July/Aug 2019Past Issues Lions Helping Lions“How can clubs like the Paradise Host Lions keep going when it’s taking 100 percent of their energy to help the community?” asks Jackson [California] Lions Club President Mike Bohl. Well, the Lions will help them. In June, about seven months after the devastating fire in northern California, members of the Jackson Lions drove 135 miles to treat the Paradise Host Lions and their hardworking community guests to a tri-tip dinner. The restaurant where the…more...Paradise Is Not LostCalifornia’s catastrophic Camp Fire in November burned more than 150,000 acres, killing 86 people and destroying close to 20,000 structures. Thousands of people fled for their lives. It was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the state’s history. But one thing remains unable to be destroyed by flames. That's hope, hope that altered lives can slowly be healed, homes can be rebuilt, and a devastated community can be restored. The Lions of California Grass…more...Nothing Fishy About this IdeaThe Lions in Mt. Washington, Kentucky, host more than 30 fundraising fish fries a year, selling more than 15,000 pieces of fresh fish. For the people in their area south of Louisville that means there are multiple opportunities to get a good dinner while supporting a great cause. But for members of the Mt. Washington, Inc. club, every fish fry also meant several volunteers were needed just to haul fryers, product, and other equipment back…more...From Boats to BlackboardsShipping containers get second life as mobile classrooms for displaced people When the Syrian civil war came to a climax toward the end of 2014, a surge of people began to flee the intense bombings in the region. Lions were ready. For more than three years Lions in Turkey have partnered with Lions in Sweden to provide aid to refugees in Turkey along the Syrian border. But it soon became clear that food and shelter…more...Golf Ball RescuersFour years ago, Justin Hoving posed a question to his “Papa.” “What do you want to do today?” “Well, we could hunt for golf balls,” Sycamore [Illinois] Lion Joe Woodward suggested. And so 7-year-old Justin and his grandfather walked along the fence that separates the Sycamore Park District baseball diamonds from the back nine of the golf course. If a baseball came back there it would be a home run. But a golf ball means…more...Anniversaries - July 2019JULY 2019 100 Years: Quincy, Ill. 95 Years: Placerville, Calif.; Winchester Host, Va.; St. Louis South Side, Mo.; Hope, Kan.; Clintonville, Wis. 90 Years: Fredericksburg, Texas; Silver Spring, Md.; Belfast, Maine; Indiana, Pa.; Lubbock, Texas; South Buffalo-Lackawanna, N.Y.; Elburn, Ill. 85 Years: Carson City, Mich.; Williston, N.D.; Ellijay, Ga.; Hamakua, Hawaii; Front Royal, Va. 80 Years: Chicago Mount Greenwood, Ill; Mooresville, N.C.; Dalton, Pa.; Adams, Mass.; Cynthiana, Ky. 75 Years: Enterprise, Ala.; Marshall, Ill.; Fairbanks…more...Just For YouJust For You John Upp shares a little sunshine on Daffodil Day—the one day each spring when the Cecilton Lions in Maryland pick the flowers that bloom aplenty on his family farm, and share bouquets with the community’s shut-ins. Upp’s father is said to have started the Lion project 56 years ago, and this year Cecilton Lions and their friends delivered more than 800 bouquets in their community.more...Annual Lions-anthem Volunteer Days Support Healthy CommunitiesYarn has never served such a worthy purpose. Anthem Associates from southern California teamed up with the Camarillo Amber's Light Lions Club from Camarillo, California, to make Disney-themed, soft yarn wigs for children with cancer. The Alaska-based non-profit, The Magic Yarn Project, is transforming the way pediatric cancer patients manage hair loss and cope with grueling chemotherapy treatments. “These soft princess wigs help bring some fun to little girls during difficult and sometimes scary times…more...Club News - July 2019In Pennsylvania, Boy Scout John E. Yaletchko III made wooden eyeglass collection boxes for the Avon Grove Lions as his Eagle Scout project. The boxes will be placed in various locations in the Avondale West Grove area to collect used glasses. In Michigan, the Almont Lions Club sponsored two Almont girls in Lions’ contests. Jenny Highberger’s entry in the essay contest, and Megan Larkin’s entry in the peace poster contest won at club, district, and…more...Sight for Kids, a Powerful PartnershipSight for Kids, a Powerful Partnership Ben was 3 years old. He should have felt happy, inquisitive, and brave. Instead, he always seemed to have an angry expression on his face. He rarely smiled. In addition, he had delayed motor skills and difficulty walking; he would frequently run into things. He was frustrated and expressed it through crying and tantrums. Confused by his behavior, Ben’s parents were not sure how to help him. What they…more...Diversity Bridges All DividesCreating Harmony Through Service With International President Dr. Jung-Yul Choi We Serve all people in all places. Lions are a shining example to the world of the good that can be accomplished by uniting in harmony. We’re known for our strength and ability to help others—and this is only accomplished Through Diversity. Hard work. The importance of giving your all with consistency, vision and passion. Never allowing someone in crisis to go unserved. These are…more...In BloomDaffodil Day Brings Smiles with Spring For 56 years the Cecilton Lions in Maryland have marked the arrival of spring with Operation Daffodil. Their only mission: To make people smile. For the last 20 of those 56 years, Rose Miller and her husband, Cecilton Lion Jack Miller, have headed the project, monitoring the spring weather and driving down to the valley in Earleville, near Cecilton, where the daffodils dance in the wild, covering the land…more...Finding HomeHOW A NEPALESE DIASPORA COMMUNITY IN CALIFORNIA FOUND THEIR ROOTS AGAIN IN LIONS. It was under a banyan tree that it all began. In the town where Rajen Thapa grew up in Eastern Nepal there was no football field, no tennis court, no swimming pool – just the banyan tree. In the evening, after they were done helping their parents in the rice paddies and with the water buffalo and cows, the children would gather…more...A Duty to Give BackInternational President Dr. Jung-Yul Choi reveals a life that shaped him to serve. A man becomes a Lion When International President Dr. Jung-Yul Choi was a young businessman, he helped a milk boy who had spilled his day's deliveries. The boy asked how he would pay Dr. Choi back. “You don’t need to pay me back directly,” Dr. Choi told him. “You work hard, make more money, and then when you encounter someone in a…more...Executive Summary – July 2019INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Reykjavik, Iceland April 3-6, 2019 AUDIT COMMITTEE The committee will continue to monitor and follow up on action plans. CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS COMMITTEE Appointed International Director Dr. Datuk Naga to serve as the Coordinating Lion for the former District 301-A1 (Philippines) for fiscal year 2019-2020. Approved the formation of the Ad Hoc Committee on Board Representation for fiscal year 2019-2020; established the objectives, duties, meeting schedule and budget for the…more...Smooth Sailing ServiceEvery spring Sea Cowboys, Awkward Turtles, Energy Pirates, Slovenian Sharks, and Hungarian Sea Lions line the coast of Croatia off the Adriatic Sea. These are just some of the creative names Lions have given their boats for the annual regatta organized by the District 126 Croatia Lions to raise money for prevention and rehabilitation programs for people with narcotics dependencies. It began more than 20 years ago as an initiative from Lions clubs of Zagreb…more...Get to Know the GAT: Making it Easier to Make a Big ImpactGlobal Action Team (GAT) Connects Lions Around the World What is the GAT? In the world of Lions there are three letters with the ability to significantly enhance your and your club’s service impact: G. A. T. (Global Action Team). By now, you may have heard of the GAT, but maybe still don’t fully understand exactly what it does or how it can make an impact on service outcomes. That’s okay. Simply put, the GAT…more...By the Numbers - July 2019“I wanted a bright future along with other children. And if they only work in the field, the future wouldn’t be bright” —PDG Rajen Thapa, on why he made it his mission to convince parents in his Nepalese town to send their children to school. “The club president is the most crucial leadership position. We should serve them, help them achieve their goals.” — Incoming International President, Dr. Jung-Yul Choi. “Well, first there’s hanging with…more...School's In For SummerSchool’s In For Summer For two years Shivani Sharma, 8, (in purple, raising her hand) has attended a Nepalese School started by Lions. The school is a place for her to connect to her roots and meet others with the same cultural background. Here she’s learning how to combine the letters of the Nepalese alphabet to create words. Sharma can speak the language but finds writing it difficult. Read story now.more...Let All Our Lights Brighten the DarknessGreetings Lions! It is my great pleasure to address the Lion community for the first time as your International President. As we enter a new Lion year I have high hopes for us. My focus during my presidency is on fostering diversity in service. After all, there are more than 1.4 million Lions around the world, and each of us is unique. And every one matters. This means that we have to do more than…more...