Our Holiday Season starts with our next meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 1, as LINDA BERGREN will present a brass quartet for the annual Holiday meeting. We need a big audience for this musical treat, so please bring your spice, relatives, friends and prospective members! We will also induct a new member, and there will be some recognition awards presented.

Another infallible sign of the times - our Holiday Treats sale is in full swing. If you've already placed an order, come and get it, please, because it's boxed and ready, and we don't want to move it in and out of storage. We also have additional supply for most of the items on the order blank, particularly the ever-popular malted milk balls, because we have to buy from the vendor in case lots, so step up your selling efforts so we can sell, and profit, more. This is part of our service to the community - be sure to tell your buyers they are supporting Lion service.

At the last meeting, Pres. JODI was back, preceded by a phony Abe Lincoln, for reasons (other than the usual presentation of the brass lion) never made clear. JIM SCHUTZ led the song, in a pitch borrowed from a maennerchor somewhere, and in a collaborative effort, SCOTT GROVER provided the voice and DALE MUELLER the text for the invocation. It was reported that MELISSA ABBOTT had arrived in New York City, sort of, since there was no immediate place to live. But she and her boyfriend both have jobs, so a roof can't be far off. We hope they're not living in a box on a street. [Update: MELISSA reports that she has moved into her apartment, and is even able to sit on the couch. While she is still awaiting installation of Internet reception, she does have W-Fi in the 'club-house'.]

SCOTT GROVER says he needs concession stand workers in Jan. and Feb., and that so far our Club has the largest number of volunteers, with Madison West 2nd and the UW Club coming on. That means that so far we get the lion's share of the proceeds, and we need to keep it up. Do your part.

It was announced that the new District Governor has a goal to start a new Madison East Lions Club, and a couple of Guiding Lions will be needed. As the name implies, two veteran Lions are needed to advise each new club, which includes attending most or all of their meetings and giving advice where needed and suggestions when necessary. If you're interested in working with a new Club, see JODI. The District is sending in its Extension Team early next year to help.

We are providing bell-ringers for the Salvation Army at East Towne on Dec. 7 and West Towne on Dec. 8. They are in dire need of help - when we volunteered they still needed about 9,900 shifts to be filled, out of 12,000. Sign up with JODI to help - the S-A needs the funds for their assistance to needy families, and they go themselves to deliver it. BOB BOHN led this project for many years and we need to keep up the effort that he worked so hard to provide. We'd like two Lions per shift, but at least let's cover the full two days!! JODI has the sign-up sheet. Another opportunity - The Empty Stocking Club needs volunteers for their toy depot. The set-up is Dec. 14 and the distribution is on Dec. 15, which is also our meeting day. Anyone who'd like to help, see PHIL INGWELL or JOHN JENSON.

We will be doing Vision Screening for Head Start in December and January. See JIM SCHUTZ to take part in this vital service project. You don't need to be certified to help - there are lots of non-technical things to do to make this go.

CRAIG BUTLER tabulated and presented the results of our Club Survey taken a couple weeks ago. There is a whole page of figures to digest, which will keep the Board busy for a while, but your editor picked up a couple of items of interest. Those who have belonged for 11-20 years seem happiest with the Club- new members up to 10 years seem to feel they are under-utilized! We seem to be a friendly bunch, and we seem to like program meetings. It seems that newer members would like still more information and more opportunities to take part, and, interestingly, most members don't think they're really being overworked. At the same time, it's felt that the majority lack participation in all projects. Younger members felt that recruitment was encouraged - older members weren't so sure. A couple questions suggested that a lot of members still don't feel fully informed. Lots of food for thought here - thanks certainly go to those members who made the effort to do the survey.

As a member of the GG (Grumpy Geezer) Generation, your editor can attest that Lion membership can do a lot for an individual as well as the greater community. It's a friendly atmosphere and you get to know people who do many interesting things. If you pay attention, you come to realize that you have a hand in helping people in need all over the globe, and if you want to, you can help lead and direct that help. You even have the opportunity to be Court Jester, and to find out just how difficult that is. Selling fruit cake is a snap by comparison.