January 22, 2008 - Vol.19, No. 17

 

 News That Concerns Kiwanians and Their Families

 

 

Attendance:
19 (16 members), fa

Invocation:
Joe Adrignola

Senior Members:
Ed Merski, Peter Karagianis, and Dennis Denoncourt

Guests:
Sue Nelson with Don
Seth and Ivy Leavitt-Carlson

RIF reminder:
There is a RIF distribution scheduled for Wednesday, January 23rd at Elm Street School. Scheduled to be there: Joe Adrignola, Larry Murphy, Kathy Calvin, Joe Collie, and Don Nelson. This event will have taken place by the time the bulletin is posted. A recap is expected at next week's meeting.

What's the new name going to be?
Sec'y Kathy Calvin reminded the club to think of a new name for the RIF program. The club has been given the chance to purchase the books directly at the same discounted price, giving the opportunity to take local control of the program.

Past President Joe Collie has two suggestions: The Laconia Kiwanis KARES Program. KARES would be an acronym for Kids And Reading Equals Success. Also: The Laconia Kiwanis Absolutely Awesome Reading Program or AARP.

Other suggestions are welcome and open for discussion next week.

 

The Lodge at Belmont Update!
We have completed our charity nights at The Lodge in Belmont and the club netted between $7k and $8k from the effort. Kudos to Larry Murphy for his legwork on this, from the initial setup through execution. Larry and Ed Merski spent the most amount of time at the track. Thanks to all that were involved and participated. Larry says stay tuned...we may have the chance to host more charity nights as the law could be changed from 10 nights to 15. If this happens, we could have the chance to have more charity nights this year.

Hey Kiwanis...THANKS!
We received a couple of thank you notes this week. The Mayhew Program and the Circle Program said thanks for our continued support and generosity. We say "you're welcome!"

Interclub Opportunity!
The Governor of the New England District will be at a dinner in Stratham that is being put on by the Dover Kiwanis Club. Tickets to the dinner are $15 and the event is next Monday, January 28th. This could serve as an interclub if we can muster up four members that want to go. NOTE: If three others want to go, Past President Joe Collie will go.
Please let him know if you are interested by e-mailing him today at joecollie@gmail.com

Kiwanis gets "FRAMED"
Roger Landry showed off a framed print of the advertising flier for the Salute to Soldiers event the club was involved in back in October. Dick Metz and Peter S. Karagianis were instrumental in making this event happen. This framed flier will hang in the Belknap Mill. The plaque recognizes the Mill, Dick and Peter, and the Laconia Kiwanis Club.



This former cop helps prove that Kiwanis was framed!
Photo by W. Stephen Loughlin

Roger Webster drops a line...
Roger Webster sent a note from Florida. He said "greetings from the land of fruits and nuts." We do not know which of those groups he represents. Glad he is doing well.

50/50
Sue Nelson won $18.

Sue Nelson will be the 25/25 winner once she splits it with Don Nelson.
Photo by W. Stephen Loughlin

Happy Dollars
Sue Nelson gave 1 for winning the other 17. She also gave 1 for her and Don's grandson winning the Pine Wood Derby.

Fines
Kathy Calvin came with no name tag...and left with a dollar less than she came with.

 

Guest Speakers
Seth and Ivy Leavitt-Carlson are the Key Club advisers at Laconia High School and they recently finished a two year stint in South Africa working for the Peace Corps.

They gave us an update on Key Club and shared a brilliant slide show and presentation on their South Africa experience. Some of the highlights:
***Key Club is heading to Louisiana for Alternate Spring Break during their February vacation. They will be helping Habitat for Humanity build a new home. They have been working with Larry Murphy and have arranged transport to and from the airport through the Kiwanis Club in Homa, Louisiana.
***They were in the Peace Crops for 2 years: August 2005-2007.
***They stayed in the Limpopo Province, east of the city of Polokwane.
***They had electricity most of the time and running water one day a week.
***Areas of concern in South Africa include the education system and the rising number of HIV-AIDS patients, currently more than 20 percent of the population has the illness and the numbers are highest among children and women.
***The country has 11 official languages. The language in their region was Sutu.
***South Africa has a diverse range of climates within the country. The Landscape consists of everything from desert to coastline to mountain ranges.
***Key Club will soon be taking undertaking a Beanie Baby drive to collect stuffed animals that will be sent to a South African hospital.

 

Below are some of the pictures included in the slide show that was shown to the Kiwanis Club.

"Click" on thumbnail picture
to open larger picture.


The couple lived in a house similar to this one in South Africa.
cou


These are the teachers that worked in the school with the Leavitt-Carlsons.


This was NOT taken at Weirs Beach.



This is the village, just east of the city of Polokwame.


QuicQuick math lesson: 1 steel house plus 0 heat equals many cold nights!


ThisThis picture was taken at a traditional village wedding ceremony.


Cute kids from the village.


Excuse me, Miss...you have a cabbage on your head.


Seth in action as he teaches a class at the school.



Mary Kgopa, 15, earned a scholarship to a college in South Africa.



YouYou wash, I'll dry.


This is the school Ivy and Seth taught at in South Africa.

 

Seth and Ivy Leavitt-Carlson with President Dianne
Photo by W. Stephen Loughlin

 

Roger Ballantyne Update (by W. Stephen Loughlin)

Earlier this week, several Kiwanians and non- Kiwanians questioned me on how Roger Ballantyne was doing. However, I could not give them an update since I had not spoken with Roger or Betty for about two months. This prompted me to give them a call this past Wednesday afternoon (January 23rd).  I found both Roger and Betty in very good spirits.

Betty advised me that December was a very difficult month for Roger since he had been having problems with his balance and memory issues.  This resulted in the doctors recommending a brain biopsy. Upon hearing this recommendation, and without any hesitation, the former marine said, “Elizabeth, we have to do it!”

To accomplish the mission, the doctors went in to the left side of his brain near the back of his head.  They drilled a two-inch incision through his skull and took 9 needle biopsy specimens. The good news, his brain was clear of cancer. However, the tests indicated Roger had radiation necrosis.  This was caused by Roger getting high dosages of radiation in October (2006) and again in February (2007) for tumors on his brain. This radiation can irritate the tissue and cause swelling in the brain. That’s why Roger was having balance issues and comprehensive issues. At the present time, Roger is taking steroids to help bring the swelling down in the brain and his confusion problem has improved substantially.

More good news:  When Roger was last examined, it was found that the Sutent drug and gemzar (a chemotherapy drug) had reduced the tumors in his lungs significantly. So, Roger is feeling much better.

At the present time Roger’s white blood cell count is low. That means, it is important that he not come in contact with anyone who may be sick. Accordingly, Roger welcomes your good wishes through his email. In about a week or so, the writer plans a personal visit and an update when Roger’s white cell count has improved. 

 

Upcoming Schedule:

NOTE: During January and February, we meet at One Mill Plaza...

 

Monday, January 28th
Lou Guevin speaks on his motorcycle trip to Sturgis, SD

Monday, February 4th
Boards meet, Food Pantry money collected

Monday, February 11th
OPEN

Monday, February 18th
OPEN

Monday, February 25th
Eric Johnson, Principal Elm Street School

Monday, March 3rd
We're back at Pheasant Ridge.

Boards meet, Food Pantry money collected

Monday, March 10th
Jim Cande will speak on a possible opportunity of a fund raiser between Laconia Nationals and Kiwanis Club



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Pictures contained in this newsletter have been modified to assure a fast download. Therefore, if you try to print them, they will not be of the best quality. If you should desire a picture better suited for printing, feel free to request a copy by emailing W. Stephen Loughlin at steve@theloughlins.com

 

 

c
Joe Collie
Editor


Kiwanis Kronikle is a weekly publication of the Kiwanis Club of Laconia, N.H., P.O. Box 757, Laconia, N.H. 03247-0757. We meet Mondays at 6:15 p.m. at the Pheasant Ridge Country Club, Country Club Rd., Gilford, N.H. Please call your President or Secretary about any Member or family member in case of illness. Email: Joe Collie or Steve Loughlin

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