Hello Friendship Force Dallas!!
Thank you for electing me as your President for 2014. Also thanks for
re-electing Felicity Sentance as VP, Isabella Iverson as Membership
Chair, Jacki Kiether as Treasurer and Ruth Barrow as Secretary. These
were the loyal officers in 2013 and, in my opinion, the best group we
have had to date. We work really well together.
Many thanks to the appointed chairpersons for 2013. Many will be
continuing in these positions in 2014. Ray Enstam, Martha Durst, Dale
Klosterman, Diana BeHannesey, Mary Latham, Felicity Sentance, Mary
Williams, edward perez, Henny Houston, Pat Peters, and Bill Pierce.
These folks keep this club running smoothly.
Thanks to Zia Shamsy for a very informative program on the exchange to
Germany in September. In November we'll hear from Michael and Jackie
Wald about their Discovery Exchange to Panama. Later in November 12 of
us will be going to the FFI World Conference in New Orleans. Then in
December we will have a holiday party at Chimneyhill clubhouse. Plan to
bring your most yummy food to this FREE social event.
Thanks to Felicity Sentence for the fun mixer in October. The Programs
Committee for 2014 will be led by Felicity Sentance and is hard at work
setting up some interesting programs and venues for 2013. Haiya Naftali,
Henny Houston and edward perez are assisting. If you have knowledge of a
good restaurant that can handle 60 of us at a reasonable price on a
Sunday, let Felicity know.
New for 2014 will be Patty Niemeyer who will be Domestic Exchange
Coordinator AND Exchange Director for the Pacific Northwest exchange in
July. She is replacing Dale Klosterman who is now the Newsletter Editor.
Needed for 2014: a volunteer to mail the newsletters and flyers to the
20 or so members who do not use email. Let Dale know if you can do this
and he will show you how. Also, Diana BeHannesey needs new volunteers
for the phone committee to call 5-6 members every month to remind them
of the meetings. I'm looking forward to some interesting meetings in
2013 and a good 2014.
In Friendship,
Paula Rose, President
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Taupo and Nelson, New Zealand
Paula Rose, ED for the outbound to New Zealand in March 2014, announced
that the exchange filled immediately after FFI’s monthly e-mail listed
it. She now has a waiting list. Paula suggests that if you want to go to
New Zealand, book another exchange. Lots listed later in this
newsletter.
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Tuxla/Guttierez, Mexico
Discussions for an inbound exchange from Tuxla/Guttierez are still
pending with dates and number of people coming still unknown. The
Santiago, Panama group may join the Mexico group for the inbound to FFD
the last week in May 2014. Michael and Jackie Wald are Exchange
Directors. Contact one of them if you like to chair a committee or help
with the exchange in any way.
mwald999@gmail.com or
jwald999@yahoo.com.
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2015 International Exchanges
The Board voted to request Azerbaijan and Georgia [both or neither],
Mexico or Peru for our 2015 exchange. We should get our assignments for
exchanges in January.
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Domestic Exchanges 2014-2015
Dale Klosterman has arranged an outbound domestic exchange for next year
(2014) with the Columbia Cascade club (Portland, Oregon) and an inbound
from this club in 2015.
Our new Domestic Exchange Chair Patty Niemeyer is also Exchange Director
for this exchange and she has secured dates for the end of July for
Columbia Cascade. Twenty people will be accepted. The club has members
from Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington – both near the border
of the two states. Patty is working on finding a second club we could
visit. More details later.
Patty is also looking for a US club who would like to visit us in fall
of 2014, with our outbound to that club in 2015. Contact her with
suggestions or names of your contacts:
peanutpatti1@verizon.net
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November Meeting
Date/Time: Sunday November 10 - 5 pm
Location: Matt's Rancho Martinez Restaurant, 1904 Skillman St (at Live
Oak), Dallas, 75206 (There is parking in the front and the back of the
building)
Program: Report on the Panama Exchange presented by Michael and Jackie
Wald
Menu: Tex-Mex buffet, drinks (tea, coffee, soft drinks), tip
Cost: $17 all-inclusive for payment received on or before Friday, Nov
8th
$22 for any reservations received after that date or for walk-ins
Reservations: Send check made to Friendship Force of Dallas to Felicity
Sentance - 5930 Junius Street, Dallas, TX 75214.
Info:
fsentance@gmail.com
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December Holiday party
UPDATE: Party rescheduled for Sunday Dec 22, 2-5 pm.
Date/Time: Sunday
December 8 from 3-5 pm
Place: Chimneyhill Clubhouse - 9223 Emberglow, Dallas
Program/Food: Social event; bring savoury snacks to serve 10-12; dessert
and drinks provided by club
Reserve: December 5th to Felicity Sentance - 214-499-5218 or
fsentance@gmail.com. No cost.
Needed: Set-up volunteers; contact Felicity Sentence
Info:
fsentance@gmail.com
See
January Meeting
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September Presentation on Germany
Zia Shamsy gave an interesting and informative presentation on the
club’s outbound exchange to Gelsenkirchen and Jena, Germany with
additional travel to Bavaria, Salzburg and Berlin.
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October Mixer
For our October meeting at Dimassi’s, Felicity Sentance arranged a
“mixer,” with members drawing country names which determined their table
assignment. The mixer allowed for some good travel and club-related
conversations at most tables.
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Election of
Officers
The following officers were elected by acclamation at the September
meeting for a one-year term:
Paula Rose – President
1st VP – Felicity Sentance
2nd VP – Isabella Iverson
Secretary – Ruth Barrow
Treasurer – Jacki Kiether
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New Chairpersons
Dale Klosterman is our new Newsletter Editor. Our newsletters come out
every other month. The next newsletter (January) will be out right after
Christmas. If you have anything you would like in the newsletter please
send your information to Dale at daleklosterman@sbcglobal.net by
December 27. Please also send to Mary Williams at
mwilliamstxtravel@yahoo.com for this first month. We like to know what
our members are doing!
Patty Niemeyer is our new Domestic Exchanges Chairperson. She is working
on outbound and inbound exchanges with the Columbia Cascade club in
Portland and possibly a second club in the Pacific Northwest. If you
have contacts in that area or ideas, please contact Patty at
peanutpatti1@verizon.net.
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Hosting
after the 2013 FFI
Conference
Typically after an International Conference, home hosting is offered in
the area for a few days. Since there is no club in the Conference city
of New Orleans (Baton Rouge is the host club), many U.S. clubs have been
asked to host international visitors requesting a homestay.
Joan Mirabal is hosting two Canadian ladies with day host help from Dale
Klosterman.
Marty and Diana BeHannesey are hosting two ladies from Belem, Brazil.
Paula Rose and edward perez will host another lady from Brazil.
Felicity will be hosting two women from Japan before the New Orleans
conference. They were her hosts after the Japan conference in 2012.
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Dues
Paula Rose announced that FFI has announced an increase in the club
affiliation fee from $10 per individual and $17 per family to $15 per
individual and $25 per family. This will increase our dues as well to:
Single membership $35
Household membership $43
Secondary membership $15 (for Members of other FF clubs)
A
Membership Renewal Form has been sent to current
members, or is available here -
Renewal Form
2014. Please complete one per household and return to Bill Pierce
with your check made to Friendship Force of Dallas by December 15, 2013
for 2014.
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Volunteers Needed
There are still volunteer opportunities for those who would like to
participate more fully in the club:
• Mail newsletters and/or meeting flyers every month: Contact Dale
Klosterman at
daleklosterman@sbcglobal.net.
• Help set up for the December party: Contact Felicity Sentance -
fsentance@gmail.com..
• Help Program Committee in booking meeting places: Contact Felicity
Sentence at
fsentance@gmail.com.
• Send meeting notices to the newspapers once a month. Contact Paula
Rose
atpaularose2000@hotmail.com or Martha Durst –
marleo9039@tx.rr.com.
(Thanks to Publicity Chairperson Martha Durst for her many years of
service.)
• Call 5-6 people per month for meeting reminder. Contact Diana
BeHannesey –
dianadawn@yahoo.com.
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Shuttle Service
Remember to support our airport shuttle service. The passenger(s) make a
donation to the club of $30 per ride ($40 north of Plano), helping our
club. Directions are on page 42 in your yearbook to request a ride or to
be a driver.
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New Members
Please
welcome these new members and add them to your yearbook:
Ava Lynn Blais
blaisbuncy@yahoo.com
Ava likes gardening and is a Master gardener in Parker County, TX. She
also likes reading, oil painting, and is a CASA Advocate. She went on an
FFI trip to Hungary in Sept, 2010.
Robert
Cavanaugh and Juliette Clarke-Cain
robertcavanaugh@verizon.net; JClarkeCain@verizon.net
Juliette Clarke-Cain is a retired Federal warden. She is interested in
music, reading, traveling, horticultural and casinos. She is looking
forward to meeting new friends and enjoying new interests. Robert (Bob)
Cavanaugh retired from the medical field with interests in cabinetry,
travel and poker. He likes to read non-fiction and is also interested in
history and science.
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Member Profiles
Recent new members also let us know a bit about them.
Susan
Cooper Beaudry originally joined Friendship Force of Dallas in 1994 and
is now back with us after an absence. Susan held Secretary and
Membership Chair positions and Board meetings were at her house for
several years. Her mother, Opal Cooper, was on the phone committee. Her
first outbound exchange was to Hamilton and Gisborn, New Zealand and
Australia in 1996 where she had a great time. She traveled to Trujillo,
Peru (La Libertad) in 2003 and to Araraquara and Itannaem, Brazil in
1998 as well as to Asheville, NC in 2004, meeting lots of new friends.
She has hosted ambassadors from Tokyo, Japan; Kiel and Hanover Germany;
Cleveland County, England; La Libertad, Peru; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Riga,
Latvia; and Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Susan and her first host in New
Zealand, Jan Jeffs, have traveled together to Oregon and Washington and
to Nova Scotia. Susan revisited New Zealand and together she and Jan
toured the South Island for three-weeks. She has two children, four
grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She says, “I have had
nothing but great trips and meetings with the Dallas group and look
forward to more good times with Friendship Force.”
Edna
and A.D. Hudgens recently joined the Dallas club. They live in rural
Longview and will be happily married 52 years in December. They
participated in the recent FFD outbound exchange to Germany and look
forward to seeing their new friends from Dallas FF in the future.
Edna works for the Longview ISD teaching bilingual classes to PK-K
through 5th grade. She substitute teaches for long term Spanish class
assignments in the Longview schools. She also teaches deaf sign language
privately, piano lessons, guitar lessons and Spanish.
Arlen Doyle Hudgens, known as A.D., was born in New Mexico and came to
Texas as soon as he could in 1960 where he fell in love with the East
Texas piney-woods and later a lovely Texas girl. He works four days a
week as a Risk Manager for a small manufacturing company. He had
previously run his own small company for 14 years following early
retirement from a major oil company. He enjoys tent camping, fly
fishing, orchards, vineyards and travel. He loves people who are
different and loves to discuss their philosophy of life. He is a
committed Christian and hopes to promote friendship at home and abroad.
The Hudgens try to take two trips each year, one in the US and one
outside the US. The Dallas club is the nearest club to them (140 miles
away) so A.D. would like to help start a club in East Texas.
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Members Update
Roger
and Sandy Kaiser traveled for two months this summer, including six
weeks in the Canadian Northwest. They participated as ambassadors with
the Chilean Exchange hosted by Greater Vancouver, B.C. The Vancouver
club is a relatively new club started in 2007 and has about 50 members.
The Kaisers also visited Whidby Island in the Puget Sound in Washington,
staying with Shirley Hauck, Whidby FF president, and had a
mini-exchange. The Whidby club is small with only about thirty members
but the members are active and the president is a real go-getter. She
brought the club back from almost extinction a couple of years ago. The
Kaisers picked a good time to be away - while we had terrible heat here.
Their high temperature was 76 degrees and they had very little rain.
August seems to be the best month to visit that area. They attended the
FFD October meeting before taking off for an exchange in the Amazon.
They are also booked for the FFI/Enrichment Voyages "Fire and Ice"
cruise next summer from May 15th to June 15th in the Baltic States and
the North Atlantic including Iceland.
Peggy Benton, Ken Walker and Sharri McIntosh are also booked for the
Fire and Ice cruise. (See Other Clubs to learn more about that cruise
and other exchanges.)
Pat Riha had a thyroidectomy recently. She is recovering.
Friends in FFD offer condolences to Mary Latham who lost her mother in
October.
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Friendship Force International
International
Conference
New Orleans
The fully booked 2013 FFI World Conference is coming up November 23-25.
It will be held at the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel in New Orleans.
Whether
or not you plan to go to New Orleans, you have an
auction opportunity! You can support Friendship
Force while traveling the world. Bidding is open for travel packages
donated by your fellow Friendship Force members all over the world.
Whether it is a homestay for couples in Bogota, Colombia, a climb up
Mount Fuji in Japan or a stay at a timeshare in Steamboat Springs,
Colorado, there is something for everyone. You can look at all the items
up for bid on the Auction website – www.friendshipforceauction.org.
Maybe you already have upcoming travel plans with Friendship Force.
Great! The items up for bid could serve as excellent add-ons to your
current exchange plans. Proceeds from the auction will go to the Legacy
Fund for expanding the Friendship Force global network.
For questions, contact Karen Overly Smith, at
csmith9061@aol.com or at 717-236-0430. Head over to
www.friendshipforceauction.org now and start planning your next
adventure today!
See
FFI for more information on the New
Orleans Conference.
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2013 US Regional Meetings
Regional meetings for US club members will be held in New Orleans at 5
pm on Friday November 22. The meeting for the Southwest Conference will
be led by our regional Field Representative Bob Duncan from Baton Rouge.
2014
Southwest Regional Conference
March 21-23, 2014 Albuquerque
Fun and informative – put it on your calendar!
UPDATE: See
Southwest Conferences
2014
International Conference
Planning is already underway for next year’s World Conference in
Auckland, New Zealand. The conference will run from October 14 to 16,
2014, and it be held at the Rendezvous Grand Hotel Auckland.
Registration will begin in early 2014.
2015
International Conference
FFI is thrilled to announce that the 2015 World Conference will be held
in Vancouver, Canada. The conference will take place September 11 to 14,
2015. More details will be available as the time approaches.
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