Friendship Force New Mexico

Meet Jeanne and Tom Elmhorst, two of our members who are members of Global Village Build sponsored by Habitat for Humanity and have participated in Global Village builds in Cambodia, Jordan, Bolivia, Portugal, Paraguay, Macedonia, Costa Rica and twice in Guatemala, three times in Nicaragua, a Thrivent Big Build in Vietnam, and Women’s Builds in Taos, NM. Come listen to how each one has opened their eyes to something new. They look forward to another build in Vietnam this fall with Jeanne serving as co-leader.

Jeanne was born and grew up in a small Wisconsin town about 60 miles west of Green Bay and Tom grew up in a similar hometown in western Wisconsin.

They met in 1969 after Tom returned from serving in Vietnam and married in 1971. Tom was a Teamster and drove semi-trucks; Jeanne taught high school for three years, then completed her Masters in Communication Studies.

They moved to Okinawa, Japan for three years and took advantage of every opportunity to travel, meet people and experience other cultures. Jeanne taught in a Department of Defense school and for University of Maryland. Tom taught Drivers-Ed and safety courses to various groups.

They adopted their first daughter from Korea and moved back to the US, choosing New Mexico for its weather, two interstates and cultures. Tom drove for Yellow Freight Company and Jeanne taught at CNM (TVI). They had four more children, also from Korea.

Their parenting adventures included spring break trips with their children’s church youth group to build 10’x20’ homes in Juarez. For several years Jeanne directed the Service Learning program at CNM, helping students learn their course contents while serving with community non-profits and this provided insights into community groups that would go on our “when I retire I want to volunteer with ..” list. In 2004, Jeanne and one of her adult daughters participated in a Carter Build in Veracruz, Mexico. Soon they learned about the myriad of places that Habitat for Humanity sponsored Global Village (GV) teams and they jumped in together to build in Nicaragua with a team from the US and Canada. They were hooked! Tom & Jeanne now enjoy volunteering at Roadrunner Food Bank and work with refugees and asylees through NM Faith Coalition for Immigrant Justice and Lutheran Family Service. Join us for an incredible presentation! Bring a guest! Please make your reservations no later than Tuesday, March 5, 2019 by calling or texting Berta Wagstaff at 710-4448 or emailing her at vets4vets@aol.com. PLACE: Ramada Midtown (formerly Hotel Eleganté )

ADDRESS: 2020 Menaul Blvd. NE

DATE: Saturday, March 9, 2019

TIME: 11:30 am

COST: $15.00 per person (Checks, made out to FFNM, are preferred)

NOTE: The Club must pay the hotel for all reservations. If you make a reservation and do not attend, you will be billed $15.00 for each reservation.

Berta Wagstaff

Membership Development Chair