The Foreign Service Journal, January 2006

arrangement of former AFSA president John Limbert’s high-impact programs last year at colleges, international trade councils, and media talk shows in the area. He has also placed numerous articles about the Foreign Service in the leading regional paper, The Houston Chronicle , and in other media. In Nevada, Guy Farmer has been tireless in providing frequent op-eds explaining the importance of American diplomacy for leading newspapers. Retirees have also been instrumental in AFSA’s Foreign Service Elderhostel Program. In 1996, Ambassa- dor Bill De Pree initiated these valuable seminars that explain the Foreign Service and foreign policy issues to retired professionals nationwide through weeklong and one-day courses. Ward Thompson and many other retirees made significant contributions to the program over the years. Now coordinated by Janice Bay, and in its ninth year of operation, the series is an overwhelming success. Elderhostel has built understanding and public sup- port for the Foreign Service and U.S. foreign policy and generated scores of requests around the country for Foreign Service speakers. In 2005 AFSA’s Elderhostel programs involved some 850 participants in 14 programs in Washington, D.C., and four other cities. A new and very popular feature of the program last year was the addi- tion of three one-day seminars in Washington, D.C., all focused on Iraq. Three Goals All these outreach programs have promoted three important AFSA goals: broadening the Foreign Service constituency through outreach to the public, enhancing public awareness of global affairs and of the key role of the Foreign Service and diplomacy, and activating the AFSA retiree constituency by involving it in significant programs that draw on their backgrounds and skills in telling our story to audiences nationwide. If you want to be involved with AFSA outreach, please contact me at Switzer@afsa.org or call toll-free: (800) 704- 2372, ext. 501. n F O C U S J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 51 Interim Accommodations for Corporate and Government Markets Apartments, Townhouses & Single Family Homes “FOR THE EXECUTIVE ON THE MOVE” h finder5@IX.netcom.com Locations throughout Northern Virginia and D.C. Units fully furnished, equipped and accessorized Many “Walk to Metro” locations Pet Friendly 5105-L Backlick Road, Annandale, Virginia Tel: (703) 354-4070 Fax: (703) 642-3619 Executive Lodging Alternatives