May 2011
AWC 80th Birthday Celebration, April 2010
A home away from home
For more than 80 years, The American Women’s Club of The Hague (AWC of The Hague) has been providing a home away from home for many Americans and other expatriates alike! Our members work hard to provide a very comfortable, inviting clubhouse and organize numerous activities, tours, classes and fundraising events during the year for all ages. We are a nonprofit organization; as such our primary goal is to serve as a support network for American women living and working in The Netherlands. At the AWC we strive to not only support you but to make you feel welcome and to help you make the most of your experience living abroad.
The history of the club:
The AWC of The Hague was formed in 1930. A group of American women had been meeting socially when they decided to organize in a more formal way. Luncheon invitations were sent to American women living in The Hague, Rotterdam, Amsterdam and surrounding areas. As a result the AWC of The Hague was started with 55 charter members. They held monthly meetings, teas and programs, including an annual Thanksgiving dinner at the Hotel Des Indes. At the first of these dinners Judge and Mrs. Frank Billings Kellogg were notified that he had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of the Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact of 1928, which condemned war and promoted peaceful settlement of international differences.
In 1931 the AWC of The Hague was one of the founding member clubs of FAWCO (Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas), part of whose mission statement is "to contribute actively to the global community with a specific focus on education, the natural and human environment, multicultural understanding and international goodwill."
In 1932, Queen Wilhelmina opened an AWC Bazaar that was held for the benefit of a hospital in The Hague. Other funds raised over the years were donated to the Sophia Institute in Scheveningen for children with tuberculosis and to Juliana Children’s Hospital as well as to Bronovo Hospital.
Through the years the club has grown, but at its heart it remains a group of female friends who encourage, support, and entertain each other in the Netherlands.
Many thanks for your interest and every success to you, The Board and Members of The American Women’s Club of The Hague
