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!! Only two places remain.

See Exchange flyer. Contact Julia: Acjc1804@hotmail.com

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Birmingham, AL inbound
June 3-9, 2017 

Inbound Domestic Exchange (return visit) only 2 months away!!!

Cathy Ignatin is the Host Coordinator for our next inbound group from Birmingham AL. She has a tentative schedule that she has sent to Birmingham Ambassador Coordinator Vicki Smith . They hosted us last year and we had a wonderful week with these gracious people. Let us show them a great week in Dallas!

Cathy still needs some helpers for this week of June 3-9:
Home hosts
Day hosts
Small group dinner hosts

Let her know how you can help. Contact Cathy: cignatin@hotmail.com to volunteer.

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Saskatoon, Canada outbound -  UPDATE
Aug 21-28 2017 [CHANGE DATES] – Paula Rose, ED
The homestay will cost $425 US.

Homestay will include:
• Native World Heritage sites (Wanuskewin Heritage Park)
• Market Day - gourmet delight and crafters market
• Remai Modern Art Gallery - largest collection of Picasso
   linocut prints
• Western Development Museum - archivist tour behind the
   scene
• Welcome/farewell parties and time to bond with great
   Canadian FFers
 High temperatures reach the 70s there in August sometimes!!!

An optional tour of Lake Louise, Banff, the icefields and Glacier National Park booked separately through Caravan Tours will be offered after the homestay from August 30-Sept 7 including 2 free hotel nights in Calgary Aug 28 and 29. The tour (9 days 8 nights) will be $1,695 US double occupancy plus $289 taxes and fees. UPDATE: This tour is full.

Only two places remain.

Contact Paula Rose ED:  paularose2000@hotmail.com

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Saskatoon, Canada inbound
October 2017 (during State Fair) - Patty Niemeyer, ED

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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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International Journey Update for 2018

We have now received from Friendship Force International our outbound Journeys for 2018.

In March/April of 2018 we have an Outbound Journey to Australia - one week in Sydney and one week in Gold Coast. Sydney visited Dallas the last week in February this year and Gold Coast was here in Dallas in 2014. We have friends in both clubs. Mary Latham has been appointed by the Board to be the Ambassador Coordinator for this Journey.

Our second Outbound Journey will be to Central Israel in October of 2018. This is a country that we have never visited and has very limited hosting availability. We are lucky to get this. Michael Wald has been appointed by the Board to be the Ambassador Coordinator for this Journey, working with Haiya Naftali, who was instrumental in us getting this invitation.

We are still in the preparation stages, but please reserve those dates on your calendar. Both will be interesting and enjoyable journeys. And quite different.

Dallas Global Journey

The Dallas Board has voted to sponsor a Global Themed Exchange in spring of 2018 which will focus on the arts and architecture of our city. The planning group, led by Felicity Sentance, has been meeting and exploring possible activities. Dallas has so much to offer – it will be great to show off our city to the world! The planning committee has concluded its investigations and presented a suggested budget and tentative week's schedule to the Board to coincide with the Soluna Festival, usually held in May.

The  Club now is seeking a Host Coordinator for this very ambitious project. Please contact the International Journey Coordinator, Raymond Enstam at  enstam@sbcglobal.net if you would like to be Coordinator or to volunteer for other parts of the program.
.
These Ambassador and Host Coordinators are eligible for reimbursement for at least some of their costs. See the Club Policies on page 37 or the Yearbook for 2017.

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Reno/Lake Tahoe Outbound Journey

When dates are set for these other Journeys, we will arrange for an Outbound Domestic Journey to the Reno/Lake Tahoe Club in 2018.

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Southern New Jersey

We expect to set a date in 2019 for a return visit - an Inbound Domestic Journey from Southern New Jersey -  – Patty Niemeyer, Host Coordinator

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Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
from Mary Latham, President

With the turmoil in certain parts of the world and natural disasters occurring without warning, some people are hesitant to travel abroad. Friendship Force members will still travel, but they travel as informed travelers after fully evaluating the risks. A rumor is not enough to hold back a determined FF member. But what if something unexpected happens after you leave? What if there is civil unrest, or a revolution? What if a volcano suddenly erupts or there is an earthquake or other natural disaster? What if your family back home desperately needs to reach you?

How can I get help in an emergency outside the US?

One thing every informed traveler should do before departing or even buying a ticket, is check with the US Department of State (DOS) for any travel warning. Currently the DOS has advisories for Lebanon, El Salvador, Nigeria and North Korea. There is also a broad warning for all international travelers to exercise caution.

Conditions change suddenly so travelers need to keep up with what is happening even after they are abroad. An easy way to do that is to enroll in the DOS STEP program. It only takes a few minutes set up an account. Then you simply update information each time you travel. If you do not want to set up an account, you can register for one trip.

The nearest Embassy or Consulate will then know that you are in its area.

How will DOS help me in an emergency?

Once you have registered your trip, you will receive notices and information from DOS as conditions change in your destination country. When you are in the country, you will continue to get updates. Keep your mobile handy and charged. On our exchange to Santiago, Chile, last year, our members who had registered with STEP received notice of a student demonstration in downtown Santiago. Our members were then able to ask our hosts if this would be a problem for our activities that day as the group was touring downtown.

Other assistance from DOS will depend on the nature of the crisis. You may be advised to leave the country or seek shelter. If you are advised to leave you should use commercial transportation or follow DOS instructions. In extreme emergencies when commercial transportation is not available, DOS will assist with your evacuation. You will be transported to nearest safe location, not necessarily back to the US. And, one other thing, you must reimburse DOS for the cost of the evacuation in an amount of a commercial ticket. That is a small price to pay to be able to leave quickly and safely.

If you lose your passport, you can always go to the nearest Embassy or Consulate to get a replacement and if registered in STEP, the Embassy has your information and knows you are in the country.
How do I register for STEP?

This is only a summary of STEP. For more information or to register go to
https://step.state.gov/step

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Communications Committee
By Mary Williams

Most new members are introduced to Friendship Force through one of us.
How can YOU help spread the word?

1. Tell your friends about FFD. Friends talk to friends about what they are doing, what they enjoy and what they value.

2. LIKE our FFD Facebook page. When you do, information and announcements about what's going on in the club appear on your own Facebook page. Then - you can SHARE that announcement so that all your FRIENDS can see what we are doing. Exponential exposure of our message to all of our friends!

[Not on Facebook? sign up for a Facebook page if you don't have one. Ask people you know to be your "friends." Visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FriendshipForceDallas/. Or in the search line, type FriendshipForceDallas. You will be taken to our FFD Facebook page. Just under the top banner of the cattle drive there is a place to LIKE the page. Click it. Easy!]

3. Get some FFD cards printed with your name on them that you can hand to someone in conversation when they express interest. These cards will have your name and contact on it, plus our contact information for website, Facebook page and email. Ask Mary Williams to make you a set of 10. Pat Peters is helping with this project. No charge for the cards.

4. Invite a friend to our next meeting - Sunday April 8, 1 pm at Outback Restaurant in Plano  (See Meetings).

Other News

• The next Board meeting will be Monday, March 13th, at 1 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 event.
• 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 managing our member database Send any changes of address or email to him - erperez@acm.org. When you receive changes, please update your yearbook and email list.
• FYI – When planning future inbound journeys: There is no free parking at the Fort Worth Stockyards any longer. Lots are $5 - $10 - exact change required for the machines where you pay.

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Shuttle Service

A BIG THANKS to our six Shuttle Drivers for providing over 25 rides to/from the airport: Mary Williams, Felicity Sentance, edward perez, Ray Enstam, Paula Rose and Steve Chapman.

And a BIG THANKS to our members who requested rides and contributed $800 to our club (about 13% of total club revenue): Michael & Jackie Wald, Ray Enstam, Pat Peters, Paula Rose & edward perez, Isabella Iverson & Gerry Arens, Mary Latham, Jim Kerr, Ava Rowe, Mary Williams, Pat Andeweg, and Al Mirabal.

Remember, this shuttle service is available to any FF of Dallas member who needs transportation from their home to either airport or from the airport to your home. You can also use this service to destinations other than airports. After your ride, you make a donation to FF of Dallas.

If you need a ride, send an email to ffDallas-shuttle@googleGroups.com [or call 214-699-7574] and all club members who are shuttle drivers will receive your request.

If you would like to be a shuttle driver, contact edward perez and he'll add you to the list. Take this opportunity to help out your club while meeting and learning about your fellow club members. You are not obligated to handle every request, but please do what you can.

If you would like to manage the shuttle driver list, contact edward perez and he'll help you learn how to manage the list. It's very easy - you just need access to email and the internet.

In friendship,
edward perez
Shuttle Service Manager

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Robin Yaklin has successfully completed her treatment for cerebral tumours and is now to receiving immunotherapy for the remainder of her life …….. May it be long and productive, Robin!

Gaby Mackenzie died in her sleep at the Suncoast Hospice in the early hours of morning (Wed. Jan 4). It was a tough fight.
RIP Love,
Bernard/Mac, Pip and family B.E. (Mac) & Gaby Mackenzie 2701 Regency Oaks Blvd., Apt A-509, Clearwater, Florida 33759

We are sorry to hear of the passing of Bill Pierce on Monday this past week. He fought a long battle with bone cancer.

Bill's memorial service was held at on Thursday, March 9, at St. Andrew United Methodist Church, 5801 W Plano Pkwy in Plano. Many members of Friendship Force attended along with his extensive family, members of several churches of which he had been a member, and about 50 members of the Vocal Majority where he had sung for about 10 years. Our condolences to Patty and members of his family.


New Members

Please welcome the following new Members: Camille and Jerry Daugherty. Their contact information is in the 2017 yearbook

Changes to contact information for present members and new and returning member information:

Returning members

Susan Carpenter
Granbury, TX
susanWardCarpenter@gmail.com

Sue Priest
sue614@sbcglobal.net

Changes/corrections to yearbook

Jim Kerr's house number to 2817
Delete Whaley's land line, and change their email addresses to:
jnoWhaley@gmail.com and whWhaley@gmail.com

Judy Cline
Contact the President or webmaster for a new address.

Add Ava Rowe's email address: roweava6@gmail.com

Member achievements

We have many talented members in our group! Please notify Felicity if you know of anyone with a story to tell. Here is a submission by Ray Enstam our "Coordinator in Chief" of International Journeys:

Adventures with the Friendship Force of Dallas
by Raymond Enstam - Member since 1996 – 20 years!

I have been asked to write about an unexpected adventure from traveling with Friendship Force. Many years ago I went on a home stay exchange to Trujillo, Peru and while there came upon a book in common use in the schools of Peru to teach about the history of Peru in the Amazon. It was named "Sangama: A Story of the Amazon Jungle." It was published in 1942 by Arturo D. Hernández in Spanish. I found out that it also had been published in French and German in the 1950s, but never in English. I thought that the English language readers ought at least to have the opportunity to read this work. The daughter of the family I was staying with is an attorney and she helped me find the family of the author (then deceased). I contacted them and with her help negotiated worldwide publishing rights in English to all the works of Hernández, as well as the Spanish rights in North America.

Checking on his other writings, I found that in the 1930s he had interviewed a young woman who had been kidnapped in 1927 by a fierce tribe of cannibals from the jungle interior. She had been given to one of the warriors and had spent four years as a captive before her daring escape. She learned their language and was treated as a member of this tribe, observing things no outsider had ever been witness to and could not witness without changing the tribe by their very presence. Hernández wrote a book based upon her time in the tribe. The book is entitled "Selva Trágica: Captive in the Jungle." This book had been available in Spanish and French, but never in English. Working with the license agreement that I have, I have translated both of these books into English and they are now available on Amazon. I have also published and sell on Amazon the original Spanish of these two books.

When I first joined the Friendship Force I never imagined where this worldwide organization could lead me. There is a world out there to discover. You just have to look.
Ray

Michael Wald, "travel writer who posed as an attorney for 35 years," publishes a travel blog with many interesting stories on it. Two are on our Articles page about the Amazon jungle trip. He recently wrote a story about Top O Hill in Arlington. See it on his blog:
http://untroddenla.com/when-dallas-was-las-vegas/

Membership Report
by edward perez

Thanks to all of you who renewed your membership for 2017. As of the end of January, we have 79 members - 76 individuals and three emeritus members (original founders Diana Bosworth, Jackie Bluhm, and Brud Kisner). This is down from the 89 members we had in 2016 as some members moved out of our area and others decided to not renew.

Members who joined in 2016 are Camille & Jerry Daugherty, Barbara Taylor, Franda Hayes, Joe Matamoros, and Leslie Parker. Two members who returned in January are Susan Carpenter [originally joined 2009-02] and Sue Priest [originally joined 2013-02]. Please extend your hand in friendship the next time you see them at a club meeting or event.

By now you should have received your club yearbook which lists officers & committee chairs, programs & exchanges (see below), members' info, as well as revised bylaws and policies. If you haven't received your book or need a new one or if you find any errors or have any changes in your contact information, please let me know.

Paula Rose and the program committee have lined up some great meetings and events - reports on outbounds, conferences, and FFI exchanges; small group dinners in July; and a holiday party in December. The March monthly event with be a celebration of Friendship Force International's 40th anniversary. This would be a great event to invite your friends, colleagues, and/or relatives to learn about our club and FFI's mission.

Patty Niemeyer (domestic exchanges) and Ray Enstam (international exchanges) have lined up some great journeys, three Inbounds - Sydney, Australia in February (completed by the time you read this newsletter); Birmingham, Alabama in late May; and Saskatoon, Canada in October; and two Outbounds - Southern New Jersey in April and Saskatoon, Canada in August. These are great and relatively inexpensive ways to meet and learn about people from other parts of the world. And, perhaps, develop a lifelong friendship.

As programs and journeys are some of our main activities, I hope that you will come join us for any or all of these events. Bring a friend, colleague, and/or relative and introduce them to Friendship Force.

During the past several months, board members have held meetings to listen to your ideas and comments about our club. We will be holding several new types of membership events and activities. The ideas behind these will be to foster friendship amongst our membership as well as check out different, interesting, and fun things to do. Please come join us for these events.

In friendship,
edward perez
Vice President of Membership

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FFI has just unveiled its new website and mission statement at https://www.friendshipforce.org/

NEW TERMS FROM FFI

An exchange is now called a ‘Journey’
The incoming Exchange Director is now called the ‘Host Coordinator'
The outgoing Exchange Director is now called the ‘Ambassador Coordinator’
 
FFI is now sending out a quarterly e-newsletter which you should receive if you’ve provided your correct email address to edward perez, our membership chair.

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/

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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 Host Coordinator ASAP. The decision for a Journey to go or to cancel occurs at least 90 days preceding a scheduled date. Notice of remaining seats can be out of date as Journeys fill and there are cancellations. Contact the Host Coordinator for the most current information.

Please contact clubs well in advance, as an exchange may cancel if the Host Coordinator doesn’t know about your interest.

See where some other clubs are going on our Other Clubs page.

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