Newsletter
Hello
Friendship Force Dallas Membership,
2023 will bring us more opportunities to fulfill our world purpose.
Expect to see more activity in our own club and other clubs throughout
the world. It will be your chance to contribute to our mission of making
the world more peaceful through making friends.
We are reminded of the phase, ‘Be the change you wish to see in the
world.’ By making and being a friend to others, from different nations,
regions and cultures, we are able to be that change. Friendship Force
Dallas is excited and looking forward to the coming year.
Our Journey Organizer, Julia Cooper, has been busy working on inbound
and outbound journeys for FFD. At this point we have an outbound to
Dayton, Ohio from May 18th to May 25th. Dayton, “The Birthplace of
Aviation,” is the hometown of the Wright Brothers. The list of
activities planned are varied and interesting. We encourage you to let
the journey coordinator for this trip, Barbara Taylor
(be_taylor@verizon.net) know that you are interested. We expect this
journey to be over-subscribed.
We encourage you to read your Yearbook, Ambassador Selection for
over-subscribed Journeys pp 35 - 36, where the selection process is
stated. One important part of this policy is to encourage participation
in journeys by new members by reserving 20% of the space for new members
who have never been on an outbound journey.
Please remember that any member of Friendship Force can also apply and
be considered for outbound journeys with any club worldwide if there is
space available. A list of those clubs with space available in 2023 can
be found at https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Tf2cX72YdZtTgsGjGr-
JaafTPMXxoGL-WI8G2nuMvIA/edit#slide=id.gc6f90357f_0_5. This list may
change throughout the month.
Sandy Kaiser, President
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If you’ve been wondering how you can help our club, here’s an opportunity for you
- as
editor of these newsletters!
If plans proceed as expected, I will move out of state during the latter half of 2023 and I’m seeking a replacement to learn the ropes of writing these
newsletters and take over from me.
There are 6 newsletters/year which are distributed every 2 months.
It’s best to have:
A reasonable level of comfort using a computer
The skill to edit articles as necessary
- The ability to use Word (importing photos as needed)
If you feel this is something at which you might want to try your hand, I’d love to hear from you.
Felicity Sentance, newsletter editor
fsentance@gmail.com
Meetings coordinator – Paula Rose,
paularose2000@hotmail.com
Past Meetings Viewable Online
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!)
November Meeting
In November we saw a presentation on a Danube River trip – from
Budapest, Hungary to Constanza, Romania with pre and post extensions
to
Prague and to Transylvania.
Barbara Taylor shared some beautiful photos and
stories about castles and tours.
 |
 |
|
Bran Castle in Transylvania – legendary home of Count
Dracula |
Prague Castle
|
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December Party
Our
Holiday party on December 17th at Chimneyhill Clubhouse was super -
with good food, good company, lots of people in ethnic costumes and
a Christmas music quiz.
 |
Elizabeth Umana and
Ramona Harper
 |
 |
|
Jim Kerr, Doris Rodriguez, Patricia Morena Fisher (First
prize for dress!), Ray Enstam, Mary Jane Wilson |
Chimneyhill Clubhouse |
Randy and Beth
Tetzlaff |
A big ‘thank you’ to everyone who helped organize, set it up and
cleaned up afterwards!
Meetings coordinator – Paula Rose
paularose2000@hotmail.com
Most meetings are now held at the new Forest Green Library. Zoom
access to these meeting is an option and members receive a
meeting flyer and link. Guests are very welcome in person and
can get a Zoom link from edward perez at
erperez54@gmail.com.
No reservation is needed. For information contact Paula Rose at
paularose2000@hotmail.com
A full calendar of the meeting schedule for 2023 can
be seen on the
Meetings.page.
(These events are not sponsored by the Dallas Library)
January Meeting
| Date: |
Saturday,
January 14, 2023 |
 |
| Time: |
3 pm |
| Location: |
Forest Green Library
|
|
|
9619 Greenville Ave Dallas
75243 |
| Speaker: |
Felicity Sentance |
| Topic:
|
Chicago Architectural Journey |
Optional
Dinner:
|
Flaming Cheese Greek - 9025 Forest Lane #191,
Dallas 75243
Sandwiches and plates $9-$12, BYOB if you want wine |
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February Meeting
| Date: |
Saturday, February 11, 2023 |
 |
| Time: |
3 pm |
| Location: |
Forest Green Library
|
|
|
9619 Greenville Ave Dallas
75243 |
| Speaker: |
edward perez |
| Topic:
|
What FFD is All About - from our Regional Rep |
Optional
Dinner:
|
Primo Brothers Pizza - 9310
Forest Lane
#134, Dallas 75243 (back of strip at SW corner of
Abrams/Forest)
Pizzas and full Italian menu
BYOB if you want wine |
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Links to recordings of past meetings are on the
Meetings page of our
website.
Or you can go directly to our past Zoom presentations on our
YouTube page:
https://tinyurl.com/FFD-YouTubeChannel
There will also be Member Connections get-togethers on Third
Thursday or Saturday and Travel Book Club on Fourth Tuesday of each month. See
Member Connections.
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International and and Domestic Journey Organizer - Julia Cooper -
acjc1804@hotmail.com
Journeys and Travel News
I
am very excited to announce that we have two domestic Journeys
scheduled for 2023. The first Journey will be an
outbound
journey to Dayton, Ohio May 18-25, 2023 led by our Journey
Coordinator, Barbara Taylor. An information flyer has been sent out
via email and follows this article.
The second Journey will be an
inbound from Dayton Ohio,
probably in October 2023. More details to follow.
Journeys are a very important part of Friendship Force philosophy.
So, please consider applying for a Journey Coordinator (J.C.)
position; should you be new to the role, you’ll get lots of help.
Since
Taiwan has reopened for tourism, our 2023 international
Journey to that destination may get the green light. I’d love to
have feedback from club members as to whether they feel they’d like
to go on this Journey. Please email me to
acjc1804@hotmail.com to
let me know.
Outbound Journey to Dayton
Our outbound Journey to Dayton, Ohio in May, will
be our first one since pre-Covid 19! We will explore Dayton’s
aviation history starting with the Wright Brothers through the Air
Force flight museum. Annie Oakley’s Museum is located nearby
outlining her long career. A visit to an art museum, garden and an
outstanding covered bridges driving tour are among the included
activities. The Dayton club will welcome us with a dinner on the
evening of May 18th.
Cost: $450 for 7 nights
Price of transportation not included.
Applications:
Due January 31, 2023. See the Outbound Journey email
that was sent to you for more information or the Journey page of our
website.
Barbara Taylor, Dayton Journey Coordinator
be_taylor@verizon.net
Julia Cooper
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Journey Coordinators Wanted
If Taiwan is on your bucket list, consider being a Journey Coordinator;
there is some compensation for being a JC with a reduced FFI fee and
money
toward an airline seat.
We also need a JC for Inbound Dayton in fall. And also, there is a
monetary benefit to those serving as Inbound JCs. See page 34 in your
Yearbook
for additional information. Contact Julia Cooper to apply to be a
Journey Coordinator for either of these trips.
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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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Vice-President Membership - edward perez,
erperez54@gmail.com
Membership
News and Updates
Those chilly temps and strong winds means that winter is here. :^( The
good news is that we're only 90 days from spring!! Here's to another
great year for FF Dallas - great programs, 3rd Thursdays, and an inbound
journey! Here's looking to a great 2023!! Wishing you a Happy New Year!
edward perez
Vice President, Membership
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Membership Renewals
Please extend your hand of friendship to our three newest members
(or give them a virtual wave) at an upcoming meeting or event! + Peggy
Luippold
- rejoined at the holiday party + Clyde Steck - joined at the holiday
party, friend of member Jian Li + Carol Wertheimer - joined in late
October,
introduced by Mary Latham It was great to see *ALL* our new members at
the Holiday Party.
After the first of the year, I will publish a new member article with
photos and stories. Our club now has 56 members - 55 Individuals, 2
Emeritus, and one Associate. We are one of the largest clubs in the
Southwest Region.
Here's a snapshot of a part of our club's page on myFF.org:
THANKS to the 58 members who have renewed or joined for 2023!! You will
be listed in the FFD 2023 Yearbook. FFD will pay your FFI membership
dues in January. And THANKS to the 37 Dallas members who have signed up
for myFF.org! Sometime in 2023, FFI will switch to sending FFI news &
info only to those who have signed up. Please see the email from FFD
with instructions on how to do so. Or contact me.
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Membership Connections
We took a break in November and December. But, be on the
lookout for announcements for upcoming 3rd Thursdays. These are smaller
and more informal gatherings and a great way to meet & learn about other
members. COME JOIN US! Some members have suggested holding a games
night, wine tastings, field trips, and more. 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, etc.?
If so, let me know so we can plan a Membership Connections event!
!
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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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Next World
Conference
* Save the date for the Friendship Force World Conference 2023:
October 2-5, 2023
* Our host will be Dubrovnik, Croatia, on the beautiful Adriatic Sea.
* Plans are underway, including pre- and post-conference tours in
the
region
* Registration will open at the end of 2022.
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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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FFI – Virtual Journeys
And if actually traveling is still in the future for you, try a
Virtual Experience – a class, a part of the world, a lecture. Here’s
a direct link to the Virtual Experiences page:
https://blog.friendshipforce.org/virtual-experiences/
Virtual Experiences
Here are a few available soon. To make sure you have the correct
starting time for your time zone, it's easiest to visit our FF
Virtual Experience Page. You can see a time zone converter under
each event. Just click on it and it'll show you the starting time in
your time zone automatically.
Time Zone converter:
https://blog.friendshipforce.org/virtual-experiences/
Friendship Force Virtual Experience Recordings:
Virtual Travel Experiences from many countries, cooking,
Zoom training, languages, crafts,
photography and more.
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Video
Looking to 2022, Friendship Force International has
several Journeys on their website for which you can express interest
with the caveat that we have no idea if we’ll be able to go on them.
Anticipate that we will travel again!
Check out the new video. This one is in English, but there are links to
other languages on the video.
Link to Video
Need information about Friendship Force International (FFI)?
Go to their website at
https://www.thefriendshipforce.org/
Our new mailing address is:
Friendship Force
International
279 West Crogan Street
Lawrenceville,
GA
30046
* EXPLORE UNDERSTAND SERVE!
*
EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT VIEWS
DISCOVER COMMON GROUND!
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