2014: An Unforgettable Year
Happy New Year! Before we officially welcome in 2015, let us take a
moment to reflect on some of the unforgettable moments of 2014; what a
year it has been! We kicked off 2014 with our annual AWA Charity
Golf Tournament, held at Victoria Golf Club. AWA golf enthusiasts
"teed off" in support of the Children's Bioethics Centre at the Royal
Children's Hospital, commencing our fundraising efforts for the
year.
Our next major gathering brought families together over chocolate bunnies
and plastic eggs. Easter is a great time of year to catch up with friends
and indulge in all things sweet! Our Easter Eggstravaganza and
Picnic took place at Caulfield Park and featured an egg hunt, a visit
from the Easter Bunny, and delicious desserts shared potluck-style!
After a cold and rainy winter, we were thrilled to have perfect weather
for our largest fundraiser of the year, the Halloween Extravaganza!
This event included a costume parade and contest, American style
food trucks, beer & wine tasting, games and crafts, and of course,
the most anticipated event of the day, "Trunk"-or-Treating! Thanks
to BoxHop, who donated and shipped traditional candy and prizes from the
United States, each child left the event with an overflowing tote bag and
a sugar rush! If you're missing any of your favorite U.S. goodies (that
won't break your new year's resolutions!), check out BoxHop's package
consolidation and forwarding offer for AWA Members here:
https://www.boxhop.com/vip/AwaMelbourne. For an extra 25% off your
first shipment, use promo code: BOXHOPUSA. Thank you again to all
of the generous donors and volunteers that made this event
possible!
In late November, nearly 100 AWA members and their families gathered at
Sandy by the Bay to celebrate one of America's greatest traditions,
Thanksgiving. Our guest speaker, Emmy award winning Foreign
Correspondent, Sara James, provided an entertaining and informative
history of the first Thanksgiving celebration. The luncheon
provided a special opportunity to gather with new and old friends and
raise awareness about the Children's Bioethics Centre. The
delicious meal featured a traditional turkey dinner followed by homemade
pumpkin pie with caramelized pecans! The silent auction was a great
success thanks to donations from Lightning Ridge Opal Mines, Phillip
Island Penguin Parade & Silverwater Resort, American Australian
Association, Catering by Chefs, George St Wines, BodyCycle, USA Foods, Mr
Wow's Emporium, and Meyer!
In addition to our extensive fundraising efforts, our members hosted
many social groups throughout the year, including Literary Lunch, Mums
& Tots, Lunch in the City, Drinks Around Town, Coffee Morning,
Gourmet Lunch, Eastern Region Activity Group, Ladies Who Brunch, and
many more. These smaller and recurring events help strengthen the
fabric of our organization, and provide an opportunity to get to know
members with similar interests. Not only do these activity groups
provide an opportunity for members to socialize with one another, they
offer a support system for those who have recently arrived in Melbourne
and are adjusting to their new Australian lifestyle. This is a
wonderful opportunity to share time with others while fostered
long lasting friendships.
2014 has been an incredible year for the American Women's Association,
and we can attribute all of our momentous achievements to the support
and volunteer efforts of our dedicated members! We look forward to
working together in 2015 to continue to strengthen and grow the AWA,
and to raise funds and awareness for the Children's Bioethics Centre at
the Royal Children's Hospital. Thank you all for sharing this
year with us!
