The International Women’s Club of Riga is an international group of women offering friendship and supporting local charities.
The work and success of our club largely depend on the various charitable events the club organizes. And the most important of these events is the annual Christmas Bazaar.
Today, we are excited to present an interview with an amazing member of our club – Carmen LeCrair, who took on the role of the main organizer of the 2024 charity Christmas bazaar. This event became a true celebration, not only because of the joyful and united atmosphere, but also because it raised funds for important charitable projects.
IWCR: Carmen, you are a IWCR member for a while. How did you find out about the club, and what the club does?

Carmen: I’ve been an active member of the Club for 2 years, but I benefited from invitations to events before that, too. I had friends in the Club who would invite me along to some of the Club’s outings in Riga – it was such a great way to get to know the city and the people! Through those outings, I learned more about the Club’s charitable efforts, and that’s what motivated me to become a full member. I wanted to get more involved in supporting such wonderful causes.
IWCR: Can you share a little bit about yourself? What is your profession, hobbies, what have you done before, your cultural background.
Carmen: I work at the U.S. embassy here in Riga; sadly, I am near the end of my tour here (and anyone interested in the Bazaar next year should consider lending a hand, next year…!) I’ve wanted to serve in Riga for most of my career – the city is well known as a fabulous place to live and work. I feel grateful to have finally gotten the chance to come! In my free time, I love getting into the outdoors and hiking the woods and national parks of Latvia. I also so enjoy the cultural scene here; I try to get to the symphony and ballet as often as I can, and I’ve been grateful to find a local community of musicians to practice with and learn from.
IWCR: What were the biggest challenges in organizing the Christmas Bazaar? How did you manage to overcome them?
Carmen: I was motivated to raise my hand to be this year’s Bazaar Coordinator in part because I’ve so enjoyed the event in the past. I also wanted to contribute more actively to the Club’s charitable efforts – and this was a way that I felt I could really help make a difference. I kept those motivations in mind when juggling the organization of the Bazaar with my other personal and professional commitments.
IWCR: How do you think Christmas Bazaar can be improved in the future? Are there any ideas for enhancements that could attract more people or increase fundraising?
Carmen: We were thrilled to learn that, this year, we managed to “top” our previous year’s financial gain from the Bazaar, the Tombola at Adaji, and the Online Auction, by a few hundred euro. That said, as anyone who attended the Bazaar knows – it was packed! It was hard even to move, sometimes! That was wonderful and inspiring, but I also think we realized that we are at capacity for the current structure of the Bazaar. My first piece of advice for next year’s Bazaar Coordinator is to stretch the day by an additional hour, and to pace out the cultural and school performances, so that guests (and volunteers) can enjoy themselves with a little more breathing room. My second piece of advice is to work early to identify the key members of your Bazaar team – but also to welcome volunteers throughout the organization process. Everyone should be able to contribute!
IWCR: What lessons did you learn from this experience, and what advice would you give to others planning to organize similar events in the future?
Carmen: I think the most rewarding area of personal growth for me, during the organizational effort, was learning how to delegate key responsibilities of the Bazaar to our Bazaar Volunteer team. I had never done something like this before, and I learned a lot from our Club President and our Club Board about delegating effectively. I also learned a lot from our volunteers! It was a joy to see such capable, eager, responsible women step forward, and to work with them to find the best opportunity for them to contribute to the Bazaar effort. Big and small, long and short term, the team’s efforts were so inspiring!
IWCR: Would you share with us your favorite experiences in Latvia (a place you like most, a dish, an event, music, culture etc.)?
Carmen: Oh, that’s hard to choose! Latvia is such a special country, and there is so much beauty here! Some of my brightest experiences have included bringing my mother to see last year’s Song and Dance Festival; enjoying the New Year’s DJ scene in Old Town with my fiance; and attending the New Year’s galas at the Opera and the Symphony. That said, the memories that I think I’ll cherish the most are quiet ones: evenings with the fire going, while there is snow falling outside; sipping a cappuccino and reading in the courtyards of the coffeeshops in Riga; and of course wandering the woods, the hills, the bogs, and the shoreline of this beautiful country.