Friends of Chernobyl Centers United States – Presentation

On Friday, June 23rd, our very own Member at Large – Donna Ulteig, who served as FOCCUS vice-president for 15 years, will present her experiences with survivors of the Chernobyl disaster.

As a clinical social worker, Donna, along with other FOCCUS colleagues, traveled to Ukraine four times to learn about the impact of the 1986 Disaster. There she trained mental health professionals in five community centers established by the United Nations.

She was also instrumental in launching Bethel Lutheran Church’s hosting program for Ukrainian children needing a summer of clean air and water—a program lasting 20 years. Assisting her in the presentation will be one of those children, Maryna, who recently fled Ukraine and now stays with her former host family in Madison.

Social time will be 3:00-3:30 pm; the program will start at 3:30 pm and continue until after 4:30 pm.

Contact David Blado by June 20th for the Zoom meeting.

Sierra Leone Cultural Presentation (via Zoom)

The Program Committee invites members to join them on April 22nd for a Sierra Leone cultural ZOOM presentation by UW grad student Aruna Kallon.

Aruna was born and raised in Sierra Leone. He is currently a PhD student in the area of Educational Policy and a teaching assistant at UW-Madison. He will share information about Sierra Leone culture, and his experience as a Sierra Leone citizen in the United States and at UW.

The presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m., and last approximately an hour. There will be a question-and- answer period after the presentation. The ZOOM room will open the meeting at 5:00 p.m., to give all participating club members a chance to sign in by the time the presentation begins.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING THIS PRESENTATION, PLEASE CONTACT MIKE LAMBERT AT lambertmichaelj@gmail.com

Dining on the 6th

This month, on April 6 at noon, we will experience the many wonderful international foods served at the Global Market and Food Hall.  We’ll gather at the Food Hall at 2161 Zeier Road, Madison.  It’s in the strip mall east of East Towne Mall.  The building entrance faces south and is up near Party City. 

You may want to come early so as to be able to survey the various options by walking around the edge of the large food hall. 

The center of the food hall is filled with tables, and I am hoping that one of the large ones can be reserved for our group.  There are many menu boards listing their plentiful food offerings which are far greater than my brief notes below.

Don’t miss out on this spectacular dining experience!  To participate in this gastronomical adventure, register by Monday, April 4, with Gail Holmes at glholmes@wisc.edu or phone 608 249-1846.  Looking forward to seeing you at this fun event!

The food stores beginning on the left as you enter are:
  • Bubble Tea — shakes, milk, tea
  • Kawasaki  Instant Noodle — ramen, udon, sushi, bento boxes
  • Taiwan Street — rice, noodles, pho
  • A-Rods Tex Mex –burritos, tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas
  • Nice Flavor Stir Fry — beef, pork, lamb, chicken
  • Poke-mi — sandwiches, Pad Thai, Poke bowls, pho
  • Captain Frank Seafood Boiler — shrimp, crab, crawfish, lobster
  • Dumpling House — noodle soup, dumplings, Chinese bun
  • Hmong Kitchen — sausage, pork belly, chicken, Pad Thai, papaya salad

    To view complete menus and prices visit global market and food hall and select store menus.  After dining, you may also wish to walk through the Global Market to view their products and shop.

Appreciation to Helen Ann Rugowski for her recommendation.  Check out the article in the Capital Times about this new venture and below that is a blurb about them..

Second Harvest Food Bank

Thursday June 23rd from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm is our Club’s June volunteer day with Second Harvest Food Bank, 2802 Dairy Drive in Madison. This is a safe working environment with precautions in place.

Please consider giving three hours of your time this month to help others, Let Lois Schulz know by Tuesday noon, June 20th if you want to participate. loisschulz1942@gmail.com / 608-243-9761

Second Harvest Food Bank

Thursday May 26 from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm is our Club’s March volunteer day with Second Harvest Food Bank, 2802 Dairy Drive in Madison.

This is a safe working environment with precautions in place.

Please consider giving three hours of your time this month to help others, Let Lois Schulz know by Tuesday noon, March 22nd if you want to participate.  Contact:  loisschulz1942@gmail.com / 608–243–9761

Second Harvest Food Bank

Thursday April 31st from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm is our Club’s April volunteer day with Second Harvest Food Bank, 2802 Dairy Drive in Madison. This is a safe working environment with precautions in place.

Please consider giving three hours of your time this month to help others, Let Lois Schulz know by Tuesday noon, April 26th if you want to participate. loisschulz1942@gmail.com / 608-243-9761

Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup

Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup on Sunday, April 24, at 3:00 (about 2 hours) led by Stephanie Vanden Bush.

Friendship Force Ukrainian Travelogue

On May 25 at 4 pm, Friendship Force member Tom Miller will take us on a “zoom” trip to Ukraine several years before the Russian invasion. In 2019 Tom and his wife Donna traveled to Ukraine, bringing along their daughter and son-in-law for sightseeing and searches for family roots. Friendships were also renewed with visits to Open World delegates the Millers had hosted in 2013 and 2017.

We hope that, In this current time of tragedy and upheaval in Ukraine, members will join Tom in this program, with time for questions and discussion.

To RSVP and receive your link for this program, please contact David Blado at: david-blado@sbcglobal.net or Mike Lambert at lambertmichaelj@gmail.com by May 23rd.