BY MARCIE WESTOVER
HELLO EVERY ONE THIS IS THE ARTICLE THAT WAS IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER HERE IN MY HOME TOWN HASTINGS, MICHIGAN FOR 2004 CIRCLE OF FRIENDS REUNION I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY READING IT.
Ruth Hokanson and her husband George welcomed a "Worldwide Circle of Friends" to their home last week. Hokanson belongs to an Internet community, that is abbreviated www.Circle of Friends. that brings people from around the world together as a family. She said, "we've gone from an online community to an Internet Family."
Last week Hokanson welcome in 16 friends into their home, most of them she had never met face to face. "I 've know these ladies for three years, but I had never met any of them, other then Marie and Patsi," Hokanson said. The group was able to visit as part of a reunion trip that began in Canada.
"The reunion itself was held on the 17 and 18 of this month (July) and it was held in Tilbury, Ontario," she said. Garnet and Marie Duquette and their daughter Patsi held the reunion at their home and then also made the trip to Hokanson's near Woodland, Michigan.
"At the (Tilbury) reunion they had at their home over the weekend, there were 24 of them (group members)," Hokanson said.
The Duquettes are like family to Hokanson, as well as to all the other members. "We have become family... the Duquettes are like mom and pop to us," Hokanson said, "We went up and visited with them and stayed a weekend..." "They brought us into their home and introduced us to their whole family. We were like on of the kids," she said.
One featured guest who visited the Hokanson's home was Ruby the bear. Ruby came from Australia and the group's goal is that she will spend one month with every member as she travels the world.
Another treasure brought especially for Hokanson was a mystery box from Argentina. The featured many interesting pieces, including an item called a friend ship cup. Following the Argentinean tradition, the person who receives the friend ship cup fills it three-fourths of the way full with green tea and adds boiling water, with the first drink of the tea being very bitter. The concept with the friendship cup is that it is passed around a group of friends with each person taking a drink and adding water, so with each friend the tea becomes less bitter. When the cup reaches the original person the tea will have a better taste.
The reunion of friends at the Hokanson's home is just a small portion of its members. "We are 300 and counting," Hokanson said, "We're in every part of the world, but Antarctica, we're looking for someone from Antarctica."
The group started on March 23, 2001, and has continued to grow under the guidance of founder Sharon Greene. Greene is from Vancouver Island, British Colombia, and in an article she states, "My goal is to achieve a community where there would be an unconditional and unbiased display of hands held in friendship and fellowship across all borders of the world."
Hokanson first spoke to Greene in a general chat room on ICQ, where they spoke about crafts. When Greene started the Circle, Hokanson was on the first 10 to 15 to join. Their friendship has continued to grow, Hokanson said, "I call her 'sis' and she calls me 'sis'."
Overall, the community is involved in many unique areas, including crafts and creating a cookbook. One fun item members participate in, is called a swap. Hokanson said people often call her the "swap queen." In the swap, members sign up to exchange an item like a key chain or calendar with another member. Hokanson said they have swapped all types of items including pillow, dolls and even dish towels.
Many members learned how to set up their own websites through help from Greene and other members. Having more than 300 members means there are going to be many different areas of interest. Something that is continuous for the Circle is a true sense of friendship.
"We support families and friends when we have a family member that's sick or a friend that is sick, we e-mail them," Hokanson said, If there's something we can help with, we help."
Every week the members receive an update newsletter from Greene that covers the vast amount of happenings in their community.
It took a year of planning for the members to plan their overall reunion. For those that would eventually stop at Hokanson's their trip began in Canada. Hokanson describes part of their trip, "On of the many things done was a trip to Puce, Ontario, to the Underground Railroad, a private run historical site by original descendants of (the) Walls Family, Irvine and Theresa Walls. Other trips were to Niagara Falls and Shipshawanna, Indiana.
While at Hokanson's the group was able to present the Duquettes with a George Forman Grill, as a thanks for their hosting duties at the reunion. Hokanson said the group got along very well right from the start. "You would think with that many people and being strangers, only knowing each other online all that time, you'd think well there'd be a little big of conflict between personality," Hokanson said, (But) there wasn't any. "It was like we've always been family and friends," she said.
The group members were from a variety of places, including Niagara Falls; Ontario; Vancouver Island, British Columbia; Tilbury,Ontario; Mar Del Plata, Argentina; Missouri and Michigan. Ten members came in one van, with overall group coming down to 10 women and two men.
Hokanson is also working on a quilt were several members create a square, to be combined.
The next reunion for the group is set for 2006 in North Carolina.
Through the help of many local individuals the group was able to hold their reunion at the Hokanson's home. Hokanson wanted to show appreciation to Chuck and Renee Collin of Arris Matrix for their donation of a wireless mouse (that Sharon Greene won in the drawing at my home). also disks that Pat won in the drawing, and pens that were given to every member. She also wanted to show appreciation to Carolyn and Rob Milbourn, Janet Demott, and John and Veda Hokanson, and to Mike, Deb and Deric Lustey.
The Worldwide Circle of Friends states: A ball is a circle, no beginning, no end. It keep us together, like our Circle of Friends; but, the treasure inside, for you to see is the treasure of friendship you've granted to me.
Those interested can visit the WWWCOF website , which features many, many interesting items.
Well friends there is the article. I thought I would add a little more about it from me. I have to say I was so thrilled to be a part of this wonderful reunion. I was so sadden that I wasn't able to make the whole trip but I just gotten over having surgery and wasn't up to doing all so it was a joy to have the ladies and fellows, Sharon, Kendra, Daphne, Marie, Garnet, Shirley, Claudia, Chelsea, Pat and Drew here for the evening of Wednesday night and Thursday. My guests arrive around 6:00 that evening and we greeted each other with big hugs and what a joy it was to meet every one. John and Veda Hokanson (George's uncle and aunt) were here as the girls wanted to meet her so much as they had heard me talk so much about her in the chats. Also here to greet the travelers was my brother Mike and his son Deric and all were thrilled to meet them also. We had no more then greeted our guests then the sky open up and brought a down pour. George went to get a umbrella and he brought every one in from the patio. It would rain most the evening so it was impossible to stay outside. So we all crowded into our tiny living room and had a wonderful chat with one another. We had a meal ready for all and we all got it around anx every one had our homemade macaroni salad made by Janet Demott, homemade potato salad made by Carolyn Milbourn and watermelon from Aunt Veda. We also had brats, hotdogs and hamburgers that were done by George. In such a short time Aunt Veda and Uncle John and Mike and Deric left and then it was just the circle of friends here. We gave Garnet and Marie their gift of the George Forman Grill. Then I passed out gifts that I had made for every one. I did a set of embroidery pillowcases for all my dear friends. Then we had a surprise birthday cake and ice cream for our dear Claudia she was so surprised when we presented her with the cake. We had put candles on the cake but we forgot the fan was on and by the time we got it to Claudia it had blown out all the candles. It's wasn't long after cake that every one decided to retire for the evening as all were tired from the long trip. On Thursday we had a breakfast that was fixed by George and then we spend the morning getting to know each other it was a great feeling to sit around the table and have our coffee break together in person. Pictures were taken and then it seem like it was time to for all my dear friends to head back to Tilbury and I was so sad to see every one leave. I would have love to spend a lot more of time with all but was blessed for a short time to meet all these wonderful people. Thank you all that came to our home and gave us the pleasure of meeting you and your wonderful company.