“A Country Club Trying to Serve Its Country”

March, 2003

March 4 – Board of Directors Meeting – 7:30PM, Library Conference Room

March 5 – Regular Meeting – 7PM, Cranbury Station, Dinner: Broiled Tuna Steak

                     Speakers: District Governor John Dutkowski will visit and discuss State of the District

March 19 – Regular Meeting – 7PM, Cranbury Station, Dinner: Broiled Pork Chops

                     Speaker: Ralph Serpe will talk March 19 about the Princeton Area Community Foundation, and its philanthropic work in Mercer, Middlesex, and surrounding counties.

 

April, 2003

April 1– Board of Directors Meeting – 7:30PM, Library Conference Room

April 2 – Regular Meeting – 7PM, Cranbury Station, Dinner: Chicken Cordon Bleu

                     Speaker: Carol Malouf, Cranbury School Administrator, will speak about the school

         Expansion (tentative)

April 16 – Lion of the Year Meeting – 6PM Cocktails; 7PM, Dinner – East Brunswick Chateau

                     Joint Meeting with Region 4, Zone 1 Clubs. Speaker: Lions of the Year in lieu of

 

Things To Know

Congratulations to Lion Dave Stout for receiving a Multiple Membership Key for bringing in two new members.

 

We would like to acknowledge a gift to the Club. As you all know Lion Jim Gerberich is a professional photographer, and does the “Santa Pictures” at the Pancake Breakfast. This year, he was asked if he could provide a family with multiple copies of their photo, and he agreed. Lion Jim did not want to profit from a Lions fundraiser, and took no money for this additional service, suggesting to the family that they make a donation to the Club. Scott and Phyllis Smith of Bodine Drive purchased their regular photographs at the Pancake Breakfast, at the set price, and have donated an additional $100 to the Club for the multiple copies with which they were provided. A giant Attaboy to Lion Jim and many thanks to the Smith Family.

 

The Inter-District joint meeting with the Hightstown Lions Club on February 26, was quite interesting. As this was their annual “Hobby Night”, our members were invited to speak. In addition to the Hightstown Lions who discussed H-O scale and slot car collecting and racing, steam engines, and whittling, Cranbury Lion Bill Keller gave a very interesting talk on radio controlled planes. It was a fun and informative meeting, and we’d like to thank Lion Bill, as well as the Hightstown Lions, for making it memorable.

 

“Lions Night at the Continental Arena” was Saturday, March 1. We had 45 members and guest go to the game between the NJ Devils and the Washington Capitals; the Devils won in sudden death overtime, 2-1. For each of the 45 tickets sold, we will receive $5 back as a donation from Continental Arena. Our thanks to those Lions who helped the Club raise $245.

 

Lions International UN Day is March 14, 2003. This is an opportunity to speak with delegates from all over the world. Admittance is $60 per person. For more information and reservations, please contact Region Chairperson Tom Reilly.

 

The next 16-D Cabinet meeting will be held at the Spain Restaurant on March 24^th. Please notify Region Chairperson Tom Reilly if you plan to attend.

 

District 16-D has two new Charter Clubs: The South Plainfield Fil-Am Lions Club, and the Harmony Township Lions Club. The Cranbury Lions have placed a half-page ad in each of their Charter Night Souvenir Programs, and we have been invited to attend each of their Charter Night Banquets.

 

The South Plainfield Fil-Am Lions Club will hold their Charter Night Celebration on Saturday, March 22^nd, at the  Sheraton at Woodbridge Place Hotel, in Iselin. This formal, black tie optional, event will begin with a cash bar, 7:30PM reception; dinner at 8:30PM; dancing until 12:30AM. Music by “The Music Boulevard”. $50 per person. Please notify Lion Bob Virgadamo if you plan to attend.

 

The Harmony Township Lions Club will hold their Charter Night Celebration on Saturday, April 12, at the Almond Tree Manor, in Alpha, NJ. Business Casual is requested at this event, which will begin with a Reception and Cocktails at 5PM, dinner to follow. Music provided by “The Joes”. $40 per person. Please notify Lion Bob Virgadamo if you plan to attend.

 

Our Lion of the Dinner will be a joint meeting with the other Clubs in our Zone. It will be held at the East Brunswick Chateau. This event has been designated our Annual Spring Spouse Night, so all members are encouraged to bring their significant other to the meeting. A choice of meal will be available and a sign-up sheet will begin at our next meeting. The cost of this dinner will be $5 per member and $20 per guest.

 

On May 31, 2003, the South Brunswick Lions Club will celebrate their 50^th Anniversary with a dinner dance held at the East Brunswick Chateau. Cranbury Lions are strongly encouraged to attend this milestone event. Music will be provided by the Gladys Bryant Orchestra; those of you who went to PDG Debbie Hackworth’s Testimonial last year, will remember this orchestra as very much worth “the price of admission”. [This will be one of the orchestras we will consider for our 75^th Anniversary celebration, so this is a good opportunity for the general membership to “audition” this group.] This event will also feature a seafood cocktail hour, choice of entrée (chicken, salmon, or prime rib), and a Viennese Table. Price per person is $45. A sign-up sheet will be circulated.

 

National Volunteer Week is April 27^th through May 3^rd. This would be an excellent time to bring in new members. The Club has a new membership pamphlet, which will shortly be available from both Membership Chair Greg Overstreet and President Bob Virgadamo. The pamphlet will also be available on the website.

 

As most of you may know, Camp Marcella opens it’s gates to all New Jersey Lions for two Sundays in May during their appeal to help prepare the camp for the summer. This Year’s ‘Work Days’ are May 4^th and May 18^th. There is a list of chores that need to be done – from cleaning the barbeque grills to scraping and painting the cabins to plumbing maintenance on the swimming pool. A barbeque lunch will be served each day in front of the Main Lodge. Each Club is assigned a project from the needs list. If we can gather up enough volunteers, we can participate as a Club; if we can only get a few volunteers, those members can represent the Cranbury Lions. In any event, there will be no sign-up sheet; all members wishing to volunteer to help clean up Camp Marcella should contact Lion Bob Virgadamo or Lion Tom Reilly.

 

The State Convention will be held at the Doubletree Hotel in Somerset on May 16 & 17, 2003. This year, the Cranbury Lions are eligible to send eight delegates and eight alternates, which, by the way, is currently the largest delegation in 16D. The Friday Evening Hospitality Rooms are usually Party Central; all official business is done on the Convention Floor on Saturday. As always, the Club will pay for the Convention entrance fee and lunch for the delegates. There will be a sign-up sheet circulating for delegates and alternates. There are different levels of attendance, ranging from $6 to $97, as follows – all fees are per person:

            Plan 1 – $97: inc. Badge, Friday Night LCIF Awards Dinner, Saturday Breakfast, Saturday

Night Reception, and Saturday Dinner & Banquet;

Plan 2 – $63: inc. same as Plan 1, less Friday Night Awards Dinner.

            Friday LCIF Dinner, only – $35

            Saturday Breakfast, only – $18

            Saturday Reception, only - $10

Saturday Banquet, only – $45

            Convention Badge, only – $6

 

We have obtained a game date for our 4^th Annual Trenton Thunder Baseball Outing. The Double A League has undergone a few changes, and the Trenton Thunder is now the AA Affiliate of the New York Yankees. This year, on August 23, at 7:05 PM the Thunder will play the Binghamton Mets. Tickets are $10 each and are available to all Cranbury residents and guests. We have recently been advised that the game is almost completely sold out. It is NOT too early to reserve tickets. Seating is limited, so reserve your tickets now!

 

Last Call! If there are any members interested in attending the International Convention, which will be held in Denver, CO from June 30 through July 3, 2003, please advise Lion George Smith, as the final deadline for delegates is April 1, 2003.

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.

 

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.

 

Member Pick-Up

Ed Lawson (5 S. Main)

3/5 – Rich Stannard; 3/19 – Bob Wood; 4/2 – George Smith; 4/16 – Dave Shaffer

 

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