WHOOOEE! That Lion year sure went by fast! Next Tuesday, July 1, we begin the next one, with installation of officers, starting with incoming President JODI BURMESTER. VP KAREN AL-ASHKAR, Secretary JOHN JENSON, Treas. MELISSA ABBOTT, TailTwister TOM “DOC” STEVENS, Membership Director CRAIG BUTLER, Directors JAN CICHOCKI, THEMIS FLORES RAMOS, STEVE BRIGGS and SCOTT GROVER will be installed, along with DON NEVIASER, who continues on the Board as Past President. Might be a small surprise (good or bad, you decide) in there somewhere as well.

We can expect to hear from Pres. JODI some more of what she has in mind for our next year, which has to be one of progress. No dust will settle on anyone, that's for sure. She has made a committee list/description available, along with signup forms, so each Lion should pick out an area, or two, or three, that interests them and volunteer to work on it. We have some big jobs and what looks like some small jobs, but every one of them contributes to the success of our Club. We want to serve our community (in all of its definitions) and we also want to have a good time doing it. Get on board!
(And if you don't, we'll come after you!.)

We'll also hear from Elsworth Brown, the Director of the Wisconsin Historical Society

Last time we got together was at the picnic at Warner Park. After journeying so far from home that he expected to hear the natives speaking Icelandic, your editor and intrepid wife warily approached a structure which appeared to be either a landed spaceship or a bumper pylon for giant race cars, and we were actually happy to hear the booming “Your TailTwister Welcomes You” from TT DOC STEVENS. He meant it, too — no Lion bank, no fees, and notwithstanding his medical background, he inscribed name tags for the group that were highly legible.

We had a nice mix of members, spouses, significant others and children, and everyone seemed to be having a good time, which was what Chairperson LINDA BERGREN had planned and hoped for. Lion JERRY'S chicken was the usual first-class entree, and there was a nice selection of other goodies, brought by the attendees. No attendance was taken, but there were 16+ or so Lions and about 27 + total in attendance. Outgoing Pres. DON NEVIASER thanked members for their work during the past Lion year, and noted that we got a number of good things done. DON'S style kept us old fogies from going to sleep, but he's the kind of guy who, when he finds a problem, jumps in to help and makes every effort for a solution, and altho it's not in the formal proclamations, that really is what Lions is all about. We all can thank him in return for his service.

Lion JOHN JENSON has been in Bangkok, Thailand, at the Lions International Convention, where, among other things, he was formally installed as District Governor for the coming year for District 27D1. He'll have a Convention report for us, and maybe some indications on where he hopes the District will go this year. He'll need support, and some help, from us — if he asks you to do something, try to pitch in and do it.

Committee signup forms are due at the next meeting, so Pres. JODI and the VPs can figure out who is going to do what. Make sure you volunteer for something, or better yet some things, and get the sheet to JODI, or use the handy online form.

One thing that's always welcome is a suggestion for a good program. If you've heard a good speaker lately, let JODI or one of the VPs, or the new Program Chairperson when announced, know about it. Good speakers and interesting topics, in a wide range of subjects, are what we want. Note that there has been a longstanding practice in selecting programs to avoid solicitation-type messages from other service groups that solicit money from the public. Like almost everything else, though, that is not set in stone. If it is an important service that we need to be informed about, then we should hear about it.

Lion HAL OTTERBACK is in Meriter Hospital continuing to recover from a stroke. He's presently in room 376, at least when they're not working him out on therapy, and will be there for several more days. Visitors are welcome.