Our speaker for the next meeting will be former Wisconsin Governor Anthony Earl. MICHELLE VETTERKIND will introduce him, and while his subject has not been announced, his experience as legislator, DNR Secretary, Governor and lobbyist offers any number of possibilities. Sure to be interesting.
At the last meeting the TT started out with a joke, supposedly. We could mostly hear him, but no one at our table understood. We think he had the body of one joke and the punch line from another. He collected anyway. The versatile LINDA BERGREN directed the song, and, with a quick change of hats, DALE MUELLER offered an appropriate invocation. Probably would be a better cleric than stand-up comedian.
President DICK apparently has been playing golf again. He said the latest Blind Golfer Tournament he was in gave each golfer one ball to hit, and the first one to find his won. He didn't say how well he did. This was golf week, anyway - HAL OTTERBACK admits to being rain-soaked on the course yesterday. Proving, once again, how hard he is to discourage. Come to think about it, there are similarities between playing in a blind golf tournament and being BULLetin Editor. You can't tell how well you're doing, you suspect no one is keeping score, and you can be a public menace with a stray shot, in print or with golf ball.
MARK LARSON reminded us that this is Stroke Awareness Week. He has an intense personal interest in the subject, based on his own experience a few weeks back. Know the signs, and call for help immediately if you experience any of the signals - weakness or loss of sensation, particularly in one side of the body, severe sudden headache, speech difficulty, confusion, dizziness, or sudden visual impairment. As MARK proves, quick response can lead to full recovery. Followed, often, by some rather drastic lifestyle changes.
President DICK noted that there will be a Board of Directors meeting next Tuesday evening, May 18. At the campus Howard Johnson's, apparently. Seems we have an "inn" there.
BOB BOHN relayed a message from OTTO FESTGE. Our piano man, ORV SHETNEY, has graduated from the hospital to Oakwood West, where the therapists will continue to work on him. Exact location not established, but call the Oakwood office and go see him.
SHARON MOLL-BRENNAN is planning to participate in a really major bike ride - from Seattle to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Almost 4000 miles! Called the Five Points of Life Ride, it is sponsored by LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, to raise national awareness of the need for lifesaving tissue, blood and organ donations. SHARON rode a Wisconsin segment a couple years ago, and this year she is one of a team of 15 riders, 12 from the US and 3 from South Africa-she's the only one from Wisconsin. She needs financial help in this mind-boggling effort - the riders each raise $5000 to offset the cost and provide informational materials. She's a regular blood donor herself, but they've cut her off now until the ride is over - she's going to need all she's got. And she'd welcome tax-deductible donations from any of us or our friends to help support her. Checks to LifeSouth Blood Centers, memo "5 Points of Life Ride/for SHARON BRENNAN."
More Rose Day workers - those who helped with delivery and were not previously listed: GEORGE ALBRIGHT, CHUCK BASFORD, JIM BRADLEY, STEVE BRIGGS, THAYER BURNHAM, OTTO FESTGE, LOUISE FRITZ, RICK GORDON, JERRY HODDINOTT, PHIL INGWELL, DAWN JOHANKNECHT, MARK LARSON, CHARLIE and Trish LIBERTY, DAVE MIES, JERRY MILLER, SHARON MOLL-BRENNAN, Sharon Pomo, TERRY SCHAR, JIM SCHUTZ, Bernie Stoudt, ART and Laura TAGGART and MICHELLE VETTERKIND. Delivery is just as vital as sales, and we had a big crew who did a great job!
Our Board of Directors recently approved donations of $3,000 to the Wisconsin Lions Foundation and $200 to Leader Dog. Our hard-earned money at work, helping others in need. Give yourself a nod of approval! July 18 is Lions Day at Lions Camp, and you should go. Especially if you haven't seen it.
JIM BRADLEY introduced our speaker, Chuck Possin of Meriter Retirement Services, who told us what a look around the room proved - there are more senior citizens than ever, and a lot more coming. Meriter is answering the need with 225 independent living apartments., 44 assisted living apartments and 120 nursing home beds. Newer projects, like Main Gate, are larger and have more amenities than the first ones, responding to market needs. Fed programs underpay, as usual. There are three continuing care retirement communities in Madison - Attic Angels, Oakwood, Meriter. Far more info than space. You should have been there.