The Down East Seniors Club held its Nov. 30 meeting at the Blind Center of North Carolina in Washington. President Ed Hamrick led the meeting. Jim Hackney played for the singing of “God Bless America,” and Ed Bolen gave the invocation. Dick Paul provided humor.

Hamrick announced that President-elect Chip Ide would be unable to serve as president next year for personal reasons. Ide will continue as vice president, and Stewart Rumley has agreed to serve as president.

Bill Cates reminded the club that we are scheduled to ring the bell for the Salvation Army at Walmart on Dec. 5. He gave copies of the ringing schedule to members who signed up to ring.

Hamrick reminded the club about the Dec. 21 Christmas party at 6 p.m. He asked members to pay $25 per person at the next meeting and select menu items.

Mike Gwynn introduced Gary Gaddy as the speaker. As a young boy, Gaddy became interested in collecting American Indian artifacts, especially sharp stone tools. He said many of the items that most people think were arrowheads were really knives or scrapers. As he got older, he moved into collecting steel knives and then into making them. He has both folding pocketknives and non-folding or sheath knives. He displayed samples of each type, some he bought and some of the sheath knives he made. Typical steels used for knife blades are ATS 34, 1095 and 440 stainless. Once he shapes a blade, he sends it to a commercial heat treater to have it tempered and hardened. Then, he installs the handle. Ancient sword makers in the Middle East made what is known as Damascus steel, which was the best knife and sword material ever known.

Sam Price won the 50/50 drawing.