Our next meeting (on Oct. 17) will be a return visit from a popular speaker, Bob Lindmeier, Chief Meteorologist for Channel 27. His topic, of course, will be “Weather Around The Area” and JODI BURMESTER is the Program Host. We always have weather, and lately we’ve had a lot of different kinds, and Bob will have some insights on why, and what next, and also on the various warnings we get. Should be an interesting and informative session - this is one to which you should bring a prospective new member!

TaleTwister's Jackpot
$742

At our last meeting, the TT ran his usual raffle, PHIL INGWELL had the lucky ticket but drew some nondescript card, so the hunt goes on, and the pot gets richer. The TT auctioned off a wooden Lion (hand carved from acacia wood) which he got from Dr. Gil, and ended up the winner in his own auction. But it cost him plenty.

Pres. SAL opened the meeting, not without difficulty. Lions, please remember that the officers and working committee members are just trying to do their jobs when they speak to the group, and please give them the courtesy of listening attentively. And, please, once again, turn off the d— cell phones!!!

LINDA BERGREN led the song, and DR. TOM STEVENS gave the invocation. We had two guests from the Wisconsin Lions Eye Bank - Eric Meinecke, the Technical Director, and Susan Sabin, Quality Assurance Director. We’re hoping one or both will join us.

LINDA BERGREN kicked off the Holiday Cakes & Nuts sale, passing out order blanks for the various available products. She basically orders only what people request, so as not to have stock left over, so please get an order blank, complete it and get it to her ASAP , in person or by phone at 282-6316. Last year a communication failure left us up to our, er, neck, in malted milk balls, so please be precise about what you want. If she can get all the orders in the next couple weeks, delivery will be by mid-November so get moving. In addition to what’s on the blank, other product is available but must be ordered in case lots, so talk to LINDA if you want something special. And yes, there will be Benson’s fruit cakes again! MICHELLE LONERGAN will assist LINDA with this project. Item prices are $5.00-$9.00.

JODI BURMESTER announced that our program schedule is filled for the rest of 2006, and the Program Committee will meet at 11:30 on Nov. 21, before our regular meeting, to tackle the second half of the year. If you know of a good program, tell JODI, SAL, LINDA, JIM BRADLEY or MICHELLE VETTERKIND . She also announced a meeting of the Public Relations Committee for Oct. 17, also before the regular meeting. Both will be at the Edgewater bar, and Lions with ideas are always welcome. She passed out a report on the result of our raffle ticket sales. DON NEVIASER was the top salesman (135 tickets!!!) followed by Pres. SAL, JODI, JOHN JENSON, and ROSS ROYSTER. We made $1,028 for our Club’s Service Fund, and $1,028 for the work of WLF. 23 of our members sold tickets - good, but we can do better.

PP CHUCK BASFORD reported that we had our busiest month ever as transporters for the Eye Bank in September, with 31 missions completed (view the chart here). That’s more than 31 people with their sight restored (some transports involved multiple corneas), a near-miracle to those who receive it, and one of the pinnacles of our Lion service. Dispatcher JIM KEMMETER noted that a lot of different Lions participated, some at very inconvenient times. CHUCK also noted that curling starts this month, and he’s always looking for more curlers. PHIL STOWITTS has only 5 Bucky Books left. This year we make 100% profit — let’s use ‘em up.

Our Club Social and Awards Night will be Tues, Oct. 24, starting at 5:30 at the Edgewater, in the Rigadoon Room. Plenty of food to make a supper of, and bring your spouse, significant other and/or prospective new member. We get a chance to socialize, celebrate 3 months’ worth of Lion Birthdays, hand out a few awards, maybe watch the sunset and generally have a good time. LINDA BERGREN is in charge — call her if you need more information.

JODI BURMESTER introduced Lion Gil De Venecia, retired ophthalmologist at UW, who told us about the history of the Wis. Lions Eye Bank, of which he was the first Director, in 1969. Our Club has supported their work in research and sight restoration from the beginning. He also told us about the free eye clinic in the Phillippines, which grew out of the trips he made to perform surgery since1983. In that time our District has furnished $194,000 USD to aid this project, and Dr. Gil now spends six months at a time working there, with the aid of other volunteers. In one 6-mo. stretch, they saw 5250 outpatients, did 1061 cataract and 326 other surgeries. In the 28 years he has been going, 20,361 surgeries have been done, almost all for free, and supported by Wisconsin Lions in District 27D-1. This is what we do!