From the February issue of Forum
By Tim Scott, AmSoc president
The end of summer break here in Brazil means school is back in session and the American Society is back with regular activities and opportunities. We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event. Several of you readers are new to town and we welcome you.
Beginning life here can be intimidating at first; getting connected with people and new communities is essential and we are honored that you have decided to join us here in the American Society. To all of you who are new, all who have just returned to São Paulo and to all who make São Paulo your home, we extend our “bem-vindo” and look forward to seeing you engaged in the community in the months ahead.
You might ask, “how could I get engaged in the community?” In the American Society we like to think about this as applying our Helping Hands.
Helping Hands in AmSoc is first of all a class of membership that applies 50 percent of your membership fee to help make a lasting difference in the lives of children in our 10 carefully screened orphanages. Secondly, Helping Hands is part of the American Society’s mission, encouraging you and me to support our philanthropic work, led by our Community Action Committee. Finally, Helping Hands is the attitude of volunteerism that helps make AmSoc a great organization.
Besides the bountiful opportunities to support our Community Action Committee, there are many ways to apply your Helping Hands. How about Little League? On Saturday mornings during the school year, AmSoc sponsors children’s sports (baseball, basketball, soccer). We need fun-loving coaches to begin the new season in February.
How about helping with our Cultural or Social Committees? The American Society regularly hosts social and cultural activities. We have enthusiastic committee chairmen in place, but do need your Helping Hands for support, working to create quality events for the enjoyment of our members.
The American Society seeks to engage our membership in quality events and philanthropic work that builds a spirit of community, friendship and support. We count on your Helping Hands to join in with the activities I’ve listed above. Let us know of your interests by contacting the AmSoc office.
Welcome to 2010! This is sure to be a year full of opportunity.