KIWANIS KEY
Volume LXXIX Number 44 September 20, 2024
If you missed today’s Kiwanis meeting, you truly missed very good, but very troubling program. Dr. David R. Tillman, Chair, Public Health, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences at Campbell University, discussed the waves of drug use that has for a number of years been prevalent in our communities, states and our nation. Dr. Tillman got my attention early in his remarks when he told us that 100,000 Americans are dying each year from drug overdose. And, he said thus far this year some 38 deaths from drug overdoses have occurred here in Cumberland County (and we still have three months to go in the year). According to Dr. Tillman, our nation has been effected by waves of drug use.
Wave one, there was a wave of prescription pills.
Wave two, there was a wave of Heroin use.
Wave three, there was a wave of Synthetics to include Fentanyl.
Wave four, Polysubstance overdose.
The frightening thing is that a very small amount of Fentanyl will kill a person; and even more frightening, if it is mixed with other drugs, a person will not know they are taking it.
Dr. Tillman told us that if anyone buys any kind of drug on the street, there is a high chance that Fentanyl is in it!
This was a VERY GOOD program that should be heard in every civic club and every church or religious organization in our community and every community. Thanks go out to President-elect Jim Schaffer for bringing this program!
TODAY’S MEETING
As usual, at approximately 1:15 PM, President Al rang the bell. Kiwanian Kirby White led us in My Country Tis of Thee and the Pledge of Allegiance to our nation’s FLAG. Kiwanian Brent Hairr did an excellent job of offering the invocation.
PRAYER LIST continues to be quite long. Please remember in your thoughts and prayers: Gary and Debbie Cooper’s family, John Malzone family; Tal Baggett’s family; Kalli Ziegler’s son-in-law, Ben; Diane Parfitt’s daughter, Nicole; Gary Weller’s family (visitation at 2:30 PM Sunday at Cedar Falls Baptist Church with the service to follow at 4:00 PM); Kara Brittain, Debbie Best’s sister; Bob Poole; Darron Beal’s family; Robby Talton’s wife, Deanna; Tim Dunn’s brother and Diane Turner, George’s wife (recovering from Cataract surgery).
GUESTS: Cathy Schaffer (wife of President-elect, Jim); Sgt. Littlejohn of the Fayetteville PD, guest of Kim Thomas; Thomas Neville, guest of Ad Winters. Glad to have all of our guests and we hope they will return soon!
BIRTHDAYS: Jim Schaffer and Fred Cutter (9-14); Debbie Cooper, Susan Dunn and Richard Walker (9-16); Robert “Little Digger” Breece (9-17) and former Carolinas District Governor and past International Trustee, Gary Cooper (9-19). Happy Birthday to all!
COMMITTEE REPORTS the joint Board Meeting with both the outgoing and incoming Boards met this past Wednesday at Stephen Wheeler’s office. According to reports given to me, President elect-elect Stephen did a terrific job of hosting the event! The budgets for the next Kiwanis year were voted on by the current Board and will be voted on again by the new Board the first meeting of the new Kiwanis year. Congratulations go out to the Interclub Committee as the COMMITTEE OF THE MONTH!
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE SOCIAL will be hosted by Kalli Ziegler at her home on October 2nd. All Kiwanians welcome, but especially Kiwanians who have perspective members. Be sure to let Kalli know if you plan to attend.
October BOARD MEETING will be hosted by Jim “The Hammer” Ammons at Scrub Oaks on October 10th. Scrub Oaks is located on Ramsey Street, just North of Methodist University. Social time begins at 6:00 PM with the meeting beginning at 6:30 PM. All members are welcome to attend, but if you’re not a board member, please let Jim know you plan to attend.
GOLF COMMITTEE is working hard and the date for our golf tournament is October 12th. Tournament Chairman, Jay Gothard, is still in need of donations of gifts to be given away at the event. Please reach out to Jay if you can donate a gift or if you can obtain a gift to be given away at the tourney.
TERRIFIC KIDS COMMITTEE has been busy for the last week or so both packing supplies for various Elementary Schools and/or delivering those supplies to the schools. If you are a TK advisor at one of our schools, please be sure to deliver your supplies ASAP. If you have a question, be in touch with Diane Parfitt. By the way, thanks go out to Diane and her committee for their good work!
NEXT WEEK’S PROGRAM will be the Installation of our Board of Directors and Officers for the 2024-2025 Kiwanis year. Please make a special effort to attend, so we can thank President Al Aycock for his splendid service this Kiwanis year and welcome warmly our President for next year, Jim Schaffer.
Final thought…”If one door closes and another opens,” you might be in prison!
Have a great week. Look forward to seeing you next Friday!
