Wiesbaden Community Spouses’ Club holding sign (Wiesbaden Community Spouses’ Club)
Volunteering can be such a fulfilling activity. This year we are highlighting organizations or events for those who are looking to learn more about the services and resources available to them as well as for those who are looking to give back to the community.
Earlier this year, we featured thrift shops and learned that they are mostly run by spouses’ clubs. However, spouses’ clubs are so much more than thrift shops (and consist of more than just military spouses). That’s why this month we are featuring Wiesbaden Community Spouses’ Club. I spoke with WCSC President, Brandy Schraeder, and she spoke all about the club.
WCSC is one of the oldest and largest spouses’ clubs throughout the DoD community. At any time, there are between 200 and 400 members. Brandy was drawn to the spouses’ club because she “saw a need in the community” and began her tenure in 2018 as the Scholarship Chair. She described the experience as being a part of “something bigger than yourself.” She recommended it to anyone looking to connect with not only the local military community but the host nation community as well through WCSC’s partnership with the German-American Women’s International Club.
WCSC works with Army Community Services (ACS) as part of in-processing with new-to-the-area military families and Brandy stated, “We want to be that first person that welcomes any spouse to our community.” They aid SAG-U (Security Assistance Group-Ukraine) through food pantry collections and care packages. WCSC is also in charge of the thrift shop, which is set to gross roughly $450,000 which goes right back into the military community. Over $100,000 goes to scholarships, with $10,000 “earmarked” for the high school’s newer Dual Enrollment program, and $140,000 in grants/gifts to community members: They sponsor unit organization days, balls, extracurriculars and other things for on-base schools and more. This past year they were also able to provide commissary gift cards to families in need and paid off all the school lunch debt at on-base schools.
Brandy wants everyone to know that the club is very much leaning into the “community” part of their title. You do not have to be a spouse to join. They have members who are part of the civilian DoD workforce, service members and local nationals. WCSC works hard but also knows how to play hard and they would love for you to join. They travel to different places as a club, host fantasy football leagues and book clubs, and hold events such as 80’s Night and high tea luncheons (basically lots of opportunities for dressing up and having fun).
Brandy noted that there are “a million ways” to volunteer with WCSC (that is only a slight exaggeration). You do not have to be a member to volunteer, but membership allows you access to their community events and opportunities to serve on the board. If you want to volunteer, you can reach out via their website wiesbadenspousesclub.com, through the Volunteer Management Information System (VMIS) or their Facebook page, facebook.com/WiesbadenSpouses.
