The Down East Seniors Club held its March 8 meeting at the Blind Center of North Carolina in Washington. President Stewart Rumley led the meeting. Mark Eakes led the singing of “God Bless America,” and Ed Bolen gave the invocation. Ed Hamrick provided humor.

New member Terry McCoy was introduced.

Julius Brauer introduced Doug LeQuire, superintendent of Goose Creek State Park, as the speaker. LeQuire stated that there are 35 parks in North Carolina’s state park system as well as state trails, state lakes, and other areas. The system celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. The first NC state park was Mount Mitchell, and the second was Fort Macon. All state parks have some outstanding natural features which the parks are charged to preserve and enhance where possible. The three areas’ state parks focus on conservation of, recreation in and education about the natural and cultural features they contain. Goose Creek State Park opened in 1974. It has the only public access beach in this area. The Connect NC bond fund of 2015 will allow Goose Creek to make some major improvements, including the addition of cabins in the camping area within the next two years. Historically, this region was covered with large stands of long leaf pines. Goose Creek is working to increase their long leaf pine population by thinning other species and planting more long leafs as well as conducting periodic burns of understory.

Len Huber won the 50/50 drawing.