Our next meeting will be Tuesday, July 3, the first in our new Lion year. Dr. TOM STEVENS is the Program Host, and he will introduce Dr. Chandra, who will tell us about a project to combat blindness in Kenya. This is Lion service, and we will hear how we are helping people we have never met. We probably will never see them, but if we should meet them, they will see us. Think about that one for a minute.

TaleTwister's Jackpot
$1,334
Won by Thayer Burnham!

At our last meeting, outgoing Pres. SAL AL-ASHKAR opened the meeting. We had no song leader, and no singers either. (Memo to Membership Director - recruit some voices!) We did get through the Pledge OK, and SAL gave the invocation as well. Wisconsin Lions Foundation Director GLENN HAUGE was on hand, and he presented a plaque in recognition of our Club’s donation to WLF, which goes primarily to operate Lions Camp. He also read a letter of thanks for our Club’s pledge to the Lions Pride campaign, which is raising money for an endowment fund which will insure operation of the Camp into the foreseeable future. Lions Camp is the “crown jewel” of our District’s service, and if you haven’t seen it in the past couple of years you need to visit and see the improvements. JERRY RABBACH from the Wisconsin Lions Eye Bank also spoke briefly, thanking our Club for supporting their Golf Outing. We combined ours with theirs, and made a $125 donation as a hole sponsor. No word on how our members scored.

Region Chairperson JODI BURMESTER announced the start of ticket sales for the Sports Raffle For Kids. Operated by WLF, it supports the Camp and other District projects, and the proceeds on tickets we sell are divided equally between our Club and the WLF. The Foundation secures the prizes, and there is an impressive list, headed by a Yamaha ATV, a 1-year truck lease, 2 NASCAR tickets, a pair of Packers tickets, a couple of $50 US Savings Bonds, 4 Badger Basketball Tickets and parking, and several rounds of golf. Tickets are $5.00 each, or five for $20.00. See JODI for tickets and a Prize List.

Treasurer MELISSA ABBOTT noted that our Club had made a $1000 donation from our operating funds to our Club Foundation for service work. She also asked that everyone get their dues in promptly, to keep our Club bookkeeping records current. CHUCK BASFORD announced that he is transferring to the McFarland Lions Club, where he lives and has his business. Hopefully he will still be able to find his way to the Edgewater - he could use DENNIS URECHE as a guide if necessary. STEVE BRIGGS brought his gift from the last Lion Birthday, and CRAIG BUTLER was the recipient.

Outgoing Pres. SAL AL-ASHKAR gave a brief farewell speech, noting that his goals of bringing in new members and balancing the Club budgets had been met. He thanked the Club members for their support, specifically PID PHIL INGWELL, JOHN JENSON and JODI BURMESTER for their advice on club operation, Sight Conservation Chrmn. SCOTT GROVER, Community Service Chrmn. STEVE BRIGGS, and LOUISE FRITZ for her work on the Diabetes Awareness Committee, one of SAL’s favorite projects. The Club has made good progress this past year under SAL’s quiet and effective leadership, we found out he has a sneaky sense of humor, and we thank him for a very good year.

We had a very ceremonial day. PID PHIL INGWELL led off with the installation of the new officer team, using effective analogies to a football team as a way to success. Starting with the TailTwister, whose job includes the positive promotion of good humor, harmony and fellowship (Oh. So that’s what it is.) he presented the Directors, VPs, Secretary and Treasurer with brief job descriptions, and then inducted new President DON NEVIASER (who was wearing a suit in honor of the occasion!). DON took the gavel and the podium, and as his first official act promptly recalled PID PHIL to induct new member THEMIS FLORES RAMOS, whom DON has sponsored. The best possible start to a new Lion year - originally from Puerto Rico, where her uncle was a Lion District Governor, THEMIS lives at 2021 Rae Lane, Madison 53711, phone 230-6882, e-mail address Flores_ThemisE@hotmail.com and is a Chronic Disease Consultant for the Wis. Division of Public Health. Welcome, THEMIS!

Sec. JOHN JENSON then took the podium, awarding Membership Keys to DON NEVIASER and CHUCK BASFORD, recognizing their sponsorship of new members. He then presented the Past President’s Certificate and pin to SAL AL-ASHKAR in recognition of his service as President. Pres. DON then got the gavel back long enough to close the meeting.

IT’S OVER!! TailTwister ROSS ROYSTER finished off his multi-year raffle with the prize pot standing at $1,334.00 , and THAYER BURNHAM drew the winner! He got half, and the Club got the other half. JIM KEMMETER, after raising more objections over the past few months than Perry Mason, actually bought a ticket to celebrate the end of the affair, but didn’t win. Justice was probably served in this instance. Good job, ROSS!

The Stoughton Lions Club will host the annual New District Governor’s Golf Outing on Tuesday, Aug. 14. Golf $30 for 18 holes and carts $35 for 18 holes, 9 hole and shared cart rates available. Plus tax. Dinner, sirloin and chicken, $17.00, tax and tip included. Reserve your golf directly with the Stoughton Country Club Pro Shop by calling 608-873-8464. Dinner reservations should be made through our Club Secretary, JOHN JENSON, no later than Aug. 10.