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Upcoming Journeys
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Upcoming Journeys

Jun 23, 2019 by

Below is a list of upcoming journeys for our club. If you are interested click on any of the journeys to learn about that journey. Click here to learn more about our club or here to join. Incoming from Milwaukee, Wisconsin (July 19-22, 2024) Incoming from Willamette Valley, Oregon (dates...

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Brazil Outgoing Journey – July 2019
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The Cedar Rapids-Iowa City (CR-IC) Friendship Force Club was invited by the Ribeirao Preto and Salvador-Bahia Clubs to participate in a cultural exchange.  It was the “winter” season in Brazil, with average daily temperatures below 80 degrees (F). It felt much like summer in Iowa. Ambassadors included Judy Miner, Geri Frascht, Barb Steggall and Jim Steggall from the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City Club along with...

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Journey to Kaohsiung and Taipei, Taiwan, November 1-15, 2017
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On November 1, a warm, sunny day, our group of 21 ambassadors arrived in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Some came directly there and others stopped in Hong Kong for a short visit. We enjoyed visiting with our host families and their extended families; walking through their neighborhoods, cheering for the home team at a member’s week-end baseball game and experiencing Taiwan through our host’s eyes. We...

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Quad Cities, September 29th and 30th, 2017
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Journey Coordinator Marian Wetjen and eight Club members participated in a one-night Journey to the Quad Cities Club on Sept. 29 and 30. This was a reciprocal visit from a journey to Cedar Rapids in 2015. We toured Shady Knoll Farm (pumpkins, flowers, met the owner, animals, picture taking opportunity), Hampton Heritage Center to see the world’s largest Ginkgo tree carving, Campbell War of...

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Kosovo Open World, September 8 – 16, 2017
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The Kosovo Open world delegation was exciting and filled with curious, knowledgeable young people. We learned of a close association between Kosovo and Iowa. There are two Kosovo Consulates in the US, one in New York and one in Des Moines, plus the Embassy in DC. The delegates learned a great deal about language development and immigration in Iowa. West Liberty was an eye-opener...

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 Lower Columbia Washington, September 5th, 2017
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 Lower Columbia Washington journey to Cedar Rapids-Iowa City     Eleven members of the Lower Columbia, Wash., Friendship Force Club started their journey to Cedar Rapids-Iowa City with a welcome party on Sept. 5 at George and Stephanie Schulte’s home.     On Wednesday, the group toured Cedar Rapids with Sandy Fowler, assistant city manager, followed by a tour of Turner Alley and the Grant Wood exhibit...

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Sacremento Incoming Exchange, April 30 – May 7, 2017
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Our Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Journey   FFI has introduced some changes. Did you know we no longer have Exchanges?   A Journey is the word for our adventures now But we can still reach out and make new friends anyhow.   We all arrived in wind and rain, But a warm Welcome Dinner soon eased our pain.   In Kalona we were well fed...

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Crazy For Quilting
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Crazy For Quilting

Oct 3, 2016 by

The Crazy for Quilting journey was a great success!  Here’s a day by day description of the fun. Friday, Sept. 30 The Friendship Force of Cedar Rapids/Iowa City welcomed 18 Ambassadors at Wickiup Hill Nature Center!  Our club has prepared a Best of Iowa dinner, featuring roast pork loin and side dish pot luck.  In the spirit of Friendship Force, 5 Ukrainian educators and...

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Lansing Exchange, September 11-17, 2016
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In September, 2016, 17 ambassadors made a visit to the Friendship Force club of Lansing, Michigan. The journey to Lansing in September offered warm hospitality, comfortable weather, lots of interesting activities, renewal of friendship made when they visited us and created many new friendships. This was an opportunity to reconnect with club members who visited Cedar Rapids in June 2015. With our Lansing hosts,...

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Nashik, India Incoming Exchange, July 2-8, 2016
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We completed a successful journey hosting 17 ambassadors from Nashik, India on July 8.  Our guests were able to experience home hosted lunches, a walk through the Brucemore gardens, a visit to the Czech and Slovak Museum; 4th of July festivities including fireworks; a day in Jones Count included learning about artist Grant Wood, a visit to Weber Stone, the motorcycle museum and winding up with dinner at...

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Visit to Central Iowa Club, July 16, 2016
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As we continue to build intra-state relationships, ten club members enjoyed overnight hospitality from our friends in the Central Iowa club (Ames) on July 16, 2016. It started with a tour of Reiman Gardens with hosts, then a walking tour of several art installations on the Iowa State University campus led by Ames club member, Dennis Dake. We learned about the artists and their...

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Wessex, England Outgoing Exchange, June 5-12, 2016
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Eleven ambassadors gathered at a B&B in central London a couple of days before our Wessex journey was to begin and we did some touring on our own. On Sunday June 5, we all took a two-hour train ride to southern England to meet our Wessex hosts and begin our week long adventure with our new friends. Even though their club is small, they...

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