Our next meeting will be Tuesday, February 6, 2018 on the Mezz at Festival Foods on East Washington Ave. Announced starting time is 11:30, and since it has been a long time between meetings (January is an excruciatingly long month) there must be some accumulated business to discuss.

One item that has generated a lot of discussion is how to handle a request from another org to use our Bags Boards, currently in storage at Ross Royster's place after a great deal of effort. We have a lot of effort, plus materials, invested in those boards, plus it is no minor matter to get them out, delivered to the point of use, and cared for properly. Then there is the issue of transporting them back, re-storing them, and dealing with any damage, plus defining “normal wear and tear.” We may be in the tournament business, but we are not in the “equipment rental” business, at least not by choice. Then there is the whole business about brother Lions, charitable non-Lion use, etc. etc. etc. That whole tangle may get another going-over at the next meeting. The natural urge to be helpful, particularly to another Lions Club, is tempered by the effort and risks to our hard-built property. Just because they are Lions does not mean they are careful, capable and/or concerned. Picture Dagwood's favorite charcoal grill and Herb Woodley next door.

Our last meeting was presided over by DALE BURMESTER, our well-traveled VP leading off with a quote from MLK in respect to the day. Reporters noted that TT ADAM did not have the Lion Bank with him, resulting in considerable comment from members present. It was not clear where the Lion was (or is) but in typical Master of the Universe style the TT overcame any flak from the Lion membership.

MELISSA NOVINSKI and SCOTT GROVER reminded us that Rose Day is April 23, now is the time for a great selling effort. We are still in search of a depot. Both online and paper order forms are available and can be downloaded from our website or picked up at meetings. Please recite the instructions to yourself, aloud, from memory. They have been published every year for more than 20 years, and you ought to remember them by now. If you have ever done delivery you will remember the part about “fill out delivery instructions completely.”

Fund Raising Committee Chair and New Member KATIE PARADIS is still working on a Scavenger Hunt for Spring. She recently attended a Social Media Lab in Fitchburg, which will be of help in her new assignment as Editor of our Club's Facebook Page. What's not to “like”?

SCOTT reported on his recent conversation with Sherri Jo St John, daughter of DALE ST. JOHN. DALE is currently living in an assisted care facility. He's having difficulties with hearing and vision, and accordingly does not want visitors, but would like our thoughts and prayers ... perhaps send a note. [DALE's current address is in our directory.]

We've received a $1,891.50 gumball check. There are 291 gumball machines in our area. To date, we've received: $168,787.18 from this program. Ask the Editor about the gum machine in the Fire Station on Monroe Street. Note that we can still place new machines, although all of us have forgotten how. If you know a spot somewhere with good foot traffic and a friendly landlord/owner/store operator, talk to SCOTT. He's our contact with the gum distributor.

MELISSA introduced our speaker, Karin Krause, from Hope and a Future. Their goal is “Creating an intergenerational community where young and old can draw on each other's strengths to serve each other's needs.” Those who heard the speaker said she was good, but details on this new project are hard to piece together.