Foley Sister Cities is spending October marking 70 years of Sister Cities International, with a city proclamation, a free exhibit at the new Foley Community Library and the first-ever Oktoberfest Golf Jamboree. The month of events celebrates both the global citizen-diplomacy movement and Foley’s own friendship with its sister city, Hennef, Germany, under this year’s theme, “Building Friendships: The Heartbeat of Peace.”
The celebration is timed around Sister Cities International Day on Wednesday, Oct. 14, and builds toward an evening Oktoberfest party at GlenLakes Golf Club on Friday, Oct. 23, where tickets remain available to the public.
Seventy years of Eisenhower’s vision
Sister Cities International Day commemorates the people-to-people initiative President Dwight D. Eisenhower launched in 1956. Eisenhower believed that friendships between communities in different countries could foster cultural understanding and help build a more peaceful world — an idea that took on particular weight in the years following World War II.
Rather than relying solely on governments to manage international relationships, the program encouraged ordinary citizens, schools, civic groups and local officials to form direct ties with their counterparts abroad. Over the decades, those partnerships have grown into a network linking communities around the world through exchanges in education, culture, business and the arts.
Foley Mayor Ralph Hellmich tied the anniversary directly to the city’s own partnership.
“Seventy years ago, President Eisenhower recognized the power of people connecting with one another,” Hellmich said. “Foley’s friendship with Hennef shows how this vision continues today.”
City Council proclamation
The City of Foley formally recognized Sister Cities International Day with a special proclamation during the City Council meeting on Monday, Oct. 5. The proclamation honored the global friendships and cultural exchanges that connect communities across national borders and acknowledged the role local partnerships play in that effort.
Foley and Hennef: four years of friendship
Foley has embraced Eisenhower’s vision over the past four years through its partnership with Hennef, a town in Germany. In that time, the relationship has produced a steady series of programs on both sides of the Atlantic:
- Three Oktoberfest 5K Runs hosted in Foley
- Four student exchanges, giving young people from both communities the chance to travel and learn
- One adult exchange
- An international intergenerational cookbook, published by the organization
Foley Sister Cities has additional plans for the partnership, including arts and cultural programs and adult global leadership exchanges.
Student exchanges are often considered the heart of sister city relationships. Young participants typically stay with host families, attend school or cultural activities, and come home with a firsthand understanding of daily life in another country. For a small Gulf Coast city, those connections can open doors that might otherwise be out of reach for many families.
Executive Director Linda B. Spangrud described the program as something larger than a formal municipal arrangement.
“Sister Cities is about much more than cities — it is about friendships, cultural understanding, and creating connections that last a lifetime, from generation to generation,” Spangrud said.
Free exhibit at the Foley Community Library
Throughout October, residents and visitors can stop by the new Foley Community Library to explore a free, interactive exhibit about the partnership. The display includes:
- Photographs of Hennef and the German countryside
- Slideshows from past exchange trips
- Artwork
- Information on how residents can get involved with Foley Sister Cities
The exhibit offers an easy, no-cost way for families to learn about the program and see what exchange participants experienced abroad. It may be especially useful for parents and students curious about future exchange opportunities, as well as for adults interested in the leadership and cultural programs the organization has planned.
Inaugural Oktoberfest Golf Jamboree
The month’s signature event takes place Friday, Oct. 23, when the Foley Sister Cities Commission and title sponsor Riviera Utilities host the inaugural Foley Sister Cities Oktoberfest Golf Jamboree at GlenLakes Golf Club.
Golf team slots and major sponsorships have already sold out, a strong showing for a first-year event. But the evening Oktoberfest celebration is open to the public, and tickets remain available for $35 per person.
The Oktoberfest party runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will feature:
- Authentic German food
- German beverages
- A live seven-piece German band
Proceeds will support Foley Sister Cities projects and its ongoing exchange programs, meaning ticket sales help fund future student and adult trips between Foley and Hennef.
The Oktoberfest theme is a natural fit. The traditional festival originated in Munich in the early 19th century and has since become one of Germany’s best-known cultural exports, celebrated in communities around the world with German music, food and drink each fall. For Foley, it serves as both a nod to its sister city and a festive fundraiser.
Honoring two founding commissioners
During the festivities, the Foley Sister Cities Commission will also honor two retiring founding commissioners for their leadership and dedication during the organization’s early years:
- Jada Duffy, assistant principal at Foley High School
- Dr. Michael Roy, associate director of elementary schools’ bands
Both played key roles in building the organization from the ground up. Their backgrounds in education reflect the program’s strong emphasis on student exchanges and on connecting young people with the wider world.
Why sister city ties matter for a growing community
Foley has been one of the fastest-growing cities in Baldwin County, and its sister city partnership adds an international dimension to a community better known for its parks, tourism and expanding neighborhoods. Programs like these can build lasting personal friendships, expose students to new languages and cultures, and create relationships that last well beyond a single trip.
The intergenerational cookbook is one example of how the program reaches beyond students. By collecting recipes and stories from residents of different ages and from both countries, the project connected grandparents, parents and children around a shared table — a simple but meaningful expression of the movement’s goals.
October at a glance
- Monday, Oct. 5: Foley City Council adopts a proclamation recognizing Sister Cities International Day.
- All month: Free interactive Hennef exhibit at the Foley Community Library.
- Wednesday, Oct. 14: Sister Cities International Day, marking the program Eisenhower launched in 1956.
- Friday, Oct. 23: Inaugural Foley Sister Cities Oktoberfest Golf Jamboree at GlenLakes Golf Club, with the public Oktoberfest celebration from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The lineup gives residents several ways to participate, whether they prefer a quiet visit to the library, a festive evening of German food and music, or simply learning more about the partnership that links Foley with a community across the Atlantic.
How to take part
Residents who want to join the celebration or learn more about Foley Sister Cities have several options this month:
- Visit the library exhibit at the Foley Community Library any time during October. Admission is free.
- Mark Sister Cities International Day on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
- Buy a ticket to the Oktoberfest celebration at GlenLakes Golf Club on Friday, Oct. 23, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $35 per person.
- Get involved with Foley Sister Cities; information on participation is available at the library exhibit.
As Sister Cities International marks seven decades, Foley’s month of events offers a reminder that friendships between communities, even those an ocean apart, can be built one exchange, one recipe and one celebration at a time.
