Next Meeting - Tuesday, Sept. 15 - One of Pres. JODI's Business Meetings, and there always seems to be plenty to talk about. We think the politicians call this sort of thing a "Committee of the Whole", but whatever you call it, everybody is in on the information and the decisions.

Some good news from the sick list - DALE ST. JOHN is home, recuperating from his back surgery. He says it's going to take a while, but he's better. Apparently they wouldn't let him roller skate in the halls at the rehab center, so he went home. Same news from HAL OTTERBACK - by the time you read this he too should be home. These guys were our first team on the lensometer, so we need to find some more Lions to step in and keep the eyeglasses going. JOHN JENSON is the glassy-eyed, no, Eyeglass Chairman, so contact him if you can help out. Area Lions have gotten some notice in the media lately - there was a front-page story on the Lions Eye Bank and its courier system in the State Journal, quoting PID PHIL INGWELL, and Channel 15 had a story and a short video clip on the loading of the donated school desks which were on their way to Mexico.

Last Meeting - Pres. JODI presided, JIM SCHUTZ led the song, and LINDA BERGREN gave the invocation. We didn't have a flag, but we Pledged anyway. Still too many commas in there. We had one guest - Lion Dr. GIL DE VENICIA, briefly a member of our club before he transferred to one nearer his home, was the guest of Dr. TOM STEVENS. Dr. GIL annually goes on a mission to the Phillippines, where he has founded an eye clinic and where he does free eye exams, surgeries and treatments for people who otherwise would have no eye care. The mission is a District 27D-1 project.

DON FENNO was named Lion of the Week by Pres. JODI, for his stellar work on the Golf Outing, which benefitted both the Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin and our service funds. It went well and was well supported by area Lions. DON thanked his committee for their hard work, and made special note of the donation, by SUE SABIN, of special T-shirts for the occasion.

SCOTT GROVER said the Football Concession stand was fully Lioned for the first game but needs more workers for subsequent games. He's also setting up the web page for volunteers for the basketball season stand at the Kohl Center.

September is one of our Club's Eye Transport Months, and it started promptly, as LINDA BERGREN did the first one on Sept. 1. If you'd like to be a courier, contact JIM KEMMETER. LINDA also announced that the Holiday Treat (a/k/a Fruit Cake) Sale order blanks would be at the next meeting.

Lions Camp Open House is Sat. 9/19, and the Fall Work Day is Sat. 10/24. See JODI if you can go. We will participate in the Leopold School Health Fair on Sat, 10/10, and volunteers will be needed.

JIM BRADLEY introduced our speakers, Tom Anscheles, Anne Otter and Jennifer Bruhn, who told us about the work of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, starting with their role "to support enlightened economic growth, positioning the area as a globally competitive place to live, work, play and do business." They offer events that inform, allow networking, and provide advice to business, advocate for business on public issues and before govt. bodies, and provide information, leadership education and training, office supply discounts and a health insurance program to their members. Meetings and seminars provide information, advocacy, and the opportunity to get to know both other businesspeople and government officials and their policies. Training programs develop leaders and an understanding of government and how it works. The Chamber programs assist businesses in their operations, widen acquaintances, help appropriate cooperation, provide and exchange information, and help to improve visibility both of individual enterprises and the business community and its contributions to the city as a whole.

This is a shortened version this week, folks, because of the space taken up to print a US Postal Service form, which is not included in this e-mail. Same one they have to print in Sports Illustrated. They do 1.4 million copies. We do 20. But it saves us 75% of postage costs, thanks to Hal Otterback, who did all the work to set it up. (If you think tax forms are confusing, try reading USPS regulations. Might as well be written in Arabic.)

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.