Next Meeting - Coming up fast - Tuesday, May 3 - Dr. Tom Stevens is the Program Host, and he has arranged for a representative of our own Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin to tell us what's going on at the Eye Bank and what new projects they're working on. We've heard that the speaker will be PDG RICK DALUGE of the Madison West Club who is now working actively with the Eye Bank. This is a vital service that we perform, and the more you know about it the more you can help.

We didn't have a formal meeting last week, but that doesn't mean we weren't busy. Our annual Flower Sale went off on schedule, and JERRY HODDINOTT, the Chairman, was running back and forth all morning getting additional bouquets from the floral supplier, which is encouraging. Too early for a report, but JERRY and financial manager MELISSA NOVINSKI will probably have some preliminary results for us on Tuesday. One thing is sure, there won't be a recount! The editor made his annual trek to the growing Village of McFarland, finding a few more new streets and delivering to some old customers as well. He didn't see the old guy in the baseball cap, not even at Culver's, but on the other hand he didn't get trapped into a game of bocce or curling, either. He'd probably be better at it if they had handles on the bocce ball, as they do on the curling rock.

At our last regular meeting, Pres. JIM SCHUTZ opened the meeting and then led the song. We were in a small dining room, but we were able to fill it with big sound. DALE MUELLER gave the invocation. It was pointed out that the list of officers read and elected at the previous meeting was short one Director, and MICHELLE VETTERKIND was present in person to confirm that she was continuing in that job., for which we are grateful. JOHN JENSON, Secretary and Chief Protocol Official, uncharacteristically simply said that he would do whatever was necessary to have the records read correctly. Our Board puts in a lot of hours and effort on taking care of the Club's business, for which we thank them.

There was further conversation by JODI BURMESTER and SCOTT GROVER on the drive against hunger that we heard about at the previous meeting. There are opportunities to work on this with the Community Action Coalition, and if you'd like to help out, see JODI or SCOTT or the list on our club web site.

JACK HEIM is participating in a Walk in Milwaukee to raise funds for the Foundation Fighting Blindness and could use more sponsors. The Foundation specializes in diseases of the retina, which JACK knows all too well. Let him know if you can contribute.

JOHN JENSON reminded us that the State Convention is coming up, at the Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton, and the International Convention will be in Seattle July 4 -8. If you can take part in an International Convention you will come away with admiration for the International Officers and Directors, and you can't help but feel the energy to help others that emanates from Lions assembled from all over the world. If you want to go, JOHN can tell you how to do it.

Our speaker was District Governor GENE FRANCIS from Cuba City, who with his wife, Lion JEAN, came to tell us more of what's going on in Lionism. He has 55 Clubs in his District, all of which he will visit during his term, and this represents a lot of benefits to the communities in which "We Serve." He urged us to visit some of those Clubs, meet new Lion friends, and find out for yourself what they do. He noted that Lions made 1683 runs with tissue to and from the Eye Bank last year, and there were 1400 transplants in Wisconsin, 180 elsewhere in the US and 85 in foreign countries. We now have an on-line site up and running for organ and tissue donor registration at: www.yesiwillwisconsin.com (or follow the link on the menu on our club web site).

It was evident during his presentation that a District Governor has a lot of goals to meet. But all of them are for the advancement of Lionism and its service, and none reflect any personal benefit to the DG other than the satisfaction of seeing something accomplished. The goals are for Lionism, and service to our community, however you define it, and we need to give them our support.