February 9, 2009 - Vol.20, No. 19


News That Concerns Kiwanians and Their Families

 

 

 

Attendance:
17

Invocation:
Warren Mitchell

Senior Members:
Ed Merski, Roger Webster, Paul Normandin, Warren Mitchell, Carroll Stafford, and Peter Karagianis

Kiwanis Crystal Ball…
This week we got a taste of the future when Dick Metz filled in for Brian Winslow and hosted the meeting as acting President.

Dick Metz uses a big gavel to fill the big shoes of President Brian Winslow.
Photo by W
. Stephen Loughlin

 

Sign Language:

Jim Contagiani is mesmerized by Roger's menu suggestions.
Photo by W
. Stephen Loughlin

 

50/50:
Don Nelson wins the 50/50 and takes home $14.00.

Don Nelson is glad he didn't bring Sue this week...she usually wins!
Photo by W
. Stephen Loughlin

 

Happy Dollars:
Ed Merski gave a happy dollar for listening to what he called "great music" on WASR this past weekend.
Don Nelson gave a buck for winning the 50/50.
Roger Landry gave a happy dollar because his son was back from Saudi Arabia.

 

Schedule reminder:
Please remember that next week we will be meeting on Tuesday, February 17th and NOT on Monday because of the President’s Day holiday. Next week’s meeting will feature guest speaker Charlie Mallar. Charlie is with the North Conway Kiwanis Club and is the New England for the Key Leader program, which is a program for Key Club members. Charlie will be speaking about this program and some Key Club members will be on hand to listen. Please make an effort to be here, too. Thanks!

 

 

Key Club Fund Raiser:
The Key Club is hosting a South Africa night this Friday at LHS. The event runs from 5:30-8 and will feature a movie about a woman in South Africa. It will also feature South Africa food. Tickets are $10 and the proceeds will benefit the South African trip that the Key Clubbers are taking in July.

 

Guest Speaker:
Tonight’s guest speaker was Mary Villaume, whose artwork is on display at One Mill Plaza. The pictures were taken in Liberia, where Mary spent a portion of her childhood and recently visited again. Mary said that she hopes her words and her pictures will display what it is like to live in a place that does not enjoy the same experiences and freedoms that we do here.

Liberia is the oldest Republic in the continent of Africa. It’s population is about 3.9 million people and it is the size of Ohio. The national language is English, though used in a different manner than the English we speak. Mary says that there are 29 dialects in the country. This brings communication difficulties. Major religions are Christianity, Islam, and always mixed in with all this is the indigenous religious belief. The life expectancy in Liberia is 45 for men and 47 for women.

In 2007, it took 60 Liberian dollars to equal 1 American dollar. They use the US dollar but they have their own coins. Major exports include diamonds, coffee, and rubber. The gross national income per capita per year is approx. $150. In 1847, Liberia became independent.

In 1926, Firestone became the major producer in the country. In 1936 forced labor was abolished. In 1951, women and the indigenous population were given the right to vote. Mary arrived in Liberia in 1958 at the age of 10. She describes her time there as a “Swiss Family Robinson” experience. She returned to the U.S. in 1962 and graduated high school in 1965 and returned to Liberia with her parents. She said when she returned there was a lot of visible progress with thriving downtown sections and businesses. In 2007, some 41 years after she last left, Mary returned to Monrovia. She said she was taken back by the devastation that had occurred in the years she was away. The economy had gotten so bad that a 200 pound bag of rice had cost $200 US in 1979. There was also a military coup in which the president and the cabinet were assassinated. Charles Taylor entered power in 1989. Taylor had been in the previous two regimes. He entered the nation from neighboring Ivory Coast and drove the country in Civil War. At least 250,000 people were slaughtered during this fighting. The regime would use various types of torture as they moved through the villages. The Civil War lasted about 14 years start to finish.

In 2005, the country elected their first female president, a woman that was educated in the US. There is a peace-keeping force of 15,000 UN troops on the ground. Progress to date includes some clean up on the streets and some of the electricity has been restored. Some of the roads are being rebuilt and the soccer stadium has been rebuilt, too. China is a major supporter of Liberian reformation. Embargoes have been lifted on diamonds and timber.

Joe Adrignola and our guest speaker, Mary Villaume.
Photo by W
. Stephen Loughlin

 

Heads Up...

Roger Landry asks "which one should I cover my bald spot with?"
Photo by W
. Stephen Loughlin

 

Kathy Calvin shows off her amazing twist off head trick.
Photo by W
. Stephen Loughlin


Upcoming Schedule:

 

Tuesday, February 17th
Charlie Mallar, New England Dist. Kiwanis guest of Joe Collie

Monday, February 23rd
Maria Street, Executive Director, Ozanam Place, guest of Joe Collie

Monday, March 2nd
Boards Meet and Food Pantry money collected

Monday, March 9th
OPEN

Monday, March 16th
OPEN

Monday, March 23rd
Jane Bergeron, Organ Donor Program guest of Roger Landry

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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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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