MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF NJBCA/CAMP HAPPINESS NOVEMBER 1, 2008

THE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

On September 29th, it was my privilege to address approximately 140 Lions at the Lions District C Sight Meeting in Berlin NJ.

Historically, we have done a poor job reaching out to this District, and Lions support from EVERY District is critical to our survival. Two checks were presented to us that evening, and I will be reaching out to every Club in this District.

My thanks to Lion Karen Ressler for the invitation. It was also a pleasure meeting District Governor Fred Niji, and many other District C Lions. This District could play a critical role in our future!

Despite a critical cash position, we endeavor to sustain and expand our program offerings. On November 11, we will head south to bring our fine arts program to a support group in Point Pleasant. We will also count on these good folks to join our organization. This is another big step forward for both our art program and the NJBCA.

Continued kudos to Ray Carlisle, our computer instructor. Thanks to S.C.A.T. Transportation, Ray now works on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, teaching students both days, maintaining our website, and doing a host of computer related tasks.

Our website receives approximately 300 visits per week. Top pages viewed were "Recent Successful Events", "The Newsletter Page", "Art Center Exhibit", and the "For Sale Page". Stories about our fundraiser in Harrison NJ, the Saddle River Valley Lions Club, and our Annual Gift Auction drew a lot of interest.

Approximately 70% of our visitors came through Google searches! Last week we had two hits from Brazil, and one from the UK, Ireland, and Mexico!

We are proud of our website, and its' benefit to our organization.

In September, we received a $5,000 donation from Lions District D Eye & Ear Foundation. I had visited this group almost a year ago, and our District D Lion advisor Jack Hulsart has fought tirelessly for us ever since. This generous gift is in a restricted account to be used toward the purchase of an additional van. We often have seventeen folks scheduled on Tuesday/Thursday for our twelve passenger van, and many more for special events. Lion Stephanie Collins is the President of District D Eye & Ear, and it would be a nice gesture for NJBCA members and Board members to thank her and the Foundation for their generosity. Please call me for her number.

J. Douglas Scott Executive Director

DATES FOR UPCOMING EVENTS

NEXT BCA MEETINGS WILL BE HELD ON. . NOV 1, 2008 NO DECEMBER MEETING!!!!

THRIFT SHOP CHRISTMAS SALE. . . . . . . . . . NOV 7, 2008 AND NOV 8, 2008

DAY CAMP THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON . . NOV 18, 2008

LAST DAY FOR AWARDS DINNER RESERVATION. . . . . . NOV 19, 2008

NJBCA CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING . . . . .NOV 27, 2008

CHRISTMAS/ANNIVERSARY AWARDS DINNER. . . . . . . . (IN LIEU OF DECEMBER MEETING) DEC 7, 2008

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND TRY TO ATTEND

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

JOYCE SCHACK 11/16

RUTH GIUFFRE 11/17

MARVIN ZAENTZ 11/26

MARY GRAHAM 11/27

A HAPPY AND BLESSED BIRTHDAY TO ALL

CURRENT CENTURY CLUB MEMBERS

MADGE & CHARLES BLOOD

EUGENIA JONES

CARL & BERNICE BERGER KAY KELTY

HERB BODENSIEK LAWRENCE & RUTH KORN

EDNA DOUCHA

BOB & MARGE LOGAN

ED FEDUSH

MAYER FAMILY

BARCLAY FOX

ROSE PERGOLA

HELYNE FOX THOMAS & KATIE REED

KATHLEEN GROSS

FRANK & JOYCE SCHACK

MARY HABERLE FRED C. WILLIAMSON JR.

SUSAN HADDOW CHARLES WIRTH

JACK & MARGE HULSART HELEN & HEINZ WOBSER

BERNADETTE JONES

MIKE & BETTY WEITE

We welcome all to join our Century Club. The cost is $100.00 for 12 months and is tax deductible. Please make checks payable to NJBCA and note CC Membership on the memo line of the check. We really would like to have you as a member. If there are any questions regarding the object of, or membership in the Century Club, please call Doug Scott at the office: 732-291-0878

LADIES AUXILIARY NEWS:

Our semi-annual Spaghetti Dinner which was held on Saturday, October 18th went off very well. We would like to thank our great volunteers who came to serve as well as all those who generously donated items and cash for our dinner. Last, but not least, thank you to all those who came out to support our dinner.

Our Christmas sale will be coming up shortly on Friday, November 7th and Saturday, November 8th from 10 am to 6 pm both days. We hope you will be able to make it to this annual event. We have some beautiful items that will be for sale at reasonable prices.

REMINDER: Reservation forms and payment for the Annual Awards/Christmas dinner to be held on December 7th MUST be received in the NJBCA office no later than November 19th.

The Holiday Season is beginning already. The Auxiliary wishes you a happy and safe Holiday.

******HAPPY THANKSGIVING *****

CAMPERS CORNER:

Our art exhibit at the Middletown Arts Center was a resounding success. More than one hundred pieces of artwork from our program participants were displayed, and an equal amount from our co-exhibitor, St. Lucy's School for Blind Children in Philadelphia.

Yeoman's work was done by our art teacher Sue Ferraro to prepare for this impressive exhibit. Thanks also go to Maggie O'Brien, Executive Director of the Middletown Arts Center for her ongoing support of our art program, and her help and support with the show.

Four of our members had pieces sold, raising $500 for the NJBCA. Charles Blood, Angie Dowd, David Mayer, and Dottie Lee (2) were the proud and talented artists.

On October 7, Mr. Pete Brady, one of the original donors who made our fine arts program possible, visited our campus to add a music component to this program.

In the 1960's, Pete constructed a harpsichord from a kit, and provided a demonstration, and an educational program to our campers. If I remember correctly (we weren't given a quiz), the harpsichord dates to the 15th-16th century, long before the piano. The harpsichord mechanism plucks the strings, unlike the piano striking them, and produces a distinct sound evoking mental images of a middle-ages concert.

Our day program participants were able to feel the instrument, cabinet and strings, and "elder statesman" Edna Doucha treated us to a couple of songs, as did Mr. Brady. Our campers raved about the demonstration, and we're hoping Pete will reprise the program in 2009. On October 15 and October 16 we returned to Holmdel Park/Longstreet Farm, this time to make Apple Cider.

The campers were taken on an informative guided tour of Longstreet Farm describing the various buildings and items used in 1890. Using only equipment that was available in "Little House on the Prairie" times, our campers had a ball with chopping and pressing devices, as well as sampling the finished product. Since this is a working farm and nothing is wasted, the peels and pulp of the apples were used to feed the chickens and pigs kept on the farm as we watched (from a safe distance outside their pens).

A picnic at the park each day concluded the activities. We have now made ice-cream and apple cider, and I hear they have an old fashioned pretzel making tour. We'll be back!

POTPOURRI

HI, I'M BOB BARNETT. RING A BELL?

The first commercial cellphone call in the United States was made 25 years ago this week: Bob Barnett, then president of Ameritech Mobile communications, called from a Chrysler convertible at Soldier Field in Chicago, to the grandson of Alexander Graham Bell, who was in Berlin, Germany.

The first cellphone on the market, the Motorola Dyna TAC 8000x, weighed 28 ounces (thus its nickname, "the brick") and cost $3,995. There are now more than 262 million wireless users in the country.

QUIZ

What do these two people have in common? (See next page for answer-no cheating!)

Claude Monet

Eduard Degas

ANSWER TO POTPOURRI QUESTION

If you said they were both French painters, you are correct of course, but score NO points.

The better answer-they were both legally blind by today's definition.

Source: RNIB Website

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