to build on Carla’s foundations for the benefit of the WBG community and women and children in the developing world.

Thank you, Carla!

Gilda Dadush and Louise Shimizu

To Carla’s Family, The many members of the World Bank Family Network and the Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund expressed the experiences and memories they shared with Carla. Louise Shimizu and Gilda Dadush had the idea of compiling a tribute to Carla for her family.

We hope you will be comforted hearing in her friends’ own words their relationship, respect and appreciation of how she bonded to their lives. Her creative ideas and fundraising resulted in a legacy of education for women from developing countries and contributed to changing the world one grant at a time.

Joanne Garrity

Car la Carla was special—indeed, she was a very special person, a special lady. I got to know Carla when my husband joined the World Bank Group in 1999 and we moved to Washington. In no time I was recruited to work for the Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund, a tongue-twisting name for a scholarship fund for women from developing countries, where Carla had been intricately involved from the very beginning in the 1980s. In order to fundraise, it was her idea to hold an annual bazaar where crafts were sold that had been made by artistic spouses. As the chair of the bazaar, which later came to be called the International Arts and Crafts Fair, she not only recruited and inspired the countless volunteers to put in many hours of work and effort, but she also succeeded to raise the profile of the organization within the World Bank. Her Italian charm and her keen business sense were her strong allies. She was instrumental in choosing vendors who offered attractive merchandise from all over the world. The Fair became the place to shop for exceptional gifts. Thus it became the core fundraising activity for the Fund.

Over the years, Carla became a good friend. We both came from countries where volunteering is not as valued as it is in this country nor are there many opportunities to do so. We both had lived through the Second World War and the aftermath—after all our two countries, Italy and Germany, lost the war—we had experienced poverty and hardship and survived internment camps. We both kept reiterating how fortunate and privileged we were to be able to help others who are in a far different position, especially women and children in developing countries. We both embraced our adopted country with all the opportunities it offered. We both never lost our accent.

Carla cherished relationships. Her friends were of all ages and came from diverse cultural backgrounds. As one friend said: “You could have a lousy day, but when you called Carla at the end of the day, she would cheer you up and make you feel better.” She cared deeply for her friends and gave a helping hand wherever and whenever it was needed. Carla knew what it meant to be lonely in a new country. Thus, she took it into her hands to organize weekend trips for World Bank spouses whose husbands were on overseas missions for weeks on end.

Carla was Italian by birth. She had this special flair and temperament that distinguish Italian women from all others. Always elegantly dressed she knew how to put an outfit together. When I needed a dress for our son’s wedding 10 years ago, I asked her to choose it with me. Needless to say, the dress was a big success. Elegant as she was, she always wore the right colors to be noticed and noticed Carla was.

Carla always spoke her mind and she always had a strong opinion, yet she was respected by everyone she worked with for her honesty and integrity. When asking her for advice she spoke from her heart. I once complained that my husband had retired but was taking on too many new tasks. She answered: “Let him do it, because if he gets bored, he will try being helpful around the house. In no time he will start making the bed with you still in it.”

Carla never seemed to age, always taking on new projects. She was working for others to the very

end. Although suffering from arthritis, we still saw her knitting hats and scarves for babies for needy families.

Carla stayed Italian, as I stayed German. She enjoyed speaking her native tongue when she and Joe spent summers in Italy. There was Italian furniture in her house and she served cotechino with lentils during the Christmas season.

There was always a good espresso or cappuccino to be had at her house. When flying to Italy, however, they chose Lufthansa over Al Italia.

Carla took care of her small front yard. She gave me once two small plants that flower in spring and provide a beautiful ground cover. When we moved to Maryland’s Eastern Shore after my husband’s retirement five years ago, I planted those outside our house. Over the years they have grown and are covering a large area. These small plants with their lovely blue spring flowers will always remind me of Carla—in all her volunteer work she started small, but with her energy and commitment it grew and became a large enterprise—this was true for the innumerable volunteer initiatives she started, including the UNICEF card sales and the Arts and Crafts Fair, just to mention the two. Carla, I will miss you, we will all miss you. With your presence and endeavors you made the world a better place.

Hanna Woike

Note: Hanna Woicke wrote this Eulogy and delivered it at the October 2, 2012 Memorial Service for Carla held at the Catholic Church of the Little Flower in Bethesda, MD.

SHARING MEMORIES When I recall all the activities and contributions of Carla to our international community, it is a long and impressive record. She touched so many people’s lives, either personally or through her outstanding volunteer work. Truly her thoughtful outreach to WBG wives, her compassion and good humor, her fearless initiative and dedication remain inspiring. UNICEF, WIVES-WBVS-WBFN, MMMF all benefited tremendously from her generosity of spirit and energy.

Imagine all the MMMF recipients—from day one—who have been helped by Carla’s persistence and vision in developing the MMMF Fair with its proceeds. I think it is a most fitting tribute to honor Carla at this year’s MMMF Fair. When one reflects on the role of the volunteer and what a volunteer can accomplish, Carla’s life set an example for us all.

Lois Khairallah

Elaine Wolfensohn and Hada Zaidan recognizing Aida Habib, Ruby Wingate and Carla Scearce for the longest continuous period of active participation in WBVS – May 1997

We have been living in Northern California for almost a year now, and I last spoke to her on the phone a few months before we left. She brought me up to date on everyone I remembered. We had such a nice chat. We agreed to meet for lunch, but then, out of the blue, someone offered to buy our house, and the next weeks were filled with packing and moving West.

I so regret not having had a chance to meet with her before leaving. She was truly an extraordinary Lady.

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Beth Heinz Vergin

What a sad news. Carla will be missed by so many and especially by her friends and coworkers at the fair. She was the driving force there, walking around during the fair in the Auditorium and not missing a beat. She knew everybody, got along well with the vendors, understood their special needs, but also was well aware of their tricks.

I will certainly remember the stories she would tell about Ethiopia and her first years in the USA. Indeed, she was remarkable.

Ineke de Haan

I am so glad I spent a lot of time with Carla just talking about old times. Her memory for old stories associated with us was unfailing. While in Germany buying chocolates for her I was hoping against hope that she would be still OK when I got back and that I could spend some time with her. There are so many memories of her MMMF meetings, arts & crafts fair, discussion group lunches, all the visits at her home, celebrating her birthday and her love of chocolate and all things Italian. Carla liked to give, but was uncomfortable receiving. She told me, “Leave the bags outside and come in.” She loved to read, go to movies and talk. There was no doubt who was in charge of the Fair. She always called when Charles was away to see if I was O.K. She loved Italian food; her pasta had to be “al dente.”

What a woman! She will leave a vacuum in all our hearts, but being Carla we cannot ever forget her. Indeed Ineke and I talked a lot about Carla and her health and her great relationship with Joe during our recent trip together. It is a great, great loss indeed.

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Vim Maguire

Carla was such a wonderful person, full of life and spreading laughter and sunshine around. Her contribution to the Bank’s spouse organization was huge. I was always amazed at her ability to come up with new and worthy ideas when needed—perhaps from her huge wealth of experience.

From her many conversations with us, I was aware of her love and admiration for Joe. May the power above grant him courage at this time. While we all are aware that the end is a fact of life, it is never easy to accept. The memories of our dear Carla will remain with us. Her hard work in generating money to help educate so many women was something thousands of women will remember with deep gratitude. May God rest her soul in eternal peace.

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Ruksana Mehta

It is really hard to get to hear that Carla is gone, just at the time that my daughter is in the hospital to give birth, my first daughter whom Carla had welcomed in our family with such flare....She was such a wonderful person in so many respects.

Dominique Lallement

I was devastated to hear that Carla has passed away. I hope her last days were comfortable, or at least as comfortable as possible. Somehow I did not realize that she was declining so seriously. I wish I’d not been so distracted this summer. Carla was one of a kind, everything about her was so special.

Priscilla Linn

“When Carla wasn’t troubleshooting at the Fair, she was selling!”

Carla will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her and her warmth. I remember a conversation when she remarked that points trips were for nights away from home. There was also the lovely shower she gave for Clio and Rowan. We have all been blessed by knowing her.

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Caroline Berney

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Carla was a very remarkable lady. Her energy, and her never-ending optimism that things can get done and that you just must not give up will always be an example for me. And, we all will miss her Italian accent!

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With Sukriye Karaosmanoglu presenting awards to MMMF recipients at the 1991 WBVS Annual Meeting

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Sigrid Blobel

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I’m deeply saddened that Carla and one of MMMF’s greatest stars has passed away. Carla’s commitment to the Fund over the decades, her exemplary service to

such a noble cause, and her love for the work she did are qualities that we recognize as the pillars of our basic values.

The MMMF is what is today thanks to remarkable people like Carla. I hope that together the MMMF Board will find a meaningful way to remember her dedication, her spirit, her humor, and most of all her love for the MMMF.

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Andree Wynkoop

Carla was special, and I am happy to have known her.

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Debra Byam

Carla was special. I will miss the day-by-day interaction and memorable talks. At discussion group, whenever she had a point to make she would interrupt by saying, “I have to speak now, before I forget.” I said my goodbye to Carla before leaving. She had a good, rewarding life, full of connections, friends, care and goodwill. Yes, she will be deeply missed. She will remain among us when we will meet (soon and often, I hope) for lunches, movies, outings or teas.

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Sandra Finzi

I will miss Carla’s voice and upbeat and wit. I will miss her dearly.

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Georgine Ahmad

I did not have the honor and the pleasure of knowing Carla personally, but, of course, I knew her by reputation and by the wonderful things that she had accomplished. God bless her and may she rest in peace.

Talaat Moreau

“No one can resist Carla’s persuasive reasoning and persistence” From Left to right: Louise Shimizu, Inci Musannif , Carla and Mari Parker

Carla was an amazing woman. Her foresight was extraordinary and her passion for MMMF was almost unrivaled. I remember what may have been the first Fair in the H Building, seeing John North (Husband of Jane North who was an early supporter), saying as he walked into the Fair “My goodness you women have really done it!” I thought that was the greatest tribute to Carla. I also remember being on the committee, talking about what we were going to do when the fund reached $100,000.00. Wow, has it come a long way since then! We will miss her and her drive and foresight.

Margaret Lane

Whenever Carla had a point to make, she would interrupt saying, “I have to speak now before I forget.”

I am devastated like all of Carla’s friends who loved her as a kind person and as a devoted volunteer and a founder of the MMMF.

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Na’ava Feder

Yesterday upon my return from Holland I went through the mail, read the Mosaic and was shocked to read that my long-time friend and colleague, Carla had passed away.

I have many memories from her, all of them wonderful. I admired the way she handled difficult situations. She was honest and straightforward. She told it as she saw it. She worked so very hard to get the Fair going and to make it successful as it is now. The many recipients of the funds should be so grateful for her tenacity to keep going. Their world became a better place because of her.

She was typical Italian in many ways and at the same time American.

Even though I left DC in 1988, I saw her when I visited. I will miss her. The other Carla, Spokane, WA.

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Carla Peperzak

Carla told wonderful stories about Italy, Ethiopia and meeting Joe. She loved her Joe. She had an incredible memory, wit and humor. She gave caring advice to her friends. She was very social and fun to be with. There was always a laugh to share with a cup of Italian coffee.

Ileana DeGeyndt

There is a space in our hearts that Carla fills. She had an open mind. You could trust her with your problems. She was aware of the loneliness of World Bank spouses and started weekend activities.

She would reach out to spouses who were alone.

When she was ill, we gave back to her what she cultivated. We were part of Carla’s garden. She was a warm and gracious hostess.

Even while ill, she would serve us Lemoncello, while she had diluted rose, but you had to sit and let the alcohol pass. She was always concerned for your safety and welfare. I will miss her phone calls and conversations.

Cleo Cruikshank

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Na’ava Feder at the MMF Fair’s Le Café

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I called her “Mamma.” She would say, ”Patty, listen to me.” There was only her and Joe, but her family kept growing with old and new friends. We worked at the Red Cross, UNICEF, Welcome to Washington. Carla got the idea for the first Bazaar. Thirty or forty of us gathered in my home to make plans and create crafts to sell. I wish I could find pictures of those days. She recruited people easily for her projects. We shared growing orchids.

There was such harmony with Carla. I cherish the friendship she gave to me.

Patricia Menckhoff

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I met Carla during her last two years of organizing the MMMF Fair. I will always be grateful for everything she taught me about it, about dealing with people (especially vendors!) and really about life in general. Although I could not quite follow in her footsteps, I admired her judgment and ability to make things happen, no matter how daunting they may have seemed at first. And her energy! I had no idea she was over 20 years older than me! The way she moved around the Fair…if she wasn’t dealing with a trouble spot or troublemaker, she was selling something to a customer from a happy vendor’s table! She always kindly brought Christinne, Mimi and me delicious panettone at the end of the Fair (I have not been able to find any as delicious)…and I will always remember the delightful dinners at her home with Joe and friends. An amazing woman! A role model for us all. I will never forget her.

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Louise Shimizu

Dinosaur is what first comes to mind. This is how Carla would describe herself to new members of WBFN. Indeed she was accurate to embrace such identity because she epitomized the dying breed of volunteers who gave every ounce of herself to ensure the survival of WBFN (originally WIVES) and the MMMF. I feel fortunate to have met and worked with a dinosaur who was a model of excellence in her altruistic efforts that benefited countless peoples – World Bank Group spouses and MMMF scholarship awardees.

Elizabeth Medina-Tata

Drawing by Priscilla Linn

I will always remember Carla as someone who deeply cared about others. Always committed, involved, happy, nothing was too small or too big to tackle, ways would be found to solve any problems.

I will terribly miss the woman who only two years ago, in spite of my protests, would ignore her age and climb chairs at the MMMF Fair to make sure that everything was perfectly displayed to raise the maximum amount of contributions.

Cara Carla, ovunque sei ora, sai che ti ricorderemo sempre con tanto affetto.

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Gilda Dadush

Meeting Carla changed my life radically, though I did not know it at the time … let me explain: I met Carla at another dear friend of mine, an Italian by origin, and therefore very close to Carla by design.

Through small talk Carla ensnared me with her charming magic ways to help with her Christmas card sales for UNICEF. Indefatigable Carla with one of her many good friends, Aida Habib, promised Babs Knox, Founding Mother of the MMMF, that they would get the WIVES Cook Book re-written as a fundraiser for their beloved cause, the MMMF. Needless to say, no one can resist Carla’s persuasive reasoning and persistence. Carla always gets her way!

The “WB/IFC Volunteer Services International Cook Book” got written and Carla made sure that everyone she knows or doesn’t know, bought a copy.

Vivacious, always smiling and unbelievably elegant in her acts as well as her looks, she attracted and held onto all the young newcomers and got them interested and even passionate about the causes close to her heart.

This is how I got involved with the MMMF and later WBVS (the present WBFN) Which lead to my getting to know and work with Helen Frick, manager of the Work Life Services in the Human Resource Center at the WBG. And that’s how Carla changed my life! Had she not roped me to help her, I would have missed out on an amazing string of opportunities I did not even dream of.

Thank You Carla!

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Hada Zaidan

Dark hair and flashing eyes, petite but powerful…a force of nature was Carla in my memory. Quick to laugh and slow to criticize; supportive but loyal to her true goals. Following the best in international diplomatic traditions, Carla worked with me as a young IMF spouse, encouraging our two spouse organizations to work together on mutual projects such as hospitality for annual meetings, Unicef, and MMMF bazaars.

She was unfailingly energetic over the many years I volunteered with her on occasional projects, calling “spade a spade”, to use a colloquialism, when the situation demanded. She spoke lovingly of her family and seemed to derive her inspiration, her security to take on difficult tasks, from their love and support.

In later years our connection was through the Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund, as she seemed to hand over the baton of leadership to another generation while keeping a watchful eye on our abilities to continue in her successful footsteps.

I will never forget the example she set for all of us; the role model she was for many; and her courage in her last illness. Carla was “einmalig”, or one of a kind, as the Germans say, and that is my highest compliment.

We miss her.!

Sarah Brau

With Ruby Wingate, Babs Knox and Sukriye Karaosmanoglu at the MMMF 10th Anniversary celebration

With Lois Khairallah, Sukriye and Ruby at the MMMF 25th Anniversary celebration

With Nadereh Chamlou, Yvonne Kendall, Caroline Berney, and Sukriye and Attila Karaosmanoglu at the MMMF 30th Anniversary celebration

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spotlight on members h e Va l u e i n Vo l u nte e r i n g

by the mosaic team

Sadeem Alkadi (left) and the redesigned WBFN Office

What is the value in volunteering?

The answer does not lie in the number of dollars it saves the country, community, or organization—in our case, the World Bank Group—although indeed it does do that.

It is something much deeper and much more important.

The real answer is probably as varied as the people who volunteer. Some volunteer because they want to gain experience, acquire new skills or expand a job-search network. Others want to contribute to a worthy cause, meet new people or give back to their community. For WBFN itself, it is what ties our community together. How do you put a dollar value on that?

Whatever the reason, whatever the value, at WBFN we witness the rewards of volunteering on a daily basis, and try to pass these on to our members through Mosaic. You will find these stories in many of our Mosaic articles. If you have thrown away your old copies, don’t worry. You can always access past issues from our homepage (wbfn.org), both in pdf format and in Mosaicplus.

Sometimes we feature the volunteering experiences of one of our long-term members. You may remember that in the article ‘Filling a Need’ (May 2012) we described the contributions of our ever-creative WBFN and MMMF founding member Carla Scearce. Of her many contributions, the most enduring has been the annual MMMF International Arts and Crafts Fair (see page 2 of this issue), which Carla not only originated but also chaired for 20 years! Very sadly, we have since lost Carla and a Memorial Service will be held for her on Oct. 2 (see page 19). Carla often said that for her the value in volunteering 14

was very much the friendships that she had made. Her many friends have now been sharing their memories, one of which we would like to quote here: “Carla (was) a person who was a major contributor to international understanding, a good friend, an entertaining conversationalist and a person who could see humor in situations where she was linguistically or culturally on the receiving end. Carla was a unique and larger than life person and she will be greatly missed.” (Vim Maguire) The above case is extraordinary and, of course, for many reasons it is not possible for most of us today to volunteer at WBFN for 20, let alone 40, years, nor is it necessary. To begin with, WBG hiring policies and benefits have changed, and most of us are no longer with the WBG for a lifetime.

WBFN has thus found new ways to structure volunteering opportunities, so our members, our community and the WBG can continue to benefit from the unchanging values that volunteering brings.

We would like to draw your attention to one volunteer who has more recently gained from and contributed to WBFN. About four years ago, the husband of Sadeem Alkadi introduced her to WBFN even before she left their home in Saudi Arabia and brought her to the WBFN Office during her first week in DC. Sadeem soon became a regular at the WBFN Office, finding that while she was gaining from guidance on settling in, her artistic skills were much needed in the WBFN children’s events, website and exhibitions. Alongside this, Sadeem began a degree program in her passion: Interior Design. Although her studies eventually consumed most of her time, Sadeem would sometimes stop by to help with a project, see her

At the MMMF Fair: Carla Scearce (center)

many friends, seek guidance, and, to our delight, one day introduce us to her newborn son! A few months ago, Sadeem visited the office to announce her newly completed degree…then politely intimated that in spite of our efforts to make the new WBFN Office a welcoming space, we really had it quite wrong. “The sofa should not be in the back against the window, and why are the backs of the Welcoming Team the first thing we see?” etc., etc. Before we knew it, she had drawn up a redesign of the WBFN Office. With the “elbow grease” of a few other volunteers, and a few trips to Ikea, etc., under the direction of Gilda Dadush, the office really does now have a new and, we think, more welcoming look. We hope you will come by often and enjoy it. One great chance will be the October 11 Office Open House. Now, how is that for good value and a share in it for all?!

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Selling donations from the WBG community at the 2012 Fair MMMF Table, including several items from Carla’s family

The November 2012 MMMF Fair pays tribute to Carla and launches the Fundraising for the 2013 Carla Scearce Grant

SHOP FOR A CAUSE

MMMF INTERNATIONAL ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR November 6, 7 & 8, 2012 9:45am-4:00pm World Bank Main Complex 1818 H Street NW

The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund® Pays tribute to Carla Scearce, Fair founder and Chair for 20 Years

Door Prize Dear Friends of Carla, Thanks to your warm support to sell Door Prize tickets in memory of Carla, the Fair Chairs have decided to reinstate the Door Prize for 2012. If any of you who were traveling would like to join the team, please let me know. I have the days and time that you indicated you were available. As we get closer I will be in contact with the schedule.

Let’s work together to make our goal a reality.

Have a great weekend, Joanne

The MMMF provides educational grants to women from developing countries.

We appreciate donations of gently used items for sale at the Fair. Drop off location: J2-030, or the MMMF Donation Table at the Fair.

Open to the public  Bring a photo ID mmmffair@mmmf-grants.org  www.mmmf-grants.org

buy your door prize tickets and contribute to MMMF grants

Mc

NAMARA

M

ORI AL FUN

The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund® (MMMF)

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AR E M GARE

$3 each or 6 for $15

1st Prize—Louis Vuitton Briefcase Value $ 2,250

Photograph of Florence on Canvas, value $250 2 tickets: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, value $240 Tasting menus: Taberna del Alabardero, value $200 Cafe Pastry Xpo voucher, value $50 Cafe Pastry Xpo voucher, value $50 2nd Prize—Lancel Overnight bag and Toiletry case Value $ 1,100

6th Prize—Basket Ball Signed by John Wall Value $ 100

a tribute to carla The MMMF was a creation of Carla Scearce. She had the vision that raised money for the Fund from the profits earned at the annual MMMF Arts and Crafts Fair. Carla started the MMMF Fair in 1984 on a small scale and since then it has become a much anticipated and well attended event at the Bank each November.

From small beginnings the Fair has contributed significantly to the Fund boosting, on an annual basis, the income that comes from the generosity of donors and supporters who share the vision articulated by Carla.

We need to remind ourselves of the impact of the MMMF, which is designed to support women from developing countries undertaking studies in the USA, as well as more recently in Canada, South Africa and Latin America. The mission of the MMMF is to provide grants to women from developing countries to help Vim Maguire announces a series of fundraisers for the further their education and strengthen their leadership 2013 Carla Scearce Grant… skills to improve the lives of women and children in developing countries. To-date the MMMF has supported over 200 women from all over the world and their contributions to development are huge.

Carla passed away in late August this year and we would like to honor her memory and her priceless contribution to the cause of women’s education by creating a special Carla Scearce Grant to be awarded in 2013. The grant will be a tribute to a person of vision, a passionate believer in the power of women to bring about change, and a powerful but modest leader who, in her lifetime, kept a low profile but, nevertheless, campaigned tirelessly for a widely-held cause.

We will sponsor a series of special activities over the next year to raise money for the Carla Scearce Grant and can announce the first of these to be held in November this year. This will be a Laotian (Lao) lunch at the Bangkok Golden Restaurant at Seven Corners in Virginia on Tuesday, November 13, 11:30-1:30 p.m. The restaurant owner and chef, Seng Pradachita, has kindly agreed to cook us a special meal. She has given us a rate that enables us to charge $32 for the lunch ( including tax and tip) and still make a contribution of $16 per person towards the Carla Scearce Grant.

We invite you and your spouse to participate in this first event to show your support for Carla’s contribution to the MMMF and to lay the financial foundation for a special grant in her name. If you cannot attend in person you may want to send a contribution to the Carla Scearce Grant to the WBFN Office at 1818 H Street NW, MSN J2-202, Washington DC 20433.

We hope many will attend the lunch to honor Carla’s memory. To reserve please contact Vim Maguire

by November 7, 2012.

…at the Bangkok Golden Restaurant Laotian Lunch, November 13, 2012

T i m e line of Ca rla’s Major Contributions to WIVES /WBV S/WBFN and the MMMF WIVES/WBVS/WBFN* 1970-1971

The Beginning: Brainstorming on the creation of a support organization for spouses of World Bank Group staff

1972-2012

Founding and continuous active member of WIVES/WBVS/WBFN

1975‒1981

Originator and Chair of Weekend Activities Group

1976‒1980

WIVES Executive Committee Member as Chair of Weekend Activities

1977‒1986

Initiator and Chair of the WIVES/WBVS/WBFN UNICEF Card & Gifts Sales at the Bank

May 1984

Honorary Citation from the US Committee for UNICEF

1987‒1989

WBVS Executive Committee Member as Nominating Chair

1982‒2010 Participation in Bi-Annual WBFN Executive Committee Alumni Meetings May 1997

Award for “Longest continuous active participation in WBVS”

MMMF** 1981‒2005

Member of Founding Committee and continuous member of the MMMF Board

1984‒2004

Founder and Chair of the MMMF Fair

1995‒2000

MMMF Board Vice President

Nov. 1999

Top MMMF Fair proceeds of $60,898

2005‒2010

MMMF Board Advisor

2011

Honorary MMMF Board Advisor

2012

Honorary Member of the MMMF

Nov. 2012

27th MMMF Fair dedicated to Carla Scearce & Fundraisers begin for Carla Scearce MMMF Scholarship Fund

*The World Bank Group spouse organization. The name changed over the years, as follows: WIVES =Women’s Information and Volunteer Services (1972‒1984) WBVS = World Bank Volunteer Services (1985‒June 2003) WBFN = World Bank Family Network ( July 2003‒present) www.wbfn.org **A fund providing educational grants for women from developing countries: MMMF = Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund (1981‒present) www.mmmf-grants.org

WEEKEND ACTIVITIES AND UNICEF SALES Carla Scearce The first Annual Meeting of WIVES was held at the World Bank in March, 1975, and was conducted as a business meeting. We reviewed and discussed the activities of WIVES. I expressed the need for organized activities on weekends for women whose husbands were away on missions. I myself was lonely on weekends when my husband was away, and I suspected others would be, too. My idea was accepted and I was appointed to the Executive Committee as Chair for Weekend Activities. I served in that post for the following seven years.

The organizing meeting of the group was held on September 12, 1975. Twenty-one wives attended. We agreed to have two monthly activities, one for women only and the other for women and children. For the children, we organized visits to the Smithsonian museums led by docents. The National Institutes of Health showed movies for children, and we arranged for our children to attend them. The activities we planned for children were later taken over by the Youth Activities Committee, led by Yvonne Kendall.

For women, we organized get-togethers at the homes of various members of WIVES.A successful one was a party with a Mardi Gras theme at the home of Francoise Chadenet, who made crepes for the occasion. We visited museums and galleries and special exhibits, always with docents. The Tutankhamen exhibit drew 120 people. We arranged bus trips to historical places, such as Monticello, Winterthur-Longwood, the Amish country, and Redding, PA, where there were many discount stores. We made a three-day weekend trip to New York that included attendance at a theatre and a tour of the city. We also drove along the Skyline Drive and visited the Luray Caverns. Our bus trips often attracted husbands, Bank managers, secretaries, and consultants.

When my seven years as Chair ended, we were unable to find a successor because the work of arranging activities was so demanding. The group disbanded and its remaining funds—about $900.00—were donated to UNICEF.

 In the spring of 1977, Eugenio Lari of the Bank’s Personnel Department attended a meeting of the WIVES Executive Committee and invited us to cooperate with a group from outside the Bank in selling UNICEF Christmas cards.

The outside group had managed the sale for some time, and he felt that it would be appropriate for the Bank to be involved in some way. We all knew about UNICEF’s work in promoting children’s health in developing countries.

Proceeds from the sale of Christmas cards supported that work.

I suggested that conducting the sale would be an appropriate activity for WIVES.As a result of my interest, I became Chair of UNICEF sales. I continued in this position until the spring of 1986. We held our first UNICEF sale in 1977 in cooperation with the outside group. After that, we did the sale independently. Many volunteers took part. A critical job was that of the treasurer, who had to handle all the accounting. Several dedicated wives served in the post: Eunice Buky, Lilian Fisher, Yvonne Kendall, and Putzi Reitter.

Our sales in 1977 totaled $8,500. An article in Bank Notes that year described our work: Volunteers from WIVES serviced the stall in the E Building during the lunch period for four weeks. Mrs. Carla Scearce, who led the volunteers, told Bank Notes of some of their feelings and experiences. The management of stock gave an interesting insight into the daily life of a small street trader. Goods were unpacked each morning, the display set up, stocks replenished, and orders placed for new items. Each afternoon, everything was checked, accounted for, and packed away. Guessing what items would sell was difficult. Meeting specific requests for designs from particular countries required a good knowledge of geography and regional culture.

Our proceeds increased every year. In 1980, the check to the U.S. Committee for UNICEF amounted to $24,051.

By 1986, when I retired as Chair, sales averaged $30,000. We sold for four weeks in October and November. At first our offerings were only Christmas and other holiday cards. But after a while, we also sold records, games, placemats, calendars, and other small gift items.

In May, 1984, WIVES was one of 13 organizations that were honored by the U.S. Committee for UNICEF “for distinguished service in selling UNICEF greeting cards.” I represented our UNICEF Committee at a special luncheon

in New York. I learned that WIVES had topped the sales of all sales groups in the country except United Nations Association groups. We received a citation that hangs in the WBVS offices.

The UNICEF sale continues to be part of the WBVS program. Many Bank staff count on us for their holiday greeting cards, and we feel that setting up our sales table begins the holiday season.

Our work has a festive quality and is a worthy enterprise.

Note: This description of the Weekend Activities and UNICEF Sales was first published in the WBVS history “Recollections of 25 Years 1972‒1997”.

With Hugh Downs at the United Nations in New York City, receiving an Honorary Citation from UNICEF for outstanding sales, May 1984

… While Washington Wives Get Praise for a Job Well-Done Under the dynamic leadership of Carla Scearce and Lillian Fisher, the World Bank WIVES of Washington, D.C. conducted their most successful UNICEF greeting card campaign ever.

Selling on a strict in-house basis and only during lunch hours, the WIVES increased sales 62 percent over last year’s total and presented the U.S. Committee with a check for $24, 051. Pictured below is a scene from the final day of sales, when a «singing» telegram service congratulated the group on a job well-done.

Published in World Bank Notes 1981.

Sale nets $8500 Among the greeting cards you received last year, chances are high that you received one printed by UNICEF. There is also a good chance that the card was bought at the UNICEF stand in the E buildingsecond-floor gallery. Total sales of cards and some small gift items at the stall were more than $8,500 this year-a modest but satisfying contribution to world development.

Volunteers from WIVES serviced the stall during the lunch period, for four weeks through November 11, 1977. Mrs. Carla Scearce, who led the volunteers, told Bank Notes of some of their feelings and experiences. The management of stock gave an interesting insight into the daily life of a small street trader.

Goods were unpacked each morning, the display set up, stocks replenished, and orders placed for new items. Each afternoon, everything was checked, accounted for, and packed away. Guessing what items would sell was difficult -apparently people change their tastes each year. Meeting specific requests for designs from particular countries required a good knowledge of geography and regional culture.

The two most memorable feelings the number of Bank (or Fund) staff who did not know what UNICEF is, and the realization that to work with many volunteers of different nationalities, the most useful trait is a sense of humor. (UNICEF is the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund.)

Volunteering as a Way of Life An interview with Carla Scearce The International Arts and Crafts Fair is the brain child of Carla Scearce, who has chaired the event since its inception in 1984. An Italian national, Carla came to Washington with her American husband in 1970. Here, she talks about what volunteer work has done for her.

Q: The annual International Arts and Crafts Fair is coming up again and you have again agreed to chair it, for the sixth time I understand. That involves organizing more than 200 volunteers. Don’t you get bored devoting so much of your life to this project?

A: The reason I organize it every year is because it was my idea. It’s difficult to be bored with your own ideas. And it’s something easy to do. There is plenty of time. We have all year to plan it.

Q: Why did you start this annual event?

A: At the time the MMMF (Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund) was new and struggling to get some money.

One day I was at a swimming pool with Babs Knox (one of the founding members of MMMF), and I said to her, “Why not have a bazaar like the churches do?” So we went to our kitchens and took our scraps (of fabrics and paper) and came up with an international bazaar, which was held at a church in McLean in 1984. The church, as I remember, let us sue the space free. In addition to what we baked and made, we invited a few crafts people to participate, and they gave us a percentage of what they sold.

Q: So the bazaar was a success, and that’s why you continued, I gather.

A: We continued but in a different format and at the Bank. After that bazaar, one day by chance I went to a concert in the Bank auditorium, and I thought, ‘My goodness, this is the place to have a proper fair.”

Also from that first bazaar, I got the idea of renting tables to vendors instead of making things ourselves because it was obvious that we couldn’t continue making things every year. Now we have 65 tables, and they [the vendors] give us 15 percent of what they sell. They are also renting the tables from us. We don’t make anything now except food, and we have a long waiting list of vendors wanting to get in.

Q: Did you have difficulties selling the idea to the Bank?

A: No. The Bank was very cooperative, and it’s getting better and better every year. We get the room free so that we don’t have any overhead. If we had to pay for expenses, we couldn’t make it.

Q: Yet, you have to organize 65 vendors and all the volunteers. Last year’s proceeds-$32,566.42 -were the largest ever. What is your secret of success?

A: I know a lot of people, and I’ve always had the good sense to know who would be a good helper. I’ve had personal contact with almost all the people who volunteer. I get a core of people, and they get other people. A lot of the core are still the original people who helped at the first fair. I’m a good organizer, I guess, and a good judge of people. WBVS has some really outstanding, gifted people, who come out to help.

For example, before the first bazaar I called Ruby [Wingate], who had some accounting experience, and I said, “You’re going to do the accounting. I don’t want to hear about it anymore.” May Payne knew a lot of people. And the Food Group-at the bazaar I saw people who enjoyed working with food. For a period Sigrid Glaeser made most of it herself. I’ve never seen anyone who could put out that much food alone. She’d spend all afternoon working at

the fair and then go home and bake two pies before dinner.

You cannot have prima donnas when you do volunteer work. They [volunteers] enjoy the contact-you have to have meetings, have to get together. Many of us have been volunteering together for many years-Liz Fennell... Yvonne Kendell...Aida Habib ... Teel Zetterstrom ... Eunice Buky. A lot of us. You get to know the process. For some strange reason, almost everybody likes to work at the fair. One quality I have is that I don’t get upset. That first year there was some nervousness going around.

Q: So you consider yourself a pretty cool person?

A: I hope so. You know, no one expects that from an Italian. That has been a surprise to everyone. When we first came to the Bank, my husband was traveling all the time, and I don’t have children, so I was very lonely on weekends. I called some women and asked if we could organize something for women home alone. They took me [as the leader] on a trial basis because they thought an Italian would be too emotional. It worked very well. ‘Now the idea has been revived again with the Mission Spouses Connection.

Q: To my knowledge volunteerism has never been a part of the Italian culture. How did you get so involved or originally even get the idea?

A: I came to this country in 1959 from Ethiopia. I had no volunteer experience at all. We went o Oklahoma where my husband was working for a university. I was going crazy! In this country, if you don’t have children, you don’t have any contact. And I barely spoke English. I started volunteering in a hospital and then for a church. Then in 1970 we moved to Washington with the Bank. The Bank didn’t have anything for wives then. By chance I met another Bank wife, a Yugoslav, in the corridor of my apartment house. She didn’t speak English, and by that time I had been here 10 years. I would go with her to talk: to the teachers at her children’s school.

Although she has moved, we are still friends. I was doing informally what the Welcoming Committee now does in an organized way. A group of us used to go to the Red Cross until everybody started working [for pay]. I was chairman of UNICEF for nine years. I was on the WIVES (now WBVS) Executive Committee. It’s a process. You get involved in one thing and that leads to another. But the best thing is the friendships you create in this minestrone of people at the Bank.

Q: But it has been said that volunteerism in this country has gone the way of the 10 cent postage stamp, that women especially are tired of working for no pay. What do you get back from your efforts that makes you want to keep doing it?

A: I keep doing it because I am helping people. That makes me feel good. Why was I chairman of UNICEF for nine years? I was helping the world’s children. In 1984 our World Bank Wives UNICEF Committee raised more money for UNICEF than any other organization in the United States. As chairman I was invited to go to New York to the United Nations to receive an award that was presented by Hugh Downs.

That was fun, but you can’t start something on the basis of expecting something back. You do it because you enjoy the contact with the people you work with and because you enjoy helping people. The fair helps women from developing countries get an education. That makes me feel good.

Janet Geli

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Reflections on our first International Bazaar July 1983 - At Bretton Woods. It is a wonderful summer day. Near the pool in swimming attire Carla Scearce and Babs Knox are having lunch together. Projects to raise money for the Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund are discussed. Carla’s suggestion, “How about an art bazaar?” This was the relaxed beginning of many months of planning and working. The end result was the huge success we saw last Saturday.

I call it a huge success not only because a considerable sum of money was raised and because of all the time and energy given by so many people, but perhaps the most important reason of all: it did exactly what we as World Bank Volunteers are supposed to do, according to our mandate and by-laws - meet people, get to know and understand each other, and form deep friendships. I am grateful to all of you who have made this possible.

And to show how international we are: The first prize of the blue raffle tickets was won by Liz Fennell, a British Bank spouse who lives in Tanzania. She won the painting made by our Bolivian artist Bank wife born in Germany.

The first prize of the yellow raffle tickets was won by Lady King from London.

She won the beautiful doll and cradle and extensive wardrobe made by our own Yvonne Kendall who was born in England and lived for many years in Argentina.

The other raffle prizes were won by Thomas Rimpler, May Beauvoir, Diane Kendall, Anthony Albert, Dhamayanthy Pathmanathan, and Meredith Park.

Carla Peperzak

October 15, 1984

Mrs. Carla Scearce, Chairman UNICEF Committee Dear Carla: Congratulations and very sincere thanks to you and all your very many helpers for organizing and running the first and highly successful International bazaar to benefit the Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund.

Some two to three weeks ago you told me how overwhelmed you felt by the amount that so many were fiving in goods, time and energy. As I saw the whole being put together on Friday afternoon I saw and felt this myself plus the goodwill and cheerful cooperation which was sutained throughout Saturday.

To you personally who inspired and encouraged so many others, to those who have been producing all the beautiful handicrafts for months on end, to those who baked such delicious food and to those who managed the money, sold raffle tickets, etc., etc., thank you all again. It was a truly magnificent international effort on behalf of women in the developing countries.

A grand total of U.S. $6000 will be added to the fund.

Yours very sincerely,

Beatrice L. Knox Co-Chairman with Ruby Wingate

The first MMMF Fair October 1984

Preparing for the Bazaar, Carla is standing in the back

With Hada Zaidan and Sukriye Karaosmanoglu at the 2006 Fair MMMF Table

Etelvina Tyler, Vim Maguire and Caroline Beenhakker serving at the MMMF Fair’s Le CafÊ

With World Bank Group President Paul Wolfowitz at the 2006 MMMF Fair

f

spotlight on members

illing a need

By gilda dadush and louise shimizu

WBFN is celebrating its 40th anniversary in a transition year, when we are taking a hard look at not only our leadership model, but also our activities. Do our programs meet the needs of our members? What do we do when we think they may not? What did others before us do? We decided to ask long-term member Carla Scearce about her experience over the years.

Carla started by telling us about the beginning. It all started in response to the Bank’s lack of resources for dealing with the impact that its rapid expansion under President Robert McNamara was having on families. One day in 1971, Ruth Isbister, the wife of the Canadian Executive Director, invited Carla and several other Bank spouses to a coffee in the Irene apartment building in Chevy Chase, where Ruth, Carla and 12 other Bank families lived. Ruth explained that she had just attended the funeral of a Bank staff and was shocked to see no one there. This confirmed what she had already been thinking—that Bank families were far too isolated.

She proposed that together they could create a supportive community for the families, provided the Bank would supply some support. Despite one person’s opposition to the concept as being “too American” and not appropriate for an international community, in January 1972 a letter was sent to York on behalf of WIVES to receive, together with Diana Ross President McNamara with the proposal. A week later WIVES and others, one of UNICEF’s top donor citations. Between (Women’s Information and Volunteer Services), now WBFN, 1977 and 2006, when UNICEF changed its sales channel, was born.

WIVES/WBVS/WBFN raised for UNICEF over $500,000.

The next step was to create a structure and begin to build the And then there was the MMMF. The idea of educational community by offering activities that would bring the members grants was worthy, but where would the funds come from? In together. Back then, not only were US work permits very hard 1984, Carla suggested and volunteered to organize what became to get for those on G4-dependent visas and few Bank spouses the most successful fundraiser for the MMMF, an Arts & Crafts were employed, but also, with the staff away on extended Bazaar at a church in Virginia, where Bank spouses could sell and frequent missions, the days their handicrafts. Enthused by “Finally, I decided that it was simply time to could be very long.* With this its success, two years later Carla in mind, Carla volunteered to go—that there is a time for everything. All that expanded the idea into the arrange “Weekend Tours”, which I ever asked from my volunteer time was that we International Arts and Crafts Fair met with great success for seven make a bit of a difference and a few good friends, we know today. Carla recalls her years, until Carla moved on to and this I think we did.” astonishment when a DC official other activities and no successor once visited the Fair and warned could be found. Who else could arrange a “3-day tour to New that customers should be charged DC sales tax!! One can imagine York City, leaving on Friday morning and returning on Sunday her satisfaction later when, at its peak, the Fair earned for the evening, for $80/person including the chartered bus fare, MMMF almost $70,000—after taxes! Carla served as Fair Chair theater (on Saturday night!), hotel and a tour of NYC”? for 20 years. She had said that when the MMMF assets reached Another of Carla’s initiatives began one day in 1977 $1,000,000 she would leave, then $1,500,000, then… when a staff member came to the WIVES office looking for volunteers to sell UNICEF cards and gifts. Although the *Note: ‘Recollections of 25 Years 1972-1997’, in the WBFN Office WIVES President at the time hesitated to commit, Carla saw library, describes in detail how the founders established WIVES it as an appropriate activity for members and volunteered to as well as the advocacy role that WIVES/WBVS/WBFN had coordinate the sales. Carla continued to lead this first charitable in matters such as the expansion of work opportunities for G4outreach of WIVES for nearly nine years, and she was probably dependent visa holders and the creation of rules that restrict the right about its filling a need. In 1984, Carla travelled to New length and timing of staff missions.

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T

The 1994 MMMF International Fair

he International Arts and Crafts Fair begins early in the year when Chairperson Carla Scearce calls together the Fair Committee. Work continues through the spring as vendors apply for tables, and it mounts during September and October as the Fair approaches. It took 113 volunteers to plan and operate the ninth Fair on November 15, 16, and 17, 1994. Gross receipts were about $39,000.

Some volunteers worked throughout the year, some worked part-time or full time at the Fair, manning the booths, serving at Le Cafe, selling food at the Gourmet Shop, staffing the MMMF table, managing the cash boxes, selling door prize tickets, serving as “runners” (who collected money from the vendors) and adding up receipts. Volunteers also contributed baked goods for the food team and items for sale at the MMMF table.

A bustling crowd!

Teel Zetterstrom, Eunice Buky, & Aimee Warren

Teal Zetterstrom (left) and WBVS Honorary President, Patsy Preston

WBVS volunteers serve at the Fair’s Le Café

Bank Staff member Marvee Park assists a vendor

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—At a glance

From left to right, Carla Searce, Liz Fennell, and Joanne Garrity

In charge of the kitchen: Back row, left to right, Miriam Israel and Caroline Beenhakker. Front row, Patricia Metcalf (left) and Cleo Cruikshank

At the MMMF table: From left to right, Fair Chairperson, Carla Scearce; VolunteerCoordinator, Liz Fennell; MMMF secretary, Tee1Zetterstrom; Board Members Eunice Buky and Aimee Warren; Advisor, Rosemary Wapenhans; Honorary President, Patsy Preston; and retiring MMMF President, Sukriye Karaosmanoglu

In the kitchen: Mariela Eberhardt slices the bread

T

he Fair is dependent on volunteers. It is a big undertaking, lots of fun, a good site for early Christmas shopping. But most of all, it increases the endowment of the Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund, which provides scholarships for women from developing countries. If you are interested in helping with the Fair, please contact us at any time.

Also, look for information on the 1995 Fair in the September and October issues of the newsletter.

For more on the MMMF, see next page.

Selling door prize tickets: Elizabeth Blondell (left) and Ann Kerr 7

The 1994 MMMF International Fair— List of Volunteers Phyllis Akturk Bahira AI-Jabri Nigist Asfaha Harriet Baldwin Caroline Beenhakker Caroline Berney Wilma Blanc Elizabeth Blondel Bandana Bose Mary Ann Briggs Eunice Buky Margaret Carr Celi Carvalho Khanum Cheryan Barbara Clark Classic Promotions, lnc.

Adrien Cobban Gaby Constant Maria Cracco Cleo Cruikshank Elena Cunninqham Delia D’Albuquarque Marcia Daly

Therese de Cleroq Ileana De Geyndt Ineke De Haan Mati Dinar Ingeborg Dinsdale Katy Doyen Mariela Eberhardt’ Bahar Erbergi Virginia Elssrnon Na’ava Feder Elizabeth Fennell Claire Floyd Mary Gervais Sigrid Glaeser Carmen Gonzalez Aida Habib Jennifer Heggie Prue Hill Barbara Hogg Miriam Israel Paula Jeffries Margaret Jones Furnie Kanda

Sukriye Karaosmanoqlu Elisabeth Keil Yvonne Kendall Ann Kerr Judith Klein Gisela Kopp Sonia Kouros Raimo Kuusela Margaret Lane Cheryl Laurence Ompie Liebenthal Antje Liese-Muntinga Priscilla Linn Inge Luhde Vim Maguire Ena Malhotra Vasso Maniatis Julia McGovern Barry McIsaac Eric McMillan Patricia Menckhoff Sakin Mohammed Talaat Moreau

Unni Moritz Samia Mustafa Gloria Natiello Isabel Navarrete Ursula Nebiker Lou Nieman Maire O’Murchu Marcella Anne O’Sullivan Atejandra Olivares Alison Ordu Melek Ozgediz May Payne Anne Pemberton Donna Pivik Judy Post de Ramos Neeva Pradhan Patsy Preston Adelaide Rachun (Priscilla Linn’s mother) Bavani Rajagopalan Malathi Hamachandran Gertrud Rehm Marcia Sabeti

Carla Scearce Iccle Schertz Shirley Scheyer Gloria Segal Sara Shanmugarajah Marion Elizabeth Shepherd Zina Stem Christel Thumm Marie Tillman Cristiana Valentini Genie Van Vugt Beth Vergin Rosa Von Der Osten Sacken Rosemarie Wapenhans Elizabeth Ruth Ward Aimee Warren Ruby Wingate Hada Zaidan Teel Zetterstrom

List includes those who contributed items for the MMMF table or food for the Gourmet Shop, as well as those who worked at the fair. We apologize for any omissions or misspellings.

Farewell to Departing President Sukrlye Karaosmanoglu

Welcome to Incoming President Priscilla Linn

Sukriye Karaosmanoglu, president of the Board of Directors of the Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund, resigned last December when her husband retired from the World Bank. She and Attila will return to Turkey this spring.

Priscilla Rachun Linn has moved from the vice presidency of the MMMF to replace Sukriye as president. Priscilla is well known in WBVS for her work with a “Jobs and Careers” group in the 1980s and with the Yellow Pages and Skills Bank.

Sukriye became the MMMF chair in 1987, after Babs Knox retired. She presided over the incorporation of the MMMF and its achievement of tax-exempt status as a public charity in 1989.

The MMMF Committee then became a Board of Directors, and Sukriye has served as their president ever since.

In pursuit of a lifelong interest in Anthropology, Priscilla works for the Smithsonian on a flexible schedule. She is the curator of a Smithsonian exhibition, “Women in Action: Rebels and Reformers, 1920 to 1980,” which opens this month.

During Sukriye’s presidency, the number of grants awarded increased from one to five, and MMMFs endowment increased from $100,000to $500,000. The International Arts and Crafts Fair has become an institution in the World Bank. as has MMMF’s other major fund raising activity, the Benefit Raffle.

“I did not do these things,” Sukriye says. “All of us worked very hard-members of the MMMF Board and many others. I am grateful to them all. I will miss my dear friends. When I return to Istanbul, I will leave part of my heart behind with the MMMF.” In December, the Board decided to designate a grant recipient each year as the Sukriye Karaosmanoglu Scholar, and made Sukriye a lifetime Honorary Member of the board.

Sukriye, our love and best wishes go with you.

“I am very pleased to be able to express my commitment to women in developing countries by working with the MMMF,” Priscilla says.

-and to Incoming Vice President Carla Scearce Carla Scearce is well known as the chair of the International Arts and Crafts Fair, for her service as Nominating Chair of the Executive Committee, and for her earlier work with Weekend Activities and UNICEF. She initiated the sale of UNICEF cards in the Bank and was so successful that UNICEF gave her an award.

The MMMF Fair has been Carla’s long-time passion. “It is a lot of work.” Carla says, “but the goal is very worthwhile, and we all have a good time. It’s worth all the effort that goes into it.”

8

Gilda Dadush totaling Hanna Woicke’s purchases at the 2010 MMMF Fair

Andree Wynkoop calculating vendor commissions

MMMF International Arts & Crafts Fair Hooray for the MMMF!

7

Another over-the charts performance for the MMMF Arts and Crafts Fair! A whopping $60,897.85 proceeds surpassing last year’s record.

The MMMF Fair was again a tremendous success.

I want to thank all of you who prepared and donated food to the Gourmet Table which this year, was spectacular in terms of variety, quantity and quality of creations and donations.

We had chocolate chip cookies, brownies, lemon kisses, cakes, scones, Japanese Bento Boxes, spiced potato, Malaysian pickles, Thai chicken, kebabs, tandoori chicken, assorted breads from many countries, jams and marmalades.

Many of the recipes were handed down from grandmothers to mothers to you and we all appreciated them for the customers were high in praise for taste and for presentation.

Mosaic, January 2000

Thanks to your efforts the Gourmet Table contributed $1,995.63 to the record total income of the 1999 MMMF Fair.

Vim Maguire

The Gourmet Table, selling delicious homemade pies, cakes, and breads grossed $1995.63. Le Cafe, serving more than 300 hungry customers its traditional menu of soups, empanadas, samosas and egg rolls, raked in $7,191.85. Then there was the MMMF Table that took in $8648.82 by selling donated white elephants. For the second year, shoppers enjoyed a moment of detente under the capable hands of masseuse Harumi Williams, who also donated the proceeds to the MMMF. A big thanks to all the volunteer cooks, cashiers, runners and ticket sellers who helped make this annual event a roaring success.

The five lucky door prize winners were: E. Hayden, who won the grand prize; a quilt stitched by our talented seamstresses; S. Rex-Hans for first prize, an Ethiopian gold brooch; T. Proskuryakova, for second prize, a Baccarat vase; M. Khoury, for third prize, an oriental rug; and V. Raymond, for fourth prize, a Maurice Lacroix watch.

Janet Geli

WBVS: Supporting families of the World Bank Group

MMMF FAIR

In the very hospitable setting of her study, Carla Scearce spoke about the founding of the International Arts and Crafts Fair.

It was a means to boost the newly created Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund. Her recollection went back to 1984.

Sharing an idea with Babs Knox (one of the founding members of the MMMF) she queried about the prospect of holding a bazaar at a church. Though it was a very impulsive idea, it was being done by some organizations to raise funds. So the first «bazaar» was held at St. Johns Episcopal Church in McLean, in 1984, and a successful one too.

«The memory of the bazaar in 1984 lingered in many minds, but, most vividly in Carla Scearce’s mind. While attending an event in the auditorium of the Bank’s H building, she looked around and thought to herself, «We could have a bazaar here». She formed a committee in early 1986 and began to plan for «a fair to be held in November» - this is recorded in the MMMF Reference History by Harriet Baldwin.

In the past 16 years, Carla has chaired the Committee far the Fair, sharing the responsibility with the coordinators for the four relevant areas, Volunteers; Le Cafe; the Gourmet Table; and Vendors.

How does she manage it all today? Carla asserts that «16 years ago it was a challenge. Now it is repetitive and we do it with different people chairing the work, e.g. the volunteers, cashiers, etc.»

Most Vendors who wish to participate in the fair, apply in June at which time a decision is made on the selection of the Vendors and table sites. Carla states that «the Vendors rent a table and contribute 15% of what they make» to the Fair.

Each year has brought Vendors selling diverse products.

She notes that what has been very popular in the past years is jewelry and reminisced about other wares sold.

Vendors with Turkish carpets and copper ankles have participated since the beginning. In addition, exotic wares from Asia, amber from Eastern Europe, Swedish Christmas ornaments, Mexican pewter, and artistic jewelry have always been available.

Most noteworthy at Le Cafe is the soup. The recipe for the soup, Zucchini and Pumpkin, came from Helen Podoske, according to Carla, and due to its popularity the recipe is sold (for 25 cents).

The very popular Gourmet Table displays a variety of ethnic foods and cakes, contributed ‘by volunteers.

Speaking about volunteers, Carla said that the Fair is an activity that needs a lot of volunteers to help with the different services. The Cashiers office has «runners» who collect the receipts from the Vendors. Le Café coordinators work miracles.

The MMMF Table offers treasures from around the world. Carla oversees tile committees during the threeday fair and is quick to observe that the Fair Committee members are a «very professional and responsible group» resulting in a very good working relationship, and in particular also notes the excellent support received from the WBVS office staff throughout the life of the Fair.

In retrospect, Carla definitely «feels very proud of the fact that the Fair was able to contribute $521,562 to date to the MMMF.» She expresses her thanks to all the volunteers who have helped to achieve such success which also includes numerous Bank staff members.

So, on behalf of the MMMF Board and Carla, thanks again to all the volunteers and participants.

Delia d’ Albuquerque This year’s Fair Committee Treasurer: Ineke De Haan and Ruby Wingate Supplies: Teel Zertestrorn Le Cafe: Caroline Beenhakker and Cleo Cruikshank Gourmet: Marion van Ruiten Volunteers: Caroline Berney MMMF Table: Hanna Woicke

WBVS: Supporting families of the World Bank Group

12

Mosaic, December 2001

For the past 16 years. Carla Scearce has organized the MMMF Fair. Here she tells Mosaic the secret of her success

Artwork by Duina Reyes

10

MMMF: Volunteer Appreciation MMMF FAIR 20th ANNIVERSARY Zane Stuggins, MMMF Publicity

Wow! This year’s MMMF International Arts & Crafts Fair netted over $54,000!

These proceeds will enable the Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund to continue to carry out its mission of awarding scholarships to women from developing countries.

After they obtain a degree from a U.S. or Canadian university, the MMMF grant recipients return to their home countries where they engage in work to better the lives of women and children.

This year, the Fair celebrated its 20th anniversary. Thank you to everyone who helped to make the fair such a success. We couldn’t have done it without the tireless volunteers, the fabulous donated items or the enthusiastic shoppers. You sold raffle tickets, baked, cooked, served customers, acted as runners, cashiers and manned the MMMF table. The Gourmet Table tempted everyone with its homemade goodies and Le Cafe served delicious soup and other edibles. The delicious bento boxes prepared by the Nadeshiko-Kai were enjoyed by many.

The MMMF Board would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Wolfensohn for their generous donation to the MMMF table. Thank you also to Peter Woicke, Carmen Gonzalez, Cristiana Valentini-Katsu, Inci Musannif, Garrett McDonald,] ulian Schweitzer, Majeeduddin Khan, Helen Frick, Sukriye Karaosmanoglu, Caroline Berney, Gloria Esther Natiello and Carla Scearce, for their generous contributions.

Of course none of this would have worked without the support and assistance provided by the staff of the General Services Department headed by Luis Descaire and Security headed by Francis Robinson.

The four lucky door prize winners were: Jeannette Smith won an Iranian carpet (first prize); Steven Lane won a Pentax digital camera (second prize); and Jane Newport and Lilian Schumacher each won a two night stay for two people at the Windham City Center (third and fourth prize, respectively). The Board would like to extend a special thank you to Carla Scearce, Chairperson and Founder of the Fair, and Caroline Berney, Co-Chair.for their dedication and hard work.

THANK YOU TO OUR MMMF FAIR VOLUNTEERS Georgine Ahmad, Helen Aitken, Shakila Alikhan, Nobuko Asada, Hala Attiga, Caroline Berney, Tessa Bliss, Bandana Bose, Beverly Brar, Carmen Carrera Moncada, Bertha Cassoria, Khanum Cheryan, Tembiso Chikosi, Cleo Cruikshank, Anna Dahlborg, Delia D’Albuquerque, Ineke De Haan, Ursula Dehejia, Jacqueline Dodero, Nora Downes, Mariela Eberhardt, Takako Eguchi, Maha ElSidani, Na’ava Feder, Birgit Fossberg, Joanne Garrity, Janet Geli, Carmen Gonzalez, Karen

Harrison, Yuko Higa, Hiroko Ikegami, Masae Ishizuka, Myra Jacobs, Kristina Jensen, Ana Jubiz, Dina Karam, Sukriye Karaosmanoglu, Darja Kawasumiova, Urara Kawauchi, Yvonne Kendall, Lilian Kew, Lois Khairallah, Junko Kimura, Judith Klein, Margaret Lane, Elisabeth Legrain, Antje Liese- 1untinga, Priscilla Rachun Linn, Vim Maguire, Vasso Maniatis, Ema Masse, Helen Maybury, Sakin Mohammed, Kerrie-Anne Muir, Inci Musannif, Gloria Esther Natiello, Lou Niemann,

Yoshiko Okushi,Alison Ordu,Maha Oteifa, Satoko Ora, Mari Parker, Dhamayanthy Pathmanathan, Nancy Pinto, Judy Post de Ramos, Annette Rathjen, Yoshiko Ryba, Carla Scearce, Ide Schertz, Shirley Scheyer, Monica Schott, Parricia Srreifel, Zane Sruggins, M. Carmen Miranda Subramanian, Marianne Summers, Sayuri Thomson, Tomoko Ueda, Cristiana Valentini-Katsu,Elna Van Greuning, Marion Van Ruiteri, Beth Vergin, Ruby Wingate, Hanna Woicke, Teel Zettersrrom.

2005

2004

With MMMF Recipients The 1993 MMMF Selection Panel with Chair Harriet Baldwin and Vice Chair Sigrid Blobel

2011

1993

KEEPING IN TOUCH November 21, 1983 Dear Sister Rosemary, Faculty, Staff and Students, I arrived safely in Liberia at the end of August.

I resumed teaching at the School of Nursing as Pediatric Instructor. Presently the hospital where my students do their practice is undergoing repair, therefore, I can only have classes now.

Things are still in an adjusting phase for me but I think I am doing fine.

It was wonderful doing my Master’s at the School of Nursing with you all to add to that very.enriching experience. I will always try my best to demonstrate what I have learned at Catholic.

My love to all of you. Please let us keep in contact, and keep up the wonderful job.

Sincerely,

The first MMMF grant recipient Marian Subah (Liberia) in 1983

Marian Subah

This is a copy of a letter sent to Catholic University by Marian Subah, first award winner of the Margaret McNamara Memorial Scholarship Fund. (WIVES News, Dec. 1983)

Charlotte Jones-Caroll and Sarah Brau with Marian Subah at the WBFN Office in May 2011

sources of articles We have included articles in this booklet to illustrate some highlights of Carla’s in the WBFN and MMMF which were previously published elsewhere as follows: 1. This Spotlight on Members article “The Value in Volunteering” by the Mosaic Team appeared in the October 2012 WBFN Mosaic newsletter.

2. This interview with Carla by Janet Geli, titled “Volunteering as a Way of Life”, was published likely in a WBVS Newsletter in 1990.

3. “Reflections on our first International Bazaar” by Carla Peperzak and the letter to Carla from Beatrice Knox and Ruby Wingate were published in the WIVES Newsletter in the Fall of 1984.

4. “Spotlight on Members: Filling a Need” by Gilda Dadush and Louise Shimizu was published in the May 2012 WBFN Mosaic newsletter.

5. “The 1994 MMMF International Arts and Crafts Fair—At a glance” was published in the January 1995 WBVS Mosaic newsletter.

6. “Hooray for the MMMF!” was published in the January 2000 WBVS Mosaic newsletter marking the recordbreaking MMMF International Arts and Crafts Fair proceeds of that year, setting a new record not yet broken.

7. This interview with Carla by Delia d’Albuquerque was published in the December 2001 WBVS Mosaic newsletter.

8. This advertisement for the 2004 MMMF International Arts and Crafts Fair appeared on the cover of the November WBFN Mosaic newsletter. It was the 19th International Arts & Crafts Fair and the 20th year of the Fair, when we include the first International Fair/Bazaar in 1984, and the 20th and last Fair that Carla chaired.

9. The MMMF Volunteer Appreciation article “MMMF Fair 20th Anniversary” was published in the January 2005 WBFN Mosaic newsletter.

To comply with the WBFN’s privacy policies, phone numbers, addresses and email addresses have been removed.