Champaign Lion's Chatter

1. Champaign Lion's Chatter (Click here to go to our website) 7 August 2013 Call to Order – President Weldon Garrelts called the meeting to order and led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

2. Invocation – David Hunter – For days like these, the wind's a breeze, The chance of rain in on again, but that is very good for corn, sure as you and I are born. Some goes for food to 'stain the bod, so we most surely thank our God. Amen. Vittles – Salad and Toppings. Parmesan Chicken Strips, Pasta with Alfredo Sauce, Vegetables, Rolls and Butter, and Peanut Butter Pie.

3. Birthdays – none. Attendance – 18 members. Guests – Fred Greffe (above) and Fonda’s husband, Larry Bowden.

4. Lions Report – Pat Bryan reported that Homer Kuder is in the nursing home in Gifford. If you are ill or know a fellow Lion who is under the weather, please call Pat Bryan at 586-4535.

5. Our club past President, Nomy Sharief, has announced the birth of his son, Basyl (“Ba´syl” as in “bath”). Nomy is recovering his strength and composure while mother Anjum and big sisters take care of the baby.

6. Lottery – The $11 lottery was won by David Hunter (Yeay). A second lottery ticket was drawn for one of several stacks of vegetables from Marvin Paulsen’s garden.

7. David Lin had the winning ticket. The other stacks of vegetables were auctioned off to the highest bidders. David Hunter bid $2 for the last batch, then Sam McGrew bid $3 but poor Dave had no more cash on hand. After Dave got home, generous Sam arrived at Dave’s door and gave him the vegetables. WE EAT AGAIN!!!

8. Floyd Gordon spoke about attendance. He keeps a record of attendance. Everyone is allowed 4 absences each year for vacations or other reasons to earn perfect attendance pins. Credit is given for each club event the member participates in, so be sure to sign in or let him know events you attend. A review of the past 20 years showed perfect attendance earned: Herb Bail (19 years), Byron Balbach (6) Omer Benn (14), Fonda Bowden (6), Pat Bryan (12), Paul Coleman (6), Karl Drake (8), Frank Duff (9), Weldon Garrelts (14), Ted Gonsiorowski (9), Floyd Gordon (13), Paul Hendren (11), Rex Hess (9), Jay Hoeflinger (2), David Hunter (19), Rich King (19), Homer Kuder (2), Paul Kunkel (19), David Lin (18),Sam McGrew (2) , Charlie Osborne (3), Marvin Paulsen (6), Kathy Struck (4), Earl Swanson (15), Ed Tichenor (12, Bob Tuchel (13), and Tom Yaxley (6), 12 members had died: LaVerne Brigham, George Conlee, Ernie Drake, C. Dale Griffe, Don Hoffmeister, Bill Munse, Jack Richman, Lee Ryan, Blair Robinson, Hans Selin, Jim Smith, and Bob Suter.

9. Business Meeting – Fonda Bowden read the minutes of the August 6, 2013, Board meeting:

10. CHAMPAIGN LIONS CLUB BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Minutes, August 6, 2013 Present: President Weldon Garrelts, 1st VP Charlie Osborne, 2nd VP Sam McGrew, Treasurer Karl Drake, Director David Hunter, Lion Tamer Floyd Gordon, and Secretary Fonda Bowden. Absent: Past President Ted Gonsiorowski, Director Jay Hoeflinger. Members Present: PDG Rich King and Lion Frank Duff Minutes of the Board of Directors Meeting, July 2, 2013, were approved. Treasurer’s reports: Karl Drake presented Treasurer’s report for the month ending July 31, 2013 for Board review and discussion. As of July 31 the General Fund has $4,780.19, $6,143.05 in the Charities Fund and $3,485.64 in the Endowment Fund. The reports were accepted as presented. Assistant Treasurer Rich King has received $2,680 dues and $560 from members for the endowment fund. $39.00 was collected for the sweet corn. 1st VP Charlie Osborne received a request from the Make a Wish Foundation. They plan a family walk/run on October 12 and are looking for sponsors beginning at $500 up to $5,000. The board agreed to make a donation of $100. 2nd VP Sam McGrew, program chairman, has speakers booked into October. Your suggestions for speakers are still needed. President Garrelts is looking for someone to serve as membership chair. Several ideas were discussed to attract new members. Fundraising ideas were discussed, including:

11. Sam McGrew’s game which he plans to show us soon, and Charlie Osborne suggested a golf outing that would include kids at the course on Staley Road. We decided to check with the Tolono Club to see about having a joint fish fry in Tolono. Candy Day Jamboree is August 15 at 6:30 pm in Arcola. Candy will be picked up there for Candy Day October 11 and 12. This year we plan to have signs and collection boxes to collect glasses during Candy Day and Tootsie Pop Day and the plan is to advertise this ahead of the events. Eyeglass collection help: Herb Bail now has a person to assist with collections for the next 12 months. 415 pairs of glasses were collected in July. The Picnic is August 17 at 5:00 pm at the Burwash Park. BBQ from the Black Dog will be served. No charge. The District Convention is October 5, 2013 at the Charleston Unique Suites Hotel in Charleston, IL The meeting adjourned at 1:00 pm. Respectfully submitted by Fonda Bowden, Secretary August 7, 2013

12. Announcements – David Lin, this year’s Candy Day chair, spoke about adding eyeglass collections during the event. He plans to make signs that can be used this year and in future years, and requested member’s to email him with suggested wording for the signs. He also said the long awaited picnic is set for 8/17 at 5 pm in Burwash Park. BBQ from the Black Dog will be served. No charge but might ask members to bring side dishes. Invite family, friends, and prospective members. Sam McGrew will bring a game for us to try. All he would tell us about the game is that it is a lot of fun.

13. Program – Know Your Lion: Ed Tichenor invited us to meet Charlie Osborne. Charlie was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada almost 34 years ago. His Dad and Mom met in Central Pennsylvania in College. His Dad did his Ph.D. in Canada and then worked there for about 5 years.

14. They lived in that area for about 2 years and then spent time traveling and 6 months in Aklaska. His Dad got a job at the University of Illinois and he has been here ever since. Charlie went to school in Urbana (Thomas Paine) and then to Monticello.

15. His Dad died 20 years ago. Charlie bought the Monticello house from his Mom. Originally Charlie wanted to what his Dad did. He was director of natural history. However in high school he got into shop and liked that. He went to Parkland and got a 2-year degree in construction management.

16. At 20 he started his own housing business. He worked at that for about 5 years before the downturn. He went back to school, got a degree in Business and began working in banking.

17. His wife, Leanne is also from Calgary but they met in Champaign. She lived in Switzerland several years and traveled all over the world. They married 6 years ago and have a 4 year old son and 3 year old daughter.

18. Charlie joined Lions about 4 years ago, sponsored by Tom Yaxley. He has a couple friends in the club also, Shaughnessey Rice and Ben Turpin. He likes everyone here and enjoys the programs. The food is very good too.

19. Q and A: Where is the economy going?

20. Charlie said he is not an economist but is quite optimistic for the U.S. and Canada long-term. If he could advise his 4 year old son he would tell him to put his money in R & D in energy and health care . He worries about the national debt but there is not much we can do about it.

21. Where did you go to school? Grade school-Thomas Paine, High School 1997 in Monticello, Parkland 1999, and Business degree 2005 from Eastern Illinois University. How did you go from construction to banking? Charlie said he loves building and just finished building his Mom a house.

22. He has been investing since 2000 (his early 20’s) and made a little bit of money. He bought stock at $1,000 and sold it for $20,000. He thought, “This is easy! Why would anyone work?” Then he bought a $20 stock that went down to 2 cents. But he is still fascinated by it, likes the research.

23. Besides, he herniated a couple disks in his back and the housing market went down. Loves investing, manages his own money along with clients'. The hard part about managing other people’s money is getting them to stick with you long term through the ups and downs.

24. What did you see people doing in housing? He said he didn’t get into land development. Bare lots cost $15,000 to $70,000. People would by the lots only to sell them a few months later to make a profit.

25. A lot of people would buy a $300,000 house, financed to the limit, and not finish the top floor until later when they had more money. He recommended some reading for us: “Wealth, War and Wisdom” by Barton Biggs, head of Morgan Stanley, and “The Great Depression Diary.”

26. Weldon Garrelts reported going to the air show for the past 25 years and this year no military were allowed to participate due to the sequester.

27. The show was still impressive. The only B29 in the world, still flyable, was there. The jet-man was there. A new car developed in Germany that had wings that opened up and it could fly and land and the wings disappeared was displayed. Lots of things are going on with fuel. Weldon’s plane uses leaded fuel that costs $6.25 a gallon. There was one fuel made of natural gas that costs only $1 a gallon.

28. Tailtwister – Omer Benn, today’s Tailtwister, called on Marvin Paulsen to carry the bucket.

29. He fined President Garrelts for some reason,

30. Rich King bragged that his son won a racket ball tournament,

31. and in their softball game he hit the ball over the fence.

32. Omer Benn paid to brag that he saw how some tax dollars were spent and watched his granddaughter on the USS Mackinaw, an icebreaker, which uses 130,000 gallons of fuel.

33. Sam McGrew bragged that his parents, Miles and Maribell, were 4-H leaders and the family will be honored for 386 years in 4-H at the State Fair in Springfield.

34. And fined David Hunter for his lottery winnings. Oops. Shouldna done that!!!

35. Coming up Greeter: Ben Turpin Aug 21 – John Thies – President, Illinois State Bar Association Aug 28 – Mike Haile - Radio personality September 4– Business Meeting, Know Your Lion 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. Aug 14 – Andy Dallas - Games at fairs

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