Next Gathering Tuesday, Dec. 15, at the Vintage Pub on Whitney Way, across the street from Westgate and HyVee. Our annual Holiday Party, scheduled for 6 PM - 8 PM, with appetizers and a cash bar. PP JACK HEIM made the arrangements, and there will be entertainment from a musical group specializing in jazz standards from the 20s, 30s and 40s. Gotta be some of the editor's favorites in there. JACK also promises some trivia questions, presumable with some sort of reward for anyone coming up with correct answers. No reservations, no meal charge, just come and socialize with Lion friends.

No noon meeting that day, either. Our next formal (using the word loosely) meeting will be next year, Jan. 5, 2016, a business meeting. Time flies when you're having fun.

At our last meeting, it turned out that KEVIN OLSEN was presiding, and he got things underway, sort of. He had the bell but didn't use it to open. JACK HEIM led off with a reminder of our upcoming social, as described above. He was followed by Sec. JOHN JENSON, who said that we had once again received a donation - $300 this time - from a gentleman named John Moskwa for our service funds. No one in our Club seems to know who he is, but he obviously appreciates what we do. His address was on the check and JOHN sent him a letter to properly thank him.

2nd VDG JODI BURMESTER reported on various aspects of our Vision Screening. The equipment we used to use has now been entirely replaced with new and better cameras, and of course using them requires training and certification. It only takes a couple hours once every two years, and the next training opportunity will be Wed., Jan. 13, 2016 at the Fitchburg Senior Center, 5510 Lacy Road, at 5:45 PM. For details, talk to JODI. This is one of the best projects we have, and it's an opportunity to do service “hands on.” You work directly with the people we are helping. The object is to identify eye abnormalities so that the individual can be referred to a vision professional for further examination and whatever treatment might be appropriate. You can help even if you haven't had the training - crowd management, clerical assistance and various gopher jobs are always needed.

LINDA BERGREN, chief Holiday Elf of our Treat Sale, says that happily her stock is going down. She does have items still available, including chocolate almonds and the ever-popular fruit cakes. If you haven't experienced Lions fruit cake, you should buy some and try it. They really ARE good! Let's get the rest of these things sold and out of LINDA's treatwagon, er, car.

JODI reported that the new Winner's Circle Lions Club, which we are helping to sponsor and support, is moving along pretty well. They now have about 15 members, with good prospect of obtaining the necessary 20 needed. Their Club Charter Night is scheduled for Feb. 2, 2016, at the Coliseum Bar.

Treasurer SCOTT GROVER noted that our present fund raisers bring in the equivalent of over $200 from each of our current members. We could use more ideas, and we need to keep improving on what we have, in order to maintain our service to the community.

There being no further discussion, KEVIN did ring the bell to close the meeting. !