Quick Look!

Report On Exchange To La Libertad, Peru

Raymond A. Enstam, Exchange Director

The combined exchange of the Friendship Force of Dallas and Friendship Force of Austin to La Libertad, Trujillo, Peru left Dallas at 5 PM on Saturday, March 12, 2005. By the time we landed in Lima, got to the hotel and checked in, it was 4 AM! Our valiant group of travelers was up for breakfast the next morning, ready to leave by bus back to the Lima airport. The exchange really began in full when we arrived at the Trujillo airport that afternoon and saw the club waiting for us in their green Friendship Force uniforms, with a band and a pair of excellent dancers performing the traditional Marinera dance. We were overwhelmed by this greeting.

The next morning we had a welcome breakfast in the elegant and traditional Club Central, a private club in the heart of Trujillo. The welcome continued that evening at Trujillo’s city hall with a personal welcome by the mayor. The exchange started in earnest Tuesday with a visit to the famous Chan Chan ruins (right) of the ancient Chimu culture. 

We took a short bus ride to Huanchaco where we were treated to a demonstration of the famous straw Caballitos de Totora boats by local caballeros. 

Two of our most intrepid and bravest members, Susan Cooper and Annette Stachowitz [Austin], took the plunge, err, challenge and rode the caballitos as well. After an impromptu fiesta on the beach, we enjoyed lunch at Sol y Mar (owned by club member Dr. Berly Manrique), followed by dancing, first by a professional troupe and then freelance by members of our two clubs.

Wednesday, we visited the famous Huaca de la Luna (Pyramid of the Moon), a huge Moche Indian temple that is still under excavation just outside Trujillo. We returned for an incredible Pachamanca lunch, much like a Texas barbecue, but with the food cooked in a pit under ground with hot coals covered with leaves. This was followed by the traditional cutting down of the Palo de Cilulo tree. This is a dance by all around a tree, with couples approaching the tree, each dancer taking a machete and rubbing on the rear end of his/her partner for luck (or to sharpen the blade), and then taking three chops at the tree. This goes on until the tree falls (and we danced, sang and visited until it did!). A native ceremony from the mountains!

Thursday, we went to the Tulia Herrera Leon School For the Blind. The staff and students gave an outstanding presentation ceremony including food, followed by delivery of the computers that we had brought with us. We completed the morning with a tour of their school. We will continue our interactions with them.

On Friday, we arose early for an all day trip to Chiclayo (north of Trujillo) to visit the Lord of Sipan museum, with the great gold treasure found in an ancient royal Moche tomb in that area. After lunch and a second museum, we returned to Trujillo, tired but amazed at the incredible cultures and arts.

Saturday morning, many visited the heart of Trujillo on foot. That afternoon, FF La Libertad hosted another fabulous farewell party at the house of Floriza Ruiz de Ferrer (Exchange Director).

Saturday morning, while others went on the city tour, I went with the mayor of the Buenos Aires district, and a five-policeman escort, to deliver to needy women and children half the clothing we had brought as a gift. Sunday morning, I went with Paula Rose, Edward Perez and Martha Durst to Huanchaco to deliver the other half of the clothing. It was impressive and I wish the whole exchange group could have gone, but logistics prevented it.

Sunday, we had a very emotional yet festive departure from the airport returning to Lima. After night and day in Lima, we enjoyed a marvelous eight days in the Andes Mountains of Peru, visiting Cuzco, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, Puno, Lake Titicaca and much, much more. But that is another story, and this is the story of the exchange.

If you were at the April meeting, you got to see some of what we did during the exchange. A BIG thanks to Ken Walker (right) for all the work he did editing and creating the photo presentation, assisted by M.C. Meador and Edward Perez.

Paula’s Roses

Hello all. I’m really psyched up about FFD!!

The auction was a huge success, thanks to Ed Edgren [see article below]. As a result, we were able to donate $1500 to the FFI “Great Legacy Campaign” which will work to establish new clubs, expand leadership training and teacher exchange programs, and “push back international barriers through the force of friendship” in several regions of the world. FFD will be listed in the honor circle (twice!) in the next Friendship Magazine.

I’m just back from my first outbound exchange – a great home stay and tour to Peru so beautifully run by Ray Enstam. Thank you Ray!! Then a great meeting on the trip – attended by over 85 members and guests with a fantastic photo/narrative presentation by techies Ken Walker, M.C. Meador, and Edward Perez that incorporated photos from many of the ambassadors who went on the exchange.

What more could I ask for?? Well, how about plans for the Tottori, Japan inbound Sept-Oct headed by Jim Bourn [see article on Exchanges page]? Or the accepted outbound in May 2006 to Croatia followed by an inbound from Fortaleza, Brazil? (see UPDATE in Exchanges.)

WOW!! It’s been and is shaping up to be a great year for FFD. And none of this would be possible without your participation. What a great group you are! Thanks to every one of you.

In Friendship, 

Paula

FFD Meetings  

Past Meetings

April: We participated in the World Friendship Day with a dinner and auction. Seventy members and friends attended a catered dinner at King Of Glory Lutheran Church in Dallas followed by a silent and live auction. Of the 93 silent auction items, 76 were sold in spirited bidding (items not auctioned were donated to the Plano Salvation Army). In the live auction, we sold 41 of 46 unique items. The winning bidders obtained many outstanding values. The most interesting bidding occurred when Paula Rose successfully outbid Edward Perez, her only competitor. That family REALLY wanted that item. A great time was had by all while the club grossed over $5800. After our Great Legacy Campaign gift of $1500 to FFI, food, wine and printing expenses, FFD now has over $3400 for future Bridge Builder projects, mainly purchasing refurbished computers for overseas blind schools. Our thanks to all who donated so many valuable and interesting items and especially to those of you who bid the prices up in obtaining them.

May: The buffet meeting at Indian restaurant Pasand featured speaker Dagmar Fleming from the World Affairs Council of Greater Dallas speaking about recent events at the Council and the upcoming Community Connections programs (10 people from Novosibirsk, Siberia coming to Dallas to learn about business practices).  If you are interested in hosting one of the Novosibirskis from June 8 - June 30, 2005, please contact Dagmar at dfleming@dallasworld.org.

UPDATE: The welcome reception for the visiting Russians is on Thursday, June 9 from 7-9 pm at the Radisson Hotel in Dallas, 6060 N. Central Expwy, just north of Mockingbird. Light hors d'oeuvres will be served and a cash bar will be available. No reservations are need. Direct questions to Diana Genung - dgenung@dallasworld.org.

Next Meeting: June 12, 5 pm – Summer picnic at a private home. 

For more information on the location and for reservations, please 

contact Paula Rose, at paularose2000@hotmail.com. 

Please bring: a lawn chair and a dish to serve 10  (casserole, vegetable, salad, meat dish, etc. We are not supplying meat.)

Furnished: Drinks, dessert, plates, silverware

Cost: $3 per person

Program: Business meeting and Share a FF exchange moment (time: one minute @). 

Future Meetings

Since November, average attendance at our meetings is up, way up! It’s now in the 70s with over 85 at the April meeting. Glad you all are participating, getting involved and inviting friends and guests. As more and more folks are attending, we’ll need larger places in which to meet. So, if you know of a restaurant, clubhouse or meeting place that can easily accommodate such a large and friendly group, contact Mary Latham, our Program Coordinator (mjmcl04@yahoo.com).

July – Dinner for 8 or 10-in home dinners. If you would like to volunteer to be a host, contact Mary Latham at mjmcl04@yahoo.com.

August 14 – Program and Location TBD. Have an idea?? Let Mary L. know!

September 11 – Preparation for Japanese Inbound [Location TBD]

October – Japanese Inbound parties and dinners [Location TBD]

November 13 – Program and location TBD

Club News

FFD Membership

Welcome to our Newest Members!!

As of April 26^th, we now have 101 members and 9 associates from 74 households, including our newest members listed below.  Introduce yourself at future meetings. And remember to greet visitors and guests!!

          daleklosterman@sbcglobal.net      

          hildaklosterman@sbcglobal.net

The following folks have renewed their membership after our initial membership drive in January. Refer to your 2004 Yearbook for contact information, or contact the webmaster at txtravel@flash.net.

If you have recently joined but forgot to order a name badge or if you need a replacement name badge, please send your name and $5.50 per badge to Juli Ziev, our Membership Co-Chair  - julimdesigns@sbcglobal.net.

Joys and Concerns        

Submitted by Allen Terrell and Pam Varney-Terrell in memory of Francis L. Varney, Pam’s Dad:

Perhaps you sent a lovely card       

Or sat quietly in a chair.       

Perhaps you sent a special bouquet         

If so, we saw it there.           

 

Perhaps you spoke the kindest words      

As any friend could say,      

Perhaps you were not there at all

Just thought of us that day.

 

Whatever you did

To console our hearts,

We thank you so much

Whatever the part.

Please send your joys and concerns to Mary-Helen Lyons or Jean Beler and also to Edward for publication.

Newsletter 

We’ve gone electronic!

Edward Perez, editor

Having recorded the 2005 membership renewals and updated the mailing & emailing addresses, you’re looking at the first FFD newsletter ready for email delivery! If you’re just reading the text version in your email [and missing all the cool photos and graphics] and need help getting Adobe Acrobat installed to see it in all its electronic glory, contact Edward - erperez@acm.org.  

We publish our newsletter bi-monthly. Please send all articles, news items, photos, etc. to Edward Perez by June 20^th for the next newsletter issue - erperez@acm.org or by fax 214-553-4547).

Board Meetings

The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Monday May 9^th at Marilyn McRae's condo clubhouse. All Board Officers and Committee Chairs - please plan to attend so we will have a quorum for any decision-making. These meetings are open to any member or friend who wishes to attend. Be sure to call Marilyn for directions and to be put on the admittance list if you wish to attend [the apt management has a doorman who checks all guests.

For a copy of past board meeting minutes, contact Pat Peters or Betty Mayeur.

For information about our financial condition, contact Susan Cooper or any board member.

Committees

Board Officers

Elected Officers:

President: Paula Rose (paularose2000@hotmail.com)       

1st Vice President: Mary Suther

2nd VP, Membership: Herb & Juli Ziev     

3^rd VP, Programs: Mary Latham

Treasurer: Susan Cooper   

Secretary: Pat Peters & Betty Mayeur

Appointed Officers:

Administrative

     Parliamentarian: Mary Williams     

     Ways and Means: Ed Edgren

Exchanges

     Exchange Coordinator: Ray Enstam  

     Exchange Treasurer: Ana Marie Lee

     Tottori Japan Inbound: Jim Bourn

Communications

     Newsletter: Edward Perez  

     Publicity/Communications: Myrna/Dick Ridings

     Website/Yearbook: Mary Williams 

     Telephones: John Funk

     Speakers Bureau: Jim Bourn

Outreach

     Bridge Builders: Bob Langford/Ed Edgren           

     Hospitality: Waldrons, BeHanneseys, Fipps/Anker, Whaleys

     Prospects/Member Packets: Lee Latham

     Sunshine: Mary-Helen Lyons, Jean Beler

FF of Dallas History

Bridge Builders

Ed Edgren

We all were just paid for our efforts in sending computers to the school in Bucharest. My friend who is trying to put a tour together for us had to pay the import duty, as the school is too poor to pay the $9 per package in duties. I will repay her when I return to Romania.  

5/28/05 UPDATE from Bob Langford: We were featured again on channel 8 at 5 Sunday May 29. This was the 3rd or 4th time that we have had the computer refurbishing program in great coverage in the last couple of weeks. It has brought in computer donations and interested callers.

Bob

UPDATE 6/1/05: Ed Edgren received the following letter  from his contact in Romania. We are making a difference in several parts of the world. If you remember, delivery of the computers we shipped was delayed since the school did not have $9/computer for customs duty. Costela helped out.

Dear Mr Ed,

Everyone in the school is very, very happy, because today they got the computers! You must see them and to hear them to realize what means all this for the school! And I am happy too that I helped them. I'm only sorry that they told me so late about the money! But everything it's OK if it finishes OK!
On behalf of the school, I'm grateful for your help and kindness! The school will send to you and to the other people who were involved in this action an official letter, with their impressions and thanks.

Thank you again and wish you a happy and beautiful life!
God bless you all!
Costela Petcu

Mission Trip to Romania

Ed Edgren

I’ve been a member of FFD since 1995 and am currently co-chairman of our Bridge Builder program. Our club has been active in sending computers for the visually impaired to overseas schools and has sent 12 to two schools in Romania. As a volunteer with USAID (a US government program), I have traveled to Romania three times in the last two years to assist a company and to locate schools for the blind. Atlanta FFI and the FFD Board have approved my effort to take a group to Romania to try to develop the start of Friendship Force clubs in Romania; the one club in Romania is not functioning well.

One of the items I auctioned at our March 1^st event was a wine & cheese event to introduce members to a tour I am planning to Romania. Tour members will visit Romania to initiate contacts for potential new clubs in Bucharest and either Brasov or Buzau, Romania. We will travel throughout the country by bus with driver and English speaking guide to Sibiu, Cluj, Bistria, Suceava, Sighisoara, Brasov, Dracula's Castle (just to say you've been there) and Bucharest. Approximate cost is less than $1000 for 12 nights lodging, breakfasts and dinners included, transportation and transfers with dedicated minibus, entrance fees to all museums and all taxes. Airfare and personal expenses are not included in this cost.

Your Mission, should you accept it (TV program in the 60's?), is to treat two or three Romanian citizens to a group dinner and viewing of our new Friendship Force video in PAL. We will also visit one or two Schools for the Visually Deficient where our club has sent computers in the past. You will also be asked to select an e-mail pal once we have visited the cities to begin a support network effort to start up their clubs. You will come away with a tremendous satisfaction in befriending a poor country.

This is a national exchange. Please contact me for more info.

Ed Edgren: texmared@aol.com   

NOTE: See Ed's e-mails from trips to Romania on our Articles page.

See more information about the Romania trip on Exchanges.

FFD Exchanges

Tottori, Japan Inbound

Jim Bourn, Exchange Director

September will be a big time for our club to renew our friendships with the Friendship Force of Tottori, Japan. The group now has grown to 11 with a few more expected. The exchange is tentatively set for Monday September 26th thru Monday October 3^rd.

Here’s the working schedule for the week:

Exchanges are a real team effort and we’ll need plenty of help. Gary Paramore has agreed to be my Assistant. Please contact either of us to volunteer for any of the activities below and help make this a great exchange that the ambassadors will remember for years to come!   Contact Jim – airbourn@comcast.net or Gary – gazzapazza@mindspring.com to volunteer for:

FF Southwest Regional News

SW Region Open Doors

Jim Young of Fort Worth initiated this program in 2004, with Ft. Worth and San Antonio “Opening their Doors” (hosting members of other SW Conference clubs for a three-day weekend, possibly coinciding with a special event in the host club's city). The FFD Board is open to hosting one next year (as we will probably have only one inbound and one outbound).  If you are interested in coordinating, hosting and/or volunteering, please contact Paula Rose.

The schedule for upcoming Open Doors is:

Contact Jim Young (jim_and_berry@hotmail.com) for more info.

SW Region 2005 Outbound Exchanges

One of our region’s goals is to have successful outbound exchanges for every club in our region! One way to assist each other in doing so is to share information about the various outbounds. Here are some of the latest ones.

Remember, you may travel with any other club from our region or the US if they have room for you; just contact the Exchange Director of that outbound. We’ll post updates on our website [Go to “Other Clubs” on the Exchange page].