“We Serve”
JUNE 2004
President’s Message
When one serves as president of his Lions Club, he is just a link in a long chain. It has been my pleasure to link one arm with Lion Dale Williams and the other with Lion Bill Earhart. Lion Dale taught me the principle of the five Ps – Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. It is a good principle, and I have had a detailed plan for what I needed to accomplish as your president. It seems to have kept me out of trouble … most of the time.
Lion Bill and I have also worked together all year long, and I am confident that he will do a fine job as your president. He has already assumed many new duties in preparation for his year.
A year ago at the Past Presidents Meeting Lion Henri told me that my year as president would be my best ever in Lions. Lion Henri was right. But it was not because of what I have done. It was because of all the hard work the Club has done. From the sound of the bingo callers in late summer to the rhythm of cheerleading routines in late spring, from the tone of thank you notes to the squeal of egg hunters, we have had a G-R-E-A-T Lions year.
I know that many of you have been wondering if Lion Bill will be able to continue the tradition of sharing stories with you. You can relax. Lion Bill has good stories. He told me one just the other day about an Amish mother with two sets of twins. A tourist asked her …….
(To be continued).
Lion Mike
Officers Elected
At our regular meeting on May 11, the following members were duly elected to serve in the leadership roles of our Club for the 2004-2005 Lions year:
President Bill Earhart Tail Twister Bob Ardner Immediate Past President Mike Myers Tail Twister Chuck Brewer First Vice Presiden Chris Metzler Director ’04-’05 Dave Mueller Second Vice President Joe Ditzler Director ’04-’05 Marty Risser Third Vice President Henri Eberly Director ’04-’06 John Horst Secretary Dale Horst Director ’04-’06 Phil Daubert Treasurer Paul Lesoine Membership Bob Brain Assistant Treasurer George Kishbaugh Retention Eric Metzler Co-Chaplain Henri Eberly Public Relations Bill Hildebrand Co-Chaplain John Schock Public Relations Steve Roland Lion Tamer Dan Connolly Sight Director Mike Myers Lion Tamer John Horst Sight Director Jerry Lorson
All members will need to give their full support to the entire group if we are to have another successful year. Our Club has a long history of doing just that and we have every expectation that these leaders will give their best effort to the Club, and that the membership will continue to support them to the best of our abilities. Another great year lies ahead!
Nice Work, Lion Mike
While on the subject of Club leadership, we would be remiss if we didn’t express our congratulations, and appreciation, to outgoing president, Lion Mike Myers. In his role as president he has provided the steady, forward-looking, type of guidance our Club needs in order to maintain our long history of service to our community. Lion Mike and his administration have done an admirable job of directing the activities of our Club and his emphasis on membership has resulted in gaining six new members this year. So, all together now, let’s give Lion Mike a big round of well deserved applause … thank you.
Programs for June
Tuesday, June 8, 6:15 p.m. at the Fire Hall – Attorney Mark Walmer will be our guest speaker at this meeting. Although Mark now lives in Lancaster, he grew up in Elizabethtown and graduated from the local high school. In his legal career he has been both a prosecuting attorney, working out of the District Attorney’s office, and a defense lawyer, frequently serving as a public defender in criminal cases. He also speaks to area high school students about law and the criminal justice system. As our guest at this meeting he will share with us some of his experiences and stories. You won’t want to miss this one! And oh by the way, yes, Mark is the son of Lion Jay.
Tuesday, June 22, 6:15 p.m. at the Fire Hall – This will be the meeting at which we formally install the new officers for the coming year. Their term of office will begin July 1 and end June 30, 2005. Come to this meeting to show your support for them, and to congratulate them and wish them the best in the year ahead.
Greeters for June
The greeters for the June 8 meeting will be Lions Dale Horst and Joe Ditzler, and for the meeting on June 22 you will be greeted by Lions Ray Powell and Steve Roland.
We wish to extend our appreciation to Lion Glen Leib for handling the greeter program this entire year. It is nice to be “officially” greeted when you enter the meeting room and this is especially important when we have visitors and guests – which we almost always do – attending our gatherings. Good job, Lion Glen!
Meetings in July
As is our custom, we will hold no meetings in the month of July. Consider it a month to rest from the labors of the past year, and a time to recharge the batteries in preparation for next year. Unless the boss mellows a bit and decides to give the staff a break, the Lions Ledger will be published in July on the normal schedule. Now, we don’t want to give the impression that the boss is an “all work and no play” kind of guy. After all, he does give the staff a half day vacation each December 25.
Cheerleading Competition
Lion Dave Mueller reported at a meeting in May that the Cheerleading Competition this year netted a gain of close to $500.00. This, despite the numerous difficulties encountered in preparing for the event. Had we been forced to cancel the event at the last minute, which almost happened, we would have lost the approximately $1800.00 which had already been spent for the various items and commitments necessary to get ready for hosting the Competition. So, a super-sized “Thank you!” goes to the co-chairmen, Lions Dave Mueller and Dennis Kreiner for their eleventh hour scrambling, and the courage to forge ahead in the face of potential disaster. Nice going Dennis and Dave!
New Members
At our first meeting in June (June 8), we look forward to inducting three new members. There were still a couple paper-work matters to be completed as this newsletter went to press but we fully expect that those issues will be resolved and the three newest Lions will soon be welcomed into our Club. Please introduce yourself and make these new members feel welcome when they join us at our next meeting.
Lions Club Awards
One of the charitable things our Club does each year, but one which goes largely unnoticed by everyone except the recipients and their families,
is the presentation of awards to deserving seniors at Elizabethtown Area High School. Our awards are given at the annual Awards Night ceremony, along with numerous other gifts and recognitions, in an event held before a large audience in the school auditorium. This year’s program was held on May 17 and Lion Jay Walmer represented our Club and made the actual presentations on our behalf.
We gave a plaque and a $250.00 savings bond to each of the following: the Outstanding Business student (Dawn Winters), the Outstanding Female Athlete (Allison Lokey), and the Outstanding Male Athlete (Michael Kozma). In addition, we award plaques to the senior who excelled in each interscholastic sport offered at the high school. A total of 28 such plaques were awarded this year. This youth service program cost the Club approximately $700.00 this year. This money, like all our charitable donations, was raised through the several fund-raisers we conducted over the past 12 months. Kudos go to Lion Jay Walmer for providing the leadership in carrying out this important, but little known, aspect of our Club’s work in the community.
Congratulations, Lion Dan!
Our hearty congratulations, and best wishes, go out to Lion Dan Connolly and his wife, Nannette, on the recent birth of twin daughters.
These girls will join an older set of twins already in the Connolly household. So, when you see Lion Dan and he looks a bit sleepy, you will
understand why. Hang in there, Dan. In a mere twenty years or so you will again be able to get a good night’s sleep.
Dues Increase
When District Governor Eleanor Reuter spoke to us in May she announced a dues increase at the International level, effective July 1 of this year. These dues will increase by approximately $4.00 per member, bringing the total annual International dues to $33.21. It has been several years since the International dues were increased. Given the financial structure of our Club, it will be necessary to pass this increase on to our members and this will be reflected in your dues statements for 2004-05 which will be sent to you this summer. As in the past, you will have the option of paying your dues on an annual basis (one check to cover the entire year’s dues), or on a quarterly basis (every three months you will receive a statement covering one-fourth of your total annual dues).
With Apologies …
In keeping with the Lancaster County tradition of frugality – in this case, not wanting to waste any paper – and since our “news” required only three pages this month, we are required to use the entire page four for … you guessed it … humor! Well, alright. Some folks may not call it humor, but the editorial staff does, so here goes …………………..
* Wife: The two things I cook best are meat loaf and apple pie. Husband: Which one is this?
* A man entered a card shop and asked the clerk for a birthday/anniversary card. The clerk replied, “We have birthday cards, and we have anniversary cards but not a combination of both. Why not take one of each?” The man said, “You don’t understand. I need a card that covers both events. You see, we’re celebrating the fifth anniversary of my wife’s thirty-fourth birthday.”
* A dietitian was once addressing a large audience in Chicago. “The material we put into our stomachs is enough to have killed most of us sitting here, years ago. Red meat is awful. Soft drinks erode your stomach lining. Chinese food is loaded with MSG. Vegetables can be disastrous, and none of us realizes the long term harm caused by the stuff in our drinking water. However, there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and we all have, or will, eat it at some point in time. Can anyone tell me what food it is that causes the most grief and suffering for years after eating it?” A 75-year old man in the front row stood up and said, “Wedding cake!”
* My golf game was three over today. One over a house, one over a patio, and one over a swimming pool.
* My husband was not happy with my mood swings so he bought me a mood ring the other day so he would be able to monitor my moods. When I am in a good mood, it turns green. When I am in a bad mood it leaves a big red mark on his forehead.
* I told my psychiatrist that everyone hates me. He said I was being ridiculous – everyone hasn’t met me yet.
Rodney Dangerfield
* Did you ever notice that the hotel that charges you two hundred dollars a day for a room has the nerve to call you a guest?
* My wife thinks I’m too nosey. At least that’s what she keeps writing in her diary.
* Husband arriving home with an enormous dog to indignant wife who is surrounded by three small children: “But I did consult you – you said a Great Dane was the last thing we needed around here.”
* The man who worked in a gum factory fell into a vat of bubblegum. The boss chewed him out!
* The roundest knight at King Arthur’s table was Sir Cumference.
* Grocery clerks make you pick paper or plastic because baggers can’t be choosers.
* “Well, I reckon you’ve been a pretty good horse,” said the farmer. “You work hard and I ain’t had to call the vet on you much. I only wish you pulled the plow a little faster.” “NO,” shouted the horse. “I said FEEDBAG, not feedback!”
* A man left work one Friday afternoon but, since it was payday, he stayed out the entire weekend partying with the boys and spending his entire paycheck nstead of just going straight home. When he finally appeared at home on Sunday night, he was confronted by a very angry wife and a two-hour tirade befitting his actions. Finally his wife stopped the nagging and simply asked, “How would you like it if you didn’t see me for two or three days?” The man replied, “That would be fine with me.” Monday went by and he didn’t see his wife. Tuesday and Wednesday came and went and he still didn’t see his wife. Then, on Thursday, the swelling went down just enough that he could see her a little bit out of the corner of his left eye.
* Luke’s wife bought a new line of expensive cosmetics guaranteed to make her look years younger. After a lengthy sitting before the mirror applying the miracle” products, she asked, “Darling, honestly, what age would you say I am?” Looking her over carefully, Luke replied, “Judging from your skin, twenty; your hair, eighteen; and your figure, twenty-five.” “Oh, you flatterer,” she gushed. “Hey, wait a minute,” Luke interrupted, “I haven’t added them up yet!”
* A scientist, trying to prove his theorem, was doing a large experiment with liquid chemicals when he fell into the vat and became part of the solution.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, we have run out of space so you will have to wait until next month for the next installment of humor – at least that’s what the staff says it is.