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Lions Ledger
Elizabethtown Lions Club
“We Serve
July 2007
President's Message
Jimmy Carter once said in an interview with the New York Times Magazine that, “I have one life and one chance to make it count for something …I’m free to choose what that something, is, and that something I’ve chosen is my faith. Now, my faith goes beyond theology and religion and requires considerable work and effort. My faith demands – this is not optional – my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, whenever I can, for as long as I can,with whatever I have to try to make a difference.”
One could have a political debate as to whether Mr. Carter made a difference as President, but his post-presidential days have been filled with one humanitarian effort after another, which have certainly benefited his fellow man. As Lions, we have demanding faith as well. After all, don’t we try in many different ways to serve the community’s less fortunate with our time, talents, funds, and any other resources we can employ? We don’t always know how we are going to accomplish our goals, but some how, some way, members of this club step up and lead the way!
We face challenges this year like trying to increase membership and adding new fund raisers, but with the leadership I’ve seen exhibited by the slate of officers and each one of you, I am confident we will accomplish them! A special thanks is due to Lion Joe for his leadership and humor during the past year as president which made meetings as enjoyable as I can remember. I’d also like to thank Lions John Horst and Dale Williams for their knowledge, ideas, and wisdom shared at board meetings over the last two years while serving as Directors. They will be missed. We still need a Director (one year term) so, if you are interested, please let me know.
Remember, coming up soon we have two manpower-intensive fund raisers that need everyone’s support – Bingo at the Fair in August, and The Car Cruise in September. These
activities contribute greatly to the club’s financial ability to help those in need in the community so please give Lions Chris and Steve a call and find out the whatever, wherever, whenever and for as long as!
Lions, have a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable July and I look forward to seeing everyone at the club picnic August 14th for the food, fun and fellowship.
Lion Dean
Congratulations, New Officers
At the final meeting of our Club for the 2006-07 Lions Year the new slate of officers was duly installed by Bob Brain. Led by Dean Dochterman, our new President, this group of Lions will lead our Club for the next twelve months. While we, the members, look to them for leadership, they, the officers, look to us for help. Neither group can do it alone but, together, we can have another great year of service, fellowship, and fun. Based on our long past history, we know the cooperation and effort will be given by both groups and we look forward to the coming year!
Meetings in July
There ain’t none. Errrr … umm … I mean, There ain’t any. Well, regardless of how you say it, there are no regular Club meetings in the month of July. It’s a vacation time from the work of the Club for all members, although if needed, work will be done. We begin again in August with a busy schedule (see information later in this newsletter).
Lion King
At the June 26 meeting our current Lion King, Bob Fackler, spoke of the terrible burden it has been for him to be the Lion King for such a long time. At the conclusion of his comments a few of the members were nearly in tears. Poor Bob. Now, here’s what you can do to relieve Bob of this tremendous pressure he is now living under – bring a new member to our Club! There are good men and women in our community who would make wonderful Lions if only they were asked, so please think who among your friends and acquaintances might be the next new member, invite him/her to a future meeting, and then invite her/him to join us in our service to the community. In addition to benefiting him/her, it will also relieve Bob of his stress, and both will be grateful – and YOU will be the new Lion King. (Bob was just kidding about the stress.)
Reviving an Old Tradition
Although we don’t meet in July, we will kick-off the new Lions year with a family picnic as described below. It’s been a few years since we held this event so let’s all plan to participate this year and keep it going for a long time into the future. Here’s what you need to know:
DATE: Tuesday, August 14 (This is our regular meeting date.)
TIME: 6:15 p.m. (This is our normal starting time.)
LOCATION: Elizabethtown Park (We have reserved the pavilion located behind the
Mennonite Church on South Spruce Street; parking is available there.)
COST: $8.00 per person; children under age 12, Free (The money will be
collected that evening. Please try to bring the correct change.)
FOOD: Traditional picnic-type food and beverages will be provided by Enck’s Catering
(These are the folks who provide the meals for our regular meetings so you know it will be delicious and plentiful.)
ATTENDANCE: All members of our Club and their families (You may decide
who is included in the “family” – friends are welcome to attend, also.)
GAMES/ACTIVITIES: To be announced (If you have ideas, or perhaps are willing to organize one
or more of these, please contact Past President Joe or President Dean.)
Let’s not even think about this but, in the event it is raining that evening we will still hold our picnic
but it will be in the Fire Hall where we normally meet.
Dues Statements
Enclosed is your dues statement for the next quarter/year, depending on which option you choose. (Those who receive the newsletter electronically will receive their dues statement in a separate mailing which will be received in the next day or two.) As always, prompt payment of the total balance owed at this time will enable the Club to maintain stable financial footing and will make the Treasurer’s life a little easier and that is always appreciated. If you wish to change from quarterly payments to a yearly payment, or vice versa, simply make your check out in the new amount and the change will be made for you. ($30.00 per quarter, or $120.00 per year.)
Fair + BINGO = Help Wanted!
OK, the above “formula” may not be valid but the message should be clear. The world renowned Elizabethtown Fair will be held August 20-25 this year and, as we have for many years, our Club will operate the BingoTent at the Fair. This project provides two major benefits to the Club – positive public exposure, and funds which are then available for doing what our motto says we do, “WE SERVE”. But in order to actually obtain these two critical benefits we need to “run a good show” at the Fair. That is, we need our members to volunteer to give some time and effort to work there, and we need everyone who helps to present a happy and efficient example of the kind of individuals Lions members are.
At the last regular Club meeting prior to the Fair our Bingo Chairman, Chris Metzler, announced that we still need additional members to be available to help, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings. We need an absolute minimum of eight Lions working throughout each of the six nights of the Fair. We play Bingo from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 each night but nobody is expected to work the entire evening, unless of course, they choose to do so – and some members do. Look at your personal schedule for that week and please do your best to give at least two hours on each of several nights that week.. Contact Chris at 666-5270 or via email at metzler@stevenscollege.edu or lionspreschris@yahoo.com to find out which nights we still are in need of more help, and to register your intentions to assist. This is a major fund raiser for our Club so it is important that every member who is able contributes his share of the effort.
Car Cruise Almost Here
Almost immediately following Fair Week is another of our very important fund raising projects – the Car Cruise and Chicken B-B-Q. Although this is just the sixth year for this project for our Club, the committee (Keith Perry, Steve Roland, Glen Leib, John Lerch, Dave Mueller, Chris Metzler, and Mike Myers) has done a tremendous job of “growing” the event. In fact, if you look at the chart shown later in this newsletter you will find that this event is now responsible for raising more money for the Club than any of our other fund raisers. That is great, but it doesn’t happen without the efforts of, not only the committee, but of all the other members of the Club. This year the event will be held on Saturday, September 8, from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m at the Elizabethtown Fair Grounds on East High Street. Of course, there is much preparatory work needing to be done in advance of September 8, and we need Lions at the Fair Grounds well before 9:00 on that day, and later than 1:00, also. So, as with all our fund-raising projects, we are asking that you mark that date on your calendar but, more importantly, that you contact one of the committee members (see above) to ask how you can contribute to the project either prior to September 8, or on the day of the Cruise. And again, as always, your help is sorely needed, and greatly appreciated!
Leib Wins R-P-S Tournament
In a thrilling match that went down to the final “throw,” Glen Leib defeated Dale Horst to become the first Champion of the Elizabethtown Lions Club Rock-Paper-Scissors Tournament. There were 43 contestants when the Tournament began in January and through a series of head-to-head matches, the field was narrowed to the two finalists, Glen and Dale. Glen got out to a quick start but Dale charged back to make the score tied at four, leading to the championship hinging on just one final throw. As it turned out, Glen had the winning choice on that throw and is now the reigning R-P-S champion in our Club. Congratulations to all the athletes in our Club who entered the contest at the beginning, and gave it their best effort, but came up a bit short, and a large “ATTABOY” to Glen for coming out on top.
Pop Quiz
OK, here’s the first test question: How many regular Club meetings will be held in the month of July? Good job, you have been paying attention. (For those of you who weren’t
reading carefully, the correct answer is NONE.)
Now, here’s the final test question: How many editions of the Lions Ledger will be published in August? No, sorry, the correct answer is, NONE. (Those of you who said, “What’s the Lions Ledger?” will be assigned detention and/or remedial work.)
It’s true, the publisher has given the entire staff at the offices of the Lions Ledger a vacation and that happens to fall just when the August edition of the newsletter would normally be sent out, so there will be no regular newsletter next month. HOWEVER, you will receive a mailing reminding you of important events, dates, times, and locations of Club activities which will occur in August. It will be a busy month (a bad time for the publisher to give us all a vacation but, hey, we take whatever he gives us!) so it will be important that you are kept informed, and the special flyer should do just that. Watch for it!
Delinquent Dues Policy
Enclosed with this month’s newsletter is your copy of the recently enacted Club policy concerning delinquent payments. The document is self-explanatory.
Projects Financial Report
Our Treasurer, Bob Ulmer, has provided a summary of financial data from the various projects our Club conducted in 2006-07 and we thought you might appreciate seeing the numbers since you helped conduct the events, so here they are :
PROJECT INCOME EXPENSES NET PROFIT
Bingo $5513.64 $1920.00 $3593.64
Pies $2997.00 $2150.50 $846.50
Ornaments $2870.00 $1314.80 $1555.20
Car Cruise $3048.00 $1653.96 $1394.04
B - B – Q $2483.50 $1317.50 $1166.00
TOTALS $16,912.14 $ 8356.76 $ 8555.38
Today’s Chuckles
Late one night a man walks into a dentist’s office and says, “Excuse me, can you help me? I think I’m a moth.” The dentist says, “You don’t need a dentist, you need a psychiatrist.” “Yes, I know,” replied the
man. The dentist then asks, “Then why did you come in here?” The man says, “Well, the light was on.”
Students at a school were asked to write about the harmful effects of oil on fish. One boy wrote, “When
my mom opened a tin of sardines last night, it was full of oil and all the sardines were dead.”
A woman is talking to another woman. “My husband bought me mood ring the other day. When I’m in
a good mood it turns green, and when I’m in a bad mood it leaves a red mark on his forehead.”