PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE (September 10th)

One week ago today was Labor Day. Most of us celebrate the annual holiday with family or friends. Picnics and outdoor events marking the end-of-the-season are always big. Labor Day is a national legal holiday that is over 100 years old. Over the years, it has evolved from a purely labor union celebration into a general "last fling of summer" festival. It grew out of a celebration and parade in honor of the working class by the Knights of Labor in 1882 in New York. The parade was held on the first Monday in September. The Knights passed a resolution to hold all future parades on the same day, designated by them as Labor Day.

My guess is you didn’t know the “rest of the story.” The Socialist Party held a similar celebration of the working class on May 1. This date eventually became known as May Day, and was celebrated by Socialists and Communists in commemoration of the workingman. In the U.S., the first Monday in September was selected to reject any identification with Communism. Today, Labor Day is observed not only in the U.S., but also in Canada and other industrialized nations.

We Serve ……… John Page

TODAY’S MEETING (September 10th)

Sherri Greenwood will provide the club with an update on the Arrowhead Medical Center and/or Sartori Foundation.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

September 17 … Shane Schellhorn will speak to the club about, "Drive Safe Cedar Valley".

September 24 … Roger Bublitz District Gov. NE IA District will speak to the Club.

October 1 … Robert Smith will speak to the club about UNI-CUE.

October 8 … Cedar Falls Interclub meeting. Jeff Kurtz, Director, Cedar Falls Historical Society, and Campaign Chair, Don Redfern, will speak to the club about the, "Keeping our Heritage Alive Campaign."

October 15 … Bennie Spain, Director, Black Hawk County Veterans Commission will speak to the Club.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Board Meeting, Tuesday, September 11th, 5:30 pm at the Brown Bottle.

BIRTHDAYS ANNIVERSARIES

Barry Haskins – Sept. 11th Paul & Shirley Nielsen – Sept. 12th

Anne & Karl Hennessey - Sept. 14th

LAST MEETING (August 27th)

Superintendent David Stoakes spoke to the club about the upcoming Physical Plant & Equipment Levee that will be on the school board election ballot on September 11, 2007. Superintendent Stoakes said the cost of maintaining the district's buildings is increasing. So when residents go to the polls to vote for two at-large school board members they will also be asked to approve a $1.34 physical plant and equipment levy. This request is double the 67-cent levy residents approved in 1996. The 10-year levy is set to expire on June 30, 2008. If approved the increase would result in a $43.28 tax bill for homeowners with a house assessed at $150,000. It would go into affect for the 2008-09 school year. This vote will not affect the district's general fund property tax rate, which sits at $13.13. Superintendent Stoakes said even though the city has seen a rapid growth in its tax base the district can't count on such growth over the 10-year life of the tax. Maintaining buildings is getting more and more expensive and the school system has increased their square footage by more than 109,000. PPEL money is generally used for roof repair, system maintenance, energy conservation, general repairs and building remodels but can also be used to purchase school buses.

IT'S GREAT TO BE A LION!