The Down East Seniors Club held its July 20 meeting at the Blind Center of North Carolina in Washington. Vice President Chip Ide led the meeting. Jim Hackney played for the singing of “God Bless America” and gave the invocation. Dick Paul provided humor.

Member Stewart Rumley told of some of his experiences during the years he was in the U.S. Coast Guard. During his first few years, Coast Guard members were paid in cash. Eventually payment was changed to check. When the change was made, everyone thought it wouldn’t work smoothly, by the second pay period there were no problems. Later payment was changed to direct deposit. Again everyone thought it would cause problems, but it didn’t. Rumley became a Coast Guard pilot and had many interesting experiences flying around the country and search and rescue offshore. He flew quite a bit in the Caribbean, especially around Puerto Rico, as he and his family were stationed there from 1986-90. He also flew in the International Ice Patrol around Greenland, spotting icebergs. He said that on a plane the chief pilot is the commanding officer over everyone else on board, regardless of rank.

Dick Paul won the 50/50 drawing.