“A Country Club Trying to Serve Its Country”

 

October 2001

October 2 – Board of Directors Meeting – 7:30PM, Gristmiller’s House

October 3 – Regular Meeting – 7PM, Cranbury Station, Dinner: Beef Burgundy

Speaker: District Governor Debbie Hackworth, District 16D

Speaker: Michael Young of Richard Grubb Assoc., will talk to us about archeological excavation.

 

October 17 – Regular Meeting – 7PM, Cranbury Station, Dinner: Chicken Alfredo

                     Speaker: TBA

 

November 2001

 

November 6 – Board of Directors Meeting – 7:30PM, Gristmiller’s House

November 7 – Regular Meeting – 7PM, Cranbury Station, Dinner: Lasagna

                         Speaker: TBA

November 21 – Regular Meeting – 7PM, Cranbury Station, Dinner: Roast Turkey

                          Speaker: TBA

 

Things To Know

LCIF has informed us that Lions International has established a designated World Trade Center Disaster Victims Fund. LCIF will make these funds available to local Lions clubs and districts that are working to support victims and their families. Anyone wishing to contribute can go to the special bulletin:

http://www.lionsclubs.org/English/WorldTrade.html 

Follow the instructions to make either a secure online donation or to send funds to:  LCIF Headquarters, 300 W 22nd Street, Oakbook, IL  60523-8842

 

We have also been advised that Lions in the disaster area have responded quickly and are formulating a multi-state response to meet the humanitarian need that follows a tragedy of this proportion. Details of the Lions response can be found on-line at the above site. This site will be updated as news comes in.

 

As for a local response, the Cranbury Lions are sponsoring and facilitating the Todd Beamer Memorial Fund. This is a direct mail appeal to raise funds to create and install a memorial in one of Cranbury’s Parks, honoring this national hero. The Todd Beamer Memorial Committee is Lion Howard Zogot (Chair), Mike Kaiser, Dennis Kennedy, and Dave Stout. We should give all of these volunteers a personal thanks next time we see them. The membership will continue to be advised as specific details become available.

 

With regard to the direct mail appeal, the Memorial Fund Committee may need volunteers to stuff envelopes at 11AM, on Saturday, October 13. If you can give an hour to the Committee, it would be most helpful and appreciated. Anyone who can do this, please contact a member of the Committee, or just show up and start stuffing.

 

Congratulations to Lions Walt Caldwell, Tom Gambino, Dennis Kennedy, Rich Pape, Don Jo Swanagan and Bob Wood on receiving the President’s Bronze Certificate of Sponsorship and their efforts to increase the membership of the Cranbury Lions.

 

The Board of Directors voted to place American Flags on all the Lions’ signs coming into Cranbury. The signs will be adapted, and the flags should be flying by within the next week (or by the time our “snail-mail” readers get this issue).

 

The EAST BRUNSWICK LIONS CLUB is celebrating its 50^th Year of Service at the East Brunswick Chateau on Saturday, October 27, 2001. It is an interesting (but undocumented) note that East Brunswick is one of the many clubs that have been sponsored by the Cranbury Lions. They will have a Cash Bar Cocktail Hour, Dinner, a Viennese Table, and Dancing. Tickets for this landmark event are $35 per person and are by reservation only. For tickets please call Lion Bob Virgadamo or East Brunswick Lions Lou Samaro or Robert Melnick. This is a special night for the East Brunswick Club, and, as Lions, we should all make the effort to attend this celebration. Also, please remember that we have our 75^th Anniversary coming up in a few short years, and we would like other Lions clubs to join in our celebration.

 

The Annual Halloween Party will be held at the Cranbury School on October 31, 2001. If you can lend a hand in any way, please contact Lion Richard Stannard.

 

The Pancake Breakfast will be upon us shortly, and as a new fundraiser, the Board of Directors has decided to add “Pictures with Santa” to the event. We’re looking for a “right jolly old elf”…there are plenty of us out there that will fit the costume, but…who will be our Santa? Would “Santa” please call Lions Ed Lawson, Rich Pape or George Smith for a costume fitting, please?

 

And speaking of the Pancake Breakfast, if anyone has a contact that wold be willing to donate some of the usable goods, such as paper products, dairy products, coffee, juice…anything, please advise Lions Ed, Rich, or George.

 

For our work with Youth in Cranbury, such as Quest, our work with the Boy and Girl Scouts, and our new Stan Thomas Service Award for Troop 52, to name just a few, the Cranbury Lions have received International President J. Frank Moore’s “Light the Path for Youth” patch for our banner. The Board of Directors would like to thank all of our Lions for their efforts to make this Presidential recognition possible. Additionally, the New Jersey Lions Audio-Visual Screening Foundation has awarded a Certificate of Appreciation to the Cranbury Lions for our support and assistance  during their Eyemobile Fund Drive. A laurel and hardy handshake to all!

 

The Cranbury Lions will be doing Toys for Tots with the U.S Marines again this year. Last year, we began in the eleventh hour and successfully collected dozens of toys, which the Marines distributed. We already have an approved drop at the Village Branch of 1^st Constitution Bank, and, at this writing  have requests into PNC Bank and the Post Office for additional toy drops. After these drops are set up, please be generous with your gifts for children that, without this program, would have nothing under their tree. And spread the word that the drops are in Cranbury.

 

Reminders

Many of you have e-mail capability, but are receiving The Jargon via regular mail. Please notify the Editor of your e-mail address by phone or via e-mail at BobV@cranbury.org. Your e-mail address will not be distributed outside of the Club, and will only be used for The Jargon and other necessary Club business. Your participation in this program benefits all of us. Thank you.

 

Any member who learns of the sickness or death of another member, or a member’s family, or any other similar incident or emergency should contact Bob Virgadamo to activate the “phone tree”, so that all members may be notified.

 

Let’s help our Program Chair, Frank Marlowe. 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.

 

Advertising has become a major fundraiser, and fundraising is everyone’s responsibility. Please give a helping hand to Advertising Chair, Shane Shapiro; if anyone has an advertising lead please contact Shane.

 

Please consider being a blood donor. Apparently the need is great and the supplies are low. Anyone wishing to donate blood can contact Barbara Danser at the First Aid Station on Maplewood Avenue.

 

Member Pick-Up

Bob Perrine (Cranbury Elms) and Ed Lawson (5 S. Main)

10/17, Walt Caldwell – 11/ 7, Greg Overstreet – 11/21, Richard Stannard

 

If you cannot make your pick-up, and/or if you switch (or need to switch) with someone else, please notify Bob Virgadamo (395-7050) as soon a possible. Riders: please notify the assigned driver if you’re not going to make a meeting.