Renouvellement Charte Jumelage sister cities celebrates 35 years By phyllis whitley
Fredericksburg Mayor Greenlaw and Fréjus Mayor Rachline (above) sign documents reaffirming Sister City Relationships At the 35th Anniversary Celebration in France in September. The beginning of this relationship happened in 1979. Ralph Meima, Jr., U.S. Consul General at Marseilles, France, came to Fredericksburg to visit his parents. He brought Francais Leotard, Mayor of Fréjus, with him as he was interested in a sister city relationship with an American city. Leotard liked what he saw and proposed a “twinning” with Fréjus. Mayor Laurence Davies asked Tom and Lydie Mann to visit Fréjus during their visit to France. They recommended the partnership and in 1980, Fredericksburg and Fréjus became sister cities. Student Exchanges have been a priority to the organization. On even years French students visit here. They live with area families, participate in local events and take trips to learn more about America and to improve their English. Alternatively our students travel to Fréjus with similar agendas. FSCA has given over $52,000 in scholarships to students participating in exchanges. While the initial focus was on student exchanges the list of involvement is impressive: Johnny Johnson was the first local artist to exhibit in Frejus. Many others have followed. Three performing groups have traveled to France to perform. The first
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was a choral group directed by Mandy Carr. It was highlighted by a visit with Princess Grace of Monaco. Eight groups from Frejus have performed in Fredericksburg. Other groups FSCA has hosted are: a weeklong Russian Librarian Exchange; a delegation from Kuito, Bié Province, Angola; Librarians from Fréjus who spent a week absorbing information from our libraries; a group of people from Dundee,Scotland; and students from Fréjus Technical School, Gallieni Lycee Professionnel, spent two weeks visiting local businesses. A sports exchange of young basketball players was a success. Bob Antozzi with City Parks and Recreation organized the exchanges, raised money for our students to make the trip to France and received a national award from Sister Cities International. Since 1980 every Mayor has made at least one trip to Fréjus. In 2002 Mayor Bill Beck was there when the Fréjus people hosted the first 9-11 Memorial event. It has become an annual event for Fréjusians. Mardi Gras and Bastille Day Celebrations events serve as fundraising projects. Fundraising is an important part of the program. French classes, Festival Francais, Bon Vivant events, sale of French related items, and auctions are all used to raise funds for the Student and Cultural Scholarships. Other ongoing activities are; conversation groups for adults; participation in arts & craft events; and presentations to schools and civic organizations. The Sister Cities program began in 1956 during the Eisenhower administration, linking American cities to cities of similar interest throughout the world, promote global peace and understanding through person-to-person contact. The profound friendship between Fréjus, France and Fredericksburg is the Sister Cities movement at its best. Thirty-eight people traveled to France in September for their 35th Anniversary Celebration . FSCA will celebrate here on Wednesday, Nov. 18th at 7:00pm at Snowden House. To join the group visit the web site http://fredericksburgfrejus.com/ or facebook.com/fredericksburgfrejus or send an e-mail to Monbar123@aol.com. Phyllis Whitley is a past president of FSCA and has been a member since 1990.
Front porch fredericksburg
Merry Mart
CLEARING THE AIR
shopping you can feel good about
Whole-Home Air Purifier can help
By kelly applegate
by Mike Appleton
Get a head start on your Christmas gifts and make a difference in the lives of children in Fredericksburg! It’s hard to find that perfect gift for friends and family in the usual places, and that is why for one day only, the Fredericksburg Area Service League (FASL) is hosting Merry Market! A collaboration of vendors all under one roof offering jewelry, clothes, bags, personalized accessories, Christmas wreaths, gourmet food, teas and beverage accessories, children’s books, home décor, art and many more wonderful, affordable and unique gifts you can see, smell, touch and try for yourselves! This special event will be open to the public Saturday, November 21st from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Fredericksburg Country Club, 11031 Tidewater Trail, Fredericksburg, VA, 22408. Admission is $4.00 online at www.faserviceleague.com, or $5.00 at the door (children under 12 are free). Proceeds from the weekend will go directly to the charitable organizations and programs supported by the Fredericksburg Area Service League, which strives to improve the lives of children who live in and around Fredericksburg. To date, FASL has donated over $650,000 to the children in our community and this year’s proceeds will be aiding several worthy organizations and programs including, but not limited to, funding for Camp Rainbow: Hospice Support Care, Fredericksburg Area Food Bank, The Fairy Godmother Project, Louisann’s Hope House, Spotsylvania County Head Start, Fredericksburg Area Head Start and Rappahannock Area Big Brothers Big Sisters. FASL also supports several signature programs including Books in Hand, Summer Scholars, College Scholars, CMOR Fredericksburg, Project in a Day and Adopt-a a-F Family.
Give a Child Something to
Saturday, November 21
Think About
Fredericksburg Country Club 11031 Tidewater Trail, Fredericksburg, VA Join FASL in making a difference in the lives of these children, at this most wonderful time of year and experience for yourself Merry Market-A Boutique Shopping Experience! Follow us on Facebook for vendor information and updates – Fredericksburg Area Service League (FASL) or visit us online at www.faserviceleague.com. For more information on the Fredericksburg Area Service League, visit www.faserviceleague.com.
Books, Games, Amusing Novelties M-Sat. 10am-6pm; Sun. 1pm-4pm
810 Caroline Street (540) 371-5684
Kelly Applegate is the Marketing/PR director for Fredericksburg Area Service League Contact her at: faserviceleague@gmail.com or 540.273.1857
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Own The Movie A 40-minute film with aerial and underwater photography that tells the story of the Rappahannock River from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay.
Wills and Trusts Provide for Incapacity Trusts for Minor Children Wealth Preservation Trusts Avoid Probate AhearnEstateLaw.com
540/371-9890
DVD $14.95; Members $11.96 www.riverfriends.org 540-373-3448 3219 Fall Hill Ave.
The air you breathe inside your home could be the most polluted air you breathe all day. The Environmental Protection Agency cited indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental risks to public health. One cubic foot of air in your home can have more than 30 million pollutants—that’s 100 times more pollutants than are contained in outside air. Polluted indoor air causes 94% of all respiratory problems. IS THERE A SOLUTION? The problem is significant but whole-h home air purifiers provide the solution. They ensure that your home has cleaner, healthier air. Carrier and Aprilaire make very e f f e c t i v e , dependable, and silent air purifiers that are installed as part of your home’s heating and cooling system. When your heating or air conditioning fan is running—your air purifier delivers cleaner, healthier air throughout your entire home. It removes: Mold Spores, Pet Dander, Dust Mites, Bacteria, Pollen, Viruses. Carrier Infinity® Series Air Purifier has a Captures and Kills™ technology that destroys airborne pathogens. Also, it re-purifies circulated indoor air as many as eight times per hour. Carrier Performance™ Series Air Purifier fits in narrow installation spaces and is a great option for the budgetconscious homeowner. Aprilaire offers an Event-Based Air Cleaning System that enables you to clean the air in your home based on your specific needs. Choose from Constant Clean, Automatic, Event Clean, and Allergies settings on the control located in your living space. Aprilaire offers Model 5000, 3000, and 2000 Series that provide various levels of air purification at corresponding price points. These air purifiers reduce the risk of asthma attacks and allergic reactions and significantly reduce dust which keeps your home cleaner and protect appliances and electronics from dust build up. Also, they keep your air conditioning coil cleaner and your furnace working more efficiently. Does Your Home Have Dry Air? No one likes too much humidity
but too little humidity causes dry, itchy skin, sore throats, sinus problems, and static electricity. It robs moisture from your plaster, wood, leather, and fabrics. This can result in damage to your home’s furnishings. Both Aprilaire and Carrier offer top-performing evaporative and steam whole-home humidifiers that provide a properly humidified indoor environment and use very little energy. They require minimal maintenance. Steam output humidifiers are the best choice for larger homes or when you want very precise control over the humidity. They create steam which is distributed through your ductwork. Evaporative humidifiers blow moisture vapor directly into your ductwork. This vapor is distributed throughout your home. Only Aprilaire provides a fully automatic digital humidifier control. With this control you don’t need to monitor settings or wait until you feel uncomfortable to change y o u r humidity settings. This set-it-andforget-it control keeps your home’s humidity level exactly where you want it. Aprilaire offers a Steam Humidifier, Power Humidifier, Large Bypass Humidifier, and Water-Saving Bypass Humidifier. Carrier offers a Performance™ Series Steam Humidifier, Performance™ Fan-Powered Humidifier, and a Performance™ Series Bypass Humidifier to meet your specific needs and preferences. If your home is heated—it needs humidification to maintain proper humidity levels and provide a comfortable indoor environment. Whole-home air purification and humidification systems maintain an optimum indoor environment for your family and home. Please contact us at 540.347.0765 with any questions you may have. Mike Appleton is President of Appleton Campbell, a local, family owned heating, air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical services business. Appleton Campbell has been providing customers throughout the Region and Northern Virginia with honesty, integrity, and experience since 1976. Contact Appleton Campbell at 540.347.0765 or at appletoncampbell.com.
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