The Down East Seniors Club held its Sept. 21 meeting at the Blind Center of North Carolina in Washington. President Ed Hamrick led the meeting. Bill Cheshire led the singing of “God Bless America,” and Ed Bolen gave the invocation. Dick Paul provided humor.

Dick Paul showed pictures of items which were retrieved from a time capsule in the cornerstone of First United Methodist Church in Washington. The capsule was a copper box which was placed inside the hollow cornerstone in 1897 and removed in 1997. Some of the contents were the church roll of the church, then known as ME Church South, rolls of some Sunday school classes, a copy of the publication Christian Advocate, some newspapers with ads for local businesses as well as businesses as far away as Raleigh, an 1869 almanac and money. The only coin was a nickel. The remainder was in bills — a North Carolina $1 bill, and the following Confederate bills: $10, $1, 50 cents, 25 cents and 10 cents.

New member Vernon Howell Jr. gave his personal profile. He was born in South Carolina. His family moved to Beaufort County in 1958 when his father bought a saw mill at Acre Station. He attended Chowan College. He worked for N.C. Phosphate and Tideland EMC. He retired this year after 30 years at Tideland, last serving as customer service manager. He has served on the Economic Development Commission and was in the Army Reserve nine years in the 1970s. He now volunteers with the Caring Christian Carpenters. He has been married 44 years. He and his wife have two sons (both married) and three grandchildren.

James Lupton won the 50/50 drawing.