The Taylorville Kiwanis Club heard about the Pilgrims and Thanksgiving, during their weekly luncheon Tuesday.  

Kiwanis member Randal J. “Randy” Miller was the program chair, and talked about he and his wife’s trip last month to Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  Miller shared photos from the trip to Provincetown where the Mayflower Pilgrims first landed; Plymouth Rock where they sailed to 4 months later; their relationship with the Native Americans who had previously settled there thousands of years before; and how those Native Americans perceive the holiday of Thanksgiving today.

Miller talked about the Pilgrims' first encounter with the Native American leader.

Miller added the Pilgrims, who were almost starving, ate the food the Native Americans has stored away.

Miller added that in and around Hyannis, the Kennedy legacy is very prevalent.   Joseph and Rose Kennedy, the parents of President John Kennedy, and Senators Bobby and Edward Kennedy, had their home there since the 1920’s, along Cape Cod south of Hyannis.  President John F. Kennedy used that compound as the summer White House during his presidency, and Edward later lived in the house until his death in 2009.  Edward’s Foundation has given the compound to the National Park Service, which plans to open it for tours.

Miller said the 3 main drivers of the economy in the Cape Cod area are tourism, sailboating, and continuing to preserve the Kennedy legacy. 

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.  Weekly meetings are held Tuesdays at noon at the Taylorville Memorial Hospital auditorium.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.