Next Meeting - Will be Sunday, Dec. 2. Our 90th Anniversary and Holiday Party and Awards Night, all rolled into one. Starting with cocktails at 5:00, dinner at 6:00, program at 7:00. The deadline has passed, and we hope everyone is signed up, but if you aren't, and can be there, call Pres. LINDA and maybe she can get you in. We do need everyone there, to make a proper celebration.

Note that there will be no breakfast meeting in December. The celebration takes its place. There won't be one in January, either, because it would fall on the 1st, and not many people will get up before dawn on that day. Two more reasons to make the party this Sunday.

Pres. LINDA opened the last meeting, JIM SCHUTZ led the song, and JOHN JENSON was the flagpole for the Pledge. LINDA also gave the invocation. She noted that DEBBIE MAHAFFEY, who joined our Club for the breakfast meetings, had made it to the noon one. Bernie Stoudt was there with Lion DAN. She's taken part in so many Club activities over the years that she is like one of us, and also has done it for so long that she, too, remembers the speaker.

LINDA reminded us that we ring the bell for the Salvation Army kettle at West Towne (indoors!) at the Sears Entrance location on Thursday, December 6. As of last Tuesday, we still needed a few more Lions to fill the day's schedule. Believe it or not, it's a fun thing to do - you get to observe a lot of human nature, and your editor always tries to see how far away he can make eye contact with a prospective donor. When you see them reach for their pocket or purse, you think maybe you've got them, but nowadays that may just mean they're reaching for their cell phone. Just when you get a little discouraged, some young parent may skid to a stop, reach for some money, and carefully instruct their young child on how and where, and sometimes why, to put it. Restores your faith. To get on the kettle schedule, call LINDA. SCOTT GROVER, as always, mentioned the need for volunteers at the Kohl Center concession stand. Sign up on the website.

Pres. LINDA introduced the speaker who needed no introduction, Past President RANDY “JABO” JABLONIC. He led our Club in 1989, when he was coach of the UW Men's Crew, and if you were there you learned a lot about how to motivate people. Example: we inducted our first woman member during his term, and, appropriately, her name was Alison ROWE. At that time PDG HENRY TURVILLE was active in the Club, but to say he was a reactionary was inadequate. Among other things, he was violently opposed to opening the membership to women. To the astonishment of those present, when ALISON was to be inducted, HENRY came to the podium to do the ceremony. Asked afterward, JABO said “his ego did battle with his prejudice, and his ego won.” It is important to note that HENRY was thereafter unable to voice his opposition. Having JABO presiding, with Lake Mendota out the window, gave your editor (in one of his earlier incarnations as such) a rich vein of material, especially in winter for Russian icebreaker jokes. Unfortunately, the crew never practiced at noon, so we never saw them row.

JABO opened by presenting Pres. LINDA with a banner from the Bessemer (MI) Lions Club, to which he now belongs, a Lion tradition that has seeming dropped out of sight in our Club. He noted that his new home averages 225 inches of snow a year, and he has a 960 ft. driveway. He also has a truck with a plow on it. He said that when asked why he would retire to the UP, he recounts the pleasure of living in an undeveloped area, where wildlife (including a black bear) birds, and fish are abundant. There is an active community in Bessemer, church, theaters, and old and new friends. If you know JABO, you know that to him a stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet. He mentioned some episodes from his coaching days, including the time one of his shells speared an aluminum boat with an 80-yr,-old in it. Went right through the boat but missed the man - nobody hurt, and the UW maintenance shop fixed the boat. The shell was totaled, tho. He also recalled the times that the Club met at his farm home. He still participates in fitness classes, and spoke of former UW boxer Bobby Hinds, who preached fitness and exercise anywhere, any time. JABO agrees, saying that you need to break away from routine, and exercise is a good way to do it. He said “tomorrow is not forever” meaning that it will not always be there, and so you should do the important things today. It was fun to hear him again.

See you Sunday!