District Dialogue. Volume 2 Issue 1 July 2018 KANSAS LIONS ANNOUNCE NEW DISTRICT GOVERNOR FOR

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1 District Dialogue Volume 2 Issue 1 July 2018 Kansas Lions District 17 - A Monthly News Kansas Lions District 17-A Newsletter District Governor (DG) Lion John Burns Editor Lion Vivian DeClements Website: kslionsdistrict17a.org Editorial Information: Deadline to receive items for publication is the 25th day of the month preceding publication the first day of the next month. Send electronic information to the Editor: vdeclements@gmail.com vdeclements@sbcglobal.net Inside this issue: DG John Burn s Message 2 1VDG Diane Hentges 4 PID Jack Epperson 4 2VDG Rick Dodson 5 Chancellor Bob Corlew 5 PDG Debra Weaverling 6 DT Harry Malnicof 9 PID Ernie Young 10 Club Articles 11 Club News - Save the Date 13 Kansas Lions Cabinet 15 Kansas Lions Humanitarian 16 District Upcoming Events 17 Kansas Lions Online 18 KANSAS LIONS ANNOUNCE NEW DISTRICT GOVERNOR FOR The Kansas Lions of District 17-A, elected 1st Vice Governor Lion John Burns of the Olathe Lions Club as the new District Governor for District Governor John Burns will oversee 82 clubs that cover northeast and north central Kansas as the chief administrative officer of the district and serves as the district governor team leader. DG Burns has been a member of the Olathe Lions Club since 11/17/2008 and served as the Club s President In 2016, Lion Burns was the recipient of The Melvin Jones Fellowship Award as recognition of exemplary service. We welcome District Governor John Burns. In Lionism The Olathe Lions Club and the DG Team From DG John Burns Greetings, Lions of District 17-A District Governor John Burns Our new Lions year for has begun. As your District Governor, I will serve with humility to fulfill the responsibilities of achieving our goals always mindful of our motto:we Serve. At the time of issue of this newsletter, many of us will be at the 97 th Lions International convention in Las Vegas. We will be celebrating our past century of service and looking forward to our next century of service to our communities. As our 101 st year begins, it is extremely gratifying to serve as your District Governor and to fulfill the responsibilities of achieving our goals. Continued on Page 2 1

2 District Governor s Message The District Governor s Message continued The theme for is Together We KAN. While each of us can make a difference, together WE can change lives both at home and around the world. As a great source of inspiration, the theme is engraved on my District Governors pin. Together We KAN creates and fosters a spirit of teamwork. Together we can make a difference through community involvement and remembering our motto: WE SERVE Together We KAN Our new International President Yngvadottir s motto is also We Serve. Her theme this year is Beyond the Horizon. How do we build on our already impressive legacy? It s simple. We do what Lions have always done. We get creative and reach within our communities, clubs and selves to discover a new level of service. In the Icelandic language, International President Yngvadottir states: THETTA REDDAST Navigate with purpose Be strategic and comprehensive Be flexible to the need to change Be honest about your limitations KANSAS LIONS DISTRICT 17-A Make your service goal a reality I look forward to working with my DG team of 1 st VDG Diane Hentges and our 2 nd VDG Rick Dodson and to making this a very productive and fulfilling year for our clubs and district and for Lions International. Teamwork gives us the tools to strengthen our service, improve club effectiveness and impact our membership experience. We stand together to serve those in need. We Serve. Our goal is to serve 200 million people per year by 2021 and to do this Lions are supporting new global causes to define our second century of service and meet emerging needs. Lions are serving Vision, Hunger, the Environment, Childhood Cancer and our new global service focus, Diabetes. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF). In the last 50 years, LCIF has awarded more than $1 Billion dollars in grants, lending a helping hand to millions of people around the world. Each club s donation to LCIF will be needed this year to continue to reach this goal. Continued on page 3 Page 2

3 District Governor s Message The District Governor s Message continued The Power of Action The Global Action Team (GAT) brings together the power of the Global Leadership Team (GLT), the Global Membership Team (GMT) and the Global Service Team (GST). By combining the resources and expertise of these three important segments, the GAT aims to increase global membership to 1.7 million by Balanced Membership For Lions to truly be the global leader in service, we need a balanced membership of caring men and women. We will work closely with the Global Action Team to develop new strategies, programs and partnerships that can help us increase the number of women members and leaders. I would like to briefly communicate my goals for the Lions year. 1. The club membership goal is to add a total of 225 new members, including transfers and re-instated members. 2. Each club is asked to develop a club-specific membership growth plan to support the district membership goal. Many options are presented in the LCI website that clubs can implement to achieve club growth. 3. The district will start one new club with a minimum of 20 charter members before June 30, 2019 or a branch club of five to ten members. 4. Continue the five initiatives: Pediatric Cancer, Protecting the Environment, Sharing the Vision, Relieving the Hunger and Diabetes Awareness. 5. My goal this year is to increase the number of female members to 35%. 6. By the end of the fiscal year, the district s membership drops will not exceed 100 members. If we plan interesting club meetings and projects we will be able to keep our present members and gain new ones. 7. Each club in the district is to appoint a LCIF Coordinator and to make at least one donation to LCIF for the year. Remember, these can be designated as Melvin Jones Fellowship funds. 8. The district will provide leadership training at three different locations throughout the district during the first three months of the year to provide training for Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers and Zone chairs. This will include training on the MyLion app. I hope all new officers will attend one of these sessions to help their clubs to prosper and grow. I look forward to visiting five clubs in July and five in August. Again, my theme this year is TOGETHER WE KAN. I know with everyone s commitment we can accomplish our goals. In Lionism, District Governor John Burns Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. Helen Keller DG John Burns July and August Club Visits Manhattan Sunflower July 9 th Clay Center July 10 th Concordia July 19 th Delphos July 23 rd Abilene August 1 st Sabetha August 3rd Clyde August 13th Marysville August 16 th Minneapolis Eve. August 20 th Longford August 22 nd Page 3

4 From 1 st VDG Diane Hentges Lions year has been a great experience for me as 2 nd.vice-district Governor. I have met so many great Lions in our District. We have a lot to boast about. The services the Lions of District A are many and diverse. Sponsoring scout troops, organizing community parades and events, collecting food for a pantry, providing transportation for a pediatric cancer patient and family, refurbishing and /or maintaining local parks or green spaces, buying eyeglasses for those in need, educating fellow Lions and the community members about diabetes, providing scholarships for high school seniors, sending students to Lions Band Camp and Boys State and Girls State, and of course vision screenings to name just a few of the many services District 17A Lions do. I had the pleasure of hearing first hand from the 26 clubs I visited. This coming year I get to visit another group of clubs. Keep up the good work and live the motto WE SERVE. I encourage clubs to continue to provide quality services to your local communities. I challenge clubs to grow membership; good members who are invested in serving are needed desperately in our District. Clubs let your community know you are active; boast about your service projects; use the media print and on-line to tell your story. As I write this article I am preparing for our trip to the International Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be exciting to see fellow Lions from around the world. The parade of flags is so inspiring. The International Conventions have always been energizing. When I return from the convention I will be your 1 st Vice District Governor. I will begin my visits and look forward to learning about clubs in our district and all the ways Lions serve their community. From PID Jack Epperson, Host Committee Chairman 2018 LIONS INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION The Centenial Celelbration Contines! The 101st annual Lions Clubs celebrates in Las Vegas, Nevada USA June 29 - July 3, Look forward to experiencing a first-rate convention. Says PID Jack Epperson, Host Committee Chairman. The convention will be inspiring, entertaining and educational, he writes. According to LCI, an estimated 10,000 Lions from over 120 countries will march through the streets of Las Vegas in the spectacular Parade of Nations on Saturday, June 30, Our Fellow Lions will have a story to tell as PID Epperson assures a memorable Experience for the Lions of the World. Network - Serve - Learn - Have Fun Page 4

5 From 2 nd VDG Rick Dodson As your 2 nd Vice District Governor for , I d like to take the opportunity in this first article to introduce myself. I ve been a Lion in the Lansing Lions Club since I ve served in almost every leadership position in the club (some positions numerous times). I ve served as a Zone Chairperson several times and Regional Chairperson multiple times. I was honored to serve as PDG Mike Neve s Cabinet Secretary and District Convention Co-Chair in Later, I served as District Leadership Chairperson for three years, then as Cabinet Treasurer from This past Lions year, I again served as a Co-Chair for the District Convention. I look forward to re-connecting with the wonderful Lions of District 17 A that I ve met before and am anxious to get out and meet the many Lions that I haven t yet met. From Chancellor Bob Corlew DG John Burns has some ambitious goals for this Lions Year. All are attainable and our efforts to accomplish them will make us a much more powerful force for service in our respective communities. In addition to reinforcing DG John s goals, I d like to strongly encourage donations to our various Kansas Lions foundations and LCIF. Using social media to announce your projects can have a marked impact on participation; please increase your use of the many different media sources. Finally, please encourage your club to visit other clubs in your surrounding area, patronize their fundraising projects, and consider offering to help smaller clubs that have a need for more manpower as they serve their communities. Yours in Lionism, 2VDG Rick Dodson Share Your Passion for LCIF Chancellor Bob Corlew Chairman, Lions Clubs International Foundation In the LCIF Newsletter, the Chairman writes about his experience this past year as one he will always remember as he witnessed the outstanding dedication and life-changing service projects by fellow Lions. Selflessness, perseverance, dedication, and compassion are the words that come to mind when thinking about the character of a Lion, he writes. Watch for more information on LCIF.org about new grant opportunities along with expanding global causes to include diabetes, childhood cancer, the environment and hunger in addition to sight, youth, disaster relief and humanitarian service. Chancellor Bob Corlew reminds us again, where there is a need, there is a Lion. We Care. We Serve. Page 5

6 From Council Chair Debra Weaverling AS ONE JOURNEY ENDS, ANOTHER BEGINS As my year comes to an end and a new journey begins, I want to thank you (Mahalo) for your support and commitment to LIONISM! We had a great year, yes we had some downfalls, but all in all, we did GREAT as a team. My new journey is that of Council Chair for the beautiful State of Kansas and the awesome LIONS of Kansas. What are the expectations? My vision is to continue the enthusiasm and energy throughout our State and for our LIONS. I shall also change things to the betterment of how we do things, baby steps. But for sure, I shall continue the message of The Power of WE, working together for one common goal, To Serve! OLATHE LIONS - I have had the honor of attending many clubs in the last two weeks presenting Melvin Jones Fellows, installing the Officers, and inducting new members. My first visit was to the Olathe Lions Club. I presented two Melvin Jones Fellows to long time LIONS, Gary Jennings (Treasurer) and Don Miller. Lions Gary and Don have been the stalwarts in this club, always doing what is necessary to assist the club and the citizens of their community. This recognition was truly deserving of their dedication in their club. Lions Gary and Don, being humble men, were honored and appreciative. Congratulations Lions Gary and Don. LAWRENCE NOON LIONS - My next visit was to the Lawrence Noon Lions Club. They had their meeting on the evening of June 19 th. My greatest honor is to meet great LIONS; the Lawrence club was no exception. The home club of PID Gene Vogel had a great dinner prepared but the best part was meeting his members again and meeting new LIONS. I installed the new officers for Before the evening ended, a guest of Lion Beth said he wanted to join, I would like to say it was what I said about our organization but I do believe it was Lion Beth who convinced Wagas to join. Welcome Lion Wagas to the greatest service and humanitarian organization in the world. Also, Congratulations to Lion Lori Kessinger, she received a Melvin Jones Fellow for all her work with their club and Audio Reader. Another Melvin Jones Fellow was presented to Dr. John S. Bradley, a local veterinarian but also a LION. He received the MJF for his continued support for the Lawrence Noon Lions Club. What a treat for me, MJF s equates monies donated to LCIF by each club. It is a perfect way to recognize LIONS who go above and beyond for LIONISM and a great way to donate to LCI s charitable organization LCIF. Don t forget, 100% of your dollars donated to LCIF go out to help with disasters, grants, and more. Continued on page 7 Page 8

7 AS ONE JOURNEY ENDS, ANOTHER BEGINS From Council Chair Debra Weaverling continued HOLTON LIONS CLUB Lastly, I have some sad news. The Holton Lions Club has decided to disband their club in October of this year. They have one more great project to complete, their annual Jackson County Sheriff Youth Camp. The decision was due to the aging of the club, but know, this decision has been a topic of discussion for some time. When several LIONS outside of the Holton Lions Club attended their 80 th Anniversary on June 12 th we were surprised at the large attendance of LIONS, some current and some former LIONS. They also had their scholarship recipients with parents in attendance and their town Mayor. This club was chartered in 1938 and they have completed many projects that benefited the community. They have cooked many brats, hamburgers, hotdogs, supported their youth and so much more. The list of their accomplishments was admirable and I asked myself, WHY? I did not get an answer, the reason had to be enough for me. 80 th Anniversary of Holton Lions Club The Holton Lions teamed up to prepare foods hot off the grill with a sweet ending of cake and ice cream. Lions Club President Wayne Leiker, Holton Mayor Bob Dieckman, Kansas Lions DG Debra Weaverling, DG Elect John Burns along with current and former club members began the celebration expressing recognition of the many community services and accomplishments over the years. Lion George Royer, Treasurer, presented a check to each of the 2018 High School Scholarship recipients. Thank you PDG Gregg Moser for all your hard work in putting your 80 th Anniversary celebration into action. You are a true treasure to this club and its members. I think we just need to DO IT! Get out there in Holton and recruit members and talk about how great our organization is not only in Holton, our State, but in the world. That is the message that is missing in many communities. We need to change it!! While at the Holton Lions Club 80 th celebration I had the honor of presenting a Melvin Jones Fellow to Lion President Wayne Leiker. Congratulations Lion Wayne for your leadership and your service to your Lions, your community, and LIONISM Lion of the Year Lions Lynn and Barbara Wilson Lion Allen Arnold presented the Holton Lions Club gavel to Club President Wayne Leiker. Presentation to Lion Eugene Bergsten, member for 51.5 years, club president and a Melvin Jones Fellow Continued on page 8 Page 7

8 AS ONE JOURNEY ENDS, ANOTHER BEGINS From Council Chair Debra Weaverling continued TOPEKA SUNFLOWER LIONS Ron and I traveled to Topeka, KS to attend their Officer Installation and New Member Induction. What a treat! The event was held at Shawnee Lake, a beautiful place to have a gathering. Since I love camping and fishing, I told Ron we need to go back to spend some time there with the grandkids. The evening also proved to be an opportunity to meet the club sponsors of the girls softball team. What a group of energized and happy girls. They were the energy for sure for all of us in attendance. Moreover, the food was so great that I became mindful of getting back to the gym walking daily isn t enough. The installation of officers was awesome, thanks to outgoing President Vern Failor, who was very prepared. He had everything written on a piece of paper to keep me on track. I inducted three new members (all women) into their club too! How exciting for their membership. PCC Bobby Duvall and I presented the 100% Attendance Pins and Years of Service Pins, as several LIONS have served for many years. Thank you LIONS for your dedication to Service. Thank you Topeka Sunflower Lions for a great time and great food. LEAVENWORTH LIONS CLUB On Tuesday, June 26 th and Wednesday, June 27 th I will travel to Louisburg, Kansas and Sabetha Kansas to conduct the Installation of Officers. It is with humility I serve and to execute the duties of my office with one of the many opportunities that I have been privileged and honored to do. On Thursday, June 28 th, I will install the officers of my home club, the Leavenworth Lions Club. What a privilege bestowed upon me to be able to install LIONS I have known since my joining the club in I love being a LION! This month will be full of information, we will have so much to share after attending the Lions International Convention in Las Vegas. My joy is getting to see so many LIONS I have met the last three years from many countries and from our Great Country The United States of America. God Bless everyone! Remember The Power of WE The Power of ACTION The Power of Service! Page 8

9 From Harry Malnicof, District Treasurer DISTRICT 17-A FUNDING PROCEDURES HARRY MALNICOF, DISTRICT TREASURER The District Executive Officers thought it might be of benefit to Clubs and their members to publish information on how the District receives revenue and the procedures by which it is utilized. How does the District receive revenue and for what purposes is it expended? l. Semi-annually the District Treasurer bills each club for dues based on their membership as of 30 June and 31 December. The District dues are $5.00 a year billed in the increment of $3.00 on 1 July and $2.00 on 1 January. Included in the dues is a $1.00 amount which must be used to support the District Convention. The District Treasurer also bills each Club $8.50 semi-annually for each member for State of Kansas dues which is then paid over to the State Treasurer. If Clubs have members who are students, former LEO s or family members, they are computed at half the amount stated above for the District Dues only. These District dues are the main source of revenue for the District. 2. Grants Whenever a grant is made available from LCI our chair persons are encouraged to apply for them. 3. Sale of Pins and Directories Each year the State provides pins and directories to the District for resale to Clubs and Lions. This provides a small revenue source. 4. Fund Raisers District sponsored fund raisers have been utilized on a small basis in the past. One that might be recognized are the sale of Kansas Chiefs Tickets of which the Lions receive a pay back. 5. Donations - Donations by Clubs and individuals are received to support specific programs i.e. Diabetes Camp, LEOS, service dogs, reading program, etc. The donations when received must be maintained in a separate fund which we call the Project Fund. These monies cannot be used for any other purpose than what they were designated. Some donations are received and not designated which are then held for future projects that might be approved. 6. Interest Interest on investments when such are available to be invested. The District maintains two funds. Administrative Fund - This Fund supports the administrative cost of the District. As mentioned previously, dues are the main source of revenue and must be utilized to defray the administrative costs of the District. A budget is developed each year to provide guidance as to how these funds are to be utilized. As it stands right now the District Administrative revenue does not support the budgeted expenditures on an annual basis. The District does have a reserve resulting from the consolidation of Districts a few years back that is providing the District with sufficient annual revenue to cover costs. Continuing on the current budget path, this reserve will be depleted at some time in the future. Project Fund A Fund maintained to hold the funds designated for a specific project that the District supports. The District, in the past, has occasionally provided administrative funds to support a special project that was deemed appropriate to fund at the District level. An example would be the Braille Challenge held at the Kansas School for the Blind. In the future the District will rely on donations from clubs, individuals, and raffles, 50/50 or other fundraising instruments. The District will not utilize funds from the Administrative Fund to support these projects. An example of a project that is self- funded is the Diabetes Camp. Clubs/Individuals donate funds to the District to support these children going to camp. No Administrative Funds are utilized to support that project. It is hoped that all special projects can be supported in the same manner and also from other means mentioned above. It is hoped we can develop a reserve in the Project Fund to maintain our support of these Lion Projects. Page 9

10 From PID Ernie Young, GMT MEMBERSHIP SATISFACTION LET S GROW Some have said that our District does not have a good membership growth record; yet, I invite you to join me in examining the two main ingredients in membership growth. First is the matter of recruiting new members and I believe that we have done a good job in that area. A logical conclusion is that we have not done well with Member Satisfaction, commonly referred to as retention. One of our LCI references states that, membership satisfaction is the feeling that you want Lions to have by being a member at your club. By encouraging Lions to participate in club activities, they will feel satisfied and the club will retain more members. Members stay with a club when they are happy with their club experience. A significant challenge is to ensure that our members are happy with their club experience. One logical approach to a solution is to ask our members for feedback regarding how they feel about their club. Some clubs have used retreats, open discussions, surveys and other means. Each club has its own personality and that must be taken into account when deciding on an approach. Experience suggests that perhaps the more candid responses may be derived by the use of surveys where the respondents remarks remain anonymous in expressing what is liked most and what is liked least about their clubs. Similarly, this type of data should be requested from Lions who drop their membership. Armed with the survey results, the club leadership can work with the membership to determine a ranking of the survey recommendations, determine which recommendations are acceptable to the club, prioritize the recommendations that will be implemented, explain why some recommendations cannot be implemented and set timelines for executing the accepted recommendations. Club members must be kept informed throughout the process to ensure transparency so that the end result is a more harmonious club environment. LCI did some basic survey analysis several years ago and informed us that the three top reasons why members leave a Lions club are Cliques and politics, long boring meetings and Lack of involvement. We can take immediate action to eliminate those distracters while we are preparing for a complete club analysis. There remains the need for use of some type of feedback and it should be used at least twice annually. Please review LCI publication Membership Satisfaction Guide (ME-301 EN), online and in hard copy. A hard copy will be made available for each club at the first cabinet meeting. As a special request, I am asking cabinet members and club presidents to please access two LCI publications as follows: Your Club Your Way (DA- YCYW EN 9/14) and Blueprint for a Stronger Club (DA-STPBG EN 5/15). Let s GROW, PID Ernie Young, GMT RECRUIT - RETAIN GMT LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE Page 10

11 LOCAL LIONS CLUBS NEWS AND EVENTS OLATHE LIONS - Formal presentation of the Melvin Jones Fellowship was awarded to two of the Olathe Lions Club members. Lion Gary Jennings (1st photo), and Lion Don Miller (2nd photo) were recognized in honor of their many years of humanitarian work and good standing in the Lions organization. Presenting are left to right: District Editor elect Vivian DeClements, DGE John Burns, Lion Gary Jennings, DG Deb Weaverling and Olathe Lions President Samantha Hamby. OVERLAND PARK HOST LIONS Metcalf Avenue of Flags The Overland Park Host Lions has a long and rich history of the beautiful panorama of American flags lining Metcalf Avenue. Overland Park Lions raise over 450 flags along Metcalf Avenue eight times a year. This legacy of community activities gives beauty and special meaning in honoring those who have served our country. Contact the Overland Park Host Lions Club to volunteer for an opportunity to raise the flags for the 4 th of July Metcalf Ave of Flags event. Page 11

12 KANSAS LIONS RECRUIT - RETAIN RECRUITING NEW LIONS IN DE SOTO KANSAS District Lions Club Members hit the ground running during the month of June to start a Lions Club back up in the town of De Soto. With only a ten day notice, PDG Nancy Van Alstine from Texas, and a member of the LCI Club Development Team, arrived in Kansas to assist District 17 A in building the new club. She met with ten District 17 A Lions Members and PDG Terry Weldin, State Global Membership Team Chair on the morning of June 11 for a training and planning meeting. Prior to the meeting, PDG Carleen Rajala, District GMT Chair, had identified areas of active Lions involvement in the De Soto community, including vision and youth outreach, as well as how a De Soto Lions Club could help benefit the community more. By the afternoon of June 11 Lions were in De Soto canvassing the town and starting to recruit. During the week of June 11, 6-8 Lions members were canvassing and recruiting in the De Soto community each day, both in the morning and afternoon, as well as using a Facebook recruitment campaign to reach residents in four active Facebook groups related to the community. There was an informational meeting held on June 14, and by the first club meeting on Tuesday, June 19, there were nine new De Soto Lions Club members who had signed up and paid dues, and officers were elected. President Rick Jones and PDG Carleen also had a table at the local farmer s market on June 21 to try and recruit more members. Vice President Mark Wadsworth and Secretary/Treasurer Dotty Wadsworth had seen the Facebook posts on starting the new club and felt a need to join. Together We Kan The De Soto Lions are sponsored by the Shawnee Lions Club and will be a branch club until they can reach 20 members. The members already have many ideas on service activities that they can do for the De Soto Community. Welcome De Soto Lions! PDG Carleen Rajala, PDG Debra Weaverling, and District Secretary Margy Sundstrom with PDG Nancy VanAlstine when she had arrived in Kansas. These pictures are of the training and planning meeting with PDG Nancy VanAlstine (in red) from LCI. District Secretary Margy Sundstrom, PDG Carleen Rajala with the new club officers Rick Jones, President, Dotty Wadsworth, Secretary/Treasurer, and Mark Wadsworth, Vice President Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. Helen Keller Page 12

13 CLUB NEWS - SAVE THE DATE SAVE the DATE Shawnee Lions Club Sunday, August. 26, :00 PM Old Shawnee Town, Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS Shawnee Lions will host a dedication for the bench placed at Old Shawnee Town in HONOR of Lions JoAnn and Joe Mayo. Come join us as we celebrate! Details to follow. Lion Carleen Rajala Shawnee, Kansas - United States MYLION.ORG COMING SOON. Lions Clubs International is launching MyLion, just like the official mobile app, now available in over 70 countries. Starting in July, you can use the new MyLion website to report all of your service activities. While you ll still use MyLCI for membership management, club management, etc., the new MyLion website will be a one-stop destination for all things related to service. All club-level officers will now be able to create, edit, and report on service activities. Save the Date - October 2018 Uniting Lions to Improve Sight and Prevent Blindness Since 1988, Lions World Sight Day has raised awareness about the importance of eye health and the need for quality eye care services for all. On this special day of service, Lions clubs around the world conduct sight-related projects including: vision screenings, eyeglass donations, restorative surgeries, eye health education programs, and the donation of assistive devices to those with vision impairment. Lions World Sight Day is traditionally held in the month of October. This year, Lions are encouraged to organize their Lions World Sight Day activities in conjunction with the Lions World Wide Week of Service in Sight. Page 13

14 LOCAL LIONS CLUBS NEWS AND EVENTS Valley Falls Lions Club receives Spirit Awards The Valley Falls Lions Club was presented with the Jefferson County Alliance of Service Councils Spirit Award for business/group during a luncheon on June 7. The JCASC Spirit Award is given annually to individuals, students and businesses or groups in Jefferson County that have demonstrated ample evidence of possessing one or more of the following attributes: altruism, philanthropy, charity and humanitarianism. The Valley Falls Lions Club was nominated for the award by Crystal VanHoutan, administrator of the Jefferson County Health Department. Crystal submitted the following narrative to JCASC: The Valley Falls Lions Club is a service organization that has been a part of the Valley Falls community for over 65 years. The Valley Falls Lions Club members have a strong desire to help their neighbors. The members partake in many activities to provide assistance within their community. Their focus areas are diabetes, environment, hunger relief, youth and vision. The club has been devoted to helping the Valley Falls Community in many ways. Annually, they put up the Christmas tree and lights in the downtown area. Members pick up trash throughout the community all year long. They work with the food pantry, help with donations for the pantry, and purchased shelving for the food pantry storage room. They provide community presentations on health and supply diabetes handouts at public events. Each year they provide (5) $ scholarships to graduating seniors from the Valley Falls school district and sponsor students who wish to participate in the Lions State Band. They have collected donations for the city park for playground equipment, donated to the Jefferson County Taste of Elegance annually, and through donations, have helped Delaware Township Library place benches outside for community members to enjoy. The Lions Club International is known for improving eye health and providing eye care for millions of people around the world. Locally, one of the members, Dorothy Herring, has been instrumental in bringing the vision spot screener to the Jefferson County Schools this school year. School nurses have reported improved screening process to include; less time out of the classroom and more accurate screening exams for children who have disabilities, or are non-verbal or unable to communicate in other ways to be screened. The members of this organization are very deserving of this award. Their acts of kindness and their promotion of welfare of others is astounding. Thank you for your consideration. The Lions Club was represented by President Terry Metzger and Dorothy Herring, Vision Chair. Renie Stephan, an employee of the Jefferson County Health Department, handed out the Spirit Awards. In addition to receiving a certificate, the recipients names have been added to a wooden plaque of past recipients of the Spirit Awards that hangs in the Jefferson County Courthouse. Page 14

15 KANSAS LIONS 17-A CABINET MEETING CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS DG Debra Weaverling presented Certificates of Achievement awards to PCC Bobby Duvall and PDG Carleen Rajala for completing their Certified Guiding Lion Training. A Guiding Lion serves many roles. Administrator. Motivator. Team Builder. Communicator. Listener. DG Debra Weaverling presented the International President's Certificate of Appreciation to Lion Dorothy Herring of the Valley Falls Lions Club. Congratulations to Lion Dorothy Herring who received the award at the Lions District 17A Cabinet Meeting. This is the fourth highest award that any Lion member internationally can receive. DGE John Burns presented DG Debra Weaverling with a custom painting of an epic mountain in Hawaii. Hawaiian Proverb: Kulia i ka nu u (Strive to reach the highest.) Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. Helen Keller Page 15

16 KANSAS LIONS HUMANITARIAN SERVICE Audio-Reader Radio for the blind and print-disabled Now accepting donations of gently used audio equipment, vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, musical instruments. Beginning June 1, 2018, you can drop off your donations at one of these collection sites: In Lawrence: Audio Reader: 1120 W 11th St. Hours: M F 7am 7pm, S&S 7am Noon In Topeka: Sunflower School Supplies: 2139 SW Fairlawn Plaza Dr - Hours: 10am-6pm DISTRICT ALERT TRAILER For decades, Lions have provided humanitarian assistance to people affected by disasters. Lions are dedicated to serving their communities, especially in times of crisis. The mission of the Lions Alert program is to provide Lions with a standardized structure and network to deliver needed services to people in emergency situations. Personal care items needed: MEN Toothpaste Toothbrush Deodorant Comb Shaving cream Razor Bandages Wash Cloth Shampoo Soap WOMEN Toothpaste Toothbrush Deodorant Comb Shaving Cream Razor Bandages Wash Cloth Shampoo Soap Feminine Care Items can be brought to Lion functions and given to District Alert Chair Mike Sundstrom. GIVING THE BASICS Registered 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization. Mission Statement: Human Dignity District 17-A will aagain participate in collecting personal care items for Kansas School children. Please collect and donate: bars of soap, laundry detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, lotion, feminine care product sand shampoos. Bring to our quarterly meetings. For more information and to see the complete listing visit For questions, contact Lion Margy Sundstrom Margaret1226@gmail.com Call Items can be brought to any Lion function and given to our Lion Margy Sundstrom Page 16

17 Upcoming Dates and Events Kansas District 17-A Events & Calendar Follow Us On... June 2018 May 2019 J U N 29 - Lions International Convention - Jun 29 July 3 - Las Vegas, Nevada A U G 10 - First State Council Meeting - Aug 10 Aug 12 - McPherson, KSA U G 18-1st Cabinet Trinity Baptist Church - Aug 10:30 am 1:00 pm O C T 26 - Second State Council Meeting - Oct 26 Oct 28 - McPherson, KS N O V 3-2nd Cabinet Trinity Baptist Church - Nov 10:30 am 1:00 pm J A N 25 - Mid-Winter Rally & Third State Council Meeting - Jan 25 Jan 27 Manhattan, KS M A Y 30 - State Convention - May 30 Jun 1, Lawrence, KS USA/Canada Forum Lions Club International Forums Columbus, Ohio, USA, September 20 22, 2018 Forums have the purposes of: Promoting the principles and objectives of Lions Clubs International Training, educating and motivating district and club officers Providing for exchange of information and cooperative service projects Advancing the interests of the Lions Clubs International Foundation June 05, 2019 Milan, Italy June 5-9, 2019 Lions Clubs International Convention Page 17

18 KANSAS LIONS WEBSITES Kansas Lions Online Information Kansas State Lions Facebook Group: Kansas Lions Kansas Lions News Kansas Lions Events Want your Fundraiser or Service Project advertised to all Kansas Lions. Send information at least one week in advance to Kansas Lions District 17K District 17K PR/Webmaster/Newsletter: Denny Smith, This website has Kansas District and Club newsletters, as well as international Lions newsletters. District 17A Facebook: Lions Club District 17-A District 17A IT/Webmaster: Dorothy Herring, or District 17N Facebook Group: KansasLionsDistrict17N District 17N IT/Webmaster: John Scovill, The Directory is located on District N s website. There is a link from the State Website as well. Password is md17dir. Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. Helen Keller Page 18