North Shreveport Lions Club
The Yellow Rag
| We
meet every Thursday at the D&W |
Yellow Rag
Editor |
Opening: Lion Chaplain Jim Peck Smith thanked God for His many blessings and asked him to be with those in need. Lion Cindy Fortson and Lion Bryan Self (a dynamic duo) led the First Verse of America with Lion Kevin Anderson playing the cymbals. Lion Craig Kennedy led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Visitors: Lion Scott Harkey introduced his daughter, E. D. Harkey as his guest. There were 23 members present.
Remarks: Lion President Ed Ball reminded the club that Big Bass Rodeo is scheduled for September 27 at Toledo Bend’s Cypress Bend Marina. He has tickets for us to sell for the bass boat raffle for $1 each—a state fund raiser. The state car fund raiser tickets are also on sale for $20 each. Lion Stu Reeks, Rose Day Chair, announced that we made approximately $4000 profit for the sale of roses, but he still needs to collect from some Lions. Lion President Ball also announced the District Awards Banquet on June 6 and District Training on June 7 in Natchitoches and June 14 in Minden. The NSLC Installation Banquet is June 26 at Don’s Seafood on Kings Highway beginning with the social at 6:30. There will be no noon meeting on the 26th.
Tailtwisting: Lion TT Bill Archambeau fined latecomers Lions Libby Gleason, Oscar Smith, and Patricia Schwartz. He noted that Lion Rubye Davitt was keeping the TT’s pot active since she has won “the pot” two weeks in a row. We sang a NSLC “Happy Birthday” to Lion Harold Wright, a young 96 years old, and to Lion Rubye Davitt. Lion TT found out quickly who did and did not have common sense with his “Teasers of common Knowledge”—which ranged from the location of the green light on a traffic light to what color the top stripe is on the American flag. Good session, Lion Tailtwister.
Program: Lion Pete Copes introduced our speaker for the day, Mr. Mike Wark, a gardener. Lion Pete, whose last program was a “no show,” said he was not taking any chances this time; he had Mr. Wark pick him up and bring him to the meeting. Mr. Wark’s garden recently had 1700 visitors as part of the Master Gardeners’ tour of gardens. He spoke to us on his favorite gardening technique—espalier—which means “the training of plants to grow flat against a wall or trellis.” By using this method, one can save space. Four fruit trees can be planted using espalier compared to one using traditional planting methods. This method also makes it easier to maintain for the home grower and easier to harvest the fruits. There are disadvantages since espalier requires more time in the beginning to train the trees; more pruning is required; and there must be a support such as a wall, trellis, or fence. Questions related to planting ranged from the best peach trees to plant to how to grow fig trees. Mr. Wark answered with practical suggestions for growing plants. He stated that fall is always the best time to plant trees. Good program!
Ticket Drawings: $5.00 red ticket winners were Lions Bud Byrd and Scott Harkey. The blue ticket winner was Lion Bob Allen, who did not pick the winner. The pot grows!
The winner of the North Shreveport Lions Club Scholarship for Northwood High School is Mr. Keven Belcher and the 2003 Teacher of the Year is Ms. Barbara Prince, an English teacher at Green Oaks High School.
MAJOR PROJECTS: Louisiana Lions Childrens’ Camp, LSU Lions’ Eye Foundation, Northwest Louisiana Eye Bank, Louisiana Association for the Blind, Northwood High School Leo Club, Scholarships for Northwood and Green Oaks High Schools
FUNDRAISERS: Chicken Charbroil – October; Candy & Nuts – November;
Irish Auction – March; Rose Sale – April