On June 7, the New River and High Country Chapters, MOAA will host a joint membership dinner meeting @ 6:00 PM at the Boone Golf Club’s Fairway Cafe, 433 Fairway Drive, Boone, NC.

Col. Dan Merry, USAF (Ret.), MOAAs Vice President for Government Relations will be the guest speaker to share important legislative information for members and ALL veterans in the High Country catchment areas of Watauga and Ashe counties of NC.

SAVE THE DATE AND MAKE PLANS NOW TO NOT MISS THIS IMPORTANT MEETING!

The meal will be catered by Casa Rustica Catering of Boone.

Agenda:

• Cash Bar @ 6:00 PM

• Dinner and Program will begin @ 6:30 PM

• Dinner cost is $36/per person...RSVP to Lance Campbell (lccampbellcrna@mac.com) or Doug May (maydb1709@gmail.com). You should make checks payable to HCCMOAA to cover the cost of the meal, tax, gratuity, and bar tender fee.

Dinner menu:

• Caesar Salad

• Dinner rolls with garlic butter Chicken Parmesan over spaghetti Spinach Lasagna; Marinara on side.

• Sautéed vegetables

• Cheesecake dessert

• Ice tea, soda, and coffee

Hope to see you @ 6:00 PM on June 7, 2022.

* Members of the New River Chapter gathered at an especially memorable evening at the home of Chapter At-Large Member, Charles Knapp. In June.

* In his COVID-19 spare time, Charles has constructed a beautiful, new, romantic outdoor patio at his home at 500 Rooster Ridge Road in Lansing, NC.

* Charles is extending an invitation to all our New River Members AND guests to come to his home on June 19th beginning at 1700 to enjoy seating around the outdoor fire pit. He will have picnic tables and chairs set up in the patio area and everyone is invited to bring an item - desserts, finger foods and the like - to share with fellow revelers.

* The planned activity will begin @ 1700 and go until everyone has enjoyed their fill of scrumptious goodies or darkness, whichever comes first!!

* The Chapter will ensure that there are a variety of beverages to go along with the evening's festivities, so mark you calendar and plan to be with your fellow New River Chapterites (sp?) on June 19th!

* Questions, directions or other inquiries, call Charles @ 336-877-6511.

* Be prepared to save a spouse, family member or neighbor...a must course for us older folks! This class will be held at the Ashe Family Clinic, 953 US Hwy 211 Business from 6:00 to 8:30 PM.

* Call Karen Strickland (336-384-4915), certified instructor and course coordinator...reservations to attend are required.

* Class size is limited but additional training classes can be scheduled if interest is high.

* The New River Chapter's newest member, CDR Mik Mikulan, USPHS, Ret., was the featured speaker at our June meeting. Mik helped educate us all on the operation and roles of the U.S. Public Health Service, one of the of the seven commissioned corps in the U.S. government arsenal.

* As part of his talk, Mik displayed the flag of the U.S. Public Health Service and made a formal presentation of the flag to chapter leaders to be made an official part of the New River Chapter's standard of service flags.

* Pictured (upper right) is the New River Chapter 1st VP COL Charles Knapp, USA, Ret. and President CAPT Doug Ehrhardt, USN, Ret. receiving the flag from CDR Michael (Mik) Mikulan, USPHS, Ret.

* Pictured (lower right) are COL Knapp, CAPT Ehrhardt and CDR Mikulan unfurling the USPHS flag for all to see before placing it in the flag stand.

* A former helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army, Mik left after 11 years of flying and used his GI Bill to earn a nursing degree and then transferred his commission to the the U.S. Public Health Service. He worked as a nurse in the Federal Prison System in Springfield, MO.

* Mr. Phillip McMillian of the Ashe County Centennial Board was the feature speaker at our June regular meeting. If you didn't know that Ashe County will hold a grand celebration on the occasion of West Jefferson's 100th, then Phillip, along with Chris Barr were on hand to share information on the many, exciting things that are being planned.

* The "Official" WJ Centennial logo (right) has now been revealed and will be made available to vendors for use on the many products that will help our little town welcome it's second century.

* New River's members learned of ways that we can be involved and shared some ideas with the committee about how we can make our presence known here in Ashe County.

* The Board of Directors met at 5:30 PM at the Coffee House on the Backstreet. Open/read the minutes of the BOD and regular meeting posted under Documents.

* As with other regular meetings, food and drink were available for purchase from Coffee House on the Backstreet hostess, Ms. Julie McGunegle.

* The regular membership meeting was held on June 18th at the Coffee House on the Backstreet.

* Lyndon Smith - graduate of Yale University, former US Army National Guard officer and the retired President of the Senior Carolina Fire Advisory Company - was the speaker who talked on "The Lighter Side of Senior Fire Safety."

* The retired President of the Senior Carolina Fire Advisory Company, Mr. Smith has over thirty years of experience in residential fire safety.

* The meeting was an informative and entertaining presentation intended to increase awareness of the principles of residential fire safety and implementing those principles within the community, and is in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association standards.

See you in July!