T.W.I.G. (Together We Ignite Giving) Newsletter April 2021 | Edition 2

Welcome to the Second Edition of the Together We Ignite Giving Newsletter 2021 is certain to be a fresh start, full of hope and new opportunities! Thankfully with the decrease in Covid-19 cases and an increase in vaccinations being administered, we can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Collectively our donors have given over $20,000 dollars since the beginning of our Together We Ignite Giving Campaign and we are very grateful for your support! During the many changes and interruptions in our usual routines, we continue to appreciate the Doctors, Nurses and Staff at Inova Alexandria Hospital. They truly are #InovaHeroes not wearing capes, but wearing a kind smile through their eyes, a comforting hand and a reminder that our community hospital is always there for us!  2020 was a very challenging year for our organization and like most non-profits we created unique ideas and various ways to communicate with our members and the community. This year The Twig became a member of the the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce. Being a member provides opportunities to network with community leaders and build relationships with like-minded businesses and organizations. We are so excited to participate in upcoming Chamber events and supporting the Alexandria Chamber. WHAT WE HAVE BEEN UP TO! Many business and personal routines changed during this past year. The Twig, like other organizations and businesses had to make changes and many of those changes brought about innovation and even progress. We all became immediately familiar with Zoom sessions very quickly and our Monthly General Meetings and Board Meetings were hosted on Zoom. We also enjoyed virtual tours hosted by the Office of Historic Alexandria to learn about "Wicked Apothecary" at the Stabler Leadbeater Museum and a trip to the Freedmen Cemetery Memorial. Twig members are resilient and quickly adapted to the COVID world. Throughout the autumn, our Thrift Shop hours were limited to Fridays and Saturdays only, when we were able to open with strict COVID social distancing protocols in place our loyal customers were thrilled to be able to shop for affordable finds. Candace Beane, our Twig President also made sure that Twigs were in contact with each other. A phone tree was established and Twigs were called for regular check-ins. A small group of Twigs volunteered to help other members arrange for a COVID vaccine and drove them to the vaccination location. So we had to pivot to a new normal, but we never forgot that ...Life Is Precious and Twigs will be there for each other, and will always support the Inova Alexandria Hospital and the Alexandria Community. DID YOU KNOW ? Did you know Alexandria Hospital will celebrate its 150th Anniversary next year? To recognize this achievement, the Office of Historic Alexandria (OHA) is planning a special exhibit at The Lyceum that will explore the roles women played in the hospital’s development. Scheduled to open in 2022, the exhibit will include the Board of Lady Managers, the Nursing school and of course, The Twig. Perfect timing - since Twig will be celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2023! Stay tuned for more announcements regarding this important project. In the meantime, the Office of Historic Alexandria (OHA) is recording the community’s response to the pandemic by collecting objects, images and stories from residents and businesses. To see a sampling of this public history or to share your story, go to the OHA web site: https://www.alexandriava.gov/Historic and look for “Chronicling the Pandemic: Alexandria’s Story.”

Twig Thrift Shop News!

In February the Twig Thrift Shop opened after 45 days of closure during the local COVID holiday peak. Shoppers were waiting to visit and took home deeply discounted purchases. We missed our customers during the pandemic and are delighted to be open and operating safely again. Thank you to our valued customers for their continued patronage. We look forward to seeing YOU in the future at 106 North Columbus Street. For dates and hours of operation, visit www.thetwig.org

King's Jewelry  LandDesign Inc. Wintermute & Associates LLC Goodhart Group (Compass) Clarke & Sampson  Hadeed Carpet Cleaning Inc. MoodClue, LLC Rhonda Campbell Realtor Clarke & Sampson, Inc. Charitable Foundation Fund Catherine Hare Foltz Realtor, Long & Foster McEnearney Associates  Ann Z. Logsdon, Realtor, Long and Foster  The Golubin Group Mid-Atlantic Commercial Law Group William B. Hopke Company Inc. Thomas J. Fannon & Sons Burke & Herbert Bank Harry Braswell Construction  PARTNER SPOTLIGHT Cathy Bradford of King's Jewelry was born at Alexandria Hospital, her children were born there and many family members followed. Cathy & "Brad" Bradford said "Twig is a favorite charity of King's Jewelry for the benefit to the hospital and the Alexandria Community". They also appreciate that Twig gives a Nursing Scholarship and supports other local churches & charities. Bonus: King's Jewelry provides complimentary batteries and cleaning of watches that are donated to the Twig Shop. Thank you King's Jewelry for your longtime support! HISTORY LESSON In 1938 Twig held the first of what became their trademark event "June German" (a spring dance) which was the highlight of the Alexandria spring social season to raise money for Alexandria Hospital. The first Twig cookbook, "Epicurean Leaves" was published in 1978 featuring a collection of recipes provided by The Twig members.

Here's What They Have to Say About Us: “Christ Church has provided emergency financial assistance and food to members of the Alexandria community in need since the early 1990’s. We have a large weekly food pantry and we help with rent, utilities and medical bills. Often during the course of our conversation we learn that people are in need of clothing, particularly to find a job or to meet requirements for a job. The Twig Thrift Shop allows us to refer up to three clients a week for clothing and offers assistance with selection when needed”.  Melanie Gray, Christ Church Alexandria “Twig members are dedicated to their mission to support Inova Alexandria Hospital and other charities in the Alexandria community. Twigs have a strong work ethic and demonstrate compassion and love for their community. I was extremely proud to serve as Twig President in 2004 with a pledge to design the Twig Pavilion, a state of the art 16 bed Telemetry Unit. Since 1933 our organization has been dedicated & committed to serving others”. Starlet Zarek, Twig Past President “As a native Alexandrian, and on behalf of the Inova Alexandria Hospital Foundation Board, I can’t say enough about the tremendous impact The Twig has made on Inova Alexandria Hospital and our community. Their long-standing commitment and generosity is beyond inspiring, and is a testament to the meaning and value of working together to serve others. Thank you, Twigs, for all you do for Inova Alexandria Hospital” Don Simpson, Jr., President, Simpson Development Co. Inc. and Chairman of the Inova Alexandria Hospital Foundation Board

The Twig Supports Other Charities The Twig Thrift Shop provides clothing to the local community at affordable prices. For those who need assistance, the Twig supports Carpenter's Shelter in Alexandria, Virginia. Case Managers with the Carpenter Shelter administer a voucher system for the purchase of clothing at the Twig Thrift Shop. The mission of the Carpenter's Shelter is to support the homeless to achieve sustainable independence through shelter, guidance, education, and advocacy. For more information, visit www.carpentersshelter.org If you know of someone that would like to support "Together We Ignite Giving", Click the Donate Now button below and share: Donate Now Follow Us on Social Media ‌ ‌ This newsletter is produced by the Corporate Fundraising and Marketing Committee at The Twig, The Junior Auxiliary of Inova Alexandria Hospital.

The Twig is a non-profit, 501(c) (3) organization Tax ID # 23-705070. Your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by law. For additional information contact marketing@thetwig.org The Twig, The Junior Auxiliary of Inova Alexandria Hospital www.thetwig.org