The International Women’s Club of Riga is an international group of women offering friendship and supporting local charities.
Every year IWCR elects a new board. This year the board consists of:
President: Laila Stancioff
Vice President: Amanda Banister
Treasurer: Bridget Healy
Secretary: Marija Krumina
Social Activities Coordinator: Vija Pugule
The success of the club, the number of monthly activities and income at the annual Christmas market depend on the work of the board.
This month we feature Vice President – Amanda Banister
IWCR: Amanda, you are a IWCR member for a while. How did you find out about the club, and what the club does?
Amanda: I first heard about the club after I moved to Latvia in 2016. At the time, I didn’t fully understand what the club was, or what really mattered to its members. When I began to hear more about the charity events and activities, I started to get involved. This charitable component really matters to me, and it was nice to see a group of people from all over the world caring about the place they live.
IWCR: Why do you want to give to our organization? What motivates you to be involved?
Amanda: It’s charity work for me! As someone who works professionally for a charitable organization, it is nice to be involved in other important work. Providing my professional experience to the club and helping to expand the IWCR impact is what really inspires me to be involved.
IWCR: What would you like to pass on to the community and future generations?
Amanda: No matter what kind of world we entered into, we can leave it better. I’m passionate about changing the way future generations will experience life. I care about alleviating hurt, poverty, and fixing systems that take advantage of vulnerable people.
IWCR: Would you share with us your favorite experiences in Latvia (a place you like most, a dish, an event, music, culture etc.)?
Amanda: I think my all time favorite experience was a winter sauna with friends. We enjoyed a traditional sauna, and then dipped into the icy waters. There was something really special about it, and knowing that I had the internal strength to try something new.
IWCR: Can you share a little bit about yourself? What is your profession, hobbies, what have you done before, your cultural background.
Amanda: I moved from Texas to Latvia in 2016. In 2017 I founded an organization called “Lighthouse Transitional Care” which is where I currently work. We work with young adults that grew up in orphanages and foster families and have turned 18. We support them in all sorts of ways but the main purpose is to make sure they feel supported and empowered to succeed in the future.
I’m also in school for my Masters degree in Public Service and Administration. That doesn’t leave much time for hobbies, but when I do have time I’m an artist. I teach dance (which was my first career), I draw, paint, illustrate, animate, and drink coffee.
