During the recent North American conference, FFI CEO and President Jeremi Snook asked me as Chair of the Board to tell my Friendship Force story and how I became involved.
So, I will start it out with a famous quote by Robert Frost:
It was 1980 and I had finished my first year at Purdue University, when my parents asked if I wanted to go on an adventure to Cali Colombia. I was one of five children but the only one available to go and I spoke pretty good Spanish.
The decision lay in front of me: Do I stay the summer with my friends OR take the road less traveled? Fast forward 44 years and that one decision made such a difference to the course of my life. I am a second-generation FF member and now a member of the FFI International Board of Directors.
Bill Hagan, left, wearing his Wayne Smith medal
My father (on the far left) was a recipient of the Wayne Smith medal for his work supporting and opening new clubs. So how did this all start?
My father was driving home one evening from his job at Sears Roebuck in Dayton Ohio, when he heard an ad on the local radio. “Do you like travel, adventure and meeting new friends? Then come join us”.
It was his local FF chapter, the Friendship Force of Dayton, Ohio, going on their very first journey. This was a 1980 journey that saw 100 of us board a chartered flight to Cali in Colombia and, when we landed, the group from Cali flew to Dayton. What an experience!
Our homestay hosts Lalu and Maria picked us up and drove up the mountain to their home. I thought my father was going to have a heart attack as Lalu honked his horn then passed cars on the curves of this mountain road. They spoke a little English but I became the interpreter. I remember Lalu repeatedly saying, “Donna, tell your father this, tell your father that”. For the week, we learned their culture, ate their food and went to church with them.
Here I am, front left, with a group of school children. I remember thinking some of the older ones in the back were quite handsome!
But there were a few experiences that stood out. Lalu’s brother was the governor of the state, or what they call ‘departments’ in Colombia. It was Sunday and we took a trip to his coffee farm which was a lush home in the mountains with an outdoor pool and beautiful gardens. The Governor asked me, ¿Te gusta el café? Me: No señor, no me gusta el café. He was terrified until I assured him the young generation of Americans do like coffee. The topic then moved to politics, both past and present. And without Google Translate or any other translation tool, everyone figured out how to communicate. The Governor had one burning question: Why was it such a big deal that John F Kennedy had an affair? He shook his head because this sort of thing was normal in Colombia.
The following week, we visited Leticia in the Amazon, where Brazil, Peru and Colombia meet. The first night in this small village we lost all electricity which meant no water either. Thankfully there was a swimming pool. I still remember my father the next morning walking out to the pool with a plastic trash can to dip into so he could shave. To me, the Amazon was the most interesting part of the trip. 
One day we took these small dug-out canoes deep into the Amazon. It was like walking into the pages of a National Geographic magazine. When we arrived at the river bank of the village, we had to climb up a very steep muddy incline. We had one older lady with us, and although she was spry, the deep mud presented a problem. One of the tribal men came down the embankment and piggybacked her up the hill.
It was an amazing adventure and experience. My parents stayed in touch with Lalu and Marie but then lost touch. I wonder to this day how they are.
So that was my very first FF story.
My parents travelled all over the world on 40+ journeys with Friendship Force. Above are photos of them travelling in Pau, France in 1985 and then at the Dayton Peace Pole many years later.
When they passed, I thought I would start a club in Boston in memory of them with the help and support of my husband. So six years ago on my mother’s birthday, the Greater Boston chapter of Friendship Force was formed. We now have 25 members.
Here is our club in Hobbiton, New Zealand. We have a young club, with an average age of 55 years. And I think we have the youngest FF member! Little David was 11 months old in this photo. It is important we bring in the next generation so they can carry on our mission as we age.
I leave each of you with one challenge.
Find a way to involve the next generation, even if it is your adult children. Research shows this generation more than ever wants to travel with purpose.
This challenge is one of the key initiatives for FFI and the Board of Directors in 2025. If you have ideas or want to get involved with us, please reach out.
We all need to choose the road less traveled.