Next Week - January 20 - at the Edgewater: A departure from our "Theme of the Month" programming, to hear a special speaker. MICHELLE VETTERKIND will introduce Patty Wetterling. Her son Jacob was kidnaped at gun point in 1989, and although sought nationally, has never been found. She set up the Jacob Wetterling Foundation in his memory, to publicize child safety issues and has spoken to national audiences on this subject. She is a speaker at the Wisconsin Broadcasters convention, and has come to Madison a day early to speak to us.
President DICK POMO ate with the troops (commenting that the plus side was having lunch with MICHELLE and MELISSA NOVINSKI, but the downside was having lunch with GEORGE ALBRIGHT and TERRY SCHAR.) Your editor declines a cheap shot in reply, but the next time DICK needs his coffee cup filled he'd better keep a hand on the end of his tie. After lunch, DICK took his rightful place at the podium, and after a brief struggle for order, conducted the meeting as usual. The TaleTwister had warmed up the mike for him but that didn't help. If you heard the TT's jokes, you know why. Bring back BOB SMITH.
JIM SCHUTZ led a creditable version of "America", and MICHELLE VETTERKIND gave the invocation, an expanded version of "give me the strength to change the things that need to be changed, the serenity to accept the things that cannot be changed, and the wisdom to know the difference." There were no guests. JIM SCHUTZ took up the BOHN Challenge, with a Minnesota Vikings joke. Even for Packer fans, it was too bad to repeat here.
LINDA BERGREN had to announce the disaster that all Program Chairpersons dread - the scheduled speaker had gotten sick, and cancelled at the last minute. He is from Ancora Coffee, and promised to reschedule as soon as possible, with samples.
LINDA had some other good news for us, however. A "Lion Social" has been scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 29 at 5:00 PM, at the downtown Great Dane Pub, on E. Doty St. Having sampled their beer, we can now research the flavors in depth, and have a good time in the process. Lions and guests are welcome - bring a prospective member to see the lighter side of Lion membership.
BOB "Ringa Dingy" BOHN read a "Thank You" from the Salvation Army for our bell-ringers: DALE MUELLER, DALE ST. JOHN, PHIL STOWITTS, MARILYN STAUTER, CHUCK BASFORD, SCOTT GROVER, JOHN and Alice JENSON, WARREN RANDY, TERRY SCHARR, and BOB, himself. He ended with a ceremonial "Ho, Ho, Ho." BOB's battle with the list and his reading glasses led to a remark about bifocals from RICK GORDON that passed unnoticed by the TT.
IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT! -JIM SCHUTZ announced a real service opportunity. Through a contact with a Head Start nurse, we have scheduled vision screening sessions, to use our special camera, and volunteers are needed to do it. Dates and times: Jan. 20 and 22, 9-11:30 and 12-2:30; Jan. 28 and 29, 9-11:30; Feb. 2, 9:30 - 12:30. Five mornings and two afternoons. Screeners who have been trained to use our camera are urgently needed, but other Lions can help out with crowd management and gopher chores, and see how the system works at the same time. This one is right in our wheelhouse - an opportunity to directly participate in a crucial sight-saving project. Call JIM to volunteer. DO IT NOW!
CHUCK BASFORD reported that our team went to the Lions State Curling Bonspiel. There were 40 teams and 160 Lions participating. No scores were reported, but as GLENN HOLMES used to say, "everyone had fun, and nobody got hurt." JOHN JENSON had better news from the Lions State Bowling Tournament, held the same weekend. Apparently our team of JERRY HODDINOTT, SAL AL-ASHKAR, DON NEVIASER, JERRY MILLER and JOHN all bowled over their average, so they have hopes.
JIM SCHUTZ reported on the Regatta. We still have some money coming from the last one, four figures, hopefully. The format has changed, and club teams are back, in a one-day, one-park event, at Vilas Park on April 24, 2004. Help is still needed, and the planning starts now. Speaking of boats, CHUCK BASFORD raised the possibility of sponsoring a cruise as a fund-raiser. Sounds intriguing.
Monticello Lions are staging the First Annual Euchre Challenge on Feb. 11 at 7k PM. Four-person teams -if you are interested talk to JOHN JENSON.
DON NEVIASER delivers meals for Meals on Wheels, and they could use more help. 11:00 AM to noon, one day a week or more. Call 257-6716 to volunteer. For more info, ask DON.