At our next meeting, March 23, JODI BURMESTER will be the Program Host, and she will introduce Paul Blum, TV reporter on WMTV, Channel 15. If you watch 15, you have seen his recent reports from Iraq, and we will have a chance to hear in person from someone who has just been there and can tell us about it. Should be extremely interesting.
Our last meeting began with a flourish, as ORV SHETNEY returned to save us from dissonance, and JIM SCHUTZ took over the choir director's chores for the day. We were glad to have ORV back for more than one reason. MICHELLE VETTERKIND read a poem about volunteers for the invocation, and President DICK POMO presided.
Due partly to the interim editor's age (older than dirt) and partly to the Secretary's habit of reporting only first names, the BULLetin had some errors in the list of bowlers at the recent tournament. Turns out it was DALE MUELLER and JERRY MILLER who bowled, not ST. JOHN and HODDINOTT. (They could have, but not this time.) JERRY MILLER must have a target on his back, because he's getting picked on a lot, lately. Partly for that reason, no reference to bowling scores here. JERRY did "win" some sort of mystery prize from the Lion Birthday celebration. With luck, we will never know what it was. He also won, though, a real gift from celebrant LINDA BERGREN (8 yrs.). MARILYN STAUTER won JIM (27 yrs) BRADLEY's gift, WALT PRIDHAM got the one from SAM (47 yrs) SANFILLIPPO, and PHIL STOWITTS got one from a donor unidentified in all the hubbub. Other noted anniversaries: SHARON (3 yrs) MOLL-BRENNAN, ROSS ROYSTER (23 YRS); JIM RUNDELL (42 yrs.), DAWN JOHANKNECHT (8 yrs).
Our Club was well represented at the District Convention by President DICK POMO, Sec. JOHN JENSON, CHUCK BASFORD, SCOTT GROVER, GLEN SCHAEFFER, TERRY SCHAR, SHARON MOLL-BRENNAN, MARK LARSON, JERRY MILLER, DALE MUELLER, MICHELLE VETTERKIND, JODI BURMESTER, LINDA BERGREN and DON NEVIASER. There are some good pictures taken by CHUCK posted on his "photo album" web page. Our Club got an award from WLF for our support, which JOHN presented to CRAIG BUTLER, because it took place on his watch.
The TailTwister has some things going. He's selling raffle tickets for the Zoo Benefit, with proceeds to the Zoo. BUT, he will match each dollar of raffle ticket purchase, and his money will go to the TT fund. Also, we are an international organization. The Editor will wear a pin from a different area each week, and the TT may fine you if you don't know what area it is. There are about 190 of them.
DAN STOUDT reminded us that the order forms, posters, flyers and sale list forms for Rose Day are on hand and ready to go. We need to put them to use. Our order goes in to Felly's in two weeks, so we've got to get going. DAN, JIM SCHUTZ and CRAIG BUTLER shared some selling strategies, and reminded us also that this project is a good lead-in to talking to people about Lion membership. If they are willing to support us by purchase, maybe they'd like to be a part of the action. Talk about it.
JIM SCHUTZ presented a check to the Club from the Regatta for $3,600! Our efforts paid off in a great fund-raising success. And some of us got to play with boats, too.
MICHELLE VETTERKIND introduced the speaker, Mary Feingold, wife of US Senator Russ. They've been friends since they worked together (MICHELLE took Mary's old job) and we heard about life as a Senator's spouse. Interesting, obviously, but the Feingolds didn't go for the D.C. scene - they still live here, and the Senator commutes. An hour and a half by air from Milwaukee. Mary said, first of all, she didn't have her own Secret Service men. But she did enjoy being invited to the White House for state dinners and other functions. Living here and working in D.C. gives them the best of both worlds, and leaving a kid's hockey game in Middleton to go to Angola is the sort of memorable moment that she's had. She was at a state dinner for the president of Kenya this year, which was impressive - she says the White House staff is marvelous, and everything done there is absolutely first class. She herself is a free-lance writer, working out of a Madison office, and she says that people in Wisconsin are nice - the Feingolds don't get accosted about political matters much when they're out in the community, and those who do are usually friendly and considerate. She said many of the congresspersons who live east of the Mississippi live in their districts and commute - those from farther west who have longer trips tend to establish Washington residences. Mary's a good speaker, and we saw some vignettes of life in the nation's capital that we don't usually get.