Next Meeting, Tuesday, October 20, at the Coliseum Restaurant & Bar, at noon. Our guest speaker for the October 20th meeting will be Professor Janis Eells, McPherson Eye Research Institute member and professor of Biomedical Sciences at UW-Milwaukee. She will talk about recent discoveries in the use of infra-red light in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration and other retinal problems. Since this is a wide-spread problem, any news of progress is encouraging, so this is a program you shouldn't miss! GAIL STIRR is the Program Host, not surprisingly.

When Pres. MIKE was ready to start our last meeting, the bell was absent, so Officer In Charge Of Everything SCOTT raced off somewhere and got it. Properly rung, the meeting began with an announcement that Highway Cleanup is scheduled for Sat., Oct. 24. A good chance to get some fresh air, do a public service, and refill your stock of practice golf balls. Presumably we will get the time and the gathering place at our next meeting.

LINDA BERGREN reminded us of the Holiday Treat Sale now in progress. The deadline for orders is our next meeting, 10/20, so make sure you get yours in. After that date available stock will depend on the shipping quantities vs. recorded orders. This always means there will be malted milk balls, plus a good amount of other items, but if you need specific items/amounts you need to make that known by next Tuesday!

The gift bags for the Children's Hospital patients are due back at the next meeting. If you took one, fill it up and bring it back. [More on this below.] You can also bring nonperishable food items for the Food Pantry.

Treasurer SCOTT said all the members' dues invoices had gone out, and he thanked those Lions who have agreed to get theirs via email, which is both easier and less expensive to do. He did note that somewhere in the process this month, the system developed a mind of its own, and transferred some incorrect amounts to some emailed invoices. If you think yours was wrong, let him know. Based on past bitter experience, the Editor blames the QuickBooks program, which readily leads the user to strange places and blind alleys. Like so many people, it does not readily take corrections, either!

The meeting was called into a rare formal session, in order to properly pass a motion to nominate and support Lion JODI BURMESTER for the position of First Vice District Governor. JODI is continuing the tradition of Lion leadership from Madison Central Lions Club. She is also following in some large and numerous footprints, metaphorically speaking.

Pres. MIKE reported briefly on his experience at the Lions USA-Canada Leadership Forum, which included breakfast with a knowledgeable and affable Lion who turned out to be a Past International President. As with all of the other MCLC Lions who have attended a Forum, he found a lot of useful information in the presentations, which are always well done. Your hear stuff that is useful not just in Lionism, but in your everyday life, and the presenters are good at what they do. Many of the presenters are past or current Lions International officers, and it is further proof that the cream does indeed rise to the top, at least in Lionism.

TOTE BAGS
Our International President's theme this year in three words is: Dignity-Harmony and Humanity.
The Humanity effort includes children projects so our club can get involved by doing these Tote Bags for the Children's Hospital in Madison. These bags are given to pre-surgical children and cancer patients 0-teenages in age. This is an excellent project for our members to get involved. The paper attached to each bag list the various items to put in the bag. The children will take the bags home with them. I prefer to call them Comfort Bags. If you have one of the bags, please bring them to the meeting next Tuesday Oct. 20. I am going to the Children's Hospital next Thursday to deliver the bags from the Lioness Club and will take the Lions Club bags at the same time. Thanks for your effort with project. - BETTY INGWELL

See you next Tuesday!!