AARP

AARP Chapter No. 2564 meets Tuesday, Dec. 15, at 11 a.m. at Penick Village Rhode Island Ext., Southern Pines.

"This is our annual meeting during which the election of officers and one board member for 2010 will be installed," says a spokesman.  The program will be given by the Sophisticated Ladies.

The cost of the meal is $8.50.

Browns Backers

The Cleveland Browns Backers of the Sandhills will meet at 8:20 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10, at The Bell Tree, 155 NE Broad St., Southern Pines.

The Browns will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers.

For information, call Fred Zimmerman at (910) 295-6480 or visit the Web site www.browns backersofthesandhills.com.

Computer Club

The Computer Club of The Sandhills meets Monday, Dec. 14, at 4 p.m. in the lower level of the Whispering Pines Village Hall.

Sandy Berger, nationally respected computer authority, journalist and author, will present "Migrating to Windows 7."

She will discuss home networking with Windows 7 as well as free new programs available, including mail, Photo Gallery, Messenger, Movie Maker and Live Writer.

Berger has more than three decades of experience as a computer and technology expert. She is the founder of Computer Living Corp, a computer consulting and training company based in Pinehurst.

Many in the Sandhills know Berger from her column, which appears weekly in the Friday issue of the The Pilot.

The Computer Club meets on the second Monday of each month and visitors are always welcome.

For additional information contact George McNally at (910) 949-2294.

Eureka ECA

The Eureka Extension Club met at the Agriculture Building in Carthage in November to bake cookies and make gifts that were sold at the Creative Christmas Tables at Little River Farm's golf clubhouse Tuesday, Dec. 8. The ladies made 25 gift packages of cookies.

During the business meeting, they voted to donate money to Friend to Friend, the Salvation Army and the Coalition for Human Care. Gifts also will be given to club members who are no longer able to attend the meetings. Members also donated Christmas gifts for a teenager in foster care.

Refreshments for the meeting were provided by Mary Ruth Whitaker.

The next meeting will be a Christmas luncheon at Russell's Restaurant Tuesday, Dec. 15.

Kiwanis of Pines

Recently Buck Kirk and Steve Holmes, members of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.), addressed the Kiwanis of the Pines concerning their cause.

Shriners (the guys in the small cars at parades) are an arm of the Masonic Order, which dates back to the 1870s.

Kirk mentioned that there are 22 hospitals in the U.S., Mexico and Canada which originally treated polio victims and children with all kinds of birth defects, burns and life threatening diseases.

There is never a charge for treatment for patients age 18 and under at the Shriners Hospitals. There is also no requirement for religion, race or relationship to a Freemason.

The local group holds a fish fry and many other fundraising events. each year.

Recently the Kiwanis of the Pines gave the Sandhills Children Center a check for $3,000, the proceeds from the Travel and Adventure Series held at the Sandhills Community College.

Presently, the club is raising money by wrapping packages at Belk's for the holiday season.

Kiwanis of the Pines celebrated their holiday party this year at the home of Barbara and Freddy Para.

Genealogical Society

The Moore County Genealogical Society met at the Church of Latter Day Saints on N.C. 211 in Aberdeen on Saturday, Nov. 21, for its bimonthly meeting.

President Norma Jones brought the meeting to order and told of the objectives and ongoing projects of the society.

Each of the 23 members and visitors present gave their names and families that they are researching.

Vice President Kathy Lawrence introduced Marti Mullenbach, a genealogist with the LDS church, who gave an overview of available materials for research. Those present then got a look at some of the materials and a chance to work with them.

Everyone was given a list of available materials and a pedigree chart.

The next MCGS meeting will be Jan. 16, at the Moore County Public Library in Carthage.

From there those present will walk to the Register of Deeds Office, which will be open for members and visitors to see what materials are available and learn how to use them.

NARFE

The National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE), Sandhills Chapter 1895, will hold its quarterly "eating meeting" Monday, Dec. 14, at 11 a.m. at Kenny's Country Restaurant, U.S. 1, opposite the Shell Station, in Pinebluff.

Chapter 1895 welcomes all Federal (including U.S. Postal Service) active employees, retirees, spouses and surviving spouses to monthly meetings.

Additional information about NARFE is available by contacting: Vilma Geisert at (910) 215-5898 or George Sandoval at (910) 246-9881.

Toastmasters

Michaela Meisel, of Pinehurst, won "Best Speaker" at the Dec. 1 meeting of Toastmasters Club of the Sandhills.

Meisel's speech was titled "A German Family's Recipe for a Perfect Evergreen," and described Meisel's experiences with her family's expectations about Christmas trees and European decorating traditions.

Meisel is a native of Romania, and English is her second language. A regular at Toastmasters, Meisel's speeches offer humorous, poignant and entertaining perspectives on both American and European customs.

Toastmasters Club of the Sandhills, or TCOTS, has had a diverse membership since the club was established in 2006.

In addition to Romania, other countries represented in TCOTS' membership include the Netherlands and Egypt.

An international organization that focuses on improving speaking skills, Toastmasters offers a unique opportunity to members for whom English is a second language.

Toastmasters Club of the Sandhills meets the first three Tuesdays of the month at 7 p.m. in 102 Van Dusen Hall at Sandhills Community College. The public is always welcome to visit.

For more information contact ldeane@firsthealth.org.

UDC

The John Blue Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy met Thursday, Nov. 19, at the Postmaster's House in Aberdeen.

Refreshments of caramel cake, nuts and hot apple cider were served by hostesses Elaine Lytton and Peggy Pullman. They decorated with fall leaves and figurines.

President Dorothy Thomas welcomed everyone. The information booklet was passed for members to list their hours of charity work and contributions.

Chaplain Louise Buchan led the group in the pledges and ritual.

Officers were called upon for reports. Registrar Harriet Sloan announced that two applications were being worked on for new members.

Vice President Paula Caddell reported on pins and ribbons that have been purchased and took orders for UDC brooches. Second Vice-President Elaine Lytton reported that she had sent in stamps for the veterans project.

Elaine Lytton gave a report on her trip to the UDC General Convention in Mississippi, where she represented the chapter and state as a delegate. There were numerous by-law changes. She also gave a report on her trip to Beauvoir Plantation, the home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, which has been preserved by the UDC.

Dorothy Thomas gave the program on "Of Men and Mules," which told about the importance of mules and horses during the Civil War both in the military and on the home front.

The meeting was adjourned with the singing of "Dixie."

WHP Book Club

The Walter Hines Page Book Club met at the Pine Crest Inn Thursday, Nov. 19, at noon for a buffet luncheon.

Lynn Anderson introduced guest speaker Sheila Klein, the director of RSVP, which coordinates volunteer services among a number of nonprofit organizations.

Klein stated that during the past year, RSVP volunteers provided about 55,000 hours of service in Moore County, services which would have exceeded one million dollars had the volunteers been paid for their time and services.

One of the good causes discussed by Klein is the BackPack Pals program, which helps to feed underfed school children on weekends. Back packs are filled with small packs of nonperishable foods for children in need to take home from school on weekends.

Klein said there are many good causes and encouraged book club members to become involved in volunteering.