From August 6 to 8, 2015, the club experienced its first intrastate journey hosting nine ambassadors from the Quad Cities club. After a salad lunch, the group experienced all things Grant Wood – his studio at Turner Allen, Grant Wood art at the Stewart Library at Coe, Wood’s war memorial stained glass window at Veterans Memorial Building, and Works Progress Administration murals at City...
The first annual all-Iowa picnic had an amazing turnout – 79 people from the four Iowa Clubs: Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Central Iowa and the Quad Cities. Highlights included a catered lunch, brief updates from Midwest Region Representative Adrienne Moen and each Club President. All enjoyed the Marian Wetjen story and word game, Connie Williams’ corn hole tourney, great conversation and fellowship. Several persons...
July 14-20, 2015, Marian Wetjen, journey director, led 18 ambassadors on an journey to Mid-Willamette Valley in Oregon. Ambassadors from Iowa included Audrey Bradford, Darlene Peterson, Stephanie and George Schulte, Pat and Vic Klopfenstein, Trish Kaiser, John Giegerich, Donna and Joe Ironside, Mary Ann and Larry Nelson and Darlene and David Tammel. They were joined by RoseMarie Everett and Natalie Cheng from California and...
Reflections of the Niagara Exchange Oh Canada! What a wonderful time our Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Friendship Force Ambassadors had during our journey to Niagara Canada. From our Welcome Dinner at the First Grantham United Church Hall where we met our new friends and rekindled friendships with those we had previously hosted, to our Farewell Dinner at the Port Dalhousie Legion Hall, we were...
From June 21-28, 2015, 14 ambassadors from Lansing, Michigan, experienced warm, Iowa hospitality and discovered that Iowa is not a flat state. Monday, June 22 and Thursday, June 25, the group visited interesting sites in Cedar Rapids including the Paramount Theater, Public Library, the Mother Mosque, Grant Wood’s studio, the National Czech and Slovak Museum and more. Tuesday, June 23, Hoover library and Old...
May 15th – 23rd Agri-business development was the focus for an Open World program for delegates from Azerbaijan. Activities included a day at Iowa State University, a visit to the John Deere plant in Waterloo and a visit with local representatives to the Iowa legislature and in Congress. In Cedar Rapids the program included visits to Diamond V Mills headquarters, Kirkwood Community College and...
ED – Marian Wetjen Twelve ambassadors thoroughly enjoyed this journey with the Sacramento, Ca. club Oct 15-21. Those attending were Audrey Bradford, Lynette Nuerhring, Ellen McVey, Dave and Patty Detwiler, Bob & Bernita Pruess, Will and Karen Mickelson, Irvin & Tressa Youngbear and Marian Wetjen, ED Some of our activities included: touring the Capitol, Old Sacramento, the Railroad Museum and walking among the giant Calaveras...
Note: 2nd week with Madison, Wisconsin What started out as a simple incoming international journey with Wessex, UK turned into a global experience with 4 from Wessex United Kingdom, 9 from Heredia Costa Rica, 4 from Tuxtia Gutierrex, Mexico, 2 from District of Columbia, USA, and one from Santa Rosa, California. Twenty great ambassadors enjoyed the following activities with our host and members: September...
The Tri-Club Event was scheduled for August 17 at E.B. Lyons Nature Center, 8991 Bellevue Heights, Dubuque, from noon to 4:00 p.m. A catered meal of brats, turkey and dressing sandwiches, side salads, dessert and drinks. Over 20 of our members were able to attend. The Dubuque Club announced that they would not be renewing their charter for 2015 and the club would be...
Under the leadership of Steve Williams, 15 ambassadors: Bob & Benita Pruess, Tressa & Irvin Youngbear, Joe & Donna Ironside, Dianne & Mike Karal, Steve & Nancy Williams, Marian Wetjen, Marian’s sister Ellen McVey of Midland MI, Shirley Rosencrans, Esther Hudson, & Will Mickelson, traveled to Cincinnati for an journey. They had the story of the Underground Railroad opened up to them. Slaves took...
National Grantee Organization: International Friendship Force Office, Atlanta, GA Local Host Organization: Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Friendship Force Club Placement City/State: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Theme/Subtheme: Accountable Governance – Legislature Prepared By: Victor Klopfenstein Names of Delegates and Facilitator(s): Delegates: Naida Abdulayevna Ismatulayeva Antonina Valeryevna Skvortsova Oleg Ivanovich Tinyakev Yevgeniy Aleksandrovich Grinenko Facilitator: Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Bryukhanov Names of Host Families: Victor & Patricia Klopfenstein Charlie...