Friendship Force Olympia, WA

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1 Friendship Force Olympia, WA March 1, June 1, 2009 Volume 27, Number two HAVE YOU SEEN OUR NEW WEBSITE? We have a new site that will allow us to be more visible to the world and to our membership. Check us out and put the address on your favorites (or bookmarks). The new address is a bit long the first time you put it in, but we hope you will look at it and keep it with the sites you access regularly. Go to: We plan to keep it current by having a team managing the content rather than one person. The team consists of Renee Corcoran, Judy Filip, Marjorie Sebesta, and Mikel Young. If you want to know when and where we are meeting next, check the site. If you want to know about our next exchange, check the site. If you want to see pictures of our club in action, check it out. Keep up to date with Friendship Force of Olympia! We are expecting YOU to provide information and photos to us. Please contact any member of the team and share your information and ideas. The site may also prove useful to you if you come across a potential member who wants to know more. Share the address, and maybe even walk them thru it adding your thoughts and encouragement for joining us. We have also provided links to FFI and local information sites. This we expect to help us as clubs considering an exchange with us will be able to check us out. This newsletter will also be available on our site as a pdf file. If you are having any trouble accessing the site check with any website team member. By Mikel Young FFI-Olympia hosts Mini Exchange June 8-12 The Olympia FFI will host eight guest from Thailand and two from California June Six guests from Thailand will be coming from Portland by Amtrak on Monday, 2:05 p.m. on June 8. Velda Miller will be arriving with them after they all attended the conference in Oregon. The two California guests and two from Thailand are traveling to Olympia by car from Portland. Our guests will have the rest of day to rest up in Olympia to prepare for the next days and their return home early Friday morning. The Olympia FFI plans a trip to Northwest Trek on Tuesday, a visit to Seattle on Wednesday and a tour of the Capitol on Thursday. It will be a busy time. A Farewell Potluck Dinner will be at the United Church on the corner of Capital Way and 11 th across Capital Way from the Capitol Campus. We are looking forward to seeing everyone there so we can bid farewell to our guests. Thanks to the planning committee of Marlene Buffington, Karen Langlois, July Filip, Marjorie Sebesta and Julie Froelicher for all of their work. If you want to be involved, or have any questions, please call Renee Corcoran or renee.corcoran@yahoo.com. By Renee Corcoran

2 Page 2 Friendship Force 2 Olympia, WA June 2009 FROM YOUR PRESIDENT Wow, we have a lot of things coming up quickly, where has time gone!!! We are having a mini exchange with 8 ambassadors from Thailand and a couple from California following the Asia Pacific Festival in Salem. The exchange starts on June 8, through June 11, when they will all head back to Portland. The ED and her committee have lots of fun things for them to do while they are our guests and we hope that as many of you as possible will participate in the activities and get a chance to meet our guests. Let Renee Corcoran know if you want to participate in the planned activities or dinners or if you can host during the day. I am going to the Asia Pacific Festival to represent our club and am looking forward to seeing the Rose Parade as one of the many tours they are offering. It will be a fun packed 4 days from June 4 to June 8, providing a great opportunity to meet a lot of people from many different countries and the US. Between the Mini Exchange following the Asia Pacific Festival and our Inbound Exchange with Azerbaijan is another big event Our own FF Club s 25th Anniversary June 28. Rene Corcoran is organizing our celebration and more information in this newsletter. Then can you believe it, we will be hosting the Azerbaijan Ambassadors from July 20 to July 27. Libby Penney and Alenka Andruss are staying on top of this exchange as our EDs and their committee is in the planning stages of many adventures for our guests and members. We encourage you to participate as much as you can. Imagine having a friend or pen pal in Azerbaijan. Call Libby Susan Berry, our sunshine chairman, ( ) has been busy sending notes of concern, get well and good cheer to so many people this quarter and I would like to add my condolences to all of you who have lost a loved one recently and to those that are not feeling up to par. Please let anyone in the club know if you would like some assistance in any way. Please call me or someone on the Board of Directors and let us help. Asking for help is the hardest thing to do, yet is the most rewarding thing you can do for yourself and others who can help..think of us when you need a ride to a meeting or dinner or someone to get groceries, someone to keep you company or someone to just listen. We have been there and we are here to support each other in times, in sickness, and sadness as well as in joy to celebrate a happy event. I wish everyone a wonderful summer and I hope I will be seeing you often during our upcoming exchanges and celebrations. Sincerely,, Velda Miller 2

Membership News: Welcome to new members:, Christine Benfield, Janet Lieb, Ginny Struchen, George Shaw-Holden and Pat Perry. If anyone has been forgotten, please notify Donna at donnaconnors@comcast.

3 Membership News: Welcome to new members:, Christine Benfield, Janet Lieb, Ginny Struchen, George Shaw-Holden and Pat Perry. If anyone has been forgotten, please notify Donna at Immediately following the 25 th year celebration on June 28 there will be an orientation to new and those who would like to know more about Friendship Force of Olympia. Also, our web site is up now and frequently asked questions are part of it. By Donna Connors THE AJERBAIJANIS ARE COMING!! Seventeen Ambassadors are coming one male and sixteen females average age is thirty-nine so expect a lively crowd. They will be arriving from Canada. There is one mother-daughter duo and another teen-aged girl and a young male who loves sports. Most of our guests speak English. Currently we are expecting them to arrive by bus on July 21 st and leave on the 27 th. By Libby Penney 3 3 GETTING TO KNOW YOU ALENKA AND TIM ANDRUSS Alenka and Tim Andruss, who met in college in 1985, joined the Olympia Friendship Force in Alenka began life in Prague, Czechoslovakia where she lived until 1948 when the family immigrated to the United States. and settlied in the Bronx before moving to Long Island. Alenka has also lived in California, Oklahoma and Illinois, where she attended Oakton College and lived until coming to Washington. For the past 22 years she has owned and operated Pet Watchers, a successful pet sitting business. Alenka's passions are animals, cooking, gardening and helping those in need. It would seem that traveling could be added to that list as she has visited England, Italy, France, the Czech Republic, Canada and Mexico. In September she will become a grandmother. Timothy Young Andruss was born in Highland Park, Illinois. After his four year enlistment in the U.S. Army, he apprenticed as a finish carpenter while attending community college for his AA degree. He studied environmental sciences at NIU. Before moving to Washington he worked for several years in the field of environmental restoration and water resources. Tim is a firefighter for the Bellevue Fire Department and he enjoys most physical activities such as biking, gardening, reading, building things with his hands and traveling. He has traveled widely in the U.S. and to Mexico, Japan and Australia, where he competed in the Firemen/Policemen Games held in Adelaide Time and Alenka agree, "We truly believe in the power of the FF ideal that when people from disparate regions and backgrounds meet and share time and experiences, they have the best chance of seeing our commonalities and the universality of our highest aspirations for humanity." by JoAnn Young

4 Report from Your Regional Field Representative FFI s Plan to Weather the Economy In order to meet the challenge of the economy, the entire staff of Friendship Force International has voluntarily taken a pay cut this year. Travel is projected to be down by 20 percent world wide. The revenue that supports the staff is directly from the travel fees paid by travel ambassadors. This is a tremendous act of faith in the program and leadership by our Atlanta staff. They believe this will cover the operating expenses for the year. Much of the expense of running an international organization is travel costs. Face to face is the best way to keep one s finger on the pulse of FF in various parts of the world. Just last month, the Atlanta staff reported visiting conferences in Somerset, England, Madison, WI, Southern New Jersey and the South East US region. This month they will be dispatched to Reno, NV and Hudson Valley, NY. Donate your unusable Frequent Flier Miles to FFI We have invited the president of FFI George Brown to join us in June for our club s 25 th anniversary party. George is an inspiring leader and responsible steward. You can help bring George to Olympia. One of the best ways we can support the operations of FFI is to donate any airline travel miles that will go to waste if we can t use them. 4 Autumn in Asia Only a few seats left go with us to Korea and Japan during the stunning season of fall. The exchange promises to be one of new discoveries, history, natural scenery and landscapes, great shopping, many friends, new and old. Twenty people from the Olympia Friendship Force will travel together to these diverse cultures. Our hosts have promised great weather and wonderful fun. We are leaving October 20 from Seattle and returning November 7. We can t hold your seat for long! Call Marjorie at or Jo Ann at See more on the web-site

5 THE TOKELAND HOTEL RENDEZVOUS: FOUR CLUBS, FORTY FOLKS, FUN! On Saturday, April 18, the Oly Club hosted an event at Washington s historic Tokeland Hotel on the coast south of Westport.

5 5 THE TOKELAND HOTEL RENDEZVOUS: FOUR CLUBS, FORTY FOLKS, FUN! On Saturday, April 18, the Oly Club hosted an event at Washington s historic Tokeland Hotel on the coast south of Westport. Once owned by member Emily Harvey s parents, the Hotel has retained its 19th century character and feeling of frontier remoteness to the present day. The weekend featured lunch at the Hotel, dinner, music, an overnight stay and breakfast the next morning. Members of three other Clubs Sea-Tac, Lower Columbia, and Portland also attended, making this an unofficial exchange among our Clubs. One highlight was a walking tour of the coast provided by Emily s brother and sister-in-law Dave and Judy, who are residents of Tokeland. Others included getting acquainted with new friends in other Clubs, a chance to explore the docks and environs of Tokeland village, a crash course on jigsaw puzzle solving by a bold team, a sing-along featuring songs from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and, for some members, elegant dress from those earlier times. Our neighbor Clubs were very interested in this. We all discussed our future overseas exchanges and explored ways to cooperate in conducting them. More such exchanges with our neighbors might be fun and productive in the future. By Dave Milne FRIENDS COME CALLING Two of our hosts in Kempsey Australia during 2007, Graeme and Helen Meers, will be visiting Dave and Dee Milne on June Want to see them while they re here? Call D&D at !. FFI of Olympia 5

6 PICNIC!! 6 When: July 25, Saturday, 08. Times: 11:00 AM 5:40 PM Where: Anderson Island, South Puget Sound. House, waterfront, and grounds of Dee Milne s brother Richard. Hosts: Dave & Dee Milne. Why: Fun! Who: FFI members, kids, grandkids, prospective FFI members What: (to bring; see below) Friends -- this event is our monthly gathering for fun & maybe a few announcements. Think picnic and you ve got the concept. The site is a big house with extensive grounds on the north shore of Anderson Island. The house has a large kitchen with facilities for warming food, tossing salads, etc. outdoor Adirondack chairs, hammocks, and recliners allow transcendental contemplation of Puget Sound and McNeil Island. The activities program includes walking the beach, observing birds (including eagles and ospreys), playing croquet, mingling, and relaxing (all optional) and enjoying a picnic lunch (mandatory). Bring Frisbees, binoculars, cameras, kites, etc. if so inclined. Special. (Optional.) Croquet. Col. Claude Bottom of Nairobi regulations.* Lunch! Hot dogs grilled to your taste (charred, most likely) will be provided by a well known chef from Shelton, dragooned into service for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. (The chef has, once again, requested anonymity.) If you would like to have this chef grill something else for you burgers, veggie burgers, whatever bring em. (If it s an ox, bring it 3 days prior to the picnic.) The rest of lunch is a potluck. Bring enough of your favorite picnic dish or beverage to serve six. Getting there. Caution! Be in line for the ferry 1 hour before scheduled departure. If you arrive at the last minute on Saturday, you may have to wait for the next ferry. Car pool for fun and to save money!! Contact Info. Dave s address is milned@evergreen.edu RSVP if you plan on attending ( to Dave & Dee) would help with planning but is not essential. If you find that you can join us at the last minute, just come on over! (over) *Croquet Regulations. Col. Claude Bottom of Nairobi Rules. 1) Gentlemen shall wear tasteful ties. 2) Ladies shall wear stylish hats. 3) In the event of intrusion by lions, play shall continue. 4) In the event of a volcanic eruption, play shall continue. 6 Col. Bottom presumes that the terms tasteful and stylish require no definition for ladies and gentlemen of the Olympia FFI.

7 Take the ferry from Steilacoom to Anderson Island. To get to Steilacoom, take the Du- 7 Pont exit (119) from northbound I-5, cross 1-5 headed west, take the first right turn and go all the way to Steilacoom (through Fort Lewis). The ferry terminal is right at the end of the road you re on as you enter Steilacoom. Turn left into the loading lanes, park, and walk down to the house on the dock for tickets. Lane 1 loads first; don t worry, the ferry can carry all three lanes of cars. On Anderson Island, take the first right after you leave the ferry (about 100 yards up the road from the dock). The house is about a quarter of a mile down that road. Turn in at the board gate right after you cross a deep gully with a stream in it. (The mail box says R.L. Semon ) You re there! Parking There is a parking lot at the ferry terminal. Cost: $6.00 for 12 hours. This can save money. If you use it, call the house (see number below), walk on the ferry as a passenger, and we ll pick you up on the other side! (Or just walk to the house, it s close to the ferry dock.) Round Trip Cost Car and driver $15.70 senior citizen, $19.00 other adults. Passenger $2.40 senior, $4.70 other adults, $3.40 child 5 18, younger children free. Passenger =non-driver in a car, also person walking on the ferry. All costs are round trip. Ferry Schedule Saturday, leaves Steilacoom at 10:20 AM, NOON, 2:10 PM. Leaves Anderson Island at 2:40, 3:40, 4:40, and 5:40 PM. No need to rush home. The ferry ride is incredibly scenic. On sunny days, Mt. Rainier, the Olympics, and a huge panorama of Puget Sound shoreline are all visible. Watch for seals, porpoises, eagles and marine birds. The 10:20 and 5:40 ferry runs include a stop at the picturesque Ketron Island dock. Contact Info The phone number of the Anderson Island house is (253) Dave & Dee Milne can be reached at (360) (local call from Olympia area). For complete ferry info, check website or call (253) (recorded schedule). RSVP It is not necessary unless you want to help with the planing. No advance notice is necessary. 7

8 8 Great day for hiking on the beach and a great night for 8 partying and singing at the Tokeland Hotel with FF friends. Thanks to the social committee for a wonderful time..

9 9 Our Silver Anniversary Gala Put on your party clothes and celebrate 25 years of Friendship Force in Olympia. The party will be Sunday, June 28, 2009, 4:30 pm at the River s Edge Restaurant in Tumwater Valley. River s Edge is owned and operated by the owners of Budd Bay Café. All members and guests, will be regaled by the adventures, challenges and changes of our unflagging efforts for peace one friend at a time. We ll toast our past accomplishments, and look to the future adventures. Fun entertainment will follow dinner. Reservations are required by June 15. Please send menu choice and payment to Lloyd Berry using the enclosed form. Name(s) Telephone Please circle one entrée choice per person. Beef Tenderloin Stroganoff NW Grilled Salmon Chicken Sesame Salad Mail your check made out to Friendship Force of Olympia. $19.00 per person includes dinner, tax, and tip. No host bar. Lloyd Berry th Ave. S.E. Lacey, WA Reservations are due by Monday, June 15 and are non refundable. 9

10 FRIENDSHIP FORCE INTERNATIONAL FFI, a nonprofit international cultural exchange organization, headquartered in Atlanta, GA, was founded with a single mission to promote peace, understanding and friendship on a one to-one personal basis around the world. A 1992 nominee for The NOBEL PEACE PRIZE, it has 367clubs active in 55 countries promoting friendship and goodwill through an extensive program of home stay exchanges. Supported by membership and exchange fees, donations and foundation grants, FFI was founded in 1977 by its first president, Dr. Wayne Smith and was announced on March 1, 1977, by President Jimmy Carter at a White House gathering of state governors. Today s president is Dr. George T. Brown. The Board of Directors for the Olympian chapter Meets at 6:00 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Lacey Fire Department meeting room. The full membership meets quarterly at designated locations. Club Officers are: President - Velda Miller Vice-President - Renee Corcoran, Secretary Connie Bahner, Treasurer Lloyd Berry Exchange Treasurer Lucy Browder Past Presidents Mikel/JoAnn Young PRESIDENT Emeritus Jerry Bailey PLEASE CHECK WEB SITE FOR ALL OF OUR GREAT COMMITTEE CHAIRS. ORGSITES.COM/WA/FFOLY The Friendship News is published quarterly. Please items for entry to the newsletter editor, Marjorie Sebesta at masebesta@aol.com 10 Calendar June 8-12 Mini-exchange with guests from Asia Pacific Festival June 15 Ambassadors traveling to Korea and Japan send payment to Marjorie for $1500., check or credit card. Watch for note from JoAnn Young with details. June 28 th FF of Olympia Birthday Bash July 9 Board Meeting. You are welcome July Exchange from Azerbaijan. July 25 Anderson Island Picnic see details inside August 13 Board Meeting. October 20 Exchange to Korea and Japan We would like to send your newsletter to your on the web. Call Please me, masebesta@aol.com and say that it is OK to just send it to your online basket. You will also be able to check it anytime at our new and wonderful website. ORGSITES.COM/WA/FFOLY Friendship Force of Olympia PO Box 2471 ORGSITES.COM/WA/FFOLY Olympia, WA

Friendship Force of Olympia Newsletter October-November 2016

Friendship Force of Olympia Newsletter October-November 2016 New Officers Elected at September Quarterly Meeting Friendship Force of Olympia is so very fortunate to have such a strong group of Friendship