NEWSLETTER of November 2014 Issue 97 The Friendship Force of Wellington Inc. www.friendshipforce.co.nz/wellington President: Lis Pyle 7 Petrel Lane Whitby Phone (04) 234 6655 e-mail lisanddave.pyle@xtra.co.nz Editor: Sue Walker 23 Sailmaker Close Whitby Phone (04) 234 6242 e-mail bobsuewalker@xtra.co.nz Secretary: Jeanette Page 7/22 Ghuznee Street Wellington Phone (04) 801 9679 e-mail jlpage@xtra.co.nz Upcoming Events AGM When: Where: 4pm Sunday 30 th November Upstairs room in 1841 pub, Disraeli Street, Johnsonville Please come along with any good ideas you have for the club s upcoming year, which will include our 30 th Anniversary. Don t forget to think about nominating yourself or someone else (with their permission) for the committee. The meeting will not be long and everyone is encouraged to stay for a pub meal and time of socialising.
PRESIDENT S REPORT Hi (Just looking at the photo! I think I need an updated older version!) It is with sadness that we send sympathies to Alan Gilbert and his family following the death of Thelma. The Gilberts have been long term club members and we will miss Thelma. We have had a very busy few weeks with two inward exchanges and some folk went to the World Conference in Auckland, which I heard was very good. The two exchanges went VERY well thanks to Judith and Brian Clarke and Jeanette Page. It is always very satisfying to have a good inward exchange. Our last function for the year is AGM at 4 pm on Sunday 30 November, followed by a meal. There is a notice in this newsletter re this. Debbie Lattey, Kapiti Coast, will be taking over from Robert Campbell at the end of the year as our Field Rep. We are looking forward to working with her. She is also very involved with the NextGen programme, which is looking at how to attract younger people to FF. Debbi e is very FF focussed and a dynamic person. The Committee has answered a number of questionnaires from FFI and I think our replies reflected the thinking of most club members. These questionnaires are mostly about how we would like to see FFI working in the years ahead and how to build up club membership. We are looking forward to receiving some helpful information. To get more information on all of this, you can go to the FFI website: http://www.friendshipforce.org/ There is a lot of information on this website and I would encourage all of you to learn more about how the organisation functions and maybe become more involved. We are looking for two more people to go on the committee at AGM. So think about it and let me know if you would like to become part of the team, or know someone who you can nominate. March 5 2015 is our 30 th anniversary as a club. We are in the early stages of planning a fun evening, which will include Kapiti Club, so look out for the notice. We will talk more about this at AGM. Take care In Friendship Lis Pyle
INWARD AND OUTWARD EXCHANGES FOR 2015: Inbound Biarritz, France in November 2015 Exchange Director: Lyn Morris Creative Arts and Crafts Global Exchange, with Nelson club: October 2015 Outbound Nor Peru, Peru; Brasilia and Belem, Brazil in May 2015 This is a joint exchange with the Kapiti club so space will be limited. (See below) OUTWARD EXCHANGE FOR 2015 South America, May 2015 This is a joint Wellington and Kapiti clubs exchange, with each club being allocated 10 places. The ED is jointly John and Ngaire Durnford. The host clubs and tentative dates are: 1. Nor Peru club, northern Peru 4-11 May 2. Brasilia club, central Brazil 13-20 May 3. Belem club, northern Brazil 22-29 May The exact dates for each club may have to be tweaked by a day or two to fit in with flight transfers or any day-stopovers requested by the majority of the group. There will be a lot of unavoidable flying, with the routing probably being Wellington Auckland Santiago Lima Trujillo (Nor Peru) Lima Sao Paulo Brasilia Belem Rio de Janeiro Santiago Auckland Wellington. We will be going to and through many exciting and interesting places. The estimated round trip cost will be approx $6,500 pp, (this includes all flights, FFI fees, and some forced overnight transfers). We are compiling a list of interested people. This exchange is filling up fast, so if you want to add your name, contact John/Ngaire Durnford, tel 970 0858, e-mail durnford@paradise.net.nz THELMA GILBERT Thelma Gilbert passed away on Wednesday 24th September. She has been a strong, active member of the Friendship Force for over 12 years, has hosted many times and also took on the role of Farewell Officer for many years, sending cards and phoning those who were unwell. In latter times Alan and Thelma have been unable to host so willingly did dinner and day hosting. Thelma and Alan recently moved to Somerset in Paraparaumu. I have known Thelma for over 40 years (we worked together) and as a young girl at my first job and living away from home, Thelma took over the "Mother" role so we called her Granma. She will be missed by all who knew her (especially Alan). Cindy Switzer
POST CONFERENCE HOME STAY, 17-21 October, 2014. Nine ambassadors from North America choose Wellington for their four nights post conference home stay. They visited Somes Island, Botanical Gardens, Te Papa Tongarewa, rode the Cable Car and travelled round the bays by car. Feedback given at the farewell dinner indicated that both ambassadors and hosts enjoyed the experience. I wish to thank those involved for their help in making the home stay a success. Jeanette Page (ED) BROCHURES AND BUSINESS CARDS We have Friendship Force brochures available for giving to interested people and FF business cards. The cards are generic, but we can do stickies with your names and addresses to put onto the back. If you would like these contact Lis or Jeanette. WEB SITE AND FACEBOOK PAGE Remember to check these out. This is the way of the future! Newsletters will not be emailed out in future but will be placed directly on the website. New member s features are coming!! www.friendshipforce.co.nz/wellington https://www.facebook.com/friendshipforcewellington T SHIRTS Taupo Club are able to get T shirts embroidered with the Silver fern on the chest and FF logo on the sleeve. Costs: Silver Fern only - $10. Silver Fern plus logo - $20 Please send a black T shirt of your choice plus a self addressed courier envelope to: Helen Bygate 13 Kempton Place Taupo 3330 nelen@xtra.co.nz WELFARE If you know of any club members or their family with sickness or bereavement please contact Judith Clarke at jbclarke@xtra.co.nz or ring 569 5280
UPCOMING NEW ZEALAND EXCHANGES 2015 Outward Exchanges from New Zealand. Date NZ Club Overseas Club April Auckland-North Shore and Gisborne Austin, East Central Florida and Baton Rouge, USA May Marlborough Campinas and Recife, Brazil May Wellington and Kapiti Coast Nor Peru, Peru; Brasilia and Belem, Brazil June Christchurch Sacramento, USA; Leuven, Belgium and Szekesfehervar, August Napier Greater Des Moines, Lincoln and Northern Colorado, September South Taranaki Bordeaux, France and Kiel, Germany September Wanganui & Manawatu Edmonton and Area, Canada; New Hampshire Seacoast September Hamilton and Waikato Murray Bridge and Mount Gambier, Australia September Nelson Kempsey and Albany Australia September Taupo Tamworth and Tweed Valley, Australia September Whangarei Fort Worth, USA, Greater Manchester, UK and Hamburg, October New Plymouth Perth and Salisbury & Northern Districts, Australia November Kapiti Coast Hobart and Newcastle, Australia Your Current 2014 Committee President Lis Pyle 7 Petrel Lane Whitby Phone: 234 6655 / 027 231 8412 Secretary Membership Jeanette Page 7/22 Ghuznee Street Wellington Phone: 801 9679 Vice-President Rhys Morris 119 Seddon Street Lower Hutt Phone 567 7656 Treasurer John Durnford 24 Euston Road Wadestown Phone: 970 0858 Newsletter Editor Web Master Sue Walker 23 Sailmaker Close Whitby Phone: 234 6242 Committee Social Committee Liaison Ngaire Durnford 24 Euston Road Wadestown Phone: 970 0858 Committee Stephen Douglas 21 Bell Road, Waiwhetu Lower Hutt Phone: 569 9904 Social Committee Lynnda Bouzaid 43 Chapman Street Johnsonville Phone: 478 5963 Social Committee Erica Speden 20A Avalon Crescent Lower Hutt Phone: 567-4568 Auditor Tony Bouzaid Johnsonville Johnsonville Phone: 478 5963 Field Representative Robert Campbell 10 Osborne Terrace Fielding Phone: (06) 323 4601