Next week's speaker will be Greg Schnirring, Radio Director for Wisconsin Public Broadcasting, speaking on "The History and Future of Public Broadcasting." Most of us know that WHA lays claim to being "the oldest station in the nation", and we'll probably hear how that came about, and where WHA and WERN are going from here. MICHELLE VETTERKIND is the Program Host.
The TailTwister tested the microphone with a few jokes as usual. The mike was working, even if the jokes weren't. The TT still has some puzzles to hand out, but if anyone has been able to solve any of them, your editor is unaware of their success. Works for the TT, tho - he gets about 100% fines every week. One good thing about his performance - there were no "costume malfunctions."
We had a noticeably bigger group this week, which was a pleasure. It did lead, though, to about ten more starting pitches when LINDA BERGREN attempted to lead us in the singing of "America." This group couldn't follow her into a bar. But once we got going, it averaged out again, and louder, effectively covering those of us who sing the monotone part. ED NEESE gave a thoughtful and timely invocation - if ED wants to quit his day job, "Bishop" Bohn has a candidate for monsignor.
Guests introduced were Michael Nelipovich and Susan Dachelot, both from the Wis. Bureau for the Blind, by LuANN PAEPKE, and Lion RANDY HARRISON, Region Chairman, from the Sun Prairie Club. We had some familiar faces that we haven't seen every week - ART TAGGART, JODI BURMESTER, SAL AL-ASHKAR. Nice to have more around the tables. Now, if we can just get BILL, JIM, JERRY, PETE, CHARLIE and MANNY back, plus a few other "irregulars", we'll be in business. We miss you people.
President DICK POMO was back to preside, with one good story from his beach vacation. Seems he was disporting himself on the waves on some kind of surfboard when a rogue wave snuck up unobserved and smacked him in the face. Somewhere there's a shark with an extra set of teeth. Didn't stop DICK, tho - his bark has always been worse than his bite. DICK remarked that he wasn't going to show up, but his wife told him he was short, fat, bald, and blind, so who cared. He also warned area cows to lay low in the near future.
JOHN JENSON circulated a signup sheet for the District Convention, which will be at the Marriott West, in Middleton, on March 12 and 13. Hospitality rooms on Friday night, and business sessions and lunch on Saturday, starting about 8:30 AM. The International Director from Vermont will be the lunch speaker, and there will be meetings and voting in the afternoon. The Club will pay the registration and lunch for those attending, and it's a good opportunity for new members to get a broader picture of Lionism without having to go very far. The sheet will be around next week as well, so sign up. JOHN also noted that the Multiple District (State, in our case) Convention will be May 13, 14 and 15 at the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells. We will sponsor delegates to that one as well, and if you go you see an even bigger picture.
MARK LARSON reported that CNN is planning to visit Madison to film a segment on the Eye Bank. It will be on a Tuesday, so there is a remote possibility we might be in it. Everyone please wear shoes that day. Seriously, it will be wonderful publicity for our service work - it all helps us to do more for more people. In a similar vein, CHUCK BASFORD says that in March it is again our turn to furnish transport drivers for the Eye Bank. Area Lions made a number of trips last time. JIM KEMMETER and CHUCK will be the dispatchers - please help them out by putting your name on the volunteer driver list.
DAN STOUDT, Rose Day Co-Chairman, made the first announcement of our biggest fundraiser. We need to make a concerted effort to increase our sales this year, and product information will be forthcoming at the first March meeting. The sale is also an opportunity to showcase the Lions Club to the community.
We will have a diabetes screening, done by staff from Walgreens, and a program on Diabetes Awareness at our meeting on February 24. CHUCK BASFORD has made the arrangements and is Program Host that day.
LINDA BERGREN introduced our speaker, George Krug, of Ancora Coffee. This locally-owned business operates five coffeeshops in central and west Madison. They roast their own coffee, and offer a number of different varieties from all over the world. He brought along Guatemalan, Kenya and Celebese Kolosso for us to try, the first a medium-flavored coffee, the second with a wine or hint of fruit flavor and the third a softer, buttery flavored coffee. Ancora uses only arabica varieties, which are not as high in caffeine as others, and still offer different nuances of taste. Coffee is grown at 3500 - 7000 feet altitude. Lots of sipping going on, lots of questions. Their coffee is a little stronger than restaurant coffee-the difference is in the brewing. Important - use only fresh coffee. Don't keep it longer than 2 -3 weeks. Other tips: Use filtered water for much better coffee. Use a burr grinder rather than a blade cutter. The burr grinder does a more uniform job, and you don't get lots of fine powder in your coffee.