May is better hearing and speech month

May is a good time to stop and think about your hearing.  As we age, our ability to hear ages also.  Hearing loss directly affects the quality of social situations.  When a person can’t communicate as effectively as in the past, he/she may start losing self-esteem and avoid social interactions.

Isolation is an issue for the elderly population-43% of seniors feel lonely on a regular basis, according to a recent survey by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).  Lonely seniors are more likely to decline and die faster. This highlights the importance of making sure hearing issues in adults are identified and addressed earlier.

Here is a quiz you can take to see if you have Early Signs of Hearing Loss:

•    Do other people seem to mumble?
•    Is it sometime difficult to hear other people’s voices in a noisy place?
•    Do you find other people’s TV’s or radio volume too low for you to hear clearly?
•    Do other people comment that you’re TV or radio is too loud for them?
•    Do you sometimes misunderstand what others are saying to you?
•    Do you find yourself “filling in the gaps” when you have misheard what someone has said to you?
•    Do you have difficulty following and participating in conversation, especially when there is background noise?
•    Do you have poor attention; easily distracted?
•    Are you indifferent, socially withdrawn; insecure?
•    Is your ability of hear a man’s voice easier than the voice of a woman or child?
•    Do you have complaints that some sounds are annoying or overly loud?
•    Is there a ringing, roaring, or hissing sound in one or both ears?
•    Do you have problems on the telephone?
•    Do you often ask people to repeat themselves?

If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, there could be a hearing problem and you need to be seen for a hearing test.  You can find a licensed audiologist in your area by going to The American Academy of Audiology website and look under search for an audiologist.

Hearing problems are serious.  The most important thing you can do if you think you or a loved one has a hearing problem is see a doctor or an audiologist.  An otolaryngologist, a doctor who specializes in the ear, nose, and throat or an audiologist can diagnose hearing loss.  There are many causes of hearing loss.  Some types are treatable, or even curable.  If the hearing loss affects every day life, a wide variety of hearing loss devices are available to help.  Happy Hearing!

By Guest Blogger, Dr Gayle Chaney

Dr. Chaney is an Audiologist at the Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind.  She serves on the Board of Trustees for the Idaho-Eastern Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation

Midvale Lions host Health Fair

Over 90 people were served at the annual Midvale Lions Club Health Fair. This year’s theme, in keeping with Midvale Lions upcoming 50th Anniversary, was Celebrating Healthy Lifestyles. The Health Fair was held on Saturday October 25th at the Midvale Veterans Hall from 9am-1pm.  Midvale Lions served a healthful brunch to vendors and attendees.

Health Services offered were:

• Comprehensive Metabolic Blood Panel
• Flu Vaccinations
• Blood Glucose, Vision, Hearing, and Blood Pressure Screening in Lions MSU
• Height, Weight and Body Composition Analysis
• Mammogram Screening
• Bone Density Testing
• Rural Health Information Services and Rural Agencies serving the Upper Country
• Medicare/Medicaid Information
• Hospice and Home Health Care information
• Weiser Hospital information

The Midvale Lions Club has 27 members and meets at the VFW Hall on the first Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm.  In addition to sponsoring the annual Health Fair, they sell community calendars, adopt families and collect toys at Christmas, and sponsor the Patriotism Essay Contest.

Press release from our friends at Special Olympics Idaho

BOISE, ID – February 16, 2014 – On the morning of Saturday the 15th, Head Coach for
the Moscow Rebels’ Special Olympic Team, Elizabeth King, discovered that their local
storage unit had been broken into and their Winter Sports equipment had been stolen.
With the 2014 State Winter Games just two weeks away in Sun Valley, this was a
crushing blow to the local team. The Moscow Rebels have been training hard all season
and just returned from Regional Competitions in Coeur d’Alene, excited and ready for
their State Games. With the loss of their equipment, this may mean that these athletes
will not be able to join other Idaho athletes in Sun Valley on February 28th.


The Moscow Rebels may have lost their equipment, but they have not lost their hope.
Teams from all across Idaho have rallied together in support of their competition, and
are donating extra sports equipment from their teams to ensure that the Moscow Rebels
will meet them at the Games. The Coeur d’Alene Eagles have donated $1,000 from their
very own fundraising efforts to support the team in obtaining rental equipment for State
Games. LC Storm in Lewiston and the Silver Valley team in Kellogg are donating
equipment for the team to use. Even with the teams rallying together, Moscow Rebels
will need support from the community to ensure they have safe and appropriate
competition gear for State Games.

The Moscow Rebels are in need of Snowshoe and Nordic ski equipment. It is their hope
that they will be able to rent the equipment needed for State Games, that they are
unable to borrow from other teams. Local teams fundraise for their own equipment,
uniforms, housing and travel to Games. This has been a setback for the team, but they
are not allowing it to prevent them from going to State Competitions.

Special Olympics Idaho’s Director of Sports and Training, Opey Freedle, said, “Anytime
crime effects our community it is a loss, but this was a devastating blow for our athletes.
After all the hard work put into training for State Games, it’s a tragedy that this team may
miss out on the chance to showcase their skills and abilities, and compete for the Gold
at State. The answer is up to the community now. We will do what we can on our end to
make sure they get the chance to compete. But we’ll need help to get them there.”

If you would like to assist the team in renting equipment for the 2014 State Winter
Games in Sun Valley, or would like to donate snowshoes or skiing equipment, please
contact Pam Lisenbe, Special Olympics Northern Idaho Regional Director, at 208-659-
0172 or email pam@idso.org.

If you have any information concerning the theft of the Moscow Rebels sports
equipment, please contact the Moscow Police Department at 208-882-2677.

Did you miss the Midwinter?

The Midwinter Convention last weekend hosted by Mountain Home Lions included many of the usual activities-and a few that were not so usual.

Friday night's International Food Fair had 3 contestants-the Parma Lions, the Boise Riverside Special Olympics Lions, and the Mountain Home Lions. The BRSO club was the winner with the country of "Sweetzerland".  OK, not really a country, but DG Bill called it "innovation".  I think he's a member of that club... Parma's country was the mythical Parma-san and Mtn. Home chose the Philippines. Those who braved the weather enjoyed music by Third Take until heading to the "Lions Den" in room 115.

A few of the breakout sessions had to be cancelled due to weather concerns, but John Mundt filled in with a presentation about the Hamburg convention.  Rich Sykes, president of the Mountain Home club, told us why their club is 106 members strong and growing.  He's the only president I know who has voluntarily been tased and shot with paint balls to further the cause of Lionism.

Stevie Beehler was elected to serve as District Governor next year, and Jay Lugo was elected to serve as 1st Vice District Governor (after being appointed 2nd Vice District Governor at the Cabinet meeting on Friday). 

International Director Larry Dicus from California was the keynote speaker for the evening banquet.  I was impressed with his commitment to the use of technology and social media and he had some good suggestions and ideas.

There were a few awards presented.  International President's Certificates of Appreciation were given to Lynn and Dennis Burks, co-chairs of the convention (great job, you two!) and Nancy Berto for the publicity she does with her club and zone.  Friendship tote bags were given to Karen Woods, DGE Stevie Beehler, DG Ron Gill from the East, Rich Sykes, Dennis and Lynn, and IT Kathy Donahue.

You may be wondering what was unusual about this convention.  That would be the outhouse theme.  Mountain Home Lions have a tradition of hauling around an outhouse to get new members...More on that later. It may have you wanting to build one of your own-or not.

Learn leadership skills

Multiple District 39 will be hosting a Leadership Seminar on March 21 and 22 at the Idaho-E. Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation in Boise.

The seminar is open to any Lion; however, you must submit an application as only 25 Lions will be accepted. 

What will you learn?  Topics include time management, public speaking, team building, Lions protocol, meeting management, communication, and more.  Not only will these topics benefit you as a Lion, but in your other endeavors as well.  Who couldn't benefit from learning better time management or how to work better with other people on your team?

Applications are now available-return to Deanna Rostock ASAP to reserve your spot.

You can also find the schedule and instructor list at this link.

And did I mention-it's free!

Who parks all those cars?

Every now and then, but not nearly often enough, someone brings a great Lions club event or project to my attention.  Today I want to pass along a project that's been going on for 48 years.

Since 1965 the Twin Falls Lions Club has been parking cars at the Twin Falls County Fair.  This involves a lot more than just directing traffic.  It begins with 12 acres of pasture that the Lions section off into rows for parking and lanes for driving.  They pound steel posts into the ground for markers,  direct cars where to park, and attend the lot throughout the 6 day fair.

But it's not over until the lot is cleaned up and restored to its original condition, 10 days after they drove in the first stake.

It somehow doesn't look like all work and no play!

Congratulations to PDG Don Rahe who has been the Fair Parking Chairperson for the last 10 years for another successful project!

 

A few of my favorites things...about USA/Canada Forum

So why do I like going to the USA/Canada Forum, besides the "fun" time traveling and the keynotes? 

It's the Lions! 

Each lunch or dinner you are seated by colors, so it's doubtful that you'll be sitting with people you know.  Two lunches+2 dinners with tables set for 10-that's the opportunity to spend a couple of hours with 36 Lions.  Time to attend 7 seminars, seated at tables with at least 8 others-that's 49  Lions. 

You have the opportunity to meet 85 Lions, give or take, from all over the USA and Canada.  Alaska, California, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Texas, Wyoming, Utah, Hawaii, New Mexico-just some of the places Lions were from that I had a chance to talk to.  And learn from

From a shooting range in Utah (reported by the lone participant from that state), to owning and running an ambulance service in Connecticut, Lions have some amazing projects!  And it seems all the clubs have similar projects-vision testing, picking up litter, recycling, partnering with schools and other organizations. 

Problems are the same, too-getting more and younger members topped that list.

The opportunity to network with so many Lions and learn from them is the most valuable part of the forum.  It's one of the biggest reason people go back year after year.   

San Juan, September, 2014.  Who's planning to go?

A few Idaho forum attendees:  Floyd Miller, Deanna Rostock, me (Kathy Donahue), Tom Behm.

Motivating the Lions

My second most favorite part of the USA/Canada Forum is listening to the keynote speakers.  (More about my favorite thing another day!)

The Forum starts on Thursday evening with dinner and a speaker; this year it was Ed Hearn.  I was pretty excited about this as an avid baseball fan, since Ed was a major league ballplayer in the 80s.  His story is about achieving his boyhood dream, losing his health and almost his life, and battling back to be able to inspire others with his story. 

At the Friday luncheon, the speaker was Dayna Steele-finding your inner rock star.  Dayna is a motivational speaker and she was well-prepared to speak to the Lions.  You can find her daily motivational tips on her blog or delivered to your inbox.

Saturday's speaker was the International President, Barry Palmer.  I liked his "on the fly" idea to have a one-day lunch to target new female members-one day all over the world.  I hope he can make this a reality, but even if it's not worldwide, how about district wide?

The final keynote speaker on Saturday night was a truly amazing man, Patrick Henry Hughes.  Born with no eyes and a condition that does not allow him to straighten his arms or legs, Patrick is a college graduate and brilliant pianist.  He doesn't see a task and say "I can't do it" but instead, asks, "How can I do it?" 

Hearing these speakers, I can't help but come home inspired and motivated to do more as a Lion.  If the 2,000 other attendees feel the same, we won't be saying we can't succeed.  Lions will be finding a way.

Kansas City, here I come

It is Wednesday afternoon and as I check the passenger totals for my stand-by flight on Thursday to Kansas City to attend the USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum, I realize there is no way I can get there in time for the Thursday evening keynote speaker and dinner.  I hurriedly throw  clothes into my suitcase, pack up my 2 dogs to drop off at the kennel, and head to the airport.  Not getting a seat on the 3:00 flight, I check my options.  If I can get on the flight to San Francisco at 5:36, I will be able to make the red-eye to Houston, and make it to KC by 9:41 in plenty of time to make the opening events of the forum.

As luck would have it (finally, some luck!) the 6:03 flight from San Francisco is delayed, and I make it to Kansas City at 1:30 am.  Whew!

What have I learned so far?  Plan ahead!

Now I've made it to the Overland Park Convention Center.  The hallways are filled with Lions from all over the US and Canada.  I take in the Exhibit Hall and the Lions Store.  Luck continues as I find Twin Falls own PID Floyd Miller and we grab a bite to eat.  Shortly thereafter, I find Lions Stevie Packard and Happy Olsen from the Boise Bench Club waiting to check in.  Now things are starting to fall into place!

Finally, the USA/Canada Forum 2013 has begun.

Our next few posts will tell you more about the weekend that nine Lions from District 39W experienced in Overland Park.  Stay tuned!

Volunteering at Ronald McDonald House

The Boise Capital Lions Club  gives assistance to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Idaho as one of their ongoing projects.  From collecting pull tabs from soda cans to cooking breakfast, the Lions give back to make things a little brighter for families when their children are undergoing hospital treatment.

The recent edition of the Ronald McDonald House newsletter, "Home Matters", features the Lions on the cover page.  Four times a year, the Lions cook breakfast for guests and staff, even bringing cinnamon rolls (yum!) donated by Radean's Restaurant.

 To volunteer with Ronald McDonald House, visit their website.  To volunteer with the Boise Capital Lions, visit their website or facebook page.