Attendance:
21

Full house
Photo by W. Stephen Loughlin

Guests:
Rev. Paula Gile and John Walker

Rev. Paula Gile		John Walker

Invocation:
Rev. Paula Gile

Thank you, Kiwanis Club!
President Mike read a "thank you" letter from Central New Hampshire VNA & Hospice for a recent donation made by the Laconia Kiwanis Club. To read that letter, "click" here.

Bike Rodeo Report:
Bike Rodeo Chairman, Steve Gorse gave a report on the 2011 Bike Rodeo, which was held on May 7th in the parking lot adjacent to the Opechee Park Clubhouse.  There were at least 35 kids who participated and we received $175 in donations. 

The winner of the bike raffle was Katy Wescott of Laconia. Katie was present at the beginning of our meeting to pick up her bike.

For a pictorial summary of the 2011 Bike Rodeo, scroll down the page or simply "click" here.

Bike Rodeo Chairman Steve Gorse and bike winner Katy Wescott.
Photo by W. Stephen Loughlin

News from our Secretary:
Kathy Calvin reported that the last Pleasant Street School KARES event went well and included Joe Collie, Joe Adrignola and Kathy Calvin.  The last KARES event at Woodland Heights will be in June.  Kathy also reminded the club that the May 23rd meeting will include an Interclub from the Portsmouth Kiwanis Club, Key Club Members as well as Teachers from the schools that we are involved in.

Fundraising Update:
Roger Landry reported on fundraising efforts.  Roger let us know he has approached Laconia Harley Davidson and is now approaching Heritage Harley Davidson regarding a raffle on the boardwalk during bike week.  Roger also reported on the possibility of having another “Corpse Flower” event with Dr. Ricciardiello.

New Officers and Directors:
Brian Winslow reminded the group this meeting was the club’s Annual Meeting as well as the Charity Fund’s Annual Meeting.  Brian then presented the slate of officers and board members to be voted on:

For Directors: Adam Cody and Lori Dickson
For President: Roger Landry
For First Vice President: OPEN
For Second Vice President: Jack Batchelder
For Treasurer: Joe Adrignola

The slate was voted by the club and passed.

Free Meal:
Ed Merski

50 50:
$19 to Joe Adrignola and Jim Fortier

Thanks to Jim Fortier... for Joe... it's four weeks in a row.
Photo by W. Stephen Loughlin

Happy Dollars:

$1 from Joe and Jim for winning
$1 from Jim for being back
$1 from Brian for working the hotdog stand at the Bike Rodeo
$1 from Ed Merski who is now game fully employed
$2 from Don who is glad to be back and happy he didn’t win the 50/50
$1 from Warren Mitchell…not so happy that Joe won again
$1 from Roger Landry because Jim, Don and Howard are back at the meeting
$1 from Larry because he didn’t remember contributing to Joe’s 50/50 winnings this week

Food Pantry:
$43

Fines:
$0.25 Paul Cotton was pinless

Guest Speakers:
Brian Winslow introduced tonight's guest speakers.

Reverend Paula Gile has been the Associate Pastor of the Congregational Church since December, 2010.  She has a BS in Elementary Education; a MS in Education Counseling and a M. Div.  Paula and her husband Bill moved to the Lakes Region from Colchester, Vermont.

John Walker, a retired navy Captain of 25 years and a retired American Airlines Pilot of 28 years, Lives in Laconia with his wife, Muff.  He is involved in many community activities including the WOW trail, Congregational Church and Central New Hampshire VNA & Hospice.  They both are here to discuss a new program that is getting underway called Got Lunch.

Did you know that two thirds of Laconia school aged children qualify for free and reduced lunch?  In real numbers this totals approximately 1,500 kids.  When John Walker heard this statistic he immediately thought: "what do these kids eat in the summer time?"  John started discussing possibilities of helping these kids and was very quickly referred to Better Together, a Lakes Region program dedicated to making the Lakes Region Community better.

Rev. Paula Gile had some experience working with a program in Colchester, VT.  Modeling the Got Lunch program after that one, the effort plans to deliver enough supplies to feed a needy child lunch for a week every Monday morning this summer.  John Walker points out that there are hungry kids right here in Laconia and that is unacceptable.  Got Lunch has partnered with Freihofer's Bakery, Vista Foods, Salvation Army, Laconia Daily Sun, and the NH Food Bank. Laconia School Superintendant Bob Champlain is involved and has linked the School Lunch manager up with the Got Lunch folks.

Right now, John and Paula are trying to get the word out so that residents of Laconia can help in any way they can.  It costs $110 to feed a child lunch all summer long and they will be needing help with food packing and deliveries.  Their eventual goal is to sign up at least 300 children and this will cost approximately $33,000.  They have been raising funds (including donations from the WLNH auction, Laconia Savings Bank, and individuals) and most recently they will be having a "restaurant week" were a portion of the proceeds from various restaurants throughout the community will be donated to help fund Got Lunch.  Rev. Paula asks the Kiwanis Club to help get the work out, tell your friends and neighbors about this opportunity to help hungry children in Laconia.

For more information on Got Lunch, "click" here.

The guy in the middle never misses a lunch.
Photo by W. Stephen Loughlin

Tonight's meeting was adjourned at 7:45 pm.

	"Click" on pictures below to open a larger picture.
Warren Mitchell waits for this girl to help him stand back up.
Meet Steve Gorse: #1 Bike Rodeo Ranger

STATION #1: SIGN UP
Joe Adrignola tricks these kids. He is really filling our Kiwanis membership applications.
Joe Adrignola day-dreams about eating lunch.

STATION #2: BIKE HELMET FIT UP
"Excuse me ma'am, it looks like you have chocolate in your hair."		"Smell my fingers. Do they smell like chocolate?"
Everyone looks on in amazement as Kathy Calvin removes a strange object from this little girl's ear.
This boy can't find his helmet.		"Please sir, can I get a helmet?"

STATION #3: BIKE TUNE UP
	The PIT crew draws a crowd.

STATION #4: BIKE REGISTRATION

Officer Michelle Cardinal lets these two off easy...BUT...

...she reads the Miranda rights to these three.

STATION #5: RUN THE OBSTACLE COURSE
"Do you swear to finish the course, the whole course, and nothing but the course?"		Janet Mitchell awaits her turn at the Obstacle Course - she has new hips!

What's wrong with the next two pictures?
	The red light is in the middle...AND
	.The green light is on top!

STATIONS #6 & #7: RECEIVE GIFTS AND CHANCE TO WIN A BIKE
Roger Webster mans our "meet a war hero" table.		Each kid gets to shake the hand of our famous vet.
Betty Ballantyne makes a car sale while Roger Webster spots a UFO.
Dick Breton secretly filled each bag with a stock option plan.

FINAL STATION: THE HOT DOG VENDOR

Brian demonstrates to Betty the proper way to grab a cold one.

"Thank you, Mr. Winslow. You make the best hot dogs!"

A FEW MARKLAND MOMENTS...
Too small!		Just right!

John contemplates a unique idea.	John begins implementing the idea.	Ready to go.
John Markland Bike Training Video
OPTION #1 "Click" here. Please be patient as it takes about 30 seconds for the video to download. If option #1 doesn't play on your computer try option #2 OPTION #2 "Click" here. Please be patient as it takes about 30 seconds for the video to download. If options #1 and #2 don't play on your computer, ask John for a personal lesson.

	Mr. Fitness says: "I like to lift things UP and put them DOWN!"

To return to the Bike Rodeo Report in the bulletin, click here.

Monday May 23rd
Club Meeting - Sarah Dunham, Co-Program Director/Environmental Educator of Prescott Farm

Monday June 13th
Club Meeting - Stephanie Davis - Belknap County Fair

"Click" here to get back to the top of the page.

Kiwanis Kronikle is publication of the Kiwanis Club of Laconia, P.O. Box 757, Laconia, NH 03247-0757.
We meet the second and fourth Monday at 6:15 p.m. at the Pheasant Ridge Country Club, Country Club Road, Gilford
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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