Next Meeting - Tuesday Sept.3, 2019, on the Mezz at Festival Foods, at 11:30 AM as usual. First trial of the new concept of Business Meeting/Board of Directors Meeting combined. Now what we need is a big crowd of Lions! As we said before, all members should attend, and Board business will be conducted as one section of the general activities. Directors meetings have always been open to any member, so this will reduce the time commitment for those who hold Board seats.

Time, it seems, is an ever more expensive ingredient in today’s society, possible because, to quote Mark Twain’s comment in another context about Land - “They ain’t making any more of it.” But Time spent in the service of others in need returns double value - it helps someone out, and it makes the person spending it feel better. Try it - you’ll see!

At our last meeting we had a good program from Lion Bill Clausius, and a couple of guests who are good prospects for membership. One comment in the discussion (we don’t know who said it - Captain Obvious was not on the attendance tally) was that Lions Clubs that were active in their community were more successful in obtaining new and younger members. VISIBILITY - it means a lot. The current generation is not without charitable instincts, but they develop better if they see others helping others. The best leadership is by example. The crux of the problem is letting people know what Lions do and how they can participate. The other part of the problem is conveying that knowledge to those in the community who have the time and the means to be helpful.

Lion CLAUSIUS, who is our 2nd Vice District Governor, told us that LCI is in over 200 Countries with 46,000 clubs and over 1.4 million members.In District 27-D1, we have 58 clubs with 2200 members. Our District served 325,504 people in 2018-2019 that's 56121 per club or 150 people served per member. That's great! Our service activities are up from the prior year: 3612 in 2018-2019. That's 301 activities per month or 62 activities per club. We had the state Diabetes Challenge last year and our district won it with over 100 diabetes projects held.

LCIF Campaign 100. LCIF is celebrating its 50th year. They are seeking to raise $300 million worldwide. Currently $110 million has been raised in the first year of the campaign. Why so much? LCIF has undertaken diabetes and pediatric cancer initiatives to go along with vision, hunger and the environment. These causes are widely known and require capital to impact.

Two new flow cytometers are new and operating in Wisconsin due to the efforts of funds from local clubs and from LCIF grant monies. LCIF contributed $200,000 to these projects.

LCIF needs your help which can be done in many ways. 1) Increase donations to LCIF 2) Hold a fundraiser dedicated to childhood cancer or a donation to help impact vision, environment, hunger or diabetes or 3) Individual member donations. LCIF suggests $100 per Lion per each of the three years.

Interest in our various projects and activities is heating up as our weather is cooling down. Bring your energy and your enthusiasm to this next Business/Board Meeting, and let’s get started!

Calendar for September:
• September 3 - Business/Board Meeting
• September 8 - New Glarus Charity Golf Outing
• September 13 - Cross Plains Fish Fry
• September 17 - Program Meeting
• September 18 - McFarland Food Cart Frenzy
• September 28 - Deerfield Chili Fest