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Sister Cities is planning for the future

Posted 1/24/21

Fountain Hills’ four Sister Cities add to the community’s culture.

While each of the four cities is a lot older than Fountain Hills, each reflects modern principles and ideas they share with …

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Sister Cities is planning for the future

Posted

Fountain Hills’ four Sister Cities add to the community’s culture.

While each of the four cities is a lot older than Fountain Hills, each reflects modern principles and ideas they share with Fountain Hills.

Carol Carroll, president of Fountain Hills Sister Cities and chair of Fountain Hills Sister Cities Advisory Commission, is looking forward to a bright future with the organization.

While 2020, Sister Cities’ 20th anniversary year, proved quiet for the organization due to the novel coronavirus, members have been dedicated to moving forward with plans in the coming year and beyond.

Each year Fountain Hills Sister Cities gives a $500 scholarship to the Golden Eagle Education Foundation. The scholarship goes to an outstanding foreign language student at Fountain Hills High School.

This year, Sister Cities has earmarked $2,000 for its Fountain Hills Sister Cities Foreign Language/International Studies Scholarship. Two scholarships will be awarded.

Carroll said the first $1,000 scholarship will go to a graduating student with three years of foreign language classes with an interest in using those skills and an interest in a career in international studies.

The second award, also $1,000, is the Fountain Hills Sister Cities International Leadership Scholarship, which will go to an outstanding graduating senior from Fountain Hills High School. The candidate must plan to use their leadership skills for international involvement in their future. Applicants also must provide a recommendation from a high school teacher.

Because there was no travel between cities during 2020, Sister Cities board members felt the awarding of bigger scholarships was a way to move the program further.

“We feel that many families had to dip into college funds last year,” Carroll said. “We are hopeful these scholarships can help college-bound students.”

In addition to the scholarships, Sister Cities members and board have been busy developing social media and plan to launch a new quarterly newsletter this month.

Carroll said the organization hopes to get new members this year. Membership forms are available on Sister Cities Facebook page. Individual memberships are $15 and family memberships are $25. There also are student memberships available through the school.

Carroll said she hopes to spread the word about Sister Cities in Fountain Hills and make as many people as possible aware of the organization.

Early in 2020, Sister Cities sponsored the “Take over the Community Center” event. Board members and volunteers were assigned different room in the Community Center to mix with as many parents as possible to spread the word about Sister Cities.

“That continues to be a goal in 2021,” Carroll said. “We want to raise awareness of the possibilities to students within the organization.

Sister Cities members are considering publishing an international cookbook featuring food from the different countries represented by Fountain Hills’ four Sisters: Zamosc, Poland; Ataco, El Salvador; Dierdorf, Germany; and Kasterlee, Belgium.

The idea behind the cookbook is to give people a chance to share photos, stories and recipes.

“If someone becomes a new member and submits more than five recipes, they will receive a t-shirt featuring the organization’s new logo.

Cookbooks will be sold online. Additional information will be announced at a later date.

Carroll said the organization hopes to add a sibling to its ranks sometime in 2022.

“We are considering some places, which we will announce later,” she said.

Carroll said new board members are being sought. Additional information about Fountain Hills Sister Cities is available online at fountainhillssistercities.org.

Board members include Carroll; Vice President and Zamosc Committee Chair Elizabeth Matej Horchem; Treasurer and Dierdorf Committee Chair Christine Colley; Secretary and Director Clayton Corey; Directors Hank Boryczki, Suzanne Nann, Roxanne Boryczki, James Carrick and Bogumil Horchem.

In addition to board members, Sister Cities Advisory Committee also is seeking new members. Members whose terms expire this year are Carroll, Lisa Ristuccia and Bev Tall. Enrique Melendez and Nicholas Stumpf’s terms end in October 2022. Those remaining on the commission until October 2023 are Eric Walker and James Wilson.

Those interested in serving on the commission may visit fh.az.gov/589/Sister-Cities-Advisory-Commission.