Valencia has survived another Fallas, and what a great festival it was! Now it’s time to set the clocks back (on Sunday 31 March) and get ready for the trees to turn green, the flowers to blossom, the sun to shine and to say goodbye to winter as we welcome springtime with open arms!
Read on to find out what the IWCV has planned for you this coming month, and don’t forget to check the IWCV website (www.iwc-valencia.com) periodically as events are added all the time!)
First Tuesday Coffee Tuesday 2 April, 10:30am indoors at Entretiempos, C/Angel Guimerà 47 (at the corner of C/Buen Orden). Open to the women of Valencia, both IWCV members and those who have not officially joined us yet. There is no need to sign up in advance; just stop by for a cuppa and a chat! Our new venue is very easy to get to – just take any bus or metro to Angel Guimerà and walk towards the Abastos.
FELLOWS OF THE IWCV HAPPY HOUR Tuesday 2 April, 5:00pm – 7:00pm at Fatalist Taproom, Carrer de Comte d’Altea 26. Open to Fellows of the IWCV, IWCV members, their partners/spouses, and guests. No need to register in advance for this drop-in activity. You can visit the Fatalist Bar website at Fatalist bar Valencia.
PUNCH NEEDLE RUG WORKSHOP, Friday 5 April, 10am to 1pm. In this workshop, we can all try our hand at being a hooker – a rug hooker, that is! During this 3-hour workshop you will learn all the basics of hooking a rug with a Punch Needle to make your own embroidered rug. Open to IWCV members, their partners/spouses, and Fellows of the IWCV. For complete details and to register, go to Punch Needle Rug Workshop | IWC – Valencia
YES, PILATES CAN HELP YOUR KNEES! A SPECIAL CLASS WITH LEYNA NOEL, Friday 12 April at Noon. Do you have knee pain? Ever wonder if there is a surefire way to alleviate it in a way that doesn’t hurt? Can your knees get stronger and better as the years pass? The answer is yes! Come to this class to find out how. The class is open to IWCV members, their partners/spouses, and Fellows of the IWCV. For details and to register, click here: Yes, Pilates can Help Your Knees! - A Special Class with Leyna Noel | IWC – Valencia
IWCV APRIL LUNCHEON Thursday 18 April, 2pm at Mey-Mey Restaurante, Calle de L’Historiador Diago 19. Open to IWCV members, their partners/spouses, and Fellows of the IWCV. Join us as we each enjoy an individual degustation menu at Mey-Mey! You will feel like you are in China the moment you enter the restaurant. For complete details and to register, click here: April Luncheon | IWC - Valencia (Fellows: to register, please email pres.iwcvalencia@gmail.com).
VISIT TO CASA CARIDAD Tuesday 16 April or Tuesday 23 April – your choice! This guided tour of Casa Caridad, one of the charities supported by the IWCV, is open to IWCV members, their partners/spouses, and Fellows of the IWCV. Natxo Torres, a social worker at Casa Caridad, will show us around the institution's premises, explain the needs of people who come to the institution, describe how employees and volunteers work, and discuss the challenges they face every day. Come learn about the good work done by this incredible organization. For details and to register, click here: Visit to Casa Caridad | IWC – Valencia
FAMOUS WOMEN OF VALENCIA WALKING TOUR Thursday 25 April. Open to IWCV members, their partners/spouses, and Fellows of the IWCV. This historical tour through several districts discusses the city's most prominent women from the Middle Ages to today. Who were they? Where did they live? What did they do? Why were they humiliated, imprisoned, and even given death sentences? During this tour our English-speaking guide David from Ars Magna will give us a unique way of looking at Valencia and the women who played such important roles in its history. For details and to sign up, click here: FAMOUS WOMEN OF VALENCIA WALKING TOUR | IWC – Valencia
PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CLINIC Friday 17 May. Open to IWCV Members, their partners/spouses, Fellows of the IWCV, and out-of-town guests. Would you like to have 15 minutes with our IWCV real estate expert Rebecca Cabo to discuss your questions about renting or buying property in Valencia? Sign up here! Personal Real Estate Clinic - May 2024 | IWC - Valencia
MEMBERSHIP
Janine Forbes, VP - Membership
We have had to say goodbye to 35 members who hadn’t paid the 2024 dues, had moved away or for other reasons. On accepting new members, the importance of paying dues, joining the chat groups, attending the events and being allocated an ambassador are all encouraged. Feedback from new members is that the chat groups for events and general “where can I get” information is very useful. Other feedback suggested information about more events that occur outside of daytime hours, for working members. We continue to encourage all existing active members to keep “spreading the word” about our wonderful group.
Input from Ambassadors: We have 40 Ambassadors within the IWCV who would love to connect with members old and new. We are planning an Ambassador meet-up in the next month combined with a new members coffee. Hope to see everyone there!
March New Members
Aida Thuresson USA
Emma Zell USA
Margie Spillen USA
April Birthdays
Alex Pericolini
Alla Volpyansky
Anne Marie Gundersen
Camile Velez
Danielle Besson
Emma Zell
Jennifer Breyer
Livia Laks
Marti Lay
Martina Van de Gey
Nancee Zannone
Pauline Fitzgerald
Sara Arditti
Susan Fernie
CHARITIES AND FUNDRAISING
Pauline Fitzgerald, VP - Charities
This month we are revving up our efforts to help the three charities supported by the IWCV.
For those of you who wish to make a private donation to Proyecto Vivir, Casa Caridad, and/or Casa Ronald McDonald, the bank details of our charities are as follows; please ensure that you note IWCV in the reference box:
Proyecto Vivir
ES75 3159 0066 9828 5328 2123
Casa Caridad
La Caixa: ES47 2100 0736 0022 0061 23102
Banco Sabadell: ES75 0081 7352 4300 0105 7311
Casa Ronald
ES27 0081 1518 9300 0150 8057
We are offering guided tours of Casa Caridad on two dates: Tuesday 16 April and Tuesday 23 April. This is a wonderful opportunity for all our members to see just how Casa Caridad assists homeless people in Valencia. For complete details and to sign up, click here: Visit to Casa Caridad | IWC - Valencia
ACTIVITIES
Susan Burke March, VP - Activities
Hopefully you enjoyed the Fallas and all of the festivities in March. This year’s tour of the Casal del Pilar Falla, coordinated by Phyllis So, was sold out far in advance, and there was a waiting list! Emilio, our host, was very gracious and informative, and we learned about the traditions and construction of the fallas, the artists, and the special competitions. We enjoyed viewing the Falla and were invited into their casal (clubhouse) for a snack and drink. Suddenly, the beautiful young falleras entered, costumed in their "traje de Valera" worn during the processions and events throughout the festival, as they do during important events or festivities in the region throughout the year. Inspired by 18th and 19th-century fashion, it was exciting to be so close to these elegantly-clad women and to see so much exquisite detail. Don’t forget to sign up for next year’s Annual Tour!
This month, I've gathered a few personal updates from the coordinators of our on-going activities. To learn more about these and our other activities and to contact each group's coordinator to be added to their WhatsApp chat groups, log on to the IWCV website and go to Activities. https://www.iwc-valencia.com/this-months-events
Women Who Walk—This is an open and active group that includes our IWCV members, partners and spouses, Fellows of the IWCV, and out-of-town guests. It meets each Friday at 11:00 to walk in the Turia. Liz Humphries, the coordinator, says, "I can report that the group is rapidly expanding but has a steady core of long-time walkers ably led by Elizabeth Wade-McCullough (to the East) and myself (to the West)—alternate weeks. There’s lots of chat while we walk and always coffee after." To stay current with the group, Sign up for their WhatsApp group.
Chicas de Libros—IWCV's newest on-going activity group has taken off! It is also open to IWCV members, partners and spouses, Fellows, and out-of-town guests. The Chicas are already on their third book, with new ones in the pipeline for April and May. Each week, a different member hosts the group, so get on board by contacting Ruth Ann Hepler, the coordinator. The group is where you'll find out what book to be discussed at the next meeting and the location. Ruth Ann shared a fun story! "We just met a lady in El Carmen the other day who recently joined IWCV. She wants to come to the book club! She heard us speaking English, so she started talking to us. A nice lady."
Stitches and Yarns: Our coordinator, Cathy Cleaver, says "Stitches and Yarns" is open to anyone who wants to knit or crochet or just watch others do so! We share our projects, our skills, and lots of stories. If you need further incentives, there are snacks and fresh baked goods." Well, let me tell you - that's an incentive! If you have not tasted Cathy's baked goods, you're in for a treat!
Coming in April: To learn more and register for these special events, log on to Events on the IWCV Website. https://www.iwc-valencia.com/events-for-the-month. New events are being added all the time.
Thursday, April 11, 3:30 - 5:00 pm
The Blue Zones - What Are They and Can You Live There?
What is it about the Blue Zones that makes them so mythical? Fun and facts with Susan Burke March, Registered Dietitian, Retired.
Saturday and Sunday, April 20-21:
A tour of Alobras in the province of Teruel. A special overnight trip with transportation, meals, and accommodations included. Immerse yourself in a territory that is as unknown as it is fascinating. Join this weekend trip, where disconnection and contact with nature are guaranteed.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
Susan Kaplan, Member-at-Large
While many of you share information on the IWCV Social Chat & Join Us WhatApps, you may find it helpful to check out the Resources Listing on the IWCV website. IWC-valencia.com. In addition to Restaurant Reviews and Recipes, it contains information and links to Member Businesses, Medical and Emergency Information, Services, Government Agencies and Convalescent Care.
If you have a business and would like to add it to the listing, please send the following information to me at Member Business. We would be happy to make this information available to our members.
Your name
Brief description of your business
Name of your business
Address (if applicable)
Phone Number
Website
FELLOWS OF THE IWCV
Carey Hepler, Coordinator
The Fellows of the IWCV is open to the men of Valencia, including the male spouses/partners of IWCV members, current & former. To join the group, please email Carey Hepler at carey.hepler@gmail.com and give him your name & contact details. If there is a particular activity that you are interested in and would like to coordinate, let Carey know!
Take a look above for details of the Fellows’ April Happy Hour. All IWCV members are invited to attend!
APRIL HOLIDAYS IN VALENCIA
Monday 1 April - Easter Monday
Monday 8 April - Fiesta de San Vicent Ferrer
We are looking forward to seeing all of you at IWCV events this coming month!
Jane Buck,
President