Lions Club members started the new year, 2016-2017, under the leadership of President Tracy Muur. During the recent business meeting, members voted to give an annual donation to the Helping Hand. This group provides clothing items for needy families in the Morrison, IL, area at Christmas.
On Friday and Saturday, October 14 and 15, 2016, club members will participate in the annual Candy Days. Members will be at various locations in the business district, accepting donations and giving rolls of mints. A portion of the monies collected will be used locally. It helps support many local projects such as Helping Hand, Scouts, Boys and Girls Little Leagues, Odell Public Library, Boys State, eye glass assistance for Morrison residents through Dr. Yaklich, assistance with hearing aid purchases, and other worthwhile community projects. These proceeds are added to the income raised by the club’s other fundraisers.
Our most recent fundraiser was the Carmel Apple Slices sold at Paint the Town. Many people enjoyed the sweet treat after completing their paintings. We thank you for your support.
The other portion of the funds received during this two-day event is remitted to Lions of Illinois Foundation. It goes toward Camp Lions for Children and Adults, Low Vision Program, the mobile Diabetic Retinopathy/Macular Degeneration program, the mobile Hearing Unit, infant hearing screening, and other vision- and hearing-related services. Check out the Lions of Illinois Foundation website to learn of the many services available.
With the help of the community willing to recycle, the club received 1116 pairs of glasses, 12 hearing aids, ten pounds of keys, 53 cell phones, and assorted cell phone cords during the past year. All of these items are taken to the Lions of Illinois Foundation, where glasses are sorted and eventually are given to individual–most often in foreign countries. Other items are sold for the scrap value of the wire or metal. Those funds come back to the Foundation and are used for the various sight and hearing programs available through Lions. The club thanks the community for their support in recycling. The Club will soon be expanding the recycling program to include other items.
Tracy Muur, left, was in charge of the program for Tuesday, September 6. She introduced Darrell Meinsma, right, who is the owner of Indian Hills Orchard near Fulton, IL. He started his orchard with two trees, while he was still working full-time. He is now retired and has increased the size of the orchard to 300 trees, with 14 different varieties of apples. Meinsma has some peach trees, but in this area growing peach trees is challenging. They do not set buds well if the winters are too cold. He explained his trees are grown from grafted root stock and do not get as big. Pruning is still needed to keep them at a smaller size and prevent them from being laden with fruit, which can damage the tree. Pruning is done once the winter becomes cold and is completed by March. He stated his orchard is labor-intensive, with trees needing to be sprayed weekly for various fungi and insect pests. Apple scab is one of the worst fungus problems. Pests and fungi are an ongoing battle for orchards in the Midwest.
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, October 4. Flora Stralow is in charge of the program, and the speaker will be Sheriff Kelly Wilhelmi, who will present information on Safe Passage. District Governor Pam Graney will also be visiting the club.
Morrison Lions meet on the first and third Tuesday of the month at noon, at Happy Joe’s, 109 W. Main Street, Morrison. All are welcome to attend any of our meetings.
You can also visit the club’s website at www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/morrisonil to learn more about Lions and our motto “We Serve.”