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