Not everything is a rousing success...

One of my "great ideas" this past year was to hold a photo contest on our website.  I thought it would be a good way to get lots of really good photos from around the district that I could use for the website and blog.  But now that we're at the end of the contest, I have to admit that this was not such a brainstorm after all.  Maybe there should have been a big prize?

Anyway, thanks to everyone who sent me photos-Lion Curt Kelley, Lion Olie Olsen, DGE Pat Brown (who shares all his photos on Picasa!), Lion Jack Graham, Lion Nancy Berto, PDG Laura Walls, Lion Stevie Beehler-for the contest or not.  Keep sending-I can use your good shots throughout the year.  I'd love to have photos of Lions in action!

Recycling Eyeglasses-Lions make the news

Ever wonder where all those old eyeglasses the Lions Clubs collect end up?  5000 pairs are heading to Africa to Mozambique, Congo, and Lesotho thanks to the Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation and Mission Aviation Fellowship.  The effort made the news last week with stories on KTVB, Channel 7, and this week on KTRV, Channel 12 and KIVI, Channel 6.

Don't miss reading the complete details on Mission Aviation's website.

Lions collect all shapes, sizes, and prescriptions of used eyeglasses.  Those in good condition are sent on missions like this one to developing countries.  Others that are no longer wearable can still be recycled for parts and metal so don't hesitate to put your old pairs, including prescription sunglasses, in the collection boxes.  The boxes you see at Walmart are sent to regional Lions Eyeglass Collection Centers for recycling through a new partnership between Lions Clubs International and Walmart.  The glasses collected in the small boxes that you see in various locations are used for the local missions like the one from Boise to Africa.

Carolyn Holly's KTVB blog lists several sites in Boise where eyeglasses can be dropped off and several more around the state are listed at our Lions District 39W website.  If you know of a collection site not listed, you can list it by clicking the blue comments link below or contact us through www.Lions39W.org.

Lions after five

Lions from several Boise area clubs hosted a booth at Wednesday's Alive After Five in downtown Boise.  The idea was to gain some exposure for Lions and possibly get a new member or two. 

If you've never been to Alive After Five, it's Boise's summer concert series at the Grove Plaza.  But it's more than rocking to the music.  It's the place to see and be seen, the place for kids to cool off in the fountains, the place to have some pizza and beer...if you don't mind waiting in line!

The Lions had plenty of brochures to hand out to the people who stopped to talk or turn in their tickets for a  raffle of Idaho Monopoly games. Several people signed up to receive more information-maybe they will become Lions some day.  Or maybe they will just have a better appreciation of the work that Lions do.  It's all good.

Thanks to the Idaho Business Review who are generously sharing their booth space, Lions will have two more opportunities to meet and greet, on July 28th and September 15th.  Sign up for a shift and you may find a new Lion!

Photos from Olie Olson, Boise Bench Lions. (The guy who always has a camera!)  Thanks!

Lions battle of the sexes

In the June message to Lions from International President Wirfs, he summarizes the successes of his 2009-2010 platform "Move to Grow" which focused on increasing membership.  He reports that LCI numbers have increased by approximated 58,000 through May with all constitutional areas reporting growth except Canada and the US. 

One thing I found particularly interesting was the number of women members.  Out of just over 1.35 million Lions, only 298,592 are women.  This made me wonder how our District 39W fares in men vs. women, so I went to the LCI report section to find out.  While our ratio is better (that is, a larger percentage of women) men still out number women by a margin of 2-1.  Well, this definitely got me to thinking...Ladies, we need to do something about this discrepancy and invite more women to join Lions.  Take a look at your club-could you use a few more good female members?

President Wirfs makes good point about keeping members.  Before you drop a member (male or female) at the end of June, take a moment to give them a personal phone call and tell them you care about them.  They may just decide to stay.

Bring the popcorn-let's watch a Lions movie

Need something interesting for you next club meeting?  How about a short video from Lions International?

Videos from LCI are available in several formats and are a great way to tell your club members about Lions International, the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) and about Lions Club projects around the world.

There are free DVD's you can order from LCI.  There are also videos available on the LCI website that you can download or watch through i tunes, youtube, or as podcasts.  Lions Quarterly Video Magazine is posted four times a year and is a good source of ideas for new club projects as well as being inspiring and motivating. 

And don't forget our own Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation has a great video about the work of the Foundation.  If your club hasn't seen it yet, contact the Trustee for your area or call Lion Jay Lugo at 338-LION (5466).

Oops, did you forget your PU 101?

My PU what?  The PU 101 is the name given to the officer reporting form that LCI (Lions Clubs International) requests that you fill out to report your incoming officers.  It is available online on the LCI website and either the club secretary or president has access and can submit it.  The due date was May 15, but if you missed the deadline you can still submit it-and the sooner the better!

By submitting your new officer information, your club secretary and president will be given a password that they can use to submit the monthly membership and activity reports.  They will also receive the LCI communications that are sent out periodically.  And it's not just for LCI-your District Governor and Communications chairperson  will also have the information so your club will be in the loop with what's happening in the other clubs and around District 39W. 

If you have any problems submitting the info, contact your friendly IT Chair through the website. Or submit a comment below.

Meridian Rodeo Queens promote the Lions

In April, the Meridian Lions Club held the Rodeo Queen Contest and since then the queens, Senior Queen Tricia, Teen Queen Melissa, and Mini Queen Tevis have been participating in parades and at events around the Valley.  The queens are available to make appearances, help out with events, and, in general, promote the Lions as well as the Meridian Lions Rodeo.  

These two photos are Mini Queen Tevis at Parade America in Nampa.  The Queens were also were hostesses for Celebration Park's 20th Anniversary in Canyon County and Teen Queen Melissa greeted the runners at the High Desert 10K Run in Kuna. 

Thanks to Lion Stevie Beehler for the photos and information about the Rodeo Queens!