Next Meeting - Tuesday, Aug. 18. A business meeting, and we can expect Pres. JODI to have some committee announcements, maybe some reports, and some discussion of what we’re going to do this year. We will also formally welcome our two newest members, JACK HEIM and GAIL STIRR. Only one celebrant was present last time, so we’re going to try the birthdays again, and if your name is G.MILLER, SCHUTZ, KEMMETER, or RANDY, grab your gift and get there. SAL’s already been there twice, so if KAREN’s doing OK we can expect him again. Third time should be the charm - if they’d come off on schedule last time you’d have been stuck with your editor, but MICHELLE VETTERKIND should be there to do it next time. Besides, it’s her BD too.

FYI - In case you’re behind on your reading, the new International President is EBERHARD WIRFS, of Germany. Our new District Governor is RICK DALUGE, from the Madison West Lions Club.

Urgent Service Alert - Those of you with e-mail will have heard from our UW Concessions Chairman SCOTT GROVER. We need volunteers to work the stand at UW football games. This is a major source of the funds we use for service in places where we can’t go ourselves. There is a \signup sheet on the Club web site - go there, check the schedule, and sign up to help out. Please bring friends and family members as well, as long as they look to be at least 16 years old. It’s actually fun, you get to know a lot of nice people, and those who participate are putting their shoulder behind the Lions wheel, for all the good things we do. We Serve - hot dogs, Coke, popcorn, peanuts- and get paid for doing it.

Calendar Items - Pres. JODI announced that our Fall Celebration of Service party is scheduled for October 27. That’s a (4th) Tuesday, and altho no details have been announced, it’s usually a suppertime event. Make sure you save the date!

Monday, Aug. 24 is our Golf Outing, benefitting our Club AND the Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin. Our Chairman DON FENNO says plans are going well, and he would like some help from members to work at the event, doing the various little things that have to be done - registration, raffle, prize record keeping, arrangements, etc. etc. It’s a way non-golfers can participate and contribute. He could also use some more raffle prizes.

Cottage Grove Lions Club has their 35th Anniversary Party on Saturday, Oct. 3, at “Nora’s” on Hwys. 12 & 18 about 3 mi. east of Hwy N. Social at 6 PM, Dinner at 7 PM. $20 per person. We sponsored the Club, and it would be nice to have a contingent there. Another chance to socialize with fellow Lions.

Last time - Pres. JODI called the minuscule membership to order, DALE MUELLER, harking back to skills developed in the West High Choir in 1945-47, led the song in a basso pitch, and JERRY MILLER gave an excellent invocation appropriate to the time and place. Those who’ve read the Tale for many years know that the editor crusades against extra commas in the Pledge of Allegiance, and they’re sneaking in again. “I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag Of The United States Of America” and “One Nation Under God!” Straight thru - no pauses for air after only two words!

MELISSA ABBOTT won an 18 hole golf foursome someplace last year, and she’s looking for a few good golfers to fill it up with her. There should be a real stampede for that one - talk to MELISSA.

We got two "Thank You" letters - one from the Foundation For the Madison Public Schools for the brick we donated to the new West High entrance; and the other from a woman thanking us for providing her with new glasses which she badly needed and couldn’t afford. We used to get quite a few of those, and if you heard what she said you should feel good about yourself. We Serve - large & small.

Our speaker was Armani Davis, a West High student whom we sponsored to Badger Boys State. He already has an impressive resume’ of volunteering in civic organizations. As part of the one-week experience he ran for office three times and won twice, learning about campaigning and the duties of office in the process. There was a Veterans Memorial Service which he found outstanding - he said it made the students think what it means to be an American. He and his mom thanked us for sending him, and he says he’ll be active in the Boys State Alumni, and will consider public service in the future. An impressive young man, a credit to his family who is pushing him to do his best, a good selection by his school authorities, and it looks like our help was well placed.

Plan Ahead! Part of the Kohl Center Basketball schedule is available. We need your help! Volunteer now for the games you can work.

What's happening at the Edgewater? Read this WSJ story and find out.

Pomo on Golf - watch this video.