Art & BookFair 2019 is in the books!
A HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who stepped up and volunteered during this year’s Art & BookFair (ABF). We were light on volunteers but you all worked together and made A&BF a success. Under Secretary for Management Brian Bulateo officially opened ABF, noting our history and our volunteers. He then toured it, meeting volunteers, and checking out our vast layout.
We made more than last year. Our gross total was just over $71,000. Before you get too excited, realize this is before paying tax and bills, but it sure is a nice number. Using the “round up .5 theory,” the art corner made $27,000 and jewelry $11,000.
The money we raise not only goes to our AAFSW Scholarships (Foreign Service and Civil Service children), but to support our other programs to make life better in our Foreign Service family. Have you checked out AAFSW.org lately? Check out what we do! I hope you will then say, “I want to help with that.”
From November until the following October, volunteers collect, sort, wipe, price, shelve, and sell books in the State Department. Some volunteers come once a week while others are able to come less frequently. If you live in the Washington, DC area, we need YOU. Not everyone can come frequently, that’s okay. We volunteers always have fun working together. Just contact Bookroom Manager Martine Aya 202-223-5796 to volunteer and/or ask questions. I am also happy to answer questions.
Don’t live in the area? You, too, have a role to play. What are you doing with the wonderful items you have collected during tours overseas? Think of donating to the Art & BookFair. In addition to artifacts, we also collect jewelry, stamps, and coins.
Now, let’s let the pictures give you a flavor of this year’s Art & BookFair.
Anne Kauzlarich
AAFSW Art & BookFair Chair