Next Meeting - Tuesday, September 16, at the Sheraton - noon. Pres. JACK will preside, and LINDA and JODI have arranged for Paul Riehemann, from the Madison Area Service Club Council, to speak. His topic will be “Global Warming - A Call to Service.” He will discuss how global warming affects present service club projects and how it might create new opportunities. Riehemann is Founder and Coach of “Well Today”. Well Today was created to help individuals and organizations define and achieve their wellness goals while creating a culture that supports health promotion.

At the last meeting, Pres. JACK rang the bell, and there being no volunteer pastors present and no flagpole, there were no ceremonial formalities. The first business of the day was the announcement that a new Edgewood College Campus Lions Club is being formed, and our PP LINDA BERGREN is set to become one of the Guiding Lions. This action was endorsed by voice vote. LINDA could use some help, and the job of a Guiding Lion is to advise a new Club on Lion principles, practices, etc. It includes, but is not limited to, “how to deal with an unruly TailTwister” and we have lots of Lions who are qualified to do that. If you'd like to help out, talk to LINDA.

We were reminded that we are Eye Bank transporters this month, so if you are on the list, expect a call. If you are not on the list but would like to be, talk to SCOTT GROVER. He also has the official credentials that transporters must carry - if you don't have yours, get it from him stat!

Our Highway Cleanup date is set for October 18, if it's not snowing. Good chance, we hear, to add to your supply of used golf balls.

LINDA BERGREN, the perpetual Chairperson of the Holiday Treat Sale (formerly Head Fruit Cake), announced that the order desk is now open for this year. She has order blanks, with new (slightly higher) pricing, and would like them back ASAP. She has to get the orders in by mid-October in order to have the stock on hand before Thanksgiving. Storage of inventory has always been a problem, but MIKE KNOWLTON has volunteered some space, so that LINDA's car may no longer have to be a rolling warehouse. If she has to do that much longer we may need to get her a food cart permit.

NESCO (North Eastside Seniors) is having its annual fundraiser, AppleFest, on October 4th. We've helped them out before, both with manpower and money, and here's a chance to do so again. LINDA BERGREN is our point person for this one - they seem to need some extra hands to set up tables, guide people, etc. for a few hours on that date. Talk to LINDA if you can help. Last year, our TailTwister's fund gave them about $400 to provide free lunches to seniors on a drop-in basis.

We took two formal actions at the meeting - our own JODI BURMESTER is going to run for 2nd Vice District Governor, which is the office that puts a Lion on the first step of the escalator to be the District Governor two years later. Since the Past DG still has many official functions, it is in effect a commitment of three years of service to our District, and as we have said before, the DG is a vital link between local Clubs and Lions International. It is a big part of what makes the world's largest service club work. We know JODI has the energy, determination and experience for this job, and so the Club formally voted to nominate her for the position and support her candidacy.

The second important event was the induction of our newest member, TRISH LIBERTY. PID PHIL INGWELL did the honors, converting a de facto situation to de jure, because TRISH has worked on our projects for several years alongside her husband CHARLIE. She already knows what Lions service is, because she's done it, and it will be great to have her as one of us. We always need new faces at our table and new hands and minds to work on our projects. Welcome, TRISH! JODI BURMESTER is her official sponsor.

Pres. JACK closed the meeting with a new observance - “On three, We Serve.” “One, Two, etc.” He got good participation from the membership, to some of whom at least it was something new.

Lions International Statement on Climate Change

Environmental Issues: Climate Change

Climate change which is directly or in-directly attributable to human activity poses one of the greatest threats to poverty reduction.

  • • Increased climate change and variability has decreased agricultural productivity and availability of natural resources that are crucial to the livelihood of millions of people, especially the rural poor and marginalized communities that bear the heaviest burden.
  • • Climate change is also linked to an increase in the occurrence and severity of natural disasters that continue to devastate communities around the world.

How Lions Can Help Reduce Climate Change

  • • Educate your community about global warming and ways to reduce carbon emissions.
  • • Partner with local authorities to organize community-wide tree planting projects.
  • • Work with local businesses to adopt eco-friendly practices and policies.
  • • Form community advisory groups to find local solutions for climate change adaptation.

For more information...