“A Country Club Trying to Serve Its Country”

December, 2002

 

December 3 – Board of Directors Meeting – 7:30PM, Library Conference Room

December 4 – Regular Meeting – 7PM, Cranbury Station, Dinner: Sliced London Broil

            Speaker: Tony Bianculli of Rocky Hill NJ, a railroad historian, will discuss the role of

railroads on US postage stamps. His talk is based on a book written by Mr. Bianculli, soon to be published.

December 13 – Holiday Party/Meeting – 7PM for cocktails; The Bog Restaurant; 8PM, Dinner

Buffet; Dancing in lieu of Speaker.

 

January, 2003

 

January 7 – Board of Directors Meeting – 7:30PM, Library Conference Room

January 8 – Regular Meeting – 7PM, Cranbury Station, Dinner: Chicken Marsala

Speaker: Tom Cafferty is a noted first amendment lawyer in Somerset NJ and long time friend of Andre Mento. He will tell us about access to public records.

 

January 22 – Regular Meeting – 7PM, Cranbury Station, Dinner: Broiled Swordfish

                     Speaker: Scot Crass will give an oral history of World War II

 

Things To Know

 

Congratulations to the winners of the 2002 Peace Poster Contest! The First Prize goes to Charlotte Babcock of Stockton Drive; Second Prize goes to Katie Henderson of Station Road; and, Third Prize goes to Vivian Sun of Perrine Lane. The Club would like to express our thanks and appreciation to this year’s judges, Don Jo Swanagan, Clara Amend, Nadine Berkowsky, and Wilma Shimer,  and to the school staff, Administrator and Lion Carol Malouf and Tamara Woronczuk. Of course, a laurel and hardy handshake to Lion Mason Blaich for his untiring efforts on behalf of the Peace Poster Contest.

 

The Pancake Breakfast will be on Sunday, December 8^th in the Cranbury School Cafeteria. By now each Member should have their tickets to sell for the Pancake Breakfast, as well as their assignment. If you need additional tickets, or have any assignment questions, please contact one of the Committee Co-Chairs, Lion Ed Lawson or Lion George Smith. And, don’t forget that, like last year, Santa will be there for photo opportunities, for kids and the young at heart 

 

We may not be doing the Toys for Tots Program this year, simply because the Marines – who run the entire program – have not returned our many phone calls. Lion Bob Virgadamo is still trying to contact the Marine Base in an effort to obtain some sort of collection schedule, however, since it appears their final pick-up date may be fairly early this year, we may be locked out for a pick-up date. If we do get through to the Marines, and if we get a pick-up date, we will place signs around town and notify the Club via by e-mail.

 

The Holiday Party will be at The Bog Restaurant on Friday, December 13, 2002. The sign-up sheet has already begun  to go around – and we were all pretty happy to see that attendance will be high. Music for your listening and dancing pleasure will be provided by DJ Fred Campbell, and unless we have a huge influx of Japanese members within the next few weeks, karaoke will be kept to a minimum, so as not to conflict with dancing. Cocktails will begin at 7PM, Dinner Buffet at 8PM. Members will be billed at a rate of $15 per Member and $30 per guest.

 

District 16-D will hold it’s 32^nd Annual Charity Ball on Saturday, February 8^th, 2003. It will be held at the East Brunswick Chateau. Black Tie, optional. Cash Bar will begin at 6PM. Dancing to the sounds of the Jim White Orchestra. Tickets are $35 per person. There are three entrée choices: Stuffed Breast of Chicken, Stuffed Salmon, or, Prime Rib of Beef. This is the District’s only fundraiser, and it would make a nice evening out as a mid-winter Club function. If you can arrange your schedule to attend, contact Lion Bob Virgadamo or Lion Tom Reilly for reservations.

 

A few of our “long-term” Lions suggested an administrative fundraiser, which the Board of Directors has approved. January 22 has been declared Ugly Tie Night. Here are the rules: At our January 22^nd we will hold a 50/50 based on the ugliest tie at the meeting. Please wear the nastiest, ugliest, most horrific tie you can find – all ties are subject to forfeiture (in one form or another!); clip a five-dollar bill to your tie – that is your  “entry fee”; a two-dollar fine will be imposed on any member not wearing a tie, or, any member wearing a tie which cannot be forfeited; ALL money collected will be placed in the 50/50 pot, but only those members participating in the Ugly Tie Contest are eligible to win the 50/50. Tail Twister Joe Carroll will be judge and jury ~ Beware!

 

Please Mark Your Calendars: The Board of Directors has arranged for an Inter-Club meeting with the Hightstown Lions Club on February 26, 2003. The meeting will be hosted by the Hightstown Club at their regular meeting place in the Masonic Hall. Traditionally, their second February meeting is “Hobby Night”, where anyone with an interesting hobby may stand up and speak for a few minutes; District Governor (16-C) Earl Grondyke has advised that we would be welcome to participate in his Club’s “Hobby Night” program.

 

We have made arrangements with the Optical Shop in the Costco Warehouse in Edison to collect used eyeglasses for the Lions Program, and have already picked up over 50 pairs. And, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank Lion Ed Lawson for his pick-up efforts at the Cranbury Post Office.

 

Multiple District 16 has arranged for a Lions Night at the Continental Arena in the Meadowlands on Saturday, March 1, 2003. There will be a game between the NJ Devils and the Washington Capitals; tickets are $35 each (regular box office price for these second Level seats are $52), and for each ticket sold, $5 will benefit our Club. This could be an excellent winter evening out for our Club with our family and friends. Please contact Lion Bob Virgadamo or Lion Tom Reilly for a reservation.

 

Presidents Message

 

As the Holidays approach, I would like to wish each Member of the Cranbury Lions, and their families, a Merry Christmas, a Happy Chanukah, and a safe, happy and healthy New Year.

 

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 bi-monthly meetings. 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.

 

It is important that we increase our fundraising capability without requesting money from our small community over and over again. 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 advertiser per year. Refer all advertising leads to Lions Gene Buckley, Dave Shaffer or Bob Virgadamo.

 

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 Dave Cook to activate the “phone tree”, so that all members may be notified.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Our regular meeting schedule will be interrupted, TEMPORARILY, in January 2003. January 1^st  is the First Wednesday. For the month of January 2003, ONLY, our Meeting Schedule will be the 2^nd and 4^th Wednesdays – January 8^th and 22^nd. The Board will meet on January 7^th.

 

Member Pick-Up

Ed Lawson (5 S. Main)

12/4, Rich Pape – 1/8, Tom Reilly – 1/22, Rich Stannard

 

If you cannot make your pick-up, and/or if you switch (or need to switch) with someone else, please notify Bob Virgadamo as soon as possible. Riders: please notify the assigned driver if you’re not going to make a meeting.