“Popsicles with Dink” Caps Off Summer AFSA staff and Governing Board members took to the streets again on August 26 for “Popsicles with Dink,” handing out frozen treats, AFSA swag, and membership information to Foreign Service and Civil Service employees during the hot afternoon commute. Wearing AFSA-branded merchandise and holding AFSA Opens Its Doors AFSA NEWS THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2026 67 This fall AFSA welcomed members of the Foreign Service community to headquarters for a series of events aimed at building connections with colleagues and leadership. The season opened on September 9 and 10 with lunch open houses for the September A-100 class. On September 23, AFSA hosted a member happy hour, and on October 8, it welcomed the September orientation class to HQ. All the events were well attended, giving guests the chance to talk with AFSA leadership and network with colleagues. AFSA President John Dinkelman and State Vice President Rohit Nepal spoke, reaffirming that AFSA stands by its members and remains committed to protecting the Foreign Service community. Left: The State Department Federal Credit Union has generously spon- sored many member happy hours in partnership with AFSA. AFSA/MARK PARKHOMENKO Below: Colleagues and friends gathered at AFSA headquarters on September 23 for an evening of catching up and meeting new faces. AFSA/MARK PARKHOMENKO President John Dinkelman, popsicles in hand, greets members of the Foreign Service community on a hot D.C. afternoon, August 26. AFSA/NADJA RUZICA signs to draw attention, staff distributed cards with a QR code linking to AFSA’s join/ renew page alongside the refreshing popsicles. AFSA President John Dinkelman, a fixture at both events, reflected on the initiative in his SeptemberOctober FSJ column, writing that the popsicle giveaway was part of what AFSA is all about: “being here for you when things get hot.” The outing followed on the heels of this summer’s popular “Donuts with Dink” event, which gave members a chance to see a familiar face outside the usual channels of email and social media. n AFSA thanks everyone who joined, including the State Department Federal Credit Union, our sponsor for the member happy hour, and looks forward to seeing more members at future events. n
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODIyMDU=