Champaign Lion's Chatter

1. Champaign Lion's Chatter (Click here to go to our website) 12 June 2013 Call to Order – President Ted Gonsiorowski called the meeting to order and led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

2. Invocation – David Hunter:For this food, we thank Thee, Lord, for those who pen and press do man, to spread the word, whe'r overseas or in Champaign... for all the news can do... to train a pup or cover up, our hair from sudden rain; to wipe your feet, your face to fan, to swat a fly, to line the garbage can. Amen. Vittles – Monterey Chicken, rice, mixed vegetables, salad and toppings, rolls and butter, coconut cake, tea and coffee.

3. Attendance – 20 members, 1 visitor. Guests – Larry (husband of Fonda Bowden). Birthdays – Liangcheng Yang (30th). Lions Report – Bob Suter's memorial service will be at 1pm Friday, June 14th at the First Presbyterian Church. David Lin broke his shoulder. If you are ill or know a fellow Lion that is under the weather, please call PatBryan at 586-4535.

4. Lottery – Weldon Garrelts won the $10 lottery.

5. Announcements – Ted Gonsiorowski announced the International Lions focus is on literacy.

6. Rich King reported the Walk for Sight was very successful but we came in second (out of two) in the Beep Ball Game. $10,480 was raised and our club gave $1,000.

7. Program – Dave Hunter introduced Jim Dey. Jim is an editorial writer and columnist for The News-Gazette. His last name is spelled, "D-e-y," which one would imagine is pronounced "Day," but Jim chooses the Australian pronunciation: "Die." Jim was born and raised in Litchfield, IL, located about 50 miles from St. Louis. He credits that fact and good parenting for his great fortune in being a St. Louis Cardinals fan. He has a bachelors degree in political science from Eastern Illinois and a masters in journalism from the University of Missouri in Columbia. He came to the N-G in 1976 for what he thought would be a relatively short stay. 37 years later, he's still here because he likes his job, his colleagues and our community. Jim started as a general assignment reporter, moved up to covering the cities of Champaign and Urbana, then the county board and the courthouse. He became a semi-management stooge (his word, not mine) more years ago than he can recall, working as assistant city editor and writing a column. Then he moved over to the editorial page and kept the column. He is a member of the editorial board and is involved with putting the board's opinions into words. He claims that contrary to rumors, he has only one felony conviction, and that was a long time ago. Our friend, Jim Dey.

8. How does the Gazette board form opinions? Editorial Board meets to discuss what should be the focus and then Jim turns those ideas into words. Focus mostly on local and state but occasionally international. His column is focused on things not so opinionated.

9. The News-Gazette is on the ropes and the economy and internet has dealt it a blow. So newspapers are trying to figure out how to survive. The Chicago Sun Times just laid off 17 photographers. They are trying to make their website successful by charging to view it.

10. The Champaign-Urbana community is quite diverse with liberal professors and conservative farmers. The newspaper is a bit more conservative. Questions?

11. Do you have to write opinions that you disagree with?

12. Yes, because the editorial is the newspaper’s opinion.

13. Where do you get the information for your columns?

14. Court records, hearings, interviews, etc.

15. How far does the newspaper deliver?

16. Macon and Piatt county and Danville, some down in Charleston.

17. The deadline for writers is now 10pm because they want the paper on the porch by 6am. The reason we had an afternoon paper was the Chicago Tribune used the News-Gazette to print. When that stopped, the News-Gazette was forced to go to morning print to save money. It hurt the kids who delivered papers after school.

18. The previous owner, Mrs. Helen M. Stevick, left the paper to a charitable foundation, which distributes profits to the community.

19. Circulation is around 40,000 plus newsstand sales. They also print several smaller papers and they have moved into printing magazines. WDWS and the News-Gazette are owned by the same organization.

20. Tail Twister – Omer Benn,

21. asked Frank Duff to carry the bucket.

22. He fined Weldon Garrelts for having won the lottery; Ted Gonsiorowski and Jay Hoeflinger for missing pitches in the Beep Ball game;

23. Rich King’s father-in-law, Paul Kunkel, for all the work on the ball game. Rich paid the fine for him;

24. Lions at Sam McGrew’s table who were not wearing their Lion’s pins;

28. Rich King bragged that Paul Kunkel had been his Father-in-Law for 33 years….. and paid, of course.

29. Omer Benn paid for bragging about his golf game.

30. He said that he had hit 3 birdies in 18 holes.

31. Coming up Greeter: Charlie Osborne Jun 26– To be Announced Click here osborne@bankchampaign.com to email Charlie Osborne and let him know what you would like to see in a Lions Club program some time. Jun 19– Meeting at Regent Ballroom

32. Thank you for watching Editor Rex Hess 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/

33. Remember. Friday, the 14th is Flag Day

34. Happy Father’s Day Sunday, 16 June