EL CAJON VALLEY HOSTS LION’S NEWSLETTER
January 12, 2026, Members: 29____ Guests: _2__
Facebook: El Cajon Valley Host Lions Club
Volume 2026 _______________________________________Issue 2
CALL TO ORDER: ______Ron Nevels________________________________
Invocation: _____Paul Tremblay__ Pledge of Allegiance: __Penny Duane
Patriotic Song: _Kat Zeman_Song: America the Beautiful___
HELEN KELLER QUOTE BY: _____Don Anthony______
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched.”
GUESTS: __
| Mary Moreau | Jermy Sherman |
COMMUNICATIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The foundation board meeting is scheduled for this Thursday at 6 pm, and it is mandatory for board members to align our funding strategies.
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:
Jan. 31, ECVHL Student Speakers Contest: 1 PM, ECPD Community room.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
VAN WILLSEY (1-19-64) COLEEN OWENS (1-19-48)
SUSIE CLINE (1-18-50) KEN SANDERS (1-28-84)
GOOD CHEER: _________________________________________________________
IF you know of any members who are in distress, sick, or in the hospital, PLEASE notify PP Yvonne so our good wishes can be conveyed to him/her. 619/838-4262
Carl Ruiz remains hospitalized with diverticulitis but is improving and eager to join club meetings, signaling a potential return soon
Antibiotic treatment is ongoing, with no immediate prognosis changes reported
Members expressed concern and support
Dolores Galkowski suffered a wrist injury from a fall but avoided head trauma and is expected to return soon.
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VICE PRESIDENT REPORTS:
1st VP Penny Duane:
A planned Gunsmoke meeting following lunch to focus on pre-planning key activities, with a break scheduled for next week___________________________________________
2nd VP Grant Thiem III: _Chris Bramwell announced resignation from managing the student eyeglass program, prompting a call for volunteers to take over this important role
The eyeglass program is critical for community impact and continuity of club efforts
Members are encouraged to contact Chris directly if interested to ensure a smooth transition
Timely replacement is needed to maintain programming momentum and engagement with students
The leadership emphasized the importance of this role for club visibility and service reputation
3rd VP Kat Zeman: Progress______________________
- LCIF: PP Yvonne Paris: The Melvin Jones event on Saturday was well attended by El Cajon Valley Lions, drawing positive community feedback that strengthens local presence
- Past President Mike Rainey and others contributed significantly by organizing and supporting event logistics
- Past President Yvonne was recognized for sustaining the foundation’s financial health with major donations
- These efforts help maintain the club’s international standing and local goodwill
_
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January EXEMPT BADGE: ___Grant Thiem Jr.______________
HAPPY DOLLARS/FINES: TT ____Bob Acker___________________
| Yvonne Paris | $20 | I want to thank those Melvin Jones fellows who came on Saturday. It was a great event. It was really nice to have a table of El Cajon Valley Lions there. I heard some good comments about that. |
| Gary Robinson | $10 | I wanted to thank all those, especially past President Mike Raney, for being part of the group that helped pick up after the meeting. |
| Gary Sims | $20 | I got to stand up at the Melvin Jones meeting, I got to hold the plaque, someone else’s name, Joe Biden, and act like it was for me. And so, I stood up there and got my picture taken and acted as if it was my plaque and quickly sat down and said, thank you. |
| Roger Stebleton | $20 | You’re off in Costa Rica. How long is it going to be before we see you again? If ever. Are you going to miss me? Yes, we’re going to miss. Let’s have an explanation of what’s going on here. Well, as you know, I sold my primary residence that we lived in for 52 years, and today I went and visited the CPA, and the bottom line is I’m never coming back. |
| Mike Raney | $5 | Nobody inquired about Dolores as far as I’m aware. She did have a fall and hurt her wrist, but she’s okay. I asked her if she hit her head. She said no, thank goodness. So she’ll be back soon, right for that? And yeah, I did clear the tables, and they were asking me are you on staff? I said no, I just work for tips. Someone said be nice to your mom. |
| Coleen Owens | $5 | I only have a $5 because I want an update for our club, probably some calls about Carl and Dolores. |
UPCOMING PROGRAMS:
Dark Next Week January 19, 2025
The next meeting will feature a speaker focused on training, scheduled for the Monday after next, with a CPR training session planned to follow that aims to increase member readiness and community service impact
The absence of speakers at the current meeting was noted, highlighting the importance of upcoming sessions for engagement
Leadership encouraged members to take advantage of these learning opportunities to strengthen club value and member skills
ATTENDANCE DRAWING: _Gary Robinson _________________ $___10_____
50/50 OPPORTUNITY DRAWING: __Madelyne Nation __________$___48_____
TODAY’S RIB TICKLER
Lead to serve and serve to lead
AP Singh, International Lions President