LION TALK - DECEMBER 2012

LION TALK - A NEWSLE'ITER FOR THE FREEPORT, ILLINOIS LIONS CLUB

December 2012

November 13 - Members of our Lions Board met prior to the regular meeting to discuss the recent club survey. Suggestions made in the survey were discussed.

1. One change that was suggested started at that meeting. The meal was served buffet style with self service. It appeared that the club members had no problem with the change. This will ease the serving for Denise.
2. Changing meeting times was also discussed and the club moved to change the time of our meetings as follows:
1. The first meeting of each month will start now at 6PM. The time of fellowship will then also be earlier.
2. The second meeting each month will now start at 6:30PM with the board meeting now starting at 5:30PM. Write it down so you don't forget until we get used to the new times.
3. There was also discussion as to setting up permanent committees such as membership, publicity, sight and sound, etc. More information will follow.

We were happy to have Rich Highbarger as our guest November 13th. Rich works at FHN in the Ophthalmology Department. We hope Rich will join us again and consider becoming a Lion.

Our other guest on the 13th was State Representative, Jim Sacia, who stated that he liked his job representing “the 108,000 folks in our district”, but mentioned that he doesn't plan to run for another term. Rep. Sacia started his talk by stating that our state was financially in the worst shape of all 50 states, and from now on the budget must be no more than our income. “We must suck it up.” He hopes that they will get something accomplished in that direction in the next session. He said House Speaker Madigan is so powerful he can get things done, and he wants to leave a better legacy than the current mess. Current pensions may not take a big hit but COLAs may, and state employees may be hit hard. Rep. Sacia thinks 99% of the legislators are good, likeable people who work very hard. He thanked the Freeport Lions Club for their interest, and we thanked him for joining us and sharing his thoughts.

Our Holiday Party will be held December 11th at the Eagle's Club in place of our regular meeting. The social time will start this year at 6PM. We will have dinner at 6:30PM. The program will begin at approximately 7:15. We will be entertained again by our F. H. S. Jazz Band who we enjoyed greatly last year. You won't want to miss them.

December 10th is also the date for the All Service Club Lunch at the Masonic Temple (lower level). We usually try to make it there about 11:30 or shortly thereafter. They try to be finished before 1:00PM. The High School Choir always perform and are very entertaining.

The following actions were taken on items discussed at the November 27th board meeting:

• Donate $100 to the FHN Festival of Trees.
• Pay the FHS Jazz Band $300 for playing at our Christmas gathering.
• Send $500 to the Lions relief program for the victims of super storm Hurricane Sandy.
• Grant $200 to the Public School Foundation.
• Donate $250 to Malcolm Eaton Enterprises.
• Offer one $1,000 scholarship to a graduating Freeport or Aquin High School senior who plans to go to Highland Community College.
• The Lions of Illinois dues are rising somewhat. Lion Treasurer Kevin felt the $30 he collects for dues each 6 months can still cover it.
• Lion Paul Rampenthal volunteered to chair the Lions Ice Hog Fundraiser February 16th. Thanks Lion Paul. The Ice Hogs will give Lions $5 of the ticket price of $15 off all the tickets the Lions sell.

Lion Serafini gave the final report of the Rose Sale. Club members sold 538 dozen which netted the club $4,991. Thanks so much Lion Joe for all your work to coordinate our largest fundraiser. Rose Day was another great success due to Lion Joe and all the many good Lions who gave time and effort in many ways.

The Peace Poster Contest only had three students participate. Contact was made with middle school art teacher Ms. Cook who said that next year she hopes to get a better start. The three students who participated were given a set of markers for participating.

One suggestion mentioned in our recent club survey was that name tags might be helpful. Our old name tags have been found. They were used for many years but a number of years ago fell into disuse. Lion Kevin Grande volunteered to bring them up to date. The intention is that we will use them again in the near future.

On Saturday, December 1^st eight good Freeport Lions rang the Salvation Army bell at ShopKo. People seemed to be in the Christmas spirit and gave generously. We hope we helped the Salvation Army a great deal that day.

From the District Newsletter, District Governor Lyle reports that since her term started we have gained 43 new members but we hive lost 51. Several clubs are under fifteen members but they continue to get the job done in their community due to the hard work of those loyal Lions. All clubs must continue to seek good new members. Ask someone to be a Lion!

NOTABLE QUOTES:

• Never play poker with a man named Ace, Never eat at a place called Mom's and never invest in anything that eats or needs painting." Anon.
• 'The Golden Rule: Whoever has the gold makes the rules." Anon.
• It’s harder to conceal ignorance than it is to acquire knowledge." Arnold Glassow
• If you are thinking a year ahead, sow seeds.
• If you are thinking 10 years ahead plant a tree.
• If you are thinking 100 years ahead, educate the people." Kuan Tsu 3^rd Century B.C.

A CHRISTMAS GATHERING

DECEMBER 11, 2012, Freeport IL – The Freeport Lions Club Christmas Gathering dinner was held at the Freeport Eagles Club to the smooth sounds of the Freeport High School Jazz Band. About 56 members and guests attended. The 50/50 raffle was won by Terry and Cheryl Anderson. Holiday poinsettia plants used for table center pieces were taken home by guests.

Freeport High School Jazz Band Director, Bill Peterson, noted that the students in this particular band do so for the love of music as an extracurricular activity, not for credit. Several of the student musicians have received State awards and recognitions for their musical talents and achievements, and some were even recognized for helping the Freeport Lions Club collect donations on Candy Day. Many musical arrangements and choreography performed were designed by members of the band themselves. If you closed your eyes, you could not tell if you were listening to students  - or professional musicians! HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

LION TALK - November 2012

LION TALK - A Newsletter for the Freeport, Illinois Lions Club.

November 2O12

District Governor Ruth Lyle met with us at our October 9, 2012, meeting. District Governor Lyle gave us a good pep talk with many humorous remarks such as, “The Lion is King of the Jungle mainly because he believes he is and lets everyone know it.”  D.G. Lyle feels members should also be like that. D.G. Lyle also presented Lion Duane Smith with a letter from Lions International President congratulating him on his 40 years as a Lion. Thank you Governor Lyle for your visit and your encouragement to our club.

SENIOR DANCE - Thanks to the good Lions who helped with the Senior Center Dance October 7th. Read more online at: http://freeportlionsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/senior-resource-center-event.html.

SALVATION ARMY BELL RINGERS  - Vice President, Paul Rampenthal, announced that we are again signed up to help the on December 1^st at SHOPKO from 8-4PM. He also mentioned that this year’s All Service Clubs Luncheon will be held Monday, December 10^th, at the Masonic Temple with the Freeport High School Choir performing, and our Christmas gathering will be held December 11^th to the smooth sounds of the Freeport High School Jazz Band.

CANDY DAY - Collections were good this year. The club gave the Lions of Illinois Foundation $850 and voted to give our high school helpers $200. The remaining $356 will go to our treasurer. The club also expresses its appreciation to Lion Troy Pettis for collecting all day at K-Mart where members at other locations took turns in shifts. Thanks so much Lion Troy. Read more about Candy Day online: http://freeportlionsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/2012-candy-days-cool-and-sweet.html

ROSE DAY - Fifteen good Freeport Lions met at Lion Paul Tormohlen's Good People Automotive to sort and pick up roses for delivery. The weather was crisp with no rain. Rose chairman Joe Serafini thinks that sales were from 535-540 this year. He will give an exact account later this month with correct numbers, expenses, profit, etc. Extra roses not sold were distributed to nursing homes in town, Judy Hayner and Eleanor Chance. The roses were especially beautiful and many compliments have been received. Lion Joe did mention our super salesman Lion Terry sold 155 dozen. Way to go Lion Terry and way to go Lion Joe. For a great picture and article about Rose Day, visit Lion Richard Montgomery's Lion Blog:  http://freeportlionsclub.blogspot.com/2012/10/rose-day-2012.html

A SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Lion Joe Serafini was born in Chicago but grew up in Carmi, Illinois, a town in the Southeast part of our state. Lion Joe graduated from Carmi high school (home of the Carmi Bulldogs) and worked a year for an oil field salvage company before joining the Air Force. Lion Joe served as a Radar Operator for four years in places like the Philippines and Vietnam.

Following his military service, Joe started working for Economy Fire and Casualty in Freeport in 1970.

The company moved him to Cincinnati and back to Freeport in 1974. In 1976 he was assigned to Centralia, Illinois where he attended and graduated from Kaskaskia Jr. College. .He also met and married a young lady named Nancy in Centralia. In 1995 they moved back to Freeport. Economy was taken over by St. Paul Causualty, and in 2000 St. Paul was purchased by Met Life. Joe has spent 42 years in the insurance business. He has three sons and just recently welcomed a fourth grandchild. For fun he likes to play golf, sell roses, go to Lions club meetings and hunt deer (which he does regularly near his boyhood home in Carmi IL). We do hope Lion Joe will have a good vacation and safe hunting.

IMPORTANT NEWS ITEMS

. Lion Paul Rampenthal just recently was married. The club wishes Lion Paul and his bride every happiness. We are very pleased for you.

. Lion Paul Tormohlen has arranged to have our State Representative Jim Sacia be with us at our November 13^th meeting. You won't want to miss it.

. Be sure to read Lion Joe's excellent minutes for more details and check Lion Richard's Blog.

Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Freeport-IL-Lions-Club/181458685261615