The Down East Seniors Club held its Jan. 11 meeting at the Blind Center of North Carolina in Washington. President Stewart Rumley led the meeting. Chip Ide led the singing of “God Bless America,” and Ed Bolen gave the invocation. Dick Paul provided humor.

Rumley reminded the club that it is time to pay quarterly dues.

Ed Hamrick introduced Michael Bilbro as the speaker. Bilbro is program director of Behavioral Health at Vidant Beaufort Hospital. He is an employee of Horizon Health, which provides mental health services at the hospital. This department serves patients 18 years of age and older. It has 19 beds and average population is around 18. About 65 patients per month are served. The most prevalent condition treated is major depression. In many cases, the mental condition is compounded by substance abuse. Patients may enter voluntarily through the emergency department, or they may be involuntarily committed by a magistrate. Medications for mental illness are improving, but they can be very expensive.

Rudy Burns won the 50/50 drawing.