Next Meeting - FOR BREAKFAST! - 7:00 AM, Tuesday, Nov. 6 - At the Sheraton. Presumably, we will hear what the Project is for November, and other announcements for and about Club activity. We need numbers at these meetings - please make the effort, and bring your ideas and your enthusiasm for Lions with you. You can vote immediately afterward, hopefully just after the morning rush.

We are usually in a room to the left if you enter the Sheraton lobby through the front door. There is a bigger parking lot on the left side of the building, and an entry door from there between the restaurant entrance and the hotel building which goes into the back of the lobby.

At our last meeting, LINDA was Presidential, which seems to be important these days. We had the usual opening, with bell, badge box and podium from LINDA's mobile office (the trunk of her car.) Apparently the flagpole is too big to be portable, but Sec. JOHN JENSON came to the rescue with one from his mobile office (briefcase.) Reliable ROSS ROYSTER gave the invocation.

MICHELLE VETTERKIND led the celebration of Lion Birthdays, where we had both ends of the spectrum. We were happy to see Past Pres.DALE ST. JOHN, honored for his 43 years of service, and his wife Betty, and JEFF SCHNEIDER, 2 years of service. JEFF won the drawing for DALE's gift, and GAIL STIRR won an “IOU” from JEFF. JIM SCHUTZ led the “Happy Birthday” song.

SCOTT GROVER reminded us of the Highway Cleanup project for October, which was successfully carried out on the following Saturday. No rain this time, and no exciting discoveries unless you count a few car brake parts. Makes you wonder where the rest of the car ended up.

SCOTT also reminded us that the basketball season at the Kohl Center is momentarily about to start, assuming that Coach Bo can round up enough able-bodied players to make a team. The schedule for the Concession Stand is on our web site, and each shift worked earns service $$ for our Club. It's one sales effort where the customers come to you and you don't have to go and beat the bushes, so sign up today to help out.

Our Club has a big anniversary coming up - the 90th, to be exact. It is planned to be the first meeting in December, and it will NOT be at 7 AM. Current thought is Wednesday evening, Dec.5, and it will be our Anniversary, Holiday Party, and Awards Night, all in one. Dinner and the trimmings.

Our speaker was Gwen Davies, from the Madison Chapter of Achilles International, a nonprofit volunteer organization that focuses on athletic opportunities for person with disabilities They use sports as a tool to bring hope, inspiration and the joys of participation and persistence to those who are helped to participate. The organization's founder built himself up to being able to participate in a marathon on a prosthetic leg. (Think Oscar Pustorius from the Union of South Africa at the Olympics). The Madison chapter has participants who have visual limitations, have MS, Parkinson's, and post-stroke conditions. The Chapter meets on Thursdays, outside in summer and in WestGate Mall in winter, for an hour's “workout” and subsequent dinner. The group obviously cares for one another, and attendance is on a “drop-in” basis for both participants and volunteers, who presently number a total of about 40 people. The more people can do, the happier they are, and this activity helps them to exceed what they previously thought they could do, and keeps them active, which is important to everybody.