The Down East Seniors Club held its March 14 meeting at the Blind Center of North Carolina in Washington. President Chip Ide led the meeting. Jim Hackney played for the singing of “God Bless America,” followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Charles Smith gave the invocation, and Ed Hamrick gave factoids for the date in history. Dick Paul provided humor.

Bill Cates introduced Paige Davis as the speaker. Davis, who provides insurance coverage for area loggers, told about the importance of the timber industry to eastern North Carolina. He said that in many years the timber industry in the east grosses more income than agriculture. He also stated that North Carolina has more trees today than it did 100 years ago. Trees are a renewable resource, unlike coal, oil and natural gas. Most European countries have harvested their trees and not replaced them, so they import wood pellets from the United States to use as fuel in their power plants. Much of this comes from eastern NC. Logging today is very capital intensive. A typical log truck and trailer costs about $160,000 and a skidder for loading logs about $350,000.

President Ide, on behalf of the club, presented a check to Liz Liles to support the Daughters of Worth, a nonprofit she leads that helps teenage girls increase self-esteem, make wise choices and learn how to handle finances.

Charles Moore won the 50/50 drawing.