NEWSLETTER of October 2019 Issue 121 Spring The Friendship Force of Wellington Inc. www.wellington.friendshipforce.co.nz President: Lynnda Bouzaid 43 Chapman Street Johnsonville Phone (04) 478 5963 Email: [email protected] Secretary: Jenny Wigley 13 Chilton Grove Lower Hutt Inside Phone (04) 972 5170 Email: [email protected] President’s message Travel quote Editor: Heather Salmon Recent events 29 Hinau Street Membership Woburn Upcoming events Lower Hutt Just for fun! Phone (04) 569 7975 FFI News & Information Email: [email protected] Facebook & Websites Inward and outward journeys for 2020 A few final reminders Upcoming other Club exchanges Committee 2019 Recent I FROM THE PRESIDENT Hi everyone What a busy time we have had since our last newsletter. Wonderful to see we had seven members at Nuts ‘n Bolts, which is a small workshop run for our clubs to share ideas and for the NZ Exec to keep us up to date with Friendship Force matters. Our club will be organising the 2020 Nuts ‘n Bolts. Six of us continued up to share their 36th birthday dinner with Wanganui. They were the first club founded here in New Zealand. It was lovely sharing ideas with them. Our visit from Birmingham Alabama, was fantastic! A big thank you to Tony and his committee for running such a great and varied programme. It was great to see so many of our members being involved in various parts of the week. Our committee/financial year is ending, and our AGM is looming up on 1st December at 4.30pm at 1841 Bar & Restaurant. Voting forms will be sent out next month. If any of you are wishing to join our wonderful committee, please let us know as we would love to have you on board. We are looking for a Vice President and will be keen to fill this place. There will be a dinner after the AGM – an RSVP to me will be asked for closer to the time. In the past this has been a great chance to catch up and wish everyone the best for Christmas and the New Year. There is a small visit coming from Xalapa, Mexico 14 October. Erica and Ian Speden are Host Co-ordinators for this exchange. It will be very low key as there is only six members coming. Rhys and Lyn are taking a group of our members on an exchange to South Africa, Perth and Albany, Western Aust. Most are going to a game reserve first and leave on 12 October. We wish everyone a very happy and safe journey. Please remember to get in touch with Ngaire for the Operatunity Event 6 December. In friendship Lynnda Bouzaid President October 2019 This month’s travel quote: “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer. ” Unknown RECENT EVENTS Nuts ‘n Bolts Day and Wanganui Club Visit 24 August - 26 August After an interesting day of listening and talking at the Nuts ‘n Bolts day, six of us travelled on to Wanganui to join in the Club celebrations for their 36th Birthday. Their wonderful hosting included taking us up the 66 metre underground elevator to the Durie Hill War Memorial Tower, and visiting the 2002 Handspan Peace Sculpture, with 600 ceramic hand sculptures, from new-born to elderly, promoting a culture of peace and non-violence for the children of the world. And of course a lovely birthday dinner! Our representatives at Nuts ‘n Bolts Cutting the cake to celebrate Wanganui’s in Fielding 36th birthday With hosts at the top of the Handspan The newly painted tunnel leading to the Peace Sculpture 100 year old Durie Hill underground elevator And while the group was having coffee together Jenny and Graham spotted their long-time Morris Minor in a passing parade of vintage cars! Great excitement reclaiming their past! VISIT FROM BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, USA th th 19 to 24 September We have just ended the exchange with 10 ladies from Birmingham. It was a fantastic exchange. They were so nice to host. On Thursday we met Birmingham off the plane – thank goodness we found they were not on the plane they had advised. Friday was a “Cultural” theme. After morning tea at Capital Rodders rooms, Lynnda taught everyone flax waving. Then after a buffet lunch the group visited Titahi Bay Intermediate for a Powhiri. Many Ambassadors had tears in their eyes with joy watching the students performing. They were then shown around the school like celebrities. That night it was dinner at members’ homes. Saturday was the “Wellington” theme day, with Joyce and Judith taking the Ambassadors to Weta Workshop - they said it was fantastic. Then to the underground market - they loved the waterfront in the sun so much they just wanted to stay there. That night was “Bring Your Favourite Pie” and “Dress Up Your Table”. What a fantastic function our club put on for the Ambassadors. The tables, and the pies, looked amazing. Top tables went to Bernie & Eddie, and Heather & Jim. Top pies were the Steak and Kidney by Kate, and the Lemon Meringue by Heather. Tony presented a challenging quiz and we all learnt something about Alabama and NZ. Other challenges included teams competing for the America’s Cup Yacht Race; and Hide the Balloons in Lynnda and Reba – so funny. Our band of Rhys, Graham & Bob had everyone up dancing. That has to be one, if not the best, Friendship Force nights at the clubrooms. Sunday was a day for Hosts to take their Ambassadors to other places in Wellington. Monday had a “Sporty” theme with indoor bowling at Naenae - so much fun. It was then lunch at the Remakery, and a visit to Epuni School gardens. That night was the Farewell Dinner at the 1841 - Reba and Tony said how good the exchange had been and they wished both clubs all the best. Tuesday saw us having lunch at the Chocolate Fish Café (yes, we all got a chocolate fish) and saying our goodbyes as they prepared to leave NZ. Lots of friends were made, which is exactly what Friendship Force is about. Our farewell dinner to our new-found friends from Birmingham, Alabama, was a very genial evening September Coffee Morning Our September Coffee Morning doubled as a bowling tournament with our Birmingham guests at Naenae Bowling Club. We delighted in the homemade offerings some members had brought, and then demonstrated our skills – or lack of skills! – on the inside greens. Great fun! Repeat Sunday Roast On Sunday 15 September a large group of us attended the repeat Sunday Roast evening at Boulcott Farm Golf Club. We even shared in the award ceremony for a major golfing tournament held that weekend at the Club, as well as celebrating Margaret and Jaye’s birthdays, which happened to both be on that day – more cause for another toast. Thanks to Jaye for organising this lovely evening. Notice our new bumper stickers! Lots of members for lots of fun. Happy birthday Margaret and Jaye! Membership We are delighted to welcome to our Club two new members, Gwen and Bruce Levick, who are unable to host, but happy to day and dinner host. We wish you many good times in the Club, and also on journeys and visits with other NZ and International Clubs. Members, please introduce yourselves to Gwen and Bruce at our Club gatherings and help them get to know who we are and how to get the most out of their membership. Please note, we now accept as members people who are unable to host visitors to stay at their home, but who are willing to act as day hosts or dinner hosts for our visitors. If you have friends who fit this category, please feel free to invite them to join us. Club Profiles Mieke Wensvoort and Tony Green Tony and Mieke joined the Friendship Force in August 2019 after ‘meeting’ Graham Wigley at the Petone Fair sales stand. They enjoyed their first hosting with the ladies from Alabama USA in Sep 2019. Tony loves the Hutt Valley and wouldn’t live anywhere else despite having travelled the world over the years. He grew up in Havelock North and was sent to boarding school at St Patrick’s College Silverstream for 5 years. After completing a degree in chemistry Tony worked as a winemaker in Hastings for 20 years. On moving down to Lower Hutt Tony co-owned a distillery and a Ned Kelly Liquor Price Bandits retail store in Porirua. Through manufacturing, importing and bottling we were able to ‘bust’ the Porirua Licensing Trust’s stranglehold on liquor sales in the Porirua Trust area. The business restructured in 1999 when the Radiola building, out of which we were operating, was taken over to build the Mega Centre in Porirua. After moving the bond store licence to the Hutt Valley, Tony formulated and produced the original 42 Below vodka until production moved to Auckland in 2000. Apart from importing and bottling a range of spirits, we were also was involved in the production and exportation of the Zumwohl range of German Schnapps. Zumwohl won awards worldwide. A number of Sydney bankers got involved in 2011 and unfortunately over-extended the company into receivership. Tony then spent a number of years teaching chemistry and math and worked part-time as a tutor in both Mt Crawford and Rimutaka prisons. We now operate a small bond store supplying a select number of massage parlours in Wellington. This involves making deliveries around midnight, but being practically retired we have more time during the day to enjoy the view from high on the Belmont Hills.