FACC Christmas Donations

FACC Christmas Donation

Freeport Illinois Lions Club donated a check for $500, plus 155 food items, as well as $131 collected during holiday party activities to the Freeport Area Church Cooperative (FACC) on December 10, 2014.

FACC Director, Dean Wright, accepts a $500 check from Freeport Lion 2nd VP, Rebecca Shriver. Photo courtesy of Lion Dennis Zimmerman.

At the Freeport Lions Club annual holiday party members brought food items and gave monetary donations to give to the Freeport Area Church Cooperative, a not-for-profit social services organization whose mission is to provide emergency food, clothing, and shelter to those in need in northwest Illinois and to empower those to whom they serve.

(upper row l-r) Paul Rampenthal, Rick Eastman, Brian Burke, Roland Caruso, Kent Cairy, Liz Boyer, Pat Davis, Dennis Zimmerman, Larry Trimble, Jim Medendorp; (lower row l-r) Bert Kersten, Darla VanBuskirk, David Snyders, Rebecca Shriver, Joe Serafini, Andy Skinner, Terry Anderson

 

The Freeport Lions Club meets every 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday each month. For more information see their blog or join them online as a Facebook friend:

http://freeportlionsclub.blogspot.com  or https://www.facebook.com/FREEPORTLIONS

Salvation Christmas 2014

Freeport Lions Club members donated $250 to The Salvation Army as well as bell-ringing and collecting public donations in red kettles in front of area businesses.

Lions photo submitted

Freeport Lions Darla VanBuskirk (left) and Joe Serafini (right) presented a $250.00 check to Salvation Army Captain John Wilson  after the annual All Service Clubs Luncheon on December 15, 2014.

The Salvation Army uses funds to support adults, children and families, and to bring disaster relief to those in need. Donations and financial assistance to the Salvation Army provide Christmas dinners, clothing, and toys for families in need, including families of prisoners. Volunteers distribute gifts to shut-ins in hospitals and nursing homes, and shelters are open for sit-down dinners. The Salvation Army endeavors to bring spiritual light and love to those it serves at Christmas so that the real meaning of the season is not forgotten. Many families receive aid over a period of months after the Christmas season, as well as people struggling with difficult family, emotional, or employment problems. Because they want to respond to the varying needs of the communities in which they serve, all of The Salvation Army’s holiday assistance programs are administered locally.

 

The Freeport Lions Club thanks all good citizens who helped make this possible through their generosity.

The Freeport Lions Club meets every 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday each month. For more information see their blog or join them online as a Facebook friend:

http://freeportlionsclub.blogspot.com  or https://www.facebook.com/FREEPORTLIONS

 

Organ Donor Program Guest Speaker

(From 11 Nov 2014 "Meeting Notes" by Joe Serafini, Club Secretary, and from guest speaker correspondence)

Lion Brian Burke introduced the program/guest speaker, Jan Eschen, Regional Coordinator for the Illinois Secretary of State's Organ/Tissue Donor Program. There are over 5,000 people in the State waiting for life-saving or life-enhancing transplants. Many of those will die or their conditions will continue to deteriorate before an organ becomes available.

Lives can be saved or improved through continuing education about the critical shortage of organs and tissue by giving every licensed driver over age 18 the opportunity to join the Secretary of State's Organ/Tissue Donor Registry. Licenses of drivers who sign up will show a red State of Illinois with the word "Donor".  You can register on-line at: https://www.ilsos.gon/organdonorregister .  To learn more, visit website: http://www.lifegoeson.com/  

Thanks to Jesse White, Illinois Secretary of State, for sponsoring this program at the highest level. His mission statement: “To strengthen the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry through outreach and registration initiatives.” Every April is "National Donate Life Month", with ceremonies to honor those who have donated and saved lives, to mourn those who have died while waiting for a transplant, to support patients whose lives depend on finding a donor, and to celebrate the lives saved and improved from donations. There are many brochures that can be requested. Lions Club members, Rich Montgomery, Pat Davis and Brian Burke, have first-hand experience with this program. We honor, mourn, support and celebrate our own family members who have donated or received organs/tissue through this charitable program.

More history:

1991 - the IL Secretary of State develops a poster contest for students in K-12^th grade. One poster was selected, duplicated and distributed  statewide.

1992 - Secretary of State implemented the IL Organ Donor Registry, making Illinois one of only three states to maintain such a listing.

1993 - IL General Assembly passes legislation to provide funding for education and awareness.

1994 - “Life goes on” statewide awareness program began.

1999 - First Life Goes On Committee was started in Peoria with pilot project to expand, now in 7 other towns.

2004 - Jesse White formed task force to look at first person consent vs. family consent.

2005 - Jesse White led legislative measure to create first person consent registry and it passed.

2006 - First Person Consent Organ/Tissue Donor Registry went into effect January 1.

2012 - Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry reaches 5 Million donors.    

November 2014 Lion Talk

Welcome to all our (2014) new Lions. We are extremely proud to have you with us.

Guests at our October 28 dinner meeting, Past District Governor Lion Paul Lindstrom & wife Lion Pat Lindstrom, Leaf River Lions Club, introduced their own special guest, Kathleen Breen from Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

 

Ms. Breen and her young dog, "Laker", showed us some of the many things that their program for leader dogs does to alter behavior before a dog can be placed with someone who has vision loss. Freeport Lions has been and continues to be a strong supporter of Leader Dogs for the Blind. The winner of the 50/50 raffle for the evening was the "Laker" who promptly donated his winnings to his sponsoring organization!

 

ADDITIONAL GUESTS on October 28 were Past District Governor/International Director Lion Russ Sarver and his wife, Lion Sue Sarver, Durand Lions Club. Lion Sue nominated Andrew “Andy” Skinner, to be a member of Freeport Lions Club. The motion was seconded and the vote was unanimous to accept the nomination. WELCOME ALL!

PID Russ Sarver, inducts new member Andy Skinner as his sponsor, Lion Sue Sarver, fastens a member pin to Andy's shirt, while Lion sponsor Rick Eastman and new member Jim Medendorp look on.

 

It was great to have Lion Sue Sarver of the Durand Lions Club present an application to sponsor Andrew "Andy" Skinner to join our club as PID/PDG Russ Sarver led the ceremony inducting Lions Andy and Jim Medendorp into our club. The event marked Lion Sarver’s 30^th New Member Sponsorship! Lion Medendorp was Lion Rick Eastman’s 3rd sponsored new member in 2014!

Congratulations! 

October was a very busy month for our club with Candy Day, rose sales and Rose Day. It was, again, a very successful month with all of our good Lions volunteering.

Lions Terry Anderson and Dennis Zimmerman sort roses for delivery drivers in the shop of Good People Automotive.

Lions Rose Day chairperson, Joe Serafini, also reported another great Rose Day. Club members sold a total of 547 dozen roses and received another $90 in unsolicited donations. Super salesman, Lion Terry Anderson, sold an amazing 196 dozen roses this year!  Thank you to all of our members, donors and volunteers! It takes active members, caring citizens,  and volunteer students to enable this club to be successful in helping those who are disabled or less fortunate.

It also takes extra personal time to deliver roses. Thanks to this year's delivery route drivers, Brian Burke, Roland Caruso, Jim Medendorp, Terry Anderson, Bert Kersten, Paul Rampenthal, Jack Grigsby, David Snyders, Dennis Zimmerman, Leo Bonin, Joe Serafini and volunteer Cowman. Lions Joe Serafini, Paul Rampenthal, Dennis Zimmerman and Terry Anderson drove 100 mile routes to get the job done.

Special Rose Day thanks also go to Lion Rick Eastman, owner of Eastrich Printing for ticket and poster printing, the Journal-Standard for advertising and publishing articles, Event Floral of Loves Park for supplying flowers, and Gordy Tormohlen of Good People Automotive for acting as a ticket sales site and honoring his father's long time tradition of providing his facility as our distribution site, including free coffee.

Candy Wrappers

The total collected for Candy Day on October 3 & 4 this year was less than last years' record amount but was still one of our best years.

Many, many a "Thank you" to the 28 FHS students who volunteered their free time, to all good Lion volunteers, and especially to chairperson Lion Terry Anderson. Thank you to our officers and leaders who give countless hours every year to get the rest of us organized.  

 MANY THANKS TO ALL!

 MANY THANKS TO ALL!

 MANY THANKS TO ALL!

 MANY THANKS TO ALL!

 MANY THANKS TO ALL!

 

 

MANY THANKS TO ALL!

_____________________ 

 

Special thanks to my fellow Freeport Lions who stepped up to deliver roses for me on the day of my mother’s funeral. Thank you also for your prayers for our family and for your good thoughts and deeds. – Lion Rich Montgomery

_____________________ 

CLUB HISTORY NOTES: By Lion Duane Smith

Thirty years ago when the Freeport Lions Club collected donations for Candy Day things were a little different in our town. We collected at sites of heavy pedestrian traffic such as big grocery stores like we do now and at what was then a brand new and very busy Lincoln Mall. Many Lions were assigned to the downtown area where major banks and such as the F. W. Woolworth and S. S. Kresge department stores brought people to town. A few brave Lions even stood in the busy intersections of major streets. Many community changes have occurred over the years, and so have the number and locations of Lions donation sites. Where do you suppose our club will be collecting in thirty years?

Notable Quotes:

·  "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."- Edmund Burke

·  "Always keep your words soft and sweet just in case you have to eat them.” – Andy Rooney

·  "If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it." –Kahlil Gibran

·  “We could learn a lot from crayons; some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, while others bright, some have weird names, but they all have learned to live together in the same box.” - Robert Fulghum (author/pastor)

2014-15 PEACE POSTER WINNER

THE WINNER of the 2014-15 Freeport Lions Club PEACE POSTER CONTEST is Sanaa Cauthen, a student at Freeport Middle School.



Contest winner, Sanaa Cauthen, with Lion Terry Anderson, poster contest chairman, and Nick Swords, principal of Freeport Middle School

Freeport grade schools and the Boys & Girls Club were asked to have youths participate in this worldwide contest held annually for over 25 years.

The theme of the 2014-15 Peace Poster Contest is "Peace, Love and Understanding." Students, ages 11, 12 or 13 on November 15, are eligible to participate.

James Rhyne, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Freeport IL and Stephenson County IL, encouraged member students to participate in the “Peace Poster Contest” for the first time this year, and proudly submitted what turned out to be the winning poster on Sanaa’s behalf.

In keeping with the contest theme for her poster, Sanaa drew a heart-shaped earth wrapped in a ribbon made of flags from many countries, on a sky-blue background, and a dove with an olive branch floating over the earth.

Freeport Lions Club contest chairman, Terry Anderson, said, “Sanaa’s winning poster visually contains all the elements of the theme in one quick glance with fine artistic originality. Her poster will now compete at the district level, and we wish her good luck!”

Peace Poster Contest Judging

Lions clubs around the world proudly sponsor the Lions International Peace Poster Contest annually in participating local schools and youth groups to encourage young people worldwide to express their visions of peace. Millions of children from nearly 100 countries have participated in the contest for over 25 years.

Each poster is judged on originality, artistic merit and expression of the theme. Posters advance through several judging levels: local, district, multiple district and international. At the international level, judges from the art, peace, youth, education and media communities select one grand prize winner and 23 merit award winners.

Peace Poster Contest Awards

International winners will be notified on or before February 1.

• One international grand prize winner will receive US$5,000 and a trip to a special award ceremony.

• Each of the 23 merit award winners will receive a cash award of US$500 and a certificate of achievement.

Freeport Lions Club is proud of Sanaa Cauthen and The Boys & Girls Club for participating in this year’s contest.

Congratulations, we wish you GOOD LUCK at the next contest judging!

 

by Rich Montgomery, President 2014-2015, Freeport IL Lions Club

October 14 Guest Speaker

Our dinner meeting guest speaker for our October 14, 2014, was Mr. Dan Schmitt, Executive Director, Freeport Community Foundation, a not for profit, tax exempt charitable organization that provides a mechanism for individuals, businesses and charitable agencies to provide meaningful assistance to worthwhile causes in Stephenson, Jo-Daviess, and Carroll Counties and the surrounding communities. The Foundation acts much the same as our Lions Club, but on a broader scale.

The Foundation was founded in 1975 by a group of dedicated community leaders who wanted to establish a permanent source of funds where the income generated could be used to support charitable organizations who address the current issues facing people in need. It focuses on the advancement of these communities and works to make Northwestern Illinois an outstanding place to live not only today, but forever.

The Foundation is guided by a Board of Directors whose mission is to stay connected and informed on current issues facing their citizens and connecting people who care with causes that matter. The Foundation awards grants to a variety of charitable organizations addressing needs in health and human services, civic and community betterment, reform and innovation in the schools, and advancement of the arts and literature. Grant requests are reviewed/awarded in the spring and fall of each year.

Thanks to Lion Roland Caruso for arranging for members to hear about this fine program from such a respected speaker,

ln their role as stewards of charitable donations and funds, their volunteer Board of Directors seeks to preserve and grow the assets by administering and investing their funds. They work closely with their donors to make grants that will match their philanthropic interests with community needs.

Some of the areas of interest for which Foundation funds have been available in the past are: community needs, FACC (Freeport Area Church Cooperative), RAMP (Regional Access & Mobilization Project), Substance Abuse Treatment, Education and Prevention, Arts Scholarship, Youth Advisory Council, Assault & Abuse Services of Stephenson County, Agriculture and Land Conservation, United Way of Northwest Illinois, and NW Illinois/SW Wisconsin Community Development.

The Foundation works with people to establish a charitable giving plan that includes current gifts as well as deferred gifts. For more information, contact the Freeport Community Foundation.

website:  www.freeportcommunityfoundation.org

email:  fcfdirector@freeportcommunityfoundation.org

phone:  (815) 801-3035

10 Years of Service 2004 - 2014

Freeport Lions who achieved 10 Years of Service from 2004 to 2014 were awarded lapel pins to signify their achievements at the Lions District 1D Zone Meeting held at the Jane Addams Center in Jane Addams' hometown, Cedarville IL, on September 29, 2014.

Ten-Year Service Pins were awarded to Freeport Lions Paul Rampenthal, Kevin Grande, Steve Kryder and Richard Montgomery during the meeting.

Congratulations! Keep up the good work!

In other business, attendees heard plans for future funding of needed remodeling at The Center for Sight & Hearing facility in Rockford IL, and the Leader Dogs for the Blind facility in Rochester Hills MI being discussed as agenda items from both present and past District Governors.

 

 

LION TALK - SEPTEMBER 2014

Recapped reports about the August 2014 business of the Freeport Lions Club

 

Compiled, printed and mailed to all club members by Lion Duane Smith, Publicity Committee

Scanned, edited and blogged by Lion Rich Montgomery, Publicity Committee Chairperson

At our August 12^th meeting Lion Kara Kelly, our guest speaker from the Illinois Eye Bank, gave a very interesting power point presentation about the Eye Bank and the corneal transplants that they do. They restore sight for many people every year. Some of the facts presented included: The first corneal transplant was done in 1905. Corneal tissue must be recovered within four hours and transplanted within 48 hours. About 100 transplants are done each month. The youngest transplant recipient so far is a 9-day old baby and the oldest person was age 107. Lion Rebecca Shriver was responsible for the evening’s program, and presented Lion Kara with a donation from our club to help them continue their good work.

Lion Rick Eastman gave a report on the August 10th Friends Forever Humane Society’s “Dog & Pony Car Show” benefit. The show was very successful and raised a record amount of money this year. Several good Lions helped by selling ice-cold bottled water and 50/50 raffle tickets to attendees and participants in the summer heat. All proceeds went to Friends Forever. Thanks to those Lions who gave their time to this good cause.

Lion President Rich Montgomery introduced his dinner guest, longtime Freeport resident and possible new member, Larry Trimble.

Lion Brian Burke reported that District Governor Jim Kloepping will visit us at our September 9th meeting.

Lion Joe Serafini said our guess/pledge for the number of birdies at the John Deere Classic Golf Tournament came very close to winning this year. 100% of every pledge collected goes directly to charity. 2,040 birdies were scored in the 2014 tournament. Since 1971 the John Deere Classic has delivered over $50 million to regional charities, most of it through its innovative Birdies for Charity program. A motion was passed that we round off our monetary contribution for scored birdies to the nearest dollar as we have done in the past.

Lion Terry Anderson reported that the wheel chair ramp, for which we donated money for materials, was completed and the cost was much less than expected. The labor was donated by the disabled person’s fellow church members. Lion Terry passed around a photo of the finished result. Nice job.

At our August 26^th Board Meeting we received a thank you from the FHS Robotics Team for our monetary contribution to help students with expenses.

We also received a framed photo (with player autographs) of the Freeport Lions Little League Team that we sponsored, all teammates looking good in their bright Lion-yellow T-shirts. Congratulations on the end of the season! Good luck next year.

Lion President Rich Montgomery also informed us that he had received an E-mail "thank you" from 3^rd Ward Alderman Ronnie Bush for our help with his Back-to-School Celebration “backpack” program. There were even a couple of photos of Lions helping in the local newspaper’s print and online reports.

Lion Terry Anderson reports that we will hold our Candy Day donation collections on Friday, October 3^rd and Saturday, October 4^th. We will collect at our usual spots at Sullivan’s Foods, Cub Foods and the ShopKo store. We also added another collection point on Friday night at the Route 26 Bar and Grill. We will pass out the Sugar-Free Mints that we already have rather than buying more of the new Candy Day (Sweet Tart) packets. Lion Terry said he has ordered 75 new mint boxes to display the new candy mints. The (suggested) NEW PRICE of 50 cents per candy roll replaces the old 35 cents price.

It’s time to sell roses again!!! Rose Day Chairman, Lion Serafini, passed out Rose Day (October 25^th) tickets and past sales lists at our meeting. Check Lion Joe’s minutes for more details.

Lion Brian Burke reported programs have been arranged for the next three months. September 9th, District 1-D Governor, Lion Jim Kloepping; October 14th, Dan Schmitt, Freeport Community Foundation, and November 11^th, Danielle Rogers, Freeport Downtown Foundation. Sounds great! Thanks, Lion Brian, and members of the Meetings Committee for your hard work.

Membership Committee - Lion Rebecca Shriver is assembling a packet of material about Lions and our club that will be helpful to potential club members or anyone interested in knowing more about Lions - a worthy project.

Lion Rick Eastman showed us some examples of updated badges that he (Eastrich Printing) could make for club members to wear during our meetings and events where people may not know who we are. They look very contemporary and attractive and met with board approval. The cost for each one is small.

Zone Chairman, Lion Darla Van Buskirk, told us about District Governor Kloepping's pet project this year: Help the Center for Sight and Hearing accomplish many needed improvements for their building and their services. She made a motion that we support DG Kloepping’s project with a pledge card of at least the amount we donated last year. A vote passed to pledge our support.

Tail Twister Anderson tested us with Back to School Trivia (things any 5th grader should know). Perhaps next time he could ask us trivia that any 1^st GRADER should know!

It was good to see Lion Roland Caruso back with us after his surgery. We wish him a speedy and complete recovery.

NOTE TO MEMBERS: CHECK THE MAIL FOR LION JOE'S MINUTES FOR MANY MORE DETAILS - CALENDAR, ETC.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

·         “Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers simple.” - Dr. Seuss

·         "lf more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

·         "I asked a ref if he could give me a technical foul for thinking bad things about him. He said, 'Of course not.' I said, 'Well, I think you stink!' And he gave me a technical. You can't trust ‘em." - Jim Valvano

·         "When you were born you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die the world cries and you rejoice." - Indian Proverb

CANDY DAY COMING SOON!

 

 

For Immediate Release - Lions 2014 Candy Day

In cooperation with Lions of Illinois Foundation, the Freeport Lions Club will be conducting their annual Candy Day activity. Lion members and Freeport High School students will be distributing candy and accepting donations to support programs of LIF and Freeport Lions Club.

These Lions programs include providing local vision and hearing services, Camp Lions for youths with specific vision and hearing problems, as well as and other local charitable programs. The Candy Day activity will take place on October 3 and 4 at Sullivan's Food Store, ShopKo, Cub Foods and Rt. 26 Bar & Grill.

 

Candy Day 2013 - Freeport High School Student Council members, Madison Kielsmeier and Grace Berchtold, above, help Lions collect donations at Cub Foods. Hannah Mekelska and Tiffany Hoops helped collect donations at Sullivan’s Foods.

For additional information about Candy Day activities or the Freeport Lions Club, you may contact Lion Terry Anderson at (815) 235-0834.

Here are some more pictures from our 2013 Candy Day.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

ASK 1+1+1+1

FREEPORT ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Serving and giving back to the community.

THREE NEW LIONS were inducted as members of the Freeport Lions Club at their September 9, 2014, meeting. Shown are club president and sponsor, Richard Montgomery, with his new Lion Larry Trimble, Lions District 1D Governor Jim Kloepping, and sponsor, Rick Eastman, with his two new Lions Randy Hornung and Kent Cairy. A FOURTH NEW MEMBER, Jim Medendorp, was unable to attend the induction ceremony. Welcome to all!

"We Serve"

LIONS DONATE TO ALS CHALLENGE

FREEPORT 08/26/2014 -

"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord." Many of us know someone who had or has this disease. During the warm summer months of August the biggest Facebook rage was to challenge someone to get "dunked" by a bucket full of ice & water and then donate some money to research for a cure for ALS.

I received my challenge from Freeport Lions Club Past President Terry Anderson on 08/25/2014. Lion Terry and his wife, Cheryl, posted a fun video of Terry pouring ice water over his head and then gasping for air from the chilly mixture.

I asked my grandchildren and my wife to help me accept my challenge. We had fun doing it and then making a donation in honor of a disease that is no fun at all.

Rich Montgomery, President, Freeport Lions Club

 

LIONS ROSE DAY SALES

ANNUAL ROSE DAY SALES - The Freeport IL Lions Club will deliver roses on October 25, 2014, to anywhere in Stephenson County and it's fringe boundary towns in other counties. Call any of the Freeport Lions to order a dozen (or more) for $18.00 for a friend, sweetheart or someone special; now thru October 20th. Roses may also be purchased at Eastrich Printing, Union Savings Bank and Good People Automotive. -

Lion Rich Montgomery, President, (815)541-5591

FREE Amp Phone from RAMP

FREE Phones in FREEPORT
Lion Liz Boyer is a member of Freeport Lions Club

Please share with friends/family/contacts in case there is someone in your life who may benefit from a FREE Amplified Phone.

Do you know of a family member or friend who has a hard time hearing on their land line phone? If so, let them know there is an absolutely FREE program to receive a FREE amplified phone for their home!

Many are skeptical about the word FREE but the truth is Illinois has had this program in place for individuals with hearing loss. Every standard landline phone bill within Illinois is charged 9 cents per billing cycle to cover the costs of these otherwise rather expensive phones.



There are actually four amplified phones to choose from and one captioned phone for individuals who are unable to hear on the phone but have good enough speech skills to reply to text.



If you know someone who may be interested give me a call M-F at the RAMP office (815) 233-1128, or just stop by 2155 W. Galena Avenue Freeport, IL. . 

The only thing required to qualify for this program is to have a land line phone and that a doctor or Audiologist will need to sign your application. If you would like further information on this program just give me a call or shoot me an email. lboyer@rampcil.org I would be happy to give you further information!! 

Liz Boyer

Information & Referral Specialist/Office Assistant

RAMP

Website: www.rampcil.org