At its February meeting, the Ponzer Ruritan Club welcomed a special presentation from two representatives of an area hospice agency. Following their evening meal, club members conducted their usual business meeting. Items discussed included the purchase of a new refrigerator with ice maker (as requested by several ladies), the upcoming sausage sales and the need to initiate this year’s annual scholarship award.

Students graduating from high schools in eastern Beaufort and Hyde counties who wish to apply should meet with their school counselors or other individuals who work in the scholarship of individual schools. Awards may also be provided to students on the college level.

Following the business meeting, Amedisys Hospice Care representatives Michelle Newman, volunteer coordinator, and Tynia Harris, community educator, were introduced. The pair presented an outstanding program on the hospice care program. Club members were allowed to be very interactive and allowed to asked many questions, which Mrs. Newman and Mrs. Harris answered quite well. From the Amedisys website: “Hospice Care provides compassionate, non-curative medical care and medical support for people facing a life-limiting illness, as well as their families … (to) … offer a supportive system of medical, social, psychological, and spirit services that promotes dignity and affirms quality of life.”

Amedisys covers 10 counties in eastern North Carolina from its office located in Plymouth. Contact with the two agency representatives who made the outstanding presentation may be done in the following manner: Mrs. Harris can be reached through the office or by calling 252-506-5866 (cell) or tynia.harris@amedisys.com. Mrs. Newman is available also at the Plymouth office or by email at michelle.newman@amedisys.com. The office website is www.amedisys.com.

Ponzer Ruritan Club announces that the final sausage sale until November will be on Saturday, March 18, with a closing date for orders on Saturday. It is stressed that sausage must be pre-ordered. Orders can be made by calling Bud and/or Cathy Clayton at 252-943-3123. If you know a member of the club, you may also give them your request, again, by Saturday.