Our Meeting of March 10th, 2023

Todays Meeting

Our meeting was lightly attended on this very rainy Friday, with flash flood warnings popping up on our phones all morning, but those of us who were there had a good time. Lion President Tony led the meeting and called on Lion Roy to lead us in the flag salute, Lion Pat to lead us in singing My Country Tis of Thee, and our returning member, Lion Mark Olson, to do the invocation.

Guests

Our guests today were also our program, Joe Ross and Isabela from the Visalia Rawhide.

Announcements

Lion Leigh announced his annual Polar Plunge to benefit the Special Olympics of Nothern California would talk place on March 25th at the Lindsay Wellness Center. You can make a donation at TulareCountyPolarPlunge.org
Make sure to note Leigh’s name in the box or give a check or cash to Leigh at a club meeting.

   Murder Mystery Dinner to Take Place September 16th.
Theme: The 80s 

At our monthly board meeting on Wednesday, March 8th, we voted to go ahead with our first fundraiser since 2020 with another Murder Mystery Dinner at the Visalia Convention Center on Saturday, September 16th. This event is expected to raise about $20,000 for the club, but in order to do that, it will take the effort of all club members. We have started to organize a committee. Lion Lauri will be working on getting the committee together and needs people to volunteer for the committee.  Please contact her at laurimaguilar@gmail.com.

Our planned visitation with the Visalia Pride Club on Monday, March 6th, was canceled. Lions Allen, Craig, and Roy showed up only to find out the meeting had been canceled because of some power issues at St. Pauls’s Church.

Lion Allen announced the Vision Screening at the Tulare County Office of Educations STEAM Expo ( Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) on Saturday, March 4th.  Lions Allen, Tony, Rick, Karen, and Roy were on hand to help screen 94 kids and two Adults. We are hoping to make this an annual screening event.

Lion Pat had $5 to announce his barbershop group concert at the Neighborhood Church on April 29th at 2:00. Guests will include the Newfangled Four quartet from Sothern, California. Tickets are $20 for adults, $5 for children, and $40 per family.

No fine badge: Lion Karen won that coveted prize today.

Secret Greater was Lion Pete, who nabbed Roar editor Lion Roy and one other member for not shaking his hand.

Happy Bucks 

Lion Pete was happy he was getting a free meal that evening because his wife and her two sisters were singing at Quail Park Shannon Ranch and getting free dinners for themselves and their spouses as payment for the music.

Lion Leigh was happy because he brought the Tulare County Special Olympics Athletes to the annual basketball tournament in Fresno last Saturday. They took home two of three first-place trophies.

Lion Mark Olson (welcome back Mark), who just rejoined the club, was happy he had just turned 62. (it’s good to have those younger members)

Lion Karen was happy they had recently got new heating and cooling units in their home after the heater had gone out.

Lion Steven was happy for his grandson, along with Pete’s grandson recently had a baseball game that got rained out, and both kids played well, but most of them ended up playing in the mud at the end.

Lion Karen was happy that she and Lion Rick were headed to spring training in Scottsdale, AZ, later this week.

Given the rain, Lion President Tony was happy for those of us who showed up today.

Lion Allen was happy that the Murder Mystery Dinner was going to take place.

Fines

Lion Leigh fined lion Allen for making fun of Lions Roys ability to hear; Lion Roy replied “what” 

Lion Pete draws for the white marble but comes up with something else. 

Drawings 

The $5 drawing went to Lion Roy, who donated it to the Leo Club. 

Lotto ticket: Lion Leigh

Our Program: Joe Ross with the Visalia Rawhide.

Joe Ross and Isabella from the Visalia Rawhide were our program today. The team is a single A Affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks and thus are at the start of a process to bring players to the majors. The Rawhide has no control over what players they will get, nor when they leave. They are there to be conditioned for the bigs.

The team begins the season this year on the road April 6th at Lake Elsinore. Opening day at the ballpark is Tuesday, April 11th.  He noted that major league baseball took over all the minor league teams in 2020, whereas in the past, there were operated by each team independently. With that, many changes have occurred, one of them being that the players now have to live in housing approved by MLB and can not live with host families, as was the case previously. That has changed the dynamic of the experience for both the players and the Rawhide organization. The players are also given special diets, and he said when the dodgers organization came to town, they bring their own chief.

Free Add

Lion Karen won the free ad.

With Joe being with us today, Karen decided to advertise the Rawhide instead of that other team. 

1st Vice District Governor Christy Kroell draws for the marble.

Todays Meeting

Lion President Tony led our meeting today and called on lion Lion John Parker to lead us in saluting our flag, Lion Dee to lead us in singing God Bless America, and Lion Bob Line to do the invocation.

Our president, Lion Tony, won the no-fine badge today.

Guests 

We had many guests today, starting with our district governor Lion Falguni Patel, 1st vice district governor Lion Christy Kroell and her husband, past district governor Al Kroell, along with Past District governer David Beeman and his wife. Also, a past district governor, Lion Vicki Beeman. Our current zone chair Lion John Ward was with us, along with two Hanford Lions. A former member of our club, Mark Olson, was here today and back after a long absence was Lion John Parker. 

Announcements 

Lion Dee announced there would be a meeting to get the Leo club at La Sierra school organized Monday, March 6th, at noon at the school, located at 1735 E Houston Ave.

Lion Pat announced that the Mighty Oak Chorus, the singing group that Dee and himself are members of, would be having a concert at the Neighborhood Church in Visalia on April 29th at 2:00.

Lion Allen announced the Monday night visitation at the Visalia Pride club at St. Paul’s church, Center and Hall in Visalia. The meeting starts at 6:30, but Jon Ward said to arrive at 6:00 if you want to eat.

Happy Bucks 

Former member Mark Olson was happy to be back at club and plans to join again.

Lion Pat was $3 happy because his sister-in-law was back home after being in the hospital.

Lion John Parker was $20 happy to be back at club.

1st Vice district governor Christy Kroell was happy to be with us also.

PDG Lion Al Kroell was also happy to be with us today.

District Governor Falguni Patel was also happy to join us and give the program today. 

Lion Pete was happy because the SF Giants are undefeated this year. 

Lion Karen was $10 happy, one dolor for each of our guests and one for Mark and Lion John, who were with us after long absences. 

Lion Roy was happy for all the guests we had today and also for having sat next to Lion Tom Link the previous Saturday evening at the Ruth Woods open arms house fundraiser at the country club. 

Lion Tom Link was happy because he was headed to Moro Bay after the meeting today. 

Lion President Tony had a happy $5 for everyone here today. 

Fines

Lion Tom Link was fined for being late.

Lion Betty fined Lion Allen for elbowing her out of the way in the food line.

Lion Elaine fined herself $5 for having to leave early.

Lion Karen also fined herself for having to leave early.

Our club secretary, Lion Steve, was awarded his pin.

Drawings 

The $5 drawing went to Lion Steve. 

Lotto ticket: Lion Allen

The marble drawing went to Lion 1st  Vise District governor Christy Khroll won the drawing but did not win the white marble. 

Our district governor Lion Falguni Patel was our program today. She gave an inspiring speech about moving forward and getting things done as Lions for the communities we serve. 

The whole group at today’s meeting (except photographer Roy) with the district governor Falguni Patel