1. National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
October is a designated month to nationally raise breast cancer awareness. This is a great time to get involved and make a direct impact in the fight against breast cancer. To continue AWAQ’s commitment, our Community Service Committee spends countless hours, each month, cutting and sewing patterns to support women who are experiencing the agony of breast cancer at Hamad Hospital.
Although we have been able to meet our demand, we are always seeking volunteers to assist with our various breast cancer awareness projects. If you are interested in a volunteer opportunity, please send an email to our community service committee.
2. AWAQ Annual Fall Membership Luncheon. Our October General Meeting was a blast! It was great to see the majority of our members settled in from their summer and Eid holidays. We also enjoyed the presence of special guest speaker, U.S. Ambassador Dana Shell Smith. We were honored to have Madam Ambassador and her staff join us and stay to answer our questions. We had a great time, and would like to thank her again for mentioning the AWAQ experience on her Twitter page!
In recognition of national breast cancer awareness month, we held a “pink” lucky draw during the annual fall membership luncheon to benefit our Hamad Hospital projects. Three lucky winners received a gorgeous gift basket filled with all the necessities a woman needs to relax. Congratulations Ladies!!!
Many thanks to our Community Service Committee, and the members of Hamad Hospital for helping us raise awareness this month.
By the way, everyone looked fabulous in PINK!
3. It is Autumn. October is the month of beautiful autumn, it may not be called autumn in all parts of the world, but no matter where you are in the northern hemisphere, it is obvious that the weather is changing and becoming much cooler. Where I am from in the U.S. (Washington, DC), the green leaves are falling from the trees and have turned orange, red, and brown. Whereas in Qatar, where the temperature is usually 90F or above, there is the Arabian Sea breeze which has also reduced the temperature modestly. Those who attended the Kayaking in Dhow Harbor event on October 13th are likely agreeing with me right now! To that end, I am happy to announce that our Events Committee has coordinated some more fascinating outdoor events for our members to enjoy. Checkout our calendar regularly for updates!
Did I mention change? There have been a few AWAQ changes. Namely:
- We have new “buddies” in our Buddy Program! Whether you are a newcomer or a veteran in the Qatar, you can join our buddy program. The program is designed to help newcomers get acquainted with living in Qatar.
- Mahjong is now available at rotating venues. Now everyone can join the fun! Thank you, Angie Taylor!
As always, our dedicated Executive Board and Committee Chairs are unceasingly working toward improving your AWAQ experience. If you have any suggestions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
I look forward to seeing you at this month’s Hosted Coffee Morning!
Cheers,
Keena Esemuede
President