The Events

[Cinco de Mayo] [Mexican Independence Day] [Young Artists Competition] [Regional Conference of the Sister Cities Organization] [Annual Reports] [News]

Annual Reports

Annual Report

February 2004-February 2005

Mary Lou Deeley

Sister Cities of Volusia County President

2004 President's Awards at the Annual Meeting:

- Michael O'Neill, Outstanding Service

- Caroline West and Don Matthews, Foundation

- Betty Nelson, Scholarship

Annual Report

February 2002-February 2003

Michael O'Neill,

Sister Cities of Volusia County President

1.  Contacts with Our Sister Cities

Karin Merrill took a group of Spruce Creek High School students to Campeche for two weeks in June, 2002 (November newsletter).

Steve Glassman led a tour to Campeche in December, 2002 that focused on the Mayan ruins, with two days in the city of Campeche.  There was an exchange of letters between the mayor of Campeche and the Volusia County Council, as well as our associatin, expressing appreciation of our relationships and contacts over the years and the desire to continue and extend them.  Our members on tour had the opportunity to renew our friendship with the people and municipality of Campeche (details in the January/February newsletter).

Patricia and Daniel Smith accompanied the Spruce Creek High School Jazz Band to Bayonne the first week of June (November newsletter)

Bénédicte Soria was our third successive sumer intern in civil engineering from the University of Pau.  She worked in the Volusia County Civil Design Engineering Section from May 11 to August 9 (a part of Bénédicte's stay here, and we are fortunate to have Stetson University provide housing.

Alma Arce Agular completed her school year at Spruce Creek.

Our association members hosted a group of French competitors in the World Lifeguard Championships held in Daytona Beach, May 7-19 (May newsletter).

Contact between Stetson University, Daytona Beach Community College and the Instituto Campechano continue, and in October Stetson signed an educational protocol with the Instituto. 

Jean-Louis Delas in Bayonne and José Aranda Alpuche in Campeche city halls continue to be in contact with us regarding these exchanges.

2. Other Events 

Thanks in great part to the initiative of our Vice-President Mary Lou Deeley, this was a banner year for cultural events.  Mary Lou successfully composed a grant proposal to the Florida Department of State which enabled our community to enjoy a wonderful concert given by Les Chanteurs du Comminges (an a capella male chorus from the Pyrénées region of south-west France near Bayonne) April 12 at DBCC.  (May newsletter)  Our association members acted as host families for the visitors.  Not only was the concert a success, but at the reception for the singers afterwards they continued to give us rousing choruses in multi-part harmony.  Inspired by the success of this venture, Mary Lou went on to obtain another State grant and to organize a "Youn and Lively Arts" contest, and a reception for the participants and contest winners at DBCC's Arts" contest, and a reception for the participants and contest winners at DBCC's Southeast Museum of Photography January 22 (November and January/February newsletters).  We were able to enjoy the hospitality of DBCC for these events thanks to faculty member Don Matthews and museum director Kevin Miller, who was part of our Campeche group in 2000 invited to participate in Campeche's celebration of their "World Heritage Site" designation by UNESCO.  Central Florida Mexican Consul Luz Elena Bueno and her husband, and Volusia County Council chair and vice-chair, Frank Bruno and Joe Jaynes, joined us for the reception.

We supported the "Beyond the Borders/Education for All" project at Pierson's Taylor High School organized by Susan Johnson, and at our November board meeting we saw the video of the film "Alphabet Soup" that is part of the program for educators who work with children of Mexican origin, and met the student actors, who were introduced by their Principal, Marty Schmidt, and Susan.  At the January 22 reception at DBCC some of these same students provided the musical entertainment.

We joined the Volusia County Cultural Alliance.

Mary Lou Deeley attended the annual meeting of the Florida Sister Cities Association in Delray Beach at the end of April.

Michael O'Neill, President

2/12/03