March 11
Guest Speaker -
Lion Joe
Serafini introduced Jim Dole, Director of JETS Observatory since 2001. He is from Freeport and graduated Freeport High School in 1979 with
Lion Rick Eastman! He has been an amateur astronomer most of his life, a
graduate of Highland Community College (HCC), and has Master
of Science degrees in both Astronomy and Computer Information Systems. Jim currently
teaches "Introduction to Astronomy" at HCC.
In 2011
the Planetary Studies Foundation (PSF) assumed responsibilities of the
observatory. PSF is adding a domed
building to house a new 18 inch Dobsonian reflector telescope to be located
next to the current building, the old Park Hills Golf Course clubhouse). The
new building will be ADA-compliant (handicap accessible), and the cost for this
project is $16,000.00. PSF committed
$7,000, and so far another $1,500 has been pledged. They plan raise the needed funds and complete
this project this year. Once completed, the JETS Observatory will be renamed, "Douglas
Firebaugh Astronomical Observatory" to honor its founder and Freeport High School's revered
science teacher. Jim stated that any assistance Freeport Lions can provide
would be greatly appreciated. Nice
presentation, thanks Jim.
March 25 Guest, Car
Show Update -
Lion Rick Eastman introduced Randy
Hornung, Total Touch-Up Automotive
Reconditioning - Randy is helping spearhead our May 10th “Cruisin' For A Cause” Car Show. We appreciate his volunteering with all the
planning and helping seek monetary sponsors. Freeport Lions board of directors
approved the cost of 25 advertising signs. Jodi
Miller (Manager and part owner of Union
Dairy http://www.theuniondairy.com/
), Randy Hornung (Total Touch-Up https://www.facebook.com/pages/Total-Touch-Up-Auto-Reconditioning/
), and Lions Rick Eastman and Joe Serafini met recently to go over
planning. A proposed list of sponsors was agreed upon.
If you know want to approach
a specific business to be a sponsor, let Lion Rick or Lion Joe know in advance.
Advertising through local radio, Chamber of Commerce, and Stephenson County Visitors Center are still in planning stages. On May 10th, the day of the
show, Lions will be assigned to all parking lots. Parking starts at 1:00PM for cars to arrive, and the show and judging are
from 4 to 8PM. There is a $10.00 fee if anyone wants a
vehicle to be in judged. We need helpers to attend the registration table and to
sell 50/50 Raffle Tickets at $1.00 each
or 6 for $5.00. More volunteers are needed to help place vehicles in the
designated areas. The next meeting for the Car Show Coordinating Committee is 4/15/14 at 5:15PM in the Union Dairy. All Lions are welcome to attend.
Communications/Announcements –
· Lion Troy
Pettis celebrated a birthday on March
17th. Happy Birthday Troy!
· Lion Liz
Boyer is due to give birth in July
and says, "It's a Boy!". We're
looking forward to his arrival but probably not as much as Liz!
· Our club received two thank you letters, one from
Lions Club International Foundation for our monetary donation for their
“Measles Initiative”, and one from a deserving recipient of a reading magnifier
thanking us for paying for part of that cost.
· Five Freeport Lions planned to attend the District 1-D Convention in Rockford on April 4th
and 4th, that's great. There are always a plenty of sharing of ideas
and Lionism shared at the conventions. Look for a report in next month’s “Lion Talk”.
· Center for
Sight & Hearing – The board of
directors voted to donate $500.00 for 2014.
· Leader Dog
Program – The board of directors
voted to donate for 2014..
· Sight &
Sound Sweepstakes Tickets - Lion Dave Snyders says all tickets must be
turned in by April 8th.
· Diabetes
Awareness 4/25-26 - Lion Terry Anderson says sign-up sheet will
be available at April 8th meeting. Freeport High School students will be helping after 3PM
on Friday 4/25 and all day on Saturday 4/26.
· Dist. 1D
2014 Calendars -Cost $25.00 -
contact Lion Joe Serafini. We have 3 left - get yours now.
· $1,000 Scholarship
Applications - Lion Terry Anderson says we received only one
application to date. If you know of someone planning to graduate from Aquin or Freeport High Schools and attend Highland Community College, please remind them to complete and submit their
application. TIME IS RUNNING OUT!
· Distinguished
Service Award 2014 - Lion Serafini
says be thinking of who you want to nominate, we'll individually be nominating
at the April 8th meeting.
· Slate of New
Officers 2014-2015 announced - We
need someone to step into the 1st Vice President role - Tell President Paul if
you are interested.
o President -
Richard Montgomery Lion
Tamer - Liz Boyer
o 1st VP – (need
officer) 1
Yr. Director - Roland Caruso
o 2nd VP -
Rebecca Shriver 1
Yr. Director - Troy Pettis
o 3rd VP -
Brian Burke 2
Yr. Director - Pat Davis
o Treasurer -
Dennis Zimmerman 2 Yr.
Director - Rick Eastman
o Secretary -
Joe Serafini Tail
Twister - Terry Anderson
o Immediate
Past President/Membership Chairman - Paul Rampenthal
· Cub Foods
Brat Stand – We submitted our
application, but don't think we'll get selected based on the large number of
applications from other community service organizations. We seem to get chosen
every other year.
· Dixon Evening
Lions 50th Anniversary 6/7 6PM - ask
Lion Joe Serafini for more
information.
· Pecatonica
Lions Diabetes Awareness Dinner 4/12 5PM - ask Lion Joe Serafini for
more information.
· Distinguished
Service Award 2014 - Be thinking of
who you want to nominate. We will announce individual nominations at the April
8th meeting.
· Stephenson County 4H Pork
Chop Dinner - 4/6 – Our club bought 20
tickets to support the county 4H groups.
Lions can either use the tickets themselves or give the tickets away to
help feed the poor, homeless or hungry.
· Loaned Low-Vision
Screener – Note: The recipient of
our loaned low-vision screener was so pleased with our support, that they
donated $50.00 to our club!
· John Deere
Birdies for Charity Classic - July 2014 – The board of directors voted to donate three cents per birdie for this
annual charity golf outing.
· District
Officer Nominations – The board of
directors voted to support the following District 1-D candidates for
office: District Governor, Jim
Kloepping; 1st Vice District Governor, Gary Meyers; Trustee, Dave Waller.
· State of IL Tax
Filing - thanks
goes to Lion Kevin Grande for gathering & submitting documents St of
IL. Note we are not a tax exempt
organization.
· Counter
Mints in Question - We recently
learned the supplier will not make mints.
Lions International is looking for other manufacturers. Otherwise, we
know of a supplier from Australia. More to
follow.
· Request for
help - Service Dog Expenses – Our
club received a request from a person soon to get a new service dog for our
club to help with veterinarian bills and pet food. The board of directors voted
to donate a maximum amount per year towards the actual cost of veterinarian bills. "Good dog!"
Calendar Planner -
4/4/14 - 4/5/14 - Dist. 1D Convention - Radisson
Hotel, Rockford
4/8/14 - 6:00PM Regular Meeting
4/15/14 - 5:15PM -
Car Show Planning @Union Dairy
4/22/14 - 5:30PM Board Meeting
4/22/14 - 6:30PM Regular Meeting
4/25/14 – 4/26/14 - Diabetes Awareness Fundraiser
5/10/14 - 1st
Annual Lions Car Show - "Cruisin For A Cause"
5/16/14 – 5/18/14
- Lions of IL State Convention - Lisle Hotel, Lisle, IL
Think Membership – Invite a guest to visit our club, and to then ask them to consider
becoming a Lion.
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