District 7 - N
Crossett Lions Club

February 23, 2009

Please welcome a new member to the Crossett Lions Club.  His name is Chris Hammond.  Lion Chris works for the Abiding Faith School.  We are glad to have Chris in our club, and we congratulate Lion Barry Burchfield for bringing Chris into the Lions organization.

 March 2, 2009 – Robin Halliburton brought us up to date on what is happening at the Crossett Zoo.  They have many new animals to be seen, such as: A camel named Georgia, European Red Deer, a miniature Indian Zebu that will soon have a baby, their previous cougar died due to old age and has been replaced by a young cougar named “Outlaw Jose Wales”, a honey bear from the jungle of Ecuador, new macaws (they talk!!) and a gift shop.  Robin is hoping to soon have a pair of zebras.   Her ultimate dream is to have a giraffe, but the $50,000 needed for one is not available.

March 9, 2009 Lion Roger Reves invited Ms. Jamie Rindt to speak to us about the LIFE CHOICES program in Crossett.  Life Choices is a faith based non-profit organization that provides pregnancy tests, some counseling, education and some supplies to pregnant women and those with recently born children.  The education is provided by classes, pamphlets and videos based on “Focus on the Family”.  The supplies, such as car seats, diapers, baby beds, blankets, etc., can be acquired in two ways: 1. From free donated items. 2. By earning credits through the attendance of classes and studying of the written and video materials.   Last year, they had 100 clients and 139 client visits.

June 1, 2009  Lion Bill Gilbert invited Mr. Johnny Bolin, a representative of the Arkansas Good Roads/Transportation Council to speak to our club.  The Good Roads/Transportation Council indicates that Arkansas school busses travel 35 million miles annually; many on narrow 2 lanes, for regular routes, field trips and sporting events.  Teresa Walsh of Crossett is on the board of directors of this council.

Mr. Bolin reported that the Arkansas Act 374, dated 3/11/09, created the Arkansas Blue Ribbon Committee on Highway Finance.  Also, The Arkansas Highway Commission gave approval, dated 3/13/09, for 103 road and bridge improvement projects totaling $421 million dollars.  Some of this money will come from the stimulus money created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ARRA.  He reported that the Crossett Public School System would receive approx. $1.5 million from the ARRA.

More info can be found at:  www.ArkansasHighways.com     www.recovery.arkansas.gov and www.agrtc.com and www.betterroadsbetterfuture.org.

The Crossett Lions Club officer installation banquet was held June 22, 2009 at 6 p.m. at the Country Vittles Restaurant.  New officers are: Ed Gilbert-president, Sherri Hendrix-treasurer, Bill Runyan-secretary, Bill Gilbert-lion tamer, Chad Davis-past president.  Board members are: Billy Bell, Tony Hendrix, Joe Mason.

We also proud to say that one of Crossett's own Lions Club member, Donald Flentroy is now District 7N governor.

July 6, 2009 - Lion Bert Jordon invited Mary Jo Jones and Buddy Kinney

of the Crossett Water Works to visit our club meeting. They outlined for us their impressive $6.5 million improvement project now underway. Some, but not nearly all of the line items, are: An expansion and up-grade of the system to increase the production limit from the current 3 million gallons per day up to 4.5 million gallons per day, a 2nd softening unit and treatment facilities to lower the current 200 ppm water hardness down to approximate 110 ppm water hardness, and a new maintenance building. They assured us that the 5 wells and the aquifer from which they pump have a stable and adequate water table level, also that the water lines, with a few exceptions, are in good shape.

August 24, 2009 Lioness Sherri Hendrix invited Mr. Eddie Cheatham to talk to us.  Mr. Cheatham is in the Arkansas House of Representatives, representing parts of Ashley and Drew Counties.  Rep. Cheatham made a few points: ·The State Legislature will meet for a 30 finance session in February 2010 – ·The state lottery will start Sept. 31, 2009.  The proceeds are designated for the education system. – ·There will be a vote in November 2010 to approve/disapprove amendments to the state constitucion regarding 1. less restrictions on economic development 2. changing usury laws 3. The right to hunt and fish.  ·Representative Cheatham is on the house of representatives education committee. 

August 31, 2009 Congratulations to Lioness Sherry Hendrix and Papa Leo Ed Gilbert for bringing new members Drew Wright and Carolyn Barnett into the Crossett Lions Club.

Aug 31, 2009 Lion J.L. Jeffers invited Ashley County Sheriff David Johnson to speak to us.  Sheriff Johnson commented on many of the things he and his administration are doing to keeps costs in line and to maintain law and order in Ashley County.  Some, but not all, of the cost controls are: All officers now have the same make and model of handguns, and the department is trained to do their own gunsmithing; The department recently purchased two patrol cars, yellow in color, but at a savings of $4000; 36 cameras have been installed in the jail which has reduced the number of fraudulent law suits filed by inmates; 70% of the food eaten is cooked in the jail; Medical treatment has been arranged for at Medicaid rates; Electricity and laundry costs have been reduced; and other counties are paying to house inmates in the Ashley County Jail;  Eight inmates help on the County Road Department and inmates work 5 days a week doing trash pickup; a 5 acre garden is maintained by inmates; and Court ordered fines are aggressively collected.

            The biggest drug problem in the county is from abuse and illegal resale of prescription pain and depression drugs.

Sept 25, 2009 Lion Tony Hendrix and Matt Maxwell, Tony's nephew, spoke to us about their experiences as extra actors in a remake of the film "Straw Dogs".  Their part of the film was centered around a high school football game.  They told us about working in the Bossier City Parkway High School Stadium all night from dusk to daylight.  Much of their work was done in pantomime where they pretended to be talking, laughing, clapping, cheering, etc. without making a sound.  The film is scheduled to be released in 2011.

Sept 2009, 

Hey Crossett Lions.  The Indianola, Iowa noon Lions Club sells Screwee! Tators from their Screwee! Tator Shack.  Maybe an addition to try at our Christmas in Crossett booth?

2009, October 3 – The Crossett Lions Club sponsored its annual Go Fish Project.  61 children from the ages of kindergarten through 5^th grade came to the Crossett City Park to catch catfish and bream from Lucas Pond.  The Crossett Lions Club provided fishing poles, hooks, sinkers and bobbers.  A drawing was done for door prizes.  The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission provided 400 pounds of catfish for the event.  SportAbout helped supply red worms for bait.  The CHS Beta Club, CHS FFA Club and Lions members assisted the children by baiting hooks, untangling lines and removing fish from hooks. A drawing was done for door prizes.  Also, any child wishing to keep his or her cane pole was allowed to take it home.  The weather was ideal, the catch rate was medium but of good size fish.  The Crossett Lions Club looks forward to doing it again next year.

2009, Oct 5   Lion Linda Goodwin invited Mr. Henry Anderson, the new Crossett High School principal, to speak to us.  Mr. Anderson recently moved to Crossett from his educational position in Little Rock .  His objectives in Crossett will be to maintain a good discipline program, organize and channel teacher skills and to motivate the students to excel.

•For discipline, some of his ideas are: To empower the teachers in the classrooms, establish in-school suspension to include detention hall with tutors, and social worker follow-up in the home

•For teacher organization, some of his ideas are:  The lesson plans will state the objective, relevance, which one(s) of nine research based high yield strategies are being used, opening bell assessment, guided practice and individual practice.

•For student motivation, He plans:  To have monthly student newsletters to keep students and parents informed, student summit meetings, career counseling, visits by college personnel, a senior shopping trip for those who qualify, isolation of 9^th graders into their own academy, ACT training and pep assemblies.