|
|
 “Great
friends and great memories” could easily be the motto of our recent
outbound exchange with two clubs in Japan. The exchange consisted of two
one-week homestays, one week in Tokyo and one week in Yonago, Tottori
Prefecture. Many of
the ambassadors continued on to Kyoto for an additional two days.
 In
Tokyo, many of our ambassadors renewed old friendships with members of
the Tokyo Club who had visited with us in March, 2001, as well as
meeting many new friends. The week went quickly as we saw many sights in
Tokyo, Yokohama and Kamakura. We all became quite familiar with the
hustle bustle of train travel (yet quite efficient) while in Tokyo, but
were also offered the opportunity to relax in the soothing hot springs
baths near Mt. Fuji.
|
| Our second week homestay was in Yonago, a city of about 200,00 people,
in the prefecture of Tottori. What a great contrast of lifestyles
between our two visits! Fewer people, less congestion but certainly not
less interesting. As we approached Yonago by plane, it looked as if the
mountains almost approached the sea. We were met by a very excited new
FF club who spent their week showing us all the special sights of their
area.
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We visited the ancient city of Matsue,
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visited the Zuisenji
(Buddhist) Temple, 
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tried on kimonos,
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saw a living art museum out the windows of the Adachi
Art Museum
and had the opportunity to see Mt. Daisen, although a bit smaller than
Mt. Fuji, just as beautiful.
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Dora
Stahl cooked octopus balls at a family dinner.
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Sei Endo taught Mick Smith some
Judo
.
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Kyoto completed the trip for most of the ambassadors. It is the old
capital of Japan and is full of many historic and magnificent sights.
One that particularly stands out in my mind is the Golden Pavilion. Our
trip ended here and we returned home tired but happy.
 We
had the opportunity to see and enjoy so many wonderful things while in
Japan but I think the thing most of us will remember the most is the
warmth and kindness of our Japanese hosts.
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|
Maureen Smith, Exchange Director
Visit
Yonago ED Hiroshi Uchinaka’s website for more photos: http://www.apionet.or.jp/~uchinan/storeroom/fft/index.htm
Top
|
MESSAGE
FROM MAC
|
 Greetings,
It
is an active time for our club! The FF International Conference is
approaching fast! It will be the first time that the Conference has been
held in Dallas, and our Honorary Chairperson, Rosalyn Carter (the wife
of President Carter) will address the meeting. Although this is a
National meeting and Atlanta plans the actual conference, Marilyn has
done a great job in organizing the events from the Dallas end; Mary
Williams has been a big supporter for Marilyn. There is still time to
sign up for this event (if you have not done so already).
Congratulations
to the newly elected officers for 2003. Please give them all the support
that you have kindly given me.
The
outbound to Tuxtla, Mexico is scheduled for early January, and will be
led by Ray Enstam. This is short notice, so please contact Ray if you
can participate. I realize that the market has not treated many of us
very well recently, but these exchanges are very meaningful and do
promote understanding between different cultures.
We
have been advised that the 2003 Inbound Exchange from Libertad, Peru is
a GO! We need an Exchange Director for this exchange; please volunteer!
Gaby
and I enjoyed our summer in England and it was very pleasant that we
could host our FF friends from Wolfsburg, Germany and Riga, Latvia (the
Pobloths and the Plepes).
A
number of us participated in the recent Outbound Exchange to Japan. We
stayed one week with families in Tokyo and another week with families in
Yonago plus a side trip to Kyoto, with all of its historical
associations - not to be missed! It
was a great exchange; I wish more members could have joined us. For
Gaby and I, it was a very interesting experience, since we had not been
to Japan before (just Narita airport in transit on numerous occasions).
Besides seeing the sights in each city, we stayed with families,
blending into their daily lives. What an experience!
Everyone should experience the tatami mats, etc! – not even
slippers in these rooms. Like all other nineteen FF ambassadors, we
learned to remove our shoes when entering a house, and to use special
slippers for the toilet rooms.
For
us the Tokyo exchange was a return visit to renew friendships with Tom
and Michiko Yamazaki, who came here last year. Our hosts in Yonago
were Toshio and Masako Teraoka, who had limited English speaking
abilities, but we spent many hours laughing as we made use of the
computer dictionaries that many people possessed. The excellent beer and
sake helped things a lot. The important part was making friends.
I
personally found this exchange very fulfilling. I had met Japanese
people over the years, but Gaby and I felt we really got to know our
hosts and started to appreciate the many facets of the Japanese culture.
These exchanges make me realize that the opportunity and privilege to
stay with host families is priceless; one learns so much more than from
the usual sightseeing tours. I hope all ambassadors bonded with their
hosts and will have made lifetime friends; time will tell.
It
is well worth it! With the current political situation, I believe our
club’s fundamental principles are more important than ever. Indeed,
“A World of Friends is a World of Peace.”
Cheers!
“Mac”
Mackenzie
Top
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INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE
NOV
7-10
|
 Greetings
From Marilyn Wilson
Our time is almost upon us and I am so excited about all the plans for
the Conference. I recently
met with the FFI International Staff
Conference Committee
in Atlanta. They are really
making big plans and preparing for a fantastic meeting. The speakers
they have lined up should be very interesting with different topics and
something to fit everyone's taste.
• The conference begins on Thursday, November 7
with a reception from 6-7 PM followed by opening ceremonies, dinner and
entertainment and speeches.
• Friday will be an informative day and a great
night out at the Circle R Ranch for dinner.
Hope most of you can join us there. Western wear is a must.
We will have a bar-b-q dinner and entertainment.
Line dancing will be taught for all to enjoy.
• Saturday will be a real treat and the evening
Gala Dinner will top it off. Mrs.
Carter will be our guest speaker and she is such a delight to hear. You won't want to miss meeting and seeing her that night. The
organization's 25th anniversary will be our theme.
• I hope all of our club members and all of our
volunteers will come Sunday morning at 10 AM.
It is the only meeting that is completely free.
There will be presentation of awards, the invitation to next
year's conference and final words from FFI.
Conference
Highlights
Walking Workshops will be put on by Friendship Force attendees to the
Conference on Friday 3-5 PM and Saturday 10:30 AM-12 PM.
You will be able to walk around and see displays of best
practices and ideas that clubs are using. There will be a variety of
topics and you can see and hear as many as you like. Several of our
members will be presenters.
Our dinners will be great and decorations are going to be soooo
wonderful. The Decorations Committee is headed by Ruthelle Wilson and
Jean Griswold. Our Thursday night dinner is a Tex-Mex theme with Texas
decorations and Mexican dancers for entertainment. Special silver
(anniversary) decorations are planned for Saturday’s gala.
A Silent Art Auction will be going on all day Friday and Saturday and
close on Saturday night. Don't
miss out on the beautiful art work that will be for sale. Our club donated two of the pieces. We will also have a World
Bazaar on Sunday morning with items for sale from around the world.
Registration
It’s not too late to register for the International Conference to be
held at the Doubletree Hotel ( I-635 and North Dallas Tollway) from November
7 - 10, 2002. Our member’s cost is $275 for full
registration, or you may register for single events. However, volunteers
do not have to pay for days they volunteer and can attend the events on
the day they volunteer. If
you have volunteered for Friday and want to attend the lunch, it is $25,
payable to Atlanta (c/o Susie Harrison) in advance. It is not on the
local registration form. If anyone wants to volunteer or needs more information,
please call or e-mail Mary Williams at (txtravel@flash.net)
or Joy Perigo at (jhperigo@att.net).
The schedule and speakers for the conference are on the FFI webpage:
http://www.friendshipforce.org
Home
Hosting
After
the meeting on Sunday is over, our home hosting will start and all the
home hosts need to be at the hotel at 12 PM to pick up their
guests. Those hosting assignments will be given to you this next week;
we are waiting for a few more from Atlanta to do a final “shuffle.”
Assume that if you volunteered to host, we need you. Emily Dee is our ED
for the four day exchange. Lilliana Hollister and Mary-Helen Lyons are
planning our guests’ last night with us (Wednesday) and we plan to
have a big "farewell party."
No gifts will be exchanged, but we plan to have a dinner and a
lot of fun. Other optional events are also being planned.
So you see, we have a lot to look forward to. I hope you are getting as excited as I am. Please wear a
colored bandana each day, so that other people will know that we are the
host clubs. Host ribbons
will be given to all Dallas/Fort Worth attendees and volunteers.
Thanks to each one of you for all your hard work and hanging in there
for so long. We have been
planning this Conference for over a year now.
It will be great and I do appreciate each one of you.
My hat goes off to each one of you.
HATS OFF TO FRIENDSHIP.....
REMEMBER TO SMILE, SMILE, SMILE....
Your leader,
Marilyn Wilson
Top
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DALLAS
ACTIVITIES
|
October
Meeting
|
|
When:
Food:
Music:
Where:
|
October
5, 2002 - come for dinner and/or dancing
German
food served from 6:30 - 8 PM
Beer
and soft drinks for sale or bring your own bottle
Music/dancing
starts at 8:30 PM
Sokol
Club - SE corner Greenville and Walnut Hill - behind office building and
Gershwin’s Restaurant
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|
Cost:
Reserve: |
$12.50
(group rate) pluus any food/drinks you buy
Please
call Lilliana Hollister: 972-964-2744 |
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Coming
Up
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In November please plan to attend the Post-Conference
party on Wed. November 13 to welcome all the ambassadors from the United
States and other countries who are staying with us for a 4-day homestay.
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|
In December we will have a Holiday Party on Sunday,
December 8 at 5 PM at the
home of Edward Perez and Paula Rose. |
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PAST
MEETINGS
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August
Meeting
About 50 members and guests attended our quarterly business meeting and
delicious Japanese dinner at Mr. Sushi’s in Addison.
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September
Get-together
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| Something Special in September was special for those members who called early and
had a good time visiting with their hosts Dick and Ginny Lombardi or John
and Wendy Whaley and with both new and established members of FF/D. Though
some hosts had to cancel; their plans all sounded really upbeat, and we
hope they will run a little
smoother next time. Thanks to instigator Mary-Helen Lyons, Brud and Ann
Kisner, Lee Schomer, Marilyn McRae, Pam Varney Terrell and Nancy and Jeff
Monson.
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You will receive a reservation flyer for both
events.
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Birthday
Celebration
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| Dale
Yost was surprised on September 4th with a lunch gathering at Furr’s
Cafeteria. It was so special, for Dale has been an “active” member
since we started, going on a German exchange, hosting several inbounds,
being treasurer, taking reservations, offering services and iris plants
for auction and filling in so many “invisible” places to help people
keep the club moving smoothly. The
attendance at the lunch indicated how much we all appreciate a really
special FRIEND. He’s now off to his birthplace in North Carolina to
visit family. |
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Welcome
New Members
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Y.
K. and Mei “Hoy” Hui
E-mail:
YK-Mei@worldnet.att.net
Peggy
Jane Benton and Kenneth E Walker
E-mail:
pkintheroad@hotmail.com
Changes/corrections:
Chet
and Vivian Hicks
E-mail:
sliderule@cox-internet.com
Top |
Pat
Peters
E-mail:
patrycia43@aol.com
Dr.
Ava Vorosmarty Rowe
Jim
Ewing
E-mail:
ewingjim@attbi.com
|
DALLAS
CLUB NEWS
|
2003
Officers
Congratulations to our new officers who were elected at our August
meeting. They will take office in January 2003.
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|
President: |
Jim
Bourn |
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Vice-President: |
Mary
Williams |
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VP
Programs: |
Lilliana
Hollister |
|
VP
Membership: |
Lillian
Fipps |
|
Secretary: |
Nancy
Monson |
|
Treasurer: |
Eleanor
Roylance |
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Pins
And Pens
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|
 John
Funk has lots of our Dallas pins. They look really great and make
great gifts for your ambassadors or hosts when you travel.
We will also sell ball-point pens and pen-pencil sets at the Conference.
The pens and mechanical pencil sets are finished with a
rosewood finish and printed with The Friendship Force name.
The sets are in a desktop rosewood presentation box and are
printed on top with Friendship Force of Dallas and the FFI logo.
The pens are available without the box also. Price is $3 for
the pens and $8 for the sets. Our
Japanese hosts enjoyed receiving both items.. You can purchase pins
and pens from John at meetings or at the World Bazaar at the
Conference or by calling him.
We
also have a limited number of conference pins to sell at the
conference for $3@. The
design is the conference logo, which will also appear on the tote bag
and gift tile to be given to those getting a full conference
registration. |
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Wanted:
Exchange Director
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Since our inbound exchange from Libertad Club for June 2003 was
accepted, we need an Exchange Director. If you are interested or want
to know more about what is involved, please contact Mac by November
1. In order to allow proper planning time, we need to have an ED
appointed soon. Mac can send you an application.
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Members
in the News
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Mary Suther was featured in a full page article in the Living Section of
the Dallas Morning News last week. Entitled “From the top down” it
said, “Director of local home health care organization taps into her
own nursing experiences and helps keep focus on what's important: the
patient.” We salute Mary for this recognition.
Ana
Marie Lee volunteered in Guatemala this summer.
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Sunshine
Committee
by Mary-Helen Lyons
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In
Memory of Leon
Lillian
Fipps’ long term friend and companion Leon Applewhite, passed away
quietly in his sleep on September 15th. Leon was a member of FF/D with
Lillian until the last two years when he could no longer participate.
His death creates a significant void in Lillian’s life, and our
thoughts and prayers are with her at this time. Calls or notes are welcome.
Member
Update
Cheers for modern medicine! Vera
Lo Curto is home and feeling frisky following major surgery 9/23. Give
her a call; she likes to visit.
It’s nice to see Don and Beverly Erb at some of our activities. Debbie
is holding her own and her sister, Dari, does a great job of
“being there” so that their parents can take a break.
Speakers on Friendship Force
If
you belong to an organization that would like a free speaker for a
meeting, please contact Jim Bourn. Several of our members have given
presentations on Friendship Force to other organizations, and we are
pleased to have many visitors and new members as a result.
Help
us spread the word!
Board
Meetings
The Board meets the second Monday of each
month (with exceptions during exchanges) from
7-9 pm at the Richardson YMCA, 821 Custer Road in Richardson.
These meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend.
The remaining meeting dates for 2002 are:
October 14
Nov 18 - change
Newsletters
Thanks to all contributors to this issue. Send information about club
news and members to Mary Williams at txtravel@flash.net. For the December newsletter, please submit by Monday,
December 2.
2002 Officers
and Committees
Top
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EXCHANGES
| 2003
Dallas Exchanges |
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| We
have accepted one inbound from Libertad club (Trujillo) Peru for June
and an outbound exchange to Tuxla, Mexico in January.
Ray Enstam reminds members that these are the only exchange we
have been granted for the entire year 2003 to date. We still hope to
have another outbound exchange.
|
| Outbound
Exchange To Mexico
|
|
| From Ray Enstam: This exchange will be January 12 to 19, 2003 and will
be to the city of Tuxtla-Gutierrez, in the State of Chiapas, Mexico.
There is also an optional three-day extension to visit the city of
Oaxaca and the nearby ruins. The
homestay only includes airfare to/from Dallas/Tuxla, transfers and all
fees and is $1235. The optional extension is $720 (single supplement
$390) and includes airfare to Oaxaca, three nights in a hotel and a bus
tour to Monte Alban.
Tuxla
UPDATE:
Tuxla exchange has been cancelled.
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Other
Club Exchanges
| |
