January Newsletter

Happy New Year to all our IWCV Members! Now is the time of year when many of us consider making a life-changing new year’s resolution to carry us through the coming 12 months. I googled “best resolution 2026” and came up with a bunch (learn a new language, exercise regularly, read more, save money….) but they didn’t quite fit the bill I was aiming for. So I sat quietly for a few minutes, thinking about what would be a good, pithy resolution to share – and realized I was smiling…and that made me feel good! So, my new year’s resolution is to greet everyone I run into in 2026 with a smile (they’re contagious, you know!). I’ll let you know how it goes! If you find a good resolution for this new year, please do share it with us!

And, speaking of smiling, take a look below at the events we’ve already got planned for you for January and into February! So many fun things to do. We hope to see you at many of these and do check the IWCV website periodically as new events are being added all the time!

GET CREATIVE WITH POTTERY – Saturday evenings, 10, 17, 24, and 31 January, 6pm – 8pm. Open to IWCV members, their partners/spouses, Fellows of the IWCV, and out-of-town guests. Kick off the new year with a burst of creativity at Fango Pottery Gym! Whether you’re new to clay or an experienced potter, these fun, hand-building classes let you learn, play, and create at your own pace. For complete details and to register, click here: Get Creative With Pottery | IWC - Valencia

FIRST TUESDAY COFFEE, Tuesday 13 January, 10:30am on the terrace behind the MUVIM Museum. Open to all women of Valencia, both IWCV members and those who have not formally joined us yet. There is no need to register in advance, just put on your coat and scarf and join us for a cuppa and a chat!

NEW FELLOWS OF THE IWCV MEET-UP, Monday 12 January, 11:30 – 13:30 at the Colon Corte Ingles (the one with Samsung on the ground floor), 6^th Floor Cafeteria. Open to all new Fellows of the IWCV, and anyone who would like to meet some of the new guys. Partners/Spouses, out-of-town guests and men who have not formally joined the Fellows yet are also welcome. No need to register in advance. The cafeteria has about everything, so buy whatever you want to eat and drink and come find Carey Hepler in the dining area. He’ll be wearing a pork pie hat.

TAI CHI WITH NATALIA – 12, 19, and 26 January. Open to IWCV members only. Why not start the new year with a healthy practice of Tai Chi? This is a great opportunity to join us for three calm, welcoming, IWCV-only Tai Chi sessions in the beautiful Oleka Yoga Studio. Whether you’re a complete beginner or already have experience, you’ll feel right at home. For complete details and to register, click here: Tai Chi with Natalia | IWC - Valencia

CREATIVE NUDE FIGURE DRAWING WITH LEAH, Tuesday 13 January, 11:30am – 1:00pm. Open to IWCV members and their female out-of-town guests only. In a safe, welcoming, and intimate setting, we’ll delve into the art of figure drawing together. This is your chance to step out of your comfort zone, unleash your creativity, and experience the joy of drawing in a supportive and inspiring environment. For complete details and to register, click here: Creative Nude Figure Drawing with Leah! | IWC - Valencia

IWCV JANUARY LUNCHEON, Monday, 15 January, 2:00pm. Open to IWCV members only. In January it’s Italian at DiBocca Restaurante! We will start this year with a delightful luncheon at DiBocca, a family-owned restaurant, where you can enjoy the authentic taste of Italian cuisine in a very pleasant atmosphere – and at a very reasonable price! For complete details and to register, click here: IWC-V January Luncheon | IWC - Valencia

FELLOWS OF THE IWCV HAPPY HOUR, Wednesday 21 January, 6:00pm – 8:00pm at St. Patrick’s, Gran Via Marques del Turia 60. Open to everyone – Fellows, IWCV members, and their partners/spouses/guests. No need to register in advance, just drop by to see old friends and to make some new ones!

ROCKIN’ MOROCCAN!, Friday 23 January, 2:00pm – 4:30pm. Open to IWCV members, & their partners/spouses. In this hands-on cooking class with Chef Amanda Cushman, you will learn to make these delicious Moroccan dishes followed by a lunch with wine: Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Prunes, Charmoiula Eggplant with Bulgur Pilaf and Feta, Orange and Olive Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette, and Phyllo Bundles with Fig and Almond- Chantilly Cream. For complete details click here: Rockin’ Moroccan! | IWC - Valencia This event is currently full. To join the waitlist please email president@iwc-valencia.com.

“OWL” – Out With the Ladies: the IWCV’s Happy Hour, Wednesday 28 January, 6:00pm at Taberna LaMora, C/Sant Francesc de Borja 1 (at the corner of c/Marques de Zenete). Open to everyone! There is no need to register in advance for our monthly Happy Hour, just stop by for a drink, to see old friends, and to make new ones!

AN EVENING IN PROVENCE,  Thursday 29 January, 5:30pm – 7:00pm at C/Jesus 40. Open to IWCV members, their partners/spouses, Fellows of the IWCV, and out-of-town guests. Enjoy a French merienda with French cheese, and home-made quiche and crisp Rosé wine while author Georgie Grossman discusses her newly published book An Evening in Provence. This event is now full but for complete details and to join the waitlist, click here: An Evening in Provence - WAITLIST | IWC - Valencia

MAHJONG CLASSES, 4, 6, 11, & 13 February (Wednesdays and Fridays) from 17:00 to 18:00. Open to IWCV members, their spouses/partners, and Fellows of the IWCV. Optional play dates: 8 & 15 February from 13:00 to 15:00. Our wonderful mahjong teacher Lisa Guinn will teach you all you need to know to start playing Hong Kong style mahjong, a very social and very fun game! To sign up, or for more information, send an email directly to Lisa at lguinn948@gmail.com

VISIT CASA CARIDAD, Various Dates. This is a rare chance to go behind the scenes at one of our IWCV-supported charities, Casa Caridad, founded in 1906. Open to all IWCV members, their partners/spouses, Fellows of the IWCV, and out-of-town guests.

For complete details and to sign up, click on the link following your preferred visit date:

Thursday 5 February, 11:00am- 12:30pm, Visit Casa Caridad - February 5, 2026 | IWC - Valencia

Tuesday 17 February, 4:30pm – 6:00pm, Visit Casa Caridad | IWC - Valencia

WARMING WINTER SOUPS, Friday 20 February, 2:00pm – 5:00pm. Open to IWCV members and their spouses. Today Chef Amanda will teach us how to make some hearty, make-ahead soups, followed by lunch with wine or beer (included in the class). Our menu includes Burmese Chicken Soup with Sweet Potato and Coconut, Chickpea Soup with Sausage and Swiss Chard, Black Lentil Soup with Leek, Herbed Flatbread and Arugula and Grapefruit Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts. For complete details and to sign up, go to Warming Winter Soups | IWC - Valencia

MEMBERSHIP

Janine Forbes, VP Membership

Membership Newsletter Input  - December 2025

New members and re-joiners in December 2025

We now end 2025 with 488 full Members with 27 new members joining and some leaving us for pastures new . This month our joiners are from Belgium , Spain, Mexico, Japan , Australia, Venezuela and the USA  . We are so glad you found us and extend a huge welcome to all our new members !

Angie Erazo

Anne Marie Danesi

Audrey Wetsveen

Bonita Yocus

Cheryl Crow

Diana Pimkine

Gabriela Hoffman

Gabriela ochoa

Gee Clark

Isabel Cassie

Joti Birjkumar Daswani

Kyoko Shiotani

Liga Lucava

LLanith Benjamin

Marga Hurst

Maria Elana Martinez Ruiz

Melania Avila

Merri Isom

Murielle Ungricht

Pamela Gutierrez

Ramzia Duszynski

Shannon Hernandez

Sharon Mc Allister

Teresa Vilaseca

Happy Birthday to all our ladies celebrating in January

Alma Vitiate

Ary Vergil

Assia Dtoikova

Bonnie Noble

Brenda Price

Brittney Hurt

Colette Blackburn

Corine Bislacco O Keefe

Cynthia Marin

Debbie Sabatini

Diane Miller

Elaine Weckwerth

Eve Kanne Ulin

Evelyn Smith

Jana Johnsen

Jayne Roth

Jessica Favaza

Joan Powers

Joanne King

Julie Turner

Lara Foreman

Lillian Nyaga

Masami Fox

Susan Kaplan

Victoria Nodarse-Wood

Zorana Durkovic

New members found us through other members referrals, web searches and increasingly Facebook recommendations.

Input from Membership VP - Janine Forbes

Welcome to ALL our new members.

With the close of 2025 we are almost twice the size of group than we started the year with. Its been so gratifying to welcome so many new members this year and hear your stories about how you came to find the amazing place we call home , often coming from far and wide , sometimes alone, sometimes as part of a couple but we never underestimate the huge life changes people have made to be here, the administrative hurdles we all have to go through and we like to feel we are a safe landing place for women regardless of your journey and circumstances.  There are so many activities available and the website is the best place to find them all. There are many tried and tested recommendations curated by our members and available to you all via the chats. We would encourage anyone who has a passion or talent to set up an activity , cooking classes, art, history , tai chi, whatever your interest and Susan Burke March can  help you if you are not sure where to start. If you are very new to your area or the city please speak to Veronica Lopez who is our Ambassador Co-ordinator. Her e mail is iwcvwelcome@gmail.com New members really appreciate the support of an IWC Ambassador when they are relatively new to the city and we always appreciate the help of “ longer term” members. In the last quarter we have connected 14 new members to IWCV Ambassadors in their immediate neighbourhood and gained a new Ambassador in a previously unrepresented neighbourhood.

Remember, all the really useful information about What’s On within the Club and the many, many events  is on the IWC website. If you would like to join one of the many Whatsapp groups, just contact the relevant lead member or any Board Member including myself , janine_forbes@hotmail.com . Of course, If you know any women in your personal network who you think would enjoy being a member of our club,  please pass on the  www.iwc-valencia.com and bring them along to an event. This is how the majority of women find us and referral is the best recommendation of all .

Please join us for coffee at Muvimas on 13th January December at 10:30!! Hope to see you there and Happy New Year for 2026!

CHARITIES & FUNDRAISING

Pauline Fitzgerald, VP – Charities

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas with family and friends and thank you for bringing cheer to those less fortunate. As we approach  2026, we continue supporting our charities throughout the coming year.

For those of you members who wish to make a private donation please note the bank details of our three charities:

Proyecto Vivir

ES75 3159 0066 9828 5328 2123

Casa Caridad

La Caixa:ES47 2100 0736 0022 0061 2310

Banco Sabadell:ES75 0081 7352 4300 0105 7311

Casa Ronald

ES27 0081 1518 9300 0150 8057

CASA RONALD

CHRISTMAS BASKETS - To all you ladies who ordered Christmas Baskets from Casa Ronald, a big thank you. We achieved a total of 47 baskets this year raising a total of €352.50 for Casa Ronald. The company who supplies the baskets Grupo Navarra donate €7.50 to Casa Ronald for every basket sold.

AMIGOS DE LA CALLE

SPONSOR A CHILD - Again, a big thank you for supporting this project. The ladies of IWCV have sponsored more than 100 children again this year. It is uplifting to bring joy to children during the holiday season. The children enjoyed your gifts at a special party held on December 27th. Watch your emails for the link to the video in the coming days.  Ladies, your kindness knows no bounds

A special thank you to Evelyn Smith and Claire Keefe who managed this project with such efficiency. Your hard work is greatly appreciated and this project would not have succeeded without your dedication and commitment

GIFT BAGS FOR THE HOMELESS

Missy Anobile has once again run a successful holiday campaign with gift bags for the homeless in Valencia city. There are more than 700 homeless people on the streets in Valencia. Amigos de la Calle do wonderful work to support them and greatly appreciate all our efforts. Thank you Missy for doing such a wonderful job this year and every year.

MEMBERS VISITS TO CHARITY LOCATIONS

There will be two tours of Casa Caridad, on February 5th & February 17th. Please see above for details and visit our website to register.

Watch your emails for details of upcoming visits to Casa Ronald and Proyecto Vivir.And finally, all that is left for me to say from The Charities Team is "Thank You". You are an amazing group of ladies. We would like to wish you & your families A Very Happy, Healthy & Peaceful New Year.

ACTIVITIES

Susan Burke March, VP—Activities

Our Ongoing Activities are busier than ever!

Our Join Us for Local Events WhatsApp Chat has 248 members. To join the Chat, contact Activities VP Susan Burke March; WhatsApp +34 651 858 463 or email Activities@IWC-Valencia.com.

First Tuesday Coffee will take place on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, from 10:30 am–12:00 pm at the MuVIM terrace restaurant.Log in to your account on the IWCV website and visit:Upcoming Events: https://www.iwc-valencia.com/events-for-the-monthAll Ongoing Activities: https://www.iwc-valencia.com/ongoingactivities

IWCV Activity Coordinators – Each Activity has a WhatsApp Chat Group administered by our volunteer coordinators.

Chicas de Libros: Meets the second Tuesday of each month at 18:00 for relaxed English-language book discussions.

Contact:  Ruth Ann Hepler · ruthannhepler@gmail.com · +34 613 395 458

Monthly Gameplay & Member-Hosted Board Games: Fun, relaxed game sessions with more home games planned this winter.

Contact:  Ann Linton · annlinton@me.com · +1 312 208 8666

Solo Women of IWCV: A welcoming group for women living independently in Valencia. Solo Women offers regular meetups, special outings, and celebrations.

Contact:  Silvia Matos Escalda · +34 666 68 35 74

Spanish Book Club: Two reading tracks (Children’s/YA and Adult fiction) with monthly discussions of works by Spanish, Chilean, and Mexican-American authors.

Contact:  Amy Swanson · +34 692 71 51 30

Spanish Conversation Groups (not formal classes)Both groups meet Wednesdays, 11:00–12:15, at El Corte Inglés (Calle Colón), Building 2, 6th-floor cafeteria.

• Spanish Conversation Practice (Beginner–Low Intermediate): We practice speaking Spanish aloud at a beginner-friendly or a beginning intermediate level. Real-life language practice.

• Coordinator:  Margie Spillen · +1 540 588 8911 · margepill@yahoo.com

• Spanish & Coffee: Next Level Conversations: Open conversation for non-beginners - ideal for individuals who can maintain a basic conversation and wish to improve their fluency. 

• Coordinator:  Lisa Guinn · +34 673 29 4151

Women Who Walk (WWW): Meets Fridays at 11:00 am by the fountains in Turia Park (across from Palau de la Música), followed by coffee. Walks are announced Thursdays in the WhatsApp chat.

Contact: Lauren McCoy · +34 697 36 83 54

The Fellows of IWC-Valencia: A social group for men connected to IWCV (partners/spouses, current and former members).

To join: Email Carey Hepler at carey.hepler@gmail.com

Additional ongoing activities include Mahjong Mondays, Out with the Ladies (OWL) Happy Hour, the IWCV Monthly Luncheon, and Cultural & Historical Guided Tours of Valencia.

Visit the IWCV Activities page for full details and to contact coordinators to join WhatsApp groups: https://www.iwc-valencia.com/ongoingactivities

Upcoming Events: Check out upcoming events and register: https://www.iwc-valencia.com/events-for-the-month

Care for the Caregivers brings members together monthly for mutual support and practical strategies for caring for loved ones with long-term or disabling conditions. The group is currently on hiatus, with plans to resume in March 2026.To join the WhatsApp chat please contact Lynn MacDougall · +34 690 87 78 65

Stitches & Yarns is looking for volunteer hosts to restart this monthly knitting and crocheting group. Meet in a member’s home, bring your own project and refreshment, and enjoy relaxed conversation and creativity.

Interested in volunteering? Coordinators play a key role in keeping IWCV active and thriving. Let’s brainstorm new activities and special events!

Contact: Susan Burke March · Activities@IWC-Valencia.com +34 651 858 463

IWCV Recommendations

Our RECS Docx is an evolving, member-driven resource that captures the collective knowledge of our IWCV community. Our Social Chat regularly features lively discussions and requests for recommendations, ranging from restaurants and hairstylists to doctors, dentists, lawyers, and other services. We also have resources on navigating the healthcare system in Valencia, along with key links to government agencies and emergency services.

All IWCV members are invited to access our shared Dropbox folder, IWCV Recommendations, to browse existing recommendations and contribute your own by participating in the Social Chat. Your input helps keep this resource current, practical, and truly reflective of our member experiences. Log in to explore, share, and contribute—your recommendations make a difference. Any questions? Contact Susan Burke March, +34 651 858 463

FELLOWS OF THE IWCV

Carey Hepler, Coordinator

This month the Fellows have two get-togethers: the New Fellows Meet-up, and the Fellows Happy Hour. See above for details. These events are open to Fellows and everyone else too! We hope to see you there. If you are new to Valencia (or even if you’ve been here for a while!) and your husband/partner wants to meet people and keep busy, bring him along and introduce him to the Fellows. It’s a great way for the men in your life to make friends!

The Fellows of the IWCV is open to all men of Valencia. For questions or to join, please contact me (Carey Hepler) at carey.hepler@gmail.com.

JANUARY HOLIDAYS IN VALENCIA

Thursday 1 January New Year’s Day

Tuesday 6 January Three Kings Day

Your IWCV Board of Directors is looking forward to seeing you and getting to know you at many of our activities this month and during the rest of the year!

Jane Buck,

President