Volume LXXIX Number 11 January 5, 2024
Friday Meeting
There was a great turnout Friday to start the new year as every table was almost full. Hopefully we can continue this momentum into 2024. We had two guests, Libby Daniel, Rick’s better half and Jeff Darling, new Executive Director of YMCA of the Sandhills, guest of Sandy Saunders. For those of you who haven’t made your way back, make it your New Year’s resolution to do so. We have a new caterer and the meals have been outstanding, the fellowship always fun and the programs interesting and informative.
Announcements
Faith Phillips announced that she has been working with the school system’s new policies regarding visitors and we will be back with Reading Is Fun in 2024. If you are on this committee, look for an email from Faith regarding your school assignment.
Diane Parfitt has just a few schools who need Terrific Kid supplies and she will contact Kiwanis school liaisons to deliver those supplies.
President Al exhorted committee chairs to get your list of committee members to him so Secretary Bob can publish that information and set up the means for chairs to email committee members with our new Kiwanis digital platform. If you need help filling your committee, contact President Al for help.
Spiritual Emphasis Chair, Bob McAmis, reports that we raised $2,137 for the Salvation Army when we rang the bell on December 16. Nice job!
Garry Two’Rs Winebarger correctly guessed the Kiwanis Trivia question. The theme of the Kiwanis float in the Rose Bowl parade was “Serving in Harmony”.
Kim Thomas won the first 50/50 of 2024.
We will vote on the EJ Wells Cup award in two weeks. See the end of the newsletter for the bios on Phil Harris, Jr. and George Holden.
In The House of My Bibi
Debbie Best introduced Dr. Nashtaran Kherad who brought an interesting insight into her life growing up in revolutionary Iran. It was a fascinating look at Iran before and after the Islamic Revolution of 1979. She detailed how brutal and repressive the current regime has been. Her own brother was imprisoned, tortured and executed for speaking out against the regime. The book is available on Amazon and is described as follows: “A profound and moving account of the author's experience growing up in Iran in the wake of the 1979 revolution. The narrative differs from other books on the subject in that she was imprisoned at age 18 on trumped-up political charges. Nastaran offers a dramatic retelling of her childhood, and events leading up to, during and after her brutal captivity. She also recounts the mesmerizing stories told by her grandmother, Bibi, and a special bond she developed with her brother, Mohammed, who was on death row for his political beliefs. A spectacular story of struggle and survival, readers will gain a deeper understanding of a country and its people that many in the West know very little about.”
Thanks for a great program, Debbie Best.
Next Friday, Grace McGrath will bring Mike McCaskill from the Massey Hill Lions Club to tell us about the return of the world’s greatest oyster roast in February.
Parting Shot, My New Year’s Resolutions
- “Embracing 2024 with a resolution to exercise more – like lifting the TV remote.”
- “Weight loss resolution: I’m on a seafood diet; I see food, and I eat it.”
- “May the New Year bring you the courage to break your resolutions early!”
- “Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week, you can begin paving hell with them as usual.”
- “Procrastination resolution: I’ll start working on it… tomorrow.”
- “My New Year’s resolution is to lose weight… by ordering a smaller pizza.”
- “My New Year’s resolution is to stop telling myself, ‘You need to go to the gym!’ and start saying, ‘Don’t bother, you won’t go.’”
- “May your troubles be as short-lived as your New Year’s resolutions!”
See you next Friday!
John F. Holmes
jholmestarheel@gmail.com
910-988-8040
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