Senior Resource Center Event

October 7, 2012, VFW Post 998, Freeport IL – Freeport Lions Club volunteers helped cook hamburgers and brats, served food and drinks, and cleared tables at a fundraising event for the Stephenson County Senior Resource Center. A live Polka band presented entertainment for dancing during the dinner event. And many local businesses provided products and services for a silent "raffle-type" fundraiser.

Shown sweating over a hot, smoky grill are (L-R) Lions Darla VanBuskirk, Bert Kirsten, Joe Serafini and Rich Montgomery.

Lion volunteers (and spouses) included Rebecca Shriver, David (and Angela) Snyders, Troy Pettis, Terry Anderson, Bert (and Linda) Kersten and Joe (and Nancy) Serafini, Darla VanBuskirk, and Rich Montgomery. Area co-sponsors included Union Savings Bank, Freeport Shopping News, Freeport Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, The Journal –Standard, Big Radio, VFW Post 998, and Logan’s Bar & Grill.

Special thanks to Senior Resource Center Director, Kelly Ziemer Hillan, for providing the Freeport IL Lions Club another opportunity to be of service to an important part of the community.

Rose Day 2012

October 27, 2012 - Fifteen Freeport Lions Club volunteers delivered over 550 dozen roses to residents in Freeport and surrounding communities in Stephenson, JoDaviess and Winnebago counties. The Lions met early Saturday morning at Paul Tormohlen’s Good People Automotive to pick up boxes for their routes that had been sorted and filled by Lions Rose Day chairman, Joe Serafini.

Although some people thought only residents of Freeport are recipients of roses, people may be surprised to learn of the many communities in which recipients live. Rose delivery routes took Freeport Lions to Baileyville, Forreston, Shannon, Lanark, Lake Carroll, Ridott, German Valley, Pecatonica, Winnebago, Davis, Rock City, Lake Summerset, Willow Lake, Sunset Hills, Cedarville, Orangeville, Pearl City, Lena, Winslow, Warren and Stockton.

Freeport Lions Club Rose Day first delivery route drivers arriving for early morning route pickup were (top row) Lions Club President, Terry Anderson, Dennis Zimmerman, Troy Pettis, and Roland Caruso; (bottom row) Rich Montgomery, Joe Serafini and Steve Kryder.

Thanks to all of this year’s delivery route drivers who volunteered: Brian Burke, Roland Caruso, Duane Smith, Richard Montgomery, Bert Kersten, Jack Grigsby, Pat Davis, Steve Kryder, Joe Serafini, Terry Anderson, Dennis Zimmerman, Leo Bonin, Paul Rampanthal, and Troy Pettis. Lions made efforts to deliver in person when possible, or called the recipient and left a message if no one was home. Several dozen roses were donated to the Stephenson County Nursing Center, as well as to Provena St. Joseph Center, Liberty Village, and Parkview Home, all in Freeport.

2012 Candy Days Cool and Sweet

Lions Candy Days, October 12-13, 2012, Freeport IL - Volunteers helped collect funds from people in front of several stores including Sullivan Foods, Cub Foods and Shopko on Friday and Saturday, October 12 and 13. Funds collected help people of all ages with vision and hearing challenges as well as find solutions for deaf and blind people. Freeport High School organizations such as the Student Council and the Pom-Pom Squad joined forces with Lions volunteers throughout both days.

 Lion Richard Montgomery stands ready to greet the first shoppers of the day in front of Cub Foods. Lions Terry Anderson and Paul Rampanthal trade shifts at Shopko.  

Freeport High School Pom-Pom members Andrea Hartman and Aline Kopp offer shoppers a candy roll in exchange for a donation at Cub Foods, while Freeport High School Student Council members Meg Gantzer and Alex Cornacchia take up the cause in front of Sullivan’s Foods. 

Our thanks to the businesses that helped participate in our 2012 annual fundraising campaign. Also a special thanks to Cedarville and Lena Lions Clubs whose members made it a point to stop, donate, and say “hello” to our volunteers while they shopped even though they had their own Candy Day events in their own towns.

Lions Club Benches Spruce Up the Town

August 18, 2012, Freeport IL - Several wooden benches donated for use by Freeport IL residents were in various states of disrepair. Freeport Lions Club volunteers repaired and painted benches at the JC Penny store and Park Hills Golf Course. Other benches located at the Lincoln Mall and the Stephenson County Court House were repaired by employees from those locations.

Pictured with paintbrush in hand at Park Hills Public Golf Course is Freeport Lions President, Terry “Picasso” Anderson. Not pictured were volunteer Lions, Jack “Van Gogh” Grigsby, and Roland “Monet” Caruso.

LION TALK - OCTOBER 2012

September 11^th meeting Communications/Announcements - Lion Paul (Betty) Tormohlen celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary on 9/8! Congratulations to you both! Happy Birthday to Bert Kersten! Lion Richard Montgomery reminded us that today eleven years ago many friends and comrades died in the 9/11 attacks. Since then we have been involved in two major battles and have lost many more of our military as they fight to allow us to celebrate our freedom. We held a moment of silence to honor those who have passed but also to honor those who continue to serve our country and maintain our freedoms that we should never take for granted.

Rather than having a regular program, members broke into small groups and brainstormed how to improve our club. Each small group then gave a brief report, and the members all filled out a questionnaire. The completed questionnaires were given to Lions Rebecca Shriver and Darla Van Buskirk who will compile the results to give for a later meeting. The results should prove interesting and provide some good ideas for improvement and membership growth.

September Activities:

• September 13^th - Leonard Ferguson Center open house 5-7PM. Attendees saw the new construction helped by our $3,000 donation from earlier this year.
• September 20^th - German Valley Lions Club Buffet Fundraiser at Freeport VFW. The club bought 10 tickets for member use. Attendees enjoyed a terrific meal and camaraderie.

September 25^th meeting Announcements - Lion Pat (Carlotta) Davis celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary on.9/29. Lion Bert (Linda) Kersten celebrated their 13th on 9/25. Congratulations to all! Lion Rick Eastman said his 3 yr. old grandson came home and was quite excited to recite the Pledge of Allegiance! What an exciting time when you hear our youth recite such an important part of our heritage.

The September 25th Board Meeting was very full, as is the calendar for whole month of October.

• October 7^th we volunteered to cook and wait tables to help the Stephenson County Senior Resources Center with their “Oktoberfest Cookout & Dance” at the VFW from 12:30-4:30PM.
• October 12^th and 13^th are Lions Candy Days - Collection locations are at Sullivan Foods, Cub Foods, K-Mart and Shopko.
• October 27^th is Lions Rose Day - Lions were urged us to push sales and get as many turned in at the 10/9 meeting so they can get be routed early. Sales deadline and final money turn in is at the 10/23 meeting. For questions ask Lions Joe Serafini or Brian Burke.

In other business the board moved to donate the following contributions:

• $400 to Amity Society for their child care program.
• $100 to the University of Illinois "Keepers of the Land" educational program for 3d graders.
• $1000 to the Stephenson County Historical Society to help restore the one room school, an important part of our local heritage as an educational tool.

We were sorry to learn that past president and active Freeport Lion, Harry Kline, had died. Lion Harry was the chief medial technologist at Freeport Memorial Hospital for a number of years who later served as a Lutheran minister. This later calling took him to many places before his retirement.

The board thanked Lions Terry Anderson and Jack Grigsby for refurbishing and restoring our Lion benches at the Park Hills Golf Course and at the J. C. Penney store. They now look so much better. Good job!

The District 1-D Newsletter mentioned that the Center for Sight and Hearing was having an open house on October 12^th from 1PM - 3PM. The Center’s website is www.centerforsighthearinq.org.

Lion Biography (by Lion Duane Smith): Longtime Lion, Paul Tormohlen, was born in Kansas City. Paul's father was a Methodist minister so the family moved with his work. They later returned to Rockford where Paul grew up. He graduated from Rockford East High school in 1942 and attended the University of Illinois briefly. But as most young men in those days he soon ended up in Uncle Sam’s military. Paul served in the Army Field Artillery for three years in the South Pacific. He participated in the campaigns for Saipan, Taiwan, Leyte Island in the Philippines, and Okinawa until June of 1945 when he was returned to the States and discharged in October. He found a job in the Service Department of the Rockford Hudson dealer. He soon became manager of the Beloit Hudson dealership, and later bought the business. This continued for seven years until Hudson quit making cars. At this point Paul returned to Rockford and sold cars for Chrysler; then used cars; then Fords; and later sold Chevrolets.

 In 1972 Paul came to Freeport Chevrolet as manager. He and partner Virgil Bocker bought the dealership in 1976. Virgil bought the business in 1983 when Paul started Tormohlen Chrysler. He owned that the next 20 years until he sold the business in 2003. Shortly thereafter, he began “Tormohlen's Good People Automotive” located on Ihm Boulevard where he works most days.

Paul currently starts each day at 5 a.m. with a swim at the YMCA, a routine for the last 30 years. He and Betty have two sons, Gordy and Tom. Gordy is with him in their car business. Paul and Betty also have a granddaughter who sells cars in Rockford, and a grandson who sells cars in Monroe. Paul and Betty enjoy travel and have taken eight cruises. Paul's long-time interest is collecting Hudson autos. You've probably seen him at one of the local car shows with one of his fine autos. He is very active at the National Hudson Collectors Association, and he and Betty drive their Hudson to the meetings around the country. With all his other activities Paul has always been a very loyal and active Lion since 1964 - almost 50 years serving his community.

A QUOTE FROM THE OCTOBER 1988 NEWSLETTER: “The Hearing screening Mobile Unit was stationed on September29th at the Jewel/Osco store. Sixty people were tested between 5p.m. and 8p.m. We consider our efforts a success. Thanks to Jim Argo for his good work.”

LION TALK – April 2012

LION TALK - A Newsletter for the Freeport, Illinois Lions Club – April 2012

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District Governor Presentation

District Governor Paul Lindstrom (center in red sport coat) visited our club at the March 13th meeting. He challenged us to make every member feel important to the club. He also mentioned that so far our district has planted 346 trees with more this spring. Six point nine million have been planted world wide. Governor Lindstrom discussed the problem of membership. ln 1990 our state had about 25,000 members. ln2}12we have 17,000 memberships. Our district is the only district in the state with a positive membership number this year. There maybe changes coming in the number of districts in our state, as each district is supposed to have 1250 members. Some districts, particularly in the south, no longer have that number. We thank District Governor Lindstrom for his visit, his interesting information and his encouragement.

L-R seated: Lions Roland Caruso, Duane Smith, Rebecca Shrive, Darla VanBuskirk, Brian Burke, Paul Tormohlen; standing Joe Serafini, Rich Montgomery, David Snyders, Paul Rampanthal, Gov. Lindstrom, Bert Kersten, Dennis Zimmerman, Terry Anderson)

New Member Induction 

 New member Lion Roland Caruso (center) was officially inducted into the club and recognized by Lions Joe Serafini and District 1-D Governor Lindstrom.

Income to Help Us Serve Others

During the meeting Lion Terry Anderson passed out the summary report of the 2011 mint sales. The report included the summary for the past 5 years. The 2011 income amounted to $3522.25, one of the top collection years. and a very significant amount that funds our club's charitable activities. The Lion candy displays are in nearly every place of business in town which also publicizes the work of Lions. Thanks very much Lions Terry and Dennis Zimmerman for all your good work - great service which requires a great deal of time and effort.

Spreading The Word 

Special Thanks to Lions Montgomery and Anderson for the excellent display they created and displayed at the Stephenson County Visitors Center. It will also be displayed at the District Convention and at other places in the future. Thanks, good Lions.

Cancer Center Donation
Freeport Lions 2011-2012 President Bert and a group of other Lions presented Terry Egan, FHN Foundation Executive Director, a check for $3,000 as our club's contribution to the Ferguson Cancer Center fund drive for the Center expansion. This occurred on March 21^st. It is certainly a very worthwhile way to be of service to the people of our community and Northwest Illinois.

 Standing in front of the newly-constructed wing of the Ferguson Cancer Center with a check for $3,000 are Freeport Lions Rich Montgomery, Brian Burke, Darla VanBuskirk, Terry Anders, Bert Kersten, Roland Caruso, Rebecca Shriver, Paul Tormohlen, FHN Foundation Executive Director Terry Egan, Furst-McNess President and CEO Martha Furst, and FHN CEO Dr. Michael Perry

YMCA Programs Explained

Matt Mullen of the Freeport YMCA spoke to us at our March 27^th meeting. He is their Youth and Family Services Director. The "Y' is a great facility and offers many programs for all ages. We enjoyed Matt's visit. Lion Richard Montgomery arranged this month's informative program.

YMCA's Matt Mullen fields questions from Lions as Lions Joe Serafini, Paul Tormohlen, Duane Smith and Terry Anderson listen attentively.

Miscellaneous "Board' action of March 28th 

• Lion Paul Rampenthal informed us that we didn't win a weekend for the CUB FOOD BRAT STAND - better luck next year.
• Give Lion Dave Snyders your Sight and Sound Sweepstakes by April 10.
• Diabetes Awareness Week will be May 18 and 19.
• Hearing Screening van will be at the Senior Center May 23rd.
• We approved a motion to send the Lions Clubs International Foundation $350 for its Measles vaccination program.
• We voted to give John Deere Birdies for Charity 3 cents per birdie again this year, the same as last year.