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Membership

Thank you to the following new or renewing members. We appreciate their support and could not carry out our mission without their generosity:

Individual Level: Sieglinde Klein, Hannelore Rader, Caren Cunningham, Ruth Devine, Martha Swartz, Tristan Pierce, Elaine Wise, Karen Dunnagan, Erna Gwinn, Gladys Boykin, Louise Schulman, Mary Mery, Lydia Herron, Julius Wong, Philippe Deprez, Rosemarie & Charles Swearingen, Ruth Elias, Elizabeth Walters, Diane Bailey-Boulet, Robert J. Lehman, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Tim Allen & Tom Dumstorf.

Student Level: Maria Catalina Perez

Family Level: Robert & Mary Ann Stenger, John & Carol Findling, Tom & Janet Raderer, Dr. Wendy Pfeffer & Dr. Nathan Schwartz, Chris Gilbert, Kevin & Marccela Oppihle, Thomas Syvertsen, Ph.D., Magdalena Estevez, Bob & Vicky Ullrich.

Diplomat Level: Dana Guevara Pelfrey, Mr. & Mrs. McNair, Roland & Marie Blahnik, Helen Lang, Dell & Fred Courtney

Consulate Level: Dr. & Mrs. Forrest Kuhn, Mr. & Mrs. David Jones, Jr., Dr. John Wright.

Non-Profit & Corporate: Crane House, The Asia Institute Inc., The English-Speaking Union Kentucky Branch, D.D Williamson & Co. Inc., Spalding University

Ambassador Level: Porter Watkins & George Bailey

To become a member or for more information CLICK HERE.

CITY NEWS

Tamale, Ghana

• Tamale Summer Internship Program. For the fourth year Sister Cities of Louisville and its Ghanaian partner, Sister Cities of Tamale, is pleased to announce the chosen three interns who will participate in the 2009 program. This internship program seeks to match the skills and interests of two or more University students with the needs of Sister Cities and Sister Cities’ affiliated programs in Tamale, Ghana. The program takes place between the months of May and July for a total of six weeks. For compLete Bios please click the links below:

Kelly Allen               Erica Buckner                 Cameron Herman

• Tamale Guests.  Sister Cities of Tamale immediate Past President, Alhaji Jehanfo will be arriving in Louisville next week. SCL is working with Kentucky Country Day School to plan a full itinerary for our honoured guest.
• KCD Tamale Tip. KCD’s next bi-annual trip will leave for Tamale on June 6. The growing relationship between Tamale and KCD has seen over 21 students and teachers visit Tamale this past year. Many exciting projects are on the horizon including a rainwater catchment system at Dahin Sheli and a free medical clinic. For articles about recent trips click the links below:

January Trip by Hayden Dry and Kelly Beam

February Trip by Tim Rice

Jiujiang, China 

• Exchanges. Louisville Collegiate School and Jiujiang Experimental School became Sister Schools in 2006.  They schools visit each other alternatively, one year coming to Louisville and one year going to Jiujiang. This past January the third group of students from Jiujiang arrived in Louisville and despite the ice storm they had a wonderful stay with their host families and Collegiate students. For more information about the trip click the link below:

An Unforgettable Trip to Louisville by Li Min

• Sichuan School Relief Update Xiang-E Elementary School was one of the most severely damaged schools in the May 12 big earthquake in China.  Approximately 400 of 560 students did not survive.  The city of Louisville felt compelled to help and is proud to be part of the Sichuan Relief Project.  The Louisville community raised over $50,000 through October. With a challenge grant, Louisville was able to secure support from Lexington's Chinese community and a company to reach its goal of $100,000 for the school. The reconstructed Xiang-E Elementary School is being designed by Shanghai's Tong Ji University and will be one of the first light frame wooden buildings in China. The Louisville community's contributions will include a rainwater collection and conservation system, a library and three special classrooms. The rainwater collection and conservation system is new in China and will make the school more environmentally friendly and green. Louisville provided the design of the whole system (by volunteers at the site), and will donate all the materials and install and test the system. The library will host a collection of English books including some books about Louisville and Kentucky. In addition to the library there will be three special classrooms constructed:  Music, Arts and Nature. Louisville will equip the classrooms as designed.  Students in Kentucky will be participating in the decoration of these rooms by providing art works on ceramic tiles. The school is on target to be completed this summer with the first students beginning classes in the Fall. To follow the update click the link below:

Xiang-E School Rebuild Website

• Photo Exhibit. A photo exhibit detailing the devastation caused in Chendu by last years China earthquake is currently on exhibit in Phoenix Arizona and is scheduled to make it’s way to Louisville later this year. The theme is ‘recovery’ and SCL would like to compliment it with photo’s from the Xiang-E School rebuild process. Planning for a location and date are in the works, watch this space.

Perm, Russia 

• Art & Culture.  Michael Brohm, a Louisville photographer visited Perm, Russia earlier this year to exhibit 60 pieces of local Louisville photography in what he describes as an indoor St. James festival. To read his full account click the link below:

My World is a Family Photography Competition by Michael Brohm

Montpellier, France 

• Work Exchange. The Summer Work Exchange program will celebrate it’s 56^th year this July. 10 students have been selected from 200 hopefuls in France to spend the summer living and working in Louisville. Students will stay with host families and work at various locations around the city. If you would like to employ a French student or be involved with their visit to Louisville please CONTACT US for more information.

Quito, Ecuador

·         Quito has just announced a new Mayor – Dr. Augusto Barerra. Sister Cities of Louisville looks forward to working with Quito under this new leadership

·         The Quitumbe Andean Ballet and Orchestra is set to send 50 students to Louisville to participate in WorldFest and to perform at various locations. Sister Cities is currently looking for host families, if you are interested in hosting a student from Ecuador in the fall please CLICK HERE for more information. To download a brochure about the Quitumbe school and upcoming visit CLICK HERE.

Mainz, Germany

·         The Mainz Committee has chosen the two Louisville artists who will represent the U.S.A at the Art in the City 2009 event in Mainz this summer. For Arist Bios Click the link: Chris Gilbert and Cliff Swearingen

·         The UofL student awarded the Mainz Year Long study Scholarship to study at the Johannes Gutenberg Universität-Mainz has been named. For a full bio click the link: Justin Tirone

La Plata, Argentina

·         La Plata Sister Cities Committee recently presented an evening learning about Argentina at Caffe Classico. Guest speaker, Dr. Guillermo Rougier presented "20 years of Fossil hunting in South America: travel, science and exploration of Patagonia, Argentina". Over 30 people attended to learn about Argentine culture, traditional dress, humor and it's rich history. Guests also enjoyed delicious appetizers prepared by Caffe owner Tommie Mudd. Information was distributed about a possible group trip to Argentina this coming November - for more information about this please contact Claudia Peralta-Mudd. Similar gatherings are planned for later this year so stay tuned!

Leeds, England

• 4 students and 1 teacher from Eastern High School will be traveling to Leeds this summer to take part in the annual Breeze festival.

OTHER NEWS

SAVE THE DATE: The fifth annual fundraiser, A Tasteful Affair is set for October 5, 2009 5-8:00 p.m. at the Jefferson Club.

EMPLOYERS NEEDED: - the longest standing Sister Cities exchange program in the U.S is right here in Louisville – The Montpellier Summer Exchange Program We are looking for employers for this Summer's French exchange students, for more information on the program and how to get involved CLICK HERE

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS: The City of Louisville will celebrate landmark anniversaries with six of its eight Sister Cities in 2009: its 55th anniversary with Montpellier, France; its 30th anniversary with Tamale, Ghana; its 15th anniversary with three cities –La Plata, Argentina, Perm, Russia, and Mainz, Germany; and its 5th anniversary with Jiujiang, PR China.  Mayor Jerry Abramson has invited the mayors of each of Louisville’s Sister Cities to join him for a special anniversary celebration in Louisville from September 3 through 8. Over 100,000 people are expected to attend the city’s seventh annual WorldFest celebration on the Belvedere that weekend. The Sister City delegates will join them for music, dancing, food and crafts from around the world. Louisville is planning a fun-filled Sister Cities reunion from September 3 through 8. Anyone interested in participating in the anniversary celebration events as an official city host or volunteer may contact the Sister Cities office at 502-574-3397.