The meeting began with Mark Rice leading the group in singing "My Country 'Tis of Thee" and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Mike Pleasant provided the invocation and shared updates on members in need of prayer, including Danny Highsmith, who is expected to return next Friday after finishing physical therapy.

A special mention was made for Norwood Bryan , who is currently undergoing intensive physical and occupational therapy at Village Green; members were encouraged to call his cell phone and leave voicemails, as he appreciates the support.

The club acknowledged the passing of Al Aycock’s father-in-law, Mr. Padgett, and noted that the family is currently with relatives in Hinesville, Georgia.

 

President-Elect Jay Gothard reported on the recent board meeting held at Scrub Oak’s, announcing that the club's endowment fund at the Cumberland County Community Fund has officially surpassed $500,000.

 

The board approved several allocations, including a $4,000 grant to the Fayetteville YMCA Summer Camp and a $605 donation to the Carolina District Foundation.

 

Kudos were given to the Reid Ross and Terry Sanford Key Clubs for their help with the successful Fun Day event, which continues to grow each year.

 

The club is organizing a interclub trip to Lillington on Tuesday, June 16th, departing at 11:15 AM from the Kiwanis Rec Center. Richard Everett needs at least four participants to proceed.

 

Shannon Arnold was formally accepted as the newest member of the club, though she was unable to attend for her induction.

 

Lieutenant Brandon Chandler and Sergeant Richard Skidmore presented on the PAL program, which originally launched in 2014 as "Badges to Baseball."

 

Lieutenant Chandler shared his personal story of growing up in Fayetteville and overcoming a difficult home life involving family drug addiction, which serves as his motivation for mentoring youth.

 

The PAL program focuses on building positive relationships between police officers and "at-risk" youth through sports, mentoring, and life skills training.

 

The definition of "at-risk" was discussed as a subjective term; Chandler provided examples of participants who were bullied or living in dangerous home environments who found a support system through PAL.

 

The PAL boxing program, run by retired Special Forces Sergeant Greg Johnson, has successfully produced five kids ranked in the national top five according to USA Amateur Boxing.

 

Current and past offerings include jujitsu on Monday evenings, golf camps, and a life skills camp that teaches cooking, finance, and basic auto maintenance like checking oil and tire pressure.

Upcoming events include a summer camp from July 27th to July 31st for 20 kids and a sanctioned amateur boxing tournament on October 24th at the Smith Rec Center.

 

Lieutenant Chandler mentioned he is evaluating a potential new cheer camp for young ladies and invited members to consider joining the PAL board.

 

The club presented a donation check for $4,125 to the PAL representatives and awarded them with Kiwanis pin sets as a token of appreciation.

 

Steve Brotherton was the subject of the "Guess the Kiwanian" segment, which shared stories about his career as a taxation professor and a Methodist minister.

 

Bob McAmis won the $50 raffle drawing at the conclusion of the meeting.

 

The program for next week is currently being rescheduled following a cancellation by the previously scheduled speaker.

 

John Holmes

jholmetarheel@gmail.com