Meeting Location: Coscarelli’s, 2400 S Cedar St

Thursdays, 12:00 noon Buffet 11:45am

http://kiwanislansing.org

Program for January 22: To be Announced

Chair of the Month: Richard Librizzi

Chair of the Week: Richard Librizzi

Presiding: President Clarence Smith

Greeter: Dennis Churchill

Invocation: Dennis Churchill

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January 15, 2009 Meeting

Guests

Attending with Bob Nelson today was his guest Sue Devon. Ms. Devon is currently employed by the Lansing Board of Water and Light and previously served as Director of the MPSC Regulated Energy Division. We hope to see her often.

 Announcements

Bob Nelson: Important date coming up… the Kids Against Hunger event on April 4 when we hope to package 50,000 meals to feed hungry children and families. This is part of a statewide Kiwanis initiative to produce over 500,000 meals on that day. Packaging will be done with 160 volunteers, including kids and adults working together.

The project was held in Okemos last year when 700 volunteers from across the state came together to package over 100,000 meals. The packaged food is a rice/soy based product that is nutritionally complete and healthy.

To support this project, and help raise the $14,000 needed, we are having a Rummage Sale at the Faith United Methodist Church on S. Waverly Rd on March 7.

A super inter-club is being planned by the South Lansing Club to be held at the Flapjack Restaurant on S. Cedar St.

We will have sign-up sheets for all these events in the near future

Larry Pingel: If you signed up to serve meals at the City Recue Mission this month, next Monday, Jan 19, is the scheduled day… 12:00noon to 1:00pm at the Mission on Michigan just east of Cedar.

Roger Conrad: The Human and Spiritual Values Committee will meet next Tuesday, Jan 20, at the Flapjack Restaurant on S. Waverly Rd at 7:30am.

Clarence Smith: I will be attending a meeting of the Lansing 150 (Sesquicentennial) Commission this afternoon and hope to get information on our Club’s involvement in that event and the possibilities of a fundraiser. The area Kiwanis Clubs are planning to have a float in the parade.

Copies of the minutes from last weeks Board meeting are on the tables.

Birthdays

Greg Hagbom did the honors today recognizing the January birthday’s of Jim Freiburger, John Roy Castillo, Jo Grubbe and Harold Krauss. Jo and Harold were present and commented on their exciting lives.

Songs

Bob Nelson was the leader today, with an able assist from Clyde Flory at the piano, and had us singing “Hey Look Me Over” and “Smile.”

Happy Bucks

Bob Nelson, I have a happy buck for my guest Sue Devon and I also have one here from Glenn Mulder who I visited last week in the Florida Keys. Glenn is having a great time down there, wishes everybody the best and will be back in April.

Jim Kost, I have a buck for Bob Nelson, he is my pickleball(?) partner at the MAC.

Bill Maher, my happy buck is the new way I found to get exercise… get the grandkids a Wii for Christmas. I am exhausted from boxing, bowling, etc.

Larry Pingel, I have a happy buck for my youngest daughter who got married in November. On Saturday she is moving out.

Rob West, a happy buck for my son Chris. As you know he was seriously ill last year with blood clots, the week before Christmas the doctor’s gave him the all clear to go to work or to school.

Program

January program chairman Rick Librizzi introduced his speaker for the day, Amy Krauss, a 54^th District Court Judge. An interest and concern of Ms. Krauss is domestic violence, and she was instrumental in establishing a Domestic Violence Court to focus on these crimes. Defendants are required to enroll in a Batterers Intervention Program on the day that he or she pleads guilty or is found guilty in a trial. The court refers defendants to different programs, depending upon the facts of the case and the defendant's needs. Attendance at the program is mandatory, and a bench warrant will be issued if the defendant fails to immediately enroll in the program or fails to appear at a session.

Pot Winner

Today’s Pot winner was Norm Miller. The joker eluded him, he drew an 8 clubs.

“Just remember, once you are over the hill… you pick up speed.”

Charles Schulz