The Freeport Area International Visitors Council began in 1956, with Thanksgiving Fellowship. Mary X. Barrett and Kathryn Kutz, both members of Church Women United, spearheaded this burgeoning event.......Trudy Trogdon, Paris, IL., Had originally promoted this fellowship. In addition to Freeport, other communities in Illinois, including Geneseo and Sterling/Rock Falls, began welcoming international students into their homes. The Thanksgiving program remained an annuall event in Freeport until 1995.
In 1965, Ms. Kutz was invited to attend a conference in Washington, DC. To inform Conserv, The National Council for Community Services to International Visitors, now The National Council of International Visitors (NCIV), of our willingness to host governmental guests. Freeport became a member of Conserv (now NCIV) in 1974, but had been already hosting governmental guests.
In 1965, Ms. Kutz was invited to attend a conference in Washington, DC. To inform Conserv, The National Council for Community Services to International Visitors, now The National Council of International Visitors (NCIV), of our willingness to host governmental guests. Freeport became a member of Conserv (now NCIV) in 1974, but had been already hosting governmental guests.