Champaign Lion's Chatter

1. Champaign Lion's Chatter (Click here to go to our website) Call to Order – President Weldon Garrelts called the meeting to order and led in the Pledge of Allegiance. 29 January 2014

2. Invocation - David Hunter: We thank Thee for this food, oh Lord, and as we’re out and about, put bills and metal in the kettle, and a healthy donation that’ll be our salvation. Amen. Vittles: Pasta and meatballs, vegetables, Boston cream pie, tea and coffee.

3. Lion's report - Pat Bryan: Dr. Kresca's wife passed away. The visitation is Friday, January 31, 5pm - 7pm at Morgan Memorial Home. She was 93 years old. Bob Tuchel was in the hospital. He's home now, but could not attend today. We were all happy to see Herb Bail back today.

4. There are still 5 of 12 Lion's caps available. If you want one, see President Garrelts.

5. “Gordie” Gordon told us that his wife, Phillis, had received an injection at Carle Hospital, and Gordie got a bill for it in the amount of $6,741.90 of which all but $170 was paid by his insurance.

6. Lottery - $10 was won by Charlie Osborne.

7. Charlie told us that we sold 36 of the 100 possible chances in the Illinois Basketball ticket raffle for 2 tickets to the Iowa game on February 1.

8. The drawing was held today and the winner was Kathy Struck.

9. Pat Bryan circulated a card for us to sign for Lion Bob Tuchel and his wife, Wanda

10. Rich King gave a report on the District Forum that he attended along with Paul Kunkel last Saturday. There were sessions on the Lion's Foundation, Lion's history, financial matters, etc. The next event will be the Illinois State Convention in mid-May. Rich urges other Lions to join him in attending.

11. President Weldon Garrelts reminded us that Tuesday (February 4) is our next Board meeting, followed on Wednesday (February 5) by the monthly business meeting. Remember that if you are a Board Member and you can't make it, or if you are not a Board Member and want to attend the Board Meeting, please call either Fonda Bowden or Weldon to let them know, so that they can request the correct number of meals from the Windsor of Savoy.

12. Sam McGrew introduced our speaker, Major Tom McDowell of the Champaign office of the Salvation Army. He was commissioned in 1982 and has served throughout the midwest. He and his daughter enjoy coming to the Windsor of Savoy to sing with the Chorale.

13. Major McDowell told us that the Salvation Army was begun in 1865 in London, England by William Booth. The emphasis initially was on rescuing people spiritually and getting people into their own churches.

14. They held open-air meetings and in the services they sang songs consisting of popular tunes retro-fitted with inspiring words.

15. Major McDowell sang one for us - a very nice song to the tune of "Danny Boy."

16. But Booth found that the people he was intent on rescuing were not usually welcome in their own churches because they were outcasts, so he started his own church.

17. The idea was to enlist people in an army to fight a spiritual battle, with the people in charge commissioned as "officers.” Even tithes were called "cartridges."

18. At age 14, Major McDowell went with his father to help a family get their furnace repaired by a person that his father found at a half-way house. This showed him the value of helping others and he started thinking that such service might be something he would like to do.

19. On November 17, 2013, Gifford, IL was hit by a tornado.

20. Major McDowell established an operation where they stayed around the clock, serving coffee and other things in support of the firemen and linemen who worked to restore the community.

21. The Salvation Army volunteered to handle the contributed "stuff" coming to Gifford. They have found that this is a real need in natural disasters.

22. So much stuff is contributed by communities across the country that it requires managing. They used 6 Pods to store stuff for residents in Gifford at the St. Paul Lutheran church - water, diapers, etc. They also were able to use a warehouse in Rantoul to store the donations.

23. During the recent extremely cold weather, the Salvation Army helped people in Champaign-Urbana find shelter at various places around the community.

24. The Salvation Army gets their funding from donations (including the United Way), sales at their Thrift Stores, and federal, state and local grants. They have approximately 34 staff working in Champaign, including full and part-time.

25. Tail Twister Tom Yaxley asked Ted Gonsiorowski to carry the bucket.

26. He then fined Kathy Struck for winning the basketball raffle,

27. Sam McGrew for being written up in the newspaper,

28. and Charlie Osborne for having won the lottery.

29. Herb Bail dropped in $20 dollars which Paul Hendren had found in a glasses case that someone had dropped in one of our collection boxes.

30. Then Mister Twister read a funny story which we all enjoyed.

31. Coming up Feb 5 – Business Meeting – Know Your Lion Greeter: Rich Suchomski (Food Broker) Feb 12 – Debra Joy Hart RN, BFA, CLL “Humor in Life” Feb 19 – Louis W. Kosiba IMRF “The Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund” Click here sammcgrew@att.net to email Sam McGrew and let him know what you would like to see in a Lions Club program some time.

32. Thank you for watching Editor Jay Hoeflinger Publisher David Hunter To email Dave with your comments, click here → hunter4000@comcast.net To go to our website, click here → http://www.champaignlions.org/