NEWSLETTER of August 2013 Issue 90 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 Our Tulip Sunday Sunday, 22 nd September, 2pm Meet at the Railway Station between Platform 9 and New World. We walk up to the Cable Car and then wander down through the gardens to the Tulip Display. To finish off the afternoon we will drop by the newly renovated Backbencher for coffee or something stronger. Friends and family are also welcome. Any questions ring Lynnda 021 596632 Nuts and Bolts August 31 st Fielding This is the annual get together of Friendship Force clubs in the Lower North Island and is the ideal opportunity for newer members to learn more and meet new people. Longer standing members can renew friendships and acquaintances and also learn more!
PRESIDENT S REPORT Hi The Club has had a great couple of months, with excellent social activities: the pot luck lunch and the promotional afternoon. Reports on both are included in this news letter. There were a number of interested people at the latter, with three people completing membership applications. Others are interested and may yet join the club; an excellent outcome. Thanks to those who worked so hard to make this a successful event. Membership applications are yet to be processed and there will be delays with this because of all bar one of the committee are on the outward exchange leaving 2 September. So Stephen is the contact person, for the next few weeks phone 569 9904, email douglassr@xtra.co.nz. I am back 14 October. We have received resignations from Anna Hewitt, Gerald Boot and Jennifer Vinton. Their resignations were accepted with regret. Shortly afterwards, we heard of the tragic death of Gerald and Jennifer s son, Jamie, who died in a climbing accident near Queenstown. Cards have been sent to the family and our thoughts are with them at this time. Jamie left a partner and small child. There will be a social activity in late September, so please go along and welcome new people, getting to know them and ensuring they feel part of the club. Thanks again to the Social Committee, who do such an excellent job of making these activities so enjoyable. You will be contacted about this event, which is also mentioned in the news letter. So up and away to do what we do well travel and make new friends! In Friendship Lis Pyle Your Current 2013 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 Bob Walker 23 Sailmaker Close Whitby Phone: 234 6242 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 14 Hinemoa Street 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 Social Committee Sandy Dougherty 11 Johnswood Grove Upper Hutt Phone: 971 4324 Auditor Tony Bouzaid Johnsonville Johnsonville Phone: 478 5963 Field Representative Robert Campbell 10 Osborne Terrace Fielding Phone: (06) 323 4601 INTERNAL EXCHANGE Unfortunately North Shore have cancelled their proposed visit to us in November. 2015 OUTWARD EXCHANGE: The committee needs to have requests for the 2015 exchange in to FFI by 1 November. We are suggesting three clubs in South America and are open to other suggestions and/or agreement with this option. Please have your ideas to Jeanette by 15 October. INWARD AND OUTWARD EXCHANGES FOR 2014: Inbound Houston, Texas. Late March 2014 Varel, Germany October 2014 Ngaire and John Durnford have agreed to be exchange directors for Houston but we are looking for a newer member to be exchange directors for the Varel exchange, together with an experienced ED. Outbound Sunshine Coast, Honolulu, and then a further non hosted week in Hawaii followed by an exchange with Lower Columbia (Portland, Oregon). We are accepting expressions of interest for this exchange; Jeanette Page and Lis Pyle are ED s.
Wellington FF Outward Exchange, 2014 Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Honolulu, Hawaii; Lower Columbia, Washington. Lis Pyle and Jeanette Page (EDs) are seeking ambassadors from our own club before opening the exchange to other clubs. Ambassadors may choose to attend 1 or 2 or all 3 exchanges. An extra 6 days will be spent independently on the outer Hawaiian islands and will include a visit to Kilauea, the world s most active volcano on the big island of Hawaii. If interested please contact Lis lisanddave.pyle@xtra.co.nz or Jeanette jlpage@xtra.co.nz. Although we will both be away your email will be answered while we are overseas. Some people have already indicated interest by writing their names on a list that was handed around at the Sunday meeting. Dates: Sunshine Coast, Wed 28 May-Wed 4 June. Honolulu, Wed 4 June-Wed 11 June. Outer Hawaiian Islands, Wed 11 June-Tues 17 June. Lower Columbia, Tues 17 June-Wed 25 June. Ambassadors returning to NZ will do so via Honolulu arriving in Auckland on Sunday 29 June or organize own onward journey. NB These dates have changed slightly to those distributed at the meeting held on Sunday 18 th and are subject to final confirmation by the host clubs. Approximate prices of flights: 1. Wellington-Brisbane-Honolulu-Portland-Honolulu-Auckland-Wellington, Air NZ and Hawaiian Airlines $2152 including all ticketable taxes. 2. Auckland-Honolulu-Portland-Honolulu-Auckland, $1895 including taxes. 3. Auckland-Honolulu-Auckland, $1375 including taxes. 4. Honolulu-Hawaii-Maui-Honolulu, $440 including taxes Other known costs include: Bus transfer Brisbane-Maroochydore FFI fees Host club fees A$ 25-35 one way US$140 per club US$100 per club Outer Hawaiian Islands Package (suggestions only) based on: Castle Kona Bali Kai in Hawaii Hawaii day tour Outrigger Palms at Wailea in Maui Historical Valley & City tour in Maui Heavenly Hana tour in Maui Return airport transfers in Hawaii and Maui Total $1535 per person
CLUB IN TRANSIT: Dallas, Texas-arriving from Taupo at 4.45pm 10 March 2014, will meet with Wellington club at 6.30pm Fishermans Table, Oriental Bay, Jeanette is arranging this. SOCIAL EVENT REPORT Pot luck lunch Sunday 21 July A large group of members descended on Lynnda and Tony Bouzaid s house for a very enjoyable social event. Thank you very much to Lynnda and Tony for their super organisation and hospitality. As usual with Friendship Force events involving food, the lunch was plentiful and varied. Having the event in a home provided a congenial environment, in the true spirit of Friendship Force, welcoming others into our homes. This was remarked on by several members, who much appreciated the way a home is more conducive to getting around and talking to everyone compared with a hall. After lunch, Ngaire gave us something to think about. We were divided into teams and had to exercise our memories with quiz questions followed by recognition of flags. Some interesting answers here! Just shows how many places we still have to get to! This was followed by a hat making competition. Friendship Force people certainly do have some imagination! If you missed this one, don t miss the next pot luck.
Promotional Seminar On Sunday 18th August members attended an afternoon meeting to recruit new people to the club. Jenny, Graham, Lis, Sue, Bob and Lynnda gave talks which provided general information about the parent organization Friendship Force International, the Wellington Club, our social activities, outward and inward exchanges and the proposed outward exchange in 2014. All presentations were well presented and received. Members and prospective new members had opportunities to discuss information during the afternoon tea break. Eleven prospective new members attended with three completing application forms on the spot. It was heartening to see so many of our members attending and enjoying the afternoon. Jeanette Page 2014 FRIENDSHIP FORCE CONFERENCES 2014 National Conference Feb 19 th to 21 st in Feilding. This is hosted by the Manawatu club and is being held midweek to include local events. 2014 International Conference October 14 th to 16 th in Auckland This is the first time that the Friendship Force International Conference will be held in New Zealand and it is being hosted by ALL New Zealand Clubs. Our Varel Inbound exchange will be timed to be either immediately before or immediately after the conference to enable them, and us, to attend. Please encourage all the friends you have made on exchanges all around the world to attend. Lis is the club s contact and will keep everyone up to date. From Alan Milne: Less than 15 months to our great opportunity to host the world of Friendship Force in Auckland, time will fly and there is lots to decide and to do. Thank you for offering to be your club's representative for this project. It is an important task and I hope that we will be able to work well together and also encourage a good team from your club to be there 13-17 October 2014. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to attend an FF International conference with no overseas travel cost, make the most of it. Various reps and other people have accepted some responsibilities and there are still lots more tasks ahead! The promotion at New Orleans involves a DVD presentation of NZ photos and if permissible some Lord of the Rings footage, both from NZTA, with details of conference and a personal presentation from me. Other promotion will flow on from there. The venue is the Rendezvous Grand Hotel off Aotea Square in Auckland. I think it will be an excellent venue and we will be the only conference there at the time (unlike some other venues). Plan on staying in the hotel, it makes the whole experience so much better and does provide much more opportunity to share with visitors. There are about twelve inward exchanges scheduled for around conference time and a special effort is needed to encourage as many ambassadors as possible and also to encourage them to attend conference as well. Have you thought of offering a themed exchange? The single most important thing you can do is to encourage as many as possible from your club to attend, start putting aside some dollars every month, keep the week 13-17 October 2014 clear for YOUR conference. Next will be to ensure all of your FF contacts around the world are encouraged to share this exciting event, more ideas about this early next year.
UPCOMING NEW ZEALAND EXCHANGES 2014 Outward Exchanges from New Zealand. These exchanges have been confirmed. Date NZ Club Overseas Club March Auckland-North Shore/Gisborne Perth/Albany-Australia, Malang-Indonesia April Horowhenua Tweed Valley and Bundaberg, Australia April South Taranaki Curitiba and Sao Miguel de Iguacu, Brazil May Kapiti Coast Varel, Germany and Oxfordshire, UK May Christchurch Vietnam May Nelson Mount Barker and Mount Gambier, Australia May Western Bay of Plenty Memphis, Dayton, & S. Connecticut, USA June Western Waikato Southern Oregon, USA and Calgary Region, Canada June Wellington Sunshine Coast, Australia, Honolulu and Lower Columbia, USA June Taupo Helsingborg, Sweden and County Durham, UK July Whangarei Liuzhou, China August Howick Connecticut, Chicago and Napa-Sonoma, USA November Napier Cairns, Casterton, and Murray Bridge, Australia Exchanges With Vacancies 2014. Detroit, USA, and Haliburton Highlands and Ottawa, Canada. Date: January 2014 Contact: Glenys Russell (Perth, WA) Ph: +61 8 9255 4457 geriatricgypsies@dodo.com.au Vietnam, Vietnam. Date: May 2014 Contact: Allison Craw (Christchurch) 03 304 8708 alli-ivan@clear.net.nz) Varel, Germany and Oxfordshire, UK Date: May 2014 Contact: Debbie Lattey (Kapiti Coast) 04-2933252 debbie@otaihanga.co.nz Mount Barker and Mount Gambier, Australia Date: May 2014 Contact: Lois Diaper (Nelson) 03-547 1456 elljayd@kinect.co.nz Helsingborg, Sweden and County Durham, UK Date: June 2014 Contact: Aline Fletcher (Taupo) 07-378 6670 rossfletcher@clear.net.nz Liuzhou, China Date: July 2014 Contact: Dave Walters (Whangarei) 09-437 3335 patsywalters@xtra.co.nz