The Down East Seniors Club held its May 17 meeting at the Blind Center of North Carolina in Washington. President Stewart Rumley led the meeting. Charles Smith led the singing of “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” and gave the invocation. Dick Paul provided humor.

Program chair James Lupton was not present due to medical problems. In his stead, Rumley introduced Karen Melton, veterans service officer for Beaufort County. Melton said her primary responsibility is to assist veterans and their dependents to obtain all eligible benefits through the Veterans Administration system. The VA provides treatment for service-related injuries and medical conditions. Currently she is seeing cases of veterans needing treatment for illnesses due to consuming the contaminated water years ago at Camp Lejeune and being exposed to agent orange in Vietnam. The VA clinic in Greenville has been a great help for the healthcare of local veterans. It is currently working to expand its medical services. Among other benefits, disabled veterans receive a generous property tax exclusion.

Bob Diefendorf won the 50/50 drawing.