LION TALK - MARCH 2012

LION TALK - Newsletter for the Freeport, Illinois, Lions club March, 2012

February 28^th Board Meeting Notes

Zone Chairman Gary Meyers attended our board meeting. The Board considered a slate of officers for the next fiscal year. We were pleased to have Lion Gary with us. A slate was partially completed but a couple of key vacancies remain. The Board voted to give $100 to-the "Earth Day" program for school grades 1-4. They also voted to donate $300 for RAMP'S "Wheel-A-Thon" and $250 for the "Stroll-A-Thon” to benefit the Senior Center’s bus service. A $100 donation was also received from Lion Lillian Osran for a camper to go to Camp Lions. This was given in memory of her husband and good Lion Ed Osran. Thank you Lion Lillian.

February 28^th Regular Meeting Notes

Zone Chairman Gary Meyers addressed the group outlining how he became more involved each year since his start date. Lion Meyers encouraged everyone to keep up the good work our club is doing.

Lion Rich Montgomery sponsored the evening program and introduced us to his long-time friend and coworker, Mike Mudge, from Rock River Energy Services Company in Oregon, Illinois. Mike spoke to us about his company's plan that offers villages and cities the opportunity to save their citizens 10 -15% on their ComEd bills. The first community to participate was Fulton, Illinois. The plan takes advantage of lower cost energy sources than what ComEd charges. Several members have already taken advantage of this savings. People who reside outside a village’s or city’s limits or on farms, and who wish to have the same opportunities and lower their energy supply rates can contact Lion Rich Montgomery for details on this unique savings opportunity. The plan is approved by the Illinois legislature. (Freeport citizens voted on a referendum March 20th to have Freeport offer Electrical Aggregation rates to its citizens.)

Lion Terry Anderson submitted his 2011 Eye Care Report. The number of glasses approved for purchase last year was 47 at a total cost of $1863.11. Over the last seven years a total of 314 requests for glasses have been approved at a total cost of $15,532.83. You might also want to consider that our club has been purchasing glasses for the Freeport community for most of its 75 years. That must come to a significant number. For many years our school nurses asked us to provide glasses for needy students. We were their only source for help at that time. We owe Lion Terry big thanks for all the work he does to provide this service". It’s a big job.

March ROARS In

March is generally quite a “roller coaster” month in Freeport and most of the Midwest. It comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, and is also the time of "March (basketball) Madness". Lent lasts all month long. We set our clocks ahead one hour. Spring arrived. Flowers started popping up and sweet fragrances from magnolia trees blew all over town. We celebrated St. Patrick's Day, and this year had an opportunity to go to the polls and exercise our right to vote in a Primary Election as well. We started out in long coats and sweaters, changed to shorts and sandals, gave our furnaces a rest, maybe played a few rounds of golf, then got the sweaters out once more. Some of us even mowed our yards!

March 13, 2012 Regular Meeting

Freeport Lions hosted Illinois Lions District 1-D Governor, Paul Lindstrom, and his wife from Leaf River IL, at the March 13, 2012 regular meeting. We had a good turnout to greet our good Governor in spite of all the "snowbirds" AWOL in southern states. DG Lindstrom spoke about commitment and service, and spoke of his attending the International Convention in Anchorage, Alaska. He told the story about a man blinded by a bear attack while fishing for salmon with friends, how the man struggled to get his life back on track, and how the Lions played an integral part in his life. Stories like that help put our community service into perspective.

Lions seated, (l-r) Roland Caruso, Duane Smith, Rebecca Shriver, Darla VanBuskirk, Brian Burke, Paul Tormohlen, standing (l-r) Joe Serafini, Rich Montgomery, David Snyders, Paul Rampanthal, District Governor Lindstrom, President Bert Kersten, Denis Zimmerman and Terry Anderson.

New Member Inducted

Lion Joe Serafini, new member sponsor, congratulates Lion Roland Caruso during his formal induction into membership by Lion District 1-D Governor Paul Lindstrom.

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