Jim's Jewels

La Libertad, Peru Club Coming to Texas

UPDATE: THE INBOUND IN MAY AND JUNE IS CANCELLED. THIS EXCHANGE HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER.  See the UPDATE on this exchange.

Ray Enstam reports that the dates have now been set for our only inbound exchange for this year.  The Friendship Force of La Libertad (Trujillo) Peru will be in Dallas the first week in June.   They will travel first to Austin to spend the last week in May and then arrive here on Sunday, June 1, 2003. 

This club is located in the northern coastal desert of Peru - in an area rich in history, both Moche Indian and Spanish. Prominent Moche ruins are in the area (Chan-chan is pictured here) and local fishermen still make and use reed boats as their ancestors did. Trujillo is famous for its competition for marinera dancing.

Ray Enstam and Jim Bourn will act as co-directors of the exchange.  Other members of the committee include Paula Rose, home host coordinator; Lee Latham, day host coordinator; Brud Kisner, Dallas and Fort Worth day tours coordinator; Pam Varney Terrell gift bags coordinator; Mary Williams, Exchange Booklet; and Mary-Helen Lyons, in home dinners coordinator. 

Please mark this week on your calendar so we can have full participation from the club.  If you would like to host, day host or host a small group dinner, please contact Ray or one of these committee coordinators. Don’t wait to be asked! Remember, this is our only international exchange for the year and this is why we exist.

Inter-club Exchange

See UPDATE!

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Upcoming Events

Get-Acquainted Coffee

Mary-Helen Lyons,  Lee Schomer and Nancy Monson have put together a social event for new members and other “established” members who would like to get to know each other better. If you would like to attend, please let one of these hosts know. Questions? Contact Mary-Helen Lyons - MHLTX@mymailstation.com or Lee Schomer - leesgab@aol.com. No hostess gifts.

How Far Would You Go ???

for a good cup of coffee or tea, new FRIENDS and different scenery

on a beautiful spring day? This is your opportunity to discover.

You are invited to a Friendship Force Dallas Get Acquainted COFFEE

Saturday, April 26,  10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Our host, located in 3 areas of the metroplex provide you the choice of a neighbor or someone living on the other side of nowhere you’ve ever been, for an adventurous outing. Bring a home-baked goodie. Please RSVP by April 21:

HOSTS:

 Ruthelle Wilson           DeSoto (south)        ruthelled@sbcglobal.net

 LaNell Koch                Garland (east)          Lanell162@aol.com

 Jackie Bluhm              Dallas (northwest)   gbluhm@qwestinernet.net

May Meeting

Upcoming Meetings

Jim’s Jewels

Unfortunately we are at war again. Hopefully it will be short and the damage, pain and loss will be small on both sides. We all have friends, family and Friendship Force friends who will be affected. As the world becomes smaller, any act by a few can have enormous effects on the whole both personally and economically. We, our leaders and religious leaders must learn to live together in peace as we all believe in, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It is hard for me to see this as war.

The Fort Worth group arranged a trip over to Dallas last Saturday on the Trinity River Express and DART train. We enjoyed the lunch with them and many of us stayed to tour the Dallas Museum of Art. Virginia Bryant in Fort Worth did her usual outstanding job in putting this together, with Mary Williams keeping us informed on the Dallas end. 

You should have received your yearbook by now. Again I have to thank Mary Williams for all her work. It was with great regret that I accepted her resignation as Exchange Director for Peru and as 1st Vice-president. Ray Enstam and I are working on the inbound from Peru and you will hear more about it as plans progress. I am talking to several people and hope to have someone to take the important position of VP soon. Yvonne Klusman has also resigned as the keeper of the Picture Album/ Scrapbook and we need a volunteer to fill her position.

I have sent our dues to National. Our membership stands at about 120. We really need everyone to get one new member next year. 

I should have the information on the International meeting in Budapest and the 8-day land package to Prague, Salzburg, and Vienna soon. Due to the long distance, we may have to stay one night in Brno, sister city of Dallas. I will try to find if FF has clubs in any of these cities. Also I will get the best flight schedules and prices. It may be best to fly Dallas to Vienna and take a train to Budapest so we can return from Vienna. (We will have to travel either through London, Paris or Frankfort enroute).

Due to another commitment, I can not make either the general meeting or Board meeting in April. I plan to cancel the April Board meeting and announce the new VP in May.  

In friendship,

Jim Bourn 

Ed Edgren Travels to Romania

Ed Edgren says “Buna dimineata” (with the t in the second word as the ts in cats) from Craiova, Romania where he has been working as a consultant for the past two months. He is finding interest in Friendship Force there, but low incomes. His e-mails about his experiences are published in full on our webpage: Romanian Visit. 

Here is an example: It is back below freezing this morning and no one remembers it being this cold so late in March.  I now have an electric space heater in the TV room in the apartment ($40/month rental plus utilities) as it was too cold to sit without my jacket on.  I confirmed that teachers make $150/month and professors in the $2-300 range while civil engineers may be up to $600 if they work for a private firm; half that if for the government.  Because all apartments were sold to the tenants after the 1990 revolution for a small amount of LEI and inflation has made them the only asset of value, the college graduates are getting married at a young age so they can afford to rent an apartment themselves.  A new dishwasher (no Maytags here as only eastern European models are available) may cost a month’s salary so it is very tough getting started with married life.  And we all thought we had it bad when we were first married 6, 16 or 46 years ago! 

Fort Worth Club Rides the Rails

On Saturday, April 22, 21 Fort Worth club members rode the TRE (Trinity River Express) and Dallas’ own DART rail on an excursion to the Dallas Museum of Art. About 16 Dallas club members met them for lunch at the DMA’s Atrium Cafe where we had a nice visit before touring the museum. Thanks to Virginia Bryant (far left) and Jim Young for organizing it, to Jim for the photos and to Londa Spillman who provided cookies for their trip home. Mary Williams (second from left) met the group downtown.

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Dallas Club News

March Meeting

Meeting Schedule

Thanks to Lilliana Hollister for arranging all the year’s meetings and to Nancy Monson for creating the attractive brochure outlining our upcoming events.  Remember that you will pay an extra $5 charge for showing up without a reservation. So be sure to mark your calendar, read flyers when they come, and make your reservation!

Membership

Thanks to the calling committee headed by John Funk. After calls for membership renewal were made, we now have 102 members.

Sound System

Lilliana Hollister and Nancy Monson are investigating the cost of purchasing a new sound system, approved by the Board.

Report of the Audit Committee

The Audit Committee consisting of Ray Enstam and John Funk reviewed the Club’s financial records for calendar year 2002 - both the regular Business Account and the Exchange Account and found no errors or irregularities in the figures or the bookkeeping systems.  The Board has expressed the thanks of the Club membership to John Whaley for two years service as Club Treasurer and to Ana Marie Lee for her past service to the Club as Exchange Treasurer. Ana Marie will continue in this position for the year 2003.

Yearbooks

Yearbooks have been printed and distributed. Please correct your books as the changes are listed in these newsletters and add new members. If you are a member and did not get your yearbook, please contact Lee Latham, who has our extra ones.

Exchanges

Exchange Coordinator Ray Enstam announced that he has officially requested an inbound exchange from Tottori, Japan for 2004 for a return visit and an outbound exchange to Western Europe or Eastern Europe or Turkey in that order.

Our inbound exchange from Libertad, Peru is on course, with about 25 ambassadors wishing to come. Sixteen already have visas.  Ray met with Saul Suarez, Exchange Director for the Libertad group on a recent trip to Trujillo. They are excited about the trip.

 
Bridgebuilders

Ray Enstam visited the School for the Blind on his trip to Trujillo last month to see how the school  was using the computers we  sent.  He was very impressed with the new room added to their building to house a computer lab.  A volunteer from the local college is working with the students at the center. They need more volunteers so that the center can be open more hours. They welcomed Ray with great hospitality and expressed heartfelt appreciation that he came.

Changes to Standing Rules

Changes to the Standing Rules regarding dues were passed by the Board. The new yearbook contains the new dues schedule:

Those joining the Club January 1 – June 30 shall pay $40.00 per individual and  $45.00 per household.

Joining the Club July 1 – August 31 shall pay $20.00 per individual and $22.50 per household. (Note: The Yearbook is in error on the household amount.)

Joining the Club September 1 – November 30 shall pay $9.00 per individual and $11.00 per household.

Joining the Club December 1 – December 31 will not be considered a member until January 1 of the following year.

Finances

If you need reimbursement for expenses, please request a Reimbursement Form from Eleanor to help her keep our expenses manageable.

Newsletters

Thanks to all contributors to this issue. Send information about club news and members to Mary Williams at  txtravel@flash.net. For the June newsletter, please submit by May 23.

Changes

Change Ruthelle Wilson’s e-mail to: ruthelled@sbcglobal.net

Change John Funk’s e-mail to:  jfunk14031@sbcglobal.net

Correct Annalies Kahan's street to Ridgecrest

Africa slides

Zia Shamsy is willing to present a “show and tell” about some of his trips, including Africa, but wants to be sure there will be a good attendance. Let him know if you would be interested.

Volunteers Needed

There are still some openings for committee chairpersons. Look at the list on above and volunteer.

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.

There will be no Board meeting in April. The next Board meeting will be May 12.  

FFI

27th Annual International Conference  

Plan to attend the next conference in Budapest, Hungary from Oct 30 - Nov 2, 2003, to be held at the Hilton Budapest.  Budapest is a beautiful city with old world charm. You may be able to combine the conference with a trip to Vienna, Prague and Salzburg or a trip to Croatia and Slovenia with FFI or Dallas.  Look for more information on the FFI webpage about plans for the conference as well as both pre- and post-conference tours and homestays. www.friendshipforce.org

Communication with FFI

If you wish to provide comments to the Board, you may e-mail to: FFIBoard@friendshipforce.org. Your comments will be taken into consideration at the next Board meeting in September, 2003.

If you are interested in downloading a copy of FFI’s annual tax returns or those of any other nonprofit organization registered in the U.S., you can access this information at the following web site: www.guidestar.org.

From Susie Smith, FFI President

At the time of this writing, our world of friends sadly witnesses a world not at peace as war is underway in Iraq. Ours is the business of overcoming differences through the love and understanding that friendship can bring. We are reminded again that, despite the choices that governments might make to resolve differences, we as individuals can take the valiant step of reaching out to others in friendship.  

Member News

Sunshine Committee

Mary-Helen Lyons reports:

It is with deep regret that we learned of the sudden death of Jayne Naughton, daughter of Jim Naughton, in Los Angeles in early March.  Interment took place in New York, where she formerly lived and her mother is buried. Jim and LaNell have our sympathy and prayers; it is always hard to lose a child.

Debbie Erb is now in a Hospice program.  This enables Don, Beverly and her sister Dari to receive assistance and support in giving her the care she needs to maintain a degree of comfort.  Cards or calls are always welcome. Our club recently sent flowers to Debbie and received this thank you:

Hi to all:

Bev and I wish to thank our Friendship Force for the beautiful Yellow Roses you delivered to our daughter Debbie.  She has enjoyed them very much, and are appreciated by all of us.

Thanks,

Bev & Don

Angel and Oran Waldron will be in Trinidad the last half of April to be with her mother who has been in poor health for some time.  We hope their presence will help her improve.

And, Just so you know we don’t overlook the ‘routine,’ Susan Cathcart  has a badly broken arm .   Bummer!   Meanwhile Wanda Hamilton is back home in Anna recouping from her hospital stay for knee surgery.  We wish everyone well.

Loss of a German Friend

From Margie Tareilo: I received news that Dorothea Kruse from Hamburg Germany, a FF guest and host, passed away Oct. 25, 2002. Her death came as a shock, and we will miss her.

Letter From Marilyn

[This letter appeared on the website last month. Letter]

Other Club Exchanges

To join another club’s exchange, contact the Exchange Director (ED) from that club as soon as possible.  See a complete list of exchanges and more details on national trips on the FFI webpage: www.friendshipforce.org

See a selection of trips and exchanges with other clubs on Other Club Exchanges.