Friends Connection
Friendship Force of Sarasota
March, 2009 Volume 20, No.3
President:Katy Goodwin 379-9954 Editor: Nancy Rehbock 941-896-7958
Vice Pres: Mary Brugger Historian:Betty Kuhns
Secretary:Judi Stratton Assoc. Hist:Gary Kuhns
Treasurer:Bob Burke Sister Cities:Terry Neuss
Publicity:Gloria Grenier Sunshine:Colleen Stoller
Membership:Bob & Connie Bergin Social:Doro & Jim Malachowski
Bonnie Frey, Rae Aloisio Bobbie & Jay Jabas
Web Master:Linda Vendeland Peggy Otten, Mary Brand
Directory:Bob Bergin Darlene Beachley, Sonny Spiker
President’s Message
Here it is March already – hopefully our cold weather is over for this year and we can move on to more typical Florida warmth and sunshine, especially to welcome our incoming ambassadors from the cold climates of Belarus and Russia.
Our February meeting speaker, Dr. Robert Barylski, gave us a preview of what to expect from our foreign ambassadors. We were delighted to have Nikolay Safonov, President of the Russian American Association, also join us. Mr. Safonov will be our Russian translator when we meet in the Mayors Office during our exchange. Other guests at our meeting were Deb Reese and Fritz Ramey from Sun CityCenter, Jeannie Bilunas, a FF member from Harrisburg, PA, and Barbara Nye and Will Kisser from FF Northeast USA.
Apparently we all enjoyed the meeting and each other so much that we were negligent in leaving the auditorium on time and received a warning from the Selby Library notifying us that “any further warnings will result in the cancellation of booking privileges.” So – I am asking all of you to please be on time (or even a bit early) so we can begin our meetings promptly at 6:00 PM and be out of the auditorium with everything cleaned up by 7:45 PM. The library is free of charge for our use and we do not want to abuse this privilege.
We are delighted to have our 2010 FFI proposed exchanges: Sarasota to the BelgiumCoast – April, and Ottawa, Canada to East Central Florida and Sarasota – November. The Belgium Coast Club is centered in Bruges, the Venice of the North, a city founded 2000 years ago. Our club had an outbound exchange to Ottawa in August of 2008.
Remember to check out our new club website: by our new webmaster Linda Vendeland. It is great!!
See you at Belarus/Russia/Uzbekistan activities and at the next meeting, March 19.
Katy
Calendar of Events**more info inside
March 8-15 Inbound Minsk/Moscow Exchange**
March 19 General Meeting at Selby Library 6P
March 30 Board Meeting at home of Mary Brugger 7P
April 2-7 Outbound Austin, TX Exchange**
April 22 Booker High School Play (no general meeting)**
May 4 Board Meeting at home of TBA
May 21 General Meeting at Selby Library 6P
Did You Know………
- Babe Baptist tells us that he has sold all of his 50 tickets for the Booker High School Performing Arts musical production on April 22. If you were not one of the lucky 50, and would like to attend, call the Booker high school at 355-2968 and arrange to get your tickets The play is “Thoroughly Modern
- Millie” and cost is $10 a ticket. If you plan to go, consider meeting the group for an experience of ‘fine dining’ at the HobNob Drive-in on SR301 in Sarasota, before the play at 6pm. Remember – this takes the place of our General Meeting for April.
- Thanks to the efforts of Bob Bergin, we now have our new 2009 FF Directories with the newFFI logo. However, there were 2 incorrect pages.With this March newsletter mailing, you will find 2 replacement sheets for each directory for you to paste or staple over the incorrect pages, page 1 and page 25.
- Please add Phyllis and Sid Joseph to your new directory. 1283 Southport Dr.Sarasota34242.
941-349-0495,
Sarasota“Friends Connection” Going High Tech!!
Since 1990 when the first Sarasota FF club’s newsletter was written, long before the majority of members (if any) owned a computer, our method of delivery has always depended on the US Postal Service. Due to the rising costs of postage, printing, and other supplies, we have looked for a more efficient way of getting our newsletter out to all the members. Starting with the April issue, Friends Connection will be sent electronically to all members who have email. Those of you who do not have email will still receive your monthly newsletter by regular mail. There will be no change for you. The rest of the club will receive a monthly newsletter by email with the subject line reading “Friends Connection”. If you wish to have ahard copy to refer to, you may print one. Please also refer to the Sarasota club’s new website at There will be a copy of the current newsletter posted each month. Linda Vendeland, our webmaster, is working hard to provide a link to enable us to pull up previous issues. This will result in better, more inclusivefeatures, done in color and with photos. I think you will like the changes, which will improve as time permits. In other words, this is a work in progress and we ask you all to be patient and watch us grow. Any suggestions or comments will be appreciated.
Treasurer's Corner: The board of directors discussed and approved a change in the membership policy whereby all members will in the future be accounted for as single entities, versus the current system of couples and singles. With respect to dues, this change will be for all new members, and will now be $13.00 per yr per person or prorated to $6.50 for 1/2 yr for this year. For the purpose of convenience and economy however, couples will still receive only one mailing, directory, etc. This change was made to make tracking of membership simpler and equitable to all.
Bob Burke, Treasurer
NEWS FROM THE WEB
I want to thank everyone who submitted articles and pictures for our web site. I would not have been able to create the site without your contributions.
Please contact me if you have any suggestions about what you'd like to see on our site. Be sure to visit the site occasionally for updates.
Linda Vendeland, Webmaster
Exchanges
Inbound
Minsk, BelarusMoscow, Russia – March 8-15
Please see the updatedschedule at the end of this newsletter.
Have a question? Contact the following person.
Sarasota Exchange Director:� Judi Stratton Home hosts and co-chair :� Mary Brugger
Day hosts and welcome kit/gift bags:� Donna Schaeffer Activities:� Barbara Peterson
Welcome dinner:� Gary Kuhns Farewell dinner:� Vivian McNamara
Dinner parties hosts;� Margaret Mills Photos:� Chuck Reist
Booklet/program:� Bob Bergin Treasurer:� Bonnie Frey
Outbound
Austin, TX - April 2-7
For the Austin trip, everything is set. We sent out the applications on request of Joanne Ancira, who is the exchange director in Austin. We already received the schedule. It's going to be quite exciting, seeing all the wildflowers at Lady Bird's wildflower center. LBJ ranch should be interesting also. Downtown we have the HistoryMuseum andLBJ library with the Gutenberg bible,which is quite spectacular. The city has much to offer, including the Capitol on Congress Avenue where all the action takes place with shops, restaurants and famous bars nearby where many famousmusicians got their start at the Continental Club.You could taste the original cornchowder at Manuel's which isalso on Congress Avenue.Close by you will find Barton Springs natural pool of sandstone with year around temperatures of 70 degrees in the Park on TownLake now called "LadyBirdLake". You can walk all around and see many interesting sites, like the biggest bat colony off CongressBridge. We will have luncheons at original places and more...
San Antonio is also set with a two overnight stay. Cars are rented. We will see the Alamo, River Walk, and a great little Elizabeth Ney museum in a beautiful villa and more.
Ange and Leaf Wanless, EDs
Calgary, Alberta, Canada – Bus Tour August 7-12 & Homestay August 12-19
We have 24 Ambassadors signed up for our Calgary Exchange. We still have two openings. The total cost including the pre-exchange bus tour and seven day home stay is $1,361.00 per person double occupancy excluding air fare.Cost for only the seven day homestay is $312.00 per person excluding air fare.We are looking forward to visiting this beautiful location in Canada and reconnecting with our Calgary friends who visited our club in 2006.
Linda and Jack Vendeland, EDs Phone: 941-342-6278 E-Mail:
WORLD FRIENDSHIP DAY - MARCH 1
The tradition of World Friendship Day began in 2005 as a way for Friendship Force International, and its 360 clubs around the world, to have a specific day to commemorate the organization's birth. FFI was launched at a White House ceremony on March 1, 1977. A resolution honoring FFI and recognizing March 1 as World Friendship Day was introduced in the U.S. Senate in 2007. In 2008 more than 4500 Friendship Force citizen ambassadors traveled on exchanges, with thousands more serving as home hosts.We are honoring our mission "to promote global understanding across the barriers that separate people."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Ed.Note – I am doing my very best to get everyone’s correct email address as I prepare to send out the group mailing by email in April of Friends Connection. I am taking them from our new directory. In preparation for that, I am sendingthe March issue both by US Post and email. So I am asking you to please check your directory when you get it and see if all your information is correct. If there are any errors or corrections, please notify Bob Bergin (Membership) and/or me (Nancy Rehbock, Editor). I am using Microsoft Word, as I believe that is the format most members use. If you do not receive either e- issue or are unable to open it, please let me know. I will work at this until I get it right!
Minsk, Belarus Exchange: Sunday March 8—Sunday March 15
Sunday March 8: Home hosts will meet Ambassadors at McDonalds , Bee Ridge and
Cattleman at 1:00PM Be there by 12:45 PM
4:30 PM WELCOME PARTY atWhispering Sands Tiki Hut.
BBQ Dinner, provided by Gold Rush BBQ
Cost $10 per person. This includes everything.
*Bring your folding chairs if you have some. *Your swimsuits and towels
if interested in swimming. Gary Kuhns-Chairperson.
Whispering Sands complex is on Siesta Key.
Google in Whispering Sands Dr 34242 for more directions.
The Tiki Hut is in the back of the complex on the right side of the towers.
Mon. March 9: *9:45 AM Mote Marine / 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, 34236
*BrownBagLunchKenThompsonPark/ Lido beach / St Armand’s /
*Visit the Mayor’s office. Gather at 1:45 at City Hall, 1565 First St 34236
Meeting at 2:00. / The evening is free.
Tues. March 10: *9:45 AM RinglingMuseum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd 34243
- Two Circus museums, Ca d’Zan
- Lunch at the Banyan Café, or brown bag
- Art museum
*Dessert Party, 7:00PM at Colleen Stoller’s 4409 Oakview Dr. 34232
For Host families and Ambassadors. Host family please
bring a dessert to share.
Wed. March 11: *9:15 AMMyakkaPark - Gators at the dam and bridge,
Gator Gal boat ride, Canopy walk, Bird walk, Visitor center.
Brown Bag Lunch The rest of the day is open.
Thurs. March 12 Free day / 6:00 PM Dinner parties
Fri. March 13 * 9:45 AM SelbyGardens, 811 Palm Ave,
12:30 –2:30 PM The Carefree Learner. 23 Ambassadors and 4 of us.
BayfrontPark The rest of the day is open
Sat. March 14 FAREWELL LUNCHEON Time: 11:30 AM – 2:30
Place: STONEYBROOK COUNTRY CLUB
This will be a buffet luncheon with a soup, salad and sandwich stations. Dessert, beverage, tax and tip included. Price $20 per person. There will also be a cash bar, and of course a Farewell program
Vivian McNamara –Chairperson
8801 Stoneybrook BlvdSarasota34238—Again google for directions
The rest of the day is to share with your guests. The beach, shopping, the sunset, packing!
Sunday March 15: Minsk Ambassadors leave from SRQ at 10:55AM
. Time to be there will be given later.
Moscow and Tashkent Ambassadors leave by bus from
McDonalds, Bee Ridge and Cattlemen, no later than 2:00 PM. Again time to be there will be given later.
Please send in your reservations as soon as possible to Bonnie Frey, treasurer for the exchange. The Deadline was Friday Feb 27
If you missed sending in your money give Bonnie a call 921-1788. She will let you know if reservation can still be taken. Make your check payable to Bonnie Frey and send to her at 2411 BritanniaRd, Sarasota, 34231. Your check is your reservation.
Welcome $10 ______Farewell $ 20______Total ______
Number of people ______
Name ______