Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010 is our next meeting, and the program speaker will be District Governor RICK DALUGE. He's well known to many of our members, and he will bring us the latest information from the District, State, and Lions International. We'll hear where the efforts are being made this year - we already know about "Lions In Sight" and LCIF aid to Haiti, and RICK will give us updates on these and other subjects important to our work as Lions. The DG visits every club in the District in the course of the year, which really keeps him on the run. It is a big job. He visits us and one other next Tuesday.

Our radio and TV spots are running, and Lions have been seen on at least two of the Madison TV stations, telling the area about our service. We have a great story to tell - don't hesitate to mention it to friends and acquaintances. You never know when an item of information will catch someone's interest, and lead to a desire to join us. As an award-winning Lion said to your editor years ago, "Just Ask!"

At our last meeting, Pres. JODI opened the meeting, VP JIM SCHUTZ led the song, and SCOTT GROVER offered an invocation -"Someone." We all need to be at least one of those "someones." We had guests - Wendy Carney of Community Bank and Derek Swoboda of Indoor Golf, both of whom found us on the internet and came to see what we were like. We hope they were impressed with what they saw and heard and will be back. Gwen Mueller was there with DALE, and Zone Chairperson PATTY ZALLAR came with her guide dog Carley. Walker, JACK HEIM's guide, introduced himself to Carley, somewhat to JACK'S dismay. This was Walker's last meeting with us - he's headed to retirement and JACK is getting a new dog next month. If there is a guest at your table, make sure you introduce yourself and make them welcome, just as Walker did.

The TT had some contraption that looked like a cross between a miniature golf driver and a wooden airplane propeller. Our inability to figure out what it actually was cost us, but it turned out to be a wine bottle holder. The bottle would balance it so that it stood at an angle that would keep the cork wet. Where does he get this stuff?

We celebrated Lion Birthdays for five Lions who have given a total of 145 years of Lion service. AL GOLDSTEIN is very sensibly in Palm Springs, but we applauded him anyway for 49 years of service, and honored JERRY HODDINOTT and JOHN JENSON for 29 years each, CRAIG BUTLER for 17 and MELISSA NOVINSKI for 16. Our community owes them all.

We got "Thank You" letters from both Wisconsin Lions Foundation and Lions Clubs International Foundation for donations we had sent. Those are directed to each of us, for by our membership in MCLC, we have sent kids to camp, rescuers to Haiti, rebuilders to New Orleans, emergency housing to earthquake victims in Turkey, eyeglasses to people in Central America that needed them, and corneas to restore sight in Wisconsin and sometimes beyond. As a Lion, you did that! LCIF has already sent $350,000 USD to help Haiti, and there will be more. TailTwister DOC STEVENS has announced that all the money he collects in February will go to Haiti relief, and anyone can make a donation directly to LCIF for Haiti by clicking Make a Donation to Help Haiti Earthquake Victims Now.

Intl. Pres. WIRFS has said "Just like Lions have done with the South Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, the Sichuan earthquake in China and other calamities, Lions and LCIF will be there for the both the short- and long-term - providing immediate aid now but also working to rebuild communities, to restore hope and to support those affected for as long as it takes. The Haitian Lions are our brothers and sisters, members of our international family, and we will never let them down."

We got a check from the gum ball distributor (Rowbotham Co) for $1679.55, bringing our total receipts from this passive fundraiser to about $155,000. Over the years we've placed gum machines all over town, and we get a commission on the sales from our machines. If you know where a machine might be placed - they have the Lions name and logo on them - tell JODI. In addition to being President, she carries out the arduous duties of Gum Ball Chairperson. It's a sticky subject.

JERRY HODDINOTT passed out orange-colored commitment forms for our flower sale. He needs to know what you expect to sell in order to place our order, so get them back to him pronto. The Order Forms for this year's sale will be available at the next meeting. Believe it or not, April is just around the corner, so start your sales effort NOW! Here's a way to experience the sweet smell of success!