WAC on Track

Women‟s Activity Club

Winterthurerstrasse 18

8610 Uster

043 305 9250

www.wac.chwww.wac.ch

Volume 15, Issue 10 March 2011

The Club is a multifunctional organisa-

tion whose purpose is to meet the

social, educational and personal needs

of its members. The Club is designed

to encourage international friendship,

support and sharing.

WAC on Track Page 2

WAC Board of Directors

Editor’s Note Editor’s Note Nancy DoddsNancy Dodds

The “WAC on Track” is also a means for members communication. If you have a story to

share, a fun experience, a recommendation, a joke, or anything else you would like to share

with other members, please email it to

dodds@dodds.ch

Y o u c a n a l s o p l a c e a d s , c l a s s i f i e d s a n d u s e t h e W A C

notice board (free one line ad for WAC members) in the WAC on Track.

Deadline for the April 2011 edition is March 20th 2010.

“WAC on Track” Deadlines and Contributions“WAC on Track” Deadlines and Contributions

Full page ad: 150 SFr

Half page ad: 80 SFr

Quarter page ad: 50 SFr

Inserts: 150 SFr

WAC Notice board

(one month / max. A5 / members: free*

Advertising RatesAdvertising Rates

President

Sharon Warthmann 043 497 8366

president@wac.ch

Vice President

Jessica Bachofen 043 366 0712

Secretary

Carol Conzelmann 044 940 02 93

Treasurer

Susan Keller 044 822 3246

Activities Chairperson

Helen Mylius 044 915 4962

Marketing Chairperson

Nicole Bell 043 819 1460

Membership Chairperson

Yvette Muggli 043 497 0678

membership@wac.ch

WAC Office

Club Office Manager 043 305 9250

Judith Winkelman com@wac.ch

office hours: Tue & Thur: 9:15-12:15

Learning Tree School

School Director 043 305 9250

Ida Imbach LTCSchool@wac.ch or

imbach@gmx.net

office hours: Mon - Thurs: 9:00 - 12:00

Good communication between the board

members and the membership of the WAC is

important for the continued growth and

improvement of the club. If you have any

concerns or questions, please feel free to contact

Dear Reader,

What I retain from the world's events in February is

how many small voices have been able to turn the

clock. Be it in Egypt or Libya, they are example of the

importance of how single individual voices brought

together created seismic waves.

At the WAC we are a very small outfit, but your voices

matter. Every year, we hold our AGM where a new

board is elected. It is of the utmost importance that

every member votes, as specified in our constitution.

Remember that our club is a cooperative .

Some positions are still open, we need you our

generous members to come forward in order to

continue make the WAC the special place that it

is. The true talents lay in each individual

members. Think of what we can achieve if we just give

a little of our time.

So unsurprisingly our March issue is our election issue

and farewell to our wonderful board, adorning our

cover, that has served us so well over the past 2 years.

Happy Reading.

Page 3

WAC on Track Page 4

Dear WAC members

Our AGM is just weeks away, which means

my 2 years of presidency is coming to an

end. Thank you to my wonderful Board. You

have been a huge support to me and have

made my 2 years very enjoyable – we have

worked well together and certainly had

plenty of laughs. Of course, the

chairpersons and their committees need a

very big thank you too. These are the

worker-bees who have kept the WAC

rolling along smoothly. Thank you for all

you do!

As we head towards the AGM we are still

hoping that more people will step up and

fill various volunteer positions. Some board

and many chairperson positions are still

open. It would be great if you could give a

little of your time, skills and enthusiasm

back to the WAC so that all the members

can benefit. Even if you don‟t want to chair

a committee, you can certainly help out

somewhere so that the burden is evenly

spread and does not always fall on the

same willing volunteers. Perhaps everyone

should seriously reflect on what they have

given back to the WAC recently. It really

does help to keep our costs down and it

spreads the load! …. Please consider helping

out somewhere – washing tea towels or

organising a Movie-Night are just a few

suggestions.

We will have a ballot

box set up in the last

half of March in the

clubroom so that you

can vote for the new

Board. It really needs

every WAC member to vote please!

Instructions will be on the box on how you

should vote to make it all correct and legal.

We also say good bye and thank you to

Judith Winkelman our Club Office

Manager who is leaving at the end of

March. Thank you for running our office

efficiently for the last 3½ years. We wish

you well in the future, and hope to still see

you and your family at some of the special

events this year.

I wonder how many of you have had

embarrassing moments as a “foreigner” in

Switzerland. It would be fun to share your

stories in the WoT, if you have the

courage. I remember soon after I moved

here, still learning German, I went into

Herren-Globus to buy a necktie for

Bernie‟s birthday present. I walked in and

asked if they had a Krevette (a shrimp).

The lady graciously smiled and asked if I

meant a Krawatte (a necktie). Oops!

Just last week I had a good giggle using

spell-check on a letter I had just written.

As it came to the end of the letter it

suggested that Warthmann should be

changed to Warthog! … Well, sometimes

when I see my children eat … Nevermind!

And now my good-bye is unavoidable. It is a

bitter-sweet time to say Aufwiedersehen.

But before I sign off for the last time, I

just want to wish the new Board all the

very best as you start your new term on 1st

April.

Best regards

Sharon Warthog, I mean Warthmann.

President’s NotePresident’s Note Sharon WarthmannSharon Warthmann

Page 5

Once upon a time there was a Boys’ Club. It was really fun but after some time the dads couldn’t run it anymore. So here we are, we boys doing nothing, while the girls have their Girls’ Club at the WAC…

BOYS‘ CLUB

That’s why my mum and I thought we should make a new attempt. And maybe, after some time those very occupied dads would return and support us again ;-)

Time: Saturday, about once a month, probably in the morning eg 9.30-12 am

Place: mostly outside, in the woods, area Uster/ Wetzikon

Ideas: We basically want to integrate your ideas.

These could be: playing in the woods, building huts, jam the stream, climb, get dirty, go for minigolf/ bowling/…, go for an outing, etc.

Age range: about 6-9

Only conditions: be a boy , love being outside and speak English

Responsible adults: Mirjam and/or Thomas Egli-Rohr and other helpers

Costs to cover the expenses: 6.- (like Girls’ Club)

First meeting: 9th April 2011, 9.30-12am, Kemptner Tobel (=ravine) in Wetzikon (Mühlestrasse 60, at the parking spaces)

Are you interested? Please let us know before 2nd April 2011.

Questions: Mirjam Egli-Rohr, m_eglirohr@yahoo.com

If you can’t come to the first meeting, please send an e-mail so we can send some questions for information to help our planning.

If possible we’ll try to coordinate with the dates of your local scouts and clubs as well as with the WAC Girls’ Club (my sister joins them too).

Hope to see you soon, NICK

WAC on Track Page 6

SMILE!

Class pictures (Preschool, Reading and Writing, Explorer, ESL, and Wackelorhli)

will be taken the week of March 7th.

Pictures will be displayed and available for ordering from March 28th to April 9th.

Profit from picture sales will go towards classroom equipment.

If you have any questions, please contact Gwen at gwenguichebaron@mail.com

or 076-201-1162

Old Face, New Job

For seven and a half years, I have been

hanging around the WAC always doing one job

or another. I have noticed recently that

there are a lot of faces that are new to me,

and so I have to assume that I am new to you

as well, so allow me to introduce myself.

I am Jennifer Langkjaer, Mom to Jacob and

Emma, wife to Thomas. We have been in

Switzerland since 2003 when we moved as a

family of 3 (with one on the way), from

Houston, Texas. The WAC was my first point

of contact when we landed and became the

center of our educational and social

world. Since then I have been active at the

WAC in a multitude of roles from cake-baker

to Board President. My kids have benefited

from every class at the LTCS, starting in the

Preschool and now they are in Reading and

Writing.

For my family, the WAC has always been a

haven. The friends that we have made and

the experiences that we have shared would

not have been possible without the WAC and

the Learning Tree School. I am thrilled to

have the opportunity help to contribute to

this valuable institution in a new role - Club

Office Manager.

I am so looking forward to working with the

new Board of Directors and with Ida in

continuing to meet the high standards that

have been set. Many thanks to Judith for

the service that she has provided our Club

for the past several years, and to the

outgoing Board for a job well done. I am

really looking forward to helping to carry on

the great work that happens at the WAC.

I will start working in the office in mid-

March. Stop by, and say "Hi!"

Jennifer

Page 7

Library NewsLibrary News Kadi SutterKadi Sutter

Swimming Parent-Tot lessons Tuesdays 3pm, for 30mins For tots 1 month to 2.99yrs old. (Each parent is in the water with his/her child)

Fr.250.- f

or 15 le

ssons.

Open to W

AC members only !

Info: wacswimming@yahoo.com

The instructor, Sandy Frey is from the USA, and has more than 25 years of ex-perience. She has been WSI, (Water Safety Instructor) CPR, FIRST AID and LIFEGUARD certified.

Kids Swimming Classes: Sandy also offers classes for children 3+, on Mondays 1.30 –2.30 , and Tuesdays 3.30—6pm. Classes have 4– 6 kids depending on proficiency. A lesson is 30mins long. .

Dear members of the WAC,

This is the last time I address you

as the library chairperson. My time

at the charge has come to an end,

but I am very happy to present

Judy Burckhardt as my succes-

sor, and I am sure she is going to

do a fantastic job, with all her

fresh ideas.

I can honestly admit that I have

enjoyed my year-and-a-half. It has

been a great experience being re-

sponsible for a small but lovely

team of volunteers; it has been wonderful to meet

all the new people, and it has been truly satisfying to create order out of chaos. Some of my small

achievements are visible to anyone visiting the li-

brary, however, the majority of work has been go-

ing on behind the scenes, so to say, and a lot still

needs to be done. However, all this I will leave into

the capable hands of Judy. If you have any ideas

how to make the library better, or you feel that

you can volunteer your time, any assistance would

be welcome.

On to the everyday business. We recently re-

ceived a huge donation of DVDs of all possible gen-

res. There are many old classics from Die Hard, Ro-

bocop and Back to the Future to The English Patient,

as well as more recent films, such as Monster, which

won Charlize Theron an Oscar and a Golden

Globe; The Blind Side, which did the same for San-

dra Bullock, or Michael Jackson's farewell in the

musical film This Is It. People also keep bringing us

books and games, so our selection keeps changing

and expanding. Soon the Easter books will appear on the shelf, and I'm certain there are many excit-

ing special offers to come, so don't forget to pay

the library a visit!

Thus, I take my bow, and wish you all enjoy-

able moments in the company of books and films!

WAC on Track Page 8

Individually, we are one

drop.

Together,we are an ocean. ~Ryunosuke Satoro

Page 9

Nomcom Announcement Annouk Kummer-Wehli

It is that time of year again when the board looks back at what they have done and contemplates

whether they feel like continuing their work (i.e. running again for their position) or passing on the

baton to the next person who is interested in pushing up their sleeves and getting involved. It is…

ELECTION TIME!

The annual Board of Directors elections are coming up again at the Annual General Meeting (AGM)

on March 29th 2011 at 7pm. The first thing you need to do is save the date. Please show your sup-

port to the current board and chairpersons for all they have done this past year by attending and bid-

ding them farewell from their term(s) on that evening with a casual apero. Then, we can welcome the

new board who are voted in and spend some time getting to know them and hear about what they

have planned for their term in office.

The second thing you need to do is consider the following… There are lots of little things at the

WAC that need to be done by each and every one of us, but the best part is, you don’t need any

qualifications (except for the Treasurer’s position, you do need to be somewhat good with numbers…) If

you‟re a people person, why not look at the Membership Chair? Or maybe you‟re a bookworm or

movie lover- think about the Library Chair. How about all you party animals- we have a Special

Events Chair! There is a job/task/position for everyone, try to find yours and where you fit in, in the

big WAC picture.

The board of directors who govern the club are elected by the membership. The Committee Chair-

persons are appointed by the board of directors and support the board and club with their own com-

mittee of volunteers. (Those interested in running for office, please contact the nominations commit-

tee by Friday, February 18th 2011.) If you prefer to remain in the background, then inquire about one

the Committees. If you‟re interested in getting hands-on with the club and how things are run, then

have a look at running as a Committee Chairperson or maybe even on the board. With the previous

chairperson, helpful procedures and lots of support from all the been-there-done-that members, your

world could change and you will get to meet such wonderful people who help keep this club the fun

place it is as well as getting your foot (back) in the door of work, even if it is only voluntary. Just fif-

teen minutes of your time each week will make the difference, both to yourself AND the club. Fold-

ing tea towels, emptying the dishwasher, tidying up, wiping the counters/table, helping out at a party,

taking out the trash… it takes the whole team to make things work, and the workload is lightened

exponentially if everyone pitches in.

Remember, an ocean is made up of single drops of water. You may think you don‟t make a difference,

but the ocean wouldn‟t be an ocean without every one of its drops. If you feel like helping out in any

small way, contact someone on the Nominations Committee for more information. We are happy to

direct you to the right person or discuss the role you are considering. Thanks for reading.

Looking forward to seeing you all at the AGM on March 29th at 7pm.

WAC on Track Page 10

? By the time you read this, the AGM (Annual General Meeting, March 29th, 7pm) will be 3 weeks away and

hopefully most of the board/chairperson positions will have been filled by now. A BIG thank you to those that have

put down their names already, it is very reassuring for the old board to know that they will be able to move on

without having to worry about the WAC and who will be running things.

As we write this, the most important position that we are still trying to fill is the Treasurer‘s position on the Board

of Directors at the WAC. If you like numbers, work(ed) as an auditor/bookkeeper/accountant or maybe you just

enjoy paperwork and are open to learning about a new bokkeeping system (BusPro) then please consider helping the

official bookkeeper for the next WAC year. Contact Susan Sankey-Keller for more information 044 822 8246.

Other positions that are available if you‘re considering helping out:

Board of Directors Committee Chairpersons

- Marketing - Business

- Activities - Special Events

- I.T. Support

Some positions don‘t require attendance at board meetings or writing an article for the monthly newsletter, some

allow you to work from home. Most require about 1-2 hours a week of your time. Some positions can also be a role

of delegation: keeping to a schedule, checking up on a committee‘s event, but not necessarily having to come into the

WAC or spend a whole weekend organising a short party or movie night.

The I.T.Support is great for someone who is a whiz with computers and networks and can reached on the phone if

there is ever a question regarding Microsoft Office. You don‘t necessarily have to be at the WAC or available to run

in if there are IT problems. The COM (Club Office Manager) is your liason to the office, so emailing is how you will

mainly stay in touch with the WAC. Maybe you have a spouse who is happy to help out? Please consider this role.

FYI: the website is not included in the support, don‘t worry!

Would you rather help out with just one event or only once a year? No problem. The Special Events chairperson will

be happy to have someone to count on for support. For big or small help available, there is always something that

needs an extra hand at the WAC, so we thank you in adsvance for putting your name down for ANY help. Whenever

you get involved anywhere, be it the WAC, at your child‘s school or in an association elsewhere, you will get to

meet other people who want to help and just by having something in common, who knows, there might just be a new

friendship in the making. Ask some of the the long-time members here at the WAC, they‘re a testament to how great

the club is!

Page 11

Refreshments

+

Snacks

provided

WAC on Track Page 12

President Candidate

- Carol Conzelmann

Dear fellow WAC members,

This time last year I was writing an intro-

duction about myself for the WAC on Track,

having just agreed to serve as Secretary.

One year on, and I realize that my decision

to be the only new member of the board in

2010/11 was quite significant - it‟s good to

have some consistency I„m told, so here I

am, happy but somewhat surprised to be of-

fering myself as candidate for the WAC

Presidency.

I‟m originally from the UK but have been liv-

ing overseas since 1996, first in Singapore

where I worked as a Fashion Buyer and then

in Hong Kong where I met my lovely Swiss

husband Stefan, who persuaded me to move

to Switzerland with him. Stefan is from Zu-

rich, and the first time we lived here I had

a job in Tessin where I totally failed to

learn Italian, although I did eat plenty of

pasta. Tired of commuting over the Alps, we

took a 6 month holiday in India together be-

fore heading to Dubai where our son Matti,

who‟s now almost 7 years old, was born. Du-

bai was a great experience, but not some-

where we felt we could settle long term, so

we came back to Switzerland in 2008 and

our daughter Lia was born a year later. We

bought a house last year and are happily

settled in Wermatswil, just up the hill from

Uster.

The WAC was (and still is) a lifesaver for

me - it was tough suddenly being a stay at

home mom, and in a non-English environment.

Like many of us, I came across the WAC

thanks to a chance meeting, and I remember

feeling so relieved to find friendly faces and

a relaxed atmosphere. I‟m now a passionate

WAC fan and as I love to keep busy, it‟s

great to have the chance to offer my time.

Many of you may know me from my various

WAC activities - be it Library volunteer,

WAC on Track editor, Secretary or from

running the Coffee Tots playgroup. I‟ve also

attended yoga, manned the bubbles table at

the summer BBQ, and done German classes.

Matti has worked his way from pre-school to

Reading & Writing and Lia will be starting

her WAC ‟career‟ when she turns 2 in May.

Sharon and her dedicated team have done

an outstanding job over the past 2 years,

and whilst I‟m delighted to have their sup-

port and encouragement, I also feel it‟s a

hard act to follow. I‟m very much aware

that the WAC is only as good as the mem-

bers make it, and that the President‟s job is

to listen, understand what we as a Club

want, and get the resources and will to-

gether to make things happen. I trust that

with a great team to support me, we can

maintain the high standards we‟ve already

achieved and also support the growth of our

club throughout the year ahead.

Page 13

Secretary Candidate - Susan Junod

My name is Susan Junod and I am running for the position of club secretary. I am English and

moved from London to Switzerland with my Swiss husband almost 2 years ago. We are

currently living in Küsnacht and are, as I write this, surrounded by packing boxes as we are

moving during the February holidays to a house in Uster.

I have twins, one boy and one girl, called Mathilda and Thomas who turn 4 years old at the end

of February. We all speak French and English at home as my husband is from French speaking

Switzerland and I had a bi-lingual upbringing having lived in Belgium until I was 12 years old.

I started coming to the WAC soon after we moved to Switzerland when the twins attended

the Friday playgroup. They now enjoy the morning pre-school on Tuesdays and the

WACkelörhli spielgruppe on Thursday afternoons. They also go to a bi-lingual

Waldspielgruppe here in Uster. I volunteered in the WAC library until last term and am now

class representative for the Thursday WACkerlörhli group. Mathilda and Thomas love the

WAC and have a great time here. I have also made several new friends through the WAC for

which I am very grateful. I think the WAC is a great, dynamic and fun place to be and I

would love the opportunity to contribute to the running of the WAC.

Membership Candidate –Ana Wymann

My name is Ana Wymann and I‟m running to be the new chairper-

son in charge of membership at the WAC. I‟m an American Expat,

whose been living in Switzerland for over 8 years. My Husband is

Swiss, which is the reason we live here, and we have two children,

a girl and a boy seven and three, both of whom attend classes at

the WAC. My motivation for chairing membership comes from

having benefited so much from my own membership with the WAC.

I can truly say that being part of this club has been instrumental

in helping me to enjoy life in Switzerland. Staying in Switzerland is not only about inte-

gration, it‟s about being happy where you are, and I think we are happier surrounded by

people we can relate to.

Vice President Candidate –April Koller

My name is April Koller. I‟m from the USA and we moved to Switzer-

land this past August. My husband, Andy, is on a 2 year assignment with

PwC. We have two children, Jonas, 3, and Sara, 1. We feel so fortunate

to have found the WAC! Not only have we made some great friends,

Jonas is really enjoying LTCS preschool.

I‟d like to serve as VP next year as a way to give back to the WAC and

the school. The VP serves as a link between the WAC and the LTCS

staff. As I see many of the staff on a regular basis and have a vested

interest in the success of the school programs, I feel drawn to serve in this position.

WAC on Track Page 14

Page 15

READERS GONE WACky Henriette De Rooij

In January, the Readers Gone WACky read Pri-

vate life by Jane Smiley.

The novel is set in Missouri

and California. Margareth

Mayfield, aged 27, excepts a

marriage proposal by bril-

liant scientist Andrew Early

in the 1890s. They move to

California, and lead a quiet

life on a Naval base island.

She never goes back to Mis-

souri. Around her all sort of things happen: war,

earthquake, automobiles and other inventions,

people traveling long distances. As time goes by Andrew gets more and more

strange, fighting Einstein and devoting his life to

impossible theories about the universe. Margareth

types everything he writes and learns to drive so

she can be his driver. People call her a saint for all

she puts up with, and she knows it.

One of her friends is a female liberated journalist.

Another one is a mysterious man from Russia. She

reads a lot, has friends in different places, travels to

San Francisco and buys Japanese art. But she seems

captured in her role as devoted wife. She still does-

n't act when her husband reports her Japanese

friends as spies in 1942. At the end of the book at

last she remembers something that happened in

her youth. This may be the beginning of change,

but we don't get to know that.

Readers felt the book is a bit sad, all about what

could have been. Margareth is obviously a victim of

her time. She doesn't stand up for herself, although

she has many opportunities, and many friends and

relatives to show her how she could act.

Her life is full of deaths and tragedies: her broth-

ers, her father, her only child. She has a trauma of

seeing a hanging when she was a child. A lot is un-

clear in this book. For example:who is Pete, the

Russian guy? The contradiction between what

goes on in the world and what goes on in Marga-

reths private life (her thoughts and her marriage) is very clear and well written. Most readers found

this book not really a pleasant read, sometimes a

bit boring. It has a nice quote though: “A wife only

has to do as she is told for the first year (of mar-

riage)”.

Our next meeting is scheduled on March 16th at

8 PM at the WAC. We'll be discussing The long

song by Andrea Levy. New members welcome!

Please contact Alice Knöpfel 044 9122326

aknoepfel@swissonline.ch for more information

She was the belle of our ball.

Got us " Explorers' mums" out of our rut

and brought back our funk.

You will be dearly missed.

Wishing you all the best in Germany Farial,

Jordan &Thomas.

From your many friends at the WAC.

WAC on Track Page 16

Lunch-Club A supervised 2-hour break for you and your kids

Mon, Tues & Thurs: 11.45 – 13.45h

The WAC offers a supervised lunch break for WAC children, three times a week. The cost Fr. 15.- per child, per day and is payable monthly in advance to the office. Every parent is responsible for their own child’s sack lunch.

Please fill in a registration form at the WAC or visit our website for more info.

Accountant/Bookkeeper For 2 hours/week.

Qualifications: Accountancy/ Bookkeeping. Experience with Buspro a plus.

Duties:

· Financial audit preparation for the WAC

· Reporting monthly and annually to the Board

· Analysing, checking/entering monthly accounts (emphasis on creditors and bank) in

Buspro

· Producing of a monthly balance sheet, profit/loss and to Budget comparison

· Year end accruals, prepayments, adjustments and salary, bank, creditor and debtor

reconciliations

· Controlling the WAC finances

Please send your application and CV to president@wac.ch

The WAC is seeking to employ an

Page 17

Membership Fees* (non-refundable): please tick the appropriate box:

WAC Full Membership WHOLE year (1st January— 31st December) SFr. 160.-

WAC Full Membership HALF year (Jan—June, OR July—Dec) SFr.

90.-

WAC Associate Membership full year (Library use only) SFr. 90.-

*Note: The Membership fees are neither prorated nor refundable. A payment slip (Einzahlungsschein) will be sent to you. Please use this, as it

allows our data system to accurately identify your payment. Membership is automatically renewed unless a written

cancellation is received.

Cancellation or queries must be received by 10th December, via email to our Club Office Manager com@wac.ch. If no

cancellation is received by this date, your membership will be automatically renewed for the following year.

Cancellation from the school is not an automatic cancellation from the Club.

Contact com@wac.ch or write to:

Women’s Activity Club

Winterthurerstr. 18

8610 Uster Tel.# 043 305 9250

Membership at the WAC allows for:

participation in our club activities ranging from a Preschool, Reading and Writing after

school programs to kids social as well as educational programs. Depending on member requests and staffing, there are also adult education, social events and community ac-

tivities*.

Newsletter 10 X year

Rental of designated club rooms

How did you hear about the WAC? ____________________________________________

WOMEN’S ACTIVITY CLUBWOMEN’S ACTIVITY CLUB

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM 2010/11MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM 2010/11

Personal Information

Your Last Name __________________________ Partner’s Last Name __________________________

Your First Name __________________________ Partner’s First Name __________________________

Your Nationality __________________________ Partner’s Nationality __________________________

Current/Previous Occupation ________________ Partner’s Occupation __________________________

Children: Their Last Name: _________________

First Name: __________________ Birth date_________ First Name: _______________ Birth date__________

First Name: __________________ Birth date_________ First Name: _______________ Birth date__________

Street Address ___________________________________________________________________________

Postal Code _________ Town _________________Phone# __________________ Fax# ________________

Cell phone __________________________ Email ______________________________________________

Welcome to the WAC.. You have indicated a desire to be a member of this cooperative club

which provides families with social and educational outlets. Please fill out the entire form .

1.

2.

WAC on Track Page 18

Playgroup NewsPlaygroup News Carol ConzelmannCarol Conzelmann

We have some

new faces at our

WAC playgroups.

Firstly, I‘d like to

welcome Anna

Wallis, who is new

to the WAC and

will be running our

ever-popular Friday morning 3 Little

Monkeys playgroup. Anna introduces

herself below—I‘ve already seen her in

action with the kids and her playgroup is

going to be great, so please come along

and see for yourself!

Sandra Wacker continues to do a fabulous

job taking care of the Tuesday afternoon

spot at the Mini-munchkins playgroup.

And last (but not least) Coffee Tots is still

running on Thursday mornings. I‘ve been

hosting a playgroup now for almost 2

years, and as I‘m now standing as WAC

President I feel it‘s time to take a break.

I‘m happy to report that a group of moms

will be taking over from me in the coming

weeks—thanks in advance!

Running a playgroup with friends is a

great way to share the responsibility, and

then you‘re covered in case of illness or

difficulty getting organised one week! We

would still like to re-open the Tuesday

morning playgroup if we can find a leader

(or team of leaders), so if you‘ve ever

enjoyed a playgroup, please think about

helping out– we‘d be delighted to hear

from you!

Thanks, Carol

carolconzelmann@hotmail.com

I„m Anna and I run the Friday morning

playgroup 3 Little Monkeys. I am a qualified

UK teacher and love learning with children.

Crafts and arts are what interest me most

and what I most enjoy doing with the little

ones. Sleeves rolled up and lots of mess bring

out the creative jucies! I am also a mother of

a little girl who definitely keeps me on my

toes. I look forward to meeting you and your

little monkeys in the playgroup.

Anna.hasic@bluewin.ch / 079 733 0674

3 Little Monkeys Playgroup 3 Little Monkeys Playgroup Anna WallisAnna Wallis

Page 19

PlaygroupsPlaygroups

Disclaimer: Members, their families and guests are

reminded that participation in WAC activities is

entirely on their own discretion and/or risk. Neither

the Women‟s Activity Club nor its representatives

shall be held responsible for damage, injury or loss

incurred by the use of Club property or participation

in club events.

Cancellation Policy: WAC's goal is to provide as many cost

conscientious events and courses to our members as possible

without incurring financial losses. Except where specifically stated,

a No-Show Policy is in effect for all courses and events at the

WAC. Please observe the deadline and cut-off dates before

canceling or withdrawing from such activities. Cancellations after

the deadline will be charged in full.

MINI – MUNCHKINS

Tuesdays 2.30 - 4.30PM

Come and join us for a fun afternoon with crafts, play time, snacks and singing.

Moms/dads, and your mini-munchkins 0-4, are very welcome.

Place: WAC lounge

Cost: CHF 5 per family

Contact: Sandra Wacker, info at wacker@shinternet.ch

3 L3 LITTLEITTLE

MMONKEYSONKEYS

FFRIDAYSRIDAYS 9.309.30--

11.3011.30AMAM

Need to keep your little monkeys enter-

tained?

Fancy coffee, cake and a chat with some

old & new friends?

Come and join us for snacks, easy crafts,

singing and lots of fun.

CHF5 per family/CHF 10 non members

Contact: Anna.hasic@bluewin.ch ,

079 733 0674

Thursdays

9:30 am – 11:30 am

Coffee Tots now welcomes kids from 0-4 years old, plus moms/dads/carers of all ages!

Enjoy coffee & cake (with healthy snacks for the kids) and free play, simple activities and some singing. New members are especially welcome!

Contact: carolconzelmann@hotmail.com, 079 420 1744

WAC on Track Page 20

THIS IS WHAT WE ARE ABOUT :

A PLACE TO LEARN AND TO HAVE FUN

Page 21

Disclaimer: Members, their families and guests are

reminded that participation in WAC activities is

entirely on their own discretion and/or risk. Neither

the Women‟s Activity Club nor its representatives

shall be held responsible for damage, injury or loss

incurred by the use of Club property or participation

in club events.

Cancellation Policy: WAC's goal is to provide as many cost

conscientious events and courses to our members as possible

without incurring financial losses. Except where specifically stated,

a No-Show Policy is in effect for all courses and events at the

WAC. Please observe the deadline and cut-off dates before

canceling or withdrawing from such activities. Cancellations after

the deadline will be charged in full.

Welcome Breakfast for New Members

If you have recently joined the WAC, and want to

know more about our programs, I invite you for

breakfast on Monday March 7th 2011 from 9 to

11 am.

Please come and share a moment with me, and

meet some of the members.

Confirm to me (Yvette MUGGLI ) at : membership@wac.ch or call me . 043

497 06 78

WWEDNESDAYEDNESDAY AAFTERNOONFTERNOON CCOFFEEOFFEE

& C& CAKEAKE !!

A home-made cake, made by the baking talents of the WAC will be

placed in the WAC kitchen on a weekly basis.

Everyone can enjoy the nice taste of home-made baking for a very

reasonable price while enjoying a cup of coffee or tea any time you

are at the WAC and feel like it. Come and try it yourself. If you want, you can even take

some home so your family can enjoy a taste too. Fresh cakes will be placed in the WAC

Kitchen every Wednesday afternoon from 2:00 - 4:00pm.

BAKING TALENTS NEEDED

If you like baking and know some good recipes, please

contact Helen Mylius 044 915 4962.

The cost of baking will be reimbursed. Thank you in advance!

WAC on Track Page 22

Courses @ the WAC

English Belly Dancing Swimming Ballet/ Tap

Ladies Kids 3 – ca. 10 yrs old Kids Beginner / Intermediate

Swimmers

For Info on Swimming contact Debbie at wac-swimming@yahoo.com

For other Info contact Jennifer at com@wac.ch or 043 305 9250

Disclaimer: Members, their families and guests are reminded that participation in WAC activities is entirely on their own discretion and/or risk. Neither the WAC nor its represen-tatives shall be held responsible for damage, injury or loss incurred by the use of Club prop-erty or participation in club events.

Cancellation Policy: WAC’s goal is to provide as many cost conscientious events and courses to our members as possible without incurring financial losses. Except where specifically stated, a No-Show Policy is in effect for all courses and events at the WAC. Please read the terms and conditions of your contract and only sign if you agree to them.

For Current Schedule check the

WOT Calen-dar!

Page 23

THE WAC DAYTHE WAC DAY

EXCURSION BOOKEXCURSION BOOK

For all those excursions around

Zurich and beyond, don„t forget

the revised WAC Excursion

Book, listing great days out in

and around the Zurich ar ea.

Available from the office or library for just 15

SFr.

ROOM RENTALSROOM RENTALS

For

information on renting the WAC„s facilities,

please contact:

COM

043 305 9250

com@wac.ch

English children„s books at very

affordable prices. See the brochures

in the clubroom. Orders are

processed on the 10th of every

month. All orders help us get free

books and learning material for our

School.

All enquires to Helen Mylius

044 915 4962

myliushinardi@hotmail.com

Mothering Matters

is a non-profit, bi-monthly journal for English-

speaking parents living in Switzerland with articles

and information on child-rearing topics, suggestions

and practical tips for child-related activities.

A year‟s subscription costs SFr. 33.

For more information, or to subscribe, go to

www.mmjournal.com

WAC on Track Page 24

... is back!

Need a night away (but without the financial

bruising)? Then you need a girl‘s night in!

Chinese Dinner (cooked by Shu-Hwa Wehli)

1 April 2011 at 7:15pm

CHF 25.- /members

CHF 30.-/guests Bring your own drinks.

Seating is limited so

sign up asap.

Deadline for cancellations: March 25th 2011

Page 25

Business UpdateBusiness Update Angela WatsonAngela Watson

Recently I was talking to a friend about going

“home” for the holidays, she turned to me and

said in her very sage voice “when will you

consider here as ―home‖?‖ It’s funny how her

words struck a chord probably not just in me

but in everyone reading this. At what point do

us expats consider the host country our home?

After 8 years of living in Switzerland, raising

three children from infancy to primary school,

buying a house in Uster and numerous

attempts at learning German, I realised that

what makes me feel more at home in

Switzerland is my connection with the WAC.

I’ve really enjoyed the

ups and downs (not the

downs that much – but

they made the ups all

the more so) of the various voluntary roles I’ve

taken on in the past 6 years as a member. I

never understood how many people make the

WAC work the wonderful way it does until I got

involved. It’s very easy to come through the

doors, drop your children off at the school and

bolt to whatever takes your pleasure for the

couple of hours freedom the class gives you.

But there’s truth behind the saying the more

you put in the more you get out of it. Getting

involved at the WAC gives you the opportunity

to make the connections with people who are

also in the same position as you are. On the

plus side, we have families who may have the

benefit of being bi-lingual and on the down, we

away from our “home” countries and previous

professional careers. The WAC gives you the

opportunity to feel at “home” and put to use

that once brilliant brain that didn’t leave your

body with the placenta. So don’t be afraid of

stepping up to the challenge and making that

same connection I did years ago and see what

you are capable of whilst you are making

yourself at home here.

I’ve had the great privilege of having a

wonderful co-chair these past two years and

I’ve seen Andrea Metz demonstrate in many

exceptional ways her intelligence, organisation

and brilliance not just as a business co-chair

but also in numerous projects and

undertakings. Of course, the WAC can only

hold onto such talent for so long before the real

world will snap them up. Andrea will be

returning to the paid workforce soon and we

are so grateful to her for being as dedicated

and enthusiastic as she has been for the past

few years as a chairperson. She will however,

continue to be an involved member helping in

non-Chair roles and of course being at as

many social events as we can organise!

As it is election month I

would like to thank all the

parent representatives,

playgroup leaders

(special thank you and

good-bye to Ellie

Shepherd who’s returning to the UK soon),

club leaders, Judith (our departing COM) and

teachers who make “business” work at the

WAC this past year. Thank you also to all

those who have participated in a course,

special event or activity, without which we

would just be a school. We are a club and

although we all come for the school we stay for

the activities and social events that give us an

opportunity to get to know each other outside

the 9-5. Whoever takes over the Business

Chairperson role takes on the challenge of

keeping this connection going as it would be so

sad to see it “fade to grey” (get the 80s link?)

for not having this role filled.

WAC on Track Page 26

So the month has finally come for the Back to

the WAC 80s disco. Timara and I have been

working hard in our leotards, sweatbands and

legwarmers (now there’s an image), to make

this party happen and hope that you are all

there (well the grown-ups are) to support us in

dancing to the hits and knocking back a cocktail

or 3 at the bar. The drinks are half the price

you would pay at your local bar. Take a chance

with our “Movie Hit Dip” where when you buy an

alcoholic drink you get to pick a ticket that could

make you a winner. Plus we have a Totally 80s

Trivial Pursuit challenge with prizes that would

be the envy of any “Price is Right”

contestant...so come on down on the 19th

March. Buy your tickets in advance or face the

5chf surcharge on the night and the possibility

of being turned away as we just can’t fit you all

in!!

Another opportunity to get some quality couple

time is with our Kids Movie Night on Saturday

26th March – childcare, entertainment and food

for the little ones and the ability to chew your

food and talk about anything you like without

interruption for yourselves – bliss. Sign up on

the notice board to reserve a space for your

kids.

Thanks to Anouk Kummer for bringing back

“GNI – Girls Night In” a great opportunity for the

ladies to get to know each other outside the

usual grind of family, make new friends or catch

up with old ones. On the 1st April (no fool’s joke

honest) we’ll be having authentic home-made

Chinese food made by Shu-Hwa Wehli for

25CHF a head. We also welcome non-

members who sign up whilst we have space for

30CHF each. Just bring your own drinks and

wear loose fitting trousers. Please sign up early

to avoid disappointment – it promises to be the

best Chinese food outside of China!

Now onto another

phoenix rising from the

ashes...the Boys’ club

are back!! Yes indeed,

under the wing of Miriam

and Thomas Egli-Rohr

and other wonderful

helper parents along the

way, the Boys Club will

start again on the 9th April at Kemptner Tobel.

This is open to boys aged 6-9 and cost 6chf

each time they meet on a monthly basis.

Please see Miriam’s ad for more information.

Finally on the business side of information,

following its great success, we hope to run

another First Aid course with Dr. Giovanna Ales

on Saturday 14th May. At the time of going to

press we are waiting to hear on the availability

of a couple of dummies (useless husbands

need not be volunteered thank you) that we

need for the practical demonstrations. Please

keep your eyes peeled to the notice board for

further information and sign-up sheet. Places

are limited to only 10 this time so first-come,

First Aid.

So with some sadness and nostalgia my last

WAC on Track as business Chairperson draws

to a close. My final words of gratitude go to a

fantastic board that I’ve been honoured to work

with, my friends for their sound advice and

support and my amazingly tolerant family, who

no matter where we are in the world are my

“home”.

Hope to see you all at the AGM on the 29th

March.

Angela

Page 27

Giving You a Head Start with Getting Settled in Zurich

www.readysteadyrelocate.com

Corporate and Public Seminars, Private Consultations

NEXT EVENTS:

Information Evening in English on the SWISS STATE SCHOOL SYSTEM:

Part I: June 30th

2011.

Part II early July (exact date tbd)

For more information and to register, please visit my website:

www.readysteadyrelocate.com

EDUCATIONAL GAMES AND WORKBOOKS

The next time you are in the old town of Zurich, it is worth going to look in the “Kinderbuchladen” at Oberdorfstrasse 32, in between Bellevue and the Grossmunster. My boys’ DAZ teacher recommended I go there to find some good educational games for my boys to play in order to expand their German vocabulary.

We particularly like the box of A8 cards in a box (Lernbox) that you can work through, either completing a sentence or answering questions (Grund-wortschatz Deutsch: 1. Klasse, 2. Klasse, 3. Klasse, etc.).

For more information please visit www.kinderbuchladen.ch. You can also find similar items on www.aol-verlag.de.

Next Cooking Course: March 19

April 16

WAC on Track Page 28

Up & coming

WAC events:

Sat 27 Nov: Kids Christmas Crafts

Sun 12 Dec: WAC Christmas party

Sat 29 Jan: Kids Movie Night

Sat 26 Mar: Kids Movie Night

Sat 19 Mar: WAC 80’s Disco

Tues 29 Mar: WAC AGM

Sat 25 Jun: WAC BBQ

Page 29

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8

PLAYGROUP

2.30-4.30PM

9

10

PLAYGROUP

9.3011.30 am

ENGLISH

9.00-10.30 am

11

PLAYGROUP

9.30-11.30 am

BALLET

3.45-4.45pm

12

TAP

9.30-10am

BALLET

10-11am

13 14

SWIMMING

3-9 years old

BELLY

DANCING

6.30-7.30 pm

15

PLAYGROUP

2.30-4.30PM

16

BOOKCLUB

8pm

17

PLAYGROUP

9.3011.30 am

ENGLISH

9.00-10.30 am

18

PLAYGROUP

9.30-11.30 am

BALLET

3.45-4.45pm

19

TAP

9.30-10am

BALLET

10-11am

COOKING

CLUB

1-4 pm

20 21

SWIMMING

3-9 years old

BELLY

DANCING

6.30-7.30 pm

22

PLAYGROUP

2.30-4.30PM

23

24

PLAYGROUP

9.3011.30 am

ENGLISH

9.00-10.30 am

25

PLAYGROUP

9.30-11.30 am

BALLET

3.45-4.45pm

26

TAP

9.30-10am

BALLET

10-11am

KIDS MOVIE

NIGHT

27 28

SWIMMING

3-9 years old

BELLY

DANCING

6.30-7.30 pm

29

PLAYGROUP

2.30-4.30PM

WAC AGM

7PM

30

31

PLAYGROUP

9.3011.30 am

ENGLISH

9.00-10.30 am

WAC HOLIDAYS

WAC on Track Page 30

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1

PLAYGROUP

9.30-11.30 am

BALLET

3.45-4.45pm

GIN

2

TAP

9.30-10am

BALLET

10-11am

3 4

SWIMMING

3-9 years old

BELLY

DANCING

6.30-7.30 pm

5

PLAYGROUP

2.30-4.30PM

6

7

PLAYGROUP

9.3011.30 am

ENGLISH

9.00-10.30 am

8

PLAYGROUP

9.30-11.30 am

BALLET

3.45-4.45pm

9

TAP

9.30-10am

BALLET

10-11am

10 11

SWIMMING

3-9 years old

BELLY

DANCING

6.30-7.30 pm

12

PLAYGROUP

2.30-4.30PM

13

14

PLAYGROUP

9.3011.30 am

ENGLISH

9.00-10.30 am

15

PLAYGROUP

9.30-11.30 am

BALLET

3.45-4.45pm

16

TAP

9.30-10am

BALLET

10-11am

COOKING

CLUB

1-4 pm

17 18

SWIMMING

3-9 years old

BELLY

DANCING

6.30-7.30 pm

19

PLAYGROUP

2.30-4.30PM

20

21

PLAYGROUP

9.3011.30 am

ENGLISH

9.00-10.30 am

22

23

24 25

26

27

28

29 30

WAC HOLIDAYS