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A Special Section Focusing on Senior Lifestyles

MATURELifestyles Travel

November 2014

Friendship Force started a lifetime of travel for Plymouth woman BY SUE WEBBER CONTRIBUTING WRITER Marcia Hinitz of Plymouth is a long-time traveler, beginning with her days in the Friendship Force program. Friendship Force International (FFI), is an international cultural exchange program, founded in 1977 by Wayne Smith, a Presbyterian minister and former U.S. missionary to Brazil. For the first five years, it used chartered airplanes to shuttle delegations of 150400 visitors between partner cities. The first exchange involved 762 travelers from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, and Atlanta, Georgia. Staying in private homes is a central feature of the program. In 1982, the plan was changed from large, simultaneous exchanges to smaller one-way visits using scheduled airlines, but retaining the basic home stay theme, supported by local clubs in the host countries. Friendship Force now organizes 250-300 smaller exchanges of 20-25 visitors each year. It has active clubs in more than 50 countries. “I went on many Friendship Force trips and got HINITZ - TO PAGE 5

Ma Marcia Hinitz is pictured with her children: back row, from left: Jill Kaufman and Dean Hinitz. Front row: Connie Hinitz and Marcia Hinitz. (Submitted photo) Ma


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