Meeting Minutes for March 18th, 2008

Attendance: Byron Thomas, Sarah Storrs, Bob Wagner, Wayne Weidert, Dick Wedin, Bob Titus, and Cindy Preston.

Guests: Liz Whittaker

Treasurer Report. Dues account balance & Project account balance
Outstanding Eye Exams/Frames: One

Club Projects

1. Mint Sales.
Bob indicated we have mint sale boxes at Yakima Federal, Bar 14, Valley Vision, and two boxes with Family Eye Clinic. Sarah printed out and handed over to Bob Certificate of Appreciation to be given to businesses who support our mint sales. Bob may have frames for Certificates.

2. Sight and Hearing Committee.
No new applications for exams or frames. Sarah indicated the Hearing and Sight Foundation Screening Unit is fully booked for 2008. The club will make a bid this fall for 2009. Sign up time is usually in October.

Byron shared with the group that he and others have been working in developing the Vision for Independent Center for low income patients in Yakima. The Yakima Lions Club provided $10,000.00 seed money to get the Center going. There probably will be 6 to 12 patients a month utilizing the Center.

Old Business

1. February 26th Planning Meeting Review & Action Plan. No discussion.

2. New Meeting Location & Times.
After considerable amount of discussion and review of the blog vote, it was moved, seconded and approved to change the Ellensburg Lions Club month meeting dates to the second and fourth Tuesdays, noon, to be held at Rodeo City BBQ starting with the second meeting in May. We will need to change meeting date signs at both I-90 interchanges.

3. Guest Speakers & Program Suggestions & Scheduling.
Bob will get a hold of Marge Sheperd to be our guest speaker for the second meeting in April…April 15. She will discuss with the group programs and available opportunities with the Hearing and Sight Foundation. Need to arrange with the Daily Record meeting notices and speakers for the Events Calendar section of the newspaper.

The members agreed that the second meeting of each month will be dedicated to programs and each member has a responsibility to bring/invite a guest (potential member) to the club meeting.

4. Dues 2008.
A reminder, dues are due April 15th. At the last meeting, the dues were increased $10 to $75 to help cover meals for up-and-coming speakers at our second monthly meetings.

5. Invocation as an Agenda Item.
No discussion.

New Business

1. Ellensburg Lions Club Blog Site.
It is up and running. You can access the site at: www.ellensburglions.blogspot.com The primary purpose of the Blog will be for internal communication for club members. Sarah would appreciate your help in visiting and providing information to the blog site.

2. MD 19 Convention, Yakima, May 23 & 24, Staff Table.
No discussion.

3. Officer Nominations for 2008-2009.
Nominations include the following: President: Sarah Storrs, Vice-President: Byron Thomas, Secretary/Treasurer: Dick Wedin, Tail Twister: Bob Wagner. Unless there are violent objections, these names will be submitted to International.

4. Club Policies.
No discussion.

5. White Cane Days: Chair, Supplies, Location, Times.
Lion Bryon is the Chair and has ordered supplies: canes and posters. He will be getting a proposed sign-up schedule out for folks to sign up for times they are available to be at Super 1. White Cane Days are Friday, May 2 through Sunday, May 4th.

Coming Events
a. White Cane Days: May 2, 3, 4
b. MD 19 Convention, May 23 & 24, Yakima, Yakima Convention Center
c. Indian John Hill Rest Stop, August 1st – 4th, Eastbound

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned.

Next Meeting: April 1st, noon, Palace Restaurant.
Agenda: Continued planning/action on Club Reincarnation.

Respectfully submitted,

Dick Wedin
Secretary/Treasurer

Meeting with Alex from NW Sight and Hearing Foundation

Alex from NW Sight and Hearing Foundation called me today--she is traveling through town on April 9th and wanted to meet with me to talk about some different programs through the Foundation.

We will be meeting for lunch at noon on Wednesday, April 9th, in Cle Elum (exact location TBA, but will most likely be one of the restaraunts at 807 Davis Street). Topics for discussion will include Foundation grants, Play it by Ear (similar to White Cane Days, supports hearing programs), and availability of Foundation speakers/presentations for future meetings.

Any club members able to attend, I am extending the invitation to you. Just let me know if you are planning on coming so I know to expect you. We can meet at my office shortly before noon (807 W Davis, Suite 102A).

Thanks,
Sarah

How to Plant Your Garden

Given the little snow flurries of yesterday and today, it might be a little bit to early to be getting to work in our actual backyard gardens. But the spirit of volunteerism and helping others knows no season.

How To Plant Your Garden

First, you Come to the garden alone, While the dew is still on the roses....

FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING,

PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:


1. Peace of mind
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:


1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:


1. Lettuce be faithful
2. Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another

NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS:


1. Turnip for meetings
2. Turnip for service
3. Turnip to help one another

TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:


1. Thyme for each other
2. Thyme for family
3. Thyme for friends

WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE. THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW. NOT BAD,HUH?!

White Cane Days

Hello all fellow Ellensburg Lions,

I have good news. I was able to secure the use of Super-1 entrance area for White Cane Days 2008. We are scheduled for May 2,3,4, which is Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I have ordered 1000 white canes and 1000 white cane tags. Also ordered 4 nice new posters and 200 each of the white cane story brochures and inserts.

Here's the deal. ALL members need to select and 4 hour period of time to stand and "greet" the public at Super-1 on that weekend. Our goal is to raise funds for the Lion's Eye Bank. On April 14, 2008 I will be contacting ALL members to get a commitment for this event. I'm sure we can all find 4 hours in a normal day to stand for the benefit of Lion's Eye Bank and all the good they do.

We will have an "assembly session" (meaning we put the tags on the canes) at the second meeting in April. I would appreciate all attending the usual meeting so we can be well prepared for the May weekend.

Thank you all in advance for your support for Lion's Eye Bank.

Respectfully,
Lion Byron Thomas, O.D.,
Ellensburg Lions Club White Cane Days Chairman

*Editor's Note: You can sign up by leaving a comment to this post or emailing Sarah Storrs. Currently, the following shifts are open: Friday 6-9 pm, Saturday 1-5 pm and 5-9 pm, Sunday 2-6 pm

Highlights from 3/18/08 Meeting

I don't yet have the official minutes to post, but here is a summary of the main action items that happened:

1) Meeting time/location change. A motion was made to change our meetings to the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, at noon, at Rodeo City BBQ. This change will not take effect until May. Tuesday, May 13, 2008 will be the first meeting at Rodeo City BBQ. Sarah Storrs will call to finalize this with Rodeo City BBQ.

2) White Cane Day - May 2, 3, 4
Byron Thomas is chairing the event. He will speak with the manager at Super-1-Foods to get approval for us that weekend. He will order the supplies, and get a sign up schedule set up.

3) Officers for the upcoming year were nominated and elected as follows:
President - Sarah Storrs
Vice President - Byron Thomas
Secretary/Treasurer - Dick Wedin
Tail Twister - Bob Wagner

Poll Results

Here are the results of the poll for each question (number in parentheses is how many voted):

Preferred time: (8) Noon - 87%
Preferred Day of the Week: (7) Tuesday - 71%
1st & 3rd of the month vs. 2nd & 4th: (6) tie
Place: (9) Rodeo City BBQ - 44%

Featured Club Member

As a way for us to better get to know each other (and future new club members), I wanted to have posts "featuring" members. I thought it was only fair for me to go first, so here goes...

My name is Sarah Key Storrs--I am an Optometric Physician and a mom (not necessarily in that order). I am left-handed, a Virgo, and love Mexican food--fajitas especially.

I became a Lion first because of the example set by my dad, who is a member of the Terrace Heights Lions Club. Secondly, my profession revolves around the sense of sight, which is a main area of service for Lions Club. Finally, my son Evan is deaf, and he inspires me to become more involved with service projects relating to hearing.

Three things that the Lions club doesn't know about me:

1) I was very close to being held back in three grades (Kindergarden, 2nd, and 5th)--mostly because I didn't want to follow along and do things the way everyone else did them. I am still like that--I don't mind working hard, but I like to know the "why" behind it. "Just because" is not an inspiring reason!

2) I love scrapbooking and taking pictures of my son. I think I took more pictures during Evan's first year than I had taken the previous 30 years combined.

3) I am very passionate about the March of Dimes Mission--to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality through programs of research, community service, education and advocacy. This year is our family's third year of fundraising for the MOD March for Babies (if you would like to sponsor our family, go to www.marchforbabies.org/skeybunny)