FRIENDSHIP FORCE OF DAYTON, OHIO NEWSLETTER December 28, 2012 Issue 12 DAYTON OFFICERS Dick Graf, President graf7000@woh.rr.com 937-238-3491 Steve Birt, Vice President hetuck47@gmail.com 937-423-9161 Gary Mitchner, Secretary gary.mitchner@gmail.com 937-299-1663 Joan Lambert, Treasurer joan.lambert@frontier.com 937-440-8855 DAYTON DIRECTORS Jeanne Comer, Founding Director (Dec.) Sue Cramer suencramer@aol.com 937-839-4107 Jerri DeVoe ggdevoe@gmail.com 937-372-2606 Rick Birt rbirt@embarqmail.com 937-548-8664 Lucette Fogel lucettefog@yahoo.com 937-428-6031 Tom Graham tpgraham1@gmail.com 937-885-1223 Peg Crutchfield obedc@sbcglobal.net 937-275-4279 Bob Remm remcin@aol.com 937-751-5531 Louise Van Vliet vanvlil@muohio.edu 937-298-2086 Vicki Thompson, Past President vickithompson@woh.rr.com 937-376-3213 PRESIDENT S COMMENTS Dear Friends, Happy New Year to you all. Now that the holidays are over, I hope you were able to enjoy some quiet time with friends and family. We will all need a renewed energy for the activities coming up in 2013. As we start 2013, I would like to thank all of you who helped with the activities of 2012, particularly Tom Graham for his wonderful newsletters, Joe Scullion for his work with the website and Bill Meers for his hard work in keeping our membership lists and directories up to date. Please notify Joe or Bill if you are not getting e- mails from International, with updates about exchanges and events open to all members. You should be receiving at least two monthly about exchanges and events around the world. If anyone has a misspelled nametag that you received at the holiday party, please let me know and I will have it corrected. Remind me again, even if you told me at the party. I tend to forget! Sadly, we had to say good-bye to another member this month, Mary Jane Gross. Please keep Gene and his family in your thoughts and prayers. Good bye to all of you snow birds. We will see you again at the annual meeting at the end of April. In Friendship, ON THE WEB www.friendshipforcedayton.com (Dayton FF web site) www.thefriendshipforce.org (FFI web site) Dick Graf President
FRIENDSHIP FORCE OF DAYTON NEWSLETTER E XCHANGE NEWS: page 2 EXCHANGE will be up to 3 weeks depending on options chosen: La Libertad events & activities will be planned by the host chapter. They have many, many options including: Archaeological Complex of Chan Chan Rainbow Huaca (a pyramid) Carmel s Convent Huanchaco Beach famous for surfing & reed canoes & sunsets Peruvian El Paso horse breeding Gastronomic (food!) to be savored Nightlife & friendship Lima - capital of Peru & UNESCO world heritage site Cusco - heart of Inca civilization Pisac - a picturesque Andean Village Ollantaytambo the only Inco settlement to be continually inhabited since its inception Vistadome train thru the Andes to Machu Picchu Machu Picchu is said to be beautiful at sunrise, so the 2nd morning a bus will take you to the Wayna Picchu trail for an hour + hike for topside views. Amazon at Puerto Maldonado (4 days) Paracase National Reserve tropical desert and preserved marine ecosystem. Ballestas Islands (a poor man's version of Galapagos) + a view of a Pisco geoglyph etched into a coast hill Dayton hosted members from La Libertad in 2005. A FUN exchange! ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING: JANUARY 15, 2013, 7PM CHERRY HOUSE CAFÉ 1241 Meadow Bridge (by McDonalds) Beavercreek, OH 45434 Read more about it on page three.
F R I E N D S H I P F O R C E O F D A Y T O N N E W S L E T T E R p a g e 3 D AYTON FFI 2013 outbound exchange to PERU PRELIMINARY DRAFT December 12 October 9 or 10 to October 17, 2013 Julie Vann vannjulie@att.net The sun always shines, filling even the most secluded corners of the capital of the department of La Libertad with light. It is said that in Trujillo, spring is eternal. You will be filled with warm memories as you spend an unforgettable week of hospitality making friends with the Friendship Force of Libertad in this historic city of age-old traditions. Don't miss this priceless opportunity! Ask about the optional extension. Basic Exchange to Libertad: Wed or Thurs. October 9 or 10, 2013 Leave DAY Airport by Delta at -11:00 AM; arrive in Lima, Peru at ~11:00 PM; transfer to hotel. Friday, October 10, 2013 Bus tour of Lima, Historical Center, Government Palace, Cathedral, etc. with lunch at LaRosa Nautica. At ~3:00 PM, take LAM Airlines flight to Trujillo, landing at ~ 4:15 PM. Six nights/seven days of home stay and entertainment with the Friendship Force of La Libertad, Trujillo, Peru. Thursday, October 17, 2013 Return to Lima at 11:40 AM, arrive Lima 12:40 PM. Those who do not elect the optional extension will return to DAY on Delta at Midnight that night to arrive in DFW at late morning on October 18th. Estimated Price for Basic Exchange without international airfare: $2,150.00 Includes fees set by Friendship Force International, one night hotel in Lima, transfer costs and airfare Lima -Trujillo - Lima. The group airfare from DAY to Lima will be approximately $1,200 per ticket and transfers from the airport to the hotel will be arranged based on the group flight times. The group airfare from Lima to Trujillo will be approximately $270. The Lima hotel and 1/2 day tour are included. Participants may arrange their own airfare and join the group in Lima. Air Fare price is subject to adjustment based on any changes imposed by the airlines until actually booked and paid. Airfare may be paid by check; use of credit card requires $35 surcharge. Exchange director will provide details when you sign up. Deadlines: Application must be received by the Exchange Director at the address below, together with $1200.00 payable to The Friendship Force of Dayton, by March 15, 2013. A $1000 second payment to reserve trip extensions to Machu Picchu is also due on March 15, 2013. A $1000 payment to reserve the extension to the Amazon is due May 1, 2013. The balance for the basic trip, Machu Picchu trip, or Amazon + Ballestas Island is due two months before departure: August 9, 2013. Optional Extended Trip 1: Machu Picchu and more The Friendship Forces of Dayton offering optional extensions. The first includes Machu Picchu and other ruins in the Andes Mountains...PLUS extended tours and experiences in Lima. Cost of Extension: The cost of the extension is $2500, i.e. airfare of $370 plus $2.100 double occupancy, with a single supplement of TBA. This includes hotels, train, guide, and admission to Machu Picchu. The extension expects a minimum of 15 persons to enroll. Optional Extended Trip 2: Amazon Basin, Sailestas Island, and more The Friendship Forces of Dayton offering optional extensions. The second includes the Amazon Basin at confluence of the Madre de Dios and Tambopata rivers. AND a bonus to Paracas and Ballestas Island (know as Peru's poor man's version of the Galapagos Islands) AND a view of the Nazca Lines. Cost of Extension: The cost of the extension is ~$1.700. double occupancy, with a single supplement of TBA. The extension is dependent upon having a minimum of 15 persons enroll. All meals are included plus the flight to Puerto Maldonado and bus to Paracas.
F R I E N D S H I P F O R C E O F D A Y T O N N E W S L E T T E R p a g e 4 H OLIDAY PARTY. A JOYFUL AND MAGICAL EVENING! The Hope Hotel was the venue for our 2012 Holiday Party on Dec. 9th. With harp music in the background, we gathered to renew old acquaintances, watch as Gary Mitchner reviewed the recent and very successful exchange to Morocco, and sit in openmouthed amazement as the Great Haganni (AKA Bill Hagen), ably assisted by Miss Vicki, awed us with feats of wizardry seldom witnessed this side of the supernatural! Thanks to Lucette Fogel and Vicki Thompson and their committee for their outstanding work in guaranteeing a wonderful evening. Y our membership renewal forms will be coming in the mail in a few days. Be ready to renew your membership ($30 for individual ad $35 for family) and to consider additional donations for the projects that the board is promoting.
F R I E N D S H I P F O R C E O F D A Y T O N N E W S L E T T E R p a g e 5 I t is with great sadness that we note that Mary Jane Gross passed away on Sunday, December 16, 2012. Mary Jane and her loving husband of 51 years, Gene were pillars of the Dayton Friendship Force.She enjoyed global travels as a part of our club and, along with Gene, graciously hosted foreign visitors on numerous occasions. Mary Jane was a delight to all who knew her, a lady who reached out to help so many and who could be counted on to face any obstacle thrown in her path with courage and cheerfulness. Mary Jane will be sorely missed. D eath of Former Dayton FF Member, Martha Jean Watson, 82, of Stockport, Iowa passed away Nov. 10, 2012. Martha traveled several times with Friendship Force of Dayton and was particularly proud of the Dayton friends she made during her travels. Her daughter told us that her Friendship Force trips were the highlights of Martha's life. Although Martha lived in Iowa, she maintained her membership in Friendship Force of Dayton for many years. H ELP WANTED! In the Fall of 2013 our club will have an inbound exchange from Manwatu and Wanganui, New Zealand. We need an Exchange Director (ED) for this inbound. If you haven t been an ED before please consider this opportunity as it should be a relatively easy exchange. The New Zealanders are a fun loving peoples, easy to host, and there are no language problems. If interested please E-Mail Bob Remm at remcin@aol.com or call 937 751 5531. N OMINATING COMMITTEE: Vicki Thompson, with the help of Gene Gross, Dick Graf, and Steve Birt, is heading up a committee to construct a slate of candidates for the FFD board commencing in 2013. If you are interested in serving on the board, let Vicki or any of the others know.
P.O. Box 291992 Dayton, Ohio 45429-1992 FIRST CLASS UPCOMING EVENTS DATES TBA DATES TBA ANNUAL MEETING INBOUND, NEW ZEALAND OCTOBER 10 29, 2013 LA LIBERTAD, PERU ED Julie Vann NOVEMBER 2013 2013 WORLD CONFERENCE, NEW ORLEANS