Prizes! Gifts! Whatever you call them, there'll be some at the next meeting, because Lion Birthdays for April and May will be celebrated, in recognition of their years of service. Tradition says that each Lion celebrating a birthday brings a small $2-$4 gift, which is then raffled off by the TT. Those who have birthdays will get a card. Program will be a presentation by Club officers (Presidents and Past Presidents, VPs) on what their position entails and how they do it. What you'll get is a blueprint of how our Club goes about giving service to our community. You'll find out who's in charge of the area in which you are interested, and how to put your energy and ideas into action. As the guy on TV says, "now y'know!"
Last week the TT got no respect whatever, and your editor, seated at the back table, was unable to make out what he was saying. The Tail Twister has the toughest job in the club, and it wouldn't hurt to give him a little attention. It has been said that the TT and the BULLetin Editor are natural enemies, but it ain't so - we're both just trying to stir things up a little. The only contest is to see who gets the last word. Lighten up!
When President DICK got the meeting started, OTTO FESTGE plunged right into the song, before CRAIG BUTLER could find middle "C" on the piano. It turned out all right. ROSS ROYSTER gave one of the shortest invocations on record, but appropriate. There were no guests. OTTO FESTGE reported that ORV SHETNEY is in Meriter Hospital. ORV battled through having his pacemaker repaired, but then suffered a stroke. ORV is in our thoughts and prayers.
CHUCK BASFORD announced another upcoming Chamber of Commerce "Business Card Shuffle." It's at the United Way Building. on Atwood Ave., Wed. May 5 from 4:30 - 6:30. This is an opportunity to meet people, see and be seen, and recruit potential new Lion members. CHUCK also said that Habitat For Humanity has plans to build some new homes on the Madison-McFarland city limit boundary. McFarland Lions will be working there, and we could join them.
DAN STOUDT gave a further report on Rose Day. We did pretty well. 78% of our active membership participated, there were 9 new sellers this year. In 2002, we had 37 participants, in 2003, 36, this year, 43. Good trend. DAN and MELISSA NOVINSKI led by example all day, and your editor saw or heard about ED NEESE, SAL AL-ASHKAR, HAL OTTERBACK, DALE ST. JOHN, AL GOLDSTEIN, MARILYN STAUTER, DON NEVIASER, WALT PRIDHAM, JODI BURMESTER, GLENN SCHAEFER, DAWN JOHANKNECHT, ROSS ROYSTER, CRAIG BUTLER, and LINDA BERGREN. Obviously, there were lots of others, and the Committee will give us a full list next week.
PHIL INGWELL handed the Editor a copy of the newsletter from Oct. 21, 1983. One of the tersest on record, it noted that PHIL was a candidate for District Governor that year (the start of something big!) and also announced an upcoming "Stag Night" at Cherokee Golf Club. That's one tradition we did well to abandon. HAL OTTERBACK spoke to that point when he said that there is a Lions Club south of Madison that still doesn't have any women members and remarked on how much they were missing. I don't think they still meet in caves and draw animals on the walls, but they certainly are denying themselves some of the best talent available. We prove that every week in Madison Central. When HAL finished, MARILYN STAUTER promised him "no fines" for all of next year.
The election results were announced: President, LINDA BERGREN; 1ST VP MARK LARSON; 2ND VP CHUCK BASFORD; Sec. JOHN JENSON; Treasurer. ART TAGGART; TailTwister MARILYN STAUTER; Membership Director ROSS ROYSTER; Directors MELISSA ABBOTT and PHIL STOWITTS. Holdover Directors are ALEX WONG and DON NEVIASER, and DICK POMO moves to Past President.
SHARON MOLL-BRENNAN introduced our speaker, Mary Dowling, of Sharing Resources Worldwide. "Sharing" is an all-volunteer organization that specializes in reclaiming used or unneeded medical equipment and supplies for use in third world countries. Mary is a RN, and has been on numerous medical missions, on which she has seen first-hand the enormous needs in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Africa and parts of Asia. Her last mission was to Nicaragua, during which they dispensed 500 pairs of used eyeglasses (from Lion stock) in five days. She noted that a pair of donated eyeglasses helps an individual, their family, and their community. Her organization has a Lion on its Board, and the Wisconsin Lions Foundation Eyeglass Recycling program is essential to their vision missions. They also do medical and surgical missions and last year sent 193 tons of supplies valued at $2 million to areas in need. They are able to send out $58 worth of equipment and supplies for every dollar donated. Great group to partner with.