Monday, April 29, 2013

LIONS APRIL PANCAKE BREAKFAST A ROARING SUCCESS!

ABOVE: Lion Pancake Chairman, Rich Foil, reports to club members on the Pancake breakfast at the May 2 club meeting.  Lion Rich did a fantastic job and Lion Doug applauded him and his committee for putting on the best breakfast we've done yet.  Thanks Lion Rich!!




 ABOVE (from foreground, right to left):  Lion Tammy Tansey, Sue Worden (wife of Lion 2nd VP Kim Worden), Lion Velda Reynolds and Lion Dorothy McGuire set up the bake sale, the silent auction and scrapbooks first thing in the morning.
 ABOVE (left to right):  Lions Tim Lombardi and Gary Koepp (foreground) set up tray orders while Lions Dave Bickle and Rich Marcucci serve the pancakes and sausage. The system has been scientifically tested by experience to get the job done as fast as humanly possible.  Everything, of course, depends on the grillers (not shown).
 ABOVE:  The coffee and juice crew, Lions Bob Pastor, Ken Kayle, Tom Bruno and Glenn Owen.  This process has also been designed by trial and error to assure a constant, uninterrupted flow of java and juice.
 ABOVE:  Lions Kim Worden and Ben Norton (right) greet an early customer with Lion Tammy Tansey at the registration table.
 ABOVE:  Lion waiters Ralph O'Hara (left), Jim Miadock, Bill Sturgill, Tom Bruno and Bruce Bevan wait in orderly fashion for the next batch of hot, fresh pancakes (one of the secrets to our success!) from set-up specialists Lions Tim and Gary.
 ABOVE:  This is what the hall looked like (or busier) from 9 a.m. until 12:30.  Notice the Lion waiters spread out through the crowd attending to our loyal and generous customers. 
 ABOVE:  Lion Velda Reynolds talks with some younger customers about Lions, Leos and the various offerings in the silent auction and bake sale.
 ABOVE:  Lion Dorothy McGuire kept the silent auction organized and running well with ticket sales for many nice items, including Brutus, the OSU Buckeye mascot.
 ABOVE:  Pat Kerecz, wife of Lion Bob Kerecz, crocheted this beautiful red and white Afghan to raffle for the benefit of Lions programs and helped sell silent auction tickets, which included the popular "$50 Money Tree" initiated by Lion Jean Lee, who is recovering from a fall that broke her knee (GET WELL LION JEAN!).  Thanks to Pat Kerecz for sharing her love of crocheting with the Lions!
Lion Velda chats with more young customers about all that Lions do.
 ABOVE:  Lion Dave Burns knows how to work a crowd for selling 50/50 raffle tickets!
 ABOVE:  Lion Grillmaster Tony Freda has refined the art of chargrilling sausage--just try one next time and you'll be amazed!
 ABOVE:  Lion Tony and Lion Ed Chavez (right) had one of the more challenging jobs of not only coping with smoke, but also rain and an occasional gust of wind that dumped water that collected on the canopy right on their heads and backs!  Great job Grill Men!  Your sausages cannot be beat!
 ABOVE:  Lion Ben Norton wanted to be sure we had this picture of him working so hard to show wife Jane!
 About 10 or 10:30 the crowd started to pour in.
 ABOVE: There was a short time when the crowd overwhelmed our production capacity so we had a little line.  Not a problem--folks enjoy the time to visit and schmooz with many of our local political leaders and candidates who come to the breakfast.
 ABOVE:  Lion Charlie Neff (center) was one of the grillers and is delivering the hot, freshly grilled sausages to the service window.
 ABOVE:  Sue Kayle, wife of Lion Bob Kayle and mother of Lion President Doug, was a lifesaver as she wrapped additional forks/knives/spoons in napkins as the initial supply dwindled.  (Thank goodness for spouses!).
Lions Bob Kayle and Bill Evenchik manning the registration table.

 ABOVE:  Lion Ben Norton demonstrates how you professionally place a plate of pancakes and sausage on the table for a valued customer (Jim Morrisson).
 ABOVE:  Lion Mitch Fallis serves that third cup of fresh coffee to customer Dick Connick, a regular patron of our breakfasts.
 ABOVE:  Lion Dave MacGregor was easily the best-dressed Lorain Lion at the breakfast with his Scottish plaid and red Lions vest.  He worked hard too!
 ABOVE: Lion President Doug Kayle presents silent auction winner, Lion Vivian Rutherford of the Lorain Harbor Lions with her OSU Brutus prize.
 ABOVE:  Lion President Doug hands Money Tree winner Jeff with his $50.00 in cash and lottery tickets.  Good luck Jeff!
ABOVE:  Winner of the Lake Erie Crushers game pack, Jenny Smith, receives her prize from Lion Doug. Brian Smith (not pictured and no relation to Jenny) won the 50/50 raffle. The winner of the hand crocheted Afghan was Peg Horan (not pictured). 

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Thanks, Lion Velda, For a Beautiful 90th Anniversary Scrapbook!

 ABOVE:  Following our April 25 noon meeting, Lion Velda Reynolds shows the Lorain Lions' 90th Anniversary Scrapbook to an admiring Susan Bartosch, our speaker from Second Harvest Food Bank.  An overwhelmed Bartosch exclaimed, "Your club is amazingly active!"  Lion Velda truly created a masterpiece this year with her scrapbooking skills!
ABOVE:  Lion Velda poses with Lion President Doug Kayle who holds the 30-40 lb. scrapbook.  District Scrapbook Contest Chairman, Bellevue Lion Jim Pickering, appealed to District Lions at the Awards luncheon on Saturday to "be sure to go upstairs and see the Lorain Lions scrapbook--it should be in a museum!"

Recent Speakers at Lorain Lions Club


 ABOVE:  Susan Bartosch, External Affairs Manager for Second Harvest Food Bank in Lorain County, spoke to Lions on April 25 about the work they do and how important volunteers such as the Lions are to the Food Bank's ability to provide millions of meals each year to persons in need.

Susan Bartosch presents a plaque of appreciation to the Lorain Lions Club President, Doug Kayle,
for the 260+ hours given by 40 some Lorain Lions over the past five years.






 ABOVE:  At our April 4 dinner meeting, Mike Link (left), Director of Group Sales for the Lake Erie Crushers, and the new manager of the Crushers, Jeff Isom (right), gave Lions a preview of the upcoming season and some of the behind the scenes stories of how the Frontier League works.  This was a fascinating program that makes you yearn for warm weather and a baseball game!
 ABOVE:  Bob Mackin (left) and Yolanda Bond (right) gave a very informative presentation about the services provided by the Lorain County Veterans Service Commission.  These are important folks to know and contact if you are a veteran and have any kind of need.