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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Lifestyle
February 28, 2001
Children in crisis is study club topic
PECOS, February 28, 2001 - The Modern Study Club met recently for an International
Affairs program entitled, "Children of Africa In Crisis," with department
chairman, Nan Cate, planning and presenting the program.
President Catherine Travland called the meeting to order. During opening
ceremonies Doris Moorman led the Club Collect and Dorothy Barton led the
pledges to the United States of America Flag and the Texas Flag, while
members repeated with each lady, in unison.
President Travland then announced the International Affairs Program
and introduced Mrs. Cate who began by describing Africa as the second largest
continent on earth, with the longest river, the Nile which has the largest
tropical area of any continent. It is a rich land, but has been plagued
by wars, famine, poverty and disease in almost all the countries of Africa.
All of these conditions have had a very adverse effect on the children
of Africa.
Cate continued, prior to World War II, the 90 percent Black population
was governed by the 5 percent European population. Wars of liberation were
fought, but by the 1970's most of the countries were free. The African
people were ill-prepared to govern themselves and Civil war has erupted
in almost every country. Wars are no longer fought by professional armies
on formal battlefields, but are fought in the streets and in the countryside
causing the involvement of civilian men, women and children. Children as
young as 10 years of age have been kidnapped and forced to kill. Land mines
have killed children in their own neighborhoods. Wars have separated children
from their parents causing them to become street children in the large
cities. Some children have been forced into slavery.
She told how famine and disease have also wreaked havoc on the children.
The disruption of agricultural production and distribution, as well as
droughts in parts of Africa have caused starvation. HIV/AIDS have adversely
affected children killing their parents and leaving them without adequate
care and protection. Of the thirty-four million in the world with HIV/AIDS
70 percent of them in Africa.
Famine and disease have caused a generation of African children to be
unschooled, abused and neglected. There is concern that this will cause
serious problems in the future, Cate commented.
She told about the rest of the world being called upon to aid in the
recovery of Africa, by helping to build schools and hospitals, roads, provide
clean water and to provide resources for the treatment and prevention of
HIV/AIDS.
Cate closed with these comments. The rest of the world does seem to
realize the plight of the children of Africa and has begun to offer assistance
by forgiving the debts, African Nations owe Western Nations, and by providing
the resources to fight disease and famine and build schools and hospitals.
This is only the beginning. Much more needs to be done by churches, humanitarian
organizations and governments.
During the business session of the meeting, interim secretary Lena Harpham
read the minutes of the previous meeting and treasurer Bobbi Lang reported
concerning club finances.
Paula Fuller, chairman of the Music and Arts Department told of the
number of school entries in the recently conducted writing contest. She
also reported that the judges were currently reading the entries and selecting
winners. It was also reported the program and project reports of the club
had been mailed for competition at Western District the previous Tuesday.
Margie Williamson, Scholarship Chairman, reported on the MSC-Pecos High
School Scholarship Recipient and progress of the Alma Van Sickles Scholarship
applicant choice.
In other committee reports, Doris Moorman reported that Margie Williamson
had been chosen as The Modern Study Club's Outstanding Clubwoman/Volunteer
and that the resume/application was near completion in readiness for sending
to Western District.
Phyllis Stool, chairman of the club Operation Smile activities proposed
various ways of support that the club might participate in Operation Smile,
since 1982, has provided reconstructive surgery to over tens of thousands
of children born with cleft lip and palate deformities, tumors, orthopedic
problems and burn scar contractures in developing countries.
Lena Harpham, Federation Counselor, told of the General Federation of
Women's Clubs Fall 2000 Board of Directors meeting held in Arlington, Virginia
and gave some points of interest taken from the topics of three of the
speakers.
The Western District Fall Board Meeting of the Texas Federation of Women's
Clubs slated for Oct. 20, in Pecos was discussed, along with the slated
visit of Western District President Peggy Kelton for the upcoming Federation
Day meeting of The Modern Study Club.
Bi-monthly projects for the meeting were contributions to Operation
Smile and Valentines for residents of the Pecos Nursing Home.
Roll call was answered with replying to the question, "What have you
done, or plan to do, to support Operation Smile?"
Delicious refreshments were served to 12 members and one guest, Billie
McCormick of Pecos, by hostesses Catherine Travland and Margie Williamson.
Church plans Ash Wednesday service
PECOS, February 28, 2001 - First United Methodist Church will have an Ash
Wednesday service, with the imposition of ashes, at 6:30 p.m.
All are welcome to this very special service marking the beginning of
Lent.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 2000 by Pecos Enterprise
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