Sweater and sweatshirt drive

Although there are many organizations collecting coats during the winter months, there is also a need for sweaters and sweatshirts for children, which is less well known.

It seems there are many children who do not have a warm sweater or sweatshirt to keep them warm during the long winter, at school or at home.  Teachers have reported children coming to school in only light T-shirts in below freezing temperatures.  That is where Lions Jerry Fogle and Conor Madden from the Boise Bench Lions come in.

They have started an ongoing Sweater Drive for children in SW Idaho and E. Oregon which will continue until the end of January.  All donations of new or gently used sweaters and sweatshirts may be dropped off at the Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation building, 70 N. Latah, Boise.  For more information, call 208-338-5466.

Two great newsletters

I thought that hit counter might be broken, but I see that now it has started to move upward!  Maybe I won't feel like I'm talking to myself now...

I'm on the mailing list for 2 of the newsletters put out by our Lions Clubs.  The first one is the Boise Bench newsletter.   It is emailed out every week as well as being posted on the Boise Bench website.  (Click on Newsletter on the left.)  Lions Happy and Olie Olsen do a fantastic job putting together a fun, quick and easy to read newsletter with pictures of their latest meeting or event.  I would like to know their secret to getting this done every single week!  I think it's called retirement, though, and not some magic I can steal....

The other newsletter I receive is a monthly one from the Gem Lions in Emmett.  Lion Kathy Steed puts together several pages of news, information, and pictures.  It is usually quite lengthy and must be very time consuming to put it together.  Lion Kathy is very dedicated to get it written each and every month.  If you're not on the mailing list, you can find "The Mighty Gem Lion" on the Gem Lions website.

Who else has a newsletter?  Share it with us!

Hit Counter Stuck at 12

The hit counter has barely moved since I added it......please help get the word out to your club about the 39W blog.  It's about any and all the clubs in the District, anything going on District-wide, and other things I haven't thought of yet. 

The Facebook Fan number is increasing, but some of you probably don't get any updates from the fan page.  Here's how to fix that.  At the bottom of your home page, click on "edit options".  Where it says "Show More", start typing Lions in the box and Lions 39W will come up.  Click on that to add it, then click "Save".  You should start receiving the updates on your Facebook. 

Have a great Tuesday!

5th Annual Christmas Eve Support the Troops Walk

Just received this from ID Gary D'Orazio:

"All Lions , family members, friends and all who want to show their support of our Military away from home at Christmas are invited and encouraged to join International Director Gary and his wife Lion Linda D'Orazio in a Walk from Julie Davis Park to the State House Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve starting at 6pm....

We recognize that is a special time most want to spend with their families and we also recognize that our troops stationed abroad would like the same opportunity. As a gesture of support and appreciation for their sacrifices for our country please consider taking one hour of your time to demonstrate our gratitude to the troops and their families for their commitment and dedication.

We will commence our walk from the Art Gallery and Museum area on Capitol Blvd Julie Davis Park...  across from the library precisely at 6pm.... walk on the sidewalks to the State Capitol Christmas Tree ...conduct a ceremony , sing a few carols and finish up  approximately in  one hour.  A small sacrifice on our part compared to our troops around the world.

Please join us ....Christmas Eve will take on an additional meaning by participating."

Adrian Lions

Adrian Lions Club recently donated $500.00 to the Nyssa Food Pantry.   The Food Pantry was very grateful for this generous donation, and you can bet this will provide many, many meals!   Pictured below from left to right:  Roni Laikin, Nyssa Food Pantry; Mike Castro, Adrian Lions Club President; Nick Castro, Adrian Lions Club treasurer; and Kathy Oliver, Nyssa Food Panty.   Way to go, Adrian Lions! 

What's your club been doing?  Let's hear more great stories!

Random bits and pieces

I was checking the event calendar for Lions 39W and not much is listed.  Is nothing going on in the next 2 months?  More likely, everyone is busy with the holidays and hasn't taken the time to let everyone know what's going on.  No excuse!  Let us know what your club is doing!

So today, just some random thoughts and such....

Several clubs have been hosting casino nights for parties.  These are fun, and, for anyone who knows how to deal craps or roulette,  a good opportunity to help out another club.

It seems more than one gavel is out visiting....Someone might want to hint to Caldwell to read the blog to locate theirs.  Ontario's has fallen into the hands of one of the largest clubs in the District (there's your hint, Ontario!) and Meridian Noon, yours has been passed around a bit and it's not clear where it has landed.

Star Lions Club was mentioned in today's Idaho Statesman as one of the participants of the Star Christmas Bazaar....page 2, if you missed it.

And finally, Pat Gore, Boise Riverside Lions, was on TV this weekend talking about the Veterans Resource Network.

Not bad for a slow news day!

Vallivue meets Star, Star meets Vallivue

Last night three Star Lions and VDG Pat visited the Lions of Vallivue. I think we all agreed after the meeting that Lions Clubs should be more sociable, visit one another more often, and, in general, have more fun. The Star-Vallivue fun started on the night of the Star Lions Charter Party when a few of the Vallivue Lions came to see what fun was all about. Then they decided to confiscate some Star property, causing the return visit that took place last night. The result?  New insights, new friends, new partnerships.

Have you seen Vallivue's clubhouse? It's pretty cool...

Vallivue Lions

The ransom note

Several days ago, you heard about a missing gavel. Now the story gets even better.

The Lions Clubs in Southwestern Idaho and Eastern Oregon have been challenged by District Governor Shirley Hazen to collect food and donations for our local food banks. Thousand of children go to bed hungry every night and as DG Shirley states, this is unacceptable. So in the spirit of Lionism and to further the cause of helping stop hunger, ransom has been set at one can of food per Caldwell Lions Club member to be delivered by at least one Caldwell Lion in person to their counterparts in........Star. The Star Lions will donate the food to the food bank in Star, operated by Star Community Outreach. The food can be delivered to a club meeting or to the Star Christmas Bazaar on December 5-6 at Star City Hall.

Hopefully, that gavel will be safely back home before Christmas...

Testing eyes and ears in Kuna

This past week the Kuna Lions (with a little help from their friends) screened the vision and hearing of 1500 elementary students.  Lions Club members from Boise Bench, Meridian, Star, and Eagle helped out.  Clubs helping other clubs-that's teamwork!  Way to go! 

I see some missing vests...where's the tail twister?

Lions Clubs working together

Lions are just a great group of people.  After all, the Lions motto is "We Serve".  It's why we're all in Lions Club in the first place-to help others.  Sometimes we need to extend that help to other clubs in the District.  For example, we might help Meridian Lions with their rodeo, Riverside Lions with a casino night, Kuna Lions with vision screenings, still another with another project.  Sometimes "help" is in the form of support-just being there because we care.  Our new clubs in the District especially need our help and support.  It's tough to get a brand new club started and tougher still to survive the first couple of years. 

The Salmon River Lions Club in Riggins is one of our newest clubs and they could use the support of their fellow Lions.  On December 12, they will be holding an Open House in their community to get people acquainted with the Lions Club and get a few more people interested in membership.  There will be a Chile Feed from 12:00 to 3:00 and they will be doing photo vision screening for children from 6-18 months.  Sounds like a great opportunity to get to know the Salmon River Lions and lend a helping hand!

The case of the missing gavel......

Wonder who started the Lions tradition of "stealing"? For the uninitiated, Lions are known to visit other Lions clubs meetings or parties and quietly leave with something they didn't come with.   The purpose of the thievery is usually to promote fellowship and visitation between clubs-because if someone has your "stuff" you're going to go get it back.  Objects missing are often banners, bells, plaques, awards, vests, or as in today's case-gavels.

I recently received a request to post a note on the internet (website, facebook, or blog) in reference to an antique gavel, hand engraved with the date of 1934, which was left unattended for an extended period in a very public place. It seems said gavel was also "missing" last year and subsequently defaced by one Parma Lions Club. Those currently in possession of the gavel  promise to keep it safe and unharmed. They further tell me a ransom note will follow...

 

Check back for the continuing saga.

Everyone loves a parade!

My first trip to the Veterans Day parade-I know, where have I been all these years...Missing out! What an absolutely gorgeous day for the 7th of November! There was a good crowd on hand to thank the Veterans and to remember those serving our country overseas. Flags were waving, bands playing, helicopters overhead, salutes, handshakes, a tear or two. Fantastic!

Meridian Lions Charter Party

Last night was the Meridian Lions Club charter party.  I was a little skeptical of a "Hawaiian" theme at an "Italian" restaurant, but  they certainly pulled it off!  With the Hawaiian shirts worn by many of the Meridian Lions, the leis, the table decorations, the hula dancers, the video of warm and tropical places, it didn't even seem incongruent that I was eating some great Italian food (and lots of it!) at Louie's. Great job, Lion President Loraine!   Highlight of the evening was Bob Coates, 88-year old survivor of Pearl Harbor.  His story of what happened to him that day in December as a 19-year old from Idaho had us enthralled. 

And did I mention Hula dancing?  We learned it was best left to the professionals!  Here Ron Hagadone demonstrates  his "dance moves".   Or something.

More about care packages for our military

Veterans Resource Network, a non profit organization, serves the Veterans of Idaho through various projects.  One on-going project is sending care packages to the troups overseas.  They currently have enough items to fill the boxes but lack the funds to mail them. The group is currently offering anyone who knows someone who is deployed in a combat area to come and fill a box as long as they pay the postage of $11.95 to mail it.  They have everything you need for packing and shipping-all you need to do is show up with twelve bucks and the address of your hero at 836 LaCassia in Boise on a Tuesday or Saturday through December 15 between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.  For more information, visit their website or call Pat at 376-0753.

Lion Pat Gore of the Boise Riverside Club is the District 39W Veterans Chairperson and could really use some more Lions and Lions Club participation to help get the care packages in the mail. 

Weekend projects

The Lions of Southwestern Idaho and Eastern Oregon are busy this time of year-well, actually, they're busy year round.  Last weekend, the Boise Special Olympics Lions Club sponsored a haunted house.  The Special Olympics Club, formed just this past winter, raised money for the Idaho Special Olympics and had a great time doing it!

Coming up this weekend, many Lions Club members from around the Valley will be participating in the Veterans Day parade in downtown Boise at 10:00 am.  Come walk in the parade (or you can ride) and show your support for our Veterans and for those currently serving.

Lions in Star have partnered with Epsilon Sigma Alpha, also an international service organization, to fill and mail care packages to the men and women serving our country overseas.  Donations of snacks, toiletries, books, movies, etc. are being collected along with money for postage.  Donations can be dropped off at Anytime Fitness in Star anytime before November 11.