Tonight’s guests included Bruce and Harry Reichlan who have helped with cleaning up the ice and are contemplating joining the club. Merron Treadwell is with us tonight and will be inducted into the club during our meeting.

 

There will be a board of directors meeting next week following the program. There will also be an Environmental Committee meeting next week following the program-to discuss the upcoming Cleanup the Bay event. There will be a short Derby meeting tonight following the program.

 

John Moulton invited everyone to participate in the Meredith Chamber of Commerce event “Mix and Mingle” to be held Monday, March 25 from 4:30 to 6:30 at Hart’s Copper Kettle Tavern. Please RSVP to info@meredithareachamber.com to Hart’s can get a headcount. There will be free appetizers and a cash bar.

 

We received a thank you letter from NH Fish& Game for our donation, and for a great Derby!

 

Fred Strader invited Merron Treadwell and Wendy Bagley to the podium to induct Merron into the club. Welcome Merron!!

 

There were no fines tonight, only happy bucks. Carl Johnson gave us an update on Jim Wallace – who is doing well with his therapy – and gave a few bucks for Jim. Bob Davis gave a happy buck for the ski event that Bonnie Ireland orchestrated. Rick Goodby is glad to see the end of winter and coughed up $5. Merron gave a buck and is happy to be a member of the club. Wendy also gave a happy dollar for Merron’s induction. Bonnie Ireland gave a happy buck for Ann White – who is still recovering, but is on the mend. Chuck, of course, is happy to have skied at Cannon with the gang and also that his son is doing boarding! Jim McFarlin gave a happy buck for Merron joining us. Dean Gulezian is happy that the exchange students all were able to get to his house at the crack of dawn to get to the Gilford meeting, Kevin is happy to have “cornered” Bruce Reichlan. Bonnie Ireland is happy to have spent St. Patrick’s day in South Boston at the parade with her family. Gary Dehnel is also happy for the Cannon ski event. Vern is happy to have a red nose (huh?)… and Carl is happy that track and field will be starting up and that he plans to “kill it” in Division 3 this year.

 

Tonight’s program was provided by Ed Touhey, who recently spent some time in Arizona at the Elkhorn Ranch near Tucson.

 

Arizona is our 48^th state with 6.8 million residents. It has varied terrain with wide contrasts in temperatures. They get about 12 inches of rain per year, and the summer heat can exceed 117 degrees. There are approximately 300K Native Americans living on reservations in the state, that include Navajo, Hopi and Apache tribes. Arizona is the state where “home schooling” first started. Their agricultural crops include cotton, hay and grains.

 

The Elkhorn Ranch started as 3K acres in 1948 as a home for boys. It is located about 50 miles southwest of Tucson. The property now is 13K acres and they “free range” raise horses. It is a terrific place for a vacation if you are interested in farming, horses, and no electronics!

 

Water is a premier issue in Arizona, as in much of the Southwest. The border situation is a humanitarian crisis, along with the situation of the Native American population.

 

There is a lot to see and learn visiting Arizona.