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Florida 2000
Virginia did a fine job of matching ambassadors with hosts and many new friendships were formed that week. Eleven ambassadors went to Epcot on Tuesday and seven to Busch Gardens on Thursday. On the remaining days we were free to spend time with our host families. Some of the activities participated in were visits to Tarpon Springs, Pier, Fort DeSota, Ringling Brothers Museum, Biltmore Resort Hotel, Dunedin Harbor, Clearwater Beach. On Saturday, Jan. 20, a joint picnic of both Suncoast and Spring Hill members was held at Anderson Park in Tarpon Springs. Although the weather was cold and windy, the hot chili, shared food, and new friendships warmed us. Presented to the Lincoln club by Suncoast was a beautiful piece of coral with glass porpoises. Thank yous and good-byes were said which is always the hard part, then luggage was exchanged from one car to another and we were off to New Port Richey and Spring Hill for our second week of being hosted. Barb Boettcher and her committee are to be commended for the variety of interesting activities they scheduled for us to do during this week. Those given the highest ratings were Homosassa Springs, a wild life refuge where we saw the manatees, alligators, and waterfowl and the Flatwoods Adventures, an ecotour of a working cattle ranch. There were small group dinners involving all visiting ambassadors. John and Charlotte Luethje joined us for the second week, as well as Bob and Liz Cox of Birmingham, AL. The farewell lunch was at Sam’s at Hudson Beach where gifts were exchanged; a pewter replica of our State Capitol on a wooden base to the Spring Hill club, our club receiving an engraved photo album. Again, farewells were said until such time as our new friends in Florida can come to Nebraska and we can return their warm hospitality. In the meantime we will hold our memories of Florida close to our hearts to tide us over our cold Nebraska winter. |
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eek one started off well with 19 Lincoln ambassadors being met at the Tampa Airport and taken home by their host families to unpack and get better acquainted. The next day, on Sunday, following a tour of the Fine Arts Museum, a Welcoming Dinner was held at the Columbia Restaurant, located on the 4th floor of the Pier in St. Petersburg. At this time a pewter replica of our State Capitol was presented to the Friendship Force of Suncoast from the Friendship Force of Lincoln, Nebraska. The gift was accepted by Virginia Hartley, the Exchange Director for Sun- coast. After dinner we went to a wonderful pops concert at Eckerd Hall; Bill Contis Salute to the Oscars. Bill Contis an Oscar and Emmy award winning composer and conductor. For many of us it was the highlight of the week, made possible by Charles and Betty Deloach.