February 2, 2006 Newsletter

LIONS CLUB OF UNION CITY NEWSLETTER
NO. 8  February 2, 2006

REPORT ON BOARD MEETING OF JANUARY 9, 2006
 
The Board discussed and made preliminary plans for our upcoming Charter Night dinner on February 9.

Relay for Life, a fund raiser to support cancer research, is changing its format.  Up until now one event was held in Fremont for the Tri-cities.  Now, each city will hold its own event.  Union City will be planning and staging its own Relay for Life event.

Preliminary discussions were held about our club’s trip to Mexico in as part of Lions in Sight.  It is tentatively set for 2007.

District 4C3 is asking for volunteers to go to New Orleans to help with the recovery effort.  The project is called “Katrina country”.

CERT training will resume in the spring.  Classes start March 11.  Classes will be over five Saturdays.  Contact Dora Ramirez at City Hall for more information or for a space.  She can be reached at 675-5470.

Lion Gloria Watson reported on the activities of our Leos.  They held their Bowlathon on December 15.  On December 23 they delivered gifts to five families.  They held another fund raiser where they sold candy grams. The Leos club has a website.  It is jlhsleoclub.com.  They now number 90 members strong.

REPORT ON CLUB MEETING OF JANUARY 12, 2006: This was the first of two field trips during January.  We met at the Masonic Home.  Dinner was served buffet style.  Three new members were inducted. Our new Lions are Dave Sweilem, Frederico Rodriguez, and Rico Rodriguez.  After the meeting, our hosts took us on a tour of the main building of the facility.  The entire complex can accommodate about 400 residents. This building survived the 1906 earthquake. 

Lions present were Conrad Preciado, Joe Kimura, Ed Xavier, Jim Navarro, Pam Navarro, Tony Acosta, Helen Kennedy, Don Watson, Gloria Watson, Andy Denoga, Roy Panlilio, Atul Mitra, Fely Fernandez-Kwan, Kim Evans, Christine Gallegos (who announced her engagement to marry), Carol Dutra-Vernaci, Johny Tahirkheli, Dave Sweilem, Frederico Rodriguez, and Rico Rodriguez.

We were visited by David Kory, candidate for Vice District Governor.  Lion Kory will visit our club at another meeting to present his case to be our next Vise District Governor.

Other guests at our meeting were Mona Sweilem, Bonnie Singer, Christine Valdez, Art Stoll, Pearl Stoll, Mike Hollingsworth, Marissa Saludes, Vicki Alexander, Lou Verkamp, and _____ Alejandro.

An enjoyable and educational evening was had by all.

REPORT ON CLUB MEETING OF JANUARY 23, 2006:  We held this meeting at Alma Via, the new care facility on Alvarado Niles Road.  This facility is a partnership among many non-profits, and is affiliated with the sisters of mercy. Our Lion member Lydia Hertzler is the director.  She was not available for this meeting so we were hosted by her assistant, Margie Tang.  Ms. Tang told us that Alma Via are Latin words that translates loosely to “Way of nourishment” Alma means to nourish.  Think of alms for the poor.  We nourish the poor when we give them alms.  Via means way.  Alma Via has capacity for 95 residents.  It has 79 units, of which 24 is designed for residents with dementia.  One must be at least age 60 before one can become a resident. After our meeting, we were taken on a tour of the premises.  Alma Via is a positive addition to our community.

Lion Joe Kimura had two guests who are involved with planning and construction of the residence facility that will be operated in conjunction with the Buddist temple.  Perhaps Lion Joe can arrange for us to visit that facility when it is ready.

Lions attending were Dave Sweilem, Atul Mitra, Phyllis Grey, Ed Xavier, Joe Kimura, Carol Dutra-Vernaci, Rick Sealana, Greg Stewart, Laura Stewart, Fely Fernandez-Kwan, Regis Amann, Johny Tahirkheli, Don Watson, Gloria Watson, Tony Acosta, Helen Kennedy, Kim Evans, Ida Gueco.

Guests attending were Lioness Heidi Kitayama, Lou Verkamp, Vicki Alexander, Donna Meis, Geeta, Rohit Sikka, Yas Yamada, and George Nakamura. 

UPCOMING CHARTER NIGHT AND VALENTINE’S DINNER: Our meeting of February 9 celebrates the founding of our club. It is our Charter Night. We also have fun as it is our Valentine's Day party. We will hold our meeting at the Mayflower Restaurant located at 34348 Alvarado Niles Road. It is located in the shopping center where Wells Fargo Bank is located. Dinner will be at 7:00 PM. At the meeting we will be honoring Lions Al Rose and Doug Tatum with life memberships. We will be inducting a new Lion. Lion Ida Gueco will surprise all of us for Valentine's Day. The cost for each member is $15.00. This is our Valentine's dinner and members are encouraged to bring their spouse or significant other. The cost is $15.00 per person for anyone a member invites. I must give a count to the restaurant and Lion Ida needs a count for her part of the festivities. PLEASE RSVP to me with your count. Thanks.
The menu for dinner is:
   Appetizers: egg rolls and pot stickers.
   Dinner: Fried rice, noodles, sweet and sour pork, roast chicken, beef with vegetable.
   Desert: Fried sesame ball.
   Tea is served with dinner.
      Any other drinks are extra and must be paid by the member. Soft drinks are extra.  

STUDENT SPEAKERS CONTEST:  This years subject is “Internet, Friend or Villain”.  Our club level contest is set for Wednesday, February 15, 2006, at the Union City Council chambers in city hall.  Lion Regis Amann needs help, so if you are available on February 15 and can help Lion Regis run the program, please call him at 471-7786 and volunteer. 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

• February 9, 2006: Charter night, Valentine’s dinner.
• February 15, 2006: Student Speakers’ Contest at Union City Council chambers.
• February 23, 2006: Noon meeting. Speaker is from Relay for Life.
• March 9, 2006: Dinner meeting.  Lion Larry Cheeves will give the City Manager’s state of the city report.
• March 23, 2006: Dinner meeting.  Dr. Pat Juarequi and Rick La Plante will speak about the state of the New Haven Unified School District and of the Foundation.
• March:  Work project at the Union City Lion Club’s rose garden at the Meyer’s estate.
• April 13, 2006: Dinner meeting.  Lion Diane La Mountaine will speak about art in Union City,
• May 7, 2006:   University of the Philippines concert.
• June 8, 2006:  Installation of Officers and Directors.
• July:   Fireworks booth fund raiser. 

VISIT OUT WEB SITE: Did you know that our club maintains a web site?  Lion Bruce Davis is our webmaster.  Visit our website at www.unioncitylions.com.  Lion Bruce does a superb job with our web site.  See, you have a web site and lion Bruce does all the work.  Thanks Lion Bruce. 

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE: Remember that the club will treat a prospective new member to their first lunch or dinner as our guest.  This gives people an opportunity to visit us and see if they have an interest in our club without incurring any financial obligation.  You also get to invite a friend to lunch and have that lunch paid for by the club.  Such a deal.
 
SUNSHINE REPORT: Lion Ken Buffum has recovered from his coma.  While he was in the hospital he contracted a staph infection in his neck.  He underwent surgery to clean out the site of the infection.  Now he must remain in the hospital for another 4 to 5 weeks for them to treat the infection with antibiotics.  Lion Ken is BORED.    He has recovered from his high blood pressure crisis and is now on medication for that condition, but he is restricted to the hospital.  Email hi at his email or call him at (925) 373-4060, room 327B to cheer him up.

Lioness Lu Goni is now in a care home, Isherwood care (phone 894-2007).  She fell and had surgery on her feet.  She is no longer capable of independent living.

Lion Greg Stewart will soon undergo surgery on his shoulder. Poor Lion Greg.  They are cutting into him on both ends.  First his feet and now his shoulder.  Get well soon Lion Greg.

Lion Bill Orr passed away on November 16, 2005. He was almost 82 when he died.  Lion Bill contributed greatly to this community while he was active.  He was a past president of the Union City Chamber of Commerce.  Lion Bill was quite a character.  He had many divorces and he always threw money into the fine box every month claiming that it the anniversary of one or another of his many divorces.  I remember going to Reno once with Lion Bill.  He asked me if I wanted to see Annie.  I said sure.  My wife and I met him for the show and we were escorted to the best seat in the house. In one of his prior incarnations, Lion Bill owned a small casino in Reno and was well known and liked by the people in Reno.  During World War II, Lion Bill served with the US Navy.  Lion Bill, we will miss you and your Rolls Royce. 

See you soon. 
Lion Ed Xavier