Our speaker on Tue., Nov. 20 will be William DeCarlo, from the Alliant Energy Center. Presumably, we will hear about all the things that are happening at the Center - there are all kinds of public events. SAL AL-ASHKAR is the Program Chairman.

Lion OTTO FESTGE passed away recently, following a stroke. OTTO was a long-time Lion, attending as frequently as his schedule/health would allow, and our most-practiced song leader. In your editor’s opinion, he was the last mayor of Madison who knew everything that was going on. He lived the Lion motto in his own way, spending almost all his life in public service, and as my son said “politicians whom everyone likes are a rare breed, possibly now extinct.” OTTO was unfailingly pleasant and cheerful, and his pragmatic “we have a problem, we can agree on that, now let’s work together and find a solution” was a vastly superior approach to the constant quarreling we see now. He will be fondly remembered, and missed, by the entire Madison community and especially by us. MCLC was represented at OTTO's funeral by LINDA BERGREN, SCOTT GROVER, and former member CHUCK BASFORD.

At our last meeting, LINDA BERGREN led the song, after finally gaining everyone’s attention, and DALE MUELLER gave the invocation. Zone Chairman RICK DALUGE was present, and brought us the thanks from the Wisconsin Lions Foundation for our Club’s support of WLF. Past Pres. SAL AL-ASHKAR got a pin, and we got a patch for our Club banner.

LINDA also announced that the Holiday Treat Sale goodies have arrived. Please pick them up from her as soon as possible, particularly at the next meeting. She has them all spread out and ready, but it is a huge job to handle all that stuff, so please get your orders ASAP. Because we must buy in case lots, there is some excess product available - ask LINDA for particulars. Last year she was selling the surplus wherever she went - we have to keep her out of all those bars, so please help out by taking and selling, consuming or giving as gifts the available surplus items. PHIL STOWITTS is down to his last 5 Bucky Books, so take the opportunity to save money on food and golf all over Wisconsin, and buy one.

JIM KEMMETER, the recipient of our first Knight of Sight award for his work with the Eye Bank transporters, noted that he was working from a database set up by CHUCK BASFORD and SCOTT GROVER, which made the whole project much more doable.

We still need more workers for the Kohl Center concession stand. This is now one of our major fund raisers, and the more spots we fill from our Club, the more we make. Check the Club web site for open spots, or see SCOTT GROVER or JOHN JENSON.

Program Chairman SAL AL-ASHKAR introduced our two VPs, JODI BURMESTER and SANDY SOBEK LESLIE, who reported on a broad study of our service projects and fundraisers. Remember our Lion motto “We Serve” - it takes both money and people to do what we have done. Our income has dropped 25% in the last year, and our ability to fund our service projects is obviously reduced.

We presently have 8 Service Projects, 2 of which actually support another organization’s service (WHA TV and Salvation Army). 5 others are directly related to vision, our primary mission, and the 6th, Diabetes Awareness, includes sight preservation in its broad benefits. The recommendation is to keep all the present programs, try to expand the Eyeglass/Hearing Aid Collection, and possibly add a “Celebration of Service” dinner in the Fall. Not covered in the report is our financial support of service on a State, National and International level by our donations of substantial sums to LCIF and WLF. We are part of the worldwide Lions effort to fight blindness and rescue disaster victims, and since we can’t all go to the places where help is needed, we have these organizations who do, and that takes money.

We currently have passive fundraisers by Gum Balls and Ink Cartridge recycling, and these are to continue. We have 5 programs that involve sales, and the recommendation is to keep only our annual Rose Sale, which is the largest, and the Camp Randall/Kohl Center. Trend in fundraising today is to events, like “Walks For”, car shows, card tournaments, etc. which bring public participation without requiring direct sales. We hope to have a “Walk For Sight”, possibly combined with a Health Fair and/or Diabetes Awareness, and located in a mall, in Spring. Obviously, a lot of effort has gone into this study and planning, and some needed changes are on the way. Remember our motto - if you are called upon, “We Serve.” If you think for a moment about how many people we help, it makes it personally rewarding and satisfying.

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