Activities April-June 2013

Wed. April 10 -- Regular Meeting

Wed. April 17—Board of Directors Meeting

Sat. April 20—Progressive Dinner

Wed. April 25—Regular Meeting

Sat. April 27—Work Camp Breakfast

Sat. April 27—Loose the Litter Day and Earth Day

Sat. May 4—Home Repair

Mon. May 6—Red Cross Blood Drive

Wed. May 8—Regular Meeting

Wed. May 15—Board of Directors Meeting

Sat. May 18—Flag Day/ Summer Flag Presentation

Wed. May 22—Regular Meeting

Sat. May 25—Great Pootatuck Duck Race

Sun. June 9—Ladies Night, Awards and Installation

Wed. June 12—Hospice Breakfast

Sat. June 15—Orchard Hill Cleanup

Wed. June 19—Board of Directors Meeting

President’s Message

Fellow Lions,

             As I look back on this Lions year, I am very proud of how we have performed as a club and for the things that we have accomplished. We have set up a fund to assist those in need as a result of the 12/14 tragedy. We are revitalizing our Health committee and are in the initial stages of planning a Pediatric Eye Screening event. We have enjoyed ourselves at a performance by the Waterbury Symphony in what may have been the start of an annual social activities event.

 Yet there is so much more to do. We will be putting flags on the poles on Main Street, Duck Race tickets need to be sold, litter needs to be picked up, charity breakfasts need to be attended, a blood drive will be held and our Mustang Raffle ticket sales will begin. Once again we need all club members to step up at this time and do their part in what has become our busiest season. Our two largest committees that operate the Duck Race and the Mustang Raffle cannot do it alone. There are many opportunities to participate. I am encouraging everyone this spring to become involved in an activity that they may not have participated in the past.  In the past two years I have become involved in many different club activities and it has  been, to put it mildly, an enriching experience for me.

 I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their participation in club activities for the past two years, especially our committee chairmen and board members. You have made my job an enjoyable experience. My hope is that you have enjoyed these times as well.

Yours in Lionism,

The Fist Time

A girl asks her boyfriend to come over Friday night to meet, and have a dinner with her parents.   Since this is such a big event, the girl announces to her boyfriend that after dinner, she would like to go out and make love for the first time.

The boy is ecstatic, but he has never had sex before, so he takes a trip to the pharmacist to get some condoms.. He tells the pharmacist it's his first time and the pharmacist helps the  boy for about an hour. He tells the boy everything there is to know about condoms and sex.   At the register, the pharmacist asks the boy how many condoms he'd like to buy, a 3-pack, 10-pack, or family pack.   The boy decides on the family pack because he thinks he will be rather busy, it being his first time and all.

That night, the boy shows up at the girl's parents’ house and meets his girlfriend at the door.   "Oh, I'm so excited for you to meet my parents, come on in!"

The boy goes inside and is taken to the dinner table where the girl's parents are seated.   The boy quickly offers to say grace and bows his head. Five minute passes, and the boy is still deep in prayer, with his head down. Ten minutes pass, and he is still praying.  Finally, after 20 minutes with his head down, the girlfriend leans over and whispers to the boyfriend, “I had no idea you were this religious.”.

The boy turns, and whispers back,  “I had no idea your father was a pharmacist.”

Doings of the Pride

Recently two Lions have been noted for their outstanding service. Bob Virgalla, for example, is getting lots of congratulations recently.  He was named the Top Responder of the Year award, by the Newtown Ambulance Corps.    Joining the corps in 2011,  in 2012 Bob responded to 265 emergency calls and volunteered 1,312 hours.  Wow!  That’s a record! . . .  And Jim Wallace has recently become a Five Star Wealth manager.  Nominated for his professionalism and keen interest in his clients, Jim earned this title from the Five Star Professional, North America’s most well known wealth management award program.  Fewer than seven percent receive this wealth managers’ award. Kudos, Jim. . . . . About twelve couples recently enjoyed listening to the melodic movie music composed by John Williams.  Selected from Williams’ work, movie themes from “E.T.” ad “Star Wars” were familiar to us.  The Waterbury Symphony playing to a full house was much appreciated.  Playing a hot trumpet, and, we insist, probably the star of the show was our own Ryan Storms. . . .Peter  and Jane McNulty spent a week down in Florida visiting his father.  His dad at eighty-seven is going strong.  Pete was disappointed that his first few days in Key West were only in the 50s but later in the week things warmed up. . . .Snow birds, like robins, are coming home to roost.  Arneth, Bruno, Evagash  and Landgrebe families have all returned. . . Paul has had some physical setbacks but seems to be on the mend.  All the good wishes and prayers going his way must have helped. . . . Roger Capobianco has found his large four bedroom home too big for a single person and has put it on the market.  He will eventually reside at 30/30 Park or Watermark in Bridgeport.

The Night Light

         A 90-year-old man goes for a physical. All of his tests come back with normal results. The doctor says, "George, everything looks great. How are you doing mentally and emotionally? Are you at peace with God?"

         George replies, "God and I are tight. He knows I have poor eyesight, so He's fixed it so when I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, poof! The light goes on. When I'm done, poof! The light goes off."

         "Wow, that's incredible," the doctor says.

         A little later in the day, the doctor calls George's wife. "Ethel," he says, "George is doing fine! But I had to call you because I'm in awe of his relationship with God. Is it true that he gets up during the night, and poof! ... the light goes on in the bathroom, and when he's done, poof! ... the light goes off?"

New Lion in the Pride

New Lion George Coleman and his wife, Carrie, have lived in town about twenty-six years.  They have one daughter, Olga, who lives in town and four lively grandchildren.  We had the pleasure of meeting the two eldest, Zavier in 5^th grade and Isaih in 3^rd at our annual Father-Daughter- Son and Grandchildren dinner.  George defines himself as a teacher.  Beginning his career in New York he taught everything from pre school to college.  For many years he has been an adjunct professor at Western Connecticut State University.  Here he has taught American history as well as a variety of education courses.  His specialty has become African American history. 

Obviously George has proven himself to be an outstanding educator.  Not once but twice he has been tapped to be acting Commissioner of Education for the state of Connecticut.  This is quite an honor, for sure.  Today, in addition to continued teaching at Western Connecticut, he is also a consultant for the state Cooperative Education Services based in Trumbull.

When not totally wound up in educational projects, George enjoys gardening, antique shopping and collecting.  He and his wife have enjoyed restoring the old farm house in which they live.  They both also like traveling and have done quite a bit of it professionally and just for fun.

                                                Focus on Our Wives

Like the Brady bunch, Yvonne and John Kopins have a blended family. With seven children and eighteen grandchildren, some of whom live near by, there are always many family  activities in which to participate.  Long ago, before Yvonne became a wife and mother she enjoyed a career as  the weather person at station WLBZ in Bangor, Maine.   Today, the  “Castle”, as John calls it, with its fourteen rooms, takes up a lot of her time.

 However, she is far from house bound.  An active member of the Newtown Woman’s Club, she was its president 2008-2010.  Today she serves as its newspaper editor.  Yvonne also really loves to read, belonging to two book clubs, the Belles, Books and Candles and the Ladies Literary League.  Yvonne also enjoyed the many sails she had with John and always has enjoyed traveling.

With her good laugh and friendly smile, Yvonne enjoys meeting new people, so if you don’t yet know her, saunter up and get acquainted.  You’ll be happy you did.  

Strategy of a Lion Farmer in Nebraska

 Lion Tim Henderson lived in a farm outside of Lincoln, Nebraska.