Please visit our new website at www.hillcrestlions.com
Meet at Croce's Park West (2790 5th Avenue)
UPCOMING PROGRAMS For updated information, go to HILLCRESTLIONS.COM for our new web page.
Mar 10 - Bios continue from Duane (including more B.S.!) PAST PROGRAMS:
Jan 27 - BBB...Ten most abusive situations of 2014
Libull newsletter 01/27/2015 in PDF - [CLICK HERE] Jan 20 - Program cancelledJan 13 - Mr. David Akins, SDG&E Customer Relations
Libull newsletter 01/13/2015 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
Jan 6 - White Elephant Auction
ATTENDEES TODAY: 23 January 6, 2015
We had four guests today: Patti Jacobs with Fred, Jeanne Dresser with Lee, Kelley Dapra with Jack and Jeannette Siebold with Keith.
Dues of $125 are due!!! The next board meeting will be a week from tomorrow, Wednesday, January 14th at the Center for the Blind.
With the expert auctioneering of Lee Dresser and with assistance from elves, Kelley, Patti and Nancy Sherman, we raised $428 for our Charity Fund in our White Elephant Auction. GREAT JOB FOLKS!! There were several interesting gifts but none to match past gifts such as the electric toilet plunger, a toilet plunger with a power cord glued into a hole drilled in the end of the handle brought by Bernie Lueck, or the breast implants brought by our plastic surgeon, Bill Taylor.
NEXT WEEK: A mystery program.
Libull newsletter 01/06/2015 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
Dec 09 - The Guide Dog Experience - Marcia DeRuntz
ATTENDEES TODAY: 17 December 9, 2014
We had four guests today: Patti Jacobs with Fred, Jeanne Dresser with Lee, Kelley Dapra with Jack and Nancy Sherman with Bob. Patti won the drawing and Sam won the attendance pot.
Dave reported on the Blind Center’s recent activity. The White Cane Luncheon was attended by 175 and $29,750 was raised. The apartment unit willed to the Center has been sold for $2,750,000 and a partial ownership in another property sold netting $200,000, so the Center now has over $8M in assets.
Fred Jacobs and Duane were given plaques of appreciation and a beautiful American flag knit by Marcia for their tireless work on our flag program. Rod also was given a plaque and an afghan for his service as flag chairman.
Today Marcia told us about her experiences with a guide dog. In the 60’s she could drive but her sight progressively deteriorated. She and Sam Married in ’73 and she got her first dog, Dawn, in ’79. Their daughter was 3 years old. Marcia described the wonderful experience of changing from moving around stooped and looking down to walking with Dawn with her head up and shoulders back She worked with Dawn for 11½ years and Dawn lived till age 14. Her next dog was Sierra who had a fear of flying and escalators. She worked with Sierra for 11½ years. Her next dog was Lanza whom she worked with for 10 years. She now has Moxie who is 8½. Marcia described how wonderful it is to have the independence her dog gives her. She can go anywhere and not be alone. She even, with much repetition training, can voice a desired destination and Moxie will take her there.
NEXT MEETING, JANUARY 6, 2015: WHITE ELEPHANT AUCTION. BRING A WRAPPED GIFT, HUMEROUS OR COLLECTABLE, FOR LEE DRESSER TO AUCTION. PROCEEDS GO TO OUR CHARITY ACCOUNT.
Libull newsletter 12/09/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
Dec 02 - Duane Stevens' African Safari - Part II
ATTENDEES TODAY: 19 December 2, 2014
We had six guests today: Patti Jacobs with Fred, Jeanne Dresser with Lee and Kelley Dapra with Jack Nancy Sherman with Bob, Hal’s daughter Janice Frecker with Hal and Pat with me. Linda won the drawing and Fred Jacobs won the attendance pot.
Linda reported that our White Cane Drive stands at $5779.
Last week Kim’s house suffered major water damage. A leak in an upstairs bathroom led to water flowing down behind the drywall and damaging the hardwood floors. Consequently the drywall and the floors have been removed and Kim and family are in a motel while repairs are completed. Fortunately, Kim is insured but it still is a mess to deal with. We wish the Footes the best in these bummer times.
Today we were informed and entertained again by Duane with his beautiful PowerPoint and video presentation on the second half his and Sandy’s recent African Safari with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). There were 17 on the tour which started in Botswana, then on to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and ending in Cape Town, South Africa. Some of these hops were on small airplanes into remote landing strips. Today we were in Zimbabwe and South Africa. An interesting sidelight is that the tents at the Zimbabwe camp were numbered and you found your tent by counting the number of sticks driven into the ground outside. Unlike in the other camps, the Zimbabwe camp required the guides to carry rifles, although they never had occasion to use them. As at the previous camps, they saw plenty of wildlife. On the trip to Cape Town the group visited Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River. They took a dinner cruise on the river above the Falls and Duane ziplined across the gorge over the river downstream of the Falls. Sandy stayed behind. In the rainy season the Falls are almost one mile wide. They also took a 45 minute elephant ride through the Victoria Falls Game Reserve where they saw numerous animals and after the ride they schmoozed with their elephant. In South Africa they visited the southernmost point in Africa, the Cape of Good Hope, and Boulders Park where they saw numerous penguins and they also visited a winery. Pat and I have taken many trips with OAT and the parent, Grand Circle, and Duane has whetted our appetites for more.
“But think of all the things “You’ll be awake during the entire procedure. you’re not going to die from.” The anesthesiologist is on vacation.”
NEXT WEEK: Last meeting of the year – program a mystery. Be sure to bring money for holiday tip.
Libull newsletter 12/02/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
Nov 25 - Duane Stevens' African Safari
ATTENDEES TODAY: 18 November 25, 2014
We had five guests today: Patti Jacobs with Fred, Jeanne Dresser with Lee and Kelley Dapra with Jack Nancy Sherman with Bob and Pat with me. Duane won the drawing and Jack won the attendance pot.
Linda was absent today, but as of two weeks ago our White Cane Drive stood at $5000. Jeff has set up a web site where donors can contribute directly and where nothing has been taken off the top.
http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/white-cane-fundraiser/224687
On this site, donors can contribute using PayPal as well as all the major credit cards. Page down and you will see a picture of “Radar”, the Guide Dog in Training we are sponsoring when she visited a meeting.
Fred Jacobs reported that hE PICKED UP OUR FLAG PERMIT!!
With the aid of several LIONS clubs, including North Park who brought the pumpkin pies, and our regular helpers from the Temple we served Thanksgiving dinner to about 230 clients and caregivers at the Center for the Blind on Wednesday, November 19th. It was the usual Chinese fire drill but with all hands we got it done. Serving from our club were potato man Kim, fruit punch expert Dave and servers Lee Dresser, Jack, Kelley, Fred Marsh, Duane and me.
Today we were informed and entertained by Duane who gave a beautiful PowerPoint and video presentation on his and Sandy’s recent African Safari. There were 17 on the tour which started in Botswana, then on to Zimbabwe, Zambia and ending in Cape Town, South Africa. These hops were on small airplanes into remote landing strips. The safari included a trip to Victoria Falls. The camp accommodations looked quite luxurious considering the remote locations. At each camp the group was greeted by the staff with singing and dancing. The food was quite good, tending toward British, and it was served on white tablecloths with metal utensils. Each camp had a full service bar and beer was plentiful. Each day involved a ride out onto the plains for wildlife viewing. Transportation was in two nine passenger Land Rovers with a driver and guide. No one was permitted to leave the vehicle except for “tea and pee” stops where tea, beer and water were served. Duane said he took about 4000 digital photos and whittled them down to about enough for a couple of an hour and a half shows. Next week we will see the last half of the safari. Duane’s photos and video of the wild life were marvelous and he has edited them to include a caption describing the animal(s) in each scene. At times the vehicles were within roughly 60 feet of a lion pride but, as long as the passengers remained in the vehicle, everything was fine. At only one location was the guide armed and his rifle remained in its case on the dash.
Phyllis Diller:
NEXT WEEK: Duane will tell about the second half of the African Safari!!
Libull newsletter 11/25/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
Nov 18 - Foster Care "Xmas giving"
ATTENDEES TODAY: 17 November 18, 2014 We had three guests today: Patti Jacobs with Fred, Jeanne Dresser with Lee and Kelley Dapra with Jack. Fred Marsh won the drawing and Lee Dresser won the attendance pot.
Linda was absent today, but as of last week our White Cane Drive stood at $5000. Jeff has set up a web site where donors can contribute directly and where nothing has been taken off the top. http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/white-cane-fundraiser/224687
On this site, donors can contribute using PayPal as well as all the major credit cards. Page down and you will see a picture of “Radar”, the Guide Dog in Training we are sponsoring when she visited a meeting.
Sam and I paid fines for forgetting to pick up two flags on Veteran’s Day. It was Sam’s fault Fortunately the flags were retrieved by our customer.
Fred Jacobs reported that we have been told by the city that we can pick up our permit tomorrow and Fred will be there with bells on!!
Dave reports that we have 17 turkeys promised for our Thanksgiving dinner at the Blind Center, tomorrow, 11/18, so we are well covered.
Our speaker failed to show so Marcia led a round table discussion about possible future programs. There were many good suggestions which Marcia will pursue.
Libull newsletter 11/18/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
Nov 11, 2014: Michael Kuttnauer - "The Switch from Hell: Why No Whistle?" (The GM Cobalt and whistle blowing) ATTENDEES TODAY: 23 November 11, 2014
We seven guests today: Patti Jacobs with Fred and Jeanne Dresser with Lee, Tammy Brooks with Keith Andrew Penner with Bob and Debra Odom Kuttnauer, David Kuttnauer and Amy Sejufulla with our speaker. Wally won the drawing and Hal won the attendance pot (again!!).
Our White Cane Drive stands at $5000. Jeff also has set up a web site where donors can contribute directly and where nothing has been taken off the top. http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/white-cane-fundraiser/224687
On this site, donors can contribute using PayPal as well as all the major credit cards. Page down and you will see a picture of “Radar”, the Guide Dog in Training we are sponsoring when she visited a meeting.
Board of Directors Meeting, Wednesday, 11/12.
Veterans Day flags were put out and retrieved today by Greg, Kim, Sam and yours truly.
Today we heard from David Kuttnauer, retired professor, after 46 years, of philosophy at Mesa College on the subject of ethics. Michael and his son David give seminars on business ethics. The title of his talk was “The Switch from Hell, Why no Whistle?”, the famous story of the faulty Chevrolet Cobalt ignition switch. At the slightest touch the switch would turn to off, stalling the engine and disabling the power brakes, power steering and the air bags. It turns out that GM knew about the problem from a test track incident before putting the car on the market but no one inside GM management saw it as a problem. One employee in quality control did see this as a problem but was told by management “not to find all the problems which might exist” and he was transferred. His replacement also knew of the problem but was afraid to speak up because of the treatment of his predecessor. At least 29 people were killed as a result of the ignition switch problem. This story led to a discussion on whistle blowing, the sounding of the alarm by someone inside the organization. It may look simple at first blush that the employee’s duty is simple, speak up, but it isn’t. One must consider balance and a sense of fairness. Things to be considered are that an employee has a duty of loyalty to his or her employer, the employee may not have all the facts, is the issue really a problem, is the employee motivated by good intensions or is he or she trying to harm the company, is there a less disruptive option? We all would agree that acting to prevent harm is morally right, but sometimes letting something pass for the greater good for a greater number is the right thing. I am reminded that during WWII the allies intercepted a NAZI encrypted message that indicated a group of ships was in serious danger. Churchill chose not warn the ships because their evasive action would divulge that we had broken the NAZI code. The ships were sacrificed so that we could continue to read the NAZI’s encrypted messages for the greater good of the war effort.
Actual Comments Taken Off Police Radios
NEXT WEEK: We will hear about programs for foster kids.
Libull newsletter 11/11/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
Nov 4, 2014: Ingrid Croce - Her Life ATTENDEES TODAY: 18 November 4, 2014
We had two guests today: Patti Jacobs with Fred and Jeanne Dresser with Lee. Duane won the drawing and Hal won the attendance pot.
Not counting today’s mail our White Cane Drive stands at $4400. Be sure to send out your letters. Jeff also has set up a web site where donors can contribute directly and where nothing has been taken off the top. http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/white-cane-fundraiser/224687
On this site, donors can contribute using PayPal as well as all the major credit cards. Page down and you will see a picture of “Radar”, the Guide Dog in Training we are sponsoring when she visited a meeting.
November birthdays: Lee Dresser, Jeff Harding & Duane Stevens.
Fred Jacobs reported that the Hillcrest Business Association reimbursed us the $1969.50 fee we paid the city for our flag program. HBA are great folks!
Attached is a letter from Guide Dogs of the Desert updating us on Radar’s progress and pictures of Radar who now is 6 months old. Libull attachment 1 for 11/04/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE] Libull attachment 2 for 11/04/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE] Today we heard from Ingrid Croce about her incredible life story. Here it is: An indomitable spirit and unmatched drive have fueled Ingrid Croce’s success in and efforts on behalf of the San Diego region. A veteran musician and performer, she is no stranger to the spotlight and, since moving beyond the stage, her determination and versatility have allowed her to excel in a number of diverse arenas. No challenge is too big and no goal beyond the grasp of this self-made entrepreneur, restaurateur, author, publisher and philanthropist. Restaurateur & Advocate for San Diego A hard-working businesswoman, Ingrid is widely credited with leading the revitalization of the City’s historic Gaslamp Quarter. Today, the Gaslamp is regarded as the gem of Downtown San Diego, but when Ingrid first toured the area in the early-1970’s it was hardly a diamond in the rough. Run-down, dirty and teeming with unsavory characters (not unlike “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”), there was little to foster the belief that a mighty phoenix could someday rise from such gritty ashes. However, Ingrid saw the Gaslamp’s potential and in 1985, she opened Croce’s Restaurant & Jazz Bar as a tribute to her late husband, musician Jim Croce. From the beginning, Ingrid’s vision and values have been at the core of the Croce’s brand. Croce’s Restaurant & Jazz Bar provided the first viable fine dining and live music option for visitors to the Gaslamp, of which there were few in the venue’s early days. Determined to expose people to Downtown San Diego at its best, Ingrid opened Croce’s Coffee House that same year at Horton Plaza, a grand scale shopping center popular among San Diegans and tourists alike. Each day, she would invite patrons at her satellite venue to join her at Croce’s Restaurant & Jazz Bar, expounding the virtues of fine dining and live music in the Gaslamp and walking them personally back to Croce’s. In 1987, Ingrid and her husband, Jim Rock expanded the Croce’s empire, opening Croce’s Top Hat Bar & Grille, Ingrid’s Cantina and Upstairs at Croce’s (for group sales and catering) to offer diverse dining and entertainment options for visitors, conventioneers and locals alike. It took a lot of work, and even a little convincing, but word spread and before long customers and businesses began to fill out the Gaslamp. Today, there are hundreds of restaurants, bars, hotels and businesses located in the Gaslamp and Croce’s remains at the heart of it all. People come from far and wide to experience “The Croce’s Experience” – fresh contemporary American cuisine, welcoming service and live music. IT’S A LOFTY LEVEL OF EXCELLENCE TWENTY-FOUR YEARS IN THE MAKING THAT, LIKE INGRID, SHOWS ZERO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN ANY TIME SOON. In 2004, Ingrid’s determination to build San Diego as a top tier dining destination led her to launch the most successful dining event in the city’s history – San Diego Restaurant Week. Now in its fifth year, the event draws 250,000 guests to 150 restaurants twice a year. Ingrid continues as San Diego Restaurant Week’s fearless leader and recently produced a television program pilot titled The Restaurant Week Travel Show. Business & Artistic Ventures Ingrid is the owner and driving force behind Avalanche Records and Books, which has spawned The San Diego Restaurant Cookbook and a photographic memoir titled Time In A Bottle. Ingrid authored both works as well as Thyme In A Bottle, an autobiographical cookbook that was originally published by Harper Collins and is now in its third edition under Avalanche Records and Books. Ingrid co-produced a VH1 Behind The Music special on Jim Croce and TNN’s The Jim Croce Life & Times. She also produced the first ever DVD of Jim Croce titled Have You Heard Jim Croce Live, three CDs – Jim Croce, Home Recordings, Americana; Facets; and Have You Heard Jim Croce Live – all of which were released by the Croce Music Group (www.croces.com). After closing Croce’s Restaurant and Jazz Bar, after 30 years, Ingrid and her husband, Jimmy Rock, opened Croce’s Park West, a neighborhood restaurant and bar. Croce’s Park West offers a welcoming retreat for neighbors and visitors. Located at 2760 Fifth Avenue, they serve a contemporary menu with American tapas, half portions and full dinners. Their generous patio has an extended cabana-style awning and opens into the bar room, for Happy Hour specials Monday through Friday 4pm – 6pm, 9pm – Close and Sundays 3pm to close. The week begins with Music Mondays, Tapa Tuesdays with tequila specials and live music, Gilbert Castellanos Young Lions Series on Wednesdays, Live Jazz Thursday through Saturday, ending the week with Spanish Sundays, tapas and sangrias and live Spanish jazz. Every night there is music fun, specialty cocktails, 14 beers on tap (50% off for Happy Hour) and the Wine-Spectator award-winning wine list. They have 5 very distinct areas to enjoy Croce’s Park West – Patio, Lounge, Cozy booths, open dining, and banquettes. “The Expatriate Room”, perfect for Group Events and Parties, offers live music, with jazz musicians and singer-songwriters. Please visit their website for Music and Event Schedule. Valet Parking is available after 6pm. Community The community is Ingrid’s passion and she devotes a great deal of time to assisting others. She received the City of Hope’s Spirit of Life Award, works annually with the Emilio Nares Foundation and contributes to art programs via the Center for Community Solutions. She produced A Celebration of Women Chefs, benefitting Rachel’s Women’s Center, helped develop a Food Service, Hospitality and Tourism curriculum for the San Diego Unified School District and Mesa College as part of San Diego City College’s Business Roundtable for Education and co-founded Croce, Rock, Nelson Productions to raise money for community AIDS organizations. She also awards musical scholarships to performers devoted to keeping live music alive.
A married Irishman went into the confessional and said to his priest, 'I almost had an affair with another woman.' The priest said, 'What do you mean, almost? The Irishman said, 'Well, we got undressed and rubbed together, but then I stopped.' The priest said, 'Rubbing together is the same as putting it in. You're not to see that woman again. For your penance, say five Hail Mary's and put $50 in the poor box.' The Irishman left the confessional, said his prayers, and then walked over to the poor box. He paused for a moment and then started to leave. The priest, who was watching, quickly ran over to him saying, 'I saw that. You didn't put any money in the poor box!' The Irishman replied, 'Yeah, but I rubbed the $50 on the box, and according to you, that's the same as putting it in!'
NEXT WEEK: David Kuttnauer, Retired Professor of Philosophy, Mesa College, AB & MA, UCLA
Libull newsletter 11/04/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
Oct 28, 2014: Independent Military Freedom StationATTENDEES TODAY: 21 October 28, 2014
We had three guests today: MaryAnn Bowman with Lee, Patti Jacobs with Fred, Jeannette Siebold with Keith and Nancy Sherman with Bob. Hal won the drawing and Linda won the attendance pot.
Not counting today’s mail our White Cane Drive stands at $4100.38. Be sure to send out your letters. Jeff also has set up a web site where donors can contribute directly and where nothing has been taken off the top. http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/white-cane-fundraiser/224687
On this site, donors can contribute using PayPal as well as all the major credit cards. Page down and you will see a picture of “Radar”, the Guide Dog in Training we are sponsoring when she visited a meeting.
Today’s program was inspiring to say the least. We heard from a couple of non active duty Marines, Dennis DiLucente and Tim Read. Dennis represented the Warrior Foundation – Freedom Station (WFFS), helping wounded warriors transition to civilian life. Tim is one if Dennis’ clients. The Foundation is a local organization staffed by volunteers. One of its biggest supporters is the Blue Angels. It aspires to be the leading force in assisting, honoring and supporting the military men and women who have so bravely served our country. WFFS is a transitional housing facility that provides warriors with the supportive environment they need to transition to civilian life. A key to its success is that residents move in before, not after, they are discharged, providing necessary acclimation time, guidance and resources to make the transition. Housing is coordinated through local military hospitals based upon need. The organization believes in a hand up, not a hand out. Although WFFS pays the mortgage on the property, residents pay a reduced rental and learn how to manage monthly expenses in preparation for real-world living. WFFS works with four groups of warriors: the seriously injured just returning home; those suffering from post-traumatic stress or traumatic brain injury; those undergoing physical or occupational therapy; and warriors who have medically retired and remain in our community. For the seriously injured coming home with serious medical and emotional needs, WFFS provides family members with flights, accommodations, transportation and anything else that allows them to simply focus on their warrior’s recovery. Tim is an Afghanistan veteran who was seriously injured in 2010 by an IED. He lost his left leg and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. He walks with an artificial leg. He was emphatic in how WFFS is helping him. He said the program is transitional and the average stay in the program is two to three years.
NEXT WEEK: Ingrid Croce will entertain us with some tales of her interesting life. Libull newsletter 10/28/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
Oct 21, 2014: Lauren Holt -- Scams & Identity Theft ATTENDEES TODAY: 18 October 21, 2014
We had three guests today: Jeanne Dresser with Lee, future speaker David Kuttnauser with Marcia and Intern Rebecca Masten with our speaker. Lee Bowman won the drawing and Wally won the attendance pot.
No new total on the White Cane Drive. Be sure to send out your letters. Jeff also has set up a web site where donors can contribute directly and where nothing has been taken off the top. http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/white-cane-fundraiser/224687
On this site, donors can contribute using PayPal as well as all the major credit cards. Page down and you will see a picture of “Radar”, the Guide Dog in Training we are sponsoring when she visited a meeting.
Today we heard from Lauren Holt from the Better Business Bureau on the subject of identity theft –when a thief uses personal information (name, credit card, social security number, etc.) to commit fraud and other crimes.
How Does Identity Theft Happen?
Forms of Identity Theft
What to Do
NEXT WEEK: Dennis from Freedom House for vets
Libull newsletter 10/21/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
Oct 14, 2014: Health Coverage & Benefit RequirementsATTENDEES TODAY: 24 October 14, 2014
We had ten guests today: Kelley Dapra with Jack, Jeanne Dresser with Lee, Nancy Sherman with Bob and from North Park, President Max Mason, Steve Hazelhorst, Gary Learn, M. L. Bey, Mike Stanton and James Knott, both Jr. and Sr. Dave won the drawing and Linda won the attendance pot.
Our White Cane Drive, not counting today’s mail but including the $221 raised by Bob and Nancy Sherman at the Center, stands at $1924.80. Be sure to send out your letters. Jeff also has set up a web site where donors can contribute directly and where nothing has been taken off the top. http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/white-cane-fundraiser/224687
On this site, donors can contribute using PayPal as well as all the major credit cards. Page down and you will see a picture of “Radar”, the Guide Dog in Training we are sponsoring when she visited a meeting.
James Knott Jr. from North Park filled us in on some of their projects. They have a “Fresh Fruit for Families” program, identifying families in need and getting fresh fruits and vegetables to them from the Food Bank. They also are twinning with a Tijuana club and have started a Leo Club. We are invited to join them in the Toyland Parade on December 12th.
Dave reported that the Center for the Blind White Cane Luncheon is a SELL OUT!!
Today we heard from about the Covered California Health Insurance Program, presented by a young lady whose name I neglected to write down. Covered California is the state’s destination for Obama Care. It is part of the national health care law (also called the Affordable Care Act) and is a program from the state of California where qualified legal residents of California and their families can compare health plans and choose the one that works best for their health needs and budget. Based upon income and family size, many Californians also will qualify for financial assistance to help pay for premiums and other out of pocket costs such as medications, routine tests and copays for doctor visits. Even those who do not qualify for assistance will find a range of private health plans to fit their budgets. No one can be denied because they have a pre-existing condition. The table below shows how one may qualify for financial help to pay for health insurance based upon ones household size and adjusted gross income Open enrollment is from 10/15/14 to 2/15/15.
Number of people If your 2015 household If your 2015 household in your household income is less than… income is between…
1 $16,105 $16,105 - $46,408 2 $21,708 $21,708 - $62,920 3 $27,311 $27,311 – $79,160 4 $32,013 $32,913 - $95,400 5 $38,516 $38,516 - $111,640
You may be eligible You may be eligible for financial For Medi-Cal help to purchase insurance Through Covered California
A cute aside: Our speaker’s father was a LION and she said she always wondered what secret things went on at meetings. She must have been disappointed. .Libull newsletter 10/14/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
Oct 7, 2014: Tom Karlo -- KPBS and Radio Reading Service
ATTENDEES TODAY: 23 October 7, 2014
We had four guests today: Patti Jacobs with Fred, Kelley Dapra with Jack, Jeanne Dresser with Lee and Nancy Sherman with Bob. Fred Marsh won the drawing and Hal won the attendance pot.
We started out the White Cane Drive with $682 in street collections on Friday and Saturday. Be sure to send out your letters. Jeff also has set up a web site where donors can contribute directly and where nothing is taken off the top,’
http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/white-cane-fundraiser/224687
On this site, donors can contribute using PayPal as well as all the major credit cards. Page down and you will see a picture of “Radar”, the Guide Dog in Training we are sponsoring when she visited a meeting.
Through the efforts of Greg Wilson we have our 501(c)(3) status back and just in time for White Cane. Great job Greg
Today we heard from Tom Carlo of KPBS and Dillon Scalzo who heads the Radio Reading Service at KPBS. KPBS was the first public radio station on the west coast, starting on September 12, 1960. Six years ago there was a change in the media landscape with local news fading into the background. KPBS decided to fill that gap and they have been cited as the best 5 PM news outlet in San Diego. KPBS sees their mission is to serve audiences not being served by the commercial media. One of those services is the Radio Reading Service to serve those who are disabled or sight impaired. The service is broadcast on a sub carrier channel which is received on a special radio obtained from KPBS. Recipients are asked to contribute $150 for the receiver but it is free to those who cannot afford the cost. The radio receives only two frequencies, the sub carrier channel carrying the Radio Reading Service and the KPBS 89.5 frequency. The listener can switch between the two and the receiver is non tunable. The Radio Reading Service is available 24 hours a day and there are 140 volunteer readers. The service is supported in part by an $800,000 endowment and 5% is drawn each year to support the service. Readers cover the San Diego U.T in the morning and the L.A. times in the afternoon as well as a wide variety of subjects, even the supermarket ads and the comics. Those who are old enough to remember will recall when Mayor Fiorello La Guardia read the Sunday comics over the radio during the newspaper strike in New York. There are 140 volunteer readers for the service, some with tenure of over 30 years. If you would like to become a reader go to www.kpbs.org/read. You also can see the programming schedule for the service. The service also can be accessed on line without the special receiver at kpbs.org. and clicking on “Listen now.”
Next Meeting: We will have a speaker on the subject of Health and Medical Coverage.
Libull newsletter 10/07/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
Sept 30, 2014: Dr. Nick Reveles -- San Diego Opera
ATTENDEES TODAY: 27 September 30, 2014
We had ten guests today: Patti Jacobs with Fred, Kelley Dapra with Jack, MaryAnn Bowman with Lee, Jeanne Dresser with the other Lee, Charlie Kakos with Gina and President Mercy Walters, Ron Paris, Sharie Hoops, Paul Walters and Chris Bramwell visiting from the El Cajon Valley Host Lions Club. Patti won the drawing and Sam won the attendance pot.
Marcia has been honored by the Peninsula Lions with a $500 award for her contributions to programs for the blind.
Remember that White Cane starts this Friday, October 3rd. We are three short for our street duty so expect a call from Linda if you haven’t signed up. We already have $500 in the pot. Jeff has set up a web site where donors can contribute directly and where nothing is taken off the top,’
http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/white-cane-fundraiser/224687
On this site, donors can contribute using PayPal as well as all the major credit cards.
Here is a report from Fred Jacobs on the status of our Flag Program. “Last Thursday I took Duane’s maps to the City for approval. Duane spent about 60 hours on this second iteration of flag info mapping for the City, after he and I had our first meeting with the person assigned to do the permit review. The Sr. Code Enforcer wanted additional info on the maps that was not required by the permit review person. I objected, stating that this has gone on for over a year and the info he wanted on the maps was already submitted or would be submitted separately with our next submittal. He agreed and said he didn’t want to hold us up any more. I was ready to ramp up some whupass, but didn’t have to. I am awaiting the notarized form back from the General Contractor, Lee Dresser’s neighbor, who has agreed to cover us via his Contractor’s License, for the physical flag work on the streets - one of the many many idiot requirements for the permit. Kim returned the notarized “Maintenance Agreement” we now have with City.”
Today we were entertained by a very enthusiastic Dr. Nick Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach for the San Diego Opera. Dr. Nick’s background and all his degrees are in music and he is an accomplished pianist. After the recession organizations such as the Opera suffered “donor fatigue.” The then director reported to the board that there were not going to be enough funds to continue and the board voted overwhelmingly to liquidate. A group on the board did not want to give up and Nick was one of them. They believed no one had asked the audience or the community what to do. A small group of board members decided to go online with their story and they received 20,000 responses. In response the group set up an escrow account and sent out a plea. In 2 ½ weeks $2.5 million was raised and the Opera was given new life. The business model was changed. Fifty years ago when the Civic Theater was built and the Opera started they were able to sell out the 3000 seat theater. Under today’s environment that is not always possible. The annual budget has been reduced from $17 million to $10 million and only between $500K and $700K remains to be raised for 2015. Smaller venues are being tried for some performances such as the 1,500 seat Balboa Theater. By 2017 when current venue contracts expire, the board is planning to branch out to the Poway Center for the Performing Arts and the Escondido Civic Center. In 2015 the Opera will celebrate its 50th anniversary and will mark the occasion by opening with Puccini’s La Boheme which was the first opera performed when the San Diego Opera opened in 1965. Following that will be Don Giovanni and Nixon in Russia. There also will be non operatic performances such as Stephanie Blythe with the songs of Kate Smith, the husband and wife duo of Ailyn Perez and Stephen Costello doing works by Verdi, Puccini and Bernstein accompanied by piano, a 50th Anniversary Concert and a Mariachi Opera. Order tickets on line at www.sdopera.com, by phone at 619-533-7000, by e-mail at tickets@sdopera.com and Fax at 619-533-7070.
Next Meeting: We will hear from Tom Carlo of KPBS as well as from a representative from the KPBS Radio Reading Service.
Libull newsletter 9/30/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
Sept 23, 2014: April Tellez -- Museum Man > King Tut Exhibit
ATTENDEES TODAY: 23 September 23, 2014
We had five guests today: Patti Jacobs with Fred, Kelley Dapra with Jack, MaryAnn Bowman with Lee, Nancy Sherman with Bob and Sandy Stevens with Duane. Hal won both the drawing and the attendance pot (Fix?).
Remember that White Cane is less than three weeks away. The signup list is circulating and Linda is seeking volunteers to assist her with our campaign!
Who walked in today but Rod McClain, looking well and in good spirits? You can’t keep a good LION down!!
Today we were visited by April Tellez, Public Relations and Social Media Manager, and Paula Anderson, Group Sales Lead, from the San Diego Natural History Museum. We had a PowerPoint presentation about up coming events at the museum. Starting on October 25, 2014, through February 1, 2015, will an exhibit on “The Best of Nature Photography.” Starting on January 17, 2015 will be an exhibit, “Coast to Cactus”, on the diverse ecosystem in the county. The star of the show will be a traveling exhibition, “The Discovery of King Tut” featuring replicas of the artifacts discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. Unfortunately, the originals, which toured the U.S. many years ago are no longer allowed to leave Egypt. The exhibit is a breathtaking recreation of the boy king’s burial chamber and more than 1,000 scientifically reproduced artifacts. You will be able to step into King Tutankhamun’s tomb exactly as it was discovered by Carter. We were amazed at the intricate workmanship on the original artifacts, which were created more than 3000 years ago, when Pat and I saw them in Los Angeles, and from the pictures of the exhibition, the copies are exact in detail. King Tut was born in 1341 BCE and died in 1323 BCE at the age of 18. The exhibit should be well worth a visit. Our club has been offered discount tickets if we can put together a group of 10. Attached are two sides of a flyer on the exhibition. For more information visit the web site www.sdnat.org/kingtut.
Libull newsletter 9/23/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE] LIBULL newsletter 9/2309/2014 PDF attachment (1) - [CLICK HERE] LIBULL newsletter 9/2309/2014 PDF attachment (2) - [CLICK HERE]
Next Meeting: We will hear from Dr. Nick about the revived San Diego Opera.
Sept 16, 2014: Mike Ruiz -- Balboa Park Centennial Planning for 2015
ATTENDEES TODAY: 19 September 16, 2014
We had four guests today: Patti with Fred Jacobs, Jeanne with Lee Dresser, MaryAnn with Lee Bowman and Kelly with Jack. Fred Marsh won the drawing and President Kim won the attendance pot.
Remember that White Cane is less than three weeks away. The signup list is circulating and Linda is seeking volunteers to assist her with our campaign!
Next week we change our regular meeting place to Croce’s, 2790 5th Avenue
Today we heard from Mike Ruiz, Balboa Park 2015 District Manager for the 2015 Centennial Celebration of the Panama-California Exposition. One hundred years in the making, Balboa Park’s Centennial reflects on how far the Park and the region have come while looking toward the future. Highlighting the theme of innovation, over a dozen Balboa Park cultural organizations will explore the legacy of the pioneering inventions and ideas presented at the 1915 Exposition. Looking forward, a number of other programs presented in 2015 will showcase the regions current contributions to developments in science, technology, sustainability, the arts, engineering and design. Balboa Park began in 1868 as land set aside by civic leaders for a “City Park.” The Exposition in 1915, San Diego’s first major international fair, provided impetus behind renaming the scenic mesa “Balboa Park”, after the first European to view the Pacific Ocean, and creating many of the central buildings and gardens as they appear today. A century later, Balboa Park stands as the largest cultural urban park in the world. December, 2014, and December, 2015, will bookend the celebration. Additional pipes are being installed in the Spreckels organ and on December 31, 2014, the centennial of the organ, those pipes will be introduced at a special concert. On May 9th will begin the highlighting of the gardens and the “Friends of Balboa Park” are sponsoring an, “Adopt a Plot” program where groups can donate money or hands on work to enhance a garden plot. The members of a group that collectively donate 100 hours will receive a commemorative pin. “Friends of Balboa Park” is preparing signage for the six original historic buildings explaining the significance of the buildings and signage on Park Boulevard is being upgraded. In June, July and August there will be free concerts in the Prado with tables, chairs and umbrellas. Finally, SDG&E and the city are changing all outside lighting to LEDs and the buildings will be illuminated with LED light shows with changing colors. For more information go to www.balboapark.org.
Next Meeting: We will hear about the King Tut exhibit at the Natural History Museum.
Libull newsletter 9/16/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
Sept 9, 2014: Bryan Varela -- Economic Use of San Diego Utilities
ATTENDEES TODAY: 22 September 9, 2014
We had six guests today: Patti with Fred Jacobs, Jeanne with Lee Dresser, Jeanne Siebold with Keith, Nancy Sherman with Bob and Ryan Varela and Timmis Richling, UCAN volunteers with our speakers. Keith won the drawing. Our lottery balls were missing so the attendance pot went to White Cane.
Remember that White Cane is less than two months away. The signup list is circulating and Linda is seeking volunteers to assist her with our campaign!
Stay tuned for next week’s meeting location.
Today we heard from Nancy Hartley, board member, and Don Kelly, Executive Director, of UCAN, the Utility Consumers’ Action Network. Since 1983, UCAN has represented the interests of San Diego County utility rate payers/customers. UCAN primarily focuses its efforts on the rates and services of the San Diego Gas and Electric Company (SGG&E), the City of San Diego Water Department (and other local water departments), cell phone carriers and cable companies Cox Communications and Time Warner. UCAN’s efforts are focused on intervening in legal proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), by supporting litigation in court cases. UCAN also supports the individual utility customers with problems they are having with their utility bills and services. UCAN is a 501(c)(3) non profit in San Diego County. Recently UCAN was able to reduce a proposed rate increase by SDG&E by $100M. Among the causes supported by UCAN are help for low income water users and the concept that charging stations for electric vehicles should be paid for by the users and not by the ratepayers. We were advised to look at our utility bill closely. There are only 17 meter readers for 290,000 individual water meters in the county. Obviously, much of the billing is estimated. UCAN suggests that you should read your water, gas and electric meters as soon as you receive your next bill and again when you receive your following bill and compare your meter usage with the usage shown on the bill. UCAN is running a survey on the accuracy of water billing. Instructions on how to participate are shown in the attachment to this LIBULL. There is a proposal being studied to base electricity billing on time of usage, charging more for usage during high demand periods and less for usage during low demand periods. The concept is that if people have an incentive to schedule more of their usage to low demand periods, demand will be smoothed out and fewer power plants will be required. The concept is supported by UCAN and SDG&E. Opposition comes from those, who for logistical reasons, cannot schedule their usage. www.ucan.org is the web site for more information about UCAN.
“Can I see your head shot and registration?” “Actually, I prefer the term Arctic-American”
Next Meeting: We will hear from Mike Ruiz about the Centennial plans for Balboa Park
Libull newsletter 9/09/2014 in PDF - [CLICK HERE] LIBULL newsletter 9/09/2014 PDF attachment (1) - [CLICK HERE]
Sept 2, 2014 : Greg Izor -- ADA Residential/Commercial Building Requirements ATTENDEES TODAY: 19 September 2, 2014 We had four guests today: Patti Jacobs with Fred, Jeanne with Lee Dresser, Carol Jean with Steve and Kelley with Jack. Steve won the drawing and Linda won the attendance pot. Remember that White Cane is less than two months away. The signup list is circulating and Linda is seeking volunteers to assist her with our campaign!
We will be meeting at Croce’s on 5th Avenue next week!!. The report on Roger is good and the procedure on his other lag is scheduled soon. He now is driving and he planned to be at today’s meeting until a doctor’s appointment got in the way. Today we heard from Greg Izor, AIA, NCARB, CASp about public access compliance for the handicapped. Greg had an architectural practice for many years before becoming a Certified Access Specialist which is now his full time occupation. Although handicapped access is a valid issue, there are predator attorneys who specialize in suing businesses for profit for violating access regulations. These litigators are not handicapped but they troll for the handicapped as clients. The statutory access requirements are voluminous and detailed such as the exact location for toilet paper. The best way to be protected is to get a certified inspection and fix the problems it reveals. Greg offers such a service and he has the advantage of being a registered architect. A famous case involved “$ For Door Knobs”. If a business had ten non-compliant door knobs, they were fined $4,000 for each door knob. The law now has changed to $4,000 per facility. Overall, the law has made it more difficult for predatory attorneys to profit and they no longer can send demand letters before filing suit. Steve Lydon related a personal heart warming study to us. Here is the story as told by a Houston news organization. It’s a story that sounds too good to be true, but it isn’t. A white faced Longines watch with black leather bands has been in Jowell Lydon’s family for 53 years. The inscription on the back shows it originally belonged to Richard Lydon, Jowell’s grandfather, who handed down the watch to Jowell’s father, who passed it to Jowell a few years ago. “The watch is from 1961” said Jowell Lydon. “But three years ago someone broke into Jowell Lydon’s home in The Heights and stole his computer, television and jewelry – including the watch. “It was the one family heirloom. Really, the one thing of all the stuff that was stolen that couldn’t be replaced,” said Lydon. Fast-forward three years to this last Friday. Harris County sheriff’s detectives phoned Jowell Lydon’s father in San Diego informing him the watch had been found after the arrest of five burglary suspects in Northwest Harris County. The timepiece was sitting in their trunk under a tool box. After some detective work, an officer used the inscription to track down Jowell Lydon’s father, who contacted Jowell with the good news. “Things like this, you don’t expect them to happen,” said Jowell Lydon. “So, to actually have it back, you know, I kind of wear it all the time now. It’s like I want to make sure it doesn’t ever disappear.” Detectives are still investigating but right now there doesn’t appear to be a connection between the man who broke into Jowell Lydons home three years ago and the five men who were arrested on breaking and entering charges last month.
As a post script to the story, the detective was able to trace the watch to the owner because the inscription on the watch included the name “Richard Lydon, Hillcrest Lions”. The detective Googled “Hillcrest Lions”, got the contact information for President Kim, and called him. Kim then relayed the info to Steve.
Next Meeting: We will hear from Bryan Varela regarding UCAN.
Libull newsletter 9/0214 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
August 26, 2014 Stephanie Brown - U-T Presentation
ATTENDEES TODAY: 25 August 26, 2014 We had eight guests today: Third District County Supervisor and 4-L6 2nd VDG Ron Roberts along with Lynn Talbot and his Policy Advisor Harold Meza, 4-L6 District Governor Mary Rynearson, 4-L6 Cabinet Secretary Brad Weeks, Patti Jacobs with Fred, Jeanne with Lee Dresser, and Kelley with Jack. We had no attendance pot and Duane won the drawing.
Remember that White Cane is less than two months away. Linda is seeking volunteers to assist her with our campaign! Today we met at Croce’s on 5th Avenue. The food was good with a salad and main course selections and the staff was helpful. I arrived later than most and was able to get into the parking lot. We need to hear from others how parking went for them. Today we heard from Stephanie Brown, Senior Director, Marketing & Public Relations for the U-T San Diego. We were given a PowerPoint overview of the paper since Doug Manchester and John Lynch took over. First a brief history. What now is the U-T San Diego was founded as the San Diego Union in 1868. In 1895 the San Diego Evening Tribune was founded. In 1928 the Copley Press purchased both papers. In 1992 the San Diego Union and the San Diego Evening Tribune merged to become the San Diego Union-Tribune and in 2009 the merged newspapers were sold by Copley to a private investment group. In 2011, Doug Manchester and business partner John Lynch bought the paper and on January 3, 2012, changed the name to U-T San Diego. On October, 10th the paper will be 146 years old, the oldest business in San Diego. The paper has won four Pulitzer Prizes in its history: in 1979 for coverage of the PSA Flight 182 crash, in 1987 for editorial writing, in 2006 for coverage of Randy “Duke” Cunningham’s bribe taking and in 2009 for Steve Breen’s editorial cartooning. The new owners and management have introduced many changes. In 1998, the UT’s online service, www.signonsandiego was introduced. In July, 2012, U-T TV, an all day local news station was introduced, broadcasting from a modern studio in the U.T. building. Studio time is available for outsiders. In April, 2010, the Daily Deal feature was started. In October, 2012, the U.T. acquired the North County Times and the Californian. In response to reader input, the North County edition of the U.T has expanded local North County coverage. Since then eight other local papers have been added to the stable, all publishing under their own names. In 2013 the Loyalty Awards feature was started. The Mobil Edition of the U.T. has 537,000 unique visits a month while the digital edition has 4,145,000 visits a month. The U.T. also has a Hispanic print edition with 399,000 readers. There are 311,000 adults directly related to the military who read the U.T. Stephanie welcomes your questions and input. Her office is in the U.T. building at 350 Camino de la Reina. Office: 619-293-21754, Mobil: 619-823-9794, Fax: 619-293-5054.
RODNEY DANGERFIELD
Next Meeting: As I go to press, next week we will have a mystery program. Many thanks to Marcia who recently has had several cancellations and reschedules but has still been able to bring us great programs every week.
Libull newsletter 8/26/14 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
August 19, 2014 Larry Wilske, Command Master Chief, SEAL Team 7 Today we heard a very inspirational presentation on leadership from Retired Command Master Chief of SEAL Team Seven, Larry Wilske. Larry spent 30 years as a Navy Seal. He enlisted in The Navy in 1983 and went on to serve on SEAL Teams SDV-1, Three and Seven. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks Larry deployed to Afghanistan as Operations Chief of Task Force Ka-Bar, a U.S. led international coalition of special operations forces from eight nations. Larry and his SEAL Team Three teammates were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action for this tour of duty. As Command Master Chief of SEAL Team Seven, Larry would go on to oversee hundreds of complex missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Philippines. After returning home from his final combat tour, Larry joined the Naval Special Warfare service as Command Master Chief for the SEAL’s Logistics Support Command, leading over 500 personnel supporting the west Coast SEAL Teams and he received a Meritorious Service Medal for leadership. For his final tour of duty, Larry was chosen as the first SEAL Master Chief to be stationed at the U.S. Naval War College and teach at the Navy Senior Enlisted Academy. His lectures on Ethos and the Elements of National Power remain part of the curriculum today. Larry has made over 3000 parachute jumps and he allows he has some fake body parts. Larry told us that leadership consists of training your replacement (so true). It also requires finding common ground in order to communicate with strangers. The events of 9/11 gave us common ground, they pulled us together, but they happened because of a failure of imagination. We had become complacent. He said the old saying that “Adversity builds character is wrong; rather “Adversity reveals character.” “One should do what you believe and believe what you do.” Good leadership means becoming irrelevant; you have trained those below you to do the job without you. Larry is running for congress from the 53rd District and he told me he would like to return in the future and bring his wife along! This was a wonderful inspirational program. (Attached is more information about Radar, the black lab puppy whose Guide Dog training we are sponsoring. Attachment 1 is her birth certificate and attachment 2 is a letter from Guide Dogs of the Desert outlining the training program for Radar.) Libull newsletter 8/19/14 in PDF - [CLICK HERE] Attachement 1 re: "Radar" 8/19/14 in PDF - [CLICK HERE] |
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Attachement 2 re: "Radar" 8/19/14 in PDF - [CLICK HERE]
August 12, 2014 Jeff Harding, recycling Our scheduled speaker had to reschedule at the last minute and Jeff, who was scheduled for next week, stepped into the breach. Jeff told us about his company, Recycle San Diego, and about the state of recycling in San Diego. His company, which he founded, is the leading private collector of universal waste and recycling in San Diego for over 8 years. He has served over 75,000 households and recycled over 15,000,000 pounds of waste. Jeff also launched Lamp Disposal Solutions in 2013 to provide kits for the recycling of universal waste. It is illegal to dispose of universal waste in California which is defined as consumer products containing mercury, lead, cadmium and other substances that are hazardous to human health and the environment. These items cannot be discarded in household trash nor disposed of in landfills. Examples of universal waste are batteries, fluorescent tubes, and many electronic devices. On the commercial side, companies such as Home Depot, Kmart, Wal-Mart, Target, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, Rite Aid and Lowe’s have been fined over $123,000,000 since 2007 for violating hazardous waste disposal laws. People don’t recycle for a variety of reasons such as cost (what do I get out of it?), convenience, “I want to be paid”, it is too easy to hide illegal trash in regular trash, “I didn’t know”, and “I don’t care and won’t get caught.” Alkaline batteries such as flashlight batteries are a particular problem because they have no recycle value. Vermont is the first state to attack this problem by requiring consumer retail outlets and municipal sites to accept these batteries for proper disposal at no cost to the person disposing of them. California has tried to pass similar legislation with Assembly Bill 2284 but it now has been turned into a “Battery Recycling Pilot Project” bill. There are several ways to recycle: wait for e-waste events (which are becoming less frequent), pay a private hauler, use a municipal recycling program (contact your city for information) or find a private collector. Jeff’s Recycle San Diego has 19 recycle drop off locations and he has plans for 40 openings in 2015. For a map showing these locations go to his web site, www.recyclesandiego.org/home. Libull newsletter 8/12/14 in PDF - [CLICK HERE] |
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