Kiwanis Kronikle NEWS THAT CONCERNS KIWANIANS AND THEIR FAMILIES
Greater White Mountain Chapter of the American Red Cross
Photo by W.S. Loughlin
Attendance
17
Invocation
Warren Mitchell
Senior Members
Bob Turner, Paul Normandin
Win a Classic!
V.P. Phil Bonafide reports that 10,000 additional raffle tickets,
underwritten by Metrocast Cablevision, have been ordered. We
may well need the extras if sales continue apace and Motorcycle
Week turns out as well as anticipated.
Movable Feast
We will meet at Pheasant Ridge Country Club, Country Club Rd.,
Gilford on Monday, April 2. Meal cost will be $9.75 which will
be invoiced as usual. Members with suggestions for alternate
meeting locations should let Steve know. We are looking for a
reliable location that will provide reasonable privacy and good
food affordably.
50/50
Joe Adrignola/Chet Cilley, $15
Happy Dollars
Nancy Williams chipped in a buck for the new bulletin format;
Joe Adrignola and Chet Cilley for winning the above; Dianne Roberts
for Joe "Chivalry Is Not Dead" Adrignola helping to
dig out her snowbound car; and Roger Landry and Steve Loughlin
for their respective sons making the Dean's List at Northeastern.
Taking Names
Steve Loughlin would like all members needing new name tags to
contact him so that they may all be done at one time.
Guest Speaker
V.P. Phil Bonafide introduced Exec. Dir. Connie Morrison and
husband Paul Shapter of the Greater White Mountain Chapter of
the American Red Cross--established in 1917. Morrison (who appears
to be a bit of an overachiever), a Registered Nurse and attorney,
has been involved with the Red Cross since 1973 and joined our
chapter October last. She explained that she was joining us because
she wants our "money, blood, and time" on behalf of
a chapter that covers the state from Gilmanton north to Canada.
A video was presented outlining the various disaster services
provided by the Red Cross including food, shelter, and professional
aid for victims throughout the country and the world. The organization
provides training at the local level to prepare volunteers and
on the national level at their Disaster Leadership College. Speed,
caring, and coordination are the hallmarks of effective relief
efforts. Ongoing local recruiting is necessary to staff 24/7
response to fires, floods, and other disasters where food, clothing,
personal items, and shelter are provided gratis. The Red Cross
works under an unfunded mandate from Congress to provide these
services; they rely on donations to actually fund their efforts.
One of the bonuses of service for volunteers is up to 15 days
of payed leave courtesy per New Hampshire law. Paul Shapter,
an accountant, was able to travel to typhoon-ravaged Guam expense
free where he ran the local Red Cross fiscal office. This was
no small task as reports from multiple field sites had to be
collated with nary a blemish on the paperwork disbursing millions
of dollars in total. Last year, our chapter responded to 42 fires
in addition to dozens of other disasters, aiding almost 1200
people including participating firefighters and police. Red Cross
also focuses on children's needs before, during, and after tragedy.
Programs include everything from babysitting, first aid, and
AIDS education. Tracing services to locate refugees and notification
channels for military service people are maintained. One of the
most pressing needs of the local chapter are a "family"
of first aid mannequins for training.
Thanx
V.P. Phil Bonafide reports that we received acknowledgment of
our donations to Girls, Inc., the Lakes Region Scholarship Foundation,
and HOBY.
After Hours
The Nominating Committee met.
In Two Weeks
The guest speaker will be Sheila Weeks, Belknap Juvenile Justice
Initiative.
Next Week
We meet at Pheasant Ridge Country Club, Country Club Rd., Gilford;
the Boards meet; NISE.
Michael
Bastraw
Editor