NEXT MEETING - April 1. A representative of the Madison Fire Dept. will be on hand to tell us about their Safety Education program. Much better to prevent fires than to fight them.

At our last meeting, Pres. DON presided, LINDA BERGREN led the song (with a pitch disclaimer. Note that our problem is not the pitch selected by the song leader, it’s the pitches selected by the membership), and ROSS ROYSTER gave the invocation. Guests included Craig Klaas, introduced by PHIL INGWELL, and Don Fenno, once again the guest of SUSAN SABIN. Both are considering membership!

JOHN JENSON reminded us of the State Convention in LaCrosse, May 15-17, and also that JODI BURMESTER is about to order the new Club shirts which have been displayed at several meetings. See or call JODI to get one. You can even have your name on it for only $5 extra.

There is a late announcement from JODI that the Walk For Sight which was to be this Saturday, 3/29, has been cancelled. It will be rescheduled for next Spring. This makes our Rose Day fundraiser even more important. Your commitment sheet (how many you’ll sell) is due at the next meeting. Delivery help will also be needed.

To no one’s surprise, JOHN JENSON’s election to District Governor was reported by PHIL INGWELL. JOHN joins a long list of distinguished Lions from Madison Central who have served as District Governor. Congratulations, JOHN! Now begins a long series of travels, around the State and around the world. It is a great and deserved honor, but it’s also a lot of work and responsibility.

The Wisconsin Lions Eye Bank presented pins to MCLC Lions who have served in the Tissue Transport Program. JIM (never sleeps) KEMMETER got a special one as Dispatcher, and KAREN AL-ASHKAR, LINDA (theme song, “On The Road Again”) BERGREN, STEVE BRIGGS, ALICE JENSON, CRAIG BUTLER, SCOTT GROVER, JAN CICHOCKI, PHIL INGWELL, JERRY MILLER, WALT PRIDHAM, DAN STOUDT, PHIL STOWITTS and MICHELLE VETTERKIND were all recognized as having run transporter missions. Lion service in action. As one of our PDGs said, “because of what I do tonight, someone will see tomorrow!”

LINDA BERGREN conducted the Lion Birthday celebration - LINDA, 12 yrs., PHIL INGWELL, 41 years; ROSS ROYSTER 27 yrs; MICHELLE LONERGAN, 2 yrs; SCOTT GROVER, 8 yrs; LOUISE FRITZ, 4 yrs.; and SUE SABIN, 1 yr. Drawing winners who got the gifts - STEVE BRIGGS, SUE SABIN, LOUISE FRITZ, HAL OTTERBACK, PHIL INGWELL, and Don Fenno.

Four MCLC Lions - SAL and KAREN AL-ASHKAR, SCOTT GROVER and TERRY SCHAR - assisted in the recent kidney disease screening project, put on by the Kidney Foundation and UW Hospital with Lion help. This was a pilot project, which will be expanded if it proves successful, and several Lions from other clubs who are part of the Lions Diabetes Awareness Project also participated. Goal is to identify persons at high risk of kidney disease and treat it before it happens. It is a lifesaver if done right, and in time.

Program Chairman SAL AL-ASHKAR introduced our speaker, Dr. Brian Kirkpatrick, who told us about progress in genetics, particularly in cattle. The goal is to use genetic “markers” to favor good traits and avoid bad ones. In the past, cattle breeding was done mostly by appearance, but now it can be done by genetic merit. It involves studying at least three generations, which obviously takes time, and along the way 9 out of ten prospective sires are discarded for one reason or another. Much data must be compared with pedigrees to determine the best subjects, and it takes about six years to assemble meaningful data. The next stage will involve DNA comparisons, which will take less time, and the first use for the program will be to improve the health of the subjects. In the future, they hope to learn how to “turn off” some genes which cause undesirable characteristics. An immensely complicated science, which has all kinds of potential for the future.