Next Meeting - Nov. 1 (where did Summer go?) - at the EdgeH2O. JACK HEIM arranged the program, and we will hear Steve Sroka, from the Foundation Fighting Blindness. The Foundation Fighting Blindness is that group that sponsors the Milwaukee Vision walk. They fund research into cures for retinal diseases including partially funding the research of Dr. David Gamm at the UW. Dr. Gamm is doing research into converting skin cells into stem cells which can then be transplanted into the patient's own retina to restore vision. More about the near-miracles that are on the horizon.

Last time, VP LINDA BERGREN opened the meeting, led the song and the Pledge. DALE MUELLER gave the invocation. LINDA repeated her promise to have the Holiday Treat products on hand by Thanksgiving, if only Lions would get their orders in ASAP. Remember, she has to buy in case lots, so the more early orders, the better availability without too many leftovers.

SCOTT GROVER reminded us that the UW basketball season is at hand, Bo Ryan's team is warming up, and our concession stand at the Kohl Center needs workers. It's elementary, people - the more Madison Central Lions, family and friends work shifts at the Kohl, the more money we raise for our service work. The same goes for Holiday Treats - the more we sell, the more we make to do good with. You can sign up on the Club website (Scott always puts a link in here) for Kohl shifts, and you can get order blanks from LINDA for the Holiday Treats. (Scott might put in a link here too.)

The secret game of chance that we have been trying to arrange as a fundraiser apparently is legal, but the preliminaries took so long that we are now looking to basketball as the sport involved. No doubt we will have more than hints, shortly.

We celebrated Lion Birthdays for some veterans of Lions service who were present to be honored. DALE ST. JOHN has given 42 years to his community, DALE MUELLER has divided his 46 years between Madison Lions and Lake Mills Lions, and WALT PRIDHAM has provided both service and substantial financial grants for30 years. We also took note of those not present - ED NEESE, GLENN SCHAEFER, BILL WILCOX, MARSHALL FLAX, CHARLIE LIBERTY. There's one more, but we'll get to him next Tuesday when he can be there.

Our speaker was one who has been helped by Lions, and never passes up an opportunity to say “Thanks!” ERICA SINGLEY first saw an eye doctor at age 5, because her vision was poor, and over the next few years it was determined that a cornea transplant was needed. Dr. Fred Brightbill (a name well-known - he used to belong to MCLC, provided your editor with the contact lens that was needed some 40 yrs. ago following cataract removal, and was a “front of the eye” surgeon and specialist in Madison for many years) performed a cornea transplant for ERICA in 1984 when she was only ten years old. It took an hour, changed her vision from 20/300 to 20/50, and she still cherishes the “Care Bear” that someone gave her to hold on to during the process. Her eyesight was saved, and she has gone on to a career at CUNA Mutual, to be a Madison West Lion, a Transplant Games volunteer, and on the Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin Board. All of this was made possible by an unknown donor, a skilled surgeon who was a Lion, and the existence of the Lions Eye Bank, supported by the Lions of Wisconsin. She is living proof of the saying by one of our visiting Lions, speaking of the tissue transporting program, “because of what I do today, someone will see tomorrow.” That can be extended to “because of what Lions have done for years, and continue to do today, someone will see for years.” If you are a Lion, you have helped un-numbered and unknown people all over the world in all kinds of trouble, and you are thanked by all, even though you rarely get those thanks in person. This program, however, was one time you did! You should have been there, but even if you weren't, you were thanked in person by someone for the help you gave.

“We Serve.” We also have a good time and meet a lot of good people while we're doing it. Keep that in mind when you're with friends and acquaintances - offer them Lion membership so they can do it too.