Next Meeting - Tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 6, on the Mezz at Festival Foods, at 11:30 AM as usual. This will be our Business Meeting for November, and as usual there is stuff going on to be reported on or planned for. To be sure you know what’s going on, and to have your say about it, “be there, Aloha!”. (That latter is both a flashback to TV some years ago and an “aloha, Rich” to Past President RICH MATZELLE, who is contemplating the approach of winter without worries from his retirement home near Hilo, Hawai’i. “Winter is coming”. For some reason, the Editor enjoys typing the new spelling for our ocean State. Never abbreviate if you can apostrophe.)

Our last meeting had a fair amount of business for a Program Meeting. VP DALE BURMESTER presided, and the opening words were “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are”, originally spoken by Pres. Theodore Roosevelt.The TailTwister quizzed those present about the Wisconsin “White Cane Law”, which requires drivers to stay 10 ft. clear of anyone displaying a white cane. There were reports on the Bags Tournament, which had limited success because of low numbers of participants. A fun time, however, and there are still some raffle reports to come.

“Drinks With Santa” is set for December 8, 3pm at LJ’s. We probably still need a Santa suit. Promotion planning continues. (Download the poster. And then post it.)

Our Holiday Party is at Angelo’s on Monona Drive, as before. December 11, about 5:30 PM. Anticipate a request for RSVPs.

Matthew Whiting - Assistant Field Director of the UW Varsity Band, was the speaker, introduced by LINDA BERGREN. He spoke about Mike Leckrone, the Director who is retiring after 50 years, and the immense amount of effort Mike puts in to make the Band as famous as it is. They use a unique “stop at the top” step, eight of them for every five yards, which makes a performance like jogging with an instrument, and Mike is a perfectionist, saying “all I want is all you got”, and if you’ve seen them you know that they create an intensity that is seen and heard in performance. What is not seen is the incredible amount of detailed charting which shows where each of the 346 members should be for each formation, all of which Mike does by himself, and how each person gets to that spot. Mike knows all the names and positions after the first week of fall practice, which he directs with a bullhorn from atop a tall tower on the practice field, and is usually able to identify and rebuke by name any performer not in the right spot. Notably, only about 10% of the band members are music majors. (There are, reportedly, two current MCLC members who are Band alumni. Neither were music majors.)

College bands don’t travel to away games as much as they used to because of the cost, but this year they went to Northwestern and when the Badgers are invited to a bowl game the band goes too. The occasionally get to go to Lambeau Field, too.

The band has saxaphones, clarinets and oboes (“reeds”), which is what distinguishes a “Marching Band” from a Drum and Bugle Corps. Both have a variety of horns (“Brass”) and percussion (Drums and occasionally other types).

The editor recently got a copy of the Inman, KA “Lions Roar” from former MCLC VP DENNIS URECHE, and in it was the announcement of their Candy and Nut Sale, which had a very familiar look (cashews, trail mix, malted milk balls, anyone?) but, incredibly, NO FRUITCAKE! A tradition lost in transition.

Upcoming Events:
• November 6, Business Meeting
• November 17, Brodhead Lions Pancake Breakfast
• November 20, NO Program Meeting
• November 27, Board Meeting
• December 4, Business Meeting
• December 8, Drinks with Santa
• December 11, Holiday Party
• December 18, Program Meeting
• December 25, NO Board Meeting