World Travel Club’s new adventure
Photo submitted
World Travel Club getting ready to depart for Lima, Peru, in 2018. We were so excited! From left, kneeling: Georgia (Merrick) Funk, Mandy Lindsey and Jessica Schivitz; standing: Martha Merrick, Matthew Funk, Twyla Stone, Laine Wilson, Lisa Cole, Kathleen Diles, Teresa Clonts, Tammy Herpich, Sammy Wagner and Jon Herpich.
The World Travel Club is going on another great adventure to Portugal, Spain and Morocco in 2026!
The World Travel Club’s first trip began in 2014; Club founder Twyla Stone, a Raymondville teacher, took the first group to Ireland, Scotland, England and Paris as a group leader. The group consisted of ten adults and four students. The green scenery was so beautiful, and the castles were fantastic! The kids had fun hitting each other with the long baguettes, while sitting across from each other at the table in Paris.
In 2016, Mrs. Stone led a group to Italy and Greece. The group consisted of eight adults and one student. One of the many highlights was touring the Vatican and all its art treasures. In Greece, the highlight was climbing up the Acropolis and touring the Parthenon.
In 2018, Mrs. Stone led a group to Peru, Land of the Incans. The group consisted of eight adults and four students. Machu Picchu and the Amazon Rainforest Resort were major highlights.
On two of those tours, Georgia Merrick, with her mother and son, was a chaperone. In 2023, Merrick and Stone exchanged roles, with Merrick as group leader and Stone as chaperone; their new tour was the Grand Tour of Italy. This tour had fifteen adults and five students. Some of the highlights were touring Venice, Florence, Pompeii and Rome.
Now Stone and Merrick consider themselves as partners in their adventures. Stone gathers travelers in Missouri and Georgia Merrick Funk gathers travelers in Virginia, where she lives with her mother, son and new husband, Eric Funk.
The previous tours were with EF Tours, which offers tours customized for teen and college students. This current tour is with the sister company of EF Tours, GoAhead Tours, which offers a slower paced tour. There is no fundraising, but payments can be made to GoAhead Tours. The current tour departs for Missourians at Springfield on May 22, 2026. If interested in learning more about the tour, current prices and extra excursions, call 800-438-7672 and give them reference number 70950236. Mrs. Stone will be more than happy to help people enroll at any location comfortable for the enrollee. Mrs. Stone may be reached at 417-217-0584. Come have fun with us in Portugal, Spain and Morocco!
