March 2016 by IWC-Sofia

March 2016

Newsletter

of the International Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club in Sofia

IWC Board Report Todorov Den and other Bulgarian customs in March

Celebrate Easter Sunday Next Monthly Coffee Morning and AGM: Tuesday, 12th April 10.30am at Matti-d

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+359 2 819 20 20; +359 882 300 400; office@ues.bg; www.UES.bg

Letter from the President

Hello Ladies! This month our coffee morning lands on the 1st March, the traditional day for giving Martenitsas and this year in support of Pepi from Pernik, we have invited his teacher to have a commercial table where she will be selling Martenitsas made by the children from his school, so I would like to encourage you to buy as many as possible knowing your money will be going to a good cause. As I mentioned at our previous coffee morning, we are looking for new office premises. The business Park, Sofia, has been our partner for many years and for the last five years have provided our office free of charge, which has been very much appreciated, allowing us to put this money in the charity foundation for our supported projects. We realise that things cannot stay the same forever and we are now looking for a new partner to continue this example of support for the IWC. We do have a few possibilities which we are following up and once we have exhausted all avenues we will be making a further announcement. As in previous years, to celebrate women’s day, we have arranged a special monthly lunch for March 8th. This year it will be held in the Park Inn by Radisson and will again be subsidised by the club, with each member paying 25bgn towards the cost. This is usually a popular event, giving us all an extra chance to come together. Please, remember to sign up and pay your deposit, as we will need to inform the hotel of numbers as soon as possible. I would like to thank the nominating committee, headed by chairwoman Franziska Bieri, for announcing that they will now be accepting applications for the board positions that will be voted on at next month’s AGM. Please do contact them if you feel you can participate on the board this year, new board members can bring fresh ideas and a new energy that is needed to keep the club moving forward. Good luck to all of you who are ready to take on the challenge! Finally I would to like announce that we have agreed to partner GTC Bulgaria in their Food Festival, which in conjunction with other donors and Embassies will take place this May. The idea is to not only promote the food and culture of Bulgaria but to take the food and culture of the rest of the world on tour around Bulgaria, a mini IWC Bazaar if you like! Of course this is a great opportunity to engage with the Bulgarian people outside of Sofia but it is also intended to raise money in each of the 8 locations to donate to local projects. We will be announcing more of this project and how you can get involved very soon. I hope you all have a very lucky March!

Angela

Permanent and Waterproof PRINT on LIVE ROSES

Cover image: Klearchos Kapoutsis, "The Easter of the Horses" at Chelopech; VAGABOND — Bulgaria's English monthly magazine — Photo of the month.

IWC Executive Board 2015-2016 President Angela Bird 0879 119 152 president@iwc-sofia.org

Charity Chairperson Maria Ilieva 0878 300 561/ 0879 119 154 charity@iwc-sofia.org

Treasurer Kelsa L. Smith-Mouskourova 0879 506 800 treasurer@iwc-sofia.org

International Women’s Club Business Park Sofia, Building 11A, 3rd floor

Vice-President Becky Ruth Faber 0879 119 150 firstvp@iwc-sofia.org

Bazaar Coordinator Toi Castelló i Reñé 0879 506 799 iotcas@gmail.com

Office Manager/Newsletter Editor: office@iwc-sofia.org admin@iwc-sofia.org “Like” IWC on Facebook and check tel.: 02 951 6117 our website www.iwc-sofia.org (please call before visiting)

Club policy Smoking Please note that all IWC Coffee Mornings are non-smoking. Bulgarian Applicants Unfortunately, due to a lack of available spaces, new Bulgarian applicants will be added to the waiting list, until further notice Language Don’t let a lack of fluency in English keep you from attending the monthly coffee mornings and other club activities. Many of our members speak other languages. Remember, we are an international club, and we are here to support you. You’re welcome at any time. Suggestion Box The suggestion box is always available at the members’ sign-in table. Feel free to write your ideas, concerns, complaints, and suggestions to the IWC Board and drop them in the box. Because you’re important to us, we want to hear from you. IWC Visitors Policy The IWC doors are open to visitors throughout the year. Visitors are welcome to attend up to two coffee mornings and two activities prior to applying for membership. A 15 BGN fee is payable upon registration at the sign-in table during the coffee morning. For more information, please contact the Member-ship Coordinator at office@iwc-sofia.org. Events Charges All events are available to fully paid up members of the IWC. Where there is a cost involved, it will be kept to the very minimum. Guests will be able to attend the events that are specified at the time. Not all events will be open to guests. Events that are open to guests will also carry a ‘guest’ surcharge as follows:

Monthly Events Free monthly events are free to guests. Events costing under 20BGN, there is an additional charge of 5BGN. Events costing 21BGN or more, there is an additional charge of 50%. Monthly Activity Groups Monthly activity groups are free and any charge for guests will be at the discretion of the organiser of the group, a charge may be added for instance if a guest regularly frequents one of these activities without becoming a member. A deposit is required from all members and guests attending an event with a cost involved. This deposit will be forfeited in the case of non attendance. Event

IWC Member

Guest

Free Monthly Event

Free

Free Activity Group Event

Free

Paid*

Paid Monthly Event

5-20BGN

+5BGN

Paid Monthly Event

21BGN+

+50%

Member only Event

Open

Closed

*Charge for guests at the discretion of the activity group organiser with a min. sum of 10 BGN. Use of IWC Logo The Board has established the following policy for the use of the IWC logo and brand name. In order to prevent any misuse.

1.Written Permission must be requested from the Board a minimum of 2 weeks prior to event; 2. The partnering organisation/company should be in good standing in the community; 3. The event should seek to pursue the goals of the IWC; 4. No third-party usage will be permitted. An agreement will be signed between IWC and partner organisation; 5. The Logo may be used only for the agreed event and for specified time period. Guidelines for Paid Advertisement 1. Priority for any vacant advertising spaces will be given first to IWC members, then to outside advertisers. 2. Advertisers are welcome to run or extend their advertisements for a period of six months. After that time, if there is a waiting list for advertisements of that size, the situation will be reviewed, and priority for available spaces will be given to (a) IWC members; (b) new advertisers; (c) existing advertisers. The same order of priority will apply to smaller ad space that may become available. 3. There is no waiting list for advertisements of a given size, the current advertiser may extend their advertisement for the contract period of their choice. 4. These guidelines may be revised at any time with the agreement of the IWC Board. 5. Paid advertisers are not endorsed by the IWC.

Rules For Announcements From Members 1. Advertisements will be run in two consecutive issues. If the member sends a request to run the advertisement again, it will be extended for a further two issues. After that, the advertisement will be removed. If the member still wishes to include the advertisement after that time, the request will be considered, but placement is not guaranteed. 2. Advertisements must be submitted by members. Members may not submit ads for non-members (e.g., for a friend who is selling a car, etc.).

3. Members may not submit recommendations for businesses. These recommendations may be submitted to the IWC Go To Guide. Businesses are also welcome to purchase advertising in the newsletter. 4.Recommendations for individuals engaged in business (e.g., dentists, hairdressers, etc.) will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Board. 5. Final discretion as to whether to include an announcement rests with the Newsletter Editor.

We ask members to send all announcements for the newsletter via e-mail. The size of ads should not exceed a single paragraph of five lines. The IWC board is not responsible for the accuracy of the information provided in these announcements.

Please send your contributions to office@iwc-sofia.org not later than the 15th of the month.

1st March, Romanian Mărțișor and Bulgarian Martenitsa

mythology surrounding his life became ever more ingrained in the Irish culture: Perhaps the most well known legend is that he explained the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of a native Irish clover, the shamrock.

Mărțișor is a Romanian celebration at the beginning of spring, on March the 1st in Romania, Moldova, and all territories inhabited by Romanians. Alike, though not identical customs can be found in Bulgaria (Martenitsa), while similar ones exist in Albania, and Italy. The name Mărțișor is the diminutive of marț, the old folk name for March, and thus literally means "little March". It is also the folk name for this month.

19th March, Todorov Den By tradition, the first week of the Long Lent is called Todor’s week in Bulgaria. Each day in this week of strict fasting has its name, rather curious at that – Clean Monday, Black Tuesday, Mad Wednesday, Giddy Thursday, Todor’s Saturday, while the most important one, the Sunday, is called Todoritsa or Horse Easter.   St. Todor’s Day is celebrated in different ways across Bulgaria. In Eastern Bulgaria, St. Todor’s Day is one of the three days during the Long Lent when young maids go outdoors, around meadows near the village to sing, play, run, chase about and sing songs summoning the spring to set in.   In the past, during Todor’s week, unmarried girls and bachelors would take a day outside the village, making swings, dancing and singing songs to pick at lazy maids and lads. Todor’s Day is also known as Horse Easter. On this day, young bachelors are to take their horses out to a green meadow. Horse races start then.

Mărțișor, marț and mărțiguș are all names for the red and white string from which a small decoration is tied, and which is offered by people on the 1st day of March. Some ethnologists consider Mărțișor to have a Roman origin, while others believe it to have a Daco-Thracian origin. In ancient Rome, New Year's Eve was celebrated on March 1 – 'Martius', as the month was called in the honour of the god Mars. The Thracians also used to celebrate the New Year's Eve on the first day of March, a month which took the name of the god Marsyas Silen, the inventor of the pipe, whose cult was related to the land and vegetation. Ethnographers consider Mărțișor and Martenitsa to be clearly related, and of Thracian origin. According to one of the several proposed legends about the Martenitsa in Bulgaria, the custom has roots in the late seventh century.

27th March, Easter Sunday

3rd March, Bulgarian Liberation Day

Easter, which celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, is Christianity’s most important holiday. It has been called a moveable feast because it doesn’t fall on a set date every year, as most holidays do. Instead, Christian churches in the West celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox on March 21. Therefore, Easter is observed anywhere between March 22 and April 25 every year. Orthodox Christians use the Julian calendar to calculate when Easter will occur and typically celebrate the holiday a week or two after the Western churches, which follow the Gregorian calendar.The exact origins of this religious feast day’s name are unknown. Some sources claim the word Easter is derived from Eostre, a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility. Other accounts trace Easter to the Latin term hebdomada alba, or white week, an ancient reference to Easter week and the white clothing donned by people who were baptized during that time. Through a translation error, the term later appeared as esostarum in Old High German, which eventually became Easter in English. In Spanish, Easter is known as Pascua; in French, Paques. These words are derived from the Greek and Latin Pascha or Pasch, for Passover. Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection occurred after he went to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover (or Pesach in Hebrew), the Jewish festival commemorating the ancient Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt. Pascha eventually came to mean Easter.

This holiday is Bulgaria's national day and honours the Bulgarian volunteers who, during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 with the assistance of Russian and Romanian forces, liberated Bulgaria from almost 500 years of Ottoman rule. The date of 3 March marks the date of the signing the Treaty of San Stefano in 1878. This peace treaty ended the war and was was signed between Russia and the Ottoman Empire, which proclaimed Bulgaria as an independent state, albeit a vassal state within the Ottoman Empire.. Bulgaria had become part of the Ottoman Empire in 1396. In the late nineteenth century, a growing tide of nationalism had been spreading across Europe, which had been threatening the break up of the western parts of the Ottoman Empire. In April 1876, uprisings in other parts of the Ottoman Empire spread to Bulgaria. The suppression of the revolts by the Ottomans was horrific and when the atrocities were made public to the West and Russia, international condemnation was widespread. On 24 April 1877, Russia formally declared war on the Ottoman Empire.

17th March, St. Patrick’s Day

Easter is really an entire season of the Christian church year, as opposed to a single-day observance. Lent, the 40-day period leading up to Easter Sunday, is a time of reflection and penance and represents the 40 days that Jesus spent alone in the wilderness before starting his ministry, a time in which Christians believe he survived various temptations by the devil. The day before Lent, known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, is a last hurrah of food and fun before the fasting begins. The week preceding Easter is called Holy Week and includes Maundy Thursday, which commemorates Jesus’ last supper with his disciples; Good Friday, which honours the day of his crucifixion; and Holy Saturday, which focuses on the transition between the crucifixion and resurrection. The 50-day period following Easter Sunday is called Eastertide and includes a celebration of Jesus’ ascension into heaven.

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17, the saint’s religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years. On St. Patrick’s Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast–on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage. Saint Patrick, who lived during the fifth century, is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. Born in Roman Britain, he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at the age of 16. He later escaped, but returned to Ireland and was credited with bringing Christianity to its people. In the centuries following Patrick’s death (believed to have been on March 17, 461), the

http://www.history.com/

Charity update

Charity Committee

On February 1st the Charity Committee discussed the proposed Charity Budget for 2016. The meeting was hosted by Maria Ilieva, Angela Bird, Toi Castello i Rene and Kelsa Smith Mouskourova – board members, and attended by Svetlana Yanakieva, Asya Alexandrova, Rositsa Ivanova, Franziska Bieri, Nara Vasconcelos, Sory Jan, Albena Jones, Liliana Padilla.

Dear friends, One day after St.Valentine’s Day, there is another day which celebrates love, life and faith. 15th February is International Childhood Cancer Day and it shows support for children and families experiencing this disease. Each year, more than 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer, and about 90,000 die from the disease. With prompt and effective treatment, most childhood cancers can be cured — but global statistics expose a shocking disparity — in developed countries, around 80% of children with cancer survive, but in low resource settings this figure falls to 20% or even 10% in the world's poorest countries, where it is difficult to gain access to information, early diagnosis, care and treatment. Since 2014 the Charity Foundation of International Women’s Club –Sofia supports this cause and it is among the donors of Association “Children with Onco-haematological diseases” — a Bulgarian organisation with main goal to protect the rights of children suffering from haematological diseases, providing psychological support for children and their families overcome the emotional consequence of the diseases and assistance for the implementation of modern methods, tools and equipment to treat children with haematological diseases. On occasion of February 15th the Charity Foundation of IWC-Sofia has received a plaque and certificate for its support and partnership. Maria Ilieva, Charity Chairperson 2012-2016

Charity Donation to Pink Foundation On February 15th, Albena Krusheva, Executive Director of Pink Foundation has received in kind donation — a DVD player and dehumidifier which will improve the work environment of Pink’s project focused on active work with children. The donation was provided by Novo Nordisk Pharma.

During the meeting has been reported that in the last 4 years IWC has been constantly upgrading the fund relocation process — from the way how the charities apply to adding new articles in the contracts in terms to protect better IWC. Also Maria Ilieva reported that the application process was updated again in 2015 by enhancing the application form and requesting additional information such as detailed project budget, financial statement, court registration forms and recommendations. The new requirements will assure more transparency and security for IWC rights. The full text of Charity meeting minutes is available at IWC Office. If you would like to receive a copy, please send request on admin@iwc-sofia.org.

Charity visit, March 2nd 2016 — Soup Kitchen Project; Venue: Mladost 2 (former kindergarten 39) This hot meal point is visited by about 100 disadvantaged people every day between 1 and 2 PM. Meeting Point — 12:45 PM — McDonald’s in Mladost, “Alexander Malinov” boulevard. Please confirm your presence in advance! The charitable project Soup Kitchen started in 2002 on the initiative of the staff of BNP Paribas S.A., Sofia Branch and in cooperation with Sofia Municipality. The project consists of daily provision of warm lunch (soup and bread) to elderly and poor citizens in different districts throughout Sofia every winter workday for 4 months (during the period 1st Dec — 31st March). Eligible beneficiaries are individuals above 65 years old with insufficient funds to provide themselves with food during the winter season as well as single parents with children and disabled people who are in extremely vulnerable social situation.

Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Report Although I have previously been on the board in a number of roles, it was still a big learning curve and responsibility taking on the role as president. I thank everyone who had faith in me for this important role. I was very glad to have the experience of the other board members and the support of our great office team in Elitsa and Zarina. The board quickly worked well together and initially the smooth running of the club and charity foundation was our priority.

One campaign we are particularly happy to associate ourselves with is a food festival coordinated by GTC Bulgaria, with support from Donors and Embassies here in Sofia. Through this partnership we will not only be able to help more charities but we feel this will strengthen the good connection we have enjoyed over the years with the embassies and donors and promote the clubs ideas of unity, charity and friendship throughout Bulgaria. The Bazaar was a particular success by raising more money than ever before, excluding 2008 which was an extraordinary year. On the day of the bazaar itself, 18,000 more than 2015 and an overall total amount of 335,000 was collected. We also had fantastic feedback from the stallholders, volunteers and visitors, who all praised the dedication and professionalism of the Bazaar team with everyone commenting on how it was a pleasure to work with Toi. I can tell you that there were a lot of unexpected challenges thrown at them so this was no mean feat.

Recruiting new members is always needed to enable the clubs survival, as many of our members are only here for a short time, so we wanted to promote a happy easy atmosphere for the current members and new members to enjoy, somewhere to meet new people, not just those with common interests but to engage with the rich diverse community of Sofia. Although the membership has stayed around 120, our new members have mixed well with long standing members and have enthusiastically joined in with all aspects of the club and charitable activities.

The responsibility of then transferring this money raised to the most needy in our society is all of ours, but as our charity chair, Maria has the experience and drive to keep us up to date with new procedures and facilitate our best practise such as organising a new application process, better cooperation with official bodies and keeping the connection between our charities and the members.

This always helps when arranging events and activities to suit all. Becky has been a whirlwind of energy and ideas as she has helped everyone to enjoy some interesting and unusual events. We tried to arrange events that everyone could attend, realising that a large majority of ladies are either working, looking after young families and travelling often. To this end we have introduced activities not only during the week but for evenings and weekends, for family and friends. This is an ever evolving job, with the events coordinator needing to assess the membership and its needs practically on a monthly basis! This is quite a tricky area and can be easily criticised and used as an obvious marker of the clubs success, this is why membership participation in both arranging and attending the events is essential.

Along the way we have had to say goodbye to Sibeal our treasurer, only to be rescued by Kelsa stepping in to her shoes, even though Kelsa had previously been a member of the club, with only a few short months to the bazaar, she had to find her feet very quickly, thankfully for us Kelsa is very sure footed! With the elections now coming up for a new board to take over, you would think our duties would now be lighter but we have had a few curve balls thrown us in our remaining weeks, but this has only spurred us on to make sure the handover is as smooth and uninterrupted as possible. We are in the process of finding new premises that will cater for all our needs, office, storage and venue space, it is a big task, but we will try our upmost to have exciting news for you before our term ends.

The latter half of the year is always the busiest for both the board and the club members and there is where everyone comes together to offer whatever help they can, knowing this is our main source of funding for the charity foundation. It has not gone unnoticed by the board that we need to diversify our fund raising practices but we have limited time and resources. But thanks to you all, the IWC has gained much respect and admiration in the business and public domain and we have many offers to collaborate in projects and campaigns.

I have been very happy to serve on the board, to work with great ladies working for a common cause and for that I thank you.

Angela Bird, President 2015-2016

Vice-President’s Report A memorable trip to the Rose Valley in May started the year, aided by Lyuba Tours. During the summer, the in-coming British Ambassador, H.E. Emma Hopkins kindly agreed to host an IWC coffee morning, providing a delightful time in the beautiful residence and garden. August closed summer days with a flourish at the home of Toi Castello and Borislav Novakov out in the quaint village of Lesnovo. Liliana and Toi prepared an unforgettable feast, including Roast Iberian Pig on a Spit, home made bread, an endless variety of Tapas, Sangria (of course!) and the classic Argentinian dessert of Pasta Frola. It was fiery and flamboyant — Catalan!..

Winter may be dark but it’s never dull at the IWC. We sang Christmas carols at the Bulgaria Mall, and, of course, were dazzled by the Charity Bazaar in December, followed by the “Thank You” cocktail to show sincere appreciation in January. Incredible Indonesia once again opened their embassy for culture and exotic food; we ‘Dined in the Dark’ with Angela, at Talents.

IWC events are about you and for you — shaped by the year as IWC members live it. This means Autumn opens busy school days for many IWC mums. Energetic committees from every nation started to meet to discuss & begin to prepare each country’s IWC table for the December Bazaar.. Food Demo’s of every style, size and color brought us closer together. IWC ladies opened their homes to cook. They shared not only secrets of their home lands but their hearts. Dear friends from Japan, Italy, New Zealand, USA, plus many many more explained culture, music, gestures, fashion & history while we dined on simple and elegant fare.

Thanks to the initiative and cooperation of numberless IWC members, it was a wonderful year. The events were so plentiful they cannot all be mentioned in a brief overview, but this little sketch is offered to remind us of happy memories. May it also strengthen our resolve to support, serve and enjoy the Club. Events are for you and about you, they express your hobbies and your interests. So come along, please and get more involved in a small or large way. Before your days get too full or too fast to join that activity group such as the boot camp or hiking club, or read a book you’d otherwise not pick up in one of the day/ night book groups.

With a changing variety each week, in addition, women could improve their English at the weekly Thursday ECG headed up by the able Albena Jones, and learn to chatter more freely in Spanish by attending the Friday lunches with Liliana Padilla at the helm. Hiking & book clubs continued also this year, and a new “BOOT CAMP” regime started to create circles of fun, exercise and leisure. To organize photos and mementos into Scrapbooks was another group introduced by Avantica Shinde!

….The IWC is a member driven club — it’s about you and for you. So if you had a good year, bravo, and together let’s make 2016 even better!

Becky Ruth Faber, Vice-President 2015-2016

Treasurer’s Report Hello Fellow IWC Members, It has been a very fun few months for me being back in Sofia, getting to know those of you who arrived while I was in Canada and reacquainting the friendships I made last time I was here. As you know, we had two Treasures this past fiscal year, Sibeal Reynolds and myself. Sibeal kept the records for the months of January through July and I kept the records for the months

of August through December. I have entered all of 2015’s records into an accounting program and we now have easily accessible year-to-date data. If you have any questions regarding this report, please feel free to contact me. I will happily make time to speak with you. Warmest Regards,

Kelsa L. Smith-Mouskourova Treasurer 2015-2016

Club Financial Report 2015 CLUB INCOME Bank Interest

Jan 15

Feb 15

Mar 15

Apr 15

May 15

Jun 15

Jul 15

Aug 15

Sep 15

Oct 15

Nov 15

Dec 15

TOTAL

0.00

2.11

60.00

20.00

100.00

0.00

120.00

40.00

0.00

90.00

0.00

430.00

Events Income

0.00

90.00

0.00

-25.00

-20.00

45.00

Guest Fee Income

0.00

10.00

0.00

15.00

105.00

0.00

80.00

90.00

0.00

315.00

240.00

720.00

180.00

0.00

60.00

30.00

240.00

0.00

3,554.00

3,664.00

1,566.00

1,202.00

11,456.00

0.00

300.00

1,555.00

700.00

0.00

220.00

1,809.49

1,640.00

0.00

6,224.49

82.00

141.00

150.00

0.00

38.00

254.00

0.00

182.02

0.00

847.02

382.00

1,181.00

1,995.00

700.00

233.00

339.00

345.00

90.00

3,854.00

5,745.51

3,271.00

1,184.11

19,319.62

18.80

6.20

36.20

20.60

20.00

19.40

20.60

20.00

34.41

36.23

41.11

23.25

296.80

Board Registration

0.00

12.00

75.00

0.00

87.00

Gifts

0.00

15.98

27.00

0.00

74.10

28.00

384.00

0.00

50.00

579.08

Publications

0.00

144.00

0.00

144.00

Business Expenses - Other

0.00

42.00

0.00

42.00

Charity Bazaar Expenses

0.00

3,132.20

3,100.00

6,232.20

Members Social Expenses

0.00

128.52

704.70

788.00

0.00

603.60

0.00

666.00

2,890.82

115.20

244.80

256.80

274.80

219.60

264.00

306.00

0.00

282.00

306.00

354.00

589.08

3,212.28

Transportation/Delivery

0.00

6.61

0.00

15.30

10.66

9.23

9.03

0.00

50.83

Office Maintainence

0.00

192.00

96.00

0.00

192.00

0.00

206.08

241.29

96.00

55.16

251.42

169.80

1,499.75

Equipment

0.00

500.00

54.68

0.00

39.90

0.00

594.58

31.50

77.57

5.58

41.96

2.29

29.57

0.00

14.23

53.18

159.47

69.59

143.81

628.75

4.80

4.79

7.49

43.56

15.65

3.71

59.70

12.20

42.00

97.81

122.70

198.24

612.65

115.94

6.00

36.00

80.24

7.20

28.80

0.00

75.96

0.00

25.56

21.12

0.00

396.82

Raffle Donations

0.00

254.00

0.00

254.00

Internet Hosting

0.00

69.00

0.00

23.75

0.00

92.75

Website Maintenance

0.00

108.00

432.00

448.80

391.43

381.58

397.14

373.13

373.41

480.93

199.02

222.29

711.07

269.01

297.62

4,545.43

53.51

57.94

143.20

70.02

54.77

73.28

84.60

97.44

89.10

446.34

294.09

622.49

2,086.78

Club Expenses - Other

0.00

10.80

0.00

10.80

Total Club Expenses

788.55

1,115.86

2,396.53

1,813.30

907.30

1,130.40

1,241.04

1,291.74

1,350.88

1,998.44

4,686.99

5,968.29

24,689.32

Commercial Tables

Membership Dues Income Advertising Raffle Income Total Club Income CLUB EXPENSES Bank Fees

Printing

Food & Beverages Office Supplies - Other Postage & Delivery

Telecommunications - Other Transportation

Charity Foundation Financial Report 2015 Charity Income 2014 Charity Bazaar Income 2015 Charity Bazaar Charity Stalls 2015 Charity Bazaar Country Stalls

Jan 15

Feb 15

Mar 15

Apr 15

May 15

Jun 15

Jul 15

Aug 15

Sep 15

Oct 15

Nov 15

Dec 15

TOTAL

3,004.00

0.00

3,004.00

0.00

17,976.79

0.00

233.46

0.00

500.00

47,445.75

223,691.08

271,870.29

2015 Charity Bazaar IWC Stalls

0.00

125.00

38,727.55

38,852.55

Bank Interest

0.00

107.82

2,204.63

0.00

-2,213.67

0.00

-9.04

100.00

0.00

0.14

0.00

100.14

Dream Up Bank Interest

0.00

0.35

Dream Up - Other

0.00

39,070.00

0.00

2,900.00

760.00

0.00

42,730.00

5,308.63

0.00

-2,213.67

0.00

39,070.00

233.46

0.00

3,400.14

48,330.75

280,503.59

374,632.90

2014 Charity Bazaar Expenses

0.00

1,853.98

0.00

6.51

0.00

1,860.49

2015 Charity Bazaar Expenses

0.00

3,545.19

24,396.36

27,941.55

105.89

0.00

60.00

20.00

0.00

30.27

0.00

19.99

188.92

139.97

565.04

Drammen Rotary Club Personal Donations

Total Charity Income Charity Expense

Automotive Maintainence

Dream Up - Other

0.00

39,070.00

0.00

2,900.00

760.00

0.00

42,730.00

5,308.63

0.00

-2,213.67

0.00

39,070.00

233.46

0.00

3,400.14

48,330.75

280,503.59

374,632.90

2014 Charity Bazaar Expenses

0.00

1,853.98

0.00

6.51

0.00

1,860.49

2015 Charity Bazaar Expenses

0.00

3,545.19

24,396.36

27,941.55

Total Charity Income Charity Expense

105.89

0.00

60.00

20.00

0.00

30.27

0.00

19.99

188.92

139.97

565.04

Bank Fees

3.20

11.00

13.10

11.00

10.40

5.60

17.00

5.60

2.00

6.20

26.40

296.95

408.45

Accounting Services

0.00

360.00

0.00

432.00

792.00

Board Registration

0.00

97.00

0.00

-5.00

92.00

Gifts

0.00

14.59

0.00

64.00

71.00

105.00

27.00

281.59

Charitable Contributions

0.00

1,519.00

205,976.26

42,546.00

0.00

622.00

11,050.00

0.00

56,158.79

317,872.05

Charity Supervision Visits

0.00

84.01

0.00

75.53

219.98

100.00

0.00

158.14

69.97

33.82

741.45

Employee Payroll and Taxes

0.00

5,130.69

0.00

2,500.09

4,339.57

0.00

5,657.10

2,747.05

0.00

2,558.90

2,752.00

5,738.91

31,424.31

113.39

0.00

88.45

77.40

81.98

67.39

42.61

68.11

0.00

82.80

622.13

0.00

11.98

91.06

0.00

31.80

235.48

0.00

29.44

43.71

17.12

104.55

109.67

674.81

Automotive Maintainence

Office Maintainence Office Supplies

105.42

49.34

128.16

34.60

18.00

7.20

31.93

10.90

0.00

342.00

0.00

269.65

997.20

Transportation

7.15

60.00

0.00

60.00

246.76

30.00

185.08

15.63

0.00

21.05

338.76

409.02

1,373.45

Charity Expenses - Other

0.00

1,351.00

1,115.00

0.00

240.00

0.00

2,706.00

Dream Up Expenses

0.00

27.38

0.00

360.00

2,085.82

5,749.99

4,224.73

12,447.92

335.05

10,071.00

207,412.03

45,371.13

4,968.49

1,335.05

17,485.58

2,876.73

469.71

5,280.22

12,880.78

92,314.67

400,800.44

Postage & Delivery

Total Expense

International Women’s Club of Soﬁa Charity Foundation 2016 Budget Agapedia

6,985.90 BGN

Karin Dom Foundation

Ardenza Foundation

4,000.00 BGN

Light For Life Foundation

Association Reflective Learning Bulgara

2,500.00 BGN

Mother-On-Time

2,000.00 BGN

ONCO

7,500.00 BGN

Bulgarian Charities Aid Foundation Scholarship Programme

Pending

7,000.00 BGN Pending

Bulgarian Charities Aid Foundation for the Elderly

10,000.00 BGN

Petrovo

Ucerdie Foundation

6,000.00 BGN.

Pink Foundation

2,600.00 BGN

Pink Wood Working class

4,000.00 BGN

Rakitovo Self-Sufficiency Fund

5,400.00 BGN

9,784.00 BGN

Caritas Bulgaria Center for the Protection of Rights in Healthcare

10,000.00 BGN

Centre Dinamica

2,600.00 BGN

Smile Bulgaria Foundation

Child & Space Association

9,842.40 BGN

Solidarity

Down Syndrom Parent Association

4,000.00 BGN

Star of Hope Foundation

Fortissimo Foundation

6,500.00 BGN

Tabitha Bulgaria Foundation

50,000.00 BGN

Foundation BNPP Bulgaria

Teach for Bulgaria

Foundation Kofoeds Skole for Self-Help Bulgaria

2,500.00 BGN

The Cedar Foundation

International Needs Bulgaria

3,700.00 BGN

The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award

Total Amount to Date: 217,212.30 BGN

20,000.00 BGN

Pending 5,000.00 BGN Pending 9,300.00 BGN 21,000.00 BGN

Pending

5,000.00 BGN

Charity Chairperson’s Report Dear IWC members, As I write this report I can clearly remember my first meeting with Marie Halbher – the Charity Chairperson of IWC-Sofia at that time, and one of the most genuine individuals I have met in my life. Since that first meeting a decade has passed and through the distance of time I can say that many things have changed not only within the IWC charity or the club, but also in the local environment (community, business, NGO’s) that surrounds us. Marie and the charity team after her – Grace and Franziska left a strong foundation on which it was possible to build the next level in order to accommodate the new requirements. Very often the amount of work was concealed for the majority of the members. It has always been my conviction that if you decide to take the challenge of a particular position you need to be prepared to commit your whole self to the service, especially when you are expected to work on a voluntary basis. I also had a clear idea that this would be a full time job… not excluding weekends at times. I had the great chance to serve with a variety of wonderful people, fully dedicated to the idea that IWC-Sofia gives you an opportunity to be part of the change in this country and to make things for the better! Most of my work was focused on building several very important foundations which have played a crucial role in building up the IWC as an organization run by volunteers and observing high levels of professionalism at the same time. The charity protocols were replaced by donation contracts which gave us, as a donor, more control over the distributed donations, as well as a guaranteed transparency which is extremely important for us as a wellknown reputable organization; •

Over the past few years the donation contracts were constantly upgraded especially in terms of setting criteria for fulfilling the conditions under which funds are allocated. Currently it is a requirement for our partners to publish a press release on their websites in connection with the received donation and to send it to all their contacts at national and regional media. The Beneficiaries are obliged to publish information about the received donation in all their social media channels – Facebook, Twitter, etc.

•

As of this year the new contracts will have an additional requirement – all beneficiaries will be obliged to inform us a.s.a.p. about any circumstances which may cause problems or have a negative impact on the public image of IWC-Sofia.

•

The application process was re-designed and now it is matching the standards of any professionally managed organization. At first, an application form was designed demanding only basic information. By the end of 2015 a new form was developed, which contained new more detailed requirements, such as: overall project budget, project focus, proof of sustainability of the applicant, etc. The reason for this was not give the applicants a hard time, but to help the IWC team during the decision making process with more detailed information.

•

Before 2012 the process of distribution of almost the entire budget was done at the beginning of each year, which served the purpose of the charity workers at the time, but did not create much flexibility and responsiveness in the latter parts of a calendar year. As you know, charity needs can be quite regular, even surprisingly unpredictable, especially in times of humanitarian crisis which actually occurred several times since then. That’s why the budget after 2012 was split in two, with the bigger portion distributed as usual, and a few smaller portions allocated at a later stage, which gave us as a charity the means to distribute funds during the entire year.

•

Since 2013 the number of annually approved projects has risen to more than 20, which excludes in-kind donations made every year in the form of clothes, furniture, appliances and etc.

•

In 2016 the number of applications for funding was over 30, which is a precedent and is a positive sign that we are getting more and more popular as an organization, and that the IWC is beginning to have an even more significant impact over the local community and the NGO sector.

•

Within the last few years our portfolio of activities became more diverse. I believe that we have now entered a phase in which we can take the next step. The IWC has now the means to embark on a future towards fulfilling a bigger goal than just playing a ‘from donor to beneficiary’ role. This is important if we want to keep the pace of our growth. The IWC has reached a momentum and we must keep up with the speed at which organizations around us evolve in order to secure the IWC’s position as one of the leading charity organizations in the country.

Here I would like to thank the current board and their significant role for establishing an atmosphere of partnership and professionalism. A big thank you to the wonderful office team: Elitsa and Zarina, for working at full speed! Special thanks to Asia and Svetla that brought down from my shoulders the work of sorting and distributing in-kind donations. Special thanks to all who supported and/ or criticized me because all of you have become my teachers in my personal and professional growth!

I would like to finish my report with a quote from Aristotle: “To give away money is an easy matter and in any man's power. But to decide to whom to give it and how large and when, and for what purpose and how, is neither in every man's power nor an easy matter.” I hope many members of our IWC community will become an active part of the charity! And, as I like to put it in my presentations: Let’s Help Good Causes Grow!

Maria Ilieva, MBA, Charity Chairperson 2012-2016

Bazaar Coordinator’s Report Dear Members, First of all, I would like to thank all of you for giving me the opportunity to be Bazaar Coordinator this year 2015-2016. With your vote, you gave me the chance to work for such a great cause, and raise the amazing amount of 335.000 lv. It has been a marvellous year for me. I already had the experience at the IWC Charity Bazaar as stall holder coordinator the previous year and more or less I knew what it was all about. Even so, once again, I enjoyed it as the first time. It was a big responsibility for me. The job is very demanding, not only the 3 months previous to the bazaar, but all year long. I was very lucky as well with the bazaar team that helped me happily at any time and worked very hard to organise everything. Throughout the year, we had to look for the best ways to raise as much money as possible to continue supporting our charity projects, and at the same time help all the stalls to make the event possible. There is an important part of the job related to the donors as well, as we depend on donations to reduce costs of the event and improve proceeds. We need to look for these donors and sponsors all the time. This task is very time consuming, from January to December, no rest. Every year, the world comes to us through the effort of thousands of volunteers and their families, and generous donors and partners. Each year, there were new stalls, to name a few - Syria, Iraq, Algeria; others came back after some years out, like Cuba, The Netherlands or Ukraine. And of course, most of the stalls are there year after year, some of them from the very beginning -

for 21 years. It is amazing as well to see how most of you are participating at your country stalls or even volunteering at the IWC stalls, even though you had no country to represent. We sold a variety of goods at these stalls: books, patchwork, toys and clothes, and of course, our great tombola where nearly every time you can win something worthwhile to take home. Everybody wants to help. And the public? Did you realise how pleased and joyful everybody is at the day of the bazaar? You can see no grumpy faces, no anger or annoyance, no one is bored, and there is always something to make people happy. This year, again, we had many big challenges which were possible to overcome thanks to the enthusiasm of all these people who believe that their dreams can come true, and that if we work together it is possible to have a better world. Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to head the IWC Charity Bazaar in 2015 and for your support and help in the most difficult moments of the process. I am also thankful to the rest of the IWC Executive Board and to the office staff who is there at all times. That’s what made the difference and that’s why it would be worth to do it again. I am sure I won’t regret it.

Toi Castelló I Reñé Bazaar Coordinator 2015-2016

Seeking Volunteers to Serve on the Board of the IWC 2016/2017 Has the IWC helped you feel settled in Sofia? Would you like to be able to give something back to the IWC? Do you believe in and support the objectives of the IWC and have a few hours per week to spare? If you have been a member of the club for at least a year, why not volunteer for one of the five positions on the board (listed & described below). We guarantee you a great experience working together with women from around the world, learning about their cultural backgrounds, sharing skills and knowledge whilst helping to welcome newcomers to Sofia and supporting the local community through charity projects. Make the most of your time in Sofia by serving on the board of the IWC. If you are interested, please send an application letter with a short biography to office@iwc-sofia.org with a cc to franziskabieri@yahoo.com, no later than 20th March 2016. In your application, briefly introduce yourself and state the specific office of candidacy you are interested in running for. For any questions please feel free to contact any member of the nominating committee for a chat, they are: Chairperson, Franziska Bieri: franziskabieri@yahoo.com; 0878-705-164 Liliana Padilla: Lilianagpadilla@gmail.com; 0889-100-696 Becky Faber: Beckyruthfaber@gmail.com; 0899-881-710 Rositsa Ivanova: Rivanova@abckinder.org; 0889-229-666 Teddy Houry: teddyhoury@gmail.com; 0888-443-000 Please find below the constitutional duties of each board member:  a. The President shall preside at all meetings and set the agenda of all Board Meetings. She may appoint Special Committees with the Executive Board’s approval. She is the official representative and ex officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee. She shall be appointed as President of the Charity Foundation of the International Women’s Club, Sofia.

both reports including details on where funds came from and where they were disbursed. d. The Charity Chairperson shall preside over the Charity Committee, together they shall identify charity projects. The Charity Chairperson shall ensure that for each charity project there is one project head responsible for the smooth running of that project and who shall report back to the Charity Committee. She shall participate in the charity visits and their organisation. The Charity Chairperson shall be appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Charity Foundation of the International Women’s Club, Sofia. On behalf of said Charity Foundation she shall distribute donations and maintain the funds. The Charity Chairperson is required to present an annual report that details what charities are receiving funding and how much funding they receive on an annual basis. This report will be presented to the members in a general assembly meeting, as well as in the newsletter and by email. She is accountable to the Executive Board of the IWC.

b. The Vice President shall assist the President in her duties by accepting specific tasks delegated to her by the President. She shall in particular assist the President in representational duties. She shall perform the duties of the President in the latter’s absence and shall be responsible for and participate actively in monthly activities and events, including the monthly meetings, and will maintain communication with activity leaders. c. The Treasurer shall keep the financial records and accounts, pay approved accounts of expenditure, and reimburse members for approved expenses incurred on behalf of IWC. In addition to the duties in Article 10, the Treasurer shall inform the Membership Coordinator of membership renewal, and the Treasurer shall be responsible for transferring a) all charitable donations and b) any excess funds beyond operating costs to the Charity Foundation of the International Women’s Club, Sofia. The Treasurer will also be responsible for presenting biannual financial reports (one at mid- term following the bazaar and one at the end of the IWC’s fiscal year) to the members by email and newsletter, with

e. The Bazaar Coordinator coordinates the planning, setting up and running of Charity Bazaar. She takes active part together with the other Board Members in setting up the Bazaar Team and liaises with President, First Vice President and Charity Chairperson for all matters concerning the Bazaar. She presides at Bazaar Board meetings and gives regular updates about the Bazaar to the IWC Board and IWC Members. She keeps the Board Members informed through the year about ongoing activities concerning the Bazaar.

Indonesian Cooking Demo

Birthdays

Membership news

The Board of the International Women’s Club is calling an Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, 12th April 2016 at 11:15am in Matti-d according to article 9e of the IWC constitution, with the following agenda:

Kylie Argirov, 3rd March Teresa Feghali, 15th March Elisabeth Kostadinov-Huber, 18th March Lilly Borisova, 19th March Amy Dincuff-Miltchev, 22nd March Katayun Roein, 23rd March Emilia Manolova, 30th March Nara Vasconcelos, 31st March

1. Acceptance of the annual report of the Executive Board. 2. Acceptance of the annual report of the Treasurer. 3. Electing a new Executive Board. Registration for the AGM will start at 10:30am and will end at 11:15am. If there is no quorum the AGM will take place the same day at 12:15 in the same place with the same agenda. All written documents related to the suggested voting agenda are available at the IWC office.

In Memoriam

Elena Atanasova In 1948 Elena enrolled at the National Art Academy in Sofia to study Graphics and Illustration, but unforeseeable circumstances compelled her to put her education on hold. Later, in 1981 she was taken on to continue her education at the Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague, Netherlands. She participated in numerous collective exhibitions in Bulgaria and abroad. Elena was a member of the Bulgarian Union of Artists (СБХ), as well as the Dutch Artists Alliance, and is very well known to her Bulgarian admirers with her exquisite still life paintings and landscapes. Her most recent exhibitions were hosted by the Bulgarian Union of Artists in honour of her 70th anniversary, and the gallery/bookshop Sofia Press in 2011, which exhibited previously unshown works. Elena Atanasova was also a long standing member of the IWC. May she rest in peace.

Ongoing activities Charity Action Group

information contact: Sonya Petrova: andsonya@yahoo.com or Jean Olson: jean.olson@yahoo.com.

The group meets once a quarter to discuss new charity projects, the progress of ongoing projects, and the finances of the Charity Foundation. Part of the followup is frequent visits to these projects. If you want to make a difference and contribute something please join us! The date and place of the next meeting is published in the monthly newsletter. Contact Maria Ilieva on 0878 300 561 or at charity@iwc-sofia.org.

Bridge Interested members are invited to play bridge. An intermediate/advanced group plays on Thursday mornings at 10:30 am in the “King of Clubs” club, just behind Matti-d. Fee is 5 BGN for the session. There is an English-speaking group and a Frenchspeaking group. For more information, contact Diana Kolarova at dianakolarova@ yahoo.com or 0888 423 150. We also welcome visitors!

Book Club Members read one book a month, and then get together to discuss the book (discussions are in English and are usually very fun and lively). We read a variety of fiction and non-fiction books from writers of all nationalities. There is a morning (meeting once a month on Thursday) and an evening group (meeting on Mondays). For more

Golf We play every Wednesday morning at St. Sofia Golf Club and Spa. I you are a golf player and would like to join us, please contact Raquel Azrak at arevaloraq@gmail.com. 16

Patchwork Group

Hiking Club

The group meets every Monday from 10:00am-– 12:00pm at Dusica Trkulja’s apartment. The address is Evlogy Georgiev 99, floor 6, apartment 27. Interested ladies are welcome to bring ideas, patterns, and materials. For more information, please contact Dusica Trkulja on her landline: 02 980 0948.

The hiking group is an energetic group of dedicated hikers who head up to Vitosha and the surrounding mountains every Friday. We usually meet at 9 am at Fantastico in Dragelevtsi. An email is sent to all hikers every Wednesday with more specific plans and this often includes different meeting points. A typical hike will bring us back to our meeting point at 2 or 3. For more information please write to Monika or Bistra: monika.slosarikova@gmail.com/biskarakoleva@gmail.com .

English Conversation Group We are five native English speakers who take it in turns to lead a weekly conversation group every Thursday from 10:30 AM–12:30 PM. Different venues and topics are chosen every week. All members and all levels are welcome. If you would like to join the sessions, please e-mail Albena Jones at albenajones@yahoo.co.uk.

Bootcamp

Updated info

We are an English language exercise group. We meet every Wed and Fri at 10.30 am. Wed outdoor "bootcamp" is at the park behind CCS mall with Costa coffee as a meeting point. Fri is our "PiYo" (pilates/yoga) session at Play Sport Center studio at Blvd. Cherni Vruh 8 block 4. It is walking distance from CCS (app. 1 min walk). Our group began as a group of international mothers who get together to get back in shape after pregnancy. We evolved since then to include other fellow ladies to join our health and fitness movement. Motivated by our expert instructor Ivan Germanov, we spend up to 1 hour of great workout with plenty encouragement and support to reach our fitness goals while enjoying exercise in a group atmosphere. Any level is welcome! Fees are: 60 Leva for 5 trainings valid 1 month; OR Pay per training 15 Leva. Contact Nadya Wuisan-Bratanova on email: nw.bratanova@gmail.com.

Spanish Conversation Group Everybody who wants to practice and improve her Spanish is welcome to or weekly meetings. Also, if you are already fluent in Spanish or if you are a native speaker and you would like to participate, please contact Liliana Padilla by e-mail: lilianagpadilla@gmail.com.

Tennis A group of members are starting to regularly play tennis together. We are of mixed ability and if you wish to join us or get on the regular email list then please contact Lynne at lynnegodding@gmail.com.

March events serve your place! Please confirm your presence in advance to Maria Ilieva by e-mail: ms.maria.ilieva@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 2nd March

12.45pm: Charity Visit to Mladost SOUP Kitchen Venue: Mladost 2, (former kindergarten 39). Meeting Point – McDonald’s in Mladost, Alexander Malinov Blvd. Please confirm your presence in advance to Maria Ilieva by e-mail: ms.maria.ilieva@gmail.com.

Monday, 14th March

11.00am: Make Cookies Together Wonderful Kelsa is leading us in this food demo, and a chance to celebrate the warmth and fun delicious cookies bring! Address is Complex Dianabad, bl. 3, fl. 9, apt. 45. Cost is 10 BGN and you will leave with a dozen cookies. Contact Kelsa by e-mail: kelsa.smith.mou@gmail.com.

Tuesday, 8th March

11.30am: IWC Women's Day Lunch Celebrate a Bulgarian festival, the "Day of the Women" with us at a lovely IWC luncheon at Park Inn. NB: You must sign up, and pay a deposit to re-

Monday, 21st March

posit 10 lev. Contact Becky by e-mail: beckyruthfaber@gmail.com.

9.00am: IWC Explorers IWC Explorersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Group will visit Klisura Monastery â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Saints Cyril & Methodius. Located approximately one hour from Sofia. We will meet at the G.M. Dimitrov Metro Station photo: Kelsa Smith-Mouskourova at 9:00am and return to Sofia no later than 3:00pm. Cost is 15 BGN. Contact Kelsa by e-mail: kelsa.smith.mou@gmail.com.

Friday, 25th March

7.00pm: Wine Night Joins us for a relaxing glass of wine, music and conservation. The Corner Piano Bar (http:// www.thecorner.bg), 5 Nikola Vaptzarov Blvd. 8th Floor. RSVP to Kelsa by e-mail: kelsa.smith.mou@gmail.com.

Monday, 28th March

7.00pm: Bowl with the Board Toi and Angela invite you for beer and bowling. Lets meet at the bowling alley in The Mall on Tsarigradsko Chaussee, If no one wants to bowl we'll just enjoy a glass of wine or beer! Come one, come all. Contact Angela by e-mail: abangelb@gmail.com.

Tuesday, 22nd March

10.00am: How to Draw and Appreciate Icons A well respected artist, Zlatina, will lead us in a discussion of and brief demonstration about Icon Artistry. Place TBD. Sign up at coffee morning, de-

March calendar

10.30am: Coffee Morning

12.45pm: Charity Visit

11.30am: Women's Day Lunch

11.00am: Make Cookies

9.00am: Explorers

7.00pm: Wine Night

10.00am: Icons

7.00pm: Bowling