Bob Burkman’s Prayer
Gracious Lord,
Thank you for the coming of Spring when the earth begins a cycle of new life. We rejoice in longer days and warm sunshine although the change to Daylight Saving Time slightly confuses our internal clocks.
Thank you for the season of March Madness where brackets are busted faster than New Year’s resolutions and where underdogs give us a tangible example of Optimism at work.
And Lord, as baseball season begins, we give thanks for fresh starts and the eternal Optimism that “this could be the year.”
Bless this meeting, our fellowship and our shared spirit of Optimism. Help us to embrace each new day with humor, hope and perhaps a second cup of coffee.
Amen.
Get to Know a Member – Byron Wade
President Sarah Umbreit caught up with Byron Wade before his presentation.
- Early riser – up by 6:30 each morning and ready to go.
- What motivates him most – meeting new people, making new connections, and learning from them, which ties perfectly into his passion for Friendship Force that he shared with the club today.
- If he could live anywhere outside the United States – Portugal. He’s had the chance to visit and loved the culture, the food, and the scenery.
Byron Wade joined CNO on April 13, 2024, and was sponsored by Ron Thompson.
Announcements
Childhood Health and Wellness Hygiene Kits
Cris Peterson, representing the Childhood Health and Wellness Committee, announced that the committee is assembling 96 hygiene kits in partnership with Daybreak. Daybreak has recently been selected by the state to be the primary resource for children affected by sex trafficking. Members were asked to write a note of inspiration on the cards provided at each table to be included with each kit.
Easter Egg Hunt Preparation and Volunteer Dates
Carrie Thomson announced that 4,000 of the 8,000 Easter eggs still need to be stuffed for the annual Easter hunt. Volunteers are invited to help (no need to sign up) on March 28, 2026, at the Station House at St. Leonard beginning at 9:00 a.m. Volunteer sign-up for the April 4, 2026, Easter Egg Hunt event day is available online by using the Member Calendar.
Avenue of Flags Phone Contacts
Tom Novak and Jim Mogan shared an update on the Avenue of Flags subscription renewal effort. The subscription renewal team has done a great job, but email alone has not reached everyone. Mike Brubaker reported that up to 200 subscribers never opened their email. The final phase is phone contacts, and about 30 volunteers are needed to help make calls. Volunteering begins two weeks from today.
Anxious Generation Community Read Results
Andy Higgins shared the results of the tree lot team competition for participation in the community reading of The Anxious Generation. The community read culminated in an event at Epiphany Lutheran Church with over 90 attendees. He thanked everyone who participated and engaged in thoughtful conversation. Team Three, the Dancers – Andy Higgins’ team, imagine that – won the competition.
Wine and Bourbon Tasting Social Recap
Sue Brubaker, from the Social Committee, thanked Diane and Patrick Arehart for hosting a wine and bourbon tasting at their home on Saturday. Diane selected wines from around the world and three bourbons for the tasting. Debe Dockins and Patrick Arehart even played the piano and sang.
Game Night
Sue Brubaker announced a Game Night on April 11. The cost is $10, which includes pizza, snacks, tea, lemonade, and water. Bring any other food or beverage you’d like. The evening will include a variety of board and card games, with Left-Right-Center to close out the night. Bring your quarters. Sign up using the Member Calendar and pay at the door.
RecPlex Stocks Ponds with 600 Trout
Bob Lawson noted that the RecPlex will put 600 trout in the ponds at the rec center on April 9, 2026, for anyone who wants to come out and fish.
Friendship Force of Dayton with Byron Wade
Byron Wade, Vice President of Friendship Force of Dayton, presented on Friendship Force International and the local Dayton chapter. Before beginning, Byron recognized Ron Thompson, who has been an active member of Friendship Force Dayton since 1997 and who, along with his wife Vicki, has served as president of the club. Both Ron and Vicki are also CNO members, and Ron sponsored Byron for membership in CNO.
About Friendship Force International
Friendship Force International is a global, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting intercultural understanding and citizen diplomacy, in which people can cross cultural boundaries to connect on a personal level. The goal, through international and domestic homestays, is to develop friendships through personal contacts which will ultimately help to build a more peaceful world. FFI brings diverse people together into one another’s cultures and homes in more than 60 countries. Although members explore new destinations, Friendship Force is not a travel club. Members travel or host with the goal of mutual understanding and friendship.
The organization’s motto is “A World of Friends is a World of Peace.”
History
Friendship Force International was founded in Atlanta by Presbyterian minister Wayne Smith. With support from President Jimmy Carter, the organization was introduced on March 1, 1977, at a gathering of state governors at the White House. President Carter challenged the governors to return to their states and identify a volunteer leader to serve as the state director for Friendship Force. Rosalynn Carter served as honorary chairperson until 2002. Today, Friendship Force has over 350 clubs in more than 60 countries across six continents, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. The organization is non-political and has no religious affiliations.
The central concept of Friendship Force is home hospitality, where visitors stay with host families, share meals, and experience daily life together. This approach played a role in Cold War diplomacy when, in 1985, Friendship Force helped facilitate exchanges between citizens of the United States and the Soviet Union. This peace-building initiative was so significant that Friendship Force was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992.
Friendship Force of Dayton
Friendship Force of Dayton was established in 1979 and was the first club in Ohio. Over the past 47 years, the club has hosted hundreds of world citizens and visited clubs around the world. The Dayton club was awarded U.S. Club of the Year in 1997 and in 2002 was recognized as the top Friendship Force club worldwide. It remains one of the largest clubs in the world.
Last May, Dayton hosted the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Spring Session to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords. Members of Friendship Force attended several of the open sessions. One of the speakers was President Osmani of Kosovo, who made the point that the past 30 years of peace in her country represented the longest period of peace in its thousand-year history.
Philosophy
The philosophy of Friendship Force International is built on three principles. The first is the Force of Friendship, where the word “force” conveys the power of friendship rather than military might, suggesting an army of friends that embraces differences. The second is Personal Connection. As a member and ambassador of Friendship Force, you are not a tourist. A journey offers immersion, living with local families, participating in daily life, and building genuine human connections and lasting bonds. The third is Understanding Through Friendship. Living in someone’s home reveals shared humanity instead of preconceived stereotypes. Friendship Force believes in faces, not places.
Goals
The goals of Friendship Force are to explore the world in a personal and authentic way, to understand other people through total immersion with a local family instead of a hotel room, and to serve the cause of peace, building it person to person, not just government to government. These goals are captured in another of the organization’s mottos: “Experience different views, discover common ground.”
What Is a Journey?
A unique feature of Friendship Force is the journey. Travelers are called ambassadors. An inbound journey is when another club visits Dayton to experience life with local members and stay in their homes. An outbound journey is when the Dayton club travels to another city or country for a homestay with the host family. Journeys can be domestic or international.
Byron shared slides of recent inbound and outbound journeys, including an inbound visit from Des Moines, an outbound trip to Baton Rouge, and International outbound trips to South America and Toronto.
2026 Journeys
The remaining journeys scheduled for 2026 include the FFI Regional Conference in Memphis in April, an outbound journey to New Jersey in June, an outbound journey to Belgium in September, an inbound visit from Ukraine through the COIL program in September, and an inbound visit from Birmingham, Alabama in October.
Byron pointed out that if the Dayton club’s scheduled journeys don’t appeal to you or the dates don’t work, you can participate in journeys organized by any of the 350 clubs worldwide through the Friendship Force website. Options include grandparent-grandchild journeys for those with grandchildren over 14, adventure trips to places like New Zealand, a Mississippi River cruise with lectures and site visits, and trips to Hawaii with other Friendship Force clubs.
Home Hosting
For those who prefer to stay home, hosting is a great way to meet people from other countries. It requires a spare bedroom and preparing breakfast for your visitor each morning. Hosts then take their guests to all the planned activities for the week, participating as if they were on a journey themselves.
Virtual Events
During COVID, Friendship Force expanded its digital platform. Members can now learn a language, take a cooking class, join a book club or chat room, or request a pen pal through Friendship Force International.
Social Activities and Community Collaboration
Friendship Force of Dayton holds an annual holiday party, a Cinco de Mayo celebration, and an annual picnic. On the fifth day of every month at 5:00 p.m., the social committee organizes a gathering at a different restaurant in town, an event called “Fifth at Five.”
The club also arranges cultural experiences, including a visit to the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center at Wilberforce University, and service projects such as helping out at Cox Arboretum.
Friendship Force of Dayton collaborates with several community organizations including the Dayton Sister City Program, the Dayton Council on World Affairs, the International Peace Museum, the Oakwood Inclusion Coalition, EthNosh, World A’Fair, and the Dayton International Festival.
Congressional Office for International Leadership (COIL)
Byron also covered the Congressional Office for International Leadership, also known as the Open World Program. COIL is a 10-day professional exchange funded by Congress involving visitors from 11 former Soviet republics, including Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Participants seek to learn best practices in the United States. The program begins in Washington, D.C., and ambassadors are then hosted by Friendship Force Dayton. Recent COIL visits have included delegations from Moldova, Bulgaria, and Georgia.
Think Positive Power
Byron closed his presentation with a nod to the Positive Power segment that President Sarah Umbreit shares each meeting. While Sarah often draws on the wisdom of Walt Disney and Disney characters, Byron shared that his hero is Charles Schulz, creator of Snoopy. He encouraged anyone visiting Northern California to stop by the Charles Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa. He then shared a quote from the beloved beagle: “People wait all day for 5 p.m., all week for Friday, all summer for winter, all winter for summer, and all of life for happiness. Don’t let the pursuit of tomorrow diminish the joy of today.”
Slides
The slide deck has more information than is listed in this article.
You can view the slide deck of the presentation here.
Mission
Friendship Force Dayton is a member club of Friendship Force International. Our purpose is to provide opportunities to explore new cultures, cultivate friendships, and ultimately promote peace and understanding by bringing people together on a personal level. Through the signature program of home hospitality, local hosts welcome domestic and international visitors into their home, sharing meals, conversation, and the best sights and experiences of their region. The club is non-political and has no religious affiliations.
Thank You
Thank you, Byron Wade, for sharing your passion for Friendship Force and for showing how building friendships across cultures can help build a more peaceful world. It is clear you are an Optimist.
New Member Readings
- Tim Walker, Second Reading, sponsored by Mike Bevis
- Rex Caswell, Third Reading, sponsored by Greg Hoffbauer
Happy Bucks
- Ray Daley’s grandson’s surgery went great last week and he is doing well.
- Bob Myers shared that Mike Creech had a successful cardiac ablation and is home resting.
- Charlie Tapp thanked Joan Cordonnier for organizing the City Barbecue restaurant takeover, which raised over $200.
- Tom Novak gave a happy buck for the Avenue of Flags subscription renewal team, which has been working since January. Sixty percent of all renewals came in during the early bird period.
- Kristen Passidomo was happy about having the low putt score in golf.
- Joan Cordonnier thanked everyone who came out to eat at City Barbecue.
- Joan Cordonnier also thanked Mike Cordonnier and John Carroll for sending emails that encouraged Centerville High School staff to support the fundraiser.
- Andy Higgins thanked all participants in the Community Read of The Anxious Generation and congratulated Team Three.
- Tom Conroy gave two happy bucks welcoming his good friends Rick and Catherine Talda to the meeting, noting Rick is soon to be retiring from law practice. Rick has been a member of CNO since 2017.
- Debe Dockins thanked the Arehart’s for hosting the wine and bourbon tasting.
- Debe Dockins also gave a happy buck for Byron’s mention of Peanuts, sharing that Town Hall Theater and the library are hosting a free screening of the Peanuts movie on April 11 at 6:00 p.m. at Town Hall Theater. Director Steve Martino will be there for a Q&A. His mom is Optimist member Sally Martino from the St. Leonard’s Club.
- Greg Hoffbauer gave a happy buck for Contemporary Coffee celebrating its third anniversary.
- Greg Hoffbauer also gave a happy buck for visiting family in Greenville, South Carolina, where they watched the NCAA tournament and played games.
- Byron Wade gave five happy bucks thanking Greg Griffin for helping him build his slide deck and for accepting last-minute changes. Byron noted that Greg does this every week for all of the club’s speakers.
- Hunter Busch was happy that Spring Break started last Friday.
- Mike Yoder reminded everyone about the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics coming up next month. Jersey Mike’s Subs is donating 100% of all sales on March 25, 2026, to Special Olympics at all Ohio locations.
- Julie Walling was happy that Cris Peterson is back after vacation.
- Ron Thompson gave ten happy bucks thanking everyone for the birthday wishes on his 80th birthday. The party planned for him had to be canceled, but many members reached out and even sang happy birthday to him.
Sergeants-at-Arms Fines – Tony Danial and Fran Sheehan
Mike Bevis was fined for jamming Fran Sheehan’s email inbox with potential golf sponsors.
Debe Dockins was fined for forcing Patrick Arehart to play a piano duet at the wine and bourbon party.
Patrick Arehart was fined for attempting to sing at the wine and bourbon party.
Tom Conroy, Joan Cordonnier, Mike Cordonnier, Ron Kuker, Scott Langer, and Bob Lawson were hit with the random fine of the week. Guests picked two random pages from the member handbook, and anyone listed on those pages who was in attendance was fined.
Mike Bevis was fined for jamming Fran Sheehan’s email inbox with potential golf sponsors.
Welcome Guests
| Guest | Guest Of |
| Catherine Talda | Tom Conroy |
| Hailey Kutscher | Joan Cordonnier |
| Hunter Busch | Jeff Busch |
| Rex Caswell | Greg Hoffbauer |
Club Membership Anniversaries
| Member | Joined | Years |
| Brandon Barrett | March 26, 2019 | 7 |
| Bob Crawford | March 26, 2019 | 7 |
Birthdays
| Kate Trangenstein | March 26 |
| Jane Fiehrer | March 27 |
| Bob Crawford | March 28 |
| Mike Creech | March 28 |
| Andy Higgins | March 30 |
Thank You Notes Received this Week
CLICK HERE to see the Thank You Notes we received this week
Links to PowerPoint and Pictures
CLICK HERE to see the PowerPoint Slide Deck from this week’s meeting