Owensboro Sister Cities expands school exchanges, firefighter program with Olomouc

Representatives of Owensboro Sister Cities and Regions (OSCAR) briefed the City Commission on Jan. 2025 about a growing ambassador program, planned school exchanges and an international firefighter exchange.

James Howard, Owensboro Fire Chief and OSCAR board member, described the firefighter exchange with Olomouc as a 2024 success that sent area firefighters to Olomouc for live fire and rescue drills and station exchanges. "Our firefighters came away from this experience with meaningful hands on training, additional cultural understanding, and built some new friendships," Howard said.

Michael Vanover, OSCAR president, summarized organizational growth and a new ambassador program launched within the past six months to engage local volunteers in school and cultural exchanges. He said the first ambassador class had seven members and that the group is executing an educational connection program involving elementary, middle and high schools within Owensboro and Daviess County. Vanover said visits and reciprocal exchanges are planned, including a choir visit from Olomouc and student exchanges later in the year.

Vanover also reported progress toward an educational communication exchange with the commission’s Japanese partner referred to in the presentation as "Neeshan," noting recent Teams meetings and turnover among counterpart staff overseas. OSCAR is pursuing classroom communication links between local schools and counterparts abroad and hopes to host reciprocal delegations, including fire and emergency management representatives.

The presentations were framed as updates and outreach; no city action or funding request was presented at the commission meeting.