Jungle Jargon

A Monthly Broadcast to

THE LIONS CLUB OF CRANBURY, NEW JERSEY

Contact us at: http://cranburylions.org

“A Country Club Trying to Serve Its Country”

Ideals in Government		Mutual Helpfulness
Social Progress	Understanding	Civic Betterment	Fellowship

President	Rick Burke	Directors – 1 year	Frank Brennan, Jr.
1^st Vice President	Mike Kaiser		Dave Cook
2^nd Vice President	Andre Mento		Ray Dickey
3^rd Vice President	John Kobland		Jeff Grundy
Secretary	George Smith
Treasurer – Operating/Projects	Glenn Johnson	Directors – 2 Years	Walt Caldwell
Assistant Treasurer - Projects	Elaine Homoky		Jon Goldstein
			Tom Reilly
Immediate Past President	Alex Johnson		Peter Turner
Information Technology Chairman	Dave Shaffer	Publicity Chairman
Lion Tamer	Paul Hayden	Jargon Editor	Bob Virgadamo
Tail Twister
Membership Chairman	Mike Kaiser

December, 2006

December 5 – Board of Directors Meeting – 7:30PM, Tom Gambino Library Room

December 6 – Peace Poster Award Meeting – 7PM, Cranbury Station, Dinner: Steak Orleans

Speaker: Officer Paul Lindenfeld, of the Cranbury PD, will speak to us about Cranbury's new Community Emergency Response Team.

December 15 – Holiday Meeting – Cash Bar at 7PM; Dinner at 8PM; Dinner: Buffet Choice at The Bog

Speaker: In lieu of a speaker we will have our annual Holiday party, held jointly with the Hightstown Club.

January, 2007

January 2 – Board of Directors Meeting – 7:30PM, Tom Gambino Library Room

January 3 – Regular Meeting – 7PM, Cranbury Station, Dinner: Chicken Marsala

Speaker: Lion John Kobland – Lion John is an accomplished poet and will entertain us with a few of his compositions.

January 17 – Regular Meeting – 7PM, Cranbury Station, Dinner: Beef Burgundy

Speaker: Lion Rick Burke – President Rick will discuss upcoming Projects, especially the Wine Project and the 75^th Anniversary Gala

Something New About the 75^th Celebration…

The Anniversary Committee is happy to announce that we have volunteers as Co-Chairs for the Decorations Committee, and wish to thank Rosemarie Mento and Bobbie Marlowe for stepping up to this creative challenge. Anyone wishing to participate on this committee should contact either of them (see your directory for numbers)

Things To Know

Even though we have begun sending a revised “Calendar of Events” with each 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 all meetings, but are encouraged to attend “Spouse Night” meetings.

This year’s Peace Poster Contest theme was “Celebrate Peace, and the winner’s will be presented with their awards at the December 6^th meeting, during which the winning posters, and the runners-up, will be on display. The winning poster(s) were selected based on theme, artistic merit, and “poster-like” appearance. As previously announced, the winners are: First Prize ($100) – Natalie Cassidy; Second Prize ($50) – Emma Laurach; Third Prize ($25) – Madison Andres. Peace Poster Chairman, Lion Bob Virgadamo would, once again, like to thank Cranbury School Art Teacher Tamara Woronczuk for her dedication and help in making the Peace Poster Program such an incredible success in Cranbury, and of course, thanks go to Chief Administrator (and Lion) Carol Malouf, for keeping the Peace Poster Contest a part of the Art Program.

We have begun this year’s Toys For Tots Program; we will have collection points at the Post Office, all 1^st Constitution Bank Branches, two PNC Bank Branches, BBL (on South River Rd.), Seanjohn, Inc (at 2 Capital Way – a new collection point this year), and BV’s house. Toys will be collected at these locations until Thursday, December 14. Barring any unforeseen (military) problems, a Marine delegate will be at our January 3^rd meeting to present President Rick with a certificate for our work with Toys for Tots. If anyone knows of a business that would like to participate in this worthwhile program for needy children, please notify Lion Bob V, ASAP.

Due to the preparations by event chairman Jerry Hanson and his crew, this year’s Pancake Breakfast was a fabulous success. And, without a doubt, a laurel and hardy handshake goes to nearly every active member who came out to cook, serve or bus tables, and perform the necessary set-up and clean-up, as well as the members at “the gate” who sold 50/50 tickets (won by the Stigliz Family), Entertainment Books, poinsettias, and 75^th Anniversary T-shirts. Of course, thanks must also go to “Santa Stannard” and his Lion elves, Jim Gerberich and Dave Stout, for their efforts on our Pictures with Santa portion of the event. This year, additional thanks should probably go to Lion Pat Meehan and his wife, Joanne, for their efforts in coordinating a Cranbury Business and Professional Association flier, which was mailed to every resident in Cranbury just days before our event. Due to the cooperation, coordination and effort by the Pancake Breakfast Committee and the entire membership, this was our most successful Pancake breakfast event, ever, making a grand total of $3,674.00.

Please take note that Entertainment Books will be available at First Constitution Bank (see Lion Elaine) until mid- December; there are two editions available – both North Central and South Central New Jersey. Books are $30 each.

The USO of PA and NJ is distributing donated AT&T phone cards to our Troops for the holidays. [All cards must be AT&T cards.]The USO has suggested the cards be donated in 100 minute increments, due to the fact that (these) international calls can sometimes take an hour or more to connect. The Board of Directors approved $100 toward the purchase of 100-minute phone cards, which will cost approximately $9 apiece.

The Annual Cranbury Lions Holiday Party, held jointly with the Hightstown Lions Club, will be at The Bog Restaurant on Friday, December 15; (cash bar) cocktails and hors d’ouvres at 7PM, dinner at 8PM. A sign-up sheet is circulating at the meetings; or, contact Lion Bob V. Based on the preliminary results of an on-line Poll and comments received from Members without e-mail access, we are discontinuing the DJ, however, with thanks to Lion Joe Carroll, there will be “boxed music” at the party. The party will be a sit down buffet, featuring a roast beef carving station, chicken with an herb demi-glaze, salmon with a citrus glaze, and rigatoni with vodka sauce, as well as potato, and an assortment of vegetables.

A couple of “questions” have arisen about our two perennial Dinner Dances. The first is: Do we have to always have it at the Bog? The second statement/question heard most often is: Only two or three people dance – Do we really need a DJ? As mentioned in last month Jargon, an On-Line Poll went out about the Holiday Party (and by extension, our Installation Dinner); In order to save postage, the poll is printed here for Members without e-mail capability, who have not already provided their input to Lion Bob at a meeting or by phone. At this writing, we have had limited e-mail response, and even more limited response from the “elder Members” without e-mail. Lion Bob would appreciate receiving your replies by December 14. The questions asked in the poll were:

1. Should the Cranbury Lions continue to have the Annual Holiday Party at the Bog?
2. If you answered “no”, please suggest an alternative location.
3. Should the DJ be discontinued?
4. And, an “essay question”: What can we do to increase attendance at the Holiday Party?

For those of you who don’t know, Lion John Kobland is an accomplished poet, and you can hear his aural artistry at our January 3, 2007 meeting. This will be an entertaining and enlightening episode and it is suggested that Members invite their Spouses to enjoy the evening.

Chairperson Needed

Lion John Kobland was our Advertising Chair last year, and he did a spectacular job of organizing the program and placing it all on a database. Unfortunately, Lion John is conflicted at work and is unable to continue as Ad Chair. This is the time of year we solicit our annual advertising and we are in desperate need of an Advertising Chairperson. John has advised that the database allows the program to “run itself”, but a Chairman is required to form a committee who can make the necessary contacts. Any Lion who can step up to this position should contact President Rick or Lion John.

…More about the 75^th Anniversary…

Reminder…Hold the time and date for the Cranbury Lions 75^th Anniversary Celebration – 7PM to 11PM, Saturday, June 23, 2007, at the Forsgate Country Club. Any Lion (or Spouse) who wishes to assist on any committee should contact either Lion Andre Mento or Lion Bob Virgadamo. Open discussions about the Anniversary Celebration are encouraged at ALL meetings.

The Promotions and Ad Journal Committees have met and worked out an excellent program for obtaining both goods and services for a Silent Auction (at the Celebration) and cash donations (as Journal Ads)…but they need the help of every member. The Promotions Package, which every Member recently received, may have been missing the Ad Journal Price List. It is included with this month’s Jargon. Remember that the cost of the ticket is the cost of the event – we make NO money on the ticket; all FUNdraising will be via the Ad Journal, the Silent Auction, and the evening’s 50/50.

Mark you calendars! The February 7, 2007 Meeting will be at the Grape Escape. All members and their spouses are invited to this last Club Project Meeting, where we will be bottling and labeling our Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. [The Boy Scout meeting, usually reserved for the first February meeting, will be held on February 21^st]

All Members should have received their tickets for the 75^th Anniversary Celebration in the mail. Additional tickets are available. The Committee and the Board are hoping that every Member will attend this historic event in our Club’s history, and now is a good time to start planning a table; tables will be set for 8, 10, or 12. If for any reason a Member can’t use the tickets sent to him or her, we ask that you try to sell them; if you are unable to purchase them or sell them, please return them to Walt Caldwell within 30 days.

Membership – Membership – Membership

As always we are looking for new members. This year’s theme from International President Jimmy Ross is

‘Renewal’, and President Rick has adopted this theme. 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 month. The Membership Committee is preparing a survey, which will be distributed to all Members in January, which we hope will allow Members to answer such questions as: why is attendance low? What can we do to increase attendance? If it’s a ”problem”, what can we do to make meetings more interesting? When the survey arrives, please take a few minutes to complete it; if you would like to help the Membership Committee help the Club (before the survey goes out), members are encouraged to speak out at all meetings, or, if preferred, to any Board Member, about their concerns.

Reminders

Frank Marlowe has been our Program Chair for a few years now, and has done quite an excellent job lining up speakers for each of our 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 Lion 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 as soon as possible.

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.

THE LIONS CLUB, CRANBURY, NEW JERSEY Asks that you PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS
A&A COMPUTER PRODUCTS Joe Addonizio Hardware/Software – Sales/Service aaproductscc@hotmail.com 409-0226 409- 0223 (M)	1^ST CONSTITUTION BANK Main Branch 2650 Route 130,North Cranbury, NJ 08512	JOE’S CHEESECAKES 20 Different Flavors – We Deliver 104 Plainsboro Road Cranbury, N.J. 08512 409-0226 409-0223 (M)
ALLEN & STULTS Charles Stults, III Main Street Hightstown, NJ 08520 609-448-0110	BETA CRAFTS, INC. Art Hasselbach, Proprietor Rte 130 Cranbury, NJ 08512 609-655-1940 (M)	LAW OFFICES OF FRANCIS J. BRENNAN III,P.C. 73 North Main St. Cranbury, NJ 08512 609-395-5533/FAX 395-0999 (M)
CMI PLASTICS Custom Thermo-Forming Art Hasselbach & Steve Hasselbach Rte 130 Cranbury, NJ 08512 609-395-1920 (M)	A. S. COLE & SON & COMPANY Mahlon M Thompson, Director Emeritus Christine Thompson, Manager “Your Golden Rule Funeral Home” 609-655-3600 (M)	GEORGE CONLEY , IV Electrical Contractor All Types of Work 47-H Station Rd. Cranbury, NJ 08512 609-395-0513
DANSER & BLOOM Alan Danser & Arthur Danser 190 Plainsboro Rd. Cranbury, NJ 08512 (M)	THE ELMS OF CRANBURY 61 Maplewood Ave Cranbury, NJ 08512	1^ST CONSTITUTION BANK Elaine Homoky, Br. Mgr. 74 North Main St Cranbury, NJ 0851 395-0605 (M)
1^ST CONSTITUTION BANK Elaine Homoky, Br. Mgr. 74 North Main St Cranbury, NJ 08512 (M)	HAGERTY THE FLORIST PLANT & GARDEN CENTER Judson Hagerty & Monty Hagerty Cranbury, NJ 08512 609-0660 (M)	SUSAN M. HAGERTY Attorney at Law 101 North Main St. Cranbury, NJ 08512 609-655-2181
HERR’S PLUMBING & HEATING SERVICES, INC. Donald Herr Cranbury, NJ 08512 609-395-0638 (M)	HUFF, MORAN AND ORRON Attorneys at Law Wills, Estates & Real Estate 1246 South River Rd. Cranbury, NJ 08512 (M)	JAMIESON, MOORE, PESKIN & SPICER, ATTORNEYS 300 Alexander Rd Princeton, NJ 08540
KAISER BUILDING CO. Michael Kaiser 1260 South River Rd. Cranbury, NJ 08512 860-1900 www.kaiser-building.com	PRINCETON BALLET Official School of the American Repertory Ballet 29 North Main St. Cranbury, NJ 08512 655-2420/FAX 655-4377 www.arballet.org	CRANBURY PIZZA Main St. Cranbury, NJ 08512 409-9930/409-9980FAX
RICHARD A. PAPE Certified Public Accountant 142 Plainsboro Rd. Cranbury, NJ 08512 609-395-0467	PAT’S DÉCOR 50 North Main St. Cranbury, NJ 08512	PNC BANK, N.A. Cranbury Office 32 North Main St. Cranbury, NJ 08512 609-860-1283
SIECK-WRIGHT FLORAL PRODUCTS 15 Bunker Hill Cranbury, NJ 08512 609-395-0395	SHANGLE & HUNT Complete Line of Building Materials, Hardware & Paint 133 Broad St. Hightstown, NJ 08620 609-448-1212	STULTS REALTY Gordon Stults 37 North Main St. Cranbury, NJ 08512 609-395-0444 (M)
TEDDY’S RESTAURANT 49 North Main St. Cranbury, NJ 08512 609-395-3120	DENNIS WHITE, D.M.D. 41 North Main St. Cranbury, NJ 08512 609-395-0764 (M)	WRIGHT TRAVEL 30 North Main St. Cranbury, NJ 08512 609-655-4900 (M)
CRANBURY SERVICE CENTER 24-Hour Towing & Recovery Full Service Repairs on Cars, Ttucks, Tractors & Trailers 2734 Route 130 Cranbury, NJ 08512 448-2002	THE CRANBURY INN Fine American Cuisine Tom & Gay Ingegneri 21 South Main St. Cranbury, NJ 08512 655-5595	CRANBURY STATION RESTAURANT Seafood, Steaks & Pasta 2625 Rote 130, South Cranbury, NJ 08512 655-5550
GEORGE’S GARAGE & TOWING Complete Auto Repair & 24-Hour Service George Nobile Rte 130 @ Half Acre Rd. Cranbury, NJ 08512 655-3334	CRANBURY MANOR EXXON George Smudin, ASE Certified Technician Route 130 Cranbury, NJ 08512 448-6429	CROCKADELLI Patti & Nick Riggi 137 Old Cranbury Rd. Cranbury, NJ 08512 443-8988
CRANBURY PAINT& HARDWARE Rocco D’ArmientoIII 33 North Main St. Cranbury, NJ 08512 395-0632	M. DAVID DEMARCO FUNERAL HOME Family Owned and Operated 205 Rhode Hall Rd. Monroe Twp, NJ 08831 (732) 521-0555 (M)	R&H LANDSCAPING Complete Landscaping Services Roy Reinhardt P.O. Box 647 Cranbury, NJ 08512 395-1441 (M)
MAIN STREET INTERIORS Distinctive Interior Design Beth G. Brennan 57 South Main St Cranbury, NJ 08512 395-0125	RUE INSURANCE William M. Rue, CPCU, ARM, AIS 3812 Quakerbridge Rd. PO Box 3006 Trenton, NJ 08619-0006 (800) 272-4RUE 586-7474

(M) = Member