The Women of Weymouth staged "A Ringing Singing Christmas" at Weymouth House in December with a sold-out preview party preceding the three-day house tours.

Over 400 volunteers were involved in helping this annual event to be successful under the committee chaired by Kathy Evans. Christmas house is the Women of Weymouth's biggest fundraising project and plans are started early in the year.

This year the volunteers worked an extra day when a tear-down sale was staged the day after the tour closed. Funds raised are used toward the maintenance of the Boyd house and continued restoration, making the house as it was when the Boyds resided there.

Christmas traditions were also followed as Katharine Boyd had practiced them in the past with her love of music and the singing of Christmas carols.

The new year starts at Weymouth with WOW's Jan. 15 program meeting featuring Jeffery D. Irwin, program manager and archaeologist of Fort Bragg Cultural Resources Program, where he manages all aspects of the cultural resource management program on major Army installations to facilitate compliance with federal laws and regulations.

He and his staff of eight plan and coordinate cultural resources surveys and evaluatuations. They plan and coordinate site, buildings and district mitigations as well as design, manage and conduct interdisciplinary research projects. The work includes installation liaison with American Indian tribes, archaeological research, and serve as webmaster, coordinating public outreach events and activities.

Irwin received his graduate work-study degree from the University of Kentucky where he served as an archaeological field technician as well as at William and Mary Center for Archaeological Research, and Department of Historic Resources, Roanoke, Va. He was a teaching assistant at Radford University in Virginia and an instructor at the University of Kentucky.

Irwin has numerous publications and reports to his credit as well as presentations and has won honors as a member of Lambda Alpha National Anthropological Honor Society in 1993 while he was on the Dean's List. He was elected to the board of directors of North Carolina Archaeeological Society in 2005 where he is currently on the board.

In his program, Irwin will provide an overview of the prehistory and history of the Fort Bragg area from an archaeological perspective. Fort Bragg has been engaged in archaeological investigations for years, recording several thousand sites. These sites range in age from as early as 12,000 years ago to the early 20th century, representing indigenous Indian cultures and more recent European settlement and rural farmsteads.

The WOW meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. with a coffee social time, followed by the business meeting and program. Guests are welcome.

Anniversary

Doug Moore, president of the Rotary Club of Pinehurst, has announced the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the chartering of the Pinehurst Club.

The event will be held on Saturday, Feb. 24, at the Pinehurst Member's Club. The doors will open at 6 p.m. for the fellowship hour, and dinner will be at 7 p.m. Valet parking will be available.

The cost for the event is $45 per person. Reservations are required and must be in the hands of the Anniversary Committee by Feb. 2. The address for reservations is: Pinehurst Rotary Club, P.O.Box 388, Pinehurst NC 28370.

Poster Contest

Deaton Wright, an eighth-grade student at the West Pine Middle School, has taken the first steps to becoming an internationally recognized artist by winning the local competition sponsored by the Seven Lakes Lions Club. Wright's poster then won both the District 31-F and the Multiple District 31 Statewide competitions.

Wright's poster was among more than 350,000 entries submitted worldwide in the annual Lions International Peace Poster Contest. Lions Clubs International is sponsoring the program to emphasize the importance of world peace to young people everywhere.

"As the theme of this year's contest was 'Celebrate Peace,' I incorporated a birthday cake, a hot air balloon and the flags of numerous countries as the basic components of my poster," the 13-year-old from Southern Pines said.

At the district level, the poster was selected by a panel of judges assembled by W. Clifford Stuckey, Chairman of the Sandhills Community College Fine Arts Department for its originality, artistic merit and portrayal of the contest theme. On the state level, selection was done by Professors Jo Pumphrey and William Byers of the Brevard College Arts Department. As the district and state winner, Deaton will receive a $100 and $500 savings bonds.

Seven Lakes Lions Club President Ray Lambert said he was impressed by the expression and creativity of the students at West Pine Middle School.

"It is obvious that these young people have strong ideas about what peace means to them," he said. "I'm so proud that we were able to provide them with the opportunity to share their visions.

"Wright's poster, having been selected on the local, district, and statewide levels, now moves on to the International level of competition if he is to be declared the international grand prize winner."

One international grand prize winner and 23 merit winners will be selected. The grand prize includes a cash award of $2,500, plus a trip for the winner and two family members to New York City, N.Y., for the awards ceremony at Lions Day with the United Nations. The 23 merit award winners will each receive a certificate and a cash award of $500.

"As this is the first time a Moore County student's peace poster has advanced to the international level of competition, our club is cheering for Deaton and we hope that his vision will ultimately be shared with others around the world," Lambert said.

AARP

AARP Chapter No. 2564 will meet Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 10 a.m. at the Community Congregational Church, 141 N. Bennett St., Southern Pines.

The guest speaker will be Terri Protts, director of Moore County Department of Aging. She will discuss the new Senior Enrichment Center to open in February.

AARP meets at the church every third Tuesday of the month at 10 a.m., except during July and August.

Christian Women

"Treasures for the New Year" will be the theme of the Sandhills CWC monthly luncheon at noon on Thursday, Jan. 18, at National Golf Club.

June and Bob Vetter of Vermont Treasures, the only store in this area that specializes in gifts, coffees and special baking products from Vermont, will be guests.

Diane Scott of High Point is the guest speaker. Her topic is "Why Sink When you can Swim like a Swan."

Sandhills women and their guests are welcome to attend this special luncheon held at the National Golf Club in Pinehurst from noon to 1:30 p.m. Call Anne at 215-0074 or Joan at 673-5146 to make reservations.

"Be sure to let us know if you will be taking advantage of our free childcare," says a spokesman.

The cost of the luncheon is $13, all-inclusive. A courtesy call is requested no later than Tuesday, Jan. 16.

Pinehurst Civic

The Pinehurst Civic Group will hold its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at the Pinehurst Village Hall at 2 p.m.

The speaker will be Patrick Coughlin, director of the Moore County Chamber of Commerce. Members and non-members are welcome to attend.

MOAA

The Sandhills Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) luncheon will be held Tuesday, Jan. 16, at Belle Meade Retirement Resort. Registration will be at 11:30 a.m., with lunch served at noon.

MOAA national president Vice Admiral Norb Ryan, USN Ret. will install 2007 Sandhills Chapter officers and provide an update on MOAA strategies and priorities for the upcoming year.

Cost is $15 per person, inclusive. Make checks payable to MOAA and mail reservation requests to: MOAA, PO Box 4205, Pinehurst, NC 28374.