November 20, 2024 - Vol. 36, No 2

 

 


News That Concerns Kiwanians and Their Families
 


 


Date of Meeting: November 20, 2024

Venue: Laconia Police Department – Community Room

Attendance: 12 in attendance: 8 members and 4 guests

MEMBERS AND GUESTS:

Kiwanis Members:
Phil Bonafide
Ray Chambers
Zach Dea
Bill Gile
John Intorcio
Shawn Intorcio

Steve Loughlin
Don Nelson

Guests:
Cari Lamontagne – invited by Bob Willey – guest of Bill Gile
Sue Nelson – Honorary Member and wife of Don Nelson
Donna & Karl Schlenker – guests of John & Shawn Intorcio

Cari Lamontagne
Sue Nelson
Donna Schlenker
Karl Schlenker
Photos by W. Stephen Loughlin


In the absence of President Betty Ballantyne, Immediate Past President, Bill Gile, conducted the meeting.

Bill opened the meeting by introducing our guests and then having the members introduce themselves to our guests.

This was followed by:
Invocation: by Phil Bonafide
The Pledge of Allegiance - participated by all
Song: My Country Tis of Thee led by Don Nelson

During the meeting, Bill Gile made several reports.

KEY CLUB REPORT:
Bill explained the mission and purpose of the Laconia High School Key Club including two recent activities. These included:

• Running the concession stand at the recent soccer tournament where they made over $2,000 in profit.
• Yard clean up at the Belknap House. Bill reported, on November 11th, volunteers from the Laconia High School Key Club, together with members of the Laconia Kiwanis Club joined forces to clean up the outdoor property at the Belknap House. Led by Key Club Advisor Jilli Paul and supported by Laconia Kiwanis Club members, the LHS Key Club demonstrated the power of service, helping to create a safer, more welcoming space for families in our community.

NOTE: The Belknap House plays a crucial role in providing safe shelter and empowering families toward independence. To learn more about the Belknap House or to make a donation to support their work, visit their website by “clicking” here.

Front Row: L to R: Kiwanis Club Members: John Intorcio, Betty Ballantyne (President) and Bill Gile
Second Row: L to R: Savannah Stone, Elizabeth Tower, Abigail Hayward, Savanna Dutile, Haily McCarty, Amaya Dutile, Cali Andriski, Kathryn Beane (Co-President), Samantha Wylie, Ellen Valovanie, Grace Vaillancourt, Paxten Perley, Anna Tomlinson, and Jilli Paul (LHS Key Club Advisor)
Photo by Tom Sica, the Belknap House Shelter Manager


LACONIA KIWANIS $1,000 FUEL RAFFLE:
Bill updated the membership on the successful results of the recent fuel raffle. He noted that all 300 tickets were sold resulting in a $2,000 profit to the Club account. The drawing was held on November 2nd and the winner was Grant Dobens. (NOTE: Grant Dobens, who was born and raised in Laconia, has supported our Fuel Raffle fund-raiser since it began. When Grant was called with the good news, he said, "I never expected to win, I just wanted to support you.")


Grant Dobens with Laconia Kiwanis Club President, Betty Ballantyne
Photo by Joan Brierly

LAKES REGION CHILDREN’S AUCTION FAMILY NIGHT:
Bill reported the Children’s Christmas Auction will host its second annual Family Night on Wednesday, Dec. 11, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The location is The Belknap Marketplace in the former CVS located across from Shaw’s Supermarket. Children can have their picture taken with Santa, meet the Grinch, build a toy in Santa’s workshop, decorate holiday cookies, face paint, sing along with the Snow Family and hear holiday stories. All children will get a free book courtesy of the Laconia Kiwanis Club.

RING THE BELL FOR THE SALVATION ARMY:
On December 23rd the Laconia Kiwanis Club will be ringing the bell in downtown Laconia for the Salvation Army. Bill will send out a Sign-Up Genius for those who want to participate. A team of two people are asked to work each one-hour shift.

 

KIWANIS K.A.R.E.S. (Kids And Reading Equals Success):
Bill reported the club has been doing Kiwanis K.A.R.E.S. for over 20 years. Our volunteers go into the 3rd-grade classes at each of the Laconia elementary schools three times a year and read to the students. Additionally, each student is given two books at each event.

Bill noted a Kiwanis K.A.R.E.S. event was held on Tuesday, November 19th at Woodland Heights School. Participating in the event were: Kiwanians: Bill Gile, John & Shawn Intorio, Friend of Kiwanis: Luann Mussari; and Woodland Heights Elementary School Media Specialist Robbie Prescott-Neylon.

Below are a few pictures:

KIWANIS K.A.R.E.S. AT WOODLAND HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
L to R: Shawn Intorcio and Luann Mussari
 
A lighter moment with Robbie Prescott-Neylon and Bill Gile
 
Bill Gile and students
 
Luann Mussari reads from the book called Our Table. The book is about families and spending time together.
 
Luann Mussari encourages student participation.
 
Shawn Intorcio with cookie icing - the easy and delicious way to decorate cookies.
 
Shawn decorates cookies with cookie icing.
 
The K.A.R.E.S team with lots of kids, lots of books and lots of smiles
Above photo by Robbie Prescott-Neylon
All other K.A.R.E.S. photos by John Intorcio

 

GUEST SPEAKERS:
Our guest speakers were Laconia Kiwanis Club members, John and Shawn Intorcio. Their topic was called Mission 48.

Shawn and John recently completed a personal goal they called Mission 48. Although they had each visited most of the contiguous states, they had yet to see them all. This past fall, over 34 days, they traveled 9,320 miles across 30 states, accompanied by their dog, Asia. Now, they can proudly say they have visited every one of the Lower 48!

Below are a few highlights from their presentation and a few of the many pictures they took on their trip.

 
     
The above map plots the course taken by John & Shawn in their endeavor to complete Mission 48. The 30 states they traveled through were: New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts
     
     
John reviews The Mission
     
Transportation and Accommodations
     
Accompanying John and Shawn on their mission: Asia Intorcio
     
Shawn reports their first stop was Seneca Falls, New York
     
John points out their visit to Blue Earth, Minnesota, home of the Jolly Green Giant.
This was followed by a visit to Dyersville, Iowa, the location of the 1989 movie, Field of Dreams.
 
If you build it, they will come.
 
 
John and Shawn Intorcio recreate Field of Dreams.
 
Las Vegas, Nevada
 
Happy John
 
 
The Las Vegas Strip
 
John reports that the 23rd day of their 34-day trek was very special.
 
Celebration of a special day with a special lady
     
Memories in Memphis
 
 
John and Shawn enjoy Graceland.
 

This is a photo of Elvis’ Jungle Room at Graceland. Added in the 1960s, the Jungle Room became a captivating space
adorned with a green carpet and exquisite carved wood pieces. Within these walls, Elvis held multiple recording sessions!
Elvis called the Jungle Room “The Den.” The name Jungle Room was coined when Graceland opened to the public in 1982.

     
Elvis bought the Lisa Marie, a Convair 880 jet, from Delta Airlines on April 17, 1975, for $250,000.
After refurbishing, it was valued at $600,000.
 
Elvis purchased the purple Cadillac in Texas. The original color was white. He then decided to customize it including painting it purple.
 
UNCANNY RESEMBLANCE!

   
October 7, 2024: Shawn and John arrive home.
     
A FEW STATISTICS:
Duration of Trip: 34 days (September 4 through October 7)
Total Distance: 9,320 miles
Average miles per day: 274
Maximum Miles per day: 601
Total Trip Cost (includes food, fuel, camping, admissions, etc.): $8,817.37
Total Fuel: 1,106 gallons
Total Fuel Cost: $3,545.46
Total Fuel Stops: 55
Average Fuel Cost $3.21 per gallon
Average Mileage: 8.4 miles per gallon
     
     
To view all the slides included in John & Shawn’s PowerPoint presentation, “click” here.
To view the numerous pictures that were taken during their trip, “click” here.
 
 
DOUBLE THANKS: Bill Gile thanks John and Shawn Intorcio for their outstanding presentation.
Above photo by W. Stephen Loughlin


 

The meeting adjourned at 7:13 pm.

 

IN THE NEWS:
Congratulations to Zach Dea on being elected to the Laconia School Board. On Tuesday, November 12th, Zach and two other School Board members were sworn into office. Two days later, their picture appeared on the front page of The Laconia Daily Sun.

 

On November 29th, Honorary Kiwanian, Kathy Calvin, and her husband, John, were spotted ringing the bell for the Salvation Army in downtown Laconia. It was great to see Kathy wearing her Christmas elf attire. Reminder: The Laconia Kiwanis Club will be ringing the bell at the same location on Monday, December 23rd.


John Calvin and Honorary Kiwanian, Kathy Calvin, greet drivers in downtown Laconia.
Photo by W. Stephen Loughlin

THANK YOU
Many thanks to Phil Bonafide, Bill Gile, John & Shawn Intorcio, and Jilli Paul for their assistance with this bulletin.

 


 

 

 

Wednesday - December 4th : Venue: ZOOM MEETING
6:00 pm - Board of Directors Meeting

Wednesday - December 19th : Venue: Bill Gile's House -134 Natures View Drive, Laconia
6:00 pm - Annual Christmas Party and Yankee Swap


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