Minutes091107Richfield Friendship City Commission Meeting Minutes
September 11, 2007
The annual report to the city was given to the City Council by the Friendship City
Commission Chair, David Delzer. A copy of the report is attached.
The commission then retired to the Heredia Room where the regular meeting was called
to order.
Members present were Frank Sitko, Roger Swanson, David Delzer and our
Ambassador to Heredia, Cynthy Mandl. Fred Walk was traveling at his work and Henry
Piedra also had to work so they were excused. No youth members were present. The
minutes were approved as corrected indicating reimbursement to Cynthy Mandl for the
cost of coffee and photo reproduction. The treasurer's report was given. David Delzer
was reimbursed $25 for the cost of cookies.
Russ Susag, former Commission Chair, City Council Member, host and traveler to
Heredia donated a mini oxcart and a painting to the Commission. It was decided the
painting should best be hung on the wall of the Heredia Room and the oxcart should be
used as part of the display for Cattail Days. The commission is grateful for his donation.
Planning for Cattail Days was accomplished. We are shorthanded but with the help of
all involved we will get it done.
Applications for youth members close 9/14. If you know any good candidates pass the
word.
The meeting was adjourned.
FRIENDSHIP CITY REPORT 2007
Mayor, City Council members, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for the
opportunity to report on the activities of the Richfield Friendship City commission for
2007.
We are happy to report that the commission was able to host a tour to Heredia,
our friendship city in Costa Rica, Central America. Fourteen tour members, paying their
own way, were hosted by Costa Rican families, sharing Costa Rican homes and
enjoying incredibly warm Costa Rican hospitality.
Some of the attractions we saw were a cultural museum, a coffee plantation,
mountains, volcanoes and rainforest, bananas and pineapple fields, tropical flowers and
rivers The country is beautiful. We saw hummingbirds, toucans, frogs, butterflies,
monkeys and a sloth.
We attended an oxcart parade and one of our members got to ride in an oxcart in
the parade. We took a boat trip into the jungle, saw caiman and crocodile, and visited a
small village on the Caribbean.
We were able to perform special projects, bringing art supplies and bilingual
books and computer software to the Children's Library, shoes, socks and shirts to the
Youth Soccer Association and puzzles, walkers, a cane and exercise balls to their
Senior Daycare Center. Tour members and others are to be thanked for these
donations.
It was an incredible trip the best part of which was staying with and getting to
know the Heredians themselves!
Heredia is a city similar in many ways to Richfield. It is a first line suburb of San Jose,
Costa Rica's capitol and main metropolitan center. Community members there have
access to supermarkets, sports, culture, proximity to natural attractions, education and
other amenities both similar and different from those available to us.
While we were on the trip, the question was asked, "What benefit does the
friendship city relationship have for the City of Richfield?" The answer was that by
extending the hands of friendship to a city in a different part of the world we are
promoting understanding and world peace.
For those of you who would like to know more about the trip, there is a photo
display that was at the Community Center and is now at the library. Stop by and take a
look, there are nine photo boards and close to 150 pictures.
An invitation has been made to our friends in Heredia to come help us celebrate
Richfield's Centennial. They have replied that they are looking at dates around the 4tn
of July. We are excited about their visit and wish to extend a warm Richfield welcome
and the best of Minnesota hospitality to them when they come.
The commission faces some challenges in doing that. We are presently
shorthanded with four vacancies on the commission. Host families and folks to show
them around will be needed. Hopefully we will be able to show them Cedar Point, the
new city garage and city hall construction as well as other Twin City and Minnesota
highlights.
Any help we can get in these endeavors will be appreciated!
Thank you for allowing us to extend the hands of friendship and to promote world
peace. Are there any questions? ..............
Thank you again; come join us for a cup of coffee at Cattail Days.
Cattail Days Report:
September 15t", 2007
The display prepared by the Friendship City Commission at Richfield
Cattail Days went well. Our booth was next to and shared space with the
Celebrations Commission and the Arts Commission.
We want to thank Cynthy Mandl for the use of the shade canopy and her
gentle instruction regarding how best to get it put up. Once up, items on
display included Costa Rican treasures, a mini oxcart and photo display
boards (4).
At least 300 cups of fresh made Costa Rican coffee were given away. Ten
bags of coffee were sold ($10 each) including one donation (with $25 a free
bag of coffee) to the commission. Bags of coffee were raffled off. The
drawing will be held before our next meeting. There was discernable
interest regarding the tentative visit of a delegation from Heredia in 2008 to
participate in our Centennial Celebration.
The weather was bright and clear and only a little windy. We forgot to
stake down the shelter but we got away with it. The bearded guy that
brewed the coffee did okay but could have used a hand carrying the
containers of hot coffee from his house to the park. The coffee was made
using 1 12oz bag of Cafe Brit Organic ground per coffee maker batch (60
cups). Five pots or batches of coffee were made and very little was left
over. The coffee was dispensed from a thermos urn borrowed from the KC
Hall in Bloomington.
Many thanks to those who helped: Cynthy Mandl, Roger Swanson, Joan
Swanson, Justin Delzer, Fred Walk, Frank Sitko, Arlene Sitko, Marty Kirsch
& Carol Mortenson. Christian Delzer, Dick Franzemeyer and Ron Wilson
were timely in assisting us with set up. We certainly appreciated very much
every one who participated and/or lent a hand.
Again it is a pleasure to have the opportunity to inform the citizens of
Richfield and others of our unique relationship with Heredia, Costa Rica
and to participate in our own special community get together, Cattail Days.
David Delzer
Chairman, Richfield Friendship City Commission