A little bit about our chapter, Northeast Ohio and why we’re a great journey match!
Our club name: Friendship Force of Northeast Ohio
Location: Northeast Ohio, USA Northeast Ohio is an 18-county region containing six metropolitan areas: Greater Cleveland, Akron, Canton-Massillon, Youngstown, Mansfield and Sandusky. The region has a population of over 4.5 million people. Local FFNEO members live in 10 of NE Ohio’s 18 counties.
Date of founding: February 27, 1985
Number of members: 50
Club website: https://friendshipforceneohio.org
Best months for hosting: May to October
Closest airports: Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport (CLE) and Akron-Canton Regional Airport (CAK)
Number of ambassadors we prefer to host: 10 to 15
When visiting FFNEO for the first time, visitors are often surprised by:
- Our rich history and contributions to industries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries:
- Electric light and power, bridge building, ship building, steel making, petroleum refining, and car manufacturing.
- With 85 known millionaires in 1892, Cleveland was considered one of the richest cities in the world.
- In 1910, more than half of Cleveland’s residents were either immigrants or the children of immigrants.
- The Cleveland metropolitan area is home to the largest population of Slovene Americans in the world.
- The Cleveland metropolitan area remains home to the largest population of Slovenians in the world outside of Slovenia. Ohio additionally has the highest concentration of Hungarian Americans in the United States, with a large population in NE Ohio communities.
- Because of the region’s rich ethnic diversity, Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood is home to the largest concentration of historic and ethnic churches in the country.
- Unique in the world and a major part of the city’s 254-acre Rockefeller Park between University Circle and Lake Erie, the Cleveland Cultural Gardens are a collection of dozens of connected international gardens each with a sign and flag of the nation or culture it represents. They are aptly named as the gardens focus on culture – science, music, art, literature and philosophy – rather than political or military history. The gardens also feature trees, shrubs and flowers that are native to the particular garden’s home country. Annually, the gardens come together as one to celebrate One World Day and events include a parade of flags, food, entertainment and a naturalization ceremony.
Cleveland is a city known for pioneering in specialized health care. The world renowned Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland’s largest employer, has ranked #1 nationally for cardiology and heart surgery. University Hospitals have received much recognition for pediatrics and MetroHealth is a leader in the treatment of trauma, burns and rehabilitation. The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare Systems provides services at 20 locations in NE Ohio.
What we think visitors love most about our city/country? Members and citizens who are warm, welcoming and VERY friendly!
Traditional dishes that visiting ambassadors are likely to taste:
- With Northeast Ohio’s diversity, visitors will find grocery stores and restaurants offering foods from every region of the world. Be sure to visit The West Side Market, Cleveland’s oldest operating indoor/outdoor, European-style market and on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Two types of fresh water fish from Lake Erie are enjoyed by locals and visitors – Yellow Perch and Walleye.
- Ohio is the 8th largest producer of maple syrup in the United States. Our Northeast Ohio variety is delicious and produced annually in late winter and early spring.
- Northeast Ohio is home to many fine wineries.
Music that visiting ambassadors are likely to hear in local concerts, restaurants and in our homes:
- Northeast Ohio is home to the world renowned Cleveland Orchestra and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Local restaurants will offer everything from jazz to polka! The area has numerous music venues that offer a range of formal to casual, such as Severance Hall, Blossom Music Center, Nautica and Stan Hywet Hall.
Our members love many kinds of activities, including:
- Cleveland’s Playhouse Square which is the largest theater district west of New York City, and the world’s largest theater restoration project. Eight different venues draw more than 1 million people annually for touring Broadway shows, concerts, comedy, opera, dance and children’s programming. In addition, there are regional theaters in many Northeast Ohio communities.
- People in Northeast Ohio enjoy the out-of-doors during our four distinct seasons. The area is agriculturally rich and home gardens abound.
- Northeast Ohioans love professional sports including the Cleveland Guardians (Major League Baseball), the Cleveland Browns (National Football League) and the 2016 Champion Cleveland Cavaliers (National Basketball Association). Organized sports also include the Cleveland Monsters (American Hockey League), The Lake County Captains (Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians) and Lake Erie Crushers (Frontier League baseball). Canton Ohio is home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
One of our favorite parts of an exchange itinerary is: Showing ambassadors the University Circle area of Cleveland. In May 2021, USA TODAY‘S 10 Best Readers’ Choice Travel Award Contest named University Circle as the Best Arts District in the country and we know why!! This beautiful park-like area is best known for its world-class cultural, educational and medical institutions, all concentrated within a .86 square mile area that can be walked. Sites include the Cleveland Museum of Art; Severance Hall, home to The Cleveland Orchestra; Cleveland Botanical Garden; Natural History Museum and Western Reserve Historical Society. Cleveland’s ‘Little Italy’ neighborhood is less than a mile away from University Circle as are the Cleveland Cultural Gardens.
What makes our city/region different from other cities in the world is: We are located on the shore of Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes of North America. The Great Lakes are a series of five fresh-water lakes formed by the last glacier. Together, these five lakes form the largest group of fresh-water lakes in the world. The Great Lakes are naturally interconnected and reach to the Atlantic Ocean through the Saint Lawrence River.
What makes our city/region different from other cities in our country is: Our chapter region covers 18 counties of the state and therefore includes a broad range of urban and suburban experiences. A particular ‘jewel’ of the region is an extensive system of nature preserves in the Greater Cleveland area spanning 21,000 acres. These properties are collectively managed by Cleveland Metroparks and are known as ‘The Emerald Necklace’.
Do we have any unique local places that tourists would not know about that ambassadors might get to experience? YES! Ohio has the largest Amish* population in the US. A typical inbound journey includes a visit to Amish Country to experience life style, food and crafts. *Amish are a group of traditionalist Christian church fellowships with Swiss origins who began immigration to Pennsylvania in the early 18th century. Amish are known for simple living and reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern living such as use of electricity in their homes. They do not own automobiles; rather, self-transportation is by horse and buggy. They are skilled farmers, dairymen, carpenters and craftsmen.
Here are some fun facts about our area:
- Northeast Ohio will be in the 100% full solar eclipse path on April 8, 2024
- Cleveland hosted the 2022 NBA All-Star Game, February 18 – 20, 2022
- Cleveland hosted the National Football League Draft, April 22 – 24, 2021
- Cleveland hosted the Major League Baseball All Star game, July 8 – 9, 2019
- Cleveland hosted the Republican National Convention, July 18 – 21, 2016
- The state of Ohio is referred to as the “Mother of Presidents” because seven of its native sons have served as U.S. President. Ohio is also home to the first presidential library in the nation, the Rutherford B. Hayes Library/Museum in Fremont, OH, as well as the National First Ladies’ Library/First Ladies National Historic Site in Canton, OH.
- Recent Movies with filming or setting in Northeast Ohio:
- I See You (2019)
- The Fate of the Furious (2017)
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
- Draft Day (2014)
- The Avengers (2012)
- The Soloist (2009)
- Spider Man 3 (2007)
- American Splendor (2003)
- Antwone Fisher (2002)
- Air Force One (1997)
- Happy Gilmore (1996)
- Shawshank Redemption (1994)
- Major League (1989)
- Light of Day (1987)
- Christmas Story (1983)
- The Deer Hunter (1978)
- The Fortune Cookie (1966)
Top 10 Celebrities from (or who got their start) in Northeast Ohio:
Paul Newman (actor), Bob Hope (comedian), Dean Martin (singer), Halle Berry (actress), Drew Carey (comedian), Hal Holbrook (actor), Tom Hanks (actor), Chrissie Hynde (musician), Tim Conway (comedian) and Alan Freed (disc jockey, who coined the phrase “Rock and Roll”).
Friendship Force of Northeast Ohio does not include the following locations as part of a journey, but they are listed should ambassadors wish to independently visit them before or after NE Ohio.
- Cedar Point Amusement Park, Sandusky, OH. 65 miles (105 km) from downtown Cleveland.
- Niagara Falls, NY – 215 miles (346 km) from downtown Cleveland.
- Toronto, CAN – 295 miles (475 km) from downtown Cleveland.
- Washington, D.C. – 375 miles (605 km) from downtown Cleveland.
