(Click here to go to our website) Call to Order – President Weldon Garrelts called the meeting to order and led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Invocation – David Hunter: We thank Thee, Lord, for food like this, for friends who we would surely miss if it were not for Lions Club and shoulders here with which to rub. Amen. Vittles – Chicken Florentine, mixed vegetables, salad and toppings, rolls and butter, Cinnamon Sweet Potato Pie, tea and coffee.

Attendance – 18 members, 2 visitors. Guests – Our speakers. Birthdays – none. Lions Report – Larry, Fonda Bowden’s husband is doing better, as reported by Kathy Struck. If you are ill or know a fellow Lion that is under the weather, please call Pat Bryan at

David Lin and Charlie Osborne announced the Basketball Lottery, which is $15 for the Iowa game on Feb 1. The Drawing will be held Wed, Jan 29th.

Announcements – Weldon Garrelts announced that he and Omer Benn got to see Bob Tuchel this week and he seemed to be doing well.

Lottery – Tom Yaxley won the $9 lottery.

Rich King announced that Jan. Sat. 25th will be a District Forum in Charleston.

Weldon also was selling Lions caps, still at the amazing low price of $15, tax included.

Program – Sam McGrew introduced our delayed “Christmas Program,” which had been postponed due to the December snow. He introduced Jo Ellen DeVilbiss and her husband, Reid Alexander.

Jo Ellen has degrees from Drake University and the University of Illinois. She has been associated with the Conservatory of Central Illinois since its inception and founding in She is the school’s Executive and Artistic Director and member of the piano faculty. DeVilbiss is active in the leadership of the National Guild for Community Arts Education. She received an Arts Management Certificate from the AMICI Institute and the Champaign County ACE Award for Arts Advocacy.

Reid has degrees from Vanderbilt University and the University of Illinois, where has been Professor of Music since He is an accomplished pianist, teacher and author.

He has received teaching excellence Awards and served as Keynote Speaker in Seoul, Korea for the prestigious Korean Association of Piano Pedagogy. This January he returned to Taiwan for the fourth time to judge the Pan Asian International Piano Competition.

Jo Ellen was proud that both her husband and grandfather had been Lions. Reid and Jo Ellen get along beautifully because they are husband and wife, of course.

They gave a beautiful piano duet presentation of Christmas music, with some personal arrangements,

They gave interesting snippets of insider historical insights related to the arrangements. New Year’s Eve they celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary.

Both love teaching and are dedicated to the development of the Arts for students. BEAUTIFUL!

Tail Twister – Tom Yaxley asked Charlie Osborne to carry the bucket.

He fined Reid Alexander for not being a Lion today;

Frank Duff for having won the lottery; Frank Duff again for not playing the piano today;

and Frank Duff once more for asking if the Twister’s phone was ringing, when it was his own;

Sam McGrew for his loud Christmas tie;

Rich King bragged for his Father-in-Law serving on the Conservatory Board and his children’s involvement in music.

Then he paid for it.

And fine-ly, he fined Dave Hunter for his letter to the Editor in the News Gazette,

Then tried to make up for it by reading a funny story. Bad mistake…

Jan 29 – Thomas McDowell Salvation Army Greeter: Kathy Struck Feb 5 – Business Meeting Feb 12 – To Be Announced Click here to Sam McGrew and let him know what you would like to see in a Lions Club program some Coming up

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