Photo submitted to Times Observer WGHPEA, Warren General Hospital nurses, medical technologists and social workers union have made contributions to local nonprofits for the holiday season. The organizations that received the donations were The Salvation Army, Hooktown Holidays, and St Joe’s Soup Kitchen. Above, accepting the donation for St Joe’s Soup Kitchen is John Hausmann. Desiree Sundquist, Kristi Eck, Ali Clark, and Voula Zorich are presenting the check. Below, top, accepting the donation for The Salvation Army is Captain Keith Jache, presented by Wendy Clawson. At bottom, accepting the donation for Hooktown Holidays is Terry Pearson. WGHPEA is represented by Wendy Clawson, Kristi Eck, Heidi Leviere and Voula Zorich.

Rotarian meeting

Warren Rotarian’s next Strategic Planning Session will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at the Conewango Club. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m. At the meeting, the club will plan to approve the mission statement, strengths and weaknesses of the plan, opportunities, and threats. If you have any questions, contact John H. Secriest at 723-1967.

Class lunch

The Youngsville High School class of 1961 will meet for its monthly breakfast get-together at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, at Richard’s Restaurant in Youngsville. Guests are always welcome.

Electoral college presentation

Voting in the Electoral College in this year’s presidential election presented some unexpected turns for the involved electors. The event proved to be quite exciting, emotional, and trying for one of our local residents, Ash Khare, post-event, shared his experience with major media giants such as CNN, NBC, Fox News, NPR Radio, TV1 Philadelphia, TV27 Harrisburg, and the Associated Press. Other media channels, C-SPAN and CNN, aired live this Electoral College, the 58th since its inception 230 years ago, because it was so unique and important.

On Thursday evening, Jan. 5, with snow and frigid temperatures laying siege on the Warren area, a good number of local residents braved the weather to hear Khare share his experience in the 2016 Pennsylvania Electoral College.

During his presentation in the Warren Library’s Slater Room, Khare mentioned the staggering volume of postal mail sent from sites around the world, the various types of messages communicated, and the postal procedures for dealing with 1,200 to 1,500 letters a day totaling over 10,000 letters. He spoke about the enormous volume of emails received — over 80,000 — and over 500 phone calls at all hours of the day and night. Other materials with other, more informational points of view, included two copies of the book “Federalist Papers, one copy of the book “Profiles in Courage,” and a DVD of the movie, “Manchurian Candidate.”

He explained, in detail, the procedures used to vote from the use of cards to record his vote (by his own hand) to the certification in Washington, D.C. Those attending the meeting Thursday evening learned that Pennsylvania is the only state in the union that still uses the original equipment and procedures in its electoral college as was used at the college’s beginning. To top-off the excitement of being involved in the presidential election as an Elector, Khare had the unique opportunity to cast the 270th vote, the vote that won the election for Donald J. Trump. (It is worth noting that all Electors are financially self-supported.)

Other Electors had similar experiences. The emotionally charged communications received by Khare and other Electors, and the intensity of this election process, compelled the Pennsylvania State Police to assign State Police personnel to the Electors in case protection was needed.

Khare, a national Indian immigrant who became an American citizen, described himself as a supportive worker, a man of his word, and one who works in the background. Khare rose from immigrant status to Elector in the Electoral College through diligence, effort, and his interest in political matters. His outgoing personality had something to do with that, too.