Kee-Notes

Weekly Newsletter of the Kiwanis Club of Bethesda, Maryland

Serving the Community Since 1945

Meeting Date: December 4,  2008

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Kiwanians Celebrate the Holidays!

Text and Photos courtesy of Bob Cressy

Members of the Kiwanis Club of Bethesda celebrated with a Holiday Party at Alfio’s Restaurant in Chevy Chase on Thursday evening.  They were a happy group and definitely in the spirit of the season. President Debbie Van Horn presided with her cheerful perkiness.  There was a delicious Italian hors d' oeuvres buffet with baked ziti and red sauce, sausage with green peppers, stuffed mushrooms.   calamari, finger pizza and fried zucchini.  Presidents Debbie and Jeanne Smith provided the dessert along with the cheesecake, and Jeanne Smith brought her own chocolate dipping fountain with fresh strawberries and small cream puffs.  Our traditional gift exchange drawing was again a hit with a couple of gifts getting claimed and reclaimed several times. The cream scarf and the red ceramic cookie jar (with cookies) were big favorites.  Take a look at the photos.  Division One LTG Elana Gardiner joined us as well.  She’s a dynamo.  Thanks, Elana. 

Another pleasant surprise occurred at the restaurant, too.  Lately we have seen a number of times where some have suggested that the pledge to our American flag, our patriotic song and a non denominational prayer may be passé.   There was even a moment on a radio morning show this past week where they discussed if “under God” should be in the pledge.  One show ‘star’ even mockingly smirked that “hey, when do you even give the pledge anymore?  I haven’t done that for years”.  Well if he was a Kiwanian, perhaps he would have.  We do that at every meeting and perhaps if this ‘star’ participated in our Veteran’s Day Observance he would have had another chance. So, for the surprise.  We were in a room by ourselves yet the restaurant was full.  We gave our pledge led by President Debbie, then sang “God Bless America” softly and movingly, and did our prayer.   To our surprise, applause broke out from an adjoining room.  So the traditional patriotic spirit lives and is still appreciated.  Nice.  Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah

Left Photo:  Jeanne Smith, Path Tiede, Bob Cressy, Ann Black & Debra Van Horn Middle Photo: Ron Spratt  Right Photo:  Dick Ruprecht

Left  Nancy Cressy, Jim Aylor, Pat Leder, Jim Leder, Jane Aylor   Right   Ann Spratt, Bernadeen Zivkovic, Dick Ruprecht, Alana Gardiner, Ron Spratt

Thank you Bob Cressy for great photos!

Patricia Tiede, Editor for the Day

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Editor - GEORGE PATTERSON (301-652-7061, geopatersn@)aol.com)
Website Editors - BEN SCHLESINGER (301-951-7266, bschles@bsaenergy.com), PAT TIEDE (301-493-6937), patriciatiede@comcast.net