Sister City MINUTES 11.13.2023

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SISTER CITIES PROGRAM 
 
MINUTES 
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 
 
Wednesday, November 13, 2023 
12:00pm – EDA Boardroom 
 
I. Welcome  
a. Roll Call: 
i. Present: Victoria White, Austin Fesmire,  Becky Simpson, Dick Pelley, Deb Wallace, 
Lindsey Ferguson, Ersa Henry, and Betty Ruleman 
 
II. New Business 
a. Trip Postponed – All committee members agreed that, since there is no City of Athens liability 
waiver in place (though Deb Wallace indicated that it is in progress) and since there are worrying 
worldwide concerns for safety of travelers, the trip to Japan be postponed to 2025 or thereafter. 
Motion was made by Lindsey Ferguson, seconded by Ersa Henry, to delay the trip to Japan this 
May. 
Motion Carried 
b. Notice to Applicants  – The members discussed how to inform the 8 applicants of the 
committee’s decision to postpone travel to Japan in 2024.  Austin Fesmire will see that the 
website indicates the committee’s decision, and Ersa Henry will draft a brief letter to the 
students indicating environmental concerns for travel this year as well as the potential to serve 
as a Sister City Resident Ambassador with the Chinzei Gakuin -TWU Language and Culture 
Program in the summer of ’24. 
c. Summer Program for Applicants -  Consideration of how the applicants might be involved 
in the summer program at TWU in 2024 followed. Betty Ruleman indicated that the 
program cannot incorporate 8 SCRAs; however, these students will be encouraged to 
apply for consideration as SCRAs. The su mmer program staff will reach out to these 
students when SCRA applications are being requested. Austin Fesmire suggested that 
an event might take place in which these students have an opportunity to spend time 
with the Japanese teenagers. 
d. 
Committee Letterhead - The necessity of a letterhead for this committee was mentioned. 
 
III. The meeting adjourned 
 
Approved: 
 
 
_______________________________  _______________   
Betty Ruleman, Secretary   Date