the friendly city gazette - Aramco ExPats · the friendly city gazetteAbqaiq ... email: [email protected] assistant editor: Cecilia Botty email: [email protected] layout and

Abqaiq

the friendly city gazette July-August 2017 | volume 17, issue 7

Children have a great time at the Player Development Football Camps with two certified coaches from the Union of European Football Associations.

a successful season

of youth soccer by Michael Moorhouse photos by Ania Szabo

2 Abqaiq the friendly city gazette | July-August 2017

Be our photographer! Clicked a nice shot in KSA that

you would like to share?

Send us your photos and you

could be the next contributor for

the photo of the month.

submission deadline: August 15

The next issue is released on

September 1.

The FCG is also available on the intranet:

www.saudiaramco.com

© Copyright 2017, Saudi Aramco.

All rights reserved.

Abqaiq Community Information Center (CIC)

Al-Remal Mall, Building 25-400

Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to noon.

Telephone: 572-0821, 572-0825

Mail: Box 190, Abqaiq 31311, Saudi Arabia.

the friendly city gazette

address:

is a free monthly publication published

by the Southern Area/Central Region

Community Services Department for

Saudi Aramco employees and

dependents in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia.

photo of the month

editor: Shama Egbe

email: [email protected]

assistant editor: Cecilia Botty

email: [email protected]

layout and design volunteer:

Valentina Stefanoni

contact us:

taken at Yellow Lake, Abqaiq on the way to al-Hasa, in February, 2017. sent by Matteo Terrevazzi

We are always entertained in Abqaiq

amazing Barcelona Academy, and for the fitness enthusiasts, we have another swimming consultant on board. The month of June has also been enriched with the festivities of

first half of the year, it is an apt time to look back at all the wonderful achievements of Abqaiqians, particularly of the self-directed groups who deserve a great pat on the back for organizing fun activities and making Abqaiq such a lively place.

Hope you enjoy reading a summery gazette!

Shama Egbe

Abqaiq the friendly city gazette | July-August 2017 3

in this issue volume 17, issue 6

16 ACBA VP’S Cup

14 Spotlight Rock festival

cover: AYSA

pharmacy opening ........................ 4

ID card reader ............................... 4

JHAH: mental health .................. 5-6

JHAH: recipe of the month ........... 6

healthy summer snacks for kids . ...7

kennel club ................................... 7

new swim consultant .................... 8

golf schedule ................................ 8

exercise of the month ................... 9

Saudi Arabian cultural night ....... 10

ask Abqaiq ................................. 11

prayer schedule .......................... 11

ballet with Ms. Jeanie ............ 12-13

Spotlight ............................... 14-15

ACBA .................................... 16-17

ACC ........................................... 18

APG ............................................ 19

School ................................... 20-21

ABCSC .................................. 22-23

AWG and FOLKS Ramadan ......... 24

FOLKS......................................... 25

AYSA.......................................... 26

Abqaiq: a look back .................... 27

knowledge boost ........................ 27

22 Boys Scouts car derby

20 School art show 24 AWG and FOLKS

Ramadan celebrations

manager’s quote “’Id Mubarak! I would like to encourage every nationality in Abqaiq to show their traditions and customs.”

Meeshal Al-Khaldi Southern Area/Central Region Community Services Department


The long awaited pharmacy shop

for the Abqaiq community was

inaugurated on Sunday, June 11. A

ribbon-cutting ceremony was held

attended by Meshaal S. Al-Khaldi,

manager, Southern Area/Central

Region Community Services, and

his team of division heads and

other members of management.

one-stop shop for medical products

The Al-Dawaa pharmacy makes it

more convenient for residents to

have an easy access to

pharmaceutical care ranging from

medicines to cosmetics for men,

women, and children, in addition

to the services provided by the

Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare.

One of its most useful provisions is

that it has the handy medical

machines available to help you

keep track of your blood pressure,

blood glucose, and weight. It also

has some massage devices that can

be used in the comfort of your

home.

regular operating hours:

Saturdays to Thursdays

8 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Fridays

12:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.

visit the new pharmacy

pharmacy opens at Al-Remal Mall by Cecilia Botty photos by Masud Rana

Abqaiq Residential and Recreation Services Division

If you need your blood

pressure checked in

the shop, the in-house

pharmacist can help

you with that too!

launch of

the ID Card

reader

Abqaiq Residential and Recreation

Services Division

An ID card reader device is now

in use at:

-

Customers at the Oasis and

Al-

to use both the card reader and

the paper sign-in. Customers are

also reminded that they must

carry their IDs at all times, while in

company facilities.

The new ID card reader has

been optimized to improve

monitoring and keeping records

users.


by Layal Al-Khatib JHAH Marketing and Communications

what you need to know about mental health

When one thinks of health,

exercising and watching what you eat

immediately come to mind. But what

about your state of mind?

Mental health is an integral part of

your well-being and health and

affects how you function in your daily

life.

Dr. Neil Wilkey, Johns Hopkins

consultant psychiatrist, answers the

most pressing mental health

questions and discusses mental

health disorders, treatment options,

and available resources at JHAH.

How can one know if his or her

mental health is “healthy”?

The World Health Organization

defines mental health as a state of

well-being in which every individual

realizes his or her own potential, can

cope with the normal stresses of life,

can work productively and fruitfully,

and is able to make a contribution to

her or his community.

What is mental health?

Sigmund Freud, the founder of

psychoanalysis, defined mental health

as the ability to love and work. This

idea was later expanded upon by the

How common are mental illnesses?

In the U.S. about 25 percent of

individuals will qualify for a

psychiatric diagnosis in a given year,

but only about 4 percent will have a

major disorder that interferes with

fulfilling the roles or responsibilities in

their life.

What are the most common mental

health issues?

The most common psychiatric

disorder in the general population in

the U.S. is the category of anxiety

disorders, which include Generalized

Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive

Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder,

Specific Phobias, Social Anxiety

Disorder, and Post Traumatic

Disorder.

The next most common disorders

are Substance Use Disorders at

8 percent, Major Depressive Disorder

at 7 percent, Attention Deficit

Disorder at 4 percent, Bipolar

Disorder at 2.6 percent, and

Schizophrenia at 1.1 percent. Several

of the disorders can co‑occur.

What are the signs and symptoms of

mental illness?

Psychiatric Disorders include

conditions that affect mood,

thinking, or behavior.

Who is at risk for mental illness?

Psychiatric Disorders present with

similar percentages around the world

and affect people in all socio-

economic groups. However, some

conditions, such as Schizophrenia and

Bipolar disorder, have a slightly

higher incidence in lower socio-

economic groups.

How can mental illness be treated?

Many treatment modalities are

regular components of psychiatric

care. The most common interventions

include medications, group therapy,

individual therapy, day treatment

programs, and, when necessary,

inpatient treatment.

What are the common mistakes one

makes when trying to deal with their

mental health issues?

Patients and their families often

exercise more, get more sleep, pray

more, or eat better, then they would

not need mental health care. How an

individual conceives of why they are

Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare


having their difficulties is their

formulation. A psychiatrist is

responsible not only to arrive at a

diagnosis supported in the Diagnostic

and Statistical Manual, but also to

offer a Biopsychosocial formulation

that considers Biologic, Psychologic,

and Social issues when evaluating a

patient and consider the diagnosis in

the context of who the person is and

where he or she are in life. Evidence

from adoption studies, twin studies,

family studies, genetics, and brain

imaging support that many

psychiatric disorders have a biological

component and often respond to the

interventions listed above.

resources available at JHAH

JHAH has a fully integrated

multidisciplinary team of Adult

Psychiatrists, Child Psychiatrists,

Clinical Psychologists, Mental Health

Counselors, Psychiatric Nurses, and

Social Workers.

In Dhahran: They offer a Day

Treatment Program, Inpatient

Treatment, Individual Therapy, Group

Therapy, and Psychometric

Evaluations. Electroconvulsive

Therapy (ECT) also available in special

situations. Patients have access to a

therapist on call and can be referred

to the psychiatrist on call between

7 a.m. and 4 p.m. Primary Care

Physicians are trained to treat many

psychiatric disorders and will refer to

the psychiatrist when they feel

specialist care is warranted. The Walk

-In Care Clinic and the Emergency

Department offer assistance after

clinic hours and can refer

emergencies to a psychiatrist on call if

needed.

stuffed cabbage rolls

JHAH recipe of the month

by Clinical Nutrition and Food Services Unit

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are popular in the Middle East and are known for

their unique taste and flavor. They are rich in fiber, antioxidants, many

vitamins, minerals and nutrients that support heart and mental health. They

are appropriate for children, adults, and seniors.

health message:

People with diabetes should consult their dietitians on portion size as each

serving (consisting of two stuffed rolls) contains 15 grams of carbohydrates.

ingredients:

18 medium-size cabbage leaves

(taken from 1 head of boiled

cabbage)

1 1/2 cups rice

500 grams lean beef or lamb, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons mixed spices, powdered

2 teaspoons cumin, powdered

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup of fresh tomato, chopped

2 teaspoons dill, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh coriander,

chopped

½ cup onion,

chopped

preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees

Celsius.

2. Wash rice and drain it.

3. Trim the head of cabbage and discard

damaged leaves.

4. In a pot of boiling water, add the

cabbage and let it cook for

10 minutes.

5. Take the boiled cabbage out of the

pot and let it cool.

6. Peel 18 large leaves from the head of

the boiled cabbage and reserve them

to be stuffed.

7. Add the meat to the rice, olive oil,

pepper, onion, fresh tomato, cumin,

mixed spices, fresh coriander, dill, and

mix together to create the stuffing.

8. Stuff the cabbage leaves with the

stuffing.

9. In a pot, heat the chicken stock.

10. Arrange the stuffed cabbage leaves in

the pot, pour the chicken stock on

top and cook on medium heat for

20 minutes.

11. When done, take the stuffed cabbage

rolls out of the pot and place them on

a platter.

12. Serve rolls warm with low-fat yogurt

or laban served on the side to

enhance the nutritional value of the

dish.

yield: nine servings (two stuffed cabbage rolls per person)

calories per serving: 150

fat per serving: 5 grams


Abqaiq veterinary visits by appointment only

Arabian Kennel Club To schedule an appointment,

please phone 876-3517.

Email:

[email protected]

Note: Visits are conditional and

based on previously booked

appointments, barring an

emergency.

every Monday

3, 17, and 31 noon 2 p.m.

July

10 and 24 3 5 p.m.

Meet Gizmo Pickles, a 14-week-old Persian-Birman

laptops as well as blending in with his dad's dark pair of loafers. For bedtime, his favorite spot is everyone

- Liza Pickles

to the Friendly City Gazette!

August

7 and 21 3 5 p.m.

14 and 28 noon 2 p.m.

every Monday

1. frozen fruity yogurts bites

Healthy snack or dessert with no

rich in vitamins. You can add to

breakfast cereals.

2. banana ice cream

Smooth cold dessert with no

rich in vitamins.

3. rainbow fruits skewers

Natural healthy snack rich in

water, fiber, and vitamins.

4. water melon

Helps to reducing the risk of

dehydration during summer

because watermelon is 92 percent

water.

5. fresh juices

Helps to reducing the risk of

dehydration during summer. Rich

in vitamins and minerals.

6. pasta salad

Rich in fiber, vitamins, and

minerals.

6 healthy snacks for kids during summer

Abqaiq Concessions

by Balqies S. AL Ensaif facility food specialist


introducing Louisa-Kate Keylock

The Abqaiq Recreation Services Unit (ARSU) would like to introduce its

second swimming consultant Louisa-Kate Keylock, who has joined the team

recently. Kelyock is from United Kingdom, has 13 years of swimming

instruction experience for early years through advanced levels. She also has

16 years of work experience in the leisure and fitness industry, including

leisure facilities management, health and safety coordination. She has

qualifications from the Royal Life Saving Society, Swimming Teachers

Association, and as a lifeguard trainer assessor. Her plans for the Abqaiq

community is to develop and improve the swimming programs for residents

by catering for every age group from beginners to the advance levels.

swim

meet the new ARSU consultant

by Cecilia Botty photos by Masud Rana

Abqaiq Recreation Services Unit

Golf monthly events

Ain Nakhl Golf Club

July 7 5:30 a.m.

July 21 5:30 a.m.

lessons by Shane Carey

To book, email [email protected].

Monthly Medal 6 TBA tournament

July 14 and 28 5:30 a.m.

Stableford 3


By Jenna Van Ruiten Photos by Ronald Matema


target:

rectus abdominus (abs),

transversus abdominus (obliques),

and erector spinae (lower back)

1. Start in a low plank position with

your body in a straight line, your

elbows bent under your shoulders

and your feet shoulders width

apart (image a).

2. Your body weight should be on

your forearms and feet.

3. Rotate your hips to the right and

dip your body almost to the floor

(image b).

4. Return to the starting position

and repeat on the left side of your

body.

5. Keep alternating sides completing

8-12 dips on each side for 2-3

sets.

remember:

Keep your core engaged at all

time and pull your belly button

into your spine while breathing in

slowly and deeply.

Keep your neck and head relaxed

and dip your body as low as you

can without losing your form.

alternative:

Drop to your knees or bring your

arms up onto the seat area of a chair

for an easier option.

please note:

The plank is an isometric exercise

(an exercise held in a static position

for a defined period of time), so

those suffering from high blood

pressure, a heart condition, or are

pregnant should not perform this

exercise. Also, those with back

conditions should carry out with

caution.

Planks are already a powerful

move for your core so adding an

additional rotation will only be more

effective. This exercise strengthens

your abs, obliques, and lower back

and also enhances flexibility in your

spine which can assist with

improving your balance, stability, and

posture.

You can add plank hip dips to the

end of your workout or complete on

their own in the comfort of your own

home as no equipment is required.

Speak to one of the fitness

instructors for demonstration.

for more information

Refer to the wellness schedule (on

page 16) for the Ab-blast classes

taking place in the Aerobic Center or

for more information about the

Abqaiq fitness rooms and wellness

classes, please visit the fitness and

wellness website. https://

sharek.aramco.com.sa/

orgs/30002961/Recreation/Pages/

Abqaiq/Your-Fitness-and-

Wellness.aspx

The contents of this article are disseminated as general advice only. Please see a medical doctor before engaging in any type of physical activity or making a radical change in diet.

For all your fitness-related questions,

please contact Jenna Ruiten, female

fitness consultant at

[email protected].

fitness hub:

plank hip dips

a b


The Abqaiq community was

presented with another night of

celebrating the Saudi Arabian culture

during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

The celebration was full of colors,

traditional music, dance, and the

Arabian hospitality on Friday, June 9

from 8 p.m. through midnight.

It was a night where over 500

people both from the Abqaiq

community and visitors from the

Abqaiq Madinat area gathered at the

Oasis complex patio to watch a

parade of children and adults dressed

in their traditional attires showcasing

the rich Saudi Arabian culture. The

children had a lot of fun being

entertained by some popular cartoon

characters and even the local

games, such as musical chairs,

quizzes along with prizes, and

popcorn and cotton candy to keep

them busy.

A Ramadan evening is never

complete without the sweet smell of

the freshly-

which everyone enjoyed relaxing in

the cozy seating area. The Ramadan

offering to mark the festivities.

The ARSU would like to express

their appreciation the Abqaiq Security

Operations Division and the people

involved in organizing the event.

by Cecilia Botty photos by Mark Khoury

a rich Saudi Arabian cultural night


The celebration

was full of colors,

traditional music,

dance, and the

Arabian

hospitality.

Abqaiq the friendly city gazette 11

http://www.islamicfinder.org July 2017

Abqaiq prayer schedule

by Cecilia Botty ask Abqaiq went with my family on the 4-D

Transformer ride at the Universal Studios

Ray Cyril Mercado (Philippines) Grade 4 In Abqaiq: 10 years

What has been

your most

adventurous trip?

when we went on a family trip to

Valentina Guerra (Venezuela) Pre-K 3

In Abqaiq: 1 year

family and I got to take pictures with my

favorite Disney characters Jessie, the

yodeling cowgirl of Toy Story and Princess

Alishba Mahmood (UK) Grade 4 In Abqaiq: 3 years

day Jul 10/1438 Hijri Fajr Sunrise Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha

Sat 1 7/10 3:21 4:53 11:46 3:11 6:38 8:08

Sun 2 8/10 3:21 4:53 11:46 3:11 6:38 8:08

Mon 3 9/10 3:22 4:53 11:46 3:11 6:38 8:08

Tue 4 10/10 3:22 4:54 11:46 3:11 6:38 8:08

Wed 5 11/10 3:23 4:54 11:46 3:12 6:38 8:08

Thu 6 12/10 3:24 4:55 11:47 3:12 6:38 8:08

Fri 7 13/10 3:24 4:55 11:47 3:12 6:37 8:07

Sat 8 14/10 3:25 4:55 11:47 3:12 6:37 8:07

Sun 9 15/10 3:25 4:56 11:47 3:13 6:37 8:07

Mon 10 16/10 3:26 4:56 11:47 3:13 6:37 8:07

Tue 11 17/10 3:26 4:57 11:47 3:13 6:37 8:07

Wed 12 18/10 3:27 4:57 11:47 3:14 6:37 8:07

Thu 13 19/10 3:28 4:58 11:48 3:14 6:36 8:06

Fri 14 20/10 3:28 4:58 11:48 3:14 6:36 8:06

Sat 15 21/10 3:29 4:59 11:48 3:14 6:36 8:06

Sun 16 22/10 3:29 4:59 11:48 3:14 6:36 8:06

Mon 17 23/10 3:30 4:59 11:48 3:15 6:35 8:05

Tue 18 24/10 3:31 5:00 11:48 3:15 6:35 8:05

Wed 19 25/10 3:32 5:00 11:48 3:15 6:35 8:05

Thu 20 26/10 3:32 5:01 11:48 3:15 6:34 8:04

Fri 21 27/10 3:33 5:01 11:48 3:16 6:34 8:04

Sat 22 28/10 3:34 5:02 11:48 3:16 6:33 8:03

Sun 23 29/10 3:35 5:02 11:48 3:16 6:33 8:03

Mon 24 1/11 3:35 5:03 11:48 3:16 6:33 8:03

Tue 25 2/11 3:36 5:03 11:48 3:16 6:32 8:02

Wed 26 3/11 3:37 5:04 11:48 3:16 6:32 8:02

Thu 27 4/11 3:37 5:04 11:48 3:17 6:31 8:01

Fri 28 5/11 3:38 5:05 11:48 3:17 6:31 8:01

Sat 29 6/11 3:39 5:05 11:48 3:17 6:30 8:00

Sun 30 7/11 3:40 5:06 11:48 3:17 6:29 7:59

Mon 31 8/11 3:40 5:06 11:48 3:17 6:29 7:59

August 2017

day Aug 11/1438 Hijri Fajr Sunrise Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha

Tue 1 9/11 3:41 5:07 11:48 3:17 6:28 7:58

Wed 2 10/11 3:42 5:07 11:48 3:17 6:28 7:58

Thu 3 11/11 3:43 5:08 11:48 3:17 6:27 7:57

Fri 4 12/11 3:43 5:08 11:48 3:17 6:26 7:56

Sat 5 13/11 3:44 5:09 11:48 3:17 6:25 7:55

Sun 6 14/11 3:45 5:09 11:48 3:17 6:25 7:55

Mon 7 15/11 3:45 5:10 11:48 3:17 6:24 7:54

Tue 8 16/11 3:46 5:10 11:47 3:17 6:23 7:53

Wed 9 17/11 3:47 5:11 11:47 3:17 6:23 7:53

Thu 10 18/11 3:47 5:11 11:47 3:17 6:22 7:52

Fri 11 19/11 3:48 5:12 11:47 3:17 6:21 7:51

Sat 12 20/11 3:49 5:12 11:47 3:17 6:20 7:50

Sun 13 21/11 3:50 5:13 11:47 3:17 6:19 7:49

Mon 14 22/11 3:50 5:13 11:46 3:17 6:18 7:48

Tue 15 23/11 3:51 5:14 11:46 3:16 6:18 7:48

Wed 16 24/11 3:52 5:14 11:46 3:16 6:17 7:47

Thu 17 25/11 3:52 5:15 11:46 3:16 6:16 7:46

Fri 18 26/11 3:53 5:15 11:46 3:16 6:15 7:45

Sat 19 27/11 3:54 5:15 11:45 3:16 6:14 7:44

Sun 20 28/11 3:54 5:16 11:45 3:16 6:13 7:43

Mon 21 29/11 3:55 5:16 11:45 3:15 6:12 7:42

Tue 22 30/11 3:55 5:17 11:45 3:15 6:11 7:41

Wed 23 1/12 3:56 5:17 11:44 3:15 6:10 7:40

Thu 24 2/12 3:57 5:18 11:44 3:15 6:09 7:39

Fri 25 3/12 3:57 5:18 11:44 3:14 6:08 7:38

Sat 26 4/12 3:58 5:18 11:44 3:14 6:07 7:37

Sun 27 5/12 3:59 5:19 11:43 3:14 6:06 7:36

Mon 28 6/12 3:59 5:19 11:43 3:13 6:05 7:35

Tue 29 7/12 3:59 5:19 11:43 3:13 6:05 7:35

Wed 30 8/12 4:00 5:20 11:42 3:13 6:03 7:33

Thu 31 9/12 4:01 5:21 11:42 3:12 6:02 7:32


by Michael Moorhouse photos by Debby Maria, Sadaf Ritzi, Rin Nelson, Vanessa Contreras, Divinia Catalan, and Lausab Dianyer

take a bow, Ms. Jeanie


The evening of May 18, was one,

if you were at the Ain Nakhl Golf

Club, full of energy as a crowd of

parents and, more importantly, their

children, gathered to celebrate the

five-year anniversary of Abqaiq

Moves that was created by Jeanie

Powell to allow her to spread her love

of dance to the children of Abqaiq.

Powell has been teaching Zumba,

Jazz, street dance, contemporary

dance, and classical ballet to the

adults and children of Abqaiq and

Dhahran communities since 2012.

For 2017, one of her greatest

accomplishments was developing and

organizing a photo project using

different stories and scenarios with all

photos taken in various locations

throughout the community with

expertise by professional

photographer Erin Clayton Werner.

Their joint vision became a beautifully

achieved and edgy photographic

artifact that represented the

wonderful, kooky, surreal, and

diverse place of Abqaiq that these

young dancers will remember

throughout their lives. If all this has

not been enough, she created the

performing arts self-directed group

Music Movement Creativity+ Theater

(MMC+T) in 2014/2015, which under

her presidency produced among

other things the wonderful

production of the Sleeping Beauty in

Nov. 2015.

As the organizer of the Abqaiq

Moves Dance party she consciously

focused the evening on the children,

as that is what she cares most about

and put forth much time and effort

to make this evening an enjoyable

one for her students and by the

Creative project by Jeanie Powell and Eric Clayton Werner in 2017.

Bigger Blue production in 2014. Sleeping Beauty production in 2015. Bigger Blue pink in 2014.

Abqaiq the friendly city gazette | July August 2017 13

energy and noise levels along with

the beaming smiles, it certainly was a

success. Powell was quick to point

out the kind and invaluable assistance

with every aspect of the preparation,

For five years, through her love of

dance, Powell has given the children

of Abqaiq the opportunity to learn

dance in various forms from a

woman who has an impressive

background that includes studying at

the prestigious Alabama School of

Fine Arts and then going onto

dancing ballet professionally for many

years. Powell can be tough in her

classes as she is always striving for

the best and knowing that discipline

is needed to develop in this art form.

At the same time she is always there

with words of love, encouragement,

and support as well as teaching them

respect, dedication, and discipline.

In talking to Powell on this

evening, she was very keen to

emphasize the generous support of

the Abqaiq Recreational Services Unit.

As well, she also stressed the

importance of key community

members who have graciously given

their time and effort over the years to

assist her in making her productions

the grand successes that they have

been.

fitting to a woman who has enriched

the lives of so many in Abqaiq under

her expert guidance and tuition in

learning the art of dance.

For any enquiries about the ballet

classes, please contact Jeanie at:

[email protected].

Ballet party in 2017.

Bigger Blue jump 2014.

Creative project 2017 depicting swan. Creative project 2017 with red riding hood. Bigger Blue book 2014.

mailto:[email protected]

14 Abqaiq the friendly city gazette | July August 2017

by Salvatore Di Simone photos by Manuela Paone Di Simone, Reynald Basuel, and Dominic Chiam

Abqaiq’s first ever open-air rock festival

On May 19, our lovely Abqaiq

community got together to enjoy and

celebrate live rock music at the Rock

Festival held at the ball field. The idea

was born when Adrian Sipin, Jeremy

Forst, Manuela Odorisio Paone, and

Alessandra Chiaro, started reflecting

on the fact that, despite the large

number of highly skilled musicians in

the Abqaiq community, and even

though indoor concerts have taken

place, the community had never truly

experienced an open-air rock concert.

the ball field, a perfect venue

missed, and it needed to be done

soon, as the weather was already

getting quite hot. The ball field was

chosen as the venue as it seemed to

possess all necessary requirements: a

wide, yet fenced open area to allow

for stage, stalls, and audience to be

comfortably accommodated, packed

earth ground for the stage and

carpets, soft grass to allow for the

children to play freely, and a relatively

isolated location far from houses to

avoid any disturbance to others.

With lot of effort and

professionalism, the huge venue was

perfectly organized under the

supervision and direction of the

musicians together with Mark

Khoury, multisports consultant,


(ARSU).

eye-catching memorabilia

The Spotlight team has as always,

showed great dedication and

professionalism arranging for the

advertising, tickets sale, food stalls,

and merchandise.

The poster, created by Sonia

Chapman was printed on t-shirts as

memorabilia to the audience. Every

staff member wore a special t-shirt to

be easily identified, and the food was

made by the Spotlight team and also

kind donations by members and

friends.

At 6 p.m., the gates opened and

the audience started streaming in,

getting comfortable on the big rugs

with their own folding chairs,

camping mats, and picnic baskets.

The younger children lost no time

and immediately took advantage of

the large grassy area to play in

complete safety.

great musical selections

With the bands chosen from

those operating in the thriving

musical scene of Abqaiq, the bill was

set.

The concert openers were the

ROBAM and the Abqaiq School Rock

Band.

After the openers, it was time for

the grown-up bands to come on

stage. The first to play were The

Mixed Tapes, who performed a varied

set of classics spanning various

The band also had a special

Abqaiq Spotlight

The electricity of

the moment was

so vivid that

people happily

started clapping

and singing.


guest Damien Noe join in for a solo

passion in their performance carried

the audience away (that reached to

hundreds of people!), the enjoyment

and electricity of the moment was so

vivid that people happily started

clapping, singing, and dancing to the

songs.

After their relentless and

passionate performance, the Mixed

Tapes left the stage to the last band

of the evening, The Desert Party

dancing.

Around 10:15 p.m., the Desert

Party Band played their last song and

said goodbye to the audience, who

left the field with smiling faces, and

the feeling of experiencing something

great and unique: an open-air rock

concert in Abqaiq!

The evening was clearly a success

and there was a unified feeling that

this should indeed become a regular

annual event in Abqaiq, where rock

bands and music fans from other

Saudi Aramco communities can

participate to reinforce that sense of

community and brotherhood that

only rock music can create.

Until next year…

rock on Abqaiq!

ROBAM

vocals: Neha Senthil Kumar Kyra

Minda Veronica Hanna

guitar: Ariel Chiam

bass: Chuks Ugori

drums: Josh Thomas

director: Jeremy Forst

Abqaiq School Rock Band

vocals: Nursara Salleh Josh

Jardaleza Anna Diefendorf

drums: Josh Jardaleza

keyboard: Emma Singletary

guitar: Ariel Chiam

bass: Chuks Ugori

The Mixed Tapes

guitar: Beth Alto-Pederson and

Todd Alto-Pederson

sax and vocal: Jeremy Forst

bass: Scott Chapman

drums: Ike Trevino

Desert Party Band

lead singer: Adee Sipin

lead guitarist: Roby Duncan

rhythms: Orville Varquez

Bass: Lito Tugano

Drums: Nelson Hermogenes

Keyboards: Mark

sax/violin: Natalie Schlueter Higgins

vocalists: Ritzi Hope, Mayet Torres,

Tina Pickles, and Roselle Torres

media/live feed: Reynald Basuel

stage props/lights: Russel Torres

keyboards: Mark Dapanas

music groups


by Nestor R. Villaruel Photos by Joselito V. Tugano

bowling for excellence at the 10th SAOO VP’s cup

Abqaiq City Bowling Association

The Abqaiq City Bowling

Association (ACBA) held its tenth

Southern Area Oil Operations (SAOO)

Vice‑

three-day fun bowling tournament at

the Al-

executive board headed by Nestor R.

Villaruel, ACBA president, aims to

support the Saudi Aramco value of

excellence. Twelve teams composed

of four Abqaiq community members

competed in this event.

The event was officially opened by

the SAOO representative, Wael H.

Ameer, supervisor, SAOO Planning

and Benchmarking, on May 16, who

in his speech, shared a brief message

about the need to be safe, while

enjoying the games and coping with

challenges. He also thanked the

ACBA along with all other

self-directed groups who play a major

role in keeping the Abqaiq

community active under the support

of SAOO including the Abqaiq

Recreation Services Unit (ARSU) and

all other Abqaiq organizations.

an impressive comeback and a great

atmosphere

The tournament highlight was the

impressive comeback of Choy Lopez

for scoring a total scratch of 221 in

the second game on May 23, after a

long time-out from bowling. On the

afternoon of May 26, as the teams

prepared for the final game, the

environment was full of cheers and

enjoyment as all bowlers focused to

Before announcing the winners, the

ACBA women members showed their

Zumba dancing talents.

display of camaraderie, teamwork, and

friendly competition

champion:

Team MANAGEMENT

Nestor Villaruel, Rami Latonio,

Nonalyn Barnett, and Nayef

Al-Shammari, with substitute

player Reynald Basuel, with total

first runner-up:

Team SAFETY

Manny Dejelo, Jerry Hernandez,

Ritzie Hope and Irfan I Shaikh,

with total pin falls of 6,990.

winning teams

category Men’s division women’s division

highest 3-game HCP series Srini Kamandahalli 672 Karen S. Caraig 592

highest 3-game scratch series Rey V. Caraig Jr. 576 Kanta Saha 430

highest HCP game Choy Lopez 261 Cherrie Hernandez 250

highest Scratch game Joselito V. Tugano 218 Beng Mungcal 162

individual winners


Nayef S. Al-Shammari, manager of

Southern Area Production

Engineering Department, presented

the prizes to the winners. On behalf

of the SAOO management, he

expressed his gratitude to the

organizers and to all the ACBA

officers for their efforts to share

innovative ideas to create awareness

within the Abqaiq community. He

commended the participants for the

display of camaraderie, teamwork,

and friendly competition, which

resulted in an excellent event. He also

invited them to share what they have

learned from bowling with different

cultures, which fosters the citizenship

value.

He congratulated all the winners

and participants and thanked the

ACBA board, especially Rey Caraig,

the tournament director, and Mar-

Loie Catalan, his associate, the ARSU,

the Al-

and housekeeping personnel.

The event concluded with dinner

and entertainment filled with a

showcase of individual talents in

dancing, singing, as well as comedy

as the ACBA also celebrated their

Foundation Day!

note of appreciation

Villaruel expressed his special

thanks to the SAOO management,

particularly Al-Shammari and

Al-Ameer, the ACBA board and all

the participants for their efforts in

making this event a success.

The environment

was full of cheers as

all bowlers focused

to get strikes for their

team’s victory.

The champions team Management: Rami Latonio, Nestor Villaruel, Lynn Barnett, and Nayef Shammari with Pradip Saha and Raymond Lota, proudly display their winning trophies.


Abqaiq Cricket Club

fond farewell and an exciting tape ball by Muhammad Faisal Mirza photos by Abid Saood

A rather pleasant night on a

typically hot summer day, excited

faces ready for the thrilling action,

and the field flooded with lights,

turned the night into day! This was

the scene at the Abqaiq Cricket field

on June 9 at the tape ball event. The

night was special for a number of

reasons, the topmost being to bid

farewell to Dr. Sibghat Majeed and

Aftab Tabish, two highly active,

motivated, and committed members

of the Abqaiq community. Both the

members are set to leave the

Kingdom for good by the end of

June.

Significance of the event was

further magnified by the fact that it

was the first one organized by the

newly elected Abqaiq Cricket Club

(ACC) board members, Mohsin

Bashir, president, Imran Khan,

vice‑president, Saqib Sami, secretary,

and Iftikhar Ahmed, treasurer.

Despite the tight and tiring schedule

of the month of Ramadhan, the high

turnout was commendable.

magnificent strokes

The event started off with the

formation of two teams, team A

captained by the veteran member

Rashid Chowdhry and team B by

none other than Dr. Majeed himself.

Dr. Majeed won the toss and elected

to bat. With their magnificent strokes

all around the field and tons of wide

and no balls delivered by team A,

team B placed a tough target of 121

in nine overs. Despite all their efforts,

team A could not chase the target

and was all out at 80, resulting in the

chit-chats, mouthwatering

refreshments, photo sessions

The game was followed by a short

gathering at the stands with lively

chit-chats, mouthwatering

refreshments, and photo sessions. In

a short ceremony, certificates of

appreciation were presented to

Dr. Majeed, his son Abdullah Sibghat,

and Syed Nisar (on behalf of Aftab

Tabish) by the new ACC president

Bashir, former presidents Abid Saood

and Khalid Memon, and former vice-

president Yaser Kamal.

The gathering was wrapped up with

Dr. Majeed's speech where he

thanked everyone for organizing a

memorable and unforgettable event.

Emphasizing the importance of unity

and staying together, he prayed for

the success and prosperity of the

club.

note of appreciation

The ACC board would like to

thank all the participants for making

the event memorable with their full

participation and on behalf of all the

honorable members, wish Dr.

Majeed, Tabish and their families best

of luck for the future.

Dr. Sibghat Majeed receives the certificate of appreciation from the ACC.


Displaying all the lovely

photographs from their first photo

contest in April, the Abqaiq

Photography Group (APG) held its

first two-day solo exhibition on May

25 and 26 at the Al-Remal Mall.

The main idea of the exhibition

was to give the Abqaiq community

the opportunity to share and

appreciate the beautiful photographs

taken by the hidden talents of

Abqaiq. The APG also presented

prizes to the winners in both

certificate of participation to all the

finalists. Husain Saud, the APG

president, along with Noor Zain, APG

vice-president, did the prize

distribution.

thank you

The APG would like to express its

gratitude to the Abqaiq Recreation

Services Unit, the APG members, and

its supporters who helped make the

event a success. The APG also takes

this opportunity to wish all of the

Abqaiq Photography Group

APG exhibits its finest

by Noor Zain photos by Noor Zain and Haya Al-Harbi

Finalist Mar-Loie V. Catalan receives certificate of participation

Finalist Victoria Roads with her photo of the

Cengiz Tolga Vur, Vanessa Kearns, and Rinnie Nelson show off their winning certificates.

certificate on her behalf from Husain Saud.

Tahreem Saood receives the winning certificate from Noor Zain.

Congratulations to all

the winners and

finalists for their

beautiful

photographs!


The community members

celebrated the Abqaiq School

their annual art exhibit on Saturday,

May 20, in the Al-Murjan hall. A

variety of artwork was on display,

including clay, weavings, paper-

mache, and drawing projects. Each

student from Kindergarten through

grade 8 submitted one piece for the

show. Eighth and ninth grade

students leaving Abqaiq submitted

two pieces.

worth of art education, the exhibition

also provides a glimpse of how art

education progresses through the

years at the Abqaiq School.

full of life, expression, and beauty

This is one of the most exciting

days of the year for an educator. We

see students grow immensely in their

creativity and skill development. For

example, in Kindergarten many

children do not know how to write

their name or the first letter in their

name (this is age appropriate). They

have difficulty holding pencils,

scissors, and glue sticks. With time,

they gain muscle strength in their

fingers, they learn skills, and they

experiment with ideas. The artwork

they create is full of life, expression,

and beauty.

The creativity and expression

students learn something new,

gaining skills and confidence.

Children take risks and accept artistic

challenges. Our students progress as

artists. This growth deserves to be

commended.

It was celebrated by many

community members, who took the

time out of their busy weekend to

visit the Al-Murjan hall. The ballroom

setting was an excellent way to

display artwork and created a sense

of stateliness for our young artists.

Every year,

students learn

something

new, gaining

skills and

confidence.

by Sonia Chapman photos by Sonia Chapman

Abqaiq School’s excellent display of art

Saudi Aramco Expatriate School


feedback about the exhibition

elegant and the artwork merited such

Beth Alto-Pederson.

are some talented young people at

the school. Well done to all

Blevins.

have happened in a better and more

welcoming place. The natural light,

the space, everything was perfect!

The community had a wonderful time

viewing the students' work. Thank

you," stated Thomas Rodriguez.

Children enjoyed pinning circles

on a Wassily Kandinsky mural board,

and of course, enjoyed eating lots of

cookies and small treats. It was a

great way to spend an afternoon in

our lovely community.


Boys scouts’ first ever car derby day

After nine amazing weeks, the

Abqaiq Boys Cub Scout Club

(ABCSC), tester program concluded

on May 20 with the most exciting

event of them all

imaginative and creative cardboard

box cars

After weeks of designing and

building with their parents, the Cub

Scouts presented cardboard box cars,

which they raced around the School

Gym stopping at different Pit Spots

where their parents waited to assist.

There were two circuits, one

especially designed for Lions, Tigers,

and Wolves, and a longer and slightly

more complicated circuit for the

Bears, Webelos, and Arrows of Light.

It was encouraging to see everybody

cheering for each other and to

witness great sportsmanship from all

during the Cubanapolis, not to

mention to see so many imaginative

and creative cardboard car designs all

homemade by boys and their

parents.

by Rinnie Nelson photos by Rinnie Nelson

Abqaiq Boys Cub Scout Club

Creative cardboard car designs all homemade by boys and their parents at the Cubanapolis Car Derby.


With the Bobcat badge,

the boys can officially

call themselves

Cub Scouts.

bobcat badge

After the Cubanapolis, all the Cub

Scouts were invited on stage to

formally receive their first official Cub

Scout Badge the Bobcat Badge. The

Bobcat Badge is only awarded to club

members who fulfilled specific

requirements, which they were

trained for during the tester program.

With the Bobcat badge, the boys can

officially call themselves Cub Scouts,

and when the ABCSC formally

launches in September, they will be

able to begin earning many other

Cub Scout badges.

It was a truly great tester program

and the ABCSC are looking forward

to seeing all the old faces and

meeting new ones when they

commence again later this year.

Well done boys! Everybody is so

proud of you. Thank you parents for

all your help!

All the Cub Scouts formally receive their first official Cub Scout Badge from Vikas Ghai, ABCSC president.

The special bobcat badge ceremony cake.


a fun collaboration for Ramadan celebrations

The happy FOLKS team 2017 and

delightfully celebrated the Holy

Month of Ramadan on May 23 at the

Ain Nakhl Golf Club.

A well-promoted and advertised

event with a beautiful poster made

by the FOLKS board member

Francesca Rossi, had a successful

turnout. It was an occasion for many

families belonging to different

cultures to come together and

celebrate.

70 families, diverse cultures

With more than 70 families

attending, the event was also

honored by VIP guests, Meshaal

Khaldi, manager, Southern Area/

Central Region Community Services

Department (SA/CR CSD), Zoe

Mollah, head of Abqaiq Medical/

Dental Services, Johns Hopkins

Aramco Healthcare (JHAH),

Dr. Krigamonti, JHAH CEO, and his

wife Dr. Karen Krigamonti, and Mark

Khoury, multisports consultant,


(ARSU).

Living in the diverse Abqaiq

community has its own challenges

and also unique opportunities. It is

only here in Abqaiq, you can meet

people from more than 70 countries

and hear their national anthems

every year during the International

Parade. Our children are also learning

to grow up in a multicultural and

multinational environment to help

them develop tolerance to other

cultures.

learning about the Holy Month

Everyone had the fantastic

opportunity to learn about the Holy

month, which is the month of fasting

that helps make a person more

aware of the suffering of the less

fortunate, who may go a whole day

without eating. So during Ramadan,

everyone should try to find an

opportunity to do something good

for others and share food with the

needy. It is also the right time to

reflect and reconnect with the family

in the right spirit is considered a

good deed and its reward is

multiplied in the month of Ramadan

like any other good deed.

Through the several arts and

crafts activities and games conducted

by Rinnie Nelson, the children also

learned about the Holy Month, which

is the festivity of mercy, peace, love

and patience.

We would like to say thank you to

the FOLKS board, the AWG Board,

and the ARSU for making this

amazing celebration happen.

by Gulzhamal Sheripkanova, Silvia Selli, and Tehreem Arshad photos by FOLKS board

Abqaiq Women’s Group and FOLKS

Children learn about Ramadan through the art and craft sessions.


play and learn at FOLKS

FOLKS has been presenting the

children of Abqaiq with creative and

fun activities to engage those little

minds as well as teach them new

concepts and values as they learn

and grow into wonderful human

beings.

fairy bread creation

At the beautiful art and craft

sessions at FOLKS, children were able

to make their own yummy snack,

"Fairy Bread Creation" with Rinnie

Nelson, Abir Samman Taleb, and

Suzan Jamil Fenj Saleh. It was

skills and how they enjoyed their

snack. Thanks to the mothers too

who made it possible for the FOLKS

team to enjoy this creative activity

with the little ones.

exploring sink and float

Roseangela Augustine showed

and taught the children the concept

of "Exploring Sink and Float" on May

21. The children took a deep interest

in the activity as it was informative

and a good learning session in a

playful way. Children also joined in

for a fun activity time with stories

and poems with Augustine.

learning Spanish

The FOLKS families and children

also had the opportunity to learn

some Spanish with Marisela Ravelo

during the regular FOLKS sessions on

May 24. The children really enjoyed

learning the Spanish Alphabet and

some Spanish words.

Iftar dinner with contractor

employees

At an event organized only for

daddies and small children, FOLKS

shared an Iftar dinner in a tent at the

Masjid in the Abqaiq community on

June 13. It was a way to show

working contractor employees in the

community. Families were

encouraged to bring along some

home-cooked food to share and

FOLKS also helped with the food

distribution organized by Noor Ema

Zain. This event turned out to be a

brilliant idea as the children learned

the joy of sharing and enjoyed the

different cultures and religious

festivities.

thank you

These events brought FOLKS to

the summer break. As half of the

year already passed, the FOLKS board

would like to express a big thanks to

all the lovely and fun-loving families

of FOLKS who have made this year of

FOLKS full of love and learning for

our children.

by Tehreem Arshad photos by FOLKS team

Friends of Little Kids Studio

July 3 to August 14

Mondays only, 9 - 11 a.m.

(Roseangela Augustine present

on behalf of FOLKS)

The regular hours will resume

from August 20.

FOLKS summer opening hours

Admiring the fairy bread creation. Exploring the concept of Sink and Float. Learning the Spanish Alphabet.


Abqaiq Youth Soccer Association

The final whistle has blown on the

Abqaiq Youth Soccer Association

(AYSA) 2016-2017 season. This

season has been quite a successful

one through the hard work and

commitment of the AYSC board, the

coordinators, the coaches, the


(ARSU), and of course, the children

who make all of the hard work worth

This season, there were 197

children who participated in the

AYSC in the groups of U6, U8, U10,

U12, and U16, with most practising

twice a week. As well, many of them

participated in inter-tournaments and

tournaments outside the Abqaiq

community. Overall, much growth

was attained by the children in terms

of their football skills, but also in

other key areas, such as teamwork

and respect of the game and others.

two weeks, 100 children, UEFA

coaches

At the conclusion of this season,

the AYSC along with the generous

support of the ARSU, held two one-

week (6 days each) Player

Development Football Camps with

two coaches from Barcelona. These

two Union of European Football

Associations (UEFA) certified coaches,

Sergi Mascarell and Andreu Peralta,

worked very effectively with the over

100 participants broken into eight

groups to develop their football skills

each night for one and a half hours.

To conclude the experience with

these coaches, the AYSC board and

some of its coaches had a half-day

workshop that was very informative.

Many thanks to these two fine men

who enriched our football lives very

successfully.

The AYSC board, coaches and

assistants have worked hard to do

their best to include core values of

fun and participation in all areas of

the AYSC and much work and many

hours have been given by them to

ensure that this continues into the

2017-2018 season.

volunteers needed for the new season

Speaking of the 2017-2018

season, the AYSC needs more

parents to volunteer to coach. In the

new season, there will be set number

of places for registration with the

AYSC depending on the number of

volunteer coaches that come

forward. If there are only a few

coaches who volunteer to coach, this

means that there will also be a

limited number of teams. Registration

for the 2017-2018 season will take

place over an extended period to give

all who wish to register the chance to

do this.

a successful season of youth soccer

by Michael Moorhouse photos by Ania Szabo

dates: Aug 21, 23, 28, 30

Sep 11, and 13

time: 5:30 - 7 p.m.

location: Community Center Hall.

registration for the

2017-2018 season

Children wrapping up a game at the Player Development Football Camp in May. AYSC coaches Emmanouil Spyropoulos and Michael Moorhouse look upon their students.


2017

07 Abqaiq: a look back curated by Valentina Stefanoni.

fun facts

knowledge

compiled by Samrina Ali

safety tip

boost Sound travels about four times

faster in water than in air. The only letter not appearing on the

The typewriter was invented in

1829, and the automatic dishwasher in 1889.

The wristwatch was invented in 1904 by Louis Cartier.

Velcro was invented by a Swiss guy who was inspired by the way burrs attached to clothing.

The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.

Proper maintenance reduces waste!

Keep your appliances in good working

order and follow the manufacturer's

suggestions for operation and

maintenance. Shop for products with

high consumer satisfaction and fewer

breakdowns. If kept in good working

order, your appliances should last a long

time and not end up as waste before

their time.

Driving while using a mobile phone, either texting or talking, is still one of the leading causes of road accidents and has caused horrific tragedy worldwide.

environmental tips

The very first art exhibit in the Abqaiq community organized by the AWG in 1952.

Documents

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