Winter 2024 Newsletter

Thanksgiving

Join fellow AWCCS members and guests for Thanksgiving dinner

 on Sunday, 24 November 2024

at the Best Western Braid Hills Hotel

134 Braid Road EH10 6JD Edinburgh from 2-5 P.M.

Enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner with all the trimmings.

Register on the AWCCS website under “events” or contact Quonya Huff at q.i.huff@gmail.comby Thursday, 7 November!

Adults £31 Children £16 (subsidized price) Children under 5 free

Cash bar available for wines, spirits and beers

There will be live music, a Silent Auction, pub quizzes for adults and children

And a children’s crafts table.

Don’t miss out on this family holiday event in Edinburgh

Greetings from your President

Greetings Ladies,

As we step into the winter season, I want to take a moment to reflect on our shared experiences and the vibrant community we’ve built here as the American Women’s Club of Central Scotland. Whether you’re based in Edinburgh, Glasgow, or the surrounding areas—from Ayrshire to the Borders and beyond—you’re part of a supportive network of women navigating life in Scotland together. We come from all walks of life: wives, partners, mothers, students, professionals, and more. Each of us brings something unique to our group, and it’s this diversity that truly strengthens our community.

This year is a presidential voting year in the US, with the elections reminding us of the power and responsibility that comes with our right to vote. I hope each of you have the opportunity to make your voice heard and cast your vote for the candidates and issues that matter to you. As American women living abroad, staying connected to our roots and being active participants in the democratic process is something we can all be proud of.

We’ve continued our tradition of hosting engaging and fun events. October brought a lot of excitement with our Halloween party for the little ones. It was a fantastic day filled with costumes, crafts, and plenty of sweet treats—thank you to everyone who contributed and made it such a memorable event!

Our regular gatherings, including Coffee Mornings, Birthday Bashes, Book Club, Walks, Kahoot and Movie Nights, have continued to be well-attended and much-loved. It’s been wonderful to see so many of you, whether catching up over a cup of coffee, celebrating special milestones, or enjoying a night out together. These events are the heart of our community, where friendships deepen and new members are warmly welcomed.

As we look ahead to November, it’s time to come together for our annual Thanksgiving celebration. This cherished tradition allows us to share a taste of home with our families and friends here in Scotland. We’ll gather to enjoy a delicious meal, give thanks, and create lasting memories. Please join us for what promises to be a truly special event—if you haven’t signed up yet please do.

The winter months are a wonderful time to connect and support one another, especially as the days grow shorter and colder. Let’s continue to make the most of our community by staying involved and attending events whenever possible. If you have ideas for new activities or would like to host an event, please reach out—we’re always open to new suggestions.

To all our members, thank you for making the AWCCS such a vibrant and welcoming community. Wishing you all a joyful Thanksgiving, a festive holiday season, and a bright start to the New Year.

Warmest wishes,

Cynthia Holden (The Baroness)
President

Upcoming Events

November

AWCCS Present KAHOOT for November 2024
7 November 2024 @ 7:15 PM to 9:00 PM
View
November Film Night with Christine
at Omni Centre
13 November 2024 @ 5:45 PM
View
November Birthday Bash, Edinburgh
at Browns Brasserie and Bar
14 November 2024 @ 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
View
Glasgow Thanksgiving Pot Luck **the real deal!!**
at Suzie St Denis’s House (Stepps)
16 November 2024 @ 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM
View
November Coffee AM Edinburgh
at Dovecot Studios, LTD
20 November 2024 @ 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
View
Thanksgiving Dinner Edinburgh
at Best Western Braid Hills Hotel
24 November 2024 @ 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
View

Save The Date

Dear Members:  See our lengthy list of further upcoming activities available for all our AWCCS members – this is for all our pan Central Scotland, you can go to any activity irrespective of where you live.

 

Edinburgh Based        Glasgow Based           Virtual Activities

 

November:

Thursday 7th, 715-9pm – Kahoot

Thursday 14th – Birthday Bash, Brown’s, George St, Edinburgh

Saturday 16th, 530pm – Glasgow Thanksgiving at Suzie St Dennis’ 

Wednesday 20th, 10am – Coffee Morning, Dovecot Studio, LTD

Saturday 23rd – Clyde Valley Walk

Sunday 24th, 2-5pm – Thanksgiving Dinner at Braid Hills Hotel, Edinburgh 

 

December: 

Tuesday 3rd –  Glasgow Panto  ‘Peter Pan

Friday 6th – Coffee morning at Eusebi Deli

Friday 6th – Cookie Exchange at home of Kathy McGlew

Thursday 12th – Coffee morning, location TBD

NO KAHOOT during December 

 

2025

January:

Friday 17th, 630-830pm – FAWCO fundraiser quiz, Bowlers Rest Pub

Friday 17th, 630-830pm – FAWCO fundraiser quiz, home of Shannon Lei

Friday 17th, 630-830pm – FAWCO fundraiser quiz, Zoom

TBD – January coffee morning

TBD – January birthday bash

TBD – Lunch at The Bothy

Saturday 25th – A Burn’s Celebration from Alloway

Thursday 30th, 715pm – Kahoot

AWCCS Simultaneous Quiz

AWCCS- SAVE THE DATE Friday 17 January, 2025 for the

World’s First AWCCS Simultaneous Identical Quizzes Fundraiser!

We have until February 2025 to raise funds for FAWCO Target project, Awesome Blossoms.

Join the Quiz!

In Glasgow and Edinburgh and Zoom the AWCCS is simultaneously holding a 1 hour Quiz Fundraiser.

LOCATION in Edinburgh:           Bowlers Rest pub, owned by our AWCCS Member Ceceley Chambers

24 Mitchell Street, Edinburgh, EH6 7BD. You can purchase your food & drink at the bar. We have her back room to ourselves

LOCATION in Glasgow:              Home of Shannon Lei & family

Address to be shared upon registration. Potluck, and Shannon makes £2.00 Margaritas

And on ZOOM

TICKET: £5.00 per person, regardless of your location.  Form a team at the event, or create your team ahead of time.

TIMINGS:       6:30 Arrival, get your food and drink

                        7:00 Quiz begins in both locations and on Zoom

                        There will be 1 – 15 minute interval, with a total of 8 categories of questions

                        8:30 Finish

 

Recent Events

Children’s Halloween Party 2024

Kate Pearson & Nancy Lynner

This October we held the AWCCS Children’s Halloween Party at a new location—St Michael’s Parish Church—and we had 40 people attending. Half of the attendees were under 14 and dressed in costumes! The children played Ghost Bowling, Witch hat Ring Toss, and many others. They painted mosaic pumpkin prints, made masks, and Guessed How Many candies were in jars. We ate sandwiches, cupcakes, crisps, and lots of candy.  We had some Non-members bring their kids, and they paid a small fee, which helps defray the costs of the party. Spooky Storytime featured two books with the same moral: We all need friends!  And isn’t that what AWCCS is about?  The children’s costumes were terrific. Thank you to Caroline Graves in-laws who have been storing the 3 tubs of props and games for over 5 years! Our “Donate to FAWCO Awesome Blossoms” bucket brought in £20.00 to this worthy charity. Thanks to those who volunteered including: Beth Tope & Martin, Kate’s family, Cynthia, Angus & Molly Holden, Suzette Bell & Sarah Neary, Chris MacLachlan and a few others.

On Sunday, September 15, 2024, several AWCCS members participated in the Kiltwalk charitable fundraising event to raise money for The Food Train, our chosen charity. Members walked a variety of distances, Mary Jo Bone Caselton and her husband completed the Mighty Stride in Palos Park, Illinois, walking the full 20 miles while on holiday in the U.S! Amanda Drollinger, her husband and her daughter, participated in the Wee Wander and walked 5 miles, Laura Donald and Michelle Oleson did the Big Stroll and walked 11 miles, and Ellie Fisher did the Mighty Stride and walked 20 miles. These efforts were supported by the club membership and the AWCCS Kiltwalk team raised £810 for the Food Train. Thank you to everyone who participated, either as kiltwalker or as a sponsor. Your generosity is greatly appreciated! 

Lots of events recently including a Halloween style coffee morning at The Willow Tea Room,  a visit to South Leith Church and the October Birthday Bash.

Glasgow AWCCS had a bunch highlighting breast cancer awareness, two members are breast cancer survivors.

We also enjoyed an evening out at Loon Fung on 22 Oct.    Four of us enjoyed some wonderful Cantonese food and catch up.

Glasgow members had a great day out at the Mural Walk.

Club Announcements

Thanksgiving Silent Auction

Please join us in Glasgow for a Thanksgiving Potluck event on Saturday, November 16th, or join us in Edinburgh for a Thanksgiving luncheon on Sunday, November 24th. Each year, our club hosts a silent auction to raise funds for our chosen charity, currently that is the Food Train in Glasgow and the FAWCO Target Project, Awesome Blossoms, a hydroponic farming initiative that supports girls’ education.

 

How You Can Contribute

We invite you to be a part of this meaningful tradition and contribute goods or services for the auction. Bringing your donations is easy – drop off your items at the Thanksgiving event you’ll be attending. To streamline the process, email our Charity Chair, Ellie Fisher, fisher.ellie@gmail.com a brief description of your generous donation. Thank you to those of you who have already started gathering auction items.

 

Payment Options for Winning Bids

When it’s time to claim your winning bids at the auction, we encourage payments in cash or by cheque. For added convenience, we’ll also offer PayPal as a payment option.

 

Thank You in Advance

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all members who choose to support this important cause. Your generosity and commitment to giving back to the community are greatly appreciated. Let’s come together to make this Thanksgiving season truly special.

 

Member News

November

Ellen Brennan
Andreea Luca
Ellen Matheson
Lindsay Nygren
Susanne Buchau
Charlene Hewitt
Lacey Gibson-Ward
Kelsey Beren
Suzette Bell

December

Myra Hollie Nielson
Esther Frick
Karina Bole
Dawn Slusher
Suzie St Denis
Mary Jo Caselton

January

Judith Pevsner
Maddie Long
Nancy Lynner

Welcome New Members

Caitlin Johnson
Ellen Fraser
Trisha Lasar
Gina Helfrich
Susanne Buchau

Edinburgh Book Group

Contact: dka.finlayson@gmail.com

 

Friday, 15 November

Go As a River

By Shelly Read

Home of Marily Macvicar

Start time: 10:30

 

Friday, 13 December

The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley

by Sean Lusk

Location TBD

Start time: 10:30

 

Friday, 17 January

Book & location TBD

Start time: 10:30

 

FAWCO

Amanda Drollinger is the Target Program 5 Environment Chair. The current Target project is Awesome Blossoms Safe Spaces located in Nairobi Kenya.
 
 
It is also time to apply for Development Grants and education awards from the FAWCO Foundation. 

 FAWCO Environment Team article about our Youth Program. See link below. 

https://www.fawco.org/global-issues/environment/environment-articles/5037-fawco-youth-ambassadors-2024-rewilding-the-scottish-highlands

The Cultural Volunteers Program was held in Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands, June 28–July 7, 2024, hosted by the American Women’s Club of Central Scotland and chaired by Amanda Drollinger.

There were 12 participants (six girls, six boys), ages 13–17, from Berlin, Heidelberg, Hamburg, Torino, AWG-Paris, Languedoc-Roussillon, Stockholm, Dublin, Central Scotland and FAUSA.

The program ran 9 days, which was longer than our usual 7 days. This was because there were 5 days in the Highlands, arrival and departure days, leaving the teens 2 days in Edinburgh.

They received community service hours for the following: 

  • 5 hours – Audio Description Association Scotland and ARTlink facilitating access to the theater for the blind and partially sighted and those with hearing loss at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh 
  • 5 hours – Scottish Seabird Centre North Berwick sea life conservation and beach clean 
  • 16 hours – Trees for Life Dundreggan Rewilding Centre working in land management and  forest regeneration and conservation
  • 3 hours – Highland Wildlife Park animal welfare and rewilding/ reintroduction of Scottish wildcats.

There is also the group video:

https://www.fawco.org/images/stories/fawco_youth/Cultural_Volunteers/Scotland_2024/fawco_youth_scotland_2024.mp4

and the youth essays:

https://www.fawco.org/global-issues/youth-program/cultural-volunteers/scotland-2024/5027-cultural-volunteers-scotland-2024-in-their-own-words

 

Our Advertisers