Rambling Rita

I was actually asked to fill the position of president for 2006 in 2003. How quickly that time has flown. It was an honor to be asked. I appreciate your vote of confidence. The Board you have chosen this year is dedicated and enthusiastic. I assure you we will strive to do our best for the organization.

We are at a very important junction. We must continue to grow. We must gain members in all walks as well as stages of life. A mixture of race and religion is very important to our well being. The Australian family staying with us a few years ago, referred to the Americans visiting them as "Q-tips". They where referring to our white hair and white snickers. We American are not all Q-tips and our club should reflect this.

We have stated that this year our main focus should be on growth. My fellow members this is not a spectator sport. If you have your seat belt fastened and you plan to enjoy the ride, "rethink". We need you. Get involved in this years project. Be a contributor, enjoy the success.

Here's to a year of growth in friendship.

See you at the Irish Birthday Bash!

            Rita

This meeting will replace our regular Bimonthly meeting. We will be celebrating our 29th Birthday with an Irish flair. We will enjoy a Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner with Irish entertainment.

To reserve your seat, please send $10.00 PP to Linda Johnson, 10 Lake View circle, Palmyra, VA 22963. Reservation must be in by Feb. 28. Guests are welcome and encouraged.

PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW, CONTEST, SALE
            Cheryl Kasper, Fundraising

FFC is planning a Photography show, contest, and sale as a fundraising event in the fall. The Membership, Social and Fundraising committees are working together to make it really special. We will be accepting 11" by 14" matted photos on the theme of "Peace and Friendship" in the following categories: Nature Close-ups, People, Landscapes, Architecture, Friendship Force Moments, Eclectic (anything else!). As you go on FF exchanges or take your own trips, keep this in mind and plan to enter this show in the fall. We already have a professional who will jury the show. It will be open to the public. More information will follow as our planning proceeds.

If you would like to get involved in the planning, please contact Cheryl Kasper (589-6148) or Barbara Kelshaw (589-8075).

A Brief History of Friendship Force

Friendship Force International, a nonprofit international cultural exchange organization headquartered in Atlanta, was founded with a single mission: to create an environment in which personal friendships are established across the barriers that separate people. It is active in more than 60 countries, promoting friendship and goodwill through an extensive program of homestay exchanges.

A 1992 nominee for The Nobel Peace Prize, Friendship Force International began by organizing the travel of goodwill Ambassadors who share the lives of a Host family in another country for one or two weeks. Since the program began in 1977, nearly half-million volunteer Ambassadors and Hosts have participated through 3,300 exchanges, touching the lives of more than two million people, and the means for accomplishing its mission has expanded considerably, as new relationships uncovered new possibilities.

Friendship Force International is supported by membership and exchange fees, donations, and foundation grants. Friendship Force International was founded in 1977 by its first president, Wayne Smith and was announced on March 1, 1977, by President Jimmy Carter at a White House gathering of state governors.

Friendship Force Club Exchanges

The organizational framework of Friendship Force International has evolved over the past 24 years from a few large back-to-back charters to 275 small, more flexible exchanges using scheduled airlines, carried out by a global network of clubs. For the past 15 years, these independent local Friendship Force Clubs, have been the backbone of Friendship Force International, providing volunteer leadership for the exchange program as well as a community focus for Friendship Force International between exchanges. They are supported by professional staff and trained volunteers. Membership is open to all in the community who share in the organization's goals. There are now more than 350 clubs in 56 countries and 41 U.S. States.

Friendship Missions

Friendship Missions, with day hosting only, were introduced in 1982, first to the USSR, then to mainland China, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, East Germany and Yugoslavia. Today, most of these countries or their successors participate in the regular homestay exchange program. A new mission program to Vietnam was launched in 1993 and Iran in 1998.

Festivals of Friendship

Festivals of Friendship were begun in 1987, combining informational seminars with home-hosting experience. Participants from across the U.S. and around the world spend three nights in a hotel setting with orientations designed to celebrate the culture of the host country. A 5-7 day homestay follows the orientation activities.

Bridgebuilders

Bridgebuilders uses the basic homestay format as the means for linking professional counterparts in medicine, agriculture, banking, law, education, small business development, communication, and other vital areas. Bridgebuilders exchanges provide unique opportunities for putting friendship into action through joint projects that grow out of the personal friendships established during the exchange. One of the first involved a group of doctors and medical technicians traveling to a hospital in Moscow in July of 1992 to aid their counterparts, delivering medicine, medical supplies and equipment and exploring possible joint efforts to meet the hospital's most critical needs. In 1994 The Friendship Force received its first two U.S. government grants to support specialized training under the Bridgebuilders program.

International Conferences

Each year, an International Conference brings together hundreds of Friendship Force volunteer leaders from around the world. The 2005 conference will be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Partnerships

Friendship Force International has begun conducting joint programs with Sister Cities, Open World Russian Leadership Program, and the National Peace Corps Association. If these experiments are successful, they will be expanded, with additional connections sought with Sister Cities and other organizations. The goal is to use mutually supportive programs with these organizations as a means of introducing Friendship Force International to new audiences.

Minutes for January 3, 2006 Meeting

The Friendship Force General meeting was called to order at 6:50 pm by new president, Rita Stoll. She welcomed visitors, Robert and Fonda Stevenson.

Rita gave John Webster, our outgoing President a token of our appreciation. She introduced the new board and the committee chairmen for the coming year. Also intoduced were new members: Bill Smith, Joe Fresina, Roger & Monica Mahloch, Janet and Chuck Cheeseman, Dale Walden, and Elena Prien.

The minutes were accepted as printed in The Ambassador. The treasurer's report was given by Lynda Johnson.

FFI in Atlanta will be having a lottery of all clubs' choices for destinations in 2007. Our members voted on which countries they would like to visit next year. Each person was given a choice of three. The most popular destinations were 1. United Kingdom and So. Africa, tied and 2. Turkey.

Bob Schwegerl reported that the Mid-Atlantic Region officers will be meeting here in April. Two officers will be representing each club. He hopes to house most of them at Lake Monticello as the meeting will be at the club house. The agenda for the meeting has been completed.

For the benefit of the new members, Chuck Johnson explained our relationship with the JAG School. We trade off the use of their meeting space for one meeting in exchange for having foreign students come to our homes as our guests. It was proposed that we host an activity at Lake Monticello for all of the students sometime this spring.

Bob Schwegerl said that George Brown, president of Friendship Force will be here in September. Perhaps the JAG students could be included in an activity while he is here.

Inbound Exchange, Australia- Peggy Smith will be the exchange diector. Dee Shwegerl has volunteered to help her.

There will be a meeting tomorrow night at the Schwegerl's for those going on the exchange to France. 18 people have signed up. The maximum number is 24. The cost of the exchange to France only is $415. Including the 1 week tour of Switzerland, the cost is $1725. $2595 includes airfare.

The outbound exchange for the last 2 weeks in September and beginning of October, will be for two weeks to Adelaide and Mt. Baker , Australia. John Webster is the exchange director. It is possible that more travel will be scheduled with this trip.

March 1 is World Friendship Day. Unfortuantely, it is Ash Wednesday, also. Our meeting day is March 7th. All clubs throughout the world will celebrate on one day. Rita said that we will continue our membership drive for that day. She would like ideas and volunteers for that meeting. We need promotion. Get the mayor to pronounce this is World Friendship Day.

LeRoy Moyer is the winner of the 50-50 drawing.

Frank Saurman explained to the new members what we do on for exchanges, both inbound and outbound. He described a typical week.

Gary Zeimer emphasized the real purpose and value of an exchange. May Guinin suggested that a good way for a new member to start becoming involved is to day host.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:45.

Respectfully submitted,
Lynda Johnson, Secretary