The Official Newsletter of the Lions Clubs of District
Transcription
The Official Newsletter of the Lions Clubs of District
The Lions’ Roar May, 2011 The Official Newsletter of the Lions Clubs of District 20-Y2 Stephen Lynch, Editor [email protected] Where Lions meet, be present Lord – to weld our hearts in one accord. To do thy will Lord, make us strong - to aid the weak and right the wrong. Funds contributed to LCIF for Japan Relief between now and June 30, 2011 can go for a Melvin Jones Fellow. As of 3/23/11, approximately $6 million has been contributed to the Japan Relief Fund, with $3 million coming from Japanese Lions. MD20 has set a goal of $150,000 for the Japan Relief Fund. MD20 contributed $125,000 for Haitian relief. As of 4/13/11, MD20 has donated $70,000 to the Japan fund, with 20-Y2 donating $2,495. PDG Dick Nason LCIF Chair Page 1 Provided by DG John Samples, Sr. as a reminder to file all reports promptly. Page 2 The fourth District Cabinet Meeting was held on April 16th at the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Utica. CABVI provided a very information tour as well as a nice lunch. Rudy D’Amico, CEO & President, stated, ―It was a great pleasure to meet and host the 20-Y2 Lion members. The agency is very appreciative of the Lions and the many contributions they have made to CABVI and its consumers.‖ Thirty-one Lions learned about CABVI’s rehabilitation services and their manufacturing division. The Lions visited the Low Vision Clinic that was funded by LCIF and the rehabilitation kitchen that was supported by the Lions and Lionesses of central New York and the New York State & Bermuda Foundation in 2000. During the tour, the Lions were able to observe blind employees assembling latex gloves and pens, and sewing textiles Lion Tom Hart of the Albany & Troy Lions Club gave an excellent presentation about recycling eyeglasses and hearing aids. He has promised to work with fellow A&T Lion Jerry Gordon to develop an information packet that will be available for other Lions clubs. For more information, contact: Lion Paula Flisnik, Director of Community Relations Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired 507 Kent Street, Utica, NY 13501 (315)797-2233, ext. 1270; email: [email protected] Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 FEED THE HUNGRY Club Name Food Baskets Thanksgiving Food Baskets Christmas Food Shelf Donations Albany & Troy Greater Amsterdam Ballston Spa Bethlehem Broadalbin-Perth Cambridge Central Mohawk Clinton Deerfield Duane Fonda-Fultonville Fort Edward Galway Glens Falls Gloversville Granville Town of Greenfield Greenwich Guilderland Hadley-Luzerne Herkimer Holland-Patent Town of Hoosick Johnstown MechanicvilleStillwater New Hartford NY Mills-Whitestown Northville-Sacandaga Greater Ravena Area RichmondvilleCobleskill Saratoga Springs Sauquoit Valley Schuylerville Scotia-Glenville Speculator Utica Waterford Wright-Scoharie Totals Page 6 Bell Ring Salvation Army Adopt a Family for holiday Meal With kids / seniors Totals Save the Date Annual Luncheon Meeting June 5th @1pm Normanside Country Club 150 Salisbury Road, Delmar www.normanside.com For information, contact Lion John McDonald via e-mail at [email protected] President Lion John McDonald Lions Eye Institute President PDG Dick Nason Lions Foundation at Albany Start your own Lions e-Clubhouse! Go to http://20y2lions.org/ClubWebSites.htm for a free and easy way to create, maintain or improve a web site for your club. Page 7 LHCS PRESIDENT SURNOFF JUDY, PDG 1700 LATIMER HILL RD CANAJOHARIE, NY 13317 518.673.1065 20Y2 Club Members As President of the Lions Hearing Conservation Society I would like to extend a personal invitation to all club members and their guest to attend our annual dinner meeting and installation of officers on May 23, 2011. Guest speaker; Joanne Knauer A NY Licensed Clinical Social Worker and member of the Hearing Loss Association Albany Chapter. This should be an informative meeting as we find more ways to work with other groups for the betterment of the hearing impaired and deaf. We will also be talking about the Lions Hearing Awareness Program for the summer and what is new for the program. Place- Raindancer Steak Parlour 4582 State Hwy. 30, Amsterdam, NY 6:30 PM - Cash bar and socializing (can be added to dinner check) 7:00 PM - Dinner (ordered from menu) RSVP phone or email by May 15, 2010 Lion Bill Suchy 843-5850 [email protected] PDG Surnoff Judy 673-1065 [email protected] Thank You Surnoff Judy, PDG President Page 8 This is my report on VCB, as of 04-16—2011: 32 Students with blindness and other vision impairments, participated in VCB.'s Prevocational institute, during the week of February 21st. A mixed camping session for blind children, adults and seniors, is being held this weekend, at VCB. Two programs for blind children and there families are planned for the weekends of May 22nd through 24th, and June 10th through 12th. The spring VCB. Workday is scheduled for Saturday, June 4th, along with the regularly scheduled executive committee meeting. This year's Employment and Technology Institute will run from July 22nd through 28th, and the 85th anniversary celebration and Family day will be held at VCB., Sunday, August 7th. Yours in Lionism, Lion Mike O'Brien VCB Chair. Visit The Lions Clubs of District 20-Y2 Web Site www.20y2lions.org Go to the lower left corner to sign up to automatically receive The Lions Roar, The Official Newsletter of the Lions Clubs of District 20-Y2 by e-mail each month Page 9 Additional Information: VISIONS: 212-625-1616 Ext. #120 e-mail: [email protected] Fairview: Pro Shop 203-531-4283 Directions: www.fairviewcountryclub.org Page 10 The Early Bird Registration Deadline for the USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum is just around the corner. Register now for the 35th Annual Forum to be held September 22-24, 2011 in Anchorage Alaska. Registration fee goes up after June 15th. Airfare is still low from most areas in North America. Click on the Forum link below for all the information on the Forum and to register online or print out the registration form: https://usacanadalionsforum.org Click on the link below for our April 2011 Newsletter, jam packed with the latest Forum information. https://usacanadalionsforum.org/Newsletter042011.pdf Come join us for the Best Forum yet as we proudly present "*I Believe in Lions Leadership*." See you in Anchorage! The Northeastern Association for the Blind at Albany, Inc. (NABA) held their 2011 Visionary Gala on April 8th at the Albany Country Club in Voorheesville. Frank Crisafulli was the Guest of Honor. Since 1908, the Northeastern Association for the Blind at Albany, Inc. (NABA) has provided comprehensive programs and services to residents of the greater Capital Region who are blind or visually impaired. NABA’s services help individuals of all ages in 15 countries to adapt to their vision loss, maximize their remaining vision, achieve their goals, and expand their productivity and independence. For more information contact Gail Hessney at 518-463-1211 ext. 201 – [email protected] or Michele O’Hare at 518-463-1211 ext. 241 – mo’[email protected] Or visit www.naba-vision.org Page 11 www.lionseyebankalbany.org The Sight Society of Northeastern New York, Inc. / Lions Eye Bank at Albany held their 59th Annual Membership Meeting at the Desmond Hotel in Albany on April 10th. It was an opportunity to review the accomplishments of the past year and pursue a vision for the future. Next year’s Executive Board Members and Officers were elected. During our December meeting, board members expressed a desire to recognize the long association we have had with our Lions clubs and to further explore ways in which Society resources could be used to do more in supporting programs/projects related to serving the vision impaired. Most Lions clubs have, as part of their primary mission, established programs offering free eye exams/eyeglasses to needy clients through an arrangement made with Luxotica (LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical and Target Optical). Clubs purchase coupons at $50 each for which approved clients receive an eye exam and pair of glasses. With the continuing loss of both members and clubs, some geographic areas are no longer serviced by local Lions clubs. Some smaller clubs, because of dwindling resources, have cut back and restricted their programs. Other clubs are now receiving more requests from clients outside their traditional service areas; all of which is placing an added strain upon clubs to respond. We were recently approached by several Lions clubs suggesting that our Sight Society may be willing to help out. A consensus was reached, as an appropriate response to the request, that the Society should allocate $500 for the purchase of 10 coupons for that purpose. It was emphasized that clubs would be held fully responsible for funding and continuing their own programs in traditional service areas. Clubs needing help with requests from outside their areas would be required to complete paper work associated with determining client qualifications. Coupons and/or reimbursement to clubs by the Society would be handled by a volunteer from the executive board (Director Marco Cuozzo has offered to serve in this capacity) and not by Society staff. Clubs and districts would be informed of the program and information would also be made available on the Society’s website. Page 12 We held our School-Nurse Appreciation Dinner on April 6th at the Hilton Garden Inn in Troy. The final count was 60 school nurses + 18 Lions and guests. As usual, the Hilton did a beautiful job with the meal. Benita Zahn was a terrific MC, and pediatrician Dr Lori Caruso’s ―head to toe‖ talk was informative, entertaining and very well received. The nurses were very appreciative of all we do, as evidenced by their remarks that evening and the thank-you notes we got afterwards. And thank to our generous sponsors, the club’s out-of-pocket cost was a mere $170. All in all, it was a very successful evening. Lions Diane and Tom Hart (who gave a presentation on our eyeglass program) and Lions Jerry and Maryanne Gordon and Michael O’Brien attended the April 11, 2011, Mechanicville/Stillwater Lions Club meeting. They will be joining us for our Installation Dinner. We had a last-minute call from the Regional Food Bank on Wednesday, April 6th, for strong volunteers to help unload furniture from a tractor trailer of furniture donated by Walmart . The RFB was donating it to a not-for-profit in Schenectady. It turned out to be TWO tractor trailers full and there was NO FORKLIFT to help them at the loading dock in Schenectady. So our Lions worked HARD until 5:30 + and earned high marks from the Regional Food Bank Volunteer Coordinator, Jackie Murray. Our congratulations to our strong volunteers: Lions Larry Krug and Paul Vergoni, and pseudo-Lion Bob Sano. They were aided by one Rotarian, a number of Food Bank employees, one RFB volunteer, and Jackie and her husband. A well-done job, Lions, and congratulations to all !! We selected May 15th as the date to serve a meal at Joseph’s House & Shelter. They offer emergency shelter, permanent housing, support services and guidance for homeless individuals, families and children. A high percentage of the homeless population is children. They address both immediate and long-term needs. Page 13 Page 14 BALLSTON SPA LIONS CLUB Ballston Spa Lions Club Charter Member Remembered On April 11, 2011 members of the Ballston Lions Club attended the Sight Society of Northeastern New York, Inc, Lions Eye Bank at Albany 59th Annual Membership Meeting to present a check in memory of Lion Joe Austin. On March 10, 2011 Lion Joe Austin passed away at the age of 97. In 1949, Lion Joe Austin was a charter member of the Ballston Spa Lions Club. In 1952 he was a Founding Member of the Sight Conservation Society and Lions Eye Bank at Albany. Throughout his life his commitment and contribution to Lionism and his community are displayed in many associations with local and regional community organizations. Club Contribution To: Lions Eye Bank at Albany in memory of Lion Joe Austin, DG John Samples Sr, Recipient Lion Dave Harris, Secretary Lions Eye Bank at Albany, Lion Susan Hayes, and Lion Marco Cuozzo Ballston Spa Lions Club. Paul W. Loomis, President of Malta Business and Professional Association (MBPA) was our guest speaker at the April 6th meeting. The Malta Business and Professional Association (MBPA) is the voice for business leaders in the Malta area. They promote and advance the commercial, industrial, civic climate and general interests of the business and professional enterprises in Malta. Their members include retailers, industrial, cultural, professional, non-profit and service organizations. "Growth.... Innovation... Community" PDG Mary Jane Ralston’s Mother Bette Ann Wilson passed away on March 30th, at the age of 96. Page 15 Come to Bermuda The Hamilton Lions Club in Bermuda will be 65 on May 12, 2011. We will be celebrating this occasion on Saturday, May 14, 2011. We invite our MD20 district to join us for the evening. It is our hope that some of you will be able to come and celebrate with us, you can reply via email to me, Lion Faith. Firm numbers will be needed by May 9th. Further details are pending and will be forwarded in due course. Lion Faith, Secretary Hamilton Lions Club [email protected] The Bethlehem Lions Club enjoyed a District Governor’s Visitation on April 6th. Shown Right: Lion Rick Rudofsky received a Certificate of Appreciation from District Governor John Samples Sr. for his continuous dedication to Lionism. Page 16 Broadalbin-Perth Lions For Information Contact: Eric Kimmelman 842-7275 [email protected] On March 10th, Lion Val Kevlin was awarded the Robert J. Uplinger Distinguished Service Award, the highest award available in Multiple District 20, for her exemplary service to the Broadalbin-Perth Lions Club and Multiple District 20. Lion Val Kevlin has been a very active Lion for many years. She was a member of the Johnstown Lions Club and is a Charter Member of the Broadalbin-Perth Lions Club. In Broadalbin-Perth, she has been Secretary, First and Second Vice President and President and served on every project the club has been involved in. She has also been Zone Chairman and Region Chairman. When presenting the award, King Lion Kirk stated ―Val is always available when needed. The club owes much of its success to her efforts.‖ Lion Val is married to fellow Lion Tom Kevlin, also a Broadalbin-Perth member. The Kevlin’s have three daughters and a granddaughter. Not above you – not beneath you – but with you. Page 17 Shown below are photos of Central Mohawk Valley Lions Club April Activities. The 36th annual Central Mohawk Valley Lions Club Easter Egg hunt took place in Hazlett Park in the village of Fort Plain on Saturday, April 16th. "2011 Easter Egg Hunt Rabbits:" A good portion of the club participated in making the event a big success -- our 36th annual. Pictured: King Lion Jeff Jones; Lions Tammy Jones, Greg Pitonza, Chris Resch (seated), John Resch (non Lion helper), PDG Surnoff Judy, Christine Judy, Jack Douglass, Anna Mae Douglass, Ron Dievendorf, Wayne Heroth, and Sue Leavitt Above: Left:: "On the Starting Line:" a crowd of about 100 children wait with their parents for the "starting gun." Above: "Easter Bunny (AKA KL Jeff Jones) Handout" Right:: "PDG Surnoff & Christine Collect and Distribute:" PDG Surnoff and his wife, Christine, distribute prizes to children who have surrendered their collected eggs. On Saturday, April 2nd, the CMV Lions Club had a table at the Fort Plain Central HS Health Fair. Right: PDG Surnoff & KL Jeff Jones manning the table. Lion Fred Chambers, and PDG Surnoff Judy at the Health Fair table which displayed items available for loan-out at 20Y-2 Hearing Centers. Page 18 Page 19 Hope everyone had an enjoyable Easter, no doubt munching on all of those bunnies we distributed. Lion Norma has a few bunnies still available - white chocolate only. Please see Lion Norma for pickup - 725-3489. Our Club will be hosting the 'Friday's Table' on May 6th at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Gloversville. This will be our first but not last time actually purchasing & creating the entree. We have seven volunteers signed up - we will report back with results & photos. Our slate of Officers & Directors for 2011-2012 are as follows: President: Matt Trainor Vice-President: Mark Ford Secretary: Roseann Lauria Treasurer: Ron Ferdico Directors: Norma Cozzolino Fran Mezza Steve Spurza Linda Walsh The above slate was elected at our April 6th meeting. Congratulations All!! Our annual dinner/Officer installation will be held June 29th at the C&R Restaurant, Rte. 29, Galway. Conferring officer will be Past International Director John Wargo. I hope to see everyone there! Lion Linda Walsh and myself will be attending the NYS State convention in Rochester April 29th - May 1st. Lion Linda will be elected our District Governor and I know I speak for all when I say Congratulations Lion Linda - well deserved! Meeting & Speaker schedule: May 4th - dinner - Fireside Restaurant - Lions Tom Kevlin & Bill Suchy of the MD-20 MERL team will speak. May 12th - dinner - Patricia's, Johnstown, 7PM. This is a Thursday night. Speaker will be Assemblyman Marc Butler speaking on life in Albany. ***Please note that the May 12th meeting will replace our usual luncheon meeting ordinarily scheduled for the 20th. Page 20 Lion Norma Cozzolino (Immediate Past President) was contacted by Lions Mark & Eleanor Costello of the East Whittier California Lions Club who then forwarded the attached envelope postmarked October 21, 1950 and addressed to PFC David DeWitt at Camp Pickett, VA The reason Lions Mark & Eleanor sent the envelope is the back has three Halloween stickers promoting the "Halloween Youth Frolic" sponsored by the Gloversville Lions Club. Note that the postage was 3 cents. Page 21 We held the Election for the upcoming Lions year at our April 5th Dinner Meeting with the following results; President Marianne Lynch, 1st Vice President Phil Weaver, Treasurer Harry Haldt, Secretary Linda Ellingsworth, Tail Twister Ron Barrett, Lion Tamer Sheila Comar, Director 2 years Jim Roberts, Director 2 years Cindy Teller, Director 1 year John Gijanto, Director 1 year Matt Rice, and Membership Chair Wes Perry. Right: King Lion Stephen Lynch presented Lion Ron Barrett with a Membership Key award on April 5th for his successful efforts. The Leos/Lions Blood Drive was held in the Granville High School library on Monday, April 4th with great results thanks to Co-Chairs Lions Tamme Taran and Mary Ann Niles. We provided plants to 128 2nd Graders for Earth Day. Thank you Chair Lion Nancy Hughes. Our April 19th Dinner Meeting featured a nice presentation by Bill Vanderminden of Telescope Casual Furniture, who continued the wonderful relationship between his family, their company, and the Granville Lions, which has already lasted for more than fifty years. Furniture Sales started on Friday, April 15th and will continue each weekend through Labor Day. Donations this month included $195 toward a hearing aid for a needy person, $1,000 worth of furniture to the Austine-Green Mountain Lions Camp, $1,000 worth of furniture to the Haynes House of Hope, $500 to the GHS After Prom Party, $100 to local missionary Cassie Dodge, $50 to the Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a $100 Gold Sponsorship of the Rail Trail 5K Race and $300 worth of furniture to the Knights of Columbus auction. Page 22 Special Pricing for All Lions! Granville Lions Club Sale Large inventory of Telescope casual furniture including strap chaises at Below Wholesale Prices! Various Styles Bring your Lions membership card for an extra 10% discount on our entire inventory! Sales start on APRIL 15th Page 23 In our 32nd year of community service 16th Annual Run for the Community Saturday, May 7th We are seeking sponsors now. Please contact Gail Nelson at [email protected] The Greenfield Lions have a full schedule of upcoming Cooking Events. They started with a Cowboy Shoot on April 17th and will be continuing right into November! The club enjoyed a District Governor Visitation with DG John Samples, Sr. on April 13th. Plan now for our Camp Badger Work Weekend, May 27th thru Memorial Day. If you are interested in going down please let Lion Joe Jarvis know, so we can have enough accommodations. We will be getting the wish list for the Camp shortly and will post it in an upcoming newsletter. The Hadley-Luzerne Lioness Club held their Annual Basket Auction on Wednesday, April 27th at Ciro’s Restaurant in Lake Luzerne. It was an evening of Fun, Laughter and “Bidding Wars.” A delicious Buffet:included Salad, Sausage with peppers & onions, Baked Ziti, Stuffed Sole, Chicken Marsala, Roasted Potatoes, Mixed Beans & Carrots, Dessert, and Hot Coffee or Tea. Page 24 The annual Town of Hoosick Lions Club Penny Hunt took place on April 16th at Wood Memorial Park. Despite the cool cloudy weather, there was a good turnout and, as always, the Easter Bunny made an appearance. The club is now serving it's third generation of children as there were grandparents in attendance who had participated in the event as children. The Penny Hunt is the oldest Town of Hoosick Lions event, dating back to 1961, and being held every year for the last 50 years. The Town of Hoosick Lions Club was chartered in 1960. Cambridge was our sponsoring club. A photo of the original 26 charter members is shown below. Page 25 Town of Hoosick Lions Club We Serve The Town of Hoosick Lions Club invites you to our 50th Anniversary Celebration Saturday, June 4th, 2011 6:00 P.M. - Social Hour – Cash Bar 7:00 P.M. - Dinner Hoosick Falls Country Club Richmond Avenue Hoosick Falls, NY 12090 Special Guest Speaker Douglas X. Alexander, International Director $30.00 Dinner Choices, including coffee and desert Prime Rib Roast Turkey Baked Scrod Semi-formal or Appropriate Lions Attire Contact Lion Peter Church for more information 518-944-8074 [email protected] R.S.V.P. BY: MONDAY, MAY 23, 2011 Please make checks payable to: Town of Hoosick Lions Club (Please include your menu choice and your phone number or e-mail so we may contact you) Mail to: LION SANDY TREMBLY 138 HOME STREET HOOSICK FALLS, NY 12090 Page 26 Swing into Spring SAVE THE DATE Mechanicville/Stillwater Golf Tournament Friday, May 13, 2011 12:00 P.M. Mechanicville Golf Course Mechanicville, NY Lunch, Dinner, Door Prizes. Only $55.00 Including Cart Contact PDG Lettie Saheim for more information. Serving the needs of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons in Warren, Washington and Saratoga Counties and Beyond The Association for the Hearing Impaired held their 17th Annual Be a Hear-O Dinner Dance on Saturday April 2nd at the Six Flags Great Escape Lodge in Queensbury. It was a wonderful evening that included a Silent Auction, dancing, music by the Marcabes and culinary delights at Gourmet Food Stations. For more information go to www.afthi.org Page 27 Longtime Johnstown Lion John Genovese passed away on Sunday, April 10th due to brain trauma caused by a fall. He was surrounded and comforted by his family right to the end. The 7th Annual Saratoga Springs Lions Club Duathlon will take place on Sunday, May 29, 2011 with a start time of 8:00 am. It will once again be based at the Skidmore College campus and surrounding area. The event is chip timed by Bay State Race Services and the first 300 entrants will receive a free micro-mesh t-shirt. One, two and three person teams as well as corporate teams can enter and compete for awards. Our entry fees are the same as last year: $50 for individuals, $75 for 2-person teams and $95 for 3-person and corporate teams. These prices are good through May 12, 2011, so we encourage you to sign up early. Applications can be downloaded and mailed in with a check or simply sign up online with Bay State Events through the links below. All participants will be entered to win a special drawing for a new Queen Serta Vera Wang Mattress Set compliments of Bare Bones Furniture. Raffle tickets are also available for purchase at a cost of $20 each. This year's choice of drawings to enter include: $4,000 Serotta bike; $500 Blue Sky Bicycles gift certificate; overnight for 2 with round of golf at the Mirror Lake Inn; or a $350 lady's watch from n. Fox Jewelers. Raffle tickets are available for purchase without having to sign up for the event Page 28 Lions and Leader Dog – Together for over 70 Years It all started with ―$400 and a hatful of ideas.‖ - Donald P. Schuur. From left to right: William Joyce with ―Neitzie,‖ Earl Morrey with ―Baron,‖ Dr. Glenn Wheeler with ―Hilda,‖ and Paul Brown with ―Van.‖ Quite literally, Leader Dogs for the Blind would not exist today if not for Lions Clubs International. Beginning with the support of one club, LDB is now supported by Lions Clubs from all over the world. It all began in 1938 (if you thought 1939 – keep reading), when Charles A. Nutting, Donald P. Schurr and S.A. Dodge led the Uptown Lions Club of Detroit in establishing a school to train guide dogs for the blind. Their motivation was Dr. Glenn Wheeler, a fellow Uptown Lion whose attempts to be accepted by another guide dog school proved unsuccessful. The first students were housed at the Park Avenue Hotel in Detroit and graduated in the fall of 1938. Three Detroit Lions Clubs held a contest among all Lions Clubs for a new name for their venture. Over 500 names were submitted from around the world. The winning name ―Lions Leader‖ was submitted by the Lions Club of Coulterville, Illinois. The house rented in 1939 would have over 12,000 students in residence until its demolition in 2003. On April 4, 1939, (this is where 1939 comes in) Lions Leader Dog Foundation was incorporated as a Michigan nonprofit. In May 1939, the Foundation leased a small farm in Rochester, Michigan to house their new venture. Fifty dollars per month rented a farmhouse for the students and staff, a barn for the dogs and a garage. On October 8, 1939, the first class of the official Lions Leader Dog Foundation graduated. The cost to graduate a student/dog team was $600. Soon after incorporation, the Lions International Board of Directors requested that we remove the word ―Lions‖ from our name because they had not sanctioned official support of the organization. So on June 15, 1940, the new name ―Leader Dog League for the Blind‖ became official. The remainder of the 1940s saw continued growth of the school and increased involvement of local and nationwide Lions Clubs. Support came in the form of donations, identifying potential students and spreading the word of Leader Dog’s work and mission. Page 29 Many remember Pock for his dedication to Leader Dog, to Lions and for his ever present pipe. He is pictured here with his dog ―Shane.‖ The decade of the '50s welcomed the 1st Leader Dog week (Dec. 3-9, 1950) in Michigan as proclaimed by Governor G. Mennen Williams. We received a new Executive Director in 1951, Harold ―Pock‖ Pocklington. Pock had been on our Board of Trustees since 1948 after he first visited Leader Dog while a District Governor-Elect. He would stay at Leader Dog until his death in 1986. Our global ties to the Lions began strengthening in 1953 when S.A. Dodge served as president of Lions International, bringing Leader Dog to the Lions at the highest possible level. Melvin Jones, founder of Lionism, gave Leader Dog his personal endorsement in 1958. The 1960s brought continued growth at Leader Dog in terms of number of students graduated, number of dogs trained and number of employees on staff. In 1963, Lions International President Jorge Bird of Puerto Rico became involved with Leader Dog when he brought a Spanish soldier, Francisco A. Garcia, who had been blinded by a shell explosion, to get a dog. Until this time, the Lions were unable to establish themselves in Spain because General Franco (of Spain) wasn’t interested in having international associations in the country. However, when Garcia returned to Spain he received much press and General Franco became aware of him. When President Bird was finally able to get an audience with General Franco, he received approval for Lions to establish themselves in Spain. At this meeting, General Franco recognized the Lions as the group that ―gave the dog to someone in Barcelona.‖ The association of Lions of Spain and Leader Dog continues to this day. Later that decade, on May 10, 1968, Leader Dog received permission to use the Lions emblem by Lions International. The Lions statue was moved to the Downtown Rochester facility during one of the many renovations of our facilities. The Lions' continued support of Leader Dog was celebrated in 1972 with the addition of a life-size Lion to the Rochester Hills campus. The 2,200 pound statue was installed by the Shelby Township Lions and was designed and constructed by Gan Jacobsen (who became a long-time Trustee of Leader Dog). During this decade, Pock, who was still serving as Executive Director of Leader Dog, was twice elected to the Lions International Board (1974-75, 197879). Throughout the '80s, '90s and into the 21st century, the Lions have acted as the backbone of Leader Dog. Lions Clubs throughout the world have continued to support us and our students financially, they have brought thousands of people who are visually impaired through our doors, and have continued to serve on our Board of Trustees. They are puppy raisers, volunteers, breeding host families and so much more. Many recipients of Leader Dog services have become Lions after experiencing their support and mission firsthand. To this day, the mission of the Lions, ―We serve,‖ perfectly complements the Leader Dog mission of enhancing the lives of people who are blind and visually impaired. Page 30 Page 31 NOTE: If you are a consumer, the hearing aids described below are available only through your local Lions club; you cannot purchase them directly. United States Lions are providing high-quality, low-cost hearing aids to hearingimpaired people of limited income through the Lions Affordable Hearing Aid Project (Lions AHAP). Currently, Lions AHAP is offering for sale two hearing aids to Lions clubs and Lions hearing programs through a partnership with Rexton, Inc., a hearing aid manufacturer in Plymouth , Minnesota. There are two affordable hearing aids. The Targa 3P hearing aid is for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, and is a digital hearing aid worn behind-the-ear. The Targa 3HP hearing aid is for people with severe to profound hearing loss and is also a digital hearing aid worn behind-the-ear. Each hearing aid costs $200 plus shipping which does not include the provision of hearing tests, hearing aid fittings and ear molds. Lions have purchased 590 Rexton hearing aids. Lions clubs initiate assistance by deciding an individual’s eligibility based on income criteria. A partnership with a hearing care professional is necessary to fulfill the request. The hearing care professional conducts the hearing tests and orders the ear molds. The Lions order the hearing aids from Lions AHAP and the hearing aids are shipped to the hearing care professional, who programs them for the recipient and provides follow-up care. Lions clubs interested in the program often struggle to pay for the hearing tests, hearing aid fittings, and follow-up visits. To address this we are pleased to announce HearUSA, in a partnership with Lions AHAP, is now providing hearing aid services at a significantly reduced rate to Lions clubs in ten states. Thanks to this partnership, Lions clubs can access a complete, unilateral hearing aid solution for $603 ($218 for one hearing aid, $350 for fitting and $35 for the ear mold). This represents a 69% savings of the average $2,000 cost one would expect to pay. HearUSA is a comprehensive hearing care company with 170 company-owned centers in ten states: California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. For the addresses and phone numbers of specific HearUSA (and HearX) centers, go to www.hearusa.com and select ―Locate a Center‖ or see the box below for the HearUSA offices in our district. For more information contact Lions AHAP at [email protected] or call Erin Crouch, Program Coordinator, at 630-468-6778. Clicking here will take you to the page on the LCIF web site with all the information as well as links to all the forms you'll need. Click here for our District 20Y2 Lions Hearing Conservation Society Page 32 These are the HearUSA locations in District 20Y2: HearUSA 114 Genesse St New Hartford, NY 13413 315-732-1512 HearUSA Audiologist: Lion Vici Harris 2200 Burdett Ave, Suite 105 Troy, NY 12180 518-272-7323 And these are the other audiologists in the district who will work with Clubs to purchase the Lions Affordable Hearing Aid through LCIF: Mark Caffrey 93 Guy Park Ave. Amsterdam , NY 518-842-5165 Saratoga Hearing Center Mark Caffrey 242 East State St. Ext Gloversville, NY 518-725-2620 Madison Hearing Center Chris Raffo 1 Executive Center Drive, Suite 202 Albany, NY 518-690-2060 Maria Valli 414 Maple Ave, Suite 800 Saratoga Springs, NY 518-584-0578 The Hearing Center at Glens Falls Hosp. Drs Debra Backus, Tammy Monroe & Dina Foster 25 Willowbrook Drive Queensbury, NY 12804 518-926-2060 Center for the Hearing Dr Suzan Bogia 318 Ridge St Queensbury, NY 12804 518-798-4800 We are always appreciative of items for The Lions Roar, the Official Newsletter of the Lions Clubs of District 20-Y2. Ensure that your President and Secretary are aware of the process for submittals so your club can be included. Please submit your information to [email protected] in common formats such as e-mails, Word, Excel and Adobe Acrobat. Photos should be in a normal size. We can shrink them as necessary. Any submission is subject to changes as determined in the sole discretion of the Editor. Be certain to send your submission by the deadline, which is the 28th of each month. Page 33 TM Hometown Training “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” -Mark Twain It’s a Three Dog Night, It’s a Big Success Date: April 18, 2011 Freedom Guide Dogs held its first banquet fundraiser, It’s a Three Dog Night, on Thursday, April 14 at Daniele’s on Seneca Turnpike. The event, MC’d by WKTV’s Gary Liberatore, was attended by nearly 200 people and raised more than $8,000. The evening began with a silent auction displaying over 70 items with a collective value of more than $7,000. The award ceremony honored a top therapy dog, top service dog and top pet dog, all of which were in attendance. Following the ceremony, a video about Freedom’s origin and mission provided a heart-felt look into how the organization began, its growth and goals for the future. Freedom’s founders, Eric and Sharon Loori, even spoke briefly to their cause, receiving a standing ovation from the audience. For more information about Freedom Guide Dogs, visit www.freedomguidedogs.org Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. was founded by Sharon & Eric Loori in 1992.Freedom Guide Dogs is a non-profit organization committed to raising, training and placing dogs to guide the blind through a distinctive program of “Hometown Training.” This program is active throughout the Northeastern United States and allows training to take place in a familiar environment where the client lives, works and enjoys daily life. Freedom’s services are at no charge to our clients and are made possible through generous support from individuals and organizations dedicated to giving blind people and their families the freedom of a guide dog. Contact: Nicole White Freedom Guide Dogs 1210 Hardscrabble Rd. Cassville, NY 13318 Ph. (315) 822-5132 Email: [email protected] Web: www.freedomguidedogs.org Page 34 Internationally accredited guide dog school providing greater independence, dignity, and new horizons of opportunity 44 Days until the Golf Classic! NY Giants Quarterback Eli Manning returns on June 13 to host our school’s major fundraiser. There are still ways to get involved in the almost sold-out event. For as little as $500, you can sponsor a hole! This is a once-a-year opportunity - contact Michelle Brier at 914 243 2208 or [email protected] to discover how you can help. Win a BMW or a pair of Rolex Watches Support Guiding Eyes by purchasing a ticket in our annual car raffle! This year, try your chances at winning a 2012 BMW 128i OR a pair of gorgeous Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches. The drawing takes place at the Guiding Eyes Golf Classic, held on June 13, 2011. Visit www.guidingeyes.org/raffle to learn more. <http://www.guidingeyes.org/phplist/lists/lt.php?id=YUVXAFAFWwkNGgtRRFcAU1FX> Lions Club International Mission Statement To empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions clubs Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38