May 2019Past Issues Paying Off Lunch Debt Pays Off Big for KidsFor some students their school lunch is the only meal they will get all day. In Minnesota’s Minnetonka School District the Excelsior Lions are looking out for those children, seeing to it that everyone gets the food they need, and no child has to feel singled out for being different. The Lions donated money to Excelsior Elementary School to pay off student hot lunch debts and are also providing funding for a program that allows…more...LION Day Helps Beet DiabetesIn Dover, New York, the elementary school children have taste-tested everything from healthy mangoes to golden beets during their lunch time. At home their parents are being educated about combatting diabetes. It all started when The Town of Dover Lions Katie Pallmer-House and Patti Zangle were inspired by the Lion mantra “Think Global, Act Local” at the 40th annual Lions Day with the United Nations in March 2018. Pallmer-House and Zangle wanted to learn about…more...Bookstall Makes BankFor the 17th year, the St. Wendel Lions Club set up shop at the St. Wendel Easter market. Similar to previous years, they had approximately 7,000 books to sell. These ranged from nonfiction, to cookbooks, to literature for children, to travel books, and included specialist publications on themes like medicine, esoterism, philosophy, and global and local history. The St. Wendel club uses the proceeds from the book sales to construct schools and medical centers in…more...Convention CallIn compliance with Article VI, Section 2 of the International By-Laws, I hereby issue the Official Call for the 2019 International Convention. Our 102nd International Convention will be held in Milan, Italy. It begins at 10 a.m. July 5 and ends July 9. The purpose of the convention is to elect a president, first vice president, second vice president, third vice president and 17 members of the International Board of Directors and to transact such…more...Anniversaries - May 2019100 Years: Ada, Okla. 95 Years: Chillicothe Evening, Ohio; Des Plaines, Ill.; Lewisburg, Pa.; Winters, Texas; Lebanon, Pa.; Strathroy, Ontario, CAN 90 Years: Tempe, Ariz.; La Grande, Ore.; Converse, Ind.; Kenmore, N.Y.; Sedan, Kan.; Goldthwaite, Texas; Angleton, Texas; Henryetta, Okla; Parkston, S.D.; Sturgeon Bay, Wis.; Colusa, Calif.; Jamestown, N.D.; Washburn, N.D.; Middletown, Conn. 85 Years: Peekskill, N.Y.; Chester, S.C.; Washington Court House, Ohio; Clayton, Ga.; Wilmington, Ohio; Clarkesville, Ga.; Cape Charles, Va.; Mandan, N.D.; Clifton,…more...Into the WildInto the Wild Ho`opono Services for the Blind in Honolulu, Hawaii helps those with vision impairment transition to a life without sight. Here, as part of their week-long camp to promote employment they take a group of students on a hike.more...Club News - May 2019The Hot Springs Village Evening Lions in Arkansas celebrated their 45th anniversary and decided to improve their efforts to collect eyeglasses. They designed two eye-catching drop boxes that give community members an easy opportunity to donate to the cause. David “Bud” Davis Jr., a Lion for 66 years and the last remaining charter member of the Cecilton Lions Club in Maryland, was honored by his club with his own bench. The Meridian Lions Club in…more...Candidates For Third Vice PresidentSalim Moussan Salim Moussan of Beirut, Lebanon, is a retired businessman and member of Beirut St. Gabriel Lions Club. An international director from 1997 to 1999, he has twice been a board appointee, twice a group leader, and has chaired several leadership forums. He is fluent in three languages, has visited 96 countries, and has attended 31 consecutive international conventions, 84 area forums and more than 60 regional conferences. Recipient of several Lions awards, he…more...Official Notice 2019 International Convention, Milan, ItalyThe following proposed amendments to the International Constitution will be reported to the delegates for vote at the 2019 International Convention. ITEM 1: A RESOLUTION TO ADD A NEW CONSTITUTIONAL AREA OF AFRICA AND TO ADD REPRESENTATION OF ONE NEW INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR TO THE NEW CONSTITUTIONAL AREA OF AFRICA IN EVEN-NUMBERED YEARS; RENAME THE CONSTITUTIONAL AREA OF ISAAME TO ISAME; AND LIST THE CONSTITUTIONAL AREAS IN NUMERIC ORDER. (THIS AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES A…more...Women Lions Walk the WalkWomen Lions Walk the Walk The New Voices Initiative celebrates the extraordinary achievements of and contributions by women in Lions Clubs International. The following four women have been chosen by IP Yngvadottir for their significant accomplishments in the areas of service, growth, leadership, and marketing. As you celebrate these four women, consider the important role that you played in supporting and empowering the women of Lions. Together, Lions are doing so much to make the…more...LCIF Eases a Heavy Burden in TanzaniaImagine trekking across the savannah with your child in the blistering sun to collect water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and farming. For you, the three-mile journey is grueling, but standard practice. For your 5-year-old daughter, it’s an exhausting trip that brings sweat to her tiny forehead and introduces the challenges of living in a water-stressed part of the world. Imagine arriving at a sandy riverbank, already exhausted from the walk. Imagine plunging that jug deep…more...A Leo Saved My LifeNeither one of them was supposed to be there that night. Bowling with friends, Garrett Towe, 17, was standing in his lane when he noticed a loud commotion two lanes over. A middle-aged man had collapsed. His body was shaking, and he threw up. “Does anybody know CPR?” someone shouted. The irony of it all was striking. Towe had not intended to be at Ralphie’s Fun Center in Glasgow, near Bowling Green, Kentucky. He and…more...The InvisiblesA cast of characters deep in Florida’s interior help the unseen to see. “ I struggle with what God wants me to do. Feed the hungry? Clothe the naked? Visit the imprisoned? Is that everybody or only U.S. citizens? ” - Lion Margarita Romo, Dade City Hispanic American Club. Past District Governor Shirley LePage zips down the narrow street in a brown Kia Sportage. She honks at a blood donation bus that has paused at…more...Women Are Changing LionsA growing number of women are taking the lead and Lions’ service has never been stronger In 1987, Lions Clubs International voted to allow women to join the Lions family. And join they did. Today, women are the fastest growing segment of Lions, with more than 425,000 women serving around the world. In Latin America, 41% of club presidents are women, and so are 43% of district governors in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Of…more...All Aboard the LøvebussenAbout 30 years ago, Lions Club Sørfold in northern Norway built a “play-bus” for the local kindergarten. As the weather in the region can be harsh, the bus began to look worn. The Sorfold Lions decided it was time to build a new bus for the children. Ten members of the 19-member club spent more than 60 hours building the bus by hand from Norwegian spruce. Says Lion Bjørn Helge Hansen, “The bus is very…more...By the Numbers - May 2019“I love it here. I could live here another 20 years. I love it.” —Lion Anny Cochrane, Bethel Lions Club, on living in Bethel, Alaska. “New members and diversity bring new, fresh ideas as well as provide those extra hands needed to accomplish more service projects.” — Lions Clubs International Third Vice President Brian Sheehan, Bird Island Lions, Minnesota. “Broken people cannot fix broken communities. You have to fix broken people.” — Lion Margarita Romo,…more...Food for ThoughtFood for Thought A Dade City, Florida resident leaves the Norma Godinez Education and Arts building with bags full of cereal, canned goods, and pasta. Dade City is home to a large population of farmworkers who work the fruit and vegetable fields that blanket the state’s interior. Farmworkers often work long hours picking food that feeds the country while they go hungry. The Dade City Lions work to ensure they can provide meals for their…more...Together, We Lead the WayHello, Lions! In the months leading up to my term as International President, I was often asked how I would do things differently as the first woman president of our organization. The question bothered me because I didn’t want to lead as a woman; I wanted to lead. Period. In Iceland women have been leading for a long time. I grew up feeling my opportunities were not limited by my gender and as I prepared…more...