Date of Meeting: December 19, 2023

Venue: The home of Bill and Paula Gile

THE GILE HOUSE: Looking A Lot Like Christmas

Above photo by W. Stephen Loughlin

Attendance: 20 in attendance: 11 members and 9 guests

MEMBERS AND GUESTS:

Kiwanis Members:
Betty Ballantyne
Phil Bonafide
Ray Chambers
Zach Dea
Bill Gile
Steve Loughlin
Don Nelson
Keith Styles
Tara Shore
Kara Stanley
Abby Teichert

Guests:
Angelina Piscitello -guest of Keith Styles
Jackie Bonafide - wife of Phil
Paula Chambers – wife of Ray
Joe Collie – past Kiwanis member and future Kiwanis member
Sara Dea -wife of Zach
Paula Gile – wife of Bill
Paulette Loughlin - wife of Steve
Sue Nelson – Honorary Member and wife of Don
Jilli Paul – Laconia High School Key Club Advisor

Angelina Piscitello		Jackie Bonafide		Paula Chambers
Joe Collie		Sara Dea		Paula Gile
Paulette Loughlin		Sue Nelson		Jilli Paul
		Above photos by W. Stephen Loughlin

CHOW TIME

PRESIDENT BETTY BALLANTYNE MAKES A TOAST

THE GIFTS

Pick #1
Phil Bonafide
Phil Bonafide draws the first ticket...		..... and gets a bottle Martini & Rossi Asti Sparkling Wine.
Pick #2
Betty Ballantyne
Betty Ballantyne opens her gift....		...and gets a bottle of Barr Hill gin.
Pick #3
Joe Collie
Joe Collie grabs a large bag.		Joe pulls his gift from the bag.
Joe is very happy with his Grey Goose Vodka Gift Set.
Pick #4
Kara Stanley
Kara Stanley looks in her gift bag and finds....		...two bottles.
Pick #5
Paula Chambers
Paula Chambers grabs a small gift bag and...		...is pleased to find several lottery tickets.
Pick #6
Jilli Paul
Jilli Paul unwraps the paper from a big box.		Jilli is curious about the contents.
Jilli opens the box to find...		...a bottle of Basil Hayden bourbon..
Pick #7
Bill Gile
Bill Gile is curious about the contents in the gift bag.		Inside the bag, Bill finds a window bird feeder.
Pick #8
Jackie Bonafide
Jackie heads back to her seat with a cute box.		Jackie unwraps her present.
Jackie is thrilled to get a Butcher Shoppe Meat & Cheese Collection.
Pick #9
Tara Shore
Tara says: I'll take this one.		Tara shakes the box hoping for a clue of what's inside.
Tara smiles as she sees the contents of the box.		Tara cautiosly shows off her gift.
Tara defensively clutches her gift.
Pick #10
Sue Nelson
Sue picks a bottle of...		...Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio.
Pick #11
Keith Styles
Keith Styles, a man on a mission, takes his unopened gift...		...and switches it for Paula Chambers' lottery tickets.
Keith promply gives the lottery tickets to his girlfriend, Angelina.
Paula Chambers opens the gift that Keith Styles traded to her.		Paula gets a tin of butter cookies and a Burrito Me gift card.
Pick #12
Abby Teichert
Abby trades her unopened gift for Angelina's lottery tickets.		Angelina completes the trade.
Angelina is pleased with the gift that Abby traded her.		Keith Styles looks on as his girlfriend, Angelina, opens her new gift: a Jim Beam “mix kit.”
Pick #13
Paulette Loughlin
Paulette takes her unopened gift and heads across the room where...		...she trades for Joe Collie's Grey Goose Vodka Gift Set.
Joe is in shock while Paulette smiles.
Joe opens the gift that Paulette traded to him.		Joe shows his new gift.
Pick #14
Don Nelson
		.
Don grabs a gift bag and...		...trades it for Jackie Bonafide's Butcher Shoppe Meat & Cheese Collection.
Jackie opens the gift that Don Nelson traded to her.		Jackie gets a Wine stash coin bank, a Free Living blue citrus candle, and a fleece throw.
Pick #15
Zach Dea
Zack takes a gift bag and...		....switches for Paula Chambers tin of butter cookies and Burrito Me gift card.
Paula opens the gift that Zach traded to her.		Paula shows a bottle of Tequila Rose Strawberry Cream Liqueur.
The Final Pick
Phil Bonafide
Phil Bonafide drew #1 so he gets the final pick.		Phil heads over to Jilli Paul.
Phil Bonafide switches his Martini & Rossi Asti Sparkling Wine with Jilli Paul for her Basil Hayden bourbon.
Jilli shows off her bottle of Martini & Rossi Asti Sparkling Wine.		Phil is very happy with his Basil Hayden bourbon.
BUT WAIT...
There's More...
Suddenly...out of nowhere...Betty Ballantyne hands Joe Collie a gift bag.		Joe opens the bag.
A FISH and a COLLIE.

THE EVENING CONCLUDED WITH DON NELSON LEADING THE GROUP IN SONG

Don Nelson sings Jingle Bells.

THANK YOU

Many thanks to our hosts: Bill and Paula Gile

Photos by W. Stephen Loughlin

The Christmas party adjourned at 8:30 pm.

GREATER LAKES REGION CHILDREN'S AUCTION

Several Kiwanis members and their spouses were pleased to participate in different parts of the 2023 Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction.

Betty Ballantyne, Don & Sue Nelson, Tara Shore, Keith Styles, and Abby Teichert participated In Family Night on December 7th. The event included stories, meeting the Grinch, having children’s pictures taken with Santa, craft projects, and children decorating a holiday cookie. More than 200 children and their adults came to the Belknap Marketplace with youthful energy and a reminder about what the effort is all about. Below are a few pictures:

Abby Teichert and Tara Shore were pleased to participate with the cookies, as well as decorating, and other family activities.		Don Nelson handed out the Christmas cookies for the children to decorate.
Keith Styles (left), along with a Lowe’s employee (blue), assisted in building toys with the children.		These volunteers with Sue Nelson, Honorary Kiwanis Member, assisted at the cookie decorating tables.
These brothers enjoyed hand decorating their own ornaments to take home.		Children enjoyed meeting Santa.
2023 Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction photos by Betty Ballantyne

John and Shawn Intorcio were also very active at the 2023 Greater Lakes Region Children's Auction participating in the 2023 Community Challenge. The 2023 Community Challenge is comprised of local businesses, organizations and friends and families who create teams in support of the Greater Lakes Region Children's Auction. In 2023, 35 teams participated in the challenge. John and Shawn competed on a team called Beetle Books (frequently referred to as The Tiny Team as it was comprised by a group of neighbors and friends). The Tiny Team placed 11th overall in the competition raising over $12,000. Collectively, members of the 2023 Community Challenge generated a total of $356,456. This was the largest amount of money raised to-date and was a major factor in the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction grossing a record total of 711,493!

CAN YOU FIND JOHN AND SHAWN INTORCIO IN THIS PICTURE?

Above photo by Alan Beetle

RING THE BELL FOR THE SALVATION ARMY

Annually, in late December, members of the Laconia Kiwanis Club, together with family and friends, ring the bell in downtown Laconia for the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign. The Red Kettle Campaign helps raise money for those who need it most in the community providing toys for kids, coats for the homeless, food for the hungry and countless social service programs.

This year, 13 groups and other volunteers rang the rang the bell in downtown Laconia and approximately $33,000 was collected. Finishing in first place this year was the Laconia High School Key Club who collected over $2,000.

The Belknap County Sheriff’s Department collected over $1,600 and finished in second place.

The Laconia Kiwanis Club collected over $1,200 in paper currency plus over $200 in coins (which was the most coins collected in any kettle this year) resulting in a total of $1,493. The major coin contribution by a certain Kiwanis Club member (see picture below) helped the Kiwanis Club edge out the Laconia Rotary Club, who came in fourth place this year with $1,300.

Unlike last year when it rained most of the day (heavy at times) with gusting winds (40-50 mph), this year’s weather conditions were very favorable. Temperatures ranged from 27 to 33 degrees with minimal wind.

SPECIAL NOTE: Kiwanian Ray Chambers and his grandson, Scout Chambers, went over and above by participating in the Red Kettle Campaign from the opening bell (9:00 am) through the last shift (which ended at 5:00 pm). Scout Chambers, who is a 7th grader at Moultonborough Academy, was pleased to participate with the Kiwanis Club and work on his Community Service requirement towards his ultimate goal of achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. A BIG Kiwanis thank you to Scout and Ray Chambers!

Below are pictures of the Kiwanis members, family, and friends of Kiwanis who volunteered their time on December 22, 2022.

FIRST SHIFT ON DUTY (9:00 am - 10:00 am)
L to R: Ray Chambers, Scout Chambers, Brad Geltz, and Bill Gile
Scout Chambers nets a contribution.
SECOND SHIFT (10:00 am - 11:00 am)
Shawn and John Intorcio
SECOND SHIFT WITH THE FIRST SHIFT
L to R: Scout Chambers, Ray Chambers, Shawn Intorcio, Brad Geltz, John Intorcio and Bill Gile

THE UNIQUE SOLICIATION STYLE OF JOHN INTORCIO
John makes eye contact with the driver of the white car.		John says: Give Us Your Money.
John collects the donation.		John says: Thank you!
THIRD SHIFT (11:00 am - 12:00 pm)
L to R: Betty Ballantyne and Scout Chambers
Betty Ballantyne is pleased to contribute her coin collection.		Betty Ballantyne helps fill the bucket one coin at a time.
FOURTH SHIFT (12:00 pm - 1:00 pm)
L to R: Ray Chambers, Scout Chambers, Phil Bonafide and Betty Ballantyne
FIFTH SHIFT (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm)
L to R: Phil Bonafide, Steve Loughlin, Scout Chambers, and Ray Chambers
Above photo by Keith Styles
FRIENDLY FAMILIAR FACES
Former LHS Key Club member, Lydia Tucker, was happy to make a donation.		John Calvin, husband of Honorary Kiwanian Kathy Calvin, makes a donation.
SIXTH AND SEVENTH SHIFTS (2:00 pm - 4:00 pm)
L to R: Ray Chambers, Scout Chambers, and Keith Styles
With a BIG SMILE, Keith Styles is very pleased to accept this donation.
EIGHTH SHIFT (4:00 pm - 5:00 pm)
L to R: Emma Laurent, Scott Laurent, Grace Laurent and Zack Laurent
Grace Laurent goes for the green.
Grace Laurent with her little sister, Emma Laurent
SOLO SUPERSTAR, FIVE YEAR OLD EMMA LAURENT, NETS MANY DONATIONS

Emma Laurent smiles as she collects another donation.
MEET THE DYNAMIC DUO
Many thanks to Ray Chambers and his grandson, Scout, for their day long efforts in supporting the Laconia Kiwanis Club with the Red Kettle Campaign..
Unless otherwise noted, all Salvation Army photos by W. Stephen Loughlin

THANK YOU
Many thanks to Joe Adrignola, Betty Ballantyne, Phil Bonafide, Kathy Calvin, Zach Dea, Bill Gile, John Intorcio, and Keith Styles for their assistance with this bulletin.

Tuesday - January 2nd - Venue: ZOOM MEETING
6:00 pm - Board of Directors Meeting

Tuesday - January 16th : Venue: Laconia Police Department - Community Room
6:00 pm - Program: Bryan Moynihan from the Laconia Police Department will discuss the D.A.R.E. program in the 5th grade.

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