Guests and Visiting Rotarians: Jan Gulezian, Nacho Alvarez, Cathy Reichlen, David and Mary Ann Drepoho, Jim Rumrell, May, Ju, Jacqueline Misdda, Miko & Ruth Robichaud

 

President Heidi opened the meeting at 6:00PM with the Pledge of Allegiance and a Thanksgiving Prayer.

 

Did you know that the first gold to arrive at Gold Knox was by mail and not very well protected.  Too heavy to fly in so it was mailed by train.

 

Announcements:   Senior Dinner posters were passed out. Please take some and post them in Center Harbor, Sandwich and Moultonborough.  We are up to 144 reservations.  Teresa is still collecting gift cards for the dinner. 

 

Gift in memory of Dell.  Heidi let Art know about the club’s donation to the Rotary Polio Fund and he was very touched by the club’s generosity. 

 

Holiday Concerts are coming up Dec. 10 & 11 from LRSO and tickets are available online.

 

Gary invited everyone to the Interact Meeting at 6PM at the Community Center.  No dinner but homemade desserts will be provided.

 

 

Mike Robichaud, Assistant Governor, congratulated us on all the work we do for Interact and Youth Exchange.  We are tied with seventh for most members in the club with Gilford.  Kudos to the Meredith Club for being the largest donating club per capita to the Rotary Foundation.  Thank you to so many members of our club for donating!  We were presented with a club banner for being number one in the district. 

 

Program:  Nacho Alvarez, Rotary Exchange student from Argentina has been in Meredith since August 8 and gave tonight’s presentation on “Argentina & Me.”  He began his presentation by thanking the club for hosting him.  He discussed beautiful places to visit in his country including mountains, glaciers, lakes and waterfalls.  His home town is Caleta Olivia in the south of Argentina on the East Coast.  Typical food is Asado, empanadas, pastelitos, alfajor de Maicena, choripan, locro.  Music they are known for is the Tango, and Rock Nacional.  He has an older sister, a younger sister and a little brother.  His parents are Alejando and Fernanda.  Nacho’s hobbies include soccer and hanging with his friends.  They don’t have organized sports in school so they make their own competitions.  Colon is “his team”, a professional soccer team.  He hopes on Monday Argentina will win the World Cup.

 

His father was president of his Rotary’s Club in 2016.  There is a large (and very impressive) Rotary Wheel in his city.  Nacho was Interact Secretary from 2019-2020 and Vice President from 2020-2021.  He wanted to do an exchange because he believes languages are very important.  He aspires to be a pilot in the future.  After watching American films, he wanted to experience American culture, his first New England winter and to meet new friends. 

 

When he goes to college to prepare to be a pilot he will be Cordoba, the second biggest city in Argentina.  He has enjoyed hiking and kayaking and an exchange group visit to Boston. 

 

A Fun Fact from Nacho. Where is the largest stadium in the world?    North Korea with 152,000 seats. 

 

Happy Dollars:  Erin is happy she has a dollar for happy dollars. Fred is happy for Nacho’s presentation.  Bob for seeing Bill Maher and buying pies at Moulton Farm.  Paul S. $5.00 for Argentina.  Jim for a 70ish birthday and for Nacho as the best exchange student.  Mike R. for being with us tonight and for our exchange student, as well as an upcoming family visit and a the Bahamas for Thanksgiving.  Gary for our exchange student.  Dean turned 70 (with no ish) and for our RYE families.  Bruce for our presentation, host families and a grandson born on Monday.  John M. for another great presentation and for the pies that Bob is buying.  John K. for his daughter turning 50, wife turning 75, John turning 76 and his grandson’s 5^th birthday.  Peter K for Thanksgiving in Hawaii, an excellent presentation and his son coming to stay. 

 

50/50  Bill K. wins!!! Donated the money for gift cards for the Senior Dinner.

 

President Heidi led us in the 4-Way test. Meeting adjourned at 7:20PM. BOD meeting follows.