Hello
everyone.
We are approaching another year end and for FF Dallas officers and
Committees to report to the membership on the status of our club. It is
time to reflect on what our club has accomplished and to look forward to
next year and how we can grow both in commitment to our mission and in
vitality of our club.
Looking back, we had an eventful year.
1. We had successful outbound exchanges to Birmingham, Alabama and
Santiago, Chile. We welcomed Columbia Cascade, Oregon and Washington, to
Dallas and repaid the hospitality they extended to us during our 2014
outbound to their club. Unfortunately Friendship Force Trujillo was not
able to visit on our planned international inbound this year.
2. Our club supported FFI in the development of a new database to better
manage exchanges through the donation of $1,000.00. In addition,
individual members of our club also made donations to help with this
much needed upgrade which will benefit not only FFI but our club as well
as FFI will be better able to manage exchange and arrange exchanges.
3. Our club had three delegates at the 2016 FFI International Conference
in Morocco. We will have a report from delegates at our January meeting.
4. We had a variety of formats for programs this year such as large
groups in restaurants with speakers and small groups in restaurants and
homes allowing for more interaction among our members. We held programs
at the library followed by small group dinners in local restaurants.
5. We set up a Strategic Planning Committee to look into the challenges
facing our club. There was much discussing at the 2015 International
Conference where FFI rolled out a new plan for the international
organization. FFI asked each club to return home and do the same.
Our club’s Committee has studied our membership, club structure, mission
and operations and identified the most critical issues. The Committee is
working on developing and implementing solutions. Many of you have
already attended small discussion groups to give your Board members
feedback and your recommendations on how to improve our club. No
everyone was able to attend so soon you will receive a survey form so
that all members can participate in this process. This is your club.
Your concerns and suggestions are important and appreciated. If you
prefer to discuss these issues with a member or members of your board,
fee free to contact any Board member. We are eager to receive your
ideas.
Our club’s new Strategic Plan should be completed early next year and
will be presented to members.
6. As part of the Committee’s review, proposed amended By-Laws will be
presented to members at the November meeting for adoption. The Committee
found that our By-Laws had not been revised for a number of years and
when they were revised, only specific sections that were critical at
that time were amended. The Committee did a comprehensive review of the
By-Laws and our current practices and needs and did a major revision.
You will receive a copy of the proposed Amended By-Laws with the
rational and reasoning for each change. If you have any questions,
please contact me or any member of the Board. We welcome your comments.
7. The Committee also reviewed policies adopted by the Board over the
past years. The policies were formalized and revised as needed to make
them relevant to our current operations. Beginning with the 2017
Yearbook, the Policies will be included in the Yearbook where they will
be easy for all members to find.
8. Our club is getting with the twenty-first century and studying and
adopting social media as a way to address membership and communications.
We already have a Facebook page. If you have not already liked our page,
please visit the page and like it. It will help us spread the word about
our club if you will share club meeting notices on the club’s site to
your personal Facebook page so your friends can get reminders about us
and our activities. The Board is looking at other social media platforms
so watch for announcements coming soon. We need a Communications Chair
who will manage the club’s website, Facebook and other social media
sites. If you are interested, please contact any Board member.
9. The FFI International Conference will be in Manchester, England in
August, 2017. This is the 40th Anniversary for FFI so expect an exciting
program and celebration. Begin your plans now to attend. FFI will
announce details and begin registration for the conference in December.
10. And last but most exciting are our upcoming exchanges for 2017. We
have been invited to FF Southern New Jersey in April and FF Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan, Canada in August. We have an inbound from FF Sydney,
Australia in February and from FF Birmingham, Alabama in June. ED’s are
finalizing dates for these exchanges. Watch for signup sheets for these
exchanges. Volunteer and participate; you will have so much fun when you
do.
In friendship,
Mary Latham
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Columbia-Cascade Inbound
Exchange
We welcomed Columbia-Cascade club to Dallas Oct 15-22, returning the
hospitality they offered us on our trip there in 2014. We had a busy
week showing the highlights of Dallas including the State Fair and Fort
Worth.
Exchange Directors:
Pat Reynolds and Mary Latham
Schedule of Events:
Sat Oct 15/
Sun Oct 16
|
Arrival of ambassadors from Portland
OR/Vancouver WA, and from Miami/ Cuba
1:30 pm - Welcome brunch at Chimneyhill
Clubhouse
|
Mon Oct 17
|
10 am - Top O Hill tour - Arlington
Step back in time to revisit Dallas' wilder days. From Tea
room to Casino to Speakeasy with an escape tunnel to avoid
the law. |
| |
Lunch in Fort Worth at Riscky’s BBQ - east
end of Stockyards
2 pm - Fort Worth stockyards tour |
|
Evening - dinner in Fort Worth or home for
dinner
|
| Tues Oct 18 |
10 am - Sixth Floor Museum |
|
12:30 pm - Lunch at Calle Doce
2 pm - Arboretum
|
Wed Oct 19
|
10 am - Downtown Dallas tour on DART; from Union Station
stops included Pioneer Plaza (cattle
drive statues), Thanksgiving Square, Crow Collection, Arts
District |
| |
1 pm - Lunch DMA followed by
docent-led tour of DMA; Klyde Warren Park, Chase Bank
observation floor
|
|
Evening – Small group dinners in homes
|
Thurs Oct 20
|
10 am - State Fair (take DART to State Fair station.)
Art deco buildings and food varieties including fried jello
and corny dogs, exhibits, animal shows, music.
Lunch at food courts
|
Fri Oct 21
|
10 am - Bush Library tour |
| |
Lunch - Northpark or Mockingbird
Station; free afternoon |
|
4:00 pm - Reception at home of Sandy and
Roger Kaiser in Fairview |
|
5:30 pm - Farewell dinner at Heritage Ranch
Golf and Country Club
|
Sat Oct 22
|
Departures
|
| |
Pioneer Plaza |
| |
Pat Andeweg, Marty Muncie Ryan and Joyce Collins Marguerite Morin
 
Diana Behannessey, Thelma Diggs Betty Miller, Roselyn Brown Martha Durst, Lorali Reynolds
Isabella Iverson, Marty Muncie / Wayne
Potter, Pam Brown, Betty Miller
Pam Brown, Wayne Potter
|
| |
 |
| |
Texas State Fair |
| |
|
|
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|
Georgetown Outbound Exchange
Last
November we hosted a mini-exchange of 10 ambassadors (the "Georgetown
Ladies") from the newly formed FF of Georgetown, TX club. They are now
inviting us for a mini-exchange to explore and understand their town and
community.
Dates: November 5-7, 2016 [two nights homestay]
Activities: begin Saturday November 5 [arrive mid-day after driving
to Georgetown] and end Monday November 7 [depart after lunch]. Plans
include a tour of the "Most Beautiful Square in Texas" and the
courthouse, dinner at Southwestern University (the oldest university
in Texas - see link below), lunch at a German restaurant in Walburg
(a German American settlement from 1880s), a tour of Sun City;
farewell lunch on Monday.
Mobility needed: mostly short walks around town, the university,
Walburg, nothing super-strenuous
edward perez -
erperez@acm.org
Exchange Director
This exchange is full.
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Exchanges for 2017
Sydney inbound
Feb 22 - Mar 1, 2017 - Sharri McIntosh ED
Eleven ambassadors including two teenagers both age 18 are confirmed.
The Sydney club is requesting that FFI help them recruit and add
additional ambassadors.
Volunteers Requested: If you are interested in planning a day activity,
home hosting, day hosting, helping with the welcome and farewell
dinners, hosting a small group dinner, or helping in any other way,
please sign on the sign-up sheet that will be circulated at the Nov 12
meeting or contact Sharri at
mcintosh.sharri@gmail.com.
***
Southern NJ outbound
April 22-29, 2017 - Julia Cooper ED
Located in the Delaware Valley in Southern New Jersey across the
Delaware River from Philadelphia, the region features historical sites
such as the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Valley Forge and excellent
art, natural history and science museums. We are requesting exposure to
a combination of history and nature including a day or two in
Philadelphia. Home stay capacity of 15 to 20 Ambassadors. Only 6 months
away!!
UPDATE:
Exchange flyer and applications are now available. See
Exchanges.
Contact Julia:
Acjc1804@hotmail.com
***
Birmingham, AL inbound
June 3-9, 2017 – Cathy Ignatin, ED
Inbound Domestic Exchange (return visit) only 8 months away!!!
Contact Cathy:
cignatin@hotmail.com to volunteer.
***
Saskatoon, Canada outbound
Aug 16-22 2017 – Paula Rose, ED
Homestay will include the International Folkfest and the Cruise (antique
cars) as well as much Native American history and culture. High
temperatures reach the 70s there in August sometimes!!!
An optional tour of Lake Louise, Banff, the icefields and Glacier
National Park through the Caravan Company will be offered after the
homestay. Applications will be accepted after Thanksgiving as prices for
the tours have not been set yet.
The homestay is estimated at $425 US.
The tour (9 days 8 nights) will be about $2000 US.
Contact Paula Rose ED:
paularose2000@hotmail.com
***
Saskatoon, Canada inbound
October 2017 (during State Fair) - Patty Niemeyer, ED
***
To volunteer to be an ED or Co-ED for an exchange, please contact Patty
Niemeyer
(peanutpatti1@gmail.com). (If you have not been an Exchange Director
before, give it a try. You will get lots of help and training. Plus
there are some financial incentives – see our Policies.)
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Friendship In Action in Guatemala
January 11 - 20, 2017
Can take up to 14 ambassadors
Cost: $1200 USD + $200 donation.
Contact: Edward Pérez -
erperez@acm.org
Room for 2-3 more people. Contact edward ASAP!
Come explore the fascinating world of the Mayan culture in the
Guatemalan highlands! Although Friendship Force does not currently have
any clubs in Guatemala, we will “serve the cause of peace” by putting
"friendship in action" as we visit organizations that assist several
Mayan communities.
During this exchange, we’ll also experience and learn about local
traditions, art, languages, historical and current Mayan traditions and
customs. We’ll visit the ancient Mayan ruins of Iximche, the village of
Comalapa known for its indigenous art, a coffee farm, and a women's
weaving cooperative.
After arriving in Guatemala City, we will shuttle to Antigua, a UNESCO
World Heritage Site, and spend two nights there. We’ll learn about its
history and culture as we take a walking tour through the center of
town. After lunch, we’ll go to nearby San Juan Del Obispo to visit
Proyecto Luis de Lion (a marimba school & community library) and local
artists’ homes and galleries.
We’ll travel by bus to Panajachel, on the northern coast of Lake
Atitlan, for four nights. While there, we will:
• Discover the indigenous villages of Lake Atitlan during a boat ride
around the lake including local textile workshops
• Visit the market in nearby Chichicastenango
• Enjoy a free day with your choice of activities, such as hiking Pacaya
Volcano, exploring the Atitlan Nature Reserve, relaxing at Santa
Teresita spa, or visiting the famous market of Chichicastenango
We’ll return to Antigua for three more nights, and put our friendship
into action at:
• Casa Maria, a retirement home, providing friendship and supplies
• Antigua Exotica, a reptile rescue center (not just snakes!)
• Manos Abiertos (Open Hands), a pre-/post-natal clinic, providing
friendship and supplies
There are so many fantastic activities, sights, and volunteer
opportunities on this meaningful exchange! Please consider joining me as
we journey through these wonderful cities of Guatemala and see firsthand
what a difference our contributions can make.
See more and apply:
http://catalog.thefriendshipforce.org/index.php/catalog/southamerica_more/discover_guatemala1/
Click here for an
itinerary
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Exchanges 2018
Southern New Jersey inbound
Dates TBD in
2018.
Exchange Director needed.
Requests
The Board has voted to request the following destinations for 2018 for
outbound exchanges:
Israel or Australia or Japan
Dallas
Global Exchange
The Dallas club Board has voted to sponsor a Global Themed Exchange in
spring of 2018 (with FFI approval) which will focus on the arts,
architecture and culture of our city. The planning group has been
meeting and exploring possible activities. If you would like to be involved in more planning
contact Felicity Sentance -
fsentance@gmail.com / or Mary Latham -
mary_m_latham@yahoo.com. Dallas has so much to offer – it will be great
to show off our city to the world!
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Facebook
We have a Friendship Force page on
Facebook. If you are on Facebook, you
can type
FriendshipForceDallas in the search line and get our page. Then
LIKE us and you will receive regular notes, news and photos from our
page. When you see something you like, please SHARE it with your
Facebook friends. That is a great way to spread the word about what we
are doing.
Dues
FFI raised our member affiliation fees last year (cost not passed on to
our members) and discontinued family memberships this year, leaving only
individual memberships. The Board has voted to discontinue family
memberships also and set the individual member dues at $35 per year,
beginning January 2017. This is your official notice of a dues increase.
Your dues are due December 15th. Send
Membership
Renewal Form to edward perez with your check.
Election of officers for 2017
The election will take place at the General meeting in November. Ray
Enstam led the Nominating Committee which consisted of Ray Enstam,
Martha Durst and John Whaley.
The nominating committee has proposed:
President - Mary Latham
First Vice President - Sharri McIntosh
Vice President Membership - edward perez
Treasurer - Lou Ann King
Secretary - Patricia Andeweg
FF Dallas Bylaws - proposed amendments
By edward perez, Chair of FF Dallas By-laws and Policies Committee
After the 2015 Friendship Force International World Conference, your
board of directors appointed a Bylaws and Policies Committee a) to
review the club’s bylaws and recently approved policies and b) to
propose amendments or revisions to either or both.
The committee reviewed and amended the club’s bylaws and policies with
the objectives of a) simplifying and organizing them; b) clarifying
roles, duties, time lines and language; and c) aligning them with FFI
guidelines and best practices of other FF clubs. This included revising
existing language, removing or merging certain bylaws, and adding new
bylaws.
After reviewing them, your board voted a) to approve the revised
policies (previously published) and b) to recommend membership approval
of the proposed amended bylaws.
According to our current bylaws,
"The bylaws may be amended at a regular or special meeting of the Club
by two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and voting with a quorum being
present, provided prior approval has been obtained from F.F.I. and the
notice of the amendments has been given either at a previous meeting or
sent to each member within fifteen (15) days before the meeting."
Thus, you will receive [via separate email] the proposed amended bylaws
and the reason(s) for amending them.
At the November club business meeting, we will submit them to the
membership for approval. (Note: FFI no longer requires clubs to obtain
approval of amended bylaws).
If you have any question about these amendments, please contact any
member of the Bylaws and Policies Committee: edward perez (chair), Mary
Latham, Felicity Sentance, Paula Rose, Lou Ann King, and Ray Enstam. You
will receive the amended Bylaws in a separate email.
UPDATE: Download the pdf files of the
Revised Bylaws
and
Revised Policies that were approved at the November meeting.
Other News
• Felicity Sentance has been appointed Newsletter Editor effective Jan
2017.
• The next Board meeting will be Monday November 14th, at 2 pm at Mary
Latham’s. All members are welcome to attend.
• When you get mail from our FFD e-mail address, please do not hit
REPLY; that mailbox is not monitored every day. Reply to the person
organizing the meeting or exchange.
• The Facebook page is up but we need a person to manage it and post
photos and notices.
• The position of Chair of the Ways and Means committee is open.
• Patty Niemeyer is heading a search for volunteers for our unfilled
positions. If you are interested in any of these positions, please
contact Patty at
peanutpatti1@gmail.com
.
• edward perez is assuming maintenance of our database due to ill health
of Bill Pierce. Send any changes of address or email to him -
erperez@acm.org.
• When you receive changes, please update your yearbook and email list.
• Groups have been meeting to discuss needs/wishes/goals of club. These
discussions will continue.
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Shuttle Service
If you want a ride to an airport or other location or a pickup:
• Look in the back of your FF Dallas yearbook. You send an email with
the place, date and time you need to go - to the Shuttle Drivers list.
If someone is available, they'll contact you. When your ride is
complete, make a donation to the club. Easy!
• How do you know if you have a driver? Since all of the drivers get
your request, the person who can drive you will Reply to All including
you so the other drivers know you have a driver. Respond (Reply to All)
accepting the ride.
If you want to volunteer to drive:
• Contact edward perez at erperez@acm.org to volunteer.
• What do you need to be a shuttle driver? Email (to receive requests
and post replies) and a car (to take people places).
• How many times do you need to shuttle? As much as you're comfortable
with, once a year, once every few months or whatever.
• What if you cannot do it anymore? Contact edward perez at
erperez@acm.org and let him know.
• Do you need to collect any money/checks? No, the rider(s) is/are on
their honor that they will send a donation (recommended $30) to the
club's treasurer. If the rider wants to give the money/checks to you to
mail/deliver, that's up to you. The rider may offer you toll fare or gas
money. It's up to you to accept or decline.
Thanks to all drivers and riders who help support our club.
This is a great fundraiser for our club but we need MORE DRIVERS.
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Newsletter
Send your news to both Felicity Sentance, our incoming Newsletter Editor
at fsentance@gmail.com and to
Mary Williams,
mwilliamstxtravel@yahoo.com - by Dec. 22 for the January/February
Newsletter. Share changes in address/email and tell us what you are doing with your FFD friends.
Sunshine
Contact Cathy Ignatin to let her know about members who could use a
little sunshine - a call or card.
cignatin@hotmail.com
Website and Email
Remember to use our website for your club questions, dates,
opportunities to travel with other clubs, photos, articles and much
more.
When you get mail from our FFD e-mail address, please do not hit REPLY;
that address is not monitored every day. Reply to the person organizing
the meeting or exchange. Our address and email:
Friendship Force of Dallas
P. O. Box 551151
Dallas, TX 75355
friendshipforcedallas@yahoo.com
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Richard
Jacobs passed away on Labor Day. Our condolences to Kathy and their
family.
The Walds and Barons made a trip to Japan.
Elizabeth Umana traveled to Israel.
Please welcome the following new Members:
Leslie Parker
Tnnsbud@aol.com
Joe Matamoros
Silverknight@verizon.net
Changes to contact information for present members:
Ray's Enstam’s cell has changed.
Wendy Whaley’s phone numbers are now individual numbers, no land line.
Teresa Wilkin has moved to the Olympia, WA area. She won't join Dallas
FF next year. Olympia club seems to suit her needs and they are keen to
have her. She will be in Dallas January 17-25.
Contact the President or Webmaster for more information on these changes.
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Conferences
2016
International Conference - Marrakech, Morocco
Charlene Clements, one of the FFD delegates to the FFI Conference in
Morocco in August, reported to the Board on conference topics and
cultural experiences. A major topic was “How can we stay alive, and we
can’t unless we recruit younger people.” She passed around the program
and spoke about Morocco. One meeting topic that appealed to Charlene is
that younger families with children can still be a part of FF by home
hosting. This would be a great way for the children to learn about
people from other countries. The new director of FFI is adding a lot of
younger energy. The new website has new materials. Charlene will make a
presentation on the conference at the January 2017 FFD meeting.
In relation to Charlene’s comments, Paula pointed out that March 2017 is
the fortieth anniversary of Friendship Force. Paula is planning a
special program involving a mixer and a video on Friendship Force.
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2017: International Conference
August 24 (6 pm) to August 28 (12 pm), 2017
Midland Hotel
Keynote Speaker: Benedict Allen, TV Presenter, Explorer and Author
Manchester day tours, including: a Beatles tour, indoor skydiving, the
Imperial War Museum, the National Football Museum, a private canal
cruise, city walking tours, an English Manor House and gardens, the BBC
headquarters, and a local brewery.
Travel back in time! Our opening night party takes us back to 1977 when
the Friendship Force began. The music, costumes, dancers, decor, food
and atmosphere will have you waxing nostalgic about the ‘70s. It’s time
to celebrate 40 years of this great organization...and time to put on
some bellbottoms.
Gateway to Europe at Your Doorstep! Pre- and Post-conference homestays
and tours in Iceland, Italy, Ireland, Scandinavia, Croatia, France and
UK.
Flyer:
http://www3.thefriendshipforce.org/downloads/Manchester_Flyer.pdf
Online registration opens December 2016.
Please contact Debbie Powell to be personally notified on the day of
launch: debbie@friendshipforce.org
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Friendship Force
International
Stories of Friendship
This is a new feature on the FFI website. Send stories of your
experiences that have helped eliminate barriers that separate us and
bring us closer together. Send to:
http://storiesoffriendship.org/
Staff changes
Matthew Nidek has assumed an expanded role supporting general operations
beyond Programs as FFI’s Director of Operations.
Travel Insurance Update
by Ray Enstam, International Exchange Coordinator
I have been conferring with Friendship Force International about the
eternal question of when you have to buy travel insurance so as to avoid
exclusion of “prior existing conditions.” There are lots of companies
selling travel insurance but FFI only deals with Travel Guard. And
Travel Guard has about a dozen different policies with different terms.
FFI only deals with 4 of these. So if you want one of the recommended
policies you should buy it through the FFI website. But even then each
policy has different terms, and those terms many vary in different
states. And they even differ on the definition of “prior existing
condition.” One policy says that it only considers events that occurred
within the 90 day period prior to signing up. Anything earlier is
outside the definition. So, you should read carefully the terms and
conditions of the policy you are thinking of buying to see how this
affects you. As well as all the other terms and conditions, of course.
Some will cover only airfare and not medical expenses. Remember that
Medicare does not apply outside the US.
But, do not despair! FFI is planning to have their new website up the
last quarter of this year. And there will be a section of the site
dedicated to this problem. They are aware that this is a concern to many
of the ambassadors. Meanwhile, if you need help you can contact Allison
Lindsay of FFI at 404-965-4342. She is very knowledgeable about this.
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Remember that you are welcome to join other clubs on their exchanges if
there is room. When you travel with another club you help fill
their seats and make new friends in another club as well as your
destination club. See the FFI World of Friends Catalog for a list of all
exchanges with openings:
http://www2.thefriendshipforce.org/catalog/ffi_listonly.aspx.
If you are interested in any of these exchanges, contact the Exchange
Director ASAP. The decision for an exchange to go or to cancel occurs at
least 90 days preceding a scheduled date. Notice of remaining seats can
be out of date as exchanges fill and there are cancellations. Contact
the ED for the most current information.
Please contact clubs well in advance, as an exchange may
cancel if the Exchange Director doesn’t know about your interest.
See where some other clubs are going on our
Other Clubs
page.
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November Meeting – Birmingham Exchange
Presentation
December
Event – Holiday Party
September Meeting – Romania Exchange Presentation
Carol Chapuis talked about her experiences in the Romanian Peace Corps.