REPORT TO THE MAYOR AND
CITY COMMISSION
City of Owensboro,
Kentucky, USA
Calendar Year Activities 2004
STATEMENT
OF PURPOSE
Owensboro
Sister Cities, Inc. encourages global understanding between our
community and other world communities. The
Owensboro Sister Cities Program will assist
government entities with the proper reception of foreign visitors and
dignitaries by serving as the community’s Office
of Protocol; pursue an ongoing mission to inform
and educate our community concerning our area’s international
cultural and business ties and their effects on
our community; initiate exchange programs in
education, business, professional groups, and the arts; assist
government and its agencies in promoting our
community’s cultural heritage through our Sister
City(ies) relationship; encourage development and expansion
of international trade relationships and assist
with foreign trade missions; assist community
organizations in direct relationships with similar organizations in our
Sister City(ies) and
elsewhere in the world, where possible.
Introduction
During 2004 we had five exchange visit subject
components and two planning visits encompassing the involvement of
fifty-seven people. Of these, 19 persons were incoming visitors to
Owensboro and 38 were outgoing visitors to Olomouc and Japan. This year
marks the beginning of our new initiative to found a Sister City
relationship with a partner city in Japan.
There is every reason to believe these exchanges
between Owensboro and Olomouc, as well as, our new initiative with Japan
will continue to grow in number and participants. We will need increased
financial, logistical and manpower help if the program is to grow further.
Indeed, as Executive Director, I believe the timing is right for a community
effort to found an “Owensboro International Center”. This Center could serve
the needs of government, secondary and higher education and the Chamber of
Commerce efforts to project an international presence for Owensboro and
serve new incoming foreign national residents.
Please take the time to review the report and reflect
on our ability to project the City of Owensboro positively in the
international community. We believe that we have the most active of the
twelve U.S. - Czech Sister City relationships and that the breadth of our
program will reflect well on Owensboro with any additional international
contacts the city makes. Our program has come to the positive attention of
the past President of the Czech Republic, as well as, the current U.S.
Ambassador to the Czech Republic.
The Owensboro Sister Cities program touches the lives
of several hundreds of people involved in our exchange activities on both
sides of the Atlantic and, with our new efforts, also across the Pacific.
The program does an exceptional job of carrying out its charged mission.
While this program is dependent on support from the City of Owensboro, as an
official international link with the Sister City of Olomouc, the
overwhelming financial support for the program comes from individuals and
donations from those businesses and institutions participating in the
programs. We can demonstrate at least $20.00 of community support for each
city budget dollar allocated.
The increased 2004 funding from the City of Owensboro
in the amount of $2500.00 was more than matched by a grant from Toyotetsu in
the amount of $3000.00 in order to begin a new Sister city relationship in
Japan. Other funding from local Japanese owned industry will also be
encouraged as we move forward in the Japanese Sister City selection process.
Our thanks goes to our area colleges: Kentucky Wesleyan
for scholarship support allowing Marketa Mylkova to continue her study in
Owensboro, Brescia University and Western Kentucky University in Owensboro
for encouraging student and main campus summer study participation, and
Owensboro Community and Technical College for granting reassigned Faculty
time which allows direction of this Community Partnership program. We also
thank the families who opened their homes, to the hotels for assistance in
housing and employing our international visitors, and to the three area
school systems for support of our exchange of students and teachers. There
are just too many people and entities to mention but the program draws on
that which the community is known, a shared caring to make visitors feel
welcomed.
We are very appreciative of the City of
Owensboro, our new sponsor for our Japanese initiative (Toyotetsu), and
Owensboro Community and Technical College for our efforts. The program
represents a wonderful community partnership combining the efforts of many
community institutions, businesses and individuals. There can be little
doubt for the need to educate our Kentucky citizens concerning our place in
the global community. Whether for citizenship, student growth or workforce
development, there is an ever greater demand for providing an international
education component for the communities we serve.
As representatives of the citizens of Owensboro, we
request your continued encouragement and active continued financial support
for Owensboro Sister Cities and our international efforts.
Secondary Exchange Student – Academic Year 2004 -
2005
Marketa Mylkova has continued her college study
in Owensboro in the fall toward pursuit of a degree in international
relations at Kentucky Wesleyan College. KWC has made this possible through
scholarship funding and Marketa was aided partially by a host family opening
their home and supplemental support of Owensboro Sister Cities. We continue
to support Marketa annually with the cost of her college textbooks.
Ten Year Anniversary Mayoral Exchange – April 18 – 25, 2004
The City of Owensboro hosted Mayor Martin Tesarik,
Deputy Mayor Martin Novotny, Olomouc City
Council Members Marek Lach and Petr Konecny, City Parliament Members Yvonna
Kubjatova and Jana Swartzkova, as well as, City of Olomouc American Liaison
/ Translator Silvie Malinovska. This visit was to mark the ten-year
anniversary of our successful program. The occasion was marked by Mayor
Tesarik addressing the Owensboro City Commission and Citizens of Owensboro
and by a linden tree being planted with marker affixed in Legion Park,
Owensboro.
Young Artist Program, November – April 2004
The Owensboro Sister Cities Young artist Program is
coordinated by Ms. Rhonda McEnroe a well-known local artist. The competitive
program is open to all youth, ages 13 – 18. Ms. McEnroe visits the local
secondary schools encouraging art teachers to have their students
participate in the program. Local Sister Cities winning compositions are
entered in international competition with winners announced from ten Sister
Cities. The Mayors of Owensboro and Olomouc presented this year’s awards
jointly on April 23rd.
In addition to our local prize funds, our winning
entrant is eligible to win an additional $300.00 prize if they are one of
the ten Sister Cities International award winners. The program both supports
youth artists and is a terrific opportunity to draw attention to our city
internationally.
Summer Study Program, May 27 - June 29, 2004
This private/public higher education partnership is
aimed at providing a summer overseas study opportunity for the community’s
students. Credit courses and instruction was supplied through Owensboro
Community and Technical College as the low cost provider of instruction.
During the summer 2004 session there were twenty-five students enrolled.
Instructors were: Associate Professor Pam Wilson
from Owensboro Community and Technical College and Dr. Roger Murphy
of Western Kentucky University. In addition to their study
of Psychology, History and Political Science,
the students were able to travel to Vienna, Austria; Budapest, Hungary;
Krakow , Poland; Bratislava, Slovakia and Prague, Czech Republic. The summer
program works closely with the Olomouc secondary schools teaching the
English language and provides both American and Czech students the
opportunity to learn cross culturally.
2004 Summer Study
Participants:
Beliles, Blake, Western Kentucky
University
Benthall, Eli, Western Kentucky
University
Bouie, Aaron, Owensboro
Community and Technical College
Burrell, Michael, Western Kentucky
University
Coleman, Heather, Western Kentucky University
Dees, Lindsey, Western Kentucky University
Green, Alaina, Western Kentucky
University
Hammers, Marybeth, Western Kentucky
University
Harnish, Allison, Western Kentucky
University
Harris, Waverly, Western Kentucky
University
Hines, Sally, Owensboro Community
and Technical College
Holland, Jonathan, Western Kentucky
University
Hopper, Steve, Western Kentucky University
McCoy, Carey, Western Kentucky University
McFall, Gregory, Western Kentucky University
Miller, Alicia, Western Kentucky University
Mullins, Craig, Western Kentucky University
Powell, Heather, Western Kentucky University
Reel,
Ashley, Western Kentucky University
Roach, Audrey, Western Kentucky University
Seaton, Amanda, Owensboro Community and
Technical College
Tyree, Shannon, Western Kentucky University
Ward,
Greg, University of Louisville
West,
Cassie, Western Kentucky University
White, David, Western Kentucky University
For the past few years we
have worked cooperatively with Western Kentucky University to provide an
additional study opportunity for students to extend their travel at the end
of our Summer Study Program into Russia with Dr. Murphy. While this is a WKU
Program, Owensboro Sister Cities provides assistance in planning, student
and financial services. In 2004 their were
eighteen students taking advantage of this program.
Planning Visit
During the May – June Exchange Visit, in addition to
the Summer Study Program administration, appointments were made to follow-up
earlier exchanges and to provide an opportunity for potential future
exchanges.
Scouting Exchange, June 22 – July 17, 2004
Owensboro Sister Cities and
the Shawnee Trails Council, BSA, serving the youth of 35 counties in
Western Kentucky, provided an International Scouting Youth Exchange with the
Scouts of the Czech Republic. The exchange was scheduled June 22nd
– July 18th, 2004. This was a third youth exchange involving
Scouts. The first exchange took place with Czech Republic Scouts during the
summer of 2000. In 2002, a contingent of American Scouts traveled to
Kandersteg International Scout Centre in Switzerland and then on to the
Czech Republic to be hosted by the Czech Scouts.
This was an historic exchange involving four area Scout
Councils. After arrival, the Czech Scouts and their leaders were hosted in
Owensboro Scout family homes. The Buffalo Trace Council out of Evansville,
IN hosted the guest Scouts at Old Ben Scout Camp one day during the first
week. Between June 27th and July 3rd, the Czech Scout
contingent accompanied Owensboro, KY Troop 10 for a week at Camp Roy C.
Manchester on the banks of Kentucky Lake. Independence Day, July 4th
was spent in Owensboro with host families and enjoying the city’s fireworks.
Between July 5th until
July 17th, the Czech Scouts traveled throughout Kentucky
visiting such areas as Mammoth Cave National Park, Cumberland Falls,
Cumberland Gap National Park, Red River Gorge, Natural Bridge State Park,
Lexington and Louisville. While traveling in the Lexington and Louisville
areas the Czech Scouts were hosted by the Bluegrass Council and Lincoln
Heritage Council, respectively. The Czech scouts had the opportunity to
interact with American Scouts at four local Scout Camps thus introducing
hundreds of American Scouts to the culture of the Czech Republic.
The eleven Czech Scouts were ages 15 through 21 and
consisted of both male and female Scouts. Our Czech Scout leader partner was
Mr. Jan Pecinka who is a Czech national police detective in his employment
in Owensboro’s Sister City.
Philmont International Scouting Conference, July 24
– August 1, 2004
As a
result of our
successful Scouting Exchanges our Executive Director (who also serves as the
Shawnee Trails Council, BSA International Representative) was asked to make
a presention on International Youth Exchanges at the bi-annual International
Scouters Conference held at Philmont Scout Ranch Training Center, Cimarron,
New Mexico.
While certainly not the only BSA International Scouting Exchange taking
place during the summer of 2004, our ongoing series of exchanges is unique
and demonstrates another successful community partnership.
Student Summer Workers
Unfortunately, due to a series of missteps on the part
of interested Czech student workers in the spring of 2004, we were unable to
arrange for four Olomouc area university students to come and work in
Owensboro under the Work & Travel USA Visa Program during
Summer 2004.
Multicultural Festival, August
Owensboro Sister Cities participated, once again, in
the community-wide Multicultural Festival held on the grounds of First
Presbyterian Church on Griffith Avenue. Our display naturally supplies
information about the Czech Republic and Czech culture. Both Robin Joska and
Marketa Mylkova participated in “manning” the booth for part of the festival
time. As native Czechs they are invaluable to aid us in encouraging our
citizens to learn about our Sister City relationship.
Kentucky Sister Cities Japan Exchange, September 7 –
17, 2004
Owensboro Sister Cities acted in partnership with the
cities of Georgetown and Lexington in arranging an exchange trip to Japan.
This was a multi-purpose exchange. First it was to allow local individuals
interested in establishing a Sister City in Japan to visit the established
Japanese Sister Cities of Lexington – Shizunai and Georgetown – Tahara.
Second, it was to visit the home company headquarters of the three local
Japanese industries in our area. And finally, we were to visit a Japanese
community, which had listed itself as seeking a US Sister City relationship.
The exchange was successful for its stated purpose,
however, the one visited Japanese community was found not to be a good match
for Owensboro and so the search will continue. Of the sixteen persons
participating in this exchange, half were from our area. The other
participants were from the Lexington area and included the Mayor of
Lexington.
Kentucky Sister Cities Statewide Meeting October 1,
2004
This annual meeting was held in Louisville and hosted
by Louisville Sister Cities (seven Sister Cities). We had the opportunity to
give a brief review of the Owensboro Sister Cities activities highlighting
our Summer Study Program.
Kentucky League of Cities Meeting October 7, 2004
The Kentucky League
of Cities again promoted having Kentucky cities
become members of Sister Cities International and begin community
relationships with other countries. The Owensboro
Sister Cities Executive Director along with the Kentucky Sister Cities State
Coordinator presented the concept and acted as a resource to get any
interested cities started in the program. The booth set up at the conference
promoted the Owensboro – Olomouc Sister City Program.
Olomouc Planning Exchange, December 9 – 19, 2004
Due to the available schedule, this was a very fast and
busy visit. In addition to making the necessary advanced deposits made for
our Summer Study Program, meetings were held which resulted in potential
planning for some ten exchanges. The exchange potentials are as listed on
the following page.
Planning for 2005:
At present we have the following events and exchanges
tentatively planned for 2005.
Marketa Mylkova
Marketa continues her studies at
Kentucky Wesleyan College and is due to graduate at the end of the academic
year. During the Spring 2005 Semester she is scheduled to work part time for
Owensboro Sister Cities ant the World Affairs Council as part her one of her
class requirements.
Summer Study Program, May 30 – June 30
The Owensboro Sister Cities sponsored Summer Study
program in Olomouc is scheduled for May 30 – June 30, 2005. Arrangements
have been made for the students to be housed at the Hotel Gol in Olomouc.
Study travel is scheduled for Bratislava, Slovakia; Vienna, Austria;
Budapest, Hungary; Krakow, Poland and the final three nights of their stay
to be spent in Prague, Czech Republic.
Courses to be offered through OCTC will include
history, political science and education. As a result of the December
Planning Visit, arrangements are being worked on with the Olomouc Kraj
Office of Education for students to be exposed to Czech education.
Western Kentucky University has agreed to an added
excursion into Germany and Poland following the conclusion of our program on
June 30. The extension will be for two weeks and allow students to visit
Berlin and Dresden in Germany, as well as, Warsaw in Poland. Students will
earn college credit for participating in this opportunity through WKU.
Owensboro Mayoral Exchange
Olomouc has extended an invitation for the newly
elected Mayor, Mr. Tom Watson, to visit Olomouc. We are discussing the
exchange visit timing in coordination with the beginning of the Summer Study
Program travel. Also, two couples have voiced interest at visiting out
Sister City as part of an area vacation at the same time period. We have
taken steps to reserve additional airline tickets.
Wheelchairs for Peace
Owensboro Sister Cities Vice President, Pam Wilson is
directing this project, which was presented to the Owensboro Sister Cities
Board of Directors in November 2003. She has been in contact to make
arrangements with a representative of the Olomouc Rotary Club and Mr. Jerry
Gary of the Wheelchair Foundation. Owensboro Sister Cities has raised
$2400.00 toward this goal. We had hoped to raise $18,000.00 in order to fill
a complete shipping container for Olomouc where this need has been
validated.
Student Summer Workers
As a result of the December Planning Visit we have
identified four interested Olomouc area higher education students. The
Owensboro Executive Inn has agreed to provide four employment slots for our
students from Olomouc.
We are under some pressure in this program due to the
weakening dollar on the world market. The fact is that Czech students can go
elsewhere in Europe to work in the summer and come out substantially
financially better off than coming to the U.S. at this time.
Multicultural Festival, August
We will continue to plan to participate in the annual
Multicultural Festival in order to educate our community about our Sister
City relationships and encourage international education.
Hermanek
The Bluegrass / Country band Hermanek will be extended
an invitation to come to Owensboro and participate in our Bluegrass music
“Romp”. Details are
being worked out at present. Hermanek last visited in 1995.
Public Housing Exchange
The Olomouc Housing Authority has made a request for a
Public Housing Exchange. We will tentatively schedule this exchange for the
fall of 2005.
Agriculture Research Exchange
An Olomouc agricultural researcher has requested the
opportunity to visit Owensboro. We will try to arrange this exchange in
cooperation with Miles Farms, Large Scale Biology and Owensboro Community
and Technical College.
Kentucky League of Cities
We will continue to plan to participate in this annual
conference of Kentucky cities. The purpose is both to encourage more
international connections throughout Kentucky and to have the opportunity to
highlight Owensboro’s premier ongoing official international link.
There will, no doubt, be more activities as the year
progresses. This activity projection should not be seen as a comprehensive
listing.
Owensboro Sister Cities submits this report annually to
keep you abreast of the program’s activities. We hope you will agree that
this is a community showcase program, which reflects very positively on our
community.
BACK