Foundation for International Cooperation
Regional Contacts - Chicago, IL.
(Email to Chicago Chapter President Eileene Woods )
A Report from Chicago Chapter President Eileene Woods
(September, 2010)
The Photo above was in front of the 23-foot Eiffel Tower."
The two pictures above were from the Chicago Chapter's recent visit to the Cantigny Gardens in Wheaton, Illinois, the home of Robert McCormick, former publisher of the Chicago Tribune. The occasion was "French Connection Day, which featured a French Open Air Market, wine tasting and French food at Le Jardin Restaurant. McCormick's home is now a First Division Museum. It includes a photo display of Cantigny, one of the battles in which Colonel McCormick fought in the 1st World War. The day included a Jazz Concert.
Diane (Murphy) Cihngir, and her son, Evan joined us for the picnic. Diane's parents are Marge and Fran Murphy from the Rockford Chapter. They are long-time members of FIC whose lives were most changed by their affiliation with FIC. They had at least one hundred foreign students for long stays or short stays throughout the years. All of their children married persons from other countries. Her brother and four sisters were there at the picnic. Her parents called from Sun City by phone to talk to everyone at the picnic
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The Chicago Chapter covers the whole Chicago area and its suburbs. It has 60 active households.
The chapter holds about 4 or 5 meetings during the year. These consist of discussions with speakers of various cultures; get-to-gethers with visitors from other lands; ethnic dinners and shopping excursions, and other international awareness activities.
Each year members participate in the Great Decisions program sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association. These consisted of eight weekly discussions of current events. Resource guests - familiar with the topic at hand - are invited to each meeting. The group also preceeds each meeting with a pot luck dinner at members' homes.
A number of members have hosted foreign visitors from Eastern European countries.
Study tours to Turkey in 1999 and and to Ecuador for the millenium celebration were led by two members of this chapter.