Quick Look!

Marilyn Wilson

UPDATE August 12, 2005: It is with sadness that I announce the recent passing of Marilyn Wilson due to complications from an aneurysm. Earlier this week, she had been transported from Palacios, TX where she lived to the Herman Hospital in Houston where she passed away.

Marilyn was a member of FFD for many years as well as our president in 2001. She maintained an association membership and visited Dallas occasionally. In 2002, she coordinated the FF International Conference in Dallas. She also coordinated the SW Regional Conference here in Dallas. She was a friend to many FF members in Dallas and around the world.

Her funeral is planned for 10 AM Monday, August 15 at the First Baptist Church in Palacios, TX. The burial will be at 4 PM that same day in Gonzales, Texas. I will have a card at the August meeting Sunday, should you care to sign or send thoughts to her daughters and family. I will send it to her daughter who lives in Palacios.

We will miss her friendship and smiling face.

Meetings

July 10

The July Friendship Force of Dallas meeting will be small group dinners held in members' homes. These smaller groups are a great way to learn more about your fellow members, share travel and life stories and enjoy a great meal. Almost like a mini-exchange!  The dinners will be held on Sunday July 10 or a date chosen by the host/hostess (probably close to that day or weekend). The hostess/host will also talk with those attending at their home to coordinate the meal courses (maybe a theme, maybe pot luck, maybe summer feast, but make it festive).

If you would like to attend a dinner, please contact Betty Mayeur at bmayeur@ccccd.edu or Pat Peters at patrycia43@aol.com.

Bon Apetit!!

August 14

We will meet at 5 pm - at Constantine's Restaurant, 15404 Midway (N. of Beltline, S. of Trinity Mills - west side across from Addison Airport); Romanian buffet with meatballs, chicken, pasta, etc. $12 includes tip, but no drinks. No wine, but you can bring your own bottle. Speaker will be Thomas Mann who will speak on the Richland College Multicultural Center programs. Please reserve to Susan Cooper by August 10: copertuz@flash.net.

September 11

Although not nearly as many attended our June meeting as in previous months, we enjoyed excellent weather, excellent food, and excellent conversations.  As we gain more members and have more friends and guests attending our meetings, we’ll need larger places in which to meet. So, if you know of a restaurant, clubhouse or meeting place that can easily accommodate a large (70-90) and friendly group, contact Mary Latham, VP for Programs at mjmcl04@yahoo.com.

Mission Trip to Romania

by 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. 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.

Plans are well under way for the mission to Romania in September. Twenty-one FF members from Dallas and around the US will visit Romania to initiate contacts for potential new clubs in Bucharest and either Brasov or Buzau, Romania. We will then travel through the country by bus with driver and English speaking guide to Sibiu, Cluj, Bistria, Suceava, Sighisoara, Brasov, Dracula's Castle and Bucharest.

See details on Exchanges page.

FFD Exchanges 

Tottori, Japan Inbound

by Jim Bourn, Exchange Director

September will be here before we know it. The group from Japan is now up to 18 (16 women and 2 men). I have the names of the ambassadors but will be receiving more info and addresses shortly. (UPDATE: We have this information now. UPDATE: One man is not coming - total 17]]

Some of our hosts have made prior arrangements with families or individuals that they had stayed with in Japan. For the remaining ambassadors, I am in the middle of assigning homes.  In all, we need 11 or 12 host homes and currently have nine (9). UPDATE: We now have enough home hosts.  

The exchange is set for Monday September 26^th thru Monday October 3^rd. 

Please see Exchanges for a schedule for the week.

Please volunteer to help:

UPDATE: Members have volunteered for most of these jobs; need more go-to people.

To help with any or all these events, contact Jim Bourn (airbourn@comcast.net) or Gary Paramore (after August 1st) atgazzapazza@mindspring.com.

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Zagreb, Croatia Outbound 

by Mary Williams, Exchange Director

I have been in contact with the ED in Zagreb. We are planning for a late May exchange to take advantage of lower priced airfare and tour. Because this is a joint exchange with Rio Grande Valley club, they will have some of the 16 homestay places, so we anticipate a full exchange. There will be a "start date" in the fall at which time those interested can reserve a place with a deposit. This date will be publicized to everyone in both clubs. 

If you have any leads, contacts or info about Croatia, contact Mary - txtravel@flash.net.  More later.

Zagreb

Dubrovnik

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Other Club 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 outbound exchanges. 

Remember, you may travel with any other club from our region or with any US club if they have room for you; just contact the Exchange Director of that exchange. We post updates on our website. Click on Other Clubs for a current listing, or visit the FFI website: www.friendshipforce.org

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Paula’s Roses

Hello FFDers,

I’ve escaped the heat of Dallas as many of you have and am enjoying COOL Florida and my grandkids. Right now I'm typing with one hand and holding a sleeping baby. Even though so many of us have left Dallas for the summer, we still are having some great meetings. Thanks to Kathy Morris, we had a large, cool backyard for our picnic and business meeting in June and 40+ attended – a great turnout for summertime. In July, we'll have small in-home dinner; this is a great opportunity to get to know a few people better and to visit with long-time friends. We have had a steady increase in our membership … 120 members now and plenty of visitors. In August, Mary Latham has planned a great program with a speaker from Richland College’s Multicultural Center. All in all, an interesting summer for FFD.

September will bring us a meeting to prepare us for our inbound exchange from Tottori, Japan led by Jim Bourn. Jim still needs help in several areas (see Exchanges). So, please call or email him to lend your hand. This is an excellent chance to meet our 18 Japanese visitors and to participate in the main reason for our club – exchanges. You can participate at many levels: helping with a dinner or the farewell party, to home or day host, to join in on the tours and excursions providing your experiences. Jim especially needs at least 3-4 more home hosts. Home hosting is like having a vacation without the expense of leaving Dallas. Seeing our city through the eyes of a new friend from another culture is extremely rewarding!

In September, Ed Edgren will be leading a mission trip to Romania and can take one more person from Dallas. Contact Ed soon if you want to go. He is hoping to start a Friendship Force chapter or possibly two in that country as well as to assist the school for the blind there with more specially equipped computers. His 20+ ambassadors will also enjoy beautiful friendly Romania (where Cold Mountain was filmed).

After returning from our exchange to Trujillo, Peru, I have been using my contacts to obtain some equipment and supplies for the school for the blind in Trujillo. Freedom Scientific (of Sarasota, FL) has agreed to donate $500 worth of braille paper and, possibly, a braille embosser (braille printer). I have contacted Carol Fenci, of FF of Cincinnati, who is leading an exchange there later this year.  Several of their ambassadors have volunteered to take some of these goods in their luggage when they visit Peru so we can save on shipping costs and to guarantee their arrival. I have asked Myrna and Dick Ridings, our Publicity Chairs, to write an article about all that our BridgeBuilders has done for these schools and the fine interclub cooperation we have in delivering goods. We can then submit it to not only our local papers but also to FRIENDSHIP, FFI’s quarterly magazine.

Also, in September, we will have a short business meeting and election of officers for 2006. I have volunteered to stand for election as President again and the nominating committee headed by Ana Marie Lee and composed of Ray Enstam, Lillian Fipps, John Whaley and Jim Bourn are almost finished with a slate of officers I'm truly excited about. If you wish to volunteer for an office or for any of our committees, please contact one of the people on the nominating committee ASAP. You are a great group of folks to work with and this is the main reason I hope to be your President in 2006. Every time I have needed help, someone has come forward to give it. Thank you!

In Friendship, 

Paula

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Club News

Welcome to our Newest Members!!

As of June 26^th, we have close to 120 members and 9 associates from 79 households, including our newest members listed below. If you’re receiving this newsletter via email, print out the attached list of recent members, fold it in half and add it to your 2005 FFD Yearbook.

Introduce yourself at future meetings. And remember to greet visitors and guests!!

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

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2006 FFD Board Nominations

The nominating committee, consisting of Ana Marie Lee, Chair, and Jim Bourn, Raymond Enstam, Lillian Fipps and John Whaley, has been busy over the past few weeks. They have talked to many folks and are pleased to announce the following nominations for the 2006 FFD Board. Pending the nomination for the 3^rd Vice President, they will officially announce the list at least 15 days before the September 2005 business meeting so we can vote on the list then (see FFD By-Laws in your yearbook for more details).

If you are interested and willing to help out these folks next year in any of our activities or committees, contact Ana Marie (amlee@wans.net), any one on the nominating committee or any of the current officers or committee chairs.

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Newsletter

We’ve gone electronic!

This is our second FFD newsletter distributed via the Internet and the USPS.

If you’re 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 me and I’ll help out.

If you’re receiving your newsletter via email and want to switch back to a physical newsletter, let me know and I’ll switch you back (you’ll still receive it via email so I don’t have to maintain three mailing lists). 

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

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Board Meetings

The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Monday July 11^th at 5909 Luther Lane (near NW Hwy & Douglas). 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. If you are not an officer, be sure to call Marilyn McRae 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.

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Committees

Officers and Committee Members are:

Officers

President: Paula Rose                                  

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

Administrative

Parliamentarian: Mary Williams                    

Ways and Means: Ed Edgren

Exchanges

Exchange Coordinator: Ray Enstam            

Tottori Japan Inbound: Jim Bourn

Croatia Outbound: Mary Williams

Exchange Treasurer: Ana Marie Lee

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

If you do not have contact information, you can get it from Paula Rose: paularose2000@hotmail.com

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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 in 2006 (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 events is: 

San Antonio – Labor Day Weekend

Ft. Worth – September 16-18 (Jazz Festival)

Houston – October 23 - 25 (Quilt Festival) Click on Houston for more information.

Baton Rouge LA – Feb 2006 (Spanish Town Mardi Gras Parade). 

See our Events page or contact Jim Young (jim_and_berry@hotmail.com) for more information.

SW 2006 Regional Conference – OKC 

by Don Henderson, President of Oklahoma Friendship Force

We are very excited that we'll have the privilege of hosting the 2006 S.W. Regional Conference in Oklahoma City.  The date is February 17 - 18, 2006.  We have chosen the Clarion Meridian Hotel in Oklahoma City for the location and will be forwarding information on cost, etc. as soon as it is available.  The conference coordinator is Geneva Hancock (genhand@swbell.net).  Our committee is busy planning the details, which will be forwarded to you in the near future.  Don't forget to mark your calendars.  We are looking forward to seeing you then.