
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, September 2, 1993                   TAG: 9309040068
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: E-19   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

EX-ROANOKER IS KISUMU GROUP'S DINNER SPEAKER

William B. Robertson, who helped establish a sister-city relationship between Roanoke and Kisumu, Kenya, will be the featured speaker during the Kisumu Sister City Committee's annual ethnic dinner Sept. 11.

The 6:30 p.m. dinner will be at the Sheraton Inn-Airport. The cost is $12, and reservations must be made by Tuesday.

Robertson, a Roanoke native, is senior vice president for international relations for the Pagonis and Donnelly Group Inc., counselors in government relations, Congressional liaisons and international trade.

He served as deputy assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs from 1985-88. Robertson also has been a teacher, principal and supervisor in the Roanoke school system.

He also is a founder of Camp Virginia Jaycee for Retarded Citizens, which is used to assist mentally handicapped citizens in Virginia, Kenya, Sierra Leone and South Africa's black townships.

Besides being instrumental in establishing the Roanoke-Kisumu program, Robertson also helped start a program with Portsmouth and Eldoret, Kenya, and founded and was chairman of the sister-city program between Reston and Nyeri, Kenya.

The dinner's theme is "Kenya and America: Building Bridges of Respect and Friendship."

For more information or to make reservations, contact Greta Evans at 981-9110. Checks should be made payable to Roanoke Sister Cities, P.O. Box 136, Roanoke, Va., 24002.\

by CNB