SAL AL-ASHKAR is the Program Host next week, and he will introduce UW Women's golf coach Todd Oehrlein. Golf is a sport that frustrates at least as many people as it obsesses, but if you watch it on the tube it looks easy. We expect to hear about the sport in general and a little-publicized program at the UW in particular. Maybe even a few tips on your swing thrown in.

Before the meeting formally began, DAN STOUDT was up, reminding us to estimate our rose sales and to keep selling. He also noted a need for a few "routers" on Saturday, April 23 at 1:30 at the Stark Co. West Office, Old Sauk and High Point Roads. We will use their lower level training room to lay out our delivery routes. He was followed by TailTwister JERRY MILLER, who began the promised raffle of two bottles of spirits, each with an accompanying mix, and a Crazylegs Run cap.

President LINDA opened the meeting with OTTO FESTGE leading the song and "Bishop BOB" BOHN giving the invocation. BOB needs some more invocators, and he threatened to keep lengthening his invocations if he had to do them all himself. Good as he is, we don't want that, so let him know that you will help with an invocation a time or three. LINDA began the meeting with an "announcement" and before she got very far into her presentation your editor knew he could stop taking notes on this one. She presented an International President's Certificate of Appreciation to a surprised editor, with comments about his 46 years of service as a member of Madison Central. Those years have given me a lot of satisfaction and pleasure from taking a part in our Lions service, and I am very grateful to those who proposed me for this honor.

We had two guests - CHRIS WILZ brought his associate, Paul Raab, new to Madison with M&I Bank; and DON NEVIASER brought Michelle Lonergan from Oak Bank. Obviously, people who would bring assets to our Club - we need more like that. Sort through your list of friends and acquaintances for those who would enjoy being part of our Lions service and fellowship.

Then DAN STOUDT was back, emphasizing the need to keep selling our roses and carnations. This is our major fundraiser, and we need as many as possible to take part. Rose Day is less than three weeks away - Monday, April 25. Keep looking for more customers - we have a guaranteed product and we do good things with the money!

JERRY MILLER finished off his raffle, with CRAIG BUTLER, MELISSA ABBOTT and TOM STEVENS as the lucky winners.

JOHN JENSON reported on the State Bowling Tournament. We had two squads, and we think we heard JOHN say they knocked down over 14,000 pins, a record for our Club. We will not spend the prize money just yet, however. Our valiant keglers were: STEVE BRIGGS, DALE MUELLER, PHIL INGWELL, SAL AL-ASHKAR, JOHN JENSON, JERRY MILLER, CHRIS WILZ, DON NEVIASER, MELISSA ABBOT and perennial super-sub DENNIS URECHE, borrowed from the McFarland Club.

MICHELLE VETTERKIND reported some e-mailed news from Lion RICH MATZELLE. He has been in Denver for several weeks, visiting his medical professional son, who was critically ill with something he caught from a patient he was caring for in the ICU. We understand that RICH's son is recovering, but hopefully we will have more info soon. We send our collective best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Our first speaker was BRENT PAHNKE, who is the incoming President of Waunakee Lions as well as a board member of Madison Area Crime Stoppers, Inc. From him we learned that Crime Stoppers is an independent non-profit organization, affiliated with other Crime Stoppers nationally, whose function is to provide "cash for clues." They provide cash rewards for tips that result in closed cases, and the tipster is assured total anonymity. (Thanks, spellchecker.) Crime Stoppers raises the money for rewards, and provides a telephone tip line for informants to call. Callers get an ID number from the system, and if the case is solved with their help, are directed to a bank where the cash reward is paid without any ID other than the number. Madison PD provides Officer Cindy Buechner to staff the phone line and take the information, and she told us more about how they get and use the information. Last year they solved 88 cases at a budget cost of $16,000, and over time they have solved 2700 cases, recovered $1.4 million in stolen property and confiscated $4.1 million worth of drugs. Total rewards paid out were $190,000, averaging $100 per case. They actually serve all of Dane County, and need more volunteers - call 267-1984 (not the tip line!) Very informative program about a valuable non-govt., non-profit service program.