Next meeting — Tuesday, March 6 — Past President DICK POMO will be the speaker, and most of his subject will be “Living With Blindness.” It will also be his Farewell Address, because he’s tired of shoveling snow when he could be playing golf, and so he’'s moving to Arizona. Just don’'t sit on a cactus by mistake, DICK! After this past weekend, a lot of people will want your new address.

TaleTwister's Jackpot
$1,013

AAt our last meeting, Pres. SAL opened the meeting, OTTO FESTGE directed the song (with both hands!) and SCOTT GROVER gave the invocation. The TailTwister was absent, so we got off cheap, but won no prizes. No one seemed to mind. We had two guests — JIM SCHUTZ introduced Jim Byrd, from Midwest Asset Management, and MELISSA ABBOTT introduced a colleague from Grant Thornton, Jill Bosin.

JODI BURMESTER passed around a signup sheet for us to volunteer to work the phone bank for Wisconsin Public Broadcasting, on either Mon. March 5 or Thur. March 15. Hours are from 6:45 to 10:45, and they’ll train you. Those who’ve done it say it’s fun, but if you want to help call JODI quick.

It was reported that Past Pres. JERRY HODDINOTT (who will be known as “Hopalong HODDINOTT” for a while) is recuperating at home following hip resurfacing surgery. Doing OK after some minor difficulties. He too must have gotten tired of shoveling snow, but he’s looking at several weeks on crutches. Give him a call — 274-5628.

LINDA BERGREN managed to unload a few more of the remaining items from our Holiday Cake sale, and said the rest of them were going to a food pantry. Good job, LINDA!! She has kept that fund raiser going pretty much singlehandedly.

Treasurer MELISSA ABBOTT would like to send as many members’ bills as possible via internet—much less handling and will save some postage. She is working out the details, one of which is to have current e-mail addresses for those who will do it this way. Please, if you can, participate, and send her an e-mail: maabbott@charter.net giving her your e-mail address.

The Wisconsin Lions Eye Bank is having its 1st Annual Gift of Sight, Gift of Life Luncheon at the Marriot Madison West, Thurs. Mar.22. Bret Bielema is the speaker. Cost is $100/person or $1000/table of 10. Lions members get a 50% discount. Registration, 11 AM, Lunch noon-1:30. See SANDY SOBECK LESLIE.

There was an item in the State Journal a week or so ago about the CC Riders Motorcycle Club, and it mentioned that they supported Lions Camp and Lioness activities. Pres. SAL followed that up, and found that they raffle off a Harley every year, with proceeds going to specific projects at the Camp or being done by Lionesses. About 100 of them go on a ride to visit the Camp each July, and the kids must get a charge out of all those cycles roaring in, leather jackets and all. Their first raffle was in 1995, and raised over $3,000. Last year they raised over $27,000 for the Health Lodge. Total through the years is about $157,000, a tremendous record of support for Lions and the people we help. Who would have thought? Next time you see a CC Riders jacket, wave and smile. Besides, the rider might be a Madison police officer.

Pres SAL asked our four newest members, JAN CICHOCKI, SANDY LESLIE, WENDY WRIGHT and SUSAN SABIN, to serve as Greeters for the next four meetings. Be sure to introduce yourselves when you come in, and meet these great new members!

We had two speakers from the American Transmission Company, Mark Williamson and Sarah Justice, introduced by JODI BURMESTER. (Just so happens, her husband Dale works there.) They told us about how the power to keep the lights on and the furnace running gets to us, and why we need more of it, starting with the fact that three of the five fastest growing municipalities in Wisconsin are in Dane County. And almost all of Dane County’s power is imported, because the few generators here are largely gas-fired, which is the most expensive source. There are only two lines into Dane County, with the Rockdale-West Middleton one being the most important. From 1980 to 2000, population in Dane county grew 152%, number of homes, 276% and electricity use 1,379%. Electricity, like water, is best supplied through a loop, so that any given segment can receive supply from two directions. New power lines take 3 years to plan and propose, 1 ½ years of PSC study, and1 to 3 years to build, so it takes 5 to 7 years to get one up and running from the time it is first considered. The present system does not easily import the cheaper power generated in adjoining states — Wisconsin has a lot of natural gas generators, and they are the most expensive source, six times as costly as coal or water. High tech devices require reliable power — most of us know what happens to our computers when the lights go out.