The economy may be reeling, but the Edmonds Sister City Commission is not letting it get us down. We are as active as ever and excited to be implementing aggressive 2009 plans. Last year, we celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the Edmonds/Hekinan relationship and we are appreciative of reconnecting with many of our former delegates, students and long term friends from Hekinan—and we hope to further develop those ties in 2009.
In February the Sister City Commission met and began planning for 2009. Unanimously the commission agreed that it was long over due to spend some time and effort in reaching out to the Edmonds community to remind them why our Sister City Commission is important and how it enriches our community—at many levels. As such, you will see many exciting events in addition to the annual exchange programs coming your way—giving you an opportunity to engage and share your international experiences!
Second to outreach, the Sister City Commission is a volunteer organization. Funding for all exchange programs is critical to our success and we will be actively looking towards our friends and partners in the community to help keep these programs going.
Please join us in spreading the word about what the commission is doing and get personally involved. Invite your friends and families to up coming cultural events, visit with us and rally your support when you visit us at local events like the Edmonds Saturday Market or the Taste of Edmonds. We look forward to working with all of you in 2009!
- Eric Radcliffe, Chair
