JIM BRADLEY is the Program Host for next week, May 11, and he will introduce Chuck Possin, President of Meriter Retirement Services. Chuck will be telling us about the new Meriter Main Gate, a senior residential facility on W. Main Street in Downtown Madison. and the special features it will offer to residents. The numbers of retired people get bigger every year, and so more choices are becoming available. We'll all need them at some point, so come and hear what's out there. (For your parents and friends, if not for you. Yet.)
The TT opened his warmup gig with a tax joke, one of his better ones, which actually got a chuckle from the audience. But then he went back to picking on JERRY MILLER for some mixup of an award at the last bowling tournament. JERRY said someone stole his award from the box before he got it. The TT then moved on to fine MARK LARSON for "advertising." You should have seen MARK'S picture in the last Lions International magazine, no less. TT should have fined him for not figuring a way to get our club name in the caption, but at least MARK's work in eye banking got international notice, as it should! LINDA BERGREN presided, on short notice, and OTTO FESTGE led the song. Good direction, but we miss ORV. DON NEVIASER gave the invocation. No guests.
HAL OTTERBACK has announced his retirement as Bulletin Editor, and when that was reported at the meeting he got two well deserved rounds of applause. He has been Editor for 17 years - probably a better record than the so-called professionals in this town. He retains the title of Publisher, however, and his work in that area got our Club bulk-mailing privileges that have saved us hundreds of dollars in mail cost through the years. Now he will have more time to work on his golf game, which he seems to have found again.
"SPARKY" WATTS gave a report on the Regatta. It went well. Workers included JIM KEMMETER, STEVE BRIGGS, LINDA BERGREN, JIM SCHUTZ and Admiral of the Fleet CRAIG BUTLER. RICK DALUGE from the West Club and 20 of their Leo Club members also put in much time and effort. Apparently food and concessions sold well, and our Club has money coming from the hard work our Lions put in.
OTTO FESTGE reported that our favorite accompanist, ORV SHETNEY, is still in Meriter Hospital but is making progress in recovery from his stroke. Like most people in that situation, the therapists are working him hard, but in between sessions he'd welcome visitors. He's in Room 378 North (we think.) (Editor's tip - you might try visiting near meal times. The therapists have to take breaks to eat.) At least give him a call.
MELISSA NOVINSKI gave a detailed report on Rose Day. We sold more units and had more participants than last year, and the gross profits are up by $500! Leading salespersons: ART TAGGART with $2436 and ROSS ROYSTER, $2390, followed by CRAIG BUTLER, DON NEVIASER, DAN STOUDT, DAWN JOHANKNECHT, MELISSA NOVINSKI, DAVE MIES, STEVE BRIGGS, RICK GORDON and JIM BRADLEY!
Others who sold and weren't in last week's BULLetin: MELISSA ABBOTT, GEORGE ALBRIGHT, CHUCK BASFORD, BOB BOHN, THAYER BURNHAM, OTTO FESTGE, LOUISE FRITZ, JERRY HODDINOTT, PHIL INGWELL, JOHN JENSON, JIM KEMMETER, MARK LARSON, CHARLIE LIBERTY, GREG MILLER, JERRY MILLER, SHARON MOLL-BRENNAN, LUANN PAEPKE, DICK POMO, WARREN RANDY, TERRY SCHAR, JIM SCHUTZ, TOM STEVENS, MICHELLE VETTERKIND, and ALEX WONG. STEVE BRIGGS noted that he got a late report of bad roses last year, so he sent the purchaser a free replacement this year. The customer responded with a $30 donation, all profit! MELISSA says you have 30 days to pay for the flowers you sold, and then she sends someone after you.
THAYER BURNHAM reports a RANDY JABLONIC sighting here in Madison recently. JABO said he'd be back soon, and would try to make it on a Tuesday so he could visit us. We'd like to see him.
LUANN PAEPKE directed our Lion Birthday party. Celebrants, and their years of service: TERRY SCHAR, 45; BOB BOHN, 35; DAN STOUDT, 33; STEVE BRIGGS, 23; PHIL STOWITS,17; JERRY MILLER, 15; DICK WATTS and MARILYN STAUTER, 9; DAVE MIES, 8; MARK LARSON, 6; MARGARET KELM, 5; and TOM STEVENS, 1. That's a total of 206 years of Lion Service!
LINDA BERGREN was the program, and she gave a quick overview of the Club's organization and operation. Board of Directors has the Prez, 1st and 2nd VPs, Sec., Treas., TailTwister, Membership Director, 4 Directors and the Past President. They make the policy decisions that the officers and committees carry out.