(5-9-25) The Twenty First Century Club met on March 25, 2025 at Rockford United Methodist Church Café Room. President Kim Carr welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order and shared some info about the Academy Awards. Members answered roll-call by sharing their favorite mode of travel.

Minutes from the meeting in February were read by and approved. The treasurer’s report was read and approved. Discussion on the extra money in the treasurer culminated with a motion by Cindy Canary to designate $100 each to the: Parkway Backpack Program and the Parkway Schools Cafeteria fund for excess balances of students. Twyla Hays seconded the motion and it passed. Treasurer Val Fritzinger will disperse this donations.

Peanut butter is still needed for Helping Hands Food Pantry in Rockford.

Our theme “Adventures Await” was presented by: Susan Coburn and Toni Fisher. Susan spoke first about a trip of a lifetime to China, which she took with her daughter and family several years back. Her son-in-law works for Disney, and was there to oversee the opening of “Disney” in Shanghai. Susan explained that the flight over took 12 hours. Shanghai is 2-1/2 times the size of New York City with a population of 24 million. Most residents live in walk-up cramped apartments of 1-2 rooms. They use communal-style toilets as well as communal cooking areas. There is lots of flowers and greenery including parks for communal access. Only transportation is scooters and bikes. Susan and family traveled 12 hours by train to the Wall of China in Beijing. It was 1700 steps to climb to the top or use a chairlift. To get down was a mile long slide. Susan noted there are no accommodations for handicapped people. They also toured the beautiful Emperors’ palace in the Forbidden City Beijing. It was forbidden to go there for over 500 years. On 178 acres, there are 90 such palaces. It was the trip of a lifetime.

Toni Fisher then presented her cruise of Hawaii. Our50 state (in 1959). Flying to Los Angeles, CA from Ohio they boarded a ship and cruised for 4 days to the Hawaiian Island (which includes 137 Volcanic Islands). At Maui for a day at the beach and a traditional luau, they then moved on the biggest island Oahu with the greatest population of all islands – over 960,000. In Honolulu they rented a car and saw the Pearl Harbor Memorial, the Dole Plantation, Waikiki Beach. Moving on to the nature island of Kauai, they enjoyed the green island and the Kona coffee plantation. Toni explained their last Island was Hilo, Hawaii, where there is an active volcano and boiling pots of bubbling lava.

Hostesses Julie Henkle and Valerie Fritzinger prepared and served a delicious snack.

Rockford’s 21st Century Club Members Report for April

The Twenty First Century Club met on April 22, 2025 at the newly renovated Brand-It Design building in downtown Rockford. Following a short tour of the beautiful space of the company owned by Twyla and Pete Hayes, president Kim Carr welcomed everyone. She called the meeting to order with a few comments. Members answered roll-call by naming if they were a vacation planner of a by-the-seat-of-your-pants type. Officers for the coming year were elected.

Minutes from the meeting in March were read by and approved. The treasurer’s report was read and approved. Treasurer Val Fritzinger explained she was dispersing the funds the club donated in April. Peanut butter is still needed for Helping Hands Food Pantry in Rockford although other items are always appreciated, according to Karla Butler.

Our theme “Adventures Await” was presented first by: Sheila Baltzell-Linn. She used a power-point slide slow in Twyla’s conference room to take members on an informational 9and interactive) trip to Disney in Orlando, FL from which she had recently vacationed with her family. Sheila played the “When You Wish Upon a Star” theme song which was played upon arrival by air, and then explained other travel options getting to Florida as well as travel options in the huge complex of parks and hotel resorts. Travel while on resort are unique from busses, “Minnie” Vans (like Uber), the monorail, boat, and Skyliner. Scooters or wheelchairs are readily available for rent for those who tire easily. Disney has 4 theme parks: Epcot; Hollywood Studios; Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom. Her family includes Star Wars fans, and they enjoyed the Hollywood Studios’ Star Wars – Galaxy’s Edge, an immersion into the revolution’s encampment. They enjoyed, in person, the princesses and theme park characters like Daisy Duck. A photo package made picture memories unique. Sheila also explained and showed that with a “Magic Band” and a Smart Phone, all details of the trip from planning to day-to-day park experiences (even ordering food, riding the rides, and gaining room access) were handled electronically. Disney uses Smellitizers of delicious food and artificial smells all over Disney to enhance an experience that was “absolutely magical”.

Twyla Hayes then presented her trip of a lifetime to Australia (several years ago) when she and Pete visited their son in Perth on the southwest corner of the continent located in the Indian Ocean. Twyla also employed a power point slide show and shared many photos of the beautiful beaches (there are more than 11,761 recorded beaches) as well as sight seeing adventures. 2.3 million people live in Perth where Jared worked for John Deere for several years. The trio visited a wildlife preserve and enjoyed Kangaroos, snakes, koalas and wombats, even getting to hold some tame versions. Twyla, Pete and Jared rented bicycles and rode around Rottnest Island which is the home of the iconic Quokka, another marsupial (carries the joey in their pouch) that can’t be found anywhere except this island adjacent to Australia. Driving on the wrong side of the road from the USA intrigued Twyla as did the fact that there are no stop signs or traffic lights. “People just stop and go and let others in according to the laws of driving or bicycling there,” she said. The trees were very gnarly and she shared those pictures as well as other beach pictures and natural settings with beautiful flowers. They tried out many new foods in restaurants like fish and lamb (which is their National Dish). Traveling all over the island continent in three weeks was new and unique every day ~ an adventure they will always remember.

Hostesses Karla Butler and Kim Carr prepared and served a delicious snack with Twyla adding some specialty “chocolate covered cookies” called Tim Tams by Arnott’s Biscuits (Cookies) and other treats from Australia.

The group will take a trip for the May meeting which is a surprise for now.