(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: Dear Lord, this food doth give us strength. Aaccept our thanks, pray do, and let us refer to Thee as “Thee” and never “You.” Let us ever be by grace inspired, and if, while driving home, we have a blowout, help us get re-tired. Amen. Vittles – Pork fritter, mashed potatoes and gravy, mixed vegetables, salad and toppings, rolls and butter, Apple Strudel, tea and coffee.

Attendance – 20 members, 3 visitors. Guests – Fred Greffe, Susan Atwood (above) visiting from London, daughter of Omer Benn. Birthdays – Ben Turpin, Paul Kunkel, Omer Benn.

Lions Report – We all signed a card for Larry, Fonda Bowden’s husband.

If you are ill or know a fellow Lion that is under the weather, please call Pat Bryan at

Announcements – Weldon Garrelts announced that April 4th is our lunch relay for Lions International and challenged us to bring a friend. We should all bring some food to donate to the cause. This is Eye Donation month and Lions Clubs have an Eye Bank in each state, with ours in Springfield.

Lottery – Marvin Paulsen won the $11 lottery.

Program – Sam McGrew introduced the speaker, Louis Kosiba, Executive Director of the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF). He has been with the IMRF for nearly 25 years, and has served as executive director since Prior to his appointment as executive director, Dr. Kosiba was the IMRF general counsel from 1990 to 2001, and manager for the Field Services Department from 1988 to Dr. Kosiba has a Juris doctorate degree and a master’s in business administration from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. He earned a certified employee benefits specialist designation from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Kosiba was one of the founders of the National Association of Public Pension Attorneys (NAPPA) in 1987, and served on its board of directors. As executive director of the IMRF, he speaks throughout Illinois and nationally on retirement issues.

Dr. Kosiba oversees a staff of 180 and reports directly to the eight-member IMRF board of trustees.

Current assets of IMRF are $33.2 billion and it is 96.8% funded on a market basis.

They are not funded by the State of Illinois; it is independent and quite different from the State-funded retirement systems.

The IMRF does not pay compounded cost of living increases and does not provide health insurance.

This system is for local government employees. About $24 million is going into Champaign County.

It is not overly generous but it is solid.

Contributions come from the following: members (13%); Employers (27%); investment income (60%). Most employees contribute 4.5%.

Investments have been very good, with 23 periods out of 30 years having returns greater than 7.5%.

They have a defined benefit plan, which takes 8 years to invest and pays 75% after 40 years of service.

85% of retired members stay in Illinois, so the $1.17 billion paid in 2012 generated many jobs and over a $Billion of added value.

Tail Twister – Omer Benn asked Rich King to carry the bucket.

He fined Marvin Paulsen for having won the lottery;

President Weldon Garrelts for messing up the Pledge;

reported on Dave Hunter for spending time helping Herb Bail on a computer issue;

Omer Benn’s table for his birthday;

Paul Kunkel’s table for his birthday. Then Paul Kunkel bragged on his son-in-law, Rich King;

Omer also bragged on his 89th birthday and that he will have all three of his daughters here for the party.

Feb 26 – Debra Joy Hart RN, BFA, CLL “Humor in Life” Greeter: Bob Tuchel Mar 5 – District Governor Mar 12 – Business Meeting, Gordy Hulten – Elections 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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