Aberdeen Home and Garden

The Aberdeen Home and Garden Club met Thursday, Dec. 18, at the Postmaster's House with 18 members present.

Special guests were two honorary members, past members of the club: Jean Robbins and Edna Donathan. Members and guests enjoyed a holiday luncheon in the beautifully decorated house. Louise Buchan asked the blessing. Each place was marked with a pair of green gardening gloves tied with red ribbon, gifts from the hostesses, Faye Honeycutt and Harriett Sloan.

Following the luncheon, members and guests were entertained by Jack Rice, a student at the School of Arts in Winston-Salem, playing many selections on his six-string guitar. He was accompanied by his father, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Tim Rice, who is presently a pilot for Southwest Airlines.

The January meeting of the club will be on Jan. 20, with Dene Moon as hostess and Louise Buchan as program chairman.

Kiwanis of the Pines

Colin Webster of Accent Design Builders gave an informative talk on Argentina, as well as information about the entire South American continent in a talk to the Kiwanis of the Pines.

Webster was born in Lima, Peru, but moved with his family to Argentina where he was educated, got his master's degree in business administration, joined the Resistance and began his first job working for Procter & Gamble. He worked in no less than nine countries over 20 years of service. He later partnered with Coty Cosmetics in various locations worldwide. He is now the co-owner of Accent Design in Southern Pines.

Webster has had an interesting life. He was kidnapped in Nigeria during the riot times of South Africa, arrested by the KGB while riding on a train, and flying a plane in both rebel incidents in Argentina as well as ground operations.

Moving to Whispering Pines has given him a more stable life with his wife, Emilianna, his three boys, a dog and a cat. He is now a U.S. certified pilot and flies out of Moore County Airport.

Artistic Creativity Group

Local artist Mike Stratil is starting a group dedicated to fostering artistic creativity.

"My own background is in photography and psychology," he says. "But I envision the group as serving artists from all backgrounds -- including painting, sculpture, pottery, dance, theater, mixed media, music, literature, and so forth."

John Gessner of the Sky Art Gallery has agreed to host the group, which is tentatively called the Sandhills Artistic Creativity Group.

"I am proposing to lead the group during the first year," says Stratil. "Since I have a long-standing interest in the psychology of creativity, my plan is to give a little talk on some aspect of this subject at the beginning of each of the beginning sessions, and then for others to react to it. Then we will discuss issues in individual creativity that each member would like to raise. As the group develops, I would hope that other members or outside artists will give the opening talk."

The first meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, at Sky Art Gallery, which is behind Applebee's, just off U.S. 1.

"I hope everyone interested in this project can attend the first meeting," says Stratil. "We'll explore the group mission and make preliminary plans. I would like the members to describe their own artistic interests and what they would like to accomplish. If you plan on attending, please e-mail me at mstratil@charter.net to let me know. If you're interested but can't attend the opening meeting, let me know, and I will keep you informed. You can also call me at (910) 949-6518."

Seven Lakes Kiwanis

Dec. 16 was the last meeting of 2008 for the Seven Lakes Kiwanis, and it was a two-purpose meeting.

Two new members were welcomed to the club.

Pat Weber, an active lady in the community, and "Preacher Won," the current minister at the West End Methodist Church, were both officially accepted as new members.

The speaker was Marilyn Neely, from the Small Business Center at Sandhills Community College. The Small Business Center offers advice, counseling, referrals, etc. for any entrepreneur who is engaged in a small business or is planning to start one.

The Center offers a 17-hour course, with certificate, which covers virtually all the things that are necessary to begin and maintain a business. Included are such topics as "How to make out a business plan," computer technology, government rules, banking, taxes and other subjects important to running a successful business.

Seven Lakes Kiwanis meets every Tuesday at Seven Lakes CC at noon.

Kennel Club

The Moore County Kennel Club is having its first meeting of the year Tuesday, Jan. 6, at the Table On The Green. The restaurant is located at Midland Country Club on Midland Road in Pinehurst. Members usually arrive around 6 p.m. for dinner and/or chats with fellow members; the actual meeting begins at 7 p.m.

The first meeting of the year is important, as the club will be electing a new board. The slate of officers has been announced at meetings and also printed in The Barker.

"If you have any questions about the slate, please call Nick Lynn," says a spokesman.

Also up for discussion will be the plans for the coming year and ongoing and future club projects.

Dues should be mailed to Penny Freeman or brought to the meeting. The club is reducing its scheduled meetings this year so attendance at each meeting is important.

MCKC is always looking for new members and welcomes all inquiries about the club, its members, its purpose and many projects. Visit www.moorecokc.org for information.

For details, call Nick Lynn at (910) 947-1748 or Nona Burrell at (910) 295-3909.

S.P. Civic Club

Southern Pines' future as a community will be explored with members of the town's Long Range Advisory Committee at the Jan. 5 Civic Club meeting.

Deonte Thomas and Jeannie Carpenter, two facilitators from the local committee that is working with a hired consulting firm from out-of-state to prepare a plan for the elected Town Council's approval, will be at the meeting that starts at 1 p.m. to discuss the planning process that just began in November with a public participation workshop.

This will be an excellent opportunity to ask the questions and get the answers you want about how the powers-that-be may be preparing the future of the town and how it will manage growth in the next decades.

The public is welcome to attend the free programs at Southern Pines Civic Club meetings held the first Monday of each month at the club's historic building, 105 S. Ashe Street.

People attending the meeting may also purchase the Civic Club's new fundraiser, custom-designed coasters in sets of four depicting the state's official bird, the red cardinal, and the longleaf pine branch, another signature of the Sandhills and North Carolina.

They were delivered just in time for Christmas and make excellent year-round gifts.

The fundraiser proceeds will be used for club activities to benefit the community, including beautification and other civic initiatives.

In the past, the club's money has been used to fund scholarships and charitable giving at Christmas as well as beautification and other public improvements.

Coaster sets may also be ordered from Ways and Means Committee Chairwoman Jill Bonacci by e-mail at ecbonacci@aol.com.

John Blue UDC

The John Blue Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) held its annual Christmas luncheon, sponsored by Louise Buchan and Jean Robbins, at the Postmaster's House in Aberdeen Saturday, Dec. 6.

A luncheon and decorations prepared by the Friends of the Postmaster's House were enjoyed by members and guests.

Laura Graham, daughter of member, Martha Faircloth, read "The Perfect Christmas Tree." Martha and Laura presented everyone with a Christmas angel tree ornament.

Claudyne Brock shared "The Legend of the Robin's Gift" and sang, in the costume of Mary, the moving song, "Give Me This Night."

The program ended with Paula Caddell and Frances Brafford leading the group in Christmas carols.

The John Blue Chapter was founded in 1951. Each year members give thousands of hours to church and charitable service.

W.P. Garden Club

The November speaker for the Whispering Pines Garden Club was Arlene P. Hantjis, a Moore County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer. She spoke on Xeriscape gardening.

The club did not have a December meeting.

The next meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 6, at 7:30 p.m. Barbara and Larry Cohen will present a program on propagation of houseplants.