The Southern Pines Rotary Club met for its annual Christmas luncheon on Dec. 16, at the Mid Pines Country Club in Southern Pines.

To get everyone in the Christmas spirit, Rotarians Jennifer George and Bob Boone entertained the crowd with a rendition of "Baby It's Cold Outside," then all joined in for Christmas carols.

Boone's daughter, Callie Boone, a senior at Pinecrest High School, sang a solo of "O Holy Night." Anita Alpenfels, from the Sandhills Rotary Club, accompanied all music selections on the piano. Rotarian Marcy Cooper and Alpenfels played a duet medley of Christmas carols, Marcy on flute and Anita on piano.

Members paid tribute to all the soldiers, living and deceased, who were unable to be home with loved ones for the holidays.

John McCutcheon introduced "Christmas in the Trenches," a song and slide show commemorating the Christmas Truce of 1914. McCutcheon also read the original Letter to the Editor from Virginia, who posed the all important question: "Is there really a Santa Claus?" and the response in the Sun Newspaper, "Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus."

One of the highlights of the afternoon was the presentation of a proclamation by Rotarian and new mayor of Southern Pines David McNeill, to Rotarian and former mayor of Southern Pines Mike Haney, declaring Dec. 16 "Mike Haney Day" for all that Haney accomplished as mayor.

The Southern Pines Rotary Club meets every Friday for lunch at the Mid Pines Country Club in Southern Pines.

Visit www.southernpines rotary.org.