President Dan Crane rang the bell at 7:30 a.m. We sort of sang the National Anthem as we watched a video of an artist creating a patriotic painting upside down in the time it took to sing it. Wow.
And we said the Pledge of Allegiance. Rev. Jeff Kistler gave a very nice invocation.
The word from the country comes from Yogi Berra who says: “If you don’t know where you are going, you may end up in another place.”
GUESTS:
Pam, a guest of Bob Nagle; and Al Faust, a visiting Rotarian from Bangor, Maine.
STUDENT of the MONTH:
Brianna Werley, Northwestern Lehigh S.D., was introduced by Rev. Jeff Kistler as the AWRC Student of the Month of November. She was accompanied by her Mother, Stephanie, and a Counselor from NWL. Brianna is an accomplished senior, and has just been accepted into college. She was awarded a certificate and a gift card.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
President Dan showed a slide of the 30 students snack packing at Parkland HS last week. Then we saw pictures of the Tempting Tastes 3 committee, and then one of Gloria Zimmerman delivering dictionaries to the Weisenberg Elementary 3rd Graders.
President Dan reminds us that as usual we have a lot of things to do. Last week a list was e-mailed to us.
President Dan showed us photos of Norman Rockwell’s Saturday Evening Post covers with a Thanksgiving theme.
Dan noted that tonight Cindy Feldman of 29 Cooks will be on TV competing.
There still are 4 open positions for our 2017-18 Board of Directors. Please consider volunteering for these, or recommend some other member. They are:
Vice President Membership Chair
Youth Services Chair Sergeant-at-Arms
DATES TO REMEMBER:
The next Thursday Evening Happy Hour meeting is on December 8th.
Dec 2 we volunteer for the Kingdom of Life Food Pantry.
Dec 3 we volunteer for the Lowhill Food Pantry.
Dec 4th is our Holiday Party. Dan left menus on our tables.
There is a signup sheet going around. BYOB.
A special treat will be Dale Hostetter entertaining us with his Yip Stick story.
Gloria Zimmerman explained that we are not needed to get gifts for Food Pantry children this holiday season. Instead she refers to a handout on our tables about providing gifts for a program run by the NWL High School students.
AND, of course, you can have your breakfast at our meetings sitting with Arch Klumph for a donation of $26.50 to the Rotary Foundation.
NEXT WEEK our Greeter will be Ray Stock and our program will be Ron Coleman presenting his Classification Talk.
LUCK of the DRAW:
Today’s door prize -- traveling thermos bottles -- donated by John Scott was won by Ronnee Klotz. Then Mustafa Jaffer’s ticket was drawn and he selected a white marble from among a new batch of white ones and did not win the $16 in the 50:50 pot.
FINES:
S-a-A Don Davis tried to get some offenders, even our visitor from Maine, but the best he could do was fining Bob Gordon for having his picture in the paper for the Purple Pinkie event 3 weeks ago.
HAPPY DOLLARS:
Bob Gordon is happily anticipating Thanksgiving with Family in Florida, and then having time down in Marco Island.
Jean Masiko paid $2 to confirm that Dan Crane indeed was correct last meeting about the date for the Parkland December snack Packing.
Jean also said that she needs at least 9 Rotarian volunteers to do the prep work so the 30 students can do their work.
Bill Palmer is happy that all four of his grandchildren, plus Yvette’s granddaughter, will be with the family for Thanksgiving.
PROGRAM:
Our program today was Past President Herb Klotz telling us all about Hiking the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) complete with wonderful pictures.
The A.T. runs from Maine to Georgia and sees 2 Million visitors each year. He is quick to point out that when the trail comes to any mountain it goes not go around or through it. It goes over it!
Herb reviewed some of the “lingo” used along the trail. For example “NOBO” means Northbound usually from March to August. And “SOBO” is Southbound usually from June through December.
Then there are “Flip Flop” and “Yo Yo” hikers. And “Trail Magic” is some food put out by good people along the trail which is a treat for Hikers. RTW, Herb’s ‘Trail Name” is “Score.” Origin is unknown.
Herb had his backpack and showed the various items that go with him when he hikes. The pack weighs about 20 lbs., and everything in it must be essential and made of the lightest materials.
For a typical day Herb will start with 2 quarts of water -- 4 lbs. total. He packs a first aid kit and other emergency items. His clothes are minimal and might get “fragrant” over time unless he crosses a stream along the way. He carries a tent and an air mattress. Food is mostly dehydrated plus things like trail mix. It gets better when he can stop at a Hostel along the trail every once in a while.
Herb burns 5,000 to 6,000 calories a day when he hikes. So the food he carries does not keep up and he loses weight --- 10 lbs. on this last 3 week adventure.
Herb’s recent trip was 265 miles last August all in Maine. This completes his northern treks which now total 1,360 miles to Central Virginia. He expects to do the rest in the years ahead.
In Maine he had to ford the streams, except for a free canoe ride across a river. He showed many beautiful pictures from his last hike, including a real live bull moose -- that went the other way.
CLOSING:
We recited the saying “They profit most who serve the best.”
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