Tuesday, Feb. 5 is our next meeting. SAL AL-ASHKAR is the Program Host, and he will introduce Paul Terranova, 7-year Director of the Wexford Ridge Neighborhood Center (soon to be the Lussier Community Education Center), who will tell us about the new building and its programs.

At our last meeting, our new oriental president, Wun Wing Lo, opened the meeting, not without difficulty. JIM SCHUTZ hit a good pitch to lead the song, and DALE MUELLER gave the invocation. He does this so often he should now be known as Curate DALE, to follow the precedent set by Vicar BOB. We had two guests - SUE SABIN again brought Don Fenno, and we hope he'll become a regular, and PHIL INGWELL, needing a designated driver for a couple more hours after his latest encounter with the medics, brought, or was brought by, BETTY. Nice to have them both.

LINDA BERGREN arose to report that she only had one bag of trail mix left from the Holiday Treat Sale, and that last one sold on the spot to BETTY INGWELL. Possibly the earliest conclusion of that project in history - congratulations and thanks to all who participated! (Turn in the money.) We have a date and place for our first “event” fund raiser - March 29, at East Towne Mall. Expect to hear a lot more about this new venture as the plans mature. The Committee will meet in the Edgewater bar before our next meeting on Feb. 5, at 11:15 to plan, and JODI would like some help. If you are interested, please come to the committee meeting.

JODI BURMESTER announced that the Nominating Committee (JODI, JOHN JENSON, SANDY SOBEK LESLIE, LINDA BERGREN and TERRY SCHAR) is starting to compile a slate of officers for our next Club year. Here's your chance to volunteer once again - if you'd like to run for one of the offices, see one of the Committee members. The “mystery Lion” pictured on the cover of the Dec. 1993 Wisconsin Lion turned out to be TOM STEVENS. He wasn't even a Lion yet, but was in group of UW Docs and Mt. Horeb Lions celebrating a donation to the Eye Clinic at UW Hospitals. Couldn't get him to fine himself for forgetfulness, tho.

JOHN JENSON reminded us that the District Convention will be at the Ho Chunk Convention Center, Hwy 12 at Baraboo, on March 7 and 8. He needs help campaigning for District Governor, and it's your chance to see another level of Lionism in action. See him to volunteer to take part. JOHN also told us that since he continued to help them out after he supposedly “retired”, his once and future employer, Madison Gas and Electric Co., has made a $2000 donation to our Madison Central Lions Club Foundation, in appreciation for his work. THANKS, JOHN!

SAL AL-ASHKAR filled in a lot of the details on our planned partnership with the Kidney Foundation to run a screening program to detect diabetes and kidney problems. A pilot program is planned for our area, to be expanded to other areas and Lions Clubs if it works. The initial effort will require 15 people, preferably Lions. A two-hour training session is scheduled for March 5 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, and the initial screening project will take place on March 10 from 12:30 to 6:30 PM. You don't have to be a scientist to help out, just a willing volunteer, and this is an opportunity to increase our Lion service in the health area. Contact SAL to participate.

We had two major Lion events, and they involved the same two people. First, KAREN AL-ASHKAR became our first “Family Member”, sponsored by her husband SAL and inducted by PID PHIL INGWELL. KAREN is Director of Student Services in the UW Engineering School, and immediately volunteered as a driver for the Eye Bank Transporters. Then, PID JERRY RABBACH, backed up by our Lions SANDY SOBEK LESLIE, WENDY WRIGHT and SUE SABIN, presented a Knight of Sight Fellowship jointly to SAL and KAREN, in recognition of their $1000 donation to the Eye Bank. Welcome, KAREN, and thanks to both SAL and KAREN for their commitment to Lion service.

Lion Birthdays were celebrated by JAN CICHOCKI, DON NEVIASER, MELISSA NOVINSKI, CRAIG BUTLER and JOHN JENSON. AL GOLDSTEIN (47 yrs) and THAYER BURNHAM (60 yrs) weren't there but we applauded their service anyway. AL sent a check to the Club in lieu of a present. MICHELLE VETTERKIND led the recognition of Lion service.

SANDY SOBEK LESLIE announced a goal of $7,800 profit for our annual Flower Sale. Rose Day will be April 21. There will be lots more on this, but start your selling process NOW! We need the $$.

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