January 2026: The FHSC General Meeting was held at the Grill at Desert Canyon Golf Course where new board members were voted and confirmed for 2026. Nearly all 2025 board members carried over into the 2026 season which will help with continuity of our programs. The one notable exception is our Social Media Director position. Our beloved friend and consummate advocate Joanne Colella decided to pursue some exciting new endeavors. We have been incredibly blessed by Joanne’s knowledge and contribution to our group. Immense thanks go out to her for years of exemplary service! She will be missed, but forever in our appreciation! But now that leaves an incredibly important opportunity for someone with marketing and social media skills to join our team! If you or a friend would like to share in our purpose-driven international experience, visit our Volunteer page today and come join us! We are always in need of like-minded thinkers and do-ers.
February 2026: FHSC worked with local chocolatier Chocofin to design and produce a chocolate gift bar with the FH Sister Cities logo. This memento of appreciation for notable contributions to our causes will be selectively handed out as a delicious “thank you” to certain individuals in the 2026 season of giving. YUMM!
March 2026: We wish to express our deepest thanks to Membership Chair and Co-Chair Sascha and Rosa Janssen who have also decided to pursue other endeavors. Their contributions to our community and international work will not be forgotten. To see our current team vacancies, please visit Our Team page. If you have interest in joining our team and making the world a better place through “Citizen Diplomacy” you can Contact Us directly or attend one of our monthly meetings which can be found on our Events page. Come introduce yourself, we would love to get to know you!
March 2026: A planned trip to the Ataco area is still in the works, partly to meet with the new mayor of the region and to find out how our humanitarian relief efforts in previous years have made an impact. There was also a surprise breakthrough as the former Mayor of Ataco, now simply an advocate for the region, was helped by connections shared through FH Sister Cities. He was able to secure assistance from Republic services for waste management equipment to improve municipal garbage collection; a known challenge for years in the area. One of greatest joys as FHSC is to help where we can, our Sister City partners who find themselves in times of need.
January 2026: FHSC members attended the Fountain Hills Jewish Festival in support of cultures outside of our usual focus with our three Sister Cities. Our purpose is always to bring people of the world together in every way possible!
February 2026: FHSC attended the FH Volunteer Expo at the FH Community Center with a display booth. We fielded many questions from the interested crowd, who wanted to know more about what we do.
March 2026: This was indeed a busy month for FHSC. Numerous members attended the Polish Family Picnic at the McCormick Railroad Park and had a great time. This month also marked the inaugural gathering of leaders and representatives of Arizona German Community at Treffpunkt. The event was hosted by FHSC President Christine Colley and Carolin Gey, Honorary Consul of Germany and Founder of Treffpunkt. They welcomed Consul General Andrea Sasse of the German Consulate General in Los Angeles as Guest of Honor. This gathering brought together representatives of organizations and initiatives across the Valley who are engaged in promoting German cultural and educational programs. March was also the kickoff of the creation of a commemorative monument celebrating FH Sister Cities’ 25th anniversary. Read more about this art piece and its commissioning with Cave Creek artist Mark Carroll by clicking here!
February 2026: Student Exchange Chair Luke Salzman revealed that students from Dierdorf would likely be visiting Fountain Hills in the Fall. These bi-lateral exchanges remain a cornerstone of the international work we do to keep the world connected person-to-person. Visit our Student Exchange page and scroll to the bottom to see some great photos of past student exchanges.
March 2026: FH Sister Cities’ student Ambassador Reece Beers was accepted to attend the Youth Leadership Summit this summer in Washington DC, sponsored by Sister Cities International.
January 2026: The FH Sister Cities President Christine Colley was appointed by the President and CEO Ricki Garrett of Sister Cities International to be our nation’s country representative for all of Germany. She will join a prestigious nationwide team of experts in citizen diplomacy managing and enhancing grassroots relations between the USA and their respective countries. We congratulate Christine on this incredible and well-deserved accomplishment! Her high-visibility and far-reaching position on the national scene will really help propel our local chapter and put Fountain Hills on the international map!
Jean Linzer, Julie Ewald, Grady Miller, James Wilson, Steve Baggio, Suzanne Nann, Chandra Merica
Christine Colley, Lillian Acker, Beverly Tall
Bogumil Horchem & Elizabeth Matej-Horchem, Betsy Lavoie with the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce
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Fountain Hills Sister Cities organized a unique event sampling wines from regions around Germany and sister city Dierdorf. It was hosted by local German Restaurant Treffpunkt in Scottsdale.
A VIP visitor from Sister City Ataco El Salvador dropped by Fountain Hills on her way to visit family in LA. While here she met up with key members of the Fountain Hills Sister Cities team associated with managing and promoting the Sister City Ataco partnership.
Oktoberfest is back again in Fountain Hills for 2026, and host FH Sister Cities is looking for volunteers and sponsors. You too can help make this year’s celebration of German culture and heritage a “Wunderbar” success!
