Next Meeting - Tuesday, April 15 - Tax Day. The TT will find slim pickings on that day. But the speaker will be Dr. George Kliminski, retired UW education professor, speaking on State Education. He’s been a school consultant and worked on community education programs. SAL AL-ASHKAR is the Program Host.

At our last meeting, Pres. DON opened the meeting, LINDA BERGREN led the song, and SCOTT GROVER gave the invocation. We seemed to sing more enthusiastically than usual, if not exactly Fred Waring. (Reference deliberately dates the editor.) The TT was missing, but Groucho Marx showed up, cigar and all, and assumed his place, levying various spurious charges on all and sundry. He was at his best, though, in auctioning off the annual birthday gift which RICH MATZELLE always sends from his hideout on the Big Island. This time it was a pound of prime Kona coffee, and the bidding started high and went higher, winding up with Pres. DON’'s successful bid of $31.00. Breakfast at NEVIASER’s will be pretty special for the next few days. And the TT fund got the benefit. Thanks, RICH!

PID PHIL INGWELL showed up in a coat, a sure sign that something important was about to happen, and sure enough, he was called to the podium by Pres. DON for a presentation. The Birch-Sturm Fellowship is the highest form of recognition given by the Wisconsin Lions Foundation, and the letter to the recipient says in part “in recognition of your dedication, service and commitment to the work of the WLF”. No one exemplifies that better than our own JOHN JENSON, who was today’s recipient of the Fellowship, for which our Club had made the nomination and a special donation to WLF of $1,000. JOHN has served faithfully and well at the Club and District level, and has just been elected as our District Governor for the coming year. Lionism and its service are always at the forefront of JOHN’s mind, and it is great to see this recognition.. CONGRATULATIONS, JOHN!!

Typically, JOHN didn’t even go and sit down, he hauled out some more awards to our Eye Bank transporters, and presented pins and certificates to DON NEVIASER, JODI BURMESTER, WALT PRIDHAM, DAN STOUDT and JIM BRADLEY. JOHN got one too. He has one waiting for DALE ST. JOHN, too, when he makes it back from the South. Again, this is Lion service in action.

Our Club received a “thank you” note from Evelyn Festge for the memorial we gave to the Wisconsin Lions Foundation in memory of OTTO FESTGE.

THAYER BURNHAM continues his recovery at Knapp Haven, Room 417B, 725 Knapp Street, Chetek, WI 54728. Cards and letters would give him a lift, until he can make it back with us.

JODI BURMESTER noted the arrival of a check for $1,542.38 from our Gum Ball project for our service work, bringing the total from this source over the years to $150,066.65! This is a great boost for our work, and all we have to do for it is find a few more locations where the distributor can place a gum machine. Look for some high-traffic spots, especially where children are present to pester their parents for a piece of gum, and see JODI for what to do when you find one. It’s like finding money!

There have been a few lineup changes, and JODI BURMESTER AND DON NEVIASER are Rose Day Co-Chairpersons for now, with the assistance of MELISSA NOVINSKI as Event Treasurer. Requests for supplies can be directed to them . Completed order blanks should go to any of them, ASAP. This is our most important fundraiser, and needs all the effort we can give it. Order blanks and flyers are available online - or get them from DON and JODI, and they’ll answer any questions as well. Some of the order blanks are single sheets, not triplicates. Not to worry, just fill them out and get them in- necessary copies will be made. We will need help for route planning on April 19 (see TERRY SCHAR) and most of all for delivery on Monday April 21. The depot will again be at Zimbrick Buick, Fish Hatchery Rd., opening about 7:30 A.M.

Lori Wirth from the Madison Fire Dept. was our speaker, and she told us about fire safety, starting with a “test” on where the exits were for our room. You should always know where your exits are, because the fire may be in the one you came in. Smoke kills, and it fills a room in 2 to 4 minutes. Smoking is the most common cause of fatal fires. She also spoke of new CPR methods - no mouth-to-mouth any more, just chest compressions. Full 2-inch, full recoil. About 100 per minute. Preliminary results of the new method have been much better. Excellent speaker, good program. You shoulda’ been there.