Jungle Jargon
A Monthly Broadcast to
THE
LIONS CLUB OF CRANBURY, NEW
Contact us at: http://cranburylions.org
“A Country Club Trying to Serve Its Country”
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Ideals in
Government |
Mutual
Helpfulness |
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Social Progress |
Understanding |
Civic Betterment
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Fellowship |
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President |
Rick Burke |
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Directors – 1 year |
Frank Brennan, Jr. |
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1st Vice
President |
Mike Kaiser |
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Dave Cook |
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2nd Vice
President |
Andre Mento |
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Ray Dickey |
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3rd Vice
President |
John Kobland |
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Jeff Grundy |
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Secretary |
George Smith |
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Treasurer – Operating/Projects |
Glenn Johnson |
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Directors – 2 Years |
Walt Caldwell |
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Assistant Treasurer - Projects |
Elaine Homoky |
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Jon Goldstein |
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Tom Reilly |
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Immediate Past President |
Alex Johnson |
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Peter Turner |
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Information Technology
Chairman |
Dave Shaffer |
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Publicity |
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Lion Tamer |
Paul Hayden |
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Jargon Editor |
Bob Virgadamo |
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Tail Twister |
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Membership Chairman |
Mike Kaiser |
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August,
2006
August 1– Board
of Directors Meeting –
August 2– Special Meeting – This is the third “Wine Meeting” – this meeting will be held at the Grape Escape
on
September, 2006
September 5 – Board of Directors Meeting –
September
6 – Regular Meeting –
Speaker:
September 20 – Regular Meeting –
Speaker:
Message from the President
It always gets my goat when I read about a judge handing out a sentence that includes “community service.” When did serving the community become tied into punishment? Personally, serving the community is a privilege and something that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
For those of you who don’t know me, I will use this
opportunity to share a bit about myself with you. A resident of Cranbury since
1991, I sought to live here because of the “town center” feel many new and
existing communities are now trying create. I grew up in
The first opportunity I saw to become involved in Cranbury
was with the C.A.R. E. committee in 1995. This group of volunteers, led by
former Mayor Michael Mayes, formed to make sure the need to pass the bond
referendum would be well-communicated to all residents. Our efforts got the
referendum passed and the 1997 wing at
I then joined the Cranbury Board of Education for a 3 year stint. The Chief School Administrator (and fellow Lion) Dr. Robert “Bob” Bartoletti and then Vice-Principal Carol Malouf were running a Blue Ribbon school as well as you would expect. I became involved in a rather time consuming Superintendent search as the liaison to Princeton Regional Schools. If I learned anything from the search experience, it was that the community doesn’t necessarily know what is really going on, that even highly educated people with remarkable positions in education in business can make poor decisions that affect many, and lastly, that ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Soon after leaving the Board, I joined the Cranbury Education Foundation (also founded by Michael Mayes, Richard F.X. Johnson and Linda Schilling). This group helps to finance special projects requested by teachers, needy students and/or contribute to projects that benefit the community. I helped out with advertising for the Annual Craft Show, which is a significant fund raiser chaired by Chris Moll.
If I had the time, I would also be interested in joining the Cranbury Arts Council, the Historical Society and perhaps serving local government in some capacity. Our town affords many different choices to serve, and I am grateful I have been able to participate.
I understand that the President of the Cranbury Lions is primarily to help keep the meetings on track make sure the Vice-Presidents are getting the support they need.
As I mentioned during the Lions Club meeting last Wednesday, we have a wonderful opportunity to “turn up the volume” this year and capitalize on the 75th Anniversary of the Cranbury Lions Club. My background in design and marketing for communications seeks to create specialty items and events to raise awareness of what we do and how we serve.
My agenda includes: 1) retaining existing members, 2) encouraging more active participation, 3) recruiting new members, and 4) helping to bring the Lions Club into the year 2007 by entertaining ideas to keep it fresh and moving forward.
I have already committed to join Lion Bob Virgadamo at the
USA-Canada Forum in
Please contact me anytime to share your ideas or thoughts. I look forward to being of service.
Things To Know
As it has in the past, the “summer schedule” for the Jargon will be a bit “off”; This issue (August) is being written after the mid-July meetings; The September Jargon will not be sent out for approximately 7 weeks, or after the September Board meeting. If need be, important information will be distributed via e-mail.
REMINDER: Summer Dress Rules are in effect during July and August. For those who are unaware of the “Summer Dress Rules”, Members may wear appropriate summer attire, including shorts, to regular meetings.
Even though we have begun sending a new “Calendar of Events” with the dues mailings, we’d like to remind all members to please, share the Jargon with your Spouse, so that our events may be better scheduled on your personal, or family, calendars for better attendance. Please Note that Spouses are invited to attend the “off-premises” meeting at the Grape Escape, to assist in the Club Project of making wine as a table favor for our 75th Anniversary Celebration.
The Cranbury Lions Club Annual Family Picnic and Barbeque was hosted by Lion Joe and Suzanne Carroll at their home on July 15. Due to our need to schedule early, many members were away or had other commitments, which cut back on attendance from last year. But, like last year, those who attended had a great time, and are looking forward to next year’s event. Lion Joe remarked that next year he “hopes we get a hundred people.” The Club would like to thank Joe and Suzanne for their generosity of spirit and offering their home and yard for the annual picnic.
The
August meeting, normally held on the third Wednesday, will be on the first
Wednesday, August 2, due to the scheduling for the Club Project; the meeting will be at the Grape Escape, same time as
usual – 7PM. This is the third meeting in our wine making project. In this part
of the process we will “Rack” our wine which entails emptying and cleaning our
barrel, then we will put the wine back
in the barrel for aging. But the ‘exciting’ part is that we have an opportunity
to taste the wine at that point! For your calendar: the fourth “wine meeting”
will be
After the nominations and election were held, we were still without a Tail Twister and a Publicity Chairman. A laurel and hardy handshake to President Rick, who volunteered to fill the position of Publicity Chair in addition to his duties as Club President. However, as you can see from the banner top of the Jargon, the Board position of Tail Twister has not been filled; any Member interested in this position should speak with President Rick. In the interim, a different Board Member will be an acting Tail Twister at each meeting.
For the seventh year in a row, the Cranbury Lions will
sponsor a Trenton Thunder Baseball Game
for the residents of Cranbury, their family and friends. The game is between
the Thunder (AA affiliate of the NY Yankees) and the Portland Sea Dogs (AA
affiliate of the Boston Red Sox). The game is at
Reminder…Hold the date for the Cranbury Lions 75th Anniversary Celebration –
The will be in
Membership – Membership – Membership
As always we are looking for new members. The Lion year just ending was not an exemplary membership year. With so many new homes in Cranbury, there are many opportunities for new members. We ask all Cranbury Lions to try to bring in New Members. Membership applications can be obtained from Secretary George Smith or from membership Chairman Mike Kaiser. Let’s try to keep our Lions Club from being Cranbury’s “best kept secret”.
…And Attendance…
On the flip side of the membership coin, we also seem to be having a problem with attendance. Over the last couple of years meeting attendance has diminished from an average of 45+ members per meeting to an average of plus or minus 25 members, per meeting. Our core volunteers have always come from sign-ups at the meetings, and with meeting attendance down, so are the number of volunteers. While we would love to see “a packed house” at every meeting, it is understandable that many of our Members can’t make every meeting due to the demands and obligations to their jobs and families, however, the Board of Directors is asking every member to try to attend at least one meeting per quarter.
What’s Happening In Other Clubs
The South Brunswick Lions Club will hold their Annual Cole Beatty Circus Fundraiser on Labor Day Weekend. More information on this event will be forthcoming.
Reminders
Frank Marlowe has been our Program Chair for a few years now, and has done quite an excellent job lining up speakers for our meetings each month. You can all imagine how difficult it can be, finding 20 speakers per year that will be of relative interest to all our Members! We all come in contact with someone interesting on a regular basis. When you do, or if you have any suggestions for speakers, please give Frank a call, or e-mail him at marlowe@cranburynj.com .
Even though we have a few new fundraisers, the Cranbury Lions Club is always in search of additional new fund raisers – different, entertaining, and most importantly, fun. Any member who has a fundraising idea should share the idea with President Rick, or bring it up at one of the meetings. The list of potential fundraisers, and the input from interested Lions, will be discussed at a Board of Directors meeting, and presented to the general membership at a regular meeting.
While it is important that we increase our fundraising capability, it is equally important that we do it without continually requesting donations from our small community on a too frequent basis. With over 300 commercial locations in our immediate area, the website is one of the easiest and best fundraisers we have. We ask every member to please try to bring in at least one new advertiser per year. Refer all advertising leads to Lions John Kobland, Ray Dickey, or Dave Shaffer.
Any member who learns of the sickness or death of another
member, or in a member’s family, or any other similar incident or emergency,
should contact Lion Frank Marlowe (Chair, H&W) and/or Lion Dave Cook to
activate the “phone tree”, and/or Lion Bob Virgadamo (e-mail notifications) so
that all members may be notified.
Member Pick-Up
Ed Lawson (5 S. Main)
Lion George Smith will be the “permanent” pick up driver for Lion Ed
Lion Frank Marlowe has volunteered to be the “permanent” back-up driver.
Drivers: if you cannot make your pick-up, or need to switch, please notify Rick Cusworth as soon as possible. Riders: please notify the assigned driver if you’re not going to make a meeting.