Next Meeting - Tuesday, July 2, on the Mezz at Festival Foods, E. Washington Ave., Madison. 11:30 AM, as usual. This is our Business Meeting for July, and we will discover if anything new is going on. If you want a say in what happens in the next couple of months, show up and be heard. Four of our members will be in Italy, at the Lions International Convention, and we will get reports from them later. International Conventions are an experience you should not miss, if you ever have the opportunity. You get a feeling of power you don't get anywhere else, when you see all those Lions from all over the world, and hear how much is being done for so many when there are all these hands to help.

Late Breaking News: Due to a scheduling snafu, our greatly anticipated trip to the Lions Camp at Rosholt has been postponed until next year. We have been assured of a spot with visually disadvantaged campers, but we don't know the exact date next summer. Disappointment abounds.

We have learned that Lion JODI did not receive the District Convention's endorsement for her candidacy for International Director. As disappointing as that is, we and our communities are still the beneficiaries of her effort, and hopefully over time she will recognize some personal benefit as well. When you reach for something high, you stretch yourself, even if you don't quite grasp what you were reaching for that time. That stretch comes in handy later, in other times and circumstances. The projects she accomplished, and the people she encouraged along the way continue, her fingerprints are on them, and the echoes remain. Those who got a better look at Lionism in action will hopefully follow her example, and “communities” will benefit. In simple terms, more people will get more help from Lions Clubs because her effort and enthusiasm showed the way. Thanks, JODI, it's appreciated!

At our last meeting, we confirmed PDG JOHN JENSON as one of our official delegates to the International Convention, along with CC JODI and PID PHIL. Our Club Officers for the Lion year that begins next week were officially installed by Council Chair JODI, in the course of which each received a candy bar symbolic of their office and responsibilities - a Power Bar for the President, Three Musketeers for the VP, Payday for the Treasurer, Snickers for the TT. and Symphony and Mr. Goodbar for Directors. Your editor didn't hear who got the Butterfingers, which is probably just as well.

GAIL STIRR introduced the speaker, Prof. Julie Mares of the UW Depts. Of Opthalmology, Visual Sciences and Population Health, and a long-time member of the McPherson Eye Research Institute. She started off by enumerating the common eye difficulties resulting from aging, (a list familiar to many of us), Farsightedness, Cataract, Night Vision,and Adaptation to changing light levels. 50% of people over age 65 will experience Cataract, 25% of them and still 12% of those over 80, Macular Degeneration.

Among factors that aggravate these are stress, diet, high lipids (cholesterol and such), smoking, and reduced physical activity. Except for Cataract, there don't seem to be pushbutton solutions to many of these, but as in so many other health issues, exercise and a healthy diet (fruits, veggies and low-fat) all seem to be helpful. Lower amounts of sweets, fats, dairy, oil and salad dressings also seem to be universally likely to be helpful.

The Editor is constantly reminded of the old joke, “everything I like is either illegal, immoral, or fattening.” But is does seem that the last one shows up as the cause of a lot of problems. An interesting program, reinforcing many messages we have heard before.

Calendar for July:
• July 5-9 - LCI International Convention in Milan, Italy
• July 13 - Fitchburg Lions Beer stand at Festival of Speed - looking for help
• July 15 - Concert in the Park
• July 16 - Program Meeting
• July 19 - McFarland Lions Food Cart Frenzy
• July 23 - Board Meeting
• July 23 - Zone Chair Training