Philanthropic Archive

Annual Report - Club Year 2006/2007

Debora House-Bengtsson

Philanthropic Committee

 

This club year 2006-2007 has operated virtually without a Philanthropic Chairperson. An excellent candidate was found in Marrtinaa New but regretfully personal reasons prevented her from carrying out her term. However because she was so capable she managed in a short period to vet a suitable charity to help Russian children, arrange all the gifts for the Christmas Luncheon, and instigate the project for The Star School.

 

Fortunately for the club the President Lauren Dyer Amazeen has a long history of fundraising knowledge and expertise and was able to inspire an ad hoc Philanthropy Committee to meet and exceed the fundraising goals. One of Lauren’s first orders of business as President was to recruit members from former Philanthropic committees and begin creative planning for alternative events. The bazaar was postponed (without a Philanthropic Chair to oversee this large task and to give people time to reevaluate and

rejuvenate this worthy event) and several smaller events were originated that could be managed by a fewer number of people. Incredibly it didn’t affect the bottom line too greatly and in fact exceeded all expectation without an elected Chairperson. She did have one firm demand though events have to be fun.

 

The October Charity luncheon and Fashion Show supported the work of Marta’s Call Center in Latvia (a 24 hour call center for young girls in distress). We donated (9,290SEK). Mary Beth Connor conceived the idea of having all the gifts around a central beauty theme to coordinate with the fashion show. She then went out and collected all the prizes herself and delivered them to the luncheon in bright black and white polka dot bags with red tissue! Her daughter Megan made the sign for the gifts.

It was a wonderful start to the year.

 

Already in the works for November was the Art Affair. To support the Angkor Hospital for Children in Cambodia who suffer from land mine accidents. The Art Affair was a collective effort and proves the power of cooperation. This idea was a pastiche of ideas from other previously successful fundraising efforts by Lauren, Vice President Anita Wegelius and Debora House-Bengtsson. Anita headed the Art Gathering team and Debora planned the event. For months Anita collected art from members, galleries

and friends. Food and wine were prepared and provided by the Multi Cultural Gourmet Cooking Group. Galleri Gummesson generously lent us their gallery, stored work and hung the art. Alladin donated all the dishes and martini glasses free of charge. Jayne Berggren was the food and beverage director. An ice sculpture holding lingon martini’s added the festive atmosphere. Artist and new member Daria Vaccino

Anderson gave art and created highly original artist smocks for the “staff”. Tresurer Annika Vonck managed the ticket sales and lottery. It was a lively evening attended by over 100 members and raised 22,242 SEK with almost no expenses put out to mount the event.

 

This event lead to the creation of the IWC Mentorship Program. The teenaged daughters of members were enlisted to help out at the event for school credit and learned by example. Annika Vonck’s daughter Amalia Lorenzo Vonck and Lovia Melander collected the remaining art and with their fellow students at Viktor Rydberg Gymnasium held another similar event in January that raised almost as much as the original event! They donated their money to Livslust (22,000SEK). So not only did we inspire them they went on and inspired the rest of their school! The very thing the mentorship program hopes to accomplish: training future Philanthropists.

 

The December Russian Christmas Luncheon was arranged by Martiina New and benefited Natasha Andersson’s Chernobyl children’s project (18,441SEK). The Russian Embassy in Stockholm recommended this project. Natasha Andersson is an artist who paints charming pictures of cows and sells them for the price it takes her to house a child for the summer in Sweden. She had many of her pictures on display at the luncheon to the delight of members. Martiina collected all the lottery prizes from generous sponsors at Ostermalmshallen. Debora House Bengtsson arranged the table and lottery and the Russian Embassy generously donated a dozen extraordinary bottles of Vodka found no where else. The Embassy worked very closely with Marrtinaa on this project.

 

Our member Kate Wacz who cannot resist any opportunity to help others dedicated her lovely February Coffee Morning to help educate Tibetan Children. The House of Tibet (2,000SEK) builds schools and libraries. Kate requested in lieu of hostess gifts money be collected for the children. Members happily obliged because, well, we just don’t say No to Kate:)

 

The April Fashion Show and Charity Luncheon was this year’s big event. Months in the planning it was decided that the IWC would assist the very noble Star School Project in South Africa who help young people live an AIDS free life. Alexandra Charles had approached the club to do an event in March at the Grand Hotel but owing to Martinna being unable to oversee the project and a tight schedule for all involved including Alexandra Charles, it fell back into the hands of the President and Vice President who had committed to the project. They decided with board approval to

use the Spring Fashion show as the venue for this fundraising effort. Stars being an easy theme to follow dictated how the room would look for the event. Materials were collected and arranged by Debora House Bengtsson. Debora enlisted a new member Jayne Berggren to design and produce the thematic bags for the lottery table. Jayne then enlisted her daughter Annika thus adding another member to the mentorship program. A committee was formed to collect lottery prizes almost entirely of members who had never work on the Philanthropic committee before. Dan Oloffson the

founder of the Star School attended along with the South African Ambassador

H.E. Mr. Sophonia Rapulane Makgetla. Alexandra persuaded her friends and fellow Star School Ambassadors Ken Wennerholm and Göran Rudbo from Triple & Touch to perform at the event. Instead of speaking Alexandra provided a moving film of the children letting them speak for themselves prior to the fashion show. The fashion show by So You and Prêt a Porter was lively and profession and included our own willowy

Bulletin Editor Irina Saprykina as a model (because she doesn’t have enough to do:) It was fabulous to see a room full of ladies from all over the world sporting delightful hats and enjoying the program headed by Marida Ericsson.

 

Perhaps because of the general good will of everyone involved and Lauren’s insistence that everyone have as much fun as possible the whole day had a sparkling magic. We knew for sure it would all work out beautifully when the president told us the day before that our beloved patron Princess Lilian would attend! When she graced us with her presence in a stunning coral suit and Anita Wegelius had coincidently chosen coral roses for her bouquet that very morning we knew the stars were with us. Between the lottery and the subsequent board approval of funds for the project the

members of the International Women’s Club were able to give the Star School
40,000 sek!

 

As previously stated this board has had to do largely without a Philanthropic Chairman but it has not influenced the outcome of performing one of the tenets of our organization which is to help less fortunate women and children where ever they are in the world. The President Lauren Amazeen has taken this responsibility very seriously. At the final board meeting prior to the AGM an outline for alternative ways of helping others. This is outside of the planning of large events that require a very engaged, active and responsible Philanthropic Committee. It is hoped that some of the seed

ideas that were born out of necessity this year can prove helpful to future boards.

 

IWC Mentorship Program to encourage young people to see the great need for charity and compassion in other parts of the world and to teach our children that while the scope of human suffering is vast even our own small gestures can make a big difference.

 

Think Global Act Local with the intention to remember to help those “at home”. Here in Sweden there are many worthy causes that often go unnoticed as the greater tragedies of the world clamor for attention. On the well-documented recommendation from committee member Dagny Helander- Wand this board has awarded 10,000 SEK to The Hospice Maria Regina – a Hospice in Nacka to aid in providing quality of life in the last days of it.

 

Cultural Stipends Presented by the Programme Chairperson, Agnes Meszaros’ this spring as a way to expand on our Programming projects and help develop artistic talent for young people who need support, this board created a flexible stipend to be awarded in the event of budget surplus. To be awarded to individuals or groups to encourage the promotion of cultural understanding through the arts. The first award in the amount of 5000 SEK was given to pianist Gergö Teleki who performed for members

at the American Ambassadors Residence in March. Members were moved to tears by his mastery of piano. This stipend will be used to further his studies.

 

These smaller programs give members a chance to apply to the board for charities they may know of through their own personal knowledge. It should be remembered that they must have unimpeachable references and accountability prior to any club money being offered. The club is fortunate to have many kind-hearted members who were willing to jump in on short notice and help with the above-mentioned events. Special thanks this year must go to two members who are responsible for selling an untold

number of lottery tickets and were always on hand to provide sound advice

and cheerful solutions when ever asked Brigitte Frick-Meijer and Dagny Helander-Wand. Brigitte also raised funds through her walking group and donated 1000 SEK to the Angkor Hospital project. Tack!!

 

Thanks also to the “ad hoc” committee who pitched in when ever they could:Inga Rumert, Jayne Berggren, Aprill Wise-Spendrup, , Rosinah Ismail Clarke, Kate Graham, Mary Beth Conner, Tracy Chapman, Venice Görsun, Ettie Burström Inge Matthiasson and all the other ladies who were persuaded on the spot to sell lottery tickets. Special thanks also to The Multi Cultural Gourmet Cooking Group for the donations from the hostesses who always turned over the money that was supposed to pay for the food served at meetings to the Philanthropic Committee. And for their cooking skills evident to all at the Art Affair.

 

Ladies, thank you, You’re Angels!

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Debora House Bengtsson

Philanthropic Committee

 

Add photos from charityarchive-newdesign.htm  

Last Update: 03 October 2007