FFH Newsletter 2015-09Don ( [email protected] ) & Sid ( [email protected] ) Friendship Force Houston Page 2 September 2015 Program for September 26 th Meeting Our very own Vivian

September

2015

A World Of Friends Is A World Of Peace. A Non-Profit Organization Promoting Peace through Citizen Exchanges

WHAT IS FRIENDSHIP FORCE INTERNATIONAL? The Friendship Force is a non-profit organization sponsoring people-to-people exchanges between people in over sixty nations of the world. It brings people together through home stay exchanges – creating unforgettable experiences that build lasting bonds of friendship. As an Ambassador you share lifestyles in a private home in other countries for a week. In return, you may home host people from that nation or other nations to share your lifestyle. The ever-widening Friendship Force global network represents a powerful and growing force that can overcome differences between people and nations.

Presidents’ Corner Hello Dear Friends, Whoosh – summer is gone, September is here. I hope you are ready for Christmas! My, how time flies. The remaining months of 2015 will be filled with Friendship Force “must dos”. Fortunately all of our Friendship Force to dos are exciting – from choosing our new board to deciding where we will go in 2017! Dreams and anticipation! This month we will carry out our elections and are in need of someone willing to be nominated for secretary. If we are not able to fill this position, the club may not be able to renew with FFI in January. Please consider volunteering! We will start planning our 2017 Outbound Exchanges by filling out the FFI form. We love our lively international dinners and our monthly programs which are always very interesting - but most of all we love hosting other FF chapters and being hosted by other FF chapters. It is such a special way to learn about our world, and we have the most wonderful memories of times spent with our new friends. E-mail sure helps us stay in touch. At the conclusion of the presentation at our September meeting we would ask that you stay just a bit longer to see how you can participate and help with the upcoming Quilt-Themed Exchange. There are a variety of ways to support an exchange and this is what we will be discussing. The more you can do, the more fun you will have – and that is a fact. Please stay and learn what is needed. We will not be having a meeting on October 24th since we will be picking up our Ambassadors on Sunday, November 1st for the beginning of the Exchange. Everyone is invited to join us that evening for the Welcome Dinner at the Old Spaghetti Warehouse downtown as well as Thursday, November 5th at Tracy Gee for an early Farewell Party. We are asking that everyone bring a dish for a potluck dinner to share not only with our Ambassadors but also with other special guests, local quilters who have been corresponding with our Ambassadors as “e-pals” prior to the Exchange. All quilters will be sharing their work as we have a “show & tell” that evening. We do hope you’ll join us for as many activities as you can! The full Exchange schedule is on page 8 of this newsletter. In Friendship, Don ([email protected]) & Sid ([email protected])

Friendship Force Houston Page 2 September 2015

Program for September 26th Meeting

Our very own Vivian Pollack will present the September program regarding “World Heritage Sites Under Attack” in which she will discuss the physical destruction of sites, particularly in the war-torn Middle East, as well as the devastation of wildlife and nature preserves around the world.

Buddha of Bamiyan before and after destruction Islamic State sledgehammers toppling statues at museum

August Meeting by Jean Porter

FFH welcomed Louise Hayes, M.Ed., Ph.D. as our guest

speaker and enjoyed learning “How to Grow Your Brain at any Age”. Dr. Hayes discussed communicating to

your brain with your mind and body through movement, touch, and intention to bring dramatic and

intended change to those with learning disabilities, victims of strokes or accidents, illnesses, etc. If

interested in attending more of her free workshops,

visit her website, www.BrainGrowthAndRepair.com. Many thanks for a very interesting program.


We also said goodbye to our long-time

member and friend, Erma Fennema, who will be moving to New Mexico to

be with her children. We wish Erma the very best in her new location. She

will be missed!!

Aug 8th International Dining Night The August restaurant was Café Brussels, obviously Belgian food, which was wonderful, as well as the choices of beer available, as seen below. Thirteen members and one guest attended.

Choices from darkest to lightest

Mimmi Gadkari, our newest member, showing off her dinner.


Left side: Elsie Sinclair, Mary Adams, Vivian Pollakc, Mary Evans (Tom was photographer), Don & Sid Formanek Right side: Al Geffon, Walt Duffey, Josie Geffon, Rita Pfaffelhuber, Ruby Reviere, Mimmi Gadkari, JoAnn Peschel

Visible on left side: Joann Peschel, Mimmi Gadkari, Ruby Reviere, Rita Pfaffelhuber

Visible on right side: Sid Formanek (Don was photographer), Mary & Tom Evans


Sept. 12th International Dining Night

L to R: JoAnn Peschel, Mary Adams, Ruby Reviere, Mimmi Gadkari, Margie Jefford

L to R: Vivan Pollack, Joyce Salan, Sid & Don Formanek


L to R: Gen Pike, Barbara Lallinger, Parvine Latimore, Marilyn Weaver

L to R: Marjo & Hans Ave Lallemant, John Doolittle, Joy Huntington

L to R: Tom & Chris Calhoun, Elsa Sinclair, Rita Pfaffelhuber



Quilters Exchange – Nov. 1 – 8 We have a very fun exchange planned for our 16 (all female) Ambassadors. They will be staying downtown while attending the Annual International Quilt Festival at the George R. Brown Convention Center, which runs from Preview Night, Wednesday October 27th through Sunday, November 1st and is a wonderful experience even for us non-quilters. If you get a chance to go, take it! It is worth seeing. The detailed schedule follows:

Date Activity Time Address Costs

Sun. 1st Pick up Guests 4pm Westin Hotel Downtown 1520 Texas Avenue 77002

Welcome Party 5:00 PM Old Spaghetti Warehouse, 901 Commerce St, 77002 ~$18

Mon. 2nd Bus to La Grange 9:00 AM Behind Memorial City Mall {SE Corner} free

TX Quilt Museum &

" Quilted Skein" shop

10:30 AM $6

free

Lunch at Bistro 108, LaGrange 12:30 PM ~$12

Old Town Spring Quilt Shops 3:00 PM free

Dinner at Gringo's Tex-Mex 6:00 PM 19330 I-45 North southeast of Cypresswood ~$15

Bus return to Memorial City 8:00 PM If you don't go but need to pick up, give us cell# free

Tues. 3rd Plan A - downtown segway tour 9:30 AM parking $5 per car at Heritage Soc./Sam Houston Park $60

Plan B - downtown walking tour 9:30 AM parking $5 per car at Heritage Soc./Sam Houston Park free

Lunch in Park Shops Mall food court 12 N ~$10

Continue downtown tour free

Dinner w/ Hosts 6:00 PM depends on venue

Wed. 4th Galveston tour 9:45 AM meet at 25th & Seawall Blvd. $12

Lunch at Fish Tales 12 N 25th & Seawall ~$15

Grand 1894 Opera House tour &

Galveston Hurricane film

1:00 PM

3:00 PM

2020 Postoffice Street

Pier 21 Theater, 2100 Harborside Dr. (Strand area)

opera tour $3;

film $6

Sug: Strand Historic District & Shops;

Seawall Blvd.; Historic homes &

Carved Trees; Kemah Boardwalk,

Shops & Restaurants

free

Dinner w/ hosts depends on venue

Thurs. 5thMuseums - Guest choice

Mus. of Fine Arts, Mus. Of Nat. Science, Holocaust,

Health/Medicine, Contemp. Art, etc.free

Lunch sug: Café Express in MFA ~$12

Farewell Party & Show & Tell 5:00pm Ending time is 8pm, may not set up before 5pm Potluck dishes - free

Friday 6th NASA tour 9:45 AM meet at ticket booth (parking $6 per car so carpool) $12

Lunch on grounds (picnic) hosts make sack lunch

Dinner at Ruby's in Friendswood FFH donation

Sat. 7th Free Day

Suggestion: Texas History Day

Brunch at Joy's, followed by tours of

San Jacinto Monument & Battleship

Texas, followed by dinner at

Monument Inn on ship channel

10:00 AMBrunch - FFH donation;

Monument $7.50;

Battleship $6;

Dinner ~$20

Sun 8th DeparturesHosts may drop off guests w/ afternoon departures at

Sid & Don's.


October 10th International Dining Night Please note that there has been a change in venue from previous calendars. Please join us at Café Lili for Lebanese and Middle Eastern cuisine. http://www.cafelili.com/ Just west of the Galleria Mall at 5757 Westheimer.

Newest Member: Joyce Salan Joyce is originally from Illinois, although she has lived in South Carolina, Georgia, California, and Louisiana, before getting to Texas in 1978 and staying!! She has conducted audits throughout the US and was Publisher and Editor of a small magazine and various newsletters. Her main interests are volunteerism, live theatre, conducting cooking classes, and enjoying many of the classes and bus trips at the senior centers in west Houston. And she loves new experiences!!! Please welcome her to FFHouston next time you see her.


Membership by Ruby Reviere We welcome our new members to our wonderful club. We are, like most organizations, always interested in growing our membership. I have been a member for 14 years and have never regretted a minute. We have great International Dinners each month with excellent attendance and always have very interesting and different experiences with our restaurants. And we have had very interesting programs at our monthly meetings. I invite everyone to share your thoughts about your experiences with our club both good and not so good. We do have to grow and any ideas you have would be helpful in the future. Please continue to invite your friends, neighbors, family, people you’ve just met, etc. You never know who is looking for a great group like ours. We could also use some publicity via emails to your friends by sending the newsletter to prospects. Please send your message with your thoughts about our club to [email protected]. All your ideas and suggestions are welcome. Thanks!!!!!!

Contact Us Friendship Force International www.thefriendshipforce.org Co-Presidents Don & Sidney Formanek 281-821-9876 Don – [email protected] Sid – [email protected]

Vice-President Jean Porter 281-240-0352 [email protected]

Friendship Force Houston, TX www.ffhoustontx.org

Secretary / Treasurer Linda Marlin 713-465-9466 [email protected]

Membership Chairman Ruby Reviere 281-482-2464 [email protected]

Facebook Account Friendship Force of Greater Houston

Newsletter Editor & Webmaster Joy Huntington 281-837-5151 [email protected]

FF Houston 2015 Calendar Date Day Activity Location Time

Sep 26 Sat Meeting, potluck luncheon & presentation Tracy Gee CC * 11 AM

Oct 10 Sat International Dining Night Café Lili (Lebanese) 5757 Westheimer #112, 77057 713-952-6969

6 PM

Oct 28 - Nov 1

Houston’s International Quilt Festival George R. Brown Convention Center

Nov 1 - 8 Inbound Global Quilt Exchange Sid Formanek, Exchange Director

Nov 21 Sat Potluck & General Meeting Tracy Gee CC * 6 PM

Dec 12 Sat Holiday Party Home of Margaret Burgess 16018 Elmwood Manor, Cypress

10:30 AM

* Tracy Gee Community Center, 3599 Westcenter Blvd., one block inside Beltway 8 south of Richmond

Documents

FFH Newsletter 2015-09Don ( [email protected] ) & Sid ( [email protected] ) Friendship Force Houston Page 2 September 2015 Program for September 26 th Meeting Our very own Vivian