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Friendship Force gathers clothing for Navajo

Group includes Sun Cities members

Posted 2/28/21

The Central Arizona Friendship Force, with members in the Sun Cities and Phoenix area, delivered 300 coats, hats and mittens to the Thoreau Chapter house of the Navajo reservation.

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Neighbors

Friendship Force gathers clothing for Navajo

Group includes Sun Cities members

Posted

The  Central Arizona Friendship Force, with members in the Sun Cities and Phoenix area, delivered 300 coats, hats and mittens to the Thoreau Chapter house of the Navajo reservation.

One of the members, Pat Forsythe of Sun City, started the project when she learned of the need of the Thoreau Chapter house. The reservation is located in the New Mexico part of the Navajo Nation at an elevation of 7,000 feet. About 40% of the people there do not have running water or electricity and winters are very cold. They have a dire need for warm clothing.

The pandemic affected them greatly as many lost jobs. Thoreau Chapter officials said they seldom get needed supplies from the central office because of Navajo politics. Many Navajos do not trust the vaccine because of previous bad experiences with vaccines, according to Thoreau Chapter officials.

The Friendship Force club members decided to take on the project of a clothing drive. The response for donations from the club was overwhelming. Contributions from members and recruited friends resulted in 300 items, some new and some slightly used. There were 70 hats knitted by members of a local church.

Delivery was made to the chapter house director and her daughter in the parking lot of LaPosado in Winslow Dec 23. Because of the pandemic, the transfer of the contributions was made from the club pickup to their pickup.

The Friendship Force is an international network of local clubs that promote global understanding by connecting people from different countries at the personal level. Local hosts open their homes to visitors from other countries and share the routines of daily life for a one-week home stay. It is not a tourist program, but provides the opportunity to become ambassadors between countries. As an ambassador, participants travel to another country, reside in a family home and share that family’s lifestyle and culture. Also, there are domestic exchanges with other clubs within the United States.

The local club, The Friendship Force of Central Arizona, is one of 105 clubs spread over 38 states and there are more clubs in 58 countries. Anyone in the Phoenix metro area is welcome to join.

Visit thefriendshipforce.org and ffcenaz.com.

Because of COVID-19, club members may not be able to travel now, and may not be able to host ambassadors, but it is upholding the friendship Force pledge, “I can make a difference.”

Editor’s Note: Mr. Kram is a Central Arizona Friendship Force member.