Place your order for a ham for Christmas by Tuesday, December 1, 2015, for delivery to you on Friday, December 18. The hams are ready to eat, cooked, smoked, and boneless. Sizes range from seven-to-ten pounds or 11-to-20 pounds. The weight cannot be guaranteed, but we will come as close as possible. Contact a Lions Club member or Bob Smith at 772-2896, Flora Stralow at 772-4874, Jim Blakemore at 772-3744, or Rebecca Green at 535-3290. Funds raised help support the club’s vision and hearing services and community projects.
Members are again collecting caps, gloves, and scarves for Helping Hand. Donated items will be delivered to the Helping Hand Group and will be distributed to needy families on Thursday, December 17. This service project started several years ago. Members will also participate in the Morrison Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 5. Once again, Leo the Lion will be visible and waving to the parade watchers.
Lion Jim Winslow was in charge of the Tuesday, November 3, program. His wife, Janet, accompanied him and was involved in the presentation on square dancing. They were dressed in colorful fashions often worn for square dancing. They are the General Chairmen of the 65th National Square Dance Convention that will be held in Des Moines, IA, June 22-25, 2016. At the end of the convention they will have completed a four year planning commitment. After submitting a plan three and one-half years ago to host the convention, they have been busy making arrangements and raising funds. Five countries will be represented. They expect 5000 dancers with 300-400 volunteers from seven states. In addition to dancing, there will be education sessions, dancing workshops, dance exhibits, fashion shows, and vendors.
The couple showed a video to explain five kinds of dancing:
- square modern western–what most of us think of when we hear the term square dancing)
- round–best described as cued ballroom dancing
- contra–an English version of square dancing with four people in a group, rather than eight
- line–popular several years ago
- clogging–fast, choreographed dancing similar to tap dancing; definitely for the young or young at heart.
Square dancing is fun, with no fancy foot work; you do what the caller says. It is great exercise and is friendship set to music. It is inexpensive and great for all ages and family involvement. The couple started a square dance club in Morrison and they now have 43 members.
If you are interested in learning to square dance, new lessons will begin Monday, January 4, 2016, at the Odell Public Library. Additional information can also be found at www.65nsdc.org or check out the local club’s website at www.squaredancemorrison.com. They are also on Facebook.
Bob Countryman will have the program for Tuesday, December 1. Betty Wiebenga, a volunteer with the Windmill Cultural Center in Fulton, IL, will present a program on “Wild Winter Wednesdays.”
Anyone interested in learning more about Lions is welcome to attend any of our meetings. We meet at at noon at Happy Joe’s, 109 W. Main Street, on the first and third Tuesday of the month. You can also find more information about our club at www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/morrisonil.