LION TALK JANUARY 2014

Written and submitted via U.S. mail by Lion Duane Smith. Scanned/uploaded on 1/21/2014.

2013 CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY

Freeport Lions Club members and guests gathered for good fellowship, food and fun on December 10, 2013. A magic show was provided by professional magician, Cy Crothers, and his charming, witty assistant, Anita Crothers. Our thanks to Lion Roland Caruso and his wife Anita for arranging the entertainment.

After some card tricks, Cy attempted to hypnotize the entire audience by having them stare into a spinning spiral, but all it did was make the entire room wobbly for everyone in the audience.

After that several volunteers came forward to assist as "subjects" with a variety of mysteries such as number transfer, ink inside a magazine page, ashes traveling through a person's hand, escaping from strangulation, and ropes untying themselves and passing through a cylinder.

Following is a collage of photos from the evening's magical moments. What a great way for Lions to unwind from another year of raising funds for the visually and audibly impaired!

START 2014 WITH GOOD NEWS

As I write this short blog from my Florida vacation spot, my fellow Freeport Illinois Lions prepare for their first meeting of the new year tonight and another winter snowstorm. Although separated temporarily by 1300 miles and 30 degree temperature differences (today anyway), we are never far apart from sharing our goals of preventing blindness and improving quality of life without prejudice.

When my January 2014 monthly Lion Magazine arrived, I read the article about former President and Lion Jimmy Carter's victory over river blindness.  Through the large efforts of Lions Club International Foundation and The Carter Center, in 2013 the country of Columbia became "the first country in the world to be verified by the World Health Organization to have eliminated river blindness." GREAT JOB! You can read the online version of this and other articles at the Lions International website:  http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/news-and-events/lion-magazine/index.php

Last summer I had the privilege of attending a local community health fair and setting up our Club's display on a card table for local patrons to browse and stimulate conversation. I was surprised at the number of people who asked, "What do Lions do?", and were either too shy to ask someone before or never had an opportunity to find out. Would you be surprised by this too?

It is important for Lions, individually and as a group, to not only serve the needs of the public but to also share the success stories of what we do. One simple thing we could do is show people a copy of Lions Magazine and point to any of a number of published success stories. The next time that person sees a member wearing their yellow vest asking for donations, they will have a better grasp of the big picture outside their own community. Perhaps they will tell someone else.

In this month's message from Lions International President Barry Palmer, he reminded us:  "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much," insisted the great Helen Keller.

It doesn't matter how far apart Lions live, work and play, nor in what part of the world we live. We all share a common goal in our hearts.

Happy New Year.

Lion Rich Montgomery
Freeport IL Lions Club
January 14, 2014

2013 CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROM KATHMANDU

Dear Lion Richard,

It is our great pleasure to share our club activities with you and your club.

 

We just distributed some food to an orphanage home in Kathmandu.

 

And our Past Multiple Council Chairperson Lion Ram Bhandari Chhetri PMJF had participated in these program.

Please, giving our best wishes to you & all members. HAPPY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR 2014.

Thank you so much.

Best Regards,
Lion Sunit Shrestha
International Relationship Chairperson
Lions Club of Kathmandu Gliese
Putalisadak-33, Kathmandu, Nepal

The email above was received by Lion Richard Montgomery, Freeport Lions Club, on December 23, 2013. We Serve.

GARLAND FROM GLASSES

 LIONS CLUB TREE garland made from collection of OVER 300 PAIRS used glasses, ornaments from rolls of mints that we sell, paper roses represent the 600 dozen real ones we sell each October, and a year's worth of saving lion toys found in local thrift shops - WE SERVE to improve quality of life for the visually- and audibly-impaired. Join Lions and have some fun helping the less-fortunate!

Lions Terry Anderson, Rich Montgomery (kneeling) and Troy Pettit decorate for the FHN Festival of Trees.

Vote for our tree as the PEOPLES' CHOICE AWARD. Voting began December 8th.

BELLS, CHOIRS & MAGIC

December 7 Bell Ringers

Freeport Lions Club volunteers braved freezing temperatures and rang the bell while collecting donations in the red kettle for The Salvation Army in front of Sullivan's Foods.

December 9 All Service Luncheon

Freeport Lions Club gathered at the Masonic Temple ballroom with fellow community service organizations such as Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs at the Salvation Army's annual All Service Recognition Luncheon. Lion Darla VanBuskirk took attendance at the entry table, and our club president, Paul Rampanthal, sat at the head table acting as master of ceremonies. After a light lunch, the talented Freeport High School Choir entertained with Christmas carols. About $1300 in donations were collected for the Salvation Army when the baskets were passed around.

December 10 Annual Christmas Party

We look forward to our annual Christmas party on December 1Oth at the Freeport Eagles' Club. We will meet at 6:00 PM for a social time with a buffet meal being served at 6:30PM. We will be entertained following our meal by Magician Cy Crothers. Lion Roland Caruso has been in charge of arrangements. Thank you Lion Roland.