May 2023
	Quick Look
Travel Book Club	President's Notes	Friendship Force International
Facebook	Upcoming Meetings	Next World Conference
Shuttle Service	Past Meetings	FFI-Virtual Experiences
Badge Replacement	Club_News	Journeys
Contact Info Updates	Call for Volunteers	Travel Insurance

Hello Friendship Force Dallas Membership,

It’s spring and what a wonderful time of the year to be in Dallas with all the lovely Texas wildflowers. It’s also the start of the travel season.

As a club we have a great deal of travel going on. We have a very interesting outbound journey to Dayton, Ohio, May 18 -25th. There may still be spaces available. If interested contact Barbara Taylor at be_taylor@verizon.net . We will be hosting an inbound journey, also from Dayton, in the fall. Friendship Force International World Conference will be October 2nd – 5th in Dubrovnik, Croatia. We already have eight members who are going to this beautiful part of the world and there’ll be more to follow in this newsletter on all of the above.

At our last Friendship Force Dallas meeting, we suggested and worked on each of us having our own elevator speech about Friendship Force. I am asking that each member take on the challenge of being able to speak about our club and purpose in a two-minute speech or less. With this in mind, I went to Friendship Force International’s website at https://friendshipforce.org to get some ideas. This was what I
found on their home page.

“For us, travel is about more than taking a vacation. With over 300 clubs and thousands of members worldwide, Friendship Force International connects people with its mission to promote global understanding across the barriers that separate people. Through home-hosting and meaningful travel experiences, participants learn about other cultures, develop a better understanding of our world, and discover our shared humanity.”

I thought this might give you a few ideas to form your own Friendship Force elevate speech. Let’s have some fun with this. The next time you meet a FFD member, ask them for their elevator speech. It would be a good idea for you to have your own speech ready in return.

I look forward to seeing you at FFD meeting, journeys and conferences. Don’t be surprised if I ask you for your elevator speech.

Sandy Kaiser - President

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2023 World Conference: Registration is Live!
October 2 - 5, 2023 | Dubrovnik, Croatia 
Sheraton Riviera Dubrovnik

Online registration is now available for our 2023 World Conference, which will take place from October 2-5, 2023 in beautiful Dubrovnik, in southern Croatia. Copy and paste the link below into your browser to learn more and sign up. We hope to see you there!
https://whova.com/web/MHGa2lx4%40KKr8tao3GHiEYkN9ULEng1s7l1FzS-VUaI%3D/

* Plans are underway, including pre- and post-conference tours in the region
* Registration is now open!
  Some of our Club members are planning to attend; others are still thinking about it. If you are one of those who have yet to decide, please read on. There will be several day excursions and pre-/post-conference tours within and outside of Croatia available to conference attendees. For any questions, please contact: valerie@friendshipforce.org
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TOURS
If you are looking to extend your stay in Europe with a pre- or post-conference tour, there are several options; however, space is filling-up fast:

Pre-Conference:
A Taste of Istria and Dalmatia: you will discover Venice and Croatia, specifically the Istrian and Dalmatian regions and their seaside picturesque towns, a mix of cultural exploration and gastronomy highlights of the region: truffles, olive oil etc.
- Balkans the Land of Blood and Honey: this is for you if you are interested in learning about the history of the Balkans region, through first-hand testimonials. You will meet with locals sharing their view on the Croatian war of independence. It's a dual narrative tour, so you will not hear only one side of the story but both the Croatian and Bosnian versions.

Post-Conference:
- Gems of the Adriatic region, Croatia and Slovenia: this tour is heading north along the Dalmatian coast, to explore Mostar (Bosnia), Croatian seaside towns, the capital of Zagreb, and beautiful Slovenia with many natural wonders.
- Discover the Balkans: this itinerary is an opportunity to see several countries in a more off-the-beatentrack region such as Kosovo or Albania where the locals are very friendly and approachable; since tourism isn't very developed yet.

Day Excursions:
A number of excursions and day-trips will be offered during the conference. Whether you are looking to learn more about Dubrovnik, participate in oyster or olive harvest or learn about wine and traditional cooking, there really is something for everyone!

Read all about the tours and excursions on the conference website, in the Logistics tab, right below accommodation information.

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Dear Friendship Force Members, As travel continues to rebound, we are finding there are new fractures in the world and people's understanding of one another, and a growing appeal for citizen diplomats like us to stand up for peace. Meet new friends while reconnecting with old ones as we explore the future of Friendship Force and how our movement of peace through friendship will help answer the call.

In friendship,
Jeremi Snook, CEO

Begin Your Journey

Friendship Force Clubs have been thriving around the world since 1977. Today, there are more than 300 Clubs in 60 countries; people willing to open their doors in the name of hospitality and friendship. Friendship Force International (FFI) is the parent organization under which all the clubs are chartered. You can travel with any club that has room on their journey. The best way to see what is available is to search the FFI Website by clicking on the link below or copy and paste it into your browser: https://helpcenter.friendshipforce.org/journeys

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Meetings coordinator – Paula Rose, paularose2000@hotmail.com

Past Meetings Viewable Online

IMPORTANT: Please note the start time of our general meetings at Forest Green Library has changed to       2 pm until further notice.

Were you unable to attend a past meeting? Want to "re-attend" a past meeting? You can view recordings of our prior meetings at our club's YouTube webpage (click on "Videos" or "Playlists"). Recordings run between 50 minutes and just over an hour. You can always "rewind" or "fast forward" sections. You can watch them on your computer, tablet, smartphone or smart TV. ....

FF Dallas' YouTube Channel at https://tinyurl.com/FFD-YouTubeChannel...
Or search YouTube for "FFDallas Texas" (include the quotation marks!)

SPECIAL MEETING ABOUT FF DALLAS AND FF INTERNATIONAL IN FEBRUARY

The February "All about FF Dallas and FF International" meeting is on YouTube. Plus, edward made another recording where he described his role as Regional Field Rep and demonstrated the myFF.org website.
.... the meeting is at https://ff-dallas.tiny.us/FFD-AllMember-2023-02-11
.... the 2nd recording is at https://ff-dallas.tiny.us/FFD-FieldRep-myFF-2023-02-14
If you would like a PDF of the presentation, Edward can email you a copy. Just let him know.

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March Meeting - Hawaii 1: the Big Island and Maui

For our March meeting, Mary Williams presented the first of two programs on Hawaii. This was part 1: the Big Island and Maui. During this illuminating presentation Mary explained extensively about the volcanoes of Hawaii and showed lots of vegetation along with some beautiful photos of the landscape and sunsets.
 

Volcanoes		Different types of ginger

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April Meeting - Ned Fritz and his amazing work in ecology

This month Amy Martin (autho of "Wild DFW" treated us to a history of the lawyer, Ned Fritz, who saved the Trinity River from becoming a barge canal and used his legal skills to protect many of the wild areas of Texas and beyond.

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Join Another Club’s Journey

Don’t forget to check the FFI website for other possible adventures for 2023. They are a tremendous (and sometimes underutilized) resource for our clubs. You can get information at https://www.friendshipforce.org
Click on "News & Updates" for the Blog page and "Virtual Experiences" for the Virtual Experiences page.

Here's a direct link to the FFI Blog which has links to the Friendship Connection newsletters.
https://blog.friendshipforce.org/. If you are interested in 2022 and 2023 Journeys you can go to www.FriendshipForce.org page: then https://archive.friendshipforce.org/journeys-and-eflyers/ . Just click on a Journey name if you are interested and send a message.

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Facebook
Like our page and follow what is going on with FF Dallas.                           

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Shuttle Rides
Shuttle Coordinator Aurora Madrigal - aurora487@sbcglobal.net

For those of you doing some traveling or for running errands, remember, use our volunteer shuttle service (see page 45 in your yearbook). Make a new friend or learn about a friend's journey/trip during that ride to/from the airport. Send an email to ffdallas-shuttle@googlegroups.com with info on date, time, and place for pickup and/or drop-off.

Want to become a shuttle driver? Send an email to Aurora Madrigal for more info. If you use this service, remember to send a donation to the club treasurer (Leslie Parker) after your ride and pay your driver $5 for his/her expenses.

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Board

Board meetings are being held via Zoom on the second Tuesday of each month, following our monthly  club meeting.  All members are welcome to attend. Please contact our Vice-president, edward perez at erperez54@gmail for a link to Zoom if you wish to attend. The next Board meeting is on June 26th at 1 pm - a later date, since our club meeting has been set back to June 24th..

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The Travel Book Club

Chair: Barbara Taylor - be_taylor@verizon.net

Here is the list of books for the next few months: All FFD and other FF members are welcome to attend our Zoom meetings on the last Tuesday of the month.

Date	Book/Author	Discussion Leader
April 28	Roughing It, by Mark Twain	Janis Robinson
May 23	Caliph's House: a Year in Casablanca, by Tahir Shah	Marie Beck
June 27	A Wedding in Haiti, byJulia Alvarez	LouAnn King
July 25	Book TBA	Barb Taylor

We meet at 1 pm on Zoom. If you like to be on Barb's list and discuss some travel books, let her know at the email address above.] We’d love you to join us at one of our Zoom meetings (even if you haven’t read the book for that month). If you’re not on the email list to receive the link, simply contact Barb Taylor at the above email address.

Thanks, Barb Taylor

Mary Latham shared a link for free e-books:
https://lifehacker.com/how-to-read-e-books-for-free-without-pirating-them-1847187739

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Vice-President Membership - edward perez, erperez54@gmail.com

Spring has sprung, brought blooming flowers and now April and May Showers!!
Wishing you a Great Spring!

edward perez
Vice President, Membership

Members

Thanks to FF Dallas members who have invited your friends to our meetings! Tell your friends and acquaintances about FF Dallas and invite them to an upcoming meeting or event.

Please extend your hand of friendship to our two newest members the next time you see them at an upcoming meeting or event!
* Stephen Lawler - Evergreen Club friend of Mary Williams
* Glenna Witherspoon - friend of Paula Rose
 

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Membership

We are now 75 members: 71 Individuals, two Associates, and two Emeritus.

THANKS to the 40 FF Dallas members who have signed up for myFF.org. That gives you a member ID, access to news and club info on the website, and ability to receive FFI news & info that is sent to those who have signed up. If you need assistance in signing up, please contact me.

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Member Meetings

So far this year, we are averaging between 25 and 30 members and guests attending our monthly meetings. I encourage all members to attend in person (carpool w/ members in your area - see your 2023 yearbook for members by Zip Codes). Since we have a Zoom account, if you are out of town or cannot attend, you can attend the meeting over Zoom. For those who attend in person, we often go out for early dinner - LOTS of time to visit and learn about your fellow members. 

I encourage all members to attend in person (carpool w/ members in your area - see your 2023 yearbook for members by Zip Codes). And if you are out of town or cannot attend, we broadcast the meeting over Zoom. For those who attend in person, we often go out for early dinner - plenty of time to visit and learn about your fellow members.

Also, I encourage you to invite your friends, members of groups/organizations you're in, and others to our meetings, gatherings, and events.
 

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See Videos

"It was Just a Week - FFI video 2017"
A short video describing what can happen during a Friendship Force International Journey.
.... https://youtu.be/meNDjVcCzH8

"Explore, Understand, Serve - FFI video 2011"
A short video describing what Friendship Force Intl is about - exploring, understanding, serving the cause of friendship.
.... https://youtu.be/unIhM1HGFPE

FFD All Member Meeting
.... https://ff-dallas.tiny.us/FFD-AllMember-2023-02-11

FF Southwest USA Field Rep and my.friendshipForce.org website (starts at 6:20 into the video)
.... https://ff-dallas.tiny.us/FFD-FieldRep-myFF-2023-02-14

The meeting is at https://ff-dallas.tiny.us/FFD-AllMember-2023-02-11
The 2nd recording is at https://ff-dallas.tiny.us/FFD-FieldRep-myFF-2023-02-14

All the FF Dallas videos are at https://ff-dallas.tiny.us/FFD-YouTubeChannel

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Membership Connections - 3rd Thursdays / Saturdays

3rd Thursdays / Saturdays are back!
In March, we met at Big Shucks in Richardson. In April, we met at Havana Cafe in Casa Linda Shopping Center. These are smaller and more informal gatherings and an excellent way to meet & learn about other members.
COME JOIN US!

Know of a great restaurant for lunch or a great place we can visit for 3rd Thursday / Saturday?
Have ideas for Membership Connections topics and/or locations?
Like to volunteer to organize and/or host a gathering, field trip, picnic, tasting, games night, etc.?
If so, let me know!!

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Let People Know About Friendship Force Dallas!!!

THANKS to those members who have invited your friends, family, and members of other clubs to our meetings and events. Please continue to share with your friends about Friendship Force and invite them to our meetings and events - just forward club emails to them. If you know of a group that might be interested in learning about FF, please contact me.

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Contact Info Updates

If you move or change your contact information, let me know so I can update the records. I will publish a list of updates every few months which you can use to update your yearbook and email address book. Our telephone tree, led by Patty Niemeyer, contacts members prior to monthly events. If you haven't been receiving calls, contact edward perez so I can make sure you are on the calling list. If you know a member who has not be attending recently, please give them a call and invite them, perhaps offering to carpool with them. Pages 21-24 of your yearbook lists members by zip code.

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Replacement Badges

Do you need to replace a lost or damaged badge? Need a replacement magnet? If so, please contact edward perez who will order a new one. Replacement badges are $14 (mailed to your home) or $11 (pickup in Richardson). Magnets are free.
    
edward perez
vice president, membership:
erperez54@gmail.com

                              
                    
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Remember, FFI hosts Virtual Experiences presented by FFI staff and members of clubs around the world. There are several "Faces and Places"
events.

You can see all upcoming events at the following webpage. Toward the bottom of that page is a list of previously recorded events. .... https://blog.friendshipforce.org/virtual-experiences/.

Here's a direct link to the FFI Blog which has links to the Friendship Connection newsletters.
https://blog.friendshipforce.org/.

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my.friendshipForce.org

In 2021, FFI launched my.friendshipforce.org (aka myFF or myFF.org). The idea was to partition the publicly available and member-only information to two different websites
- https://friendshipforce.org/ and
- https://my.friendshipforce.org/ (for members only).

Because of this partitioning, FFI now knows who are members in various clubs, including presidents. Thus, they can email info and announcements about the organization, journeys, virtual experiences, etc. to folks who have signed up at myFF.

Folks who sign up at friendshipForce.org for the public newsletter will only receive general information. As of October 2022, myFF.org has info about journeys, virtual experiences (webinars), conferences, events, clubs & groups, and a help center. In the future, myFF.org will provide ways to communicate with other clubs and other members *and* find and apply for journeys (the "journey marketplace").

If you are one of the 31 Dallas members who have already signed up for myFF, THANKS!

===> If you have not signed up, please do so at https://my.friendshipForce.org (click on the purple "SIGN UP" button). I have an instruction document which goes through the process step-by-step. Let me know if you want a copy or would like assistance in completing the sign up. Once you sign up, FFI assigns you a Member ID - you'll need it to apply for any journey.

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Travel Insurance

FFI used to allow a waiver for people who chose NOT to buy travel insurance and to self-insure. They are revising their policy & standard application form - everyone will now be expected to get travel & medical insurance when traveling on any FF journey, either domestic or international. People can get an insurance policy from the FFI recommend insurance company or a company of their own insurance choice. More details as they finalize their policy.

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Friendship Connection

If you’re are not receiving the FFI Newsletter or other emails from FFI, you can go to the FFI home page https://www.friendshipforce.org/  then go to the bottom, put your email address in the "email address" box under "Newsletter," then click Subscribe.

Remember, FFI hosts Virtual Experiences presented by FFI staff and members of clubs around the world. There are several "Faces and Places" events.
 
You can see all upcoming events at the FFI blog  webpage. Toward the bottom of that page is a list of previously recorded events. ....
https://blog.friendshipforce.org/virtual-experiences/

Here's a direct link to the FFI Blog which has links to the Friendship Connection newsletters.
https://blog.friendshipforce.org/.

Don’t forget to check the FFI website for other possible adventures for 2022/2023. They are a tremendous (and sometimes underutilized) resource for our clubs. You can get information at https://www.friendshipforce.org
 
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