Lion Pride MagazineMarch 2015Volume 43 – Issue 4

A PUBLICATION OF THE LIONS OF LOWER MICHIGAN - MD 11

Lions Roar At The Michigan ForumLions, Lioness and Leos came out in full force at the recent Michigan

Forum, held in Lansing. With fifteen breakout sessions to choose from and 20 Exhibitor’s on display, it was a day filled with knowledge, new ideas and fellowship. The beautiful KT Maviglia, current reigning Miss Michigan, impressed us all with her leadership roles, scholastic honors, personal accomplishments and her commitment to children with hearing disabilities.

Proving she has the gift of servitude, she became the state’s newest Lion while at the Forum. Lion KT continues to be an inspiration to all as she travels the state, fulfilling her duties as Miss Michigan.

Unable to attend the Michigan Forum this year? You can order a CD which contains a PDF version of the complete Forum Proceedings Booklet for $8.00. This program contains a synopsis of the breakout sessions, speaker contacts and exhibitor information. Contact the State office to order yours today: lions@lionsofmi.com

Upcoming EventsApril 1Donate Life Day

For complete calendar of events, check our website:www.lionsofmi.com

Executive Director’s PrideFebruary certainly did go out with a “roar” with 315 Lions in attendance

at the MI Forum on February 28. With a group that size, you can’t help but feel the energy in the room. Our Keynote Speaker, Miss Michigan KT Maviglia, impressed us with her dedication to affordable hearing for youth and her partnership with State Representatives to ensure all youth in need in our state are taken well care of. Lions in attendance took advantage of the numerous session offerings geared to strengthen the pride in their clubs.

Next up: Convention Season! District Conventions will be held throughout the state beginning this month, and wrapping up with the MD 11 State Convention in Holland this May. The Lions of Michigan held their first convention 95 years ago, and the tradition continues today. What a vision the planning committee of 1920 must have had! The archives don’t go back far enough to review the notes, but we can be certain careful planning and organization would have been key factors. This year’s planning committee is working hard to offer you the best by: Catching up with the early arrivals at a cookout on Thursday evening, prepared and served by the Holland Lions Club; Entertaining you at the Welcome Reception on Friday evening; Updating

you on State Projects and state events at the Business Session; Educating you with learning opportunities during three breakout sessions on Saturday, and honoring you at the Awards Breakfast and Banquet, both held on Saturday.

International Guest Speaker, PID Brian Sheehan is truly a “Lions Lion.” His humor and wit intermingle with his dedication to the Lions organization, and he knows our strength lies in having strong, individual clubs. You will enjoy your time spent with Lion Brian and the inspiring message he brings.It cannot be stressed enough what an impact attending your District and State Conventions can have on you, your club and your community. Like the energy felt at the Michigan Forum, the enthusiasm and memories will stay with you for a long time to come.

Looking forward to seeing you in Holland this May!

Yours in Service,Lion Wendy Burns, Executive Director

Past District Governors CornerWinter is nearly over and time to work on our schedule for the next few

months. We are committed again this year to assist Lions Bear Lake Camp in the preparations for opening the 2015 season. The date is set for Saturday, May 9, beginning at 8:00 a.m. Motivated by coffee and donuts, the real work will begin by 9:00. We’ll all be treated to lunch on-site and complete our projects immediately following lunch.

Please contact PDG R.G. Barnum to RSVP your attendance: 989-871-9083Mark your calendar for the PDG Breakfast as we close out the MD 11 State

Convention on Sunday, May 17, 2015. This year’s convention will be held at the Double Tree Hotel, Holland, MI. The Annual PDG Business Meeting will be held immediately following breakfast, where we shall elect a new President. Currently, our Vice President does not wish to move into the position of President. A Past District Governor of our association is interested in the position, is a member in good standing but is not currently serving as a Director. In an effort to move forward in the election process, the committee needs to hear from you if you have any concerns or questions in this regard. You are encouraged to direct any questions to PDG Barnum at the above listed phone number.

The PDG Association agreed to help with the USA/Canada GRAND Forum in Grand Rapids this coming September. Volunteers will be needed to assist at the Welcome Centers near the Michigan borders of Indiana and Ohio. Watch for further details in the Lion Pride and at our May meeting.

Yours in Lionism,PDG R.G. Barnum, President

Quick Resources For The “Not-So-Tech-Savvy”Below is a handy resource list that is helpful in creating accessible

files that can be deciphered by those of us using screen reading technology, but are still valuable tools for our sited friends. It’s all in how the original document is created. The one thing you never want to do is create a copy of a file from a copy machine as a PDF because it actually comes out

looking like a photograph. And, of course a picture of words is not at all the same as having actual text.

Resources for accessible documents and PDF files

Guides for MS Word files, scanned in material and presentations with PowerPointwww.jisctechdis.ac.uk/techdis/resources/ae

How-To Guide for Creating Accessible Online Learning Contentwww.projectone.cannect.org

Adobe - Accessibility Resource Centerwww.adobe.com/accessibility

Adobe Acrobat - How To Create Accessible Adobe® PDF Files Bookletwww.adobe.com/enterprise/accessibility/pdfs/booklet2createaccessibleadvanced.pdf

PDF Techniques | Techniques for WCAG 2.0www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20-TECHS/pdf.html

PDF-Accessibility-Checker (PAC)www.access-for-all.ch/en/pdf-lab/pdf-accessibility-checker-pac.html

Membership RibbonsThe Council of Governors and Global Membership Team continue to support

the use of Purple and Gold membership awareness ribbons as a way to talk about membership without always having to talk about membership.

Whenever you spot a ribbon – think Membership! Wear your purple ribbon until you bring in your first new member for the year. When inducted, pass on your purple ribbon to the new Lion and begin wearing your yellow ribbon which will be presented to you.

The ribbons will also make for some good conversation. Available through District Governors and Club Presidents. Wear your Membership Ribbon to your District and State Convention!

Spotlight On Oscoda Lions ClubThe Oscoda Lions Club, established October 1963, has been proudly serving

their community ever since. Their current membership is 54, making them one of the largest clubs in District 11-E2. This is impressive as they are from a relatively small community- around 900 people. The community of Oscoda has also supported a Lioness Club for 35 years, which currently has 18 members, including 6 charter members. The two clubs work closely together and do many joint projects.

The club is the go-to group in Oscoda when you need anything. In addition to their generous support of all of the State projects, they take great care of their community. So far this year they have already built six ramps for the handicapped, and have several more in the planning stage, waiting for better weather! They provide lunch with Santa every year for the youngsters in the community, support the local food bank, and are

helping to build a splash pad at the Oscoda Beach. They also helped build a handicapped accessible boardwalk at the shoreline park. They made arrangements for free eye exams in their community, while providing many pairs of glasses and hearing aids for local residents. They provide scholarships for local students, support the summer reading program, and much, much more.

Even their fundraisers involve their community. They hold an annual Arts and Crafts Show that over 700 people attended last year. They had 84 bowlers at their bowling fundraiser. Their “Souper Bowl Dinner” features bowls made by an art class at a local elementary school. They provide the clay, and the proceeds from selling the bowls at the dinner go to a charity chosen by the students. How great to teach the young the rewards that come from helping others!

And have you checked the list of Lions of Michigan Foundation Sweepstakes tickets sold the last couple years? The Oscoda Club sold more than any other club in the state- over 600 last year. And they will likely do it again this year! It’s a great fundraiser for them.

Their members also believe in service to our District and the State. Their club currently has 4 PDG’s as members, and provided the District this year with both the GMT and GLT, as well as a Regional Chairman, and several district committee chairs. They additionally had two members inducted into the Lions of Michigan Hall of Fame. The Lioness Club provided the Lioness District with seven District Presidents.

If you ask them, they will tell you the secret to their success is always having something going on and great member involvement. They truly live “We Serve.”

Governor Barb Durflinger, District 11 E2

From The Desk of DG Barb Durflinger, District 11 E2Were you aware that in addition to the benefits that come from being a

Lion (that great feeling you get when you help someone, the friends you make, etc.) that there is also available really great education? And, not just training on how to be a secretary or how to get new members for your club, but leadership skills that can be used in your life outside of Lions.

On the LCIF website, just go to http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/member-center/leadership-development/index.php (case sensitive) and you will find a variety of available training that can be done on-line.

In addition to the on-line training, Lions International offers the Emerging Lions Leadership Institute which is held annually at Oak Brook. This is intended for Lions who have not yet been club presidents. The cost is only $95 for the multiple day session (plus your transportation to Oak Brook, IL), and covers a variety of topics helpful both in leadership in your club and in your everyday life. There is also an Advance Leadership Institute for Lions who wish to advance beyond the club level in service.

Your district convention is also a great place to get training. Most districts will have officer training, either there or on some other special date, so if you are considering running for office in your club at some future date, be sure to take advantage of this opportunity. There will also be sessions about other topics of interest, so be sure to go to your district convention, even if you are just going for the fun!

Here in Michigan we are fortunate to have our annual Lions of Michigan Forum held in February each year, which not only gives us a great opportunity to interact with other Lions, but to learn at the same time. And while many of the sessions here are Lions Club related, there are also sessions on unrelated topics. My favorite one ever was a session on Agent Orange and the continuing problems of veterans. Very informative!

We also can take part in the Lions Leadership Institute held at Higgins Lake every year over a weekend in November, consisting of three levels: the Leadership Institute, the Graduate Institute and the Masters Institute. We are fortunate to have what is rated as one of the best regional institutes in the world. The food is great, the evening entertainment lots of fun, and along the way you learn a lot. So if you haven’t attended, sign up and come next year!

Additionally this year we are privileged to host the USA/Canada Forum in Grand Rapids from September 17-19. I counted 90 different sessions already listed on the forum website. While there you can work on your Lions bachelors or masters degrees. For more information, go to: http://www.lionsuniversity.org/bachelors/ or http://www.lionsuniversity.org/masters/.

So come to Grand Rapids, visit some great restaurants, go on a craft beer tour, and get some education while you’re at it!

Last, but not least, there are many educational sessions at the International Convention, being held this year in Hawaii. If you’ve never been to a convention, they are a wonderful spectacle. The parade is so much fun; it is a great opportunity to meet Lions from around the world, and of course, there is the education!

So look over your educational opportunities, and if you have questions, contact a member of your district’s Global Leadership Team. I know they will be delighted to help you on your way.

Happy Learning!Governor Barb Durflinger, District 11 E2

THE GRAND FORUM - DeVos Place Grand Rapids, MI September 17-19, 2015Spring is upon us, at least on the calendar. Spring is a new beginning.

Spring is the beginning of the sprint to the 40th USA Canada Lions Leadership Forum in Grand Rapids. Most Lions who have ever attended a USA Canada Forum describe it as the best learning experience in Lions. We will have over 60 learning sessions over 3 full days.

Check out the details at the Grand Rapids Host Committee Facebook page, www.facebook.com/GrandForumHostCommittee, or the Host Committee website, https://sites.google.com/site/2015usacanadalionsforum/ Each can link you to the Forum registration page that you can directly access at http://lionsforum.org/ or you can access all of them through links on the Lions of Michigan website under the Calendar of Events.

New this year are a Lions Festival of Fun on Thursday night featuring carnival acts and the Buckets & Boards comedy percussion show; The Lions Club Handbook, an old school paper bound book jammed with the who, what, where, when and whys of almost anything a club might run across; Lions University, an online learning experience for all levels of Lions, free year round to forum attendees; a mobile app for the forum probably available by the end of April; speakers, including LCI First Vice President Dr. Yamada,

Lisa Whelchel from “Facts of Life,” and Wayne Brock, Boy Scouts CEO; and a special surprise for Saturday night.

We are currently a long way from our registration and volunteer goals. Please stop by our table at your district convention if you have not registered online and register. The registration fee goes up after May 31. The Forum will never be closer or more economical to attend than 2015.

You can also complete the volunteer registration form at our convention table or online at the Lions of Michigan website. I hear a lot of Lions saying they will register and volunteer. Please do it now. I have literally heard it over 100 times, yet we have only about 30 completed volunteer forms submitted to PCC Shepard. The earlier you register for the Forum and as a volunteer, the more likely you are to get your hotel of choice (4 of 6 hotels are connected or within a block or 2 of the convention center). When you volunteer you can choose your day(s) and activity. The earlier you complete and return the volunteer form, the more likely you are to get your preferred date and activity on our master schedule. Not all volunteer opportunities are inside the convention center. We also need people in hotel lobbies, at Welcome Centers, the airport, and to help with set up before the Forum begins. For the Lions of Michigan to show the Lions of the rest of the country and Canada the Grand Forum, we need another 300 volunteers. We expect to provide a rebate on the registration fee to attendees who volunteer at least 8 hours of service to the Forum as certified by the Host Committee to the International Planning Committee, which would send the rebate after the Forum. The amount of rebate is under discussion.

REGISTER NOW TO JOIN US IN GRAND RAPIDS.

PCC John Johnson, Host Committee Chairperson

Club Excellence Process:It’s How Excellent Clubs Stay That Way And Good Clubs Become Great!

What are we all about as Lions? WE SERVE, of course! It’s common sense to believe that clubs that are excellent (or are working at becoming excellent) can do more and better service in their communities than clubs whose members don’t care. And that’s why the CEP was created.

We’ve heard that running a Lions Club is like running a business. This article pursues that analogy. As you read, substitute “providing service” for “selling products” and “volunteers” for “employees” and you’ll see that the concepts align pretty closely.

Let’s say you’ve dreamed for years of owning your own store. You finally get to retire from your day job and start pursuing that dream! There are lots of questions to ask and much soul-searching to do before you even get started. You need to establish goals and a plan to meet them. What’s your philosophy of doing business? What kinds of things do you want to sell? How do you find out if those are things people want to buy? What’s the competition like? Who will work for you? How will people find out about you and start shopping in your store?

The big day comes. You’ve set up the displays, hired a staff, done some PR, and opened your doors. Thanks to all your hard work, it’s a great success! Employees are happy, customers keep pouring in, and you have a nice income for your retirement years.

Soooo, are you done? Nope, questions keep coming up. The world around you is changing. Are you taking the right steps to stay in touch? Are the changes consistent with your core philosophy of doing business? How do you keep the good employees happy and motivate others who need more encouragement to do a good job? How do you keep customers coming back over the years? The analysis and planning never really stop. You talk to the customers and pay close attention to what they are buying, both at your own store and at others. You have to constantly revise and implement your plans. After all, you don’t want to be stuck selling 8-track tapes in a world that’s watching videos in their eyeglass frames!

All the same kinds of issues apply for Lions Clubs. Luckily, Lions Clubs International has developed a guide for asking the questions and thinking about the answers. It’s called the Club Excellence Process. (In Michigan we call it the Club Success Process.)

The CEP has four major steps, which are outlined below. These steps are comparable to running a business.

First, you have to know what the community (“customers”) needs so that you tailor your projects to meet those needs. This is done by completing the Community Needs Assessment. Also, this is a good time to step back and revisit what we’re all about as Lions. Review how things are going, celebrate your successes, and think about what comes next.

Second, you need to be sure that your volunteers (“employees”) are pleased with the club’s accomplishments. Though club members aren’t paid, they still can be rewarded. They need to feel that the work they do is worthwhile. They need to feel that time they spend at meetings is worthwhile, too. One way to find out how people feel is to have everyone complete the “How Are Your Ratings?” survey and evaluate the results.

Third, once you’ve done the Community Needs Assessment and “How Are Your Ratings?’ questionnaire, it’s time to evaluate what the survey results tell you. In what areas do members think the club excels? Where is improvement needed? You review the resources available such as materials and training programs available on the LCI website or through your district’s GLT and GMT teams, or it might be your zone/region/district leadership teams. You could talk with other members of other clubs to see how they handled situations. There’s a good chance you’ll have advice for them, too!

Fourth, after all this fact-finding, evaluation, and resource gathering, you plan for next steps. You set goals, be they for new or improved projects, new approaches to meetings, better interactions among club members … the possibilities are endless.

This is not a one-and-done process. Just like the store owner has to keep reviewing how the business and staff are faring, Lions Clubs need to periodically review how they’re doing. They need to see how they’re doing compared to their goals. They may have to change their goals from time to time. That’s okay – flexibility is a good thing!

There are several CEP approaches for remaining or becoming an excellent club.

Club Excellence Pro – there’s an outside facilitator for the review. This generally is the best way to go since participants are more likely to respond openly to a person who doesn’t have a role in the club. A nonmember typically can see the big picture more easily since he/she isn’t involved in the clubs operations details. He/she is better able to challenge the status quo with questions. An outsider can introduce new perspectives from other areas.

Club Excellence Lite – a club member leads the review. Sometimes clubs just don’t want an outsider to get in on their inner workings.

The questionnaires for these two versions of Club Excellence are the same. The time frames for each of the sessions are the same: about 4 – 5 hours. Materials for the leaders and participants are not the same, though they cover the same topics. The materials include discussion guides for each of the four stages. (Note – those 4 – 5 hours don’t happen in one session. They are usually spread out in smaller sessions over a period of a few months.)

Club Excellence Ultra-Lite – many clubs skip all the preliminary reviews included in Pro and Lite. They do the “How Are Your Ratings” questionnaire and “Community Needs Assessment”, then finish up with the same analysis, goal setting, and review steps as Pro and Lite. This can be done with or without a facilitator. (Note – this is a home-grown approach and is not mentioned on the LCI web site.)

How to get started: You can contact your Zone/Region Chair, District GLT or GMT Coordinator, or DG team. Or, you can register directly on the LCI web site. Just click on the magnifying glass on the top right corner of the screen. Type CEP into the box that appears and press enter. A list of links pertaining to CEP will come up.

Best of luck in your pursuit of excellence! (and therefore more and better service!)

Karen Routson, MD11 Global Leadership Team Coordinator

Updates From Lions Clubs International

Lions Worldwide Week of Service - Will Your Club Host A Project?The Lions Worldwide Week of Service in May is a special Centennial

Service Challenge event designed to strengthen our communities and help us reach our Centennial goal of serving 100 million people.

This year, International President Joe Preston has made serving children in need one of our international service goals, so consider hosting a project to help children in your community. No matter how you choose to serve, be sure to join us for this special international event!

MICHIGAN LIONS AT THE LCI Convention – HawaiiHOSPITALITY ROOM

The International Committee will host a Hospitality Room at the Waikiki Beach Marriott. Take a break to sit and relax, grab a snack and connect with fellow Lions.

INTERNATIONAL PARADE - Saturday, June 27The parade uniform consists of the MI Lions parade shirt (red, white, blue with stars on the sleeve), navy slacks, skirt or capris, black shoes. Please note - shorts are not allowed as parade attire. Need a parade shirt? Order form is included in the Lion Pride, or contact the state office.

MICHIGAN NIGHT - Sunday, June 28 – Michigan Night at Germaine’sA visit to Hawaii is not complete without the experience of a Luau, and Germaine’s is the place to go for a traditional Hawaiian Luau. Transportation from both the Governor’s and Michigan delegates designated hotels, tax, tip, and three adult beverages are included in the $80.00 price. Reserve your spot today!

INTERNATIONAL CAUCUS - Monday, June 29, 2015This event is from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. at the convention center. All convention attendees are encouraged to listen to the speeches, as this will give you a first-hand look at the candidates you may wish to invite to your District conventions. Michigan has a candidate in MD 11: PCC Paul Hemeryck, State Treasurer, and PCC Jenny Ware from SD 10.

Hawaiian Shirt ChallengePut on your favorite Hawaiian attire and Join International President Joe Preston in taking on the challenge. Take a picture or post a video and let us know if you’re coming to this year’s convention in Honolulu, Hawaii - See more at: http://www.lionsclubs.org

Full schedule of events is can be viewed on LCI’s website.

Club Happenings

> district 11 A1

www.metrodetroitlions.org

DG Martin Malone

Monroe • Wayne

Upcoming EventsHighland Park Lions Club: Will sponsor “A Kiss of the Sun” at the Detroit Repertory Theatre as a fundraiser in March.

Seedlings Founder HonoredDebra Bonde, founder and director of Seedlings Braille Books for

Children, was selected the Livonia Observer’s First Citizen for 2015. Bonde started Seedlings in 1984 after her father, a retired engineer, made her a braille embosser that allowed her to print out multiple copies of books she had transcribed and stored on a computer. He also donated the money for her to purchase a binding machine.

With his help, she was able to produce 221 books in 1985. By 1990, with newer and more advanced equipment, Seedlings was producing 5,000 books per year, which necessitated its move out of Bonde’s basement into the Bentley Center in Livonia and eventually to its current location on Farmington Road in Livonia. In 2014, with a small staff, and a group of loyal volunteers, Seedlings produced almost 24,000 braille books and articles, with a grand total of 417,000 since 1984, equaling close to 20 million pages of braille. Seedlings is the only organization that specializes in producing braille books for children, selling them for a fraction of what it costs to produce them. Debra said the best awards are the success stories she hears from the blind children, now grown, for whom Seedling provided affordable braille books as they were growing up. “Some are doing amazing things,” she said, including one working as an attorney in Canada. “To know we helped a little bit by making sure they were strong readers, that’s the kind of thing that makes me so proud.”

Bedford Lions “Show The Love” To Our VeteransThe Bedford Lions Club went to the Ann Arbor Veteran’s Hospital on

Saturday, February 14th 2015 to hand out Valentines gift bags and to chat with veterans who were in the hospital on a short term basis. They were able to give out approximately 35 to 40 gift bags and have a chance to thank our veterans for their service to our country. The contents of the gift bags contained items that were donated by various dentists, education organizations, Lion’s club members and the Lion’s Club itself. They met with veterans from WWII, Korea & Vietnam.

Detroit Mid City Lions Help Our Veterans With EmploymentMany thanks to our member, Lion Beulah Banks for inviting us to

volunteer at Veterans Hospital for the Veterans Job Fair. This is just another way that “We Serve”. To help serve our Veterans is a great learning experience for Lions. We assisted them with their resume writing, computer skills, interviewing and tips to successfully navigate these “Hiring Fairs”. We worked two shifts unfortunately; our members that worked the early shift are not in the picture. The three gentlemen standing in the back on the photo are some of the Veterans that we met that shared wonderful experiences with us. GOD BLESS OUR VETERANS!

> district 11 A2

www.lionsdistrict11a2.org

DG Tom Hill

Macomb • Oakland

District Editor: James Leach, Sr.855 Miller Rd., Lake Orion, Ml 48362 • lion1961@ymail.com

Upcoming EventsWashington Township Lions Club: All You Can Eat Fish Fry

Fraser Lions Club: Euchre Tournament and Painting Fun with “Sip Dip and Paint”

Romeo Lions Club: Is having our 2nd awareness party for the hearing impaired and a Wild Game Dinner

Clarkston Area Lions Club: Project Kidsight Free Vision Screening for All Children (over 5 months old)

Lake Orion Lions Club: Held its 1st Annual “Lion Races”

Hazel Park Lions “Daddy Daughter Dance”The Hazel Park Lions Club is always out there doing something for their

area. This time the Lions Club went into partnership with the Hazel Park Parks and Recreation and put on a Daddy/Daughter Dance held at the Hazel Park Parks and Recreation Center. The daddy gets a ticket and this will cover the dance, food, and a DJ for the dance. The Hazel Park Lions Club gives each of the daughters a gift for being at the dance (this is a necklace or bracelet as something to remember the dance. The dance is attended by daughters from age 5 years to around 12 years of age.

Eastpointe Lions Award “Heart Of A Lion”At the Eastpointe Lions Steak & Shrimp fundraiser, the Lions presented

the “Heart of a Lion” award to two young ladies in honor of the six years that they have worked on fundraisers for the Lions.

Lions Bear Lake Camp Honors Lion Stephen MessinaAt the Lions Bear Lake Camp “Kick off Dinner” in February the Camp paid

tribute to the late Lion Stephen Messina (of the Shelby Township Lions Club) and his family for all they have done for the camp. A special plaque was presented to Stephen Messina’s wife, Florence by PDG Jack Becher who is the President of the Board of Directors for the Lions Bear Lake Camp. Lion Stephen Messina is gone but the work that he did as a LION will live of forever.

Troy Community Lions Get “Sappy”In support of the Lions International Centennial Challenge to preserve the

environment, the Troy Community Lions participated in the Adopt-A-Tree program at the Troy Nature Center. On Saturday they assisted the Troy Nature Center staff by tapping their assigned maple tree to begin collecting sap to

make maple syrup. Troy Community Lions also volunteered at the Gleaners warehouse in Warren. Eleven Lions, family members, & friends helped sort canned goods for distribution to food pantries throughout the area.

> district 11B1

www.11b1lions.org

DG Vicki Lautzenheiser

Branch • Calhoun • Hillsdale • Jackson • Lenawee • Washtenaw

District Editor: Steve Britten19114th Street, Jackson, Ml 49203 • steve@protechcomputers.biz

Upcoming EventsAnn Arbor Host Lions Club: Did eyeglass recycling, helped with Meals on Wheels and conducted a ‘Feasts for Families’ service, aiding the needy in their community

Bedford Area Lions Club: Continue their weekly cherry juice sales and hosted a soup and salad dinner for the public on January 8th at their clubhouse

Hanover Horton Leo Club: Conducted a membership drive, started gathering recipes for a cookbook they plan to publish, donated funds to the local food pantry and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Michigan Center Lions Club: Logged long hours in the cold with their Christmas Tree Sale. They also prepared 100 Christmas baskets, worked on the Santa House and held a Breakfast with Santa community event

Pennfield Lions Club: Worked on a Christmas Basket project that assembled and delivered baskets to 60 families including 167 children! They received help from a great deal of organizations – a great job of planning and coordination!

Winter Camp For The BlindFifty-two visually impaired campers and helpers attended the Winter

Camp the weekend of February 6-8 at the Outdoor Education Center on Clear Lake in Dowling. Campers experienced snowmobiling, mule driven hay rides, nature hikes, bingo and crafts. They learned to make a bird feeder, held a talent show and met up with old friends with an opportunity to make new friends.

A huge thank you to the following clubs: Bedford Lions and Lionesses, Pennfield, Battle Creek Host, Battle Creek Cereal City, Napoleon, Dexter, Michigan Center Lioness, Manchester, North Jackson and Muskegon. Your service and time is so greatly appreciated.

The MYCA cadets were in attendance to help with baggage, serve meals, and assist with the events. It was gratifying to watch the interaction

between the cadets and campers. A special thanks to Lion John Anderson of Battle Creek Host for the administrative duties including gathering applications, payments and everything else. Lion John’s job is not for the faint at heart. This year, PDGs Barry Allen and Dick Dettling were in charge of operations and safety. The weather was perfect and the camaraderie added to this fantastic weekend for campers, cadets and volunteers, alike.

“Saline Lions! Saline Lions! Read All About It!”The Saline Lions recently had an article published in the Saline Eagle

newspaper about their club and Lions in general. What a great way to spread the word about what the Saline Lions – and Lions Clubs International – is all about. All clubs might consider sending a press release to their local papers or inviting a journalist to do an article about their club.

North Jackson Lions Gift $5k to North Jackson Schools for Playground Upgrades!

An “oversized check” was presented to the school and is now on prominent display in the window of the Northwest Elementary Office. A huge “thank you” was also on the Northwest Facebook page thanking us for the donation. Very positive comments were written about the donation. The NJ Lions are proud to be able to give back to our school and community. The gorgeous swing set and other playground equipment shown here was made possible in part by a generous donation from the North Jackson Lions Club!

> district 11B2

www.e-district.org/sites/11b2

DG Marsha Brown

Berrien • Cass • Kalamazoo • St. Joseph • Van Buren

District Editor: Donna Romanak31177 County Rd 681, Bangor, Ml 49013 liondonnaromanak@comcast.net

Upcoming EventsPaw Paw Lions Club: Benefit Spaghetti Dinner, March 7th

PDG Betsy Farrell Dinner: March 14th, Big T’s in Lawton

District 11-B2 Cabinet Meeting: March 14th, Sister Lakes

Euchre Tournament: March 14th, American Legion in Buchannan

Mattawan Relay 4 Life: March 17th

Mattawan Leo’s Club: Easter Egg Hunt, March 17th

Region 2 Zone 1 Zone Meeting: March 23rd, Lawrence Lions Club

Region 1 Zone 3 Zone Meeting: March 26th, Benton Harbor – St. Joseph Elks Club

Edwardsburg Lions Club: Pancake & Sausage Breakfast with Easter Bunny, March 28th

Edwardsburg Leo’s Have Successful “Dinner In The Dark” Leos “Dinner in the Dark” first time ever offered in Edwardsburg

was a huge success!! The Leos put in lots of service hours to be able to go to the Lions District Convention which is a three day event in April, but taking as many as 16 Leo students from the Edwardsburg School system can be a huge expense. Lion Leo Advisor Amy Anderson worked with the Leos to come up with a way they could fundraise so they could go. The Leos decided to offer an experience quite different in the Edwardsburg area by offering a “Progressive Dinner in the Dark” at the Edwardsburg Presbyterian Church. Tickets were pre-sold at $15.00 per person and 80 tickets were available. All the tickets were sold by the day of the event and more phone calls were coming in to come to the dinner on Friday, Feb. 13th. A total of 84 tickets were sold for the grilled chicken dinner with mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables, rolls, salad and an ice cream dessert. The evening was a “progressive” evening in the dark and the guests really engaged in seeing what it would be like to eat a meal and unable to see. Lion Linda McCain from the Niles Lions Club was the guest speaker. Her Leader Dog Disney is always with Lion Linda as she has been blind since she was diagnosed legally blind at five years of age. As guests arrived the icicle lights were on two sides of the fellowship hall for dim lighting so guests could mingle and enjoy appetizers and their first course a salad. Leo Advisor Anderson then informed the guests the next step of the progressive dinner would be dinner with no lights but guests could still see slightly because nothing was covering their eyes. The Leos wore very small lights to be able to get around and bring food to the tables for the guests. The last challenge was the black blindfold covering the guest’s eyes to eat their dessert. Lions are well known for their assisting those in need for eyeglasses, eye appointments and surgeries and this group of 84 people found out just how difficult it is to try to eat a simple meal. It was an amazing evening and lots of compliments were given to the Leos. After all the guests were gone the Leos ate and shared laughter in the amazing evening they had and all the compliments they received at the tables they waited on. It was a wonderful learning experience for the Edwardsburg community guests and for the Leos. Lions and Leos Love to Serve!

Paw Paw Lion Grabowski Delivers Speech For Gift Of Sight Program

Paw Paw Lions Club Membership Chair, Leo Adviser and double cornea recipient, Fran Grabowski, was chosen to speak on behalf of those who have received the Gift of Sight to over 800 family members of recent donors at the Michigan Eye-Bank/Michigan Gift of Life Donor’s Celebration Ceremony. According to Lion Fran, “This was one of the most moving events I have been a part of as a Lion, a double cornea recipient, and a Goodwill Ambassador for the Michigan Eye-Bank. I hope that hearing my story and how grateful I am EVERY DAY for my donors and their families brought some peace and comfort to those in attendance who have recently lost loved ones. I hope they know that just as my donors “live on” in me, so too do their loved ones.”

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DG Diane Wehby

Allegan • Barry • Ionia • Kent • Muskegon • Ottawa

District Editor: Sue Ferris

Upcoming EventsLyons Muir Lions Club: Held a School Supply drive so teachers at Twin Rivers Elementary don’t need to purchase more supplies out of their own pockets

Marne Lions Club: Provide Lenten Fish Fries every Friday at the Interurban Depot Cafe

Alto Lions Club: Is holding their first annual Ice Fishing Event this month

Hopkins Lions Club: Is holding their annual St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance

Rockford Lions Club: Held a Chili Cook-off

Fruitport Lions Encourage Literacy For Elementary StudentsLion President Bruce Gaultney kicks off Fruitport Lions Literacy Project

2015 during March is Reading month. For the past three years we have challenged the three local elementary schools to read during the month of March. During the preceding two years of the challenge, 34,000 books were read. This year we are recording the minutes read each day at school and at home. The school with the greatest average per student will be treated to a special celebration on March 27, 2015. As in years past we present each classroom with three books to keep and we read one of them, Next week we will

visit Edgewood and Beach Elementary. The Fruitport Lions Club is grateful for the support of the Fruitport Community School District Staff.

Allendale Lions Support Boy Scouts Crew 9339Allendale Lions are very involved with boy scouts Crew 9339. The crew

were invited to their January dinner where they reported on some of their activities including building snow shelters (or a quinzee) at \the Okpik cold weather training weekend as well as other activities like cooking systems, ice carving, and demos presented by Michigan State Police and the National Guard at Outing for Scouting. An ongoing bench project by the Lions Club that was originally designated for Allendale High School (AHS) students to possibly build. Instead it may become an Eagle Scout project for Andrew Simon who has expressed an interest in building not one, but two benches. The club is also entertaining the idea of having cub scouts help with their White Cane project in May as well as approaching the Leadership Class at AHS who provide community service too.

Grand Rapids Lions Club Coordinate Eye Care Trip To Mexico

A 27 member team of Lions Club members from all walks of life, including five optometrists and a medical internist travelled from West Michigan to Playa del Carmen, Mexico performing eye exams on 2,100 local citizens in four days in a temporary clinic set up in an outside gymnasium. Many citizens received glasses for the first time with some 10,000 used, sorted, washed and catalogued eyeglasses having been sent to this poorer area of Mexico in January from the Grand Rapids Recycling Center in Kentwood. Other patients requiring eye surgeries were identified and arrangements made where local lions would help facilitate the surgeries.

> district 11C2

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DG Billy White

Clinton • Eaton • Gratiot • Ingham • Livingston • Shiawassee

District Editor: Noreen Boes2065 Woven Heart, Holt Ml 48842 lionsdavnor@gmail.com

Upcoming EventsStockbridge Lions Club: Held a community blood drive in February and continues raising funds with providing Bingo sessions at the Stockbridge Legion hall

Hartland Lions Support 25th Annual Walk For WarmthThe Hartland Lions Club and the Michigan Eye Bank shared a table at the

25th Livingston County walk for warmth 400 walkers were in attendance with a total of over 80,000 dollars donated. The door prize from the Eye Bank went to Cheryl Dunlop and the door prize from the Hartland Lions went to

Jeff Spittles. This was the 25th annual Walk for Warmth which raises money for the people of Livingston County that need help with heating this winter.

Olivet Lions Sponsor Annual Squirrel Hunt67 teams (134 hunters) registered for the annual squirrel hunt sponsored

by Whitetail Farms Farm Fresh Market in Olivet. The weather was mild but the snow was deep. Ultimately Wyatt Degroot and Luke Nowak took first prize with 10 squirrels at 20.33 pounds. Greg Saltzman, owner of Whitetail Farms Farm Fresh Market, donated $700 to the Olivet Lions Club. Many hunters donated their squirrels to the Charlotte Optimist Club for their Wild Game Dinner. Sponsors included R & D Salvage, God’s Country Outdoor TV, Simply Outdoors TV, Narrow Lake Country Store, Coachlight Inn, FUG, FML - Beck’s Seeds (Seth Cords), Backroads Saloon, Whitetail Farms Farm Fresh Market and the Olivet Lions Club. Bretton Woods Lions Offer Support To Eaton County Sheriffs

The Eaton County Sheriff’s Office is in the process of purchasing body cameras to be worn by officers in the field. After evaluation over several months to see whether the body cameras were worth the cost, a generous donation is make the effort possible. Sheriff Tom Reich was contacted by the Bretton Woods Lions Club of Delta Twp. To ask if they would accept a donation toward the purchase of the body cameras; the donation will help purchase three body cameras for the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office.

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DG Dennis Poirier

Bay • Genesee • Saginaw • Tuscola

District Editor: Shari Johnson8334 Rich Rd., Mayville, Ml 48744 sharijoh@tds.net

Upcoming EventsKingston Lions Club: Craft Show & Sloppy Joe and Soup Lunch will be held on March 28, 9:00 A.M. to 3 P.M. Kingston Elementary School. Come join the fun at this favorite Lions event!

Freeland Lions Club: Hop on over to the annual Easter Egg Hunt! Follow the bunny trail at Tittabawassee Township Park and hunt for goodies with the E. Bunny on April 4, beginning at 12:00 sharpDistrict 11 D-1 Convention in Battle Creek, MI on April 10-12, 2015! McCamly Plaza Hotel. Live Entertainment, Elections, Forums, Friends, Fellowship, Hospitality Suites, Banquets, Awards, Speakers, Food, and Fun! LCI Guest Speaker - PID Steve Glass from W. Virginia

A Raffle: Will be held to benefit the Special Needs Vision Clinic. First prize will be choice of a Handmade Cedar Log Yard Swing, one of two Handmade Cedar Log Benches or a 50 inch Flat Screen TV, and numerous other great prized. Tickets are $5.00 each or 5 for $20.00. The drawing will be held at the District Convention, April 10, 2015 at 8:00 pm

Vassar Lions Club: Is holding its first golf tournament May 15 at the Vassar Golf and Country Club on the corner of M-46 and Kirk Road in Vassar. The round of golf, cart, snack and a meal is $60 with tee-off at 9 a.m. To register or sponsor, please contact Lion Drew Stark at 989.274.5396 or email: golf@vassarlions.com

Lions Get Marketing Tips At Michigan ForumLion Laura Hunt, State Chair of the Public Relations Committee, and

Lion Jeff Hunt teamed up to provide a breakout session at the recent Michigan Forum in Lansing. “Marketing Your Club” offered real world, simple steps to bring your club to the next level. Tips on Social Media, writing an effective press release, how-to tips on getting it noticed and understanding how to use business marketing techniques, without spending big business dollars were all part of this well attended session.

Frankenmuth Lions ClubGovernor Dennis Poirier enjoying dinner with the Frankenmuth Lions Club.

District 11 D1 2015 Convention Is On The Way!Your Convention Committee is working hard to bring you a great

experience, so don’t miss it, folks! Again this year we will have live entertainment at the Friday night dinner. The theme is “Blue Hawaiian Luau” so wear your Hawaiian shirts and/ or tropical colors and be ready for an evening you won’t soon forget! Music will be provided by the Greg Secor Steel Drum Duo…and we will have a very special surprise guest entertainer! New this year are door prizes at select events, along with a 50/50 raffle.

Forums have all been scheduled and will include one given by PID Steve Glass, our International Guest. Others will be cornea recipient Fran Grabowski from the MI Eye Bank, Waking up your Lawn and Garden for Spring presented by an Advanced Master Gardener, Proposed Constitutional Amendments, a presentation from the Binder Park Zoo with live, touchable animals, Kidsight Camera Training, Sickle Cell, and Dr. Dolores from the Special Needs Vision Clinic. After the Parade of Checks, Lion Diane Glass, wife of PID Steve Glass, will be our keynote speaker at the lunch on Saturday.

> district 11D2

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DG Whitey Simon

Huron • Lapeer • Sanilac • St. Clair

District Editor: DG Whitey Simon

Upcoming EventsDistrict 11 D2 39th Annual Convention: To be held April 10-12 at The H Hotel in Midland. As always, the convention committee is working diligently to assure a great time for all. The theme for Friday’s Governor’s party is “At the Movies”. Mail your registration to: CST David Dykstra 4474 William Court Ft. Gratiot, MI 48059

Buffalo & Boar Wild Game Dinner: Head out to Bear Lake Camp in Lapeer on March 28 for a wild game dinner. Tickets are $25.00. Remember too, Bear Lake Camp’s Wish List!

Pearl Beach Lions Club Sponsor WinterfestPearl Beach Lions sponsored Clay Township’s Winterfest! It could not

have been much colder, but as advertised, the festivities started Friday afternoon and ran through Sunday afternoon, featuring a Chili cook-off in the festival tent. Did you know? You can keep a 100 foot tent cozy warm with the help of a “Flame Heating” to supply all the propane you need. In a comfortable 70 + degrees, “Soul Provider” Band entertained Friday evening with their music to dance by. A fishing tournament on Saturday morning for kids brought out 41 anglers who successfully caught a bunch of fish. During the day, ice skating demonstrations heated up the skating rink all afternoon. A highlight Saturday evening featured wrestling XICW Winterslam — great show with Rhino in the feature event. Harsens Island Lions supporting the event by providing food and beverages during the entire event. A great event to be repeated annually!

Canine Development Center Campaign at Leader Dogs for the BlindLions Recognition

Donor recognition for this campaign will be carried out through three unique programs, each with different levels.

1. Partners in empowerment –focuses on individuals, corporations, foundations and Lions Clubs making significant gifts. Recognition at each level includes name placement on the Leader Dog partners in empowerment Donor Wall and other naming opportunities.

2. 75th anniversary Society –focuses on club recognition. Offers per-member recognition for Lions Clubs that participate in the campaign. Includes a banner patch and prominent recognition on the 75th anniversary Society Donor Wall.

3. 1939 Community- honors individual Lions donating to the campaign. Honors the attributes of our three founders and individual Lions donating to the campaign, recognition at each level includes a 1939 community pin and recognition in the canine development center.

The Power of PledgingPledging allows your club to commit to making a series of donations

over a period of several years with the combined total being recognized all at once. For example, a Pledge to donate $5000 annually for five years will be recognized as a gift of $25,000.

Contact PDG Dave Hacker, Lions District Chairperson, to set a date for a presentation at your club for the canine development campaign. Dave810hacker@comcast.net 586-531-2423.

> district 11 E1

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DG Peter Conarty

Benzie • Clare • Grand Traverse • Isabella • Lake • Leelanau • Manistee • Mason • Mecosta • Midland • Missaukee • Montcalm • Newaygo • Oceana • Osceola • Wexford

District Editor: DG Pete Conarty

Upcoming EventsKingsley Lions Club: Held a Bake Sale and Can Drive to help a District 11 E1 student raise funds for the LMASB trip to Hawaii

Crossroad Lions Club: Is holding their 2nd Annual Chili Cook off this month

A Special Thank You From PDG Wayne Kreitner FamilyThere are so many people that we meet in our lives and cross our paths.

But our Lions of Michigan Family is such a wonderful group of friends & family in our lives. We cannot begin to say thanks enough for all of the support, phone calls, cards and donations that we received in Memory of our special Husband, Father and Grandfather. It was very overwhelming to all of us to hear from so many of our Lions Family. What a great organization the Lions are and we do not know what we would have done if it wasn’t for our Lions of Michigan family. We will miss him, as will all of you.

Thanks again for everything that you have done for us.Lion Debbie Kreitner, Lion Michael, Julie & Logan Kreitner

Sheridan Lions ClubSheridan Lions President Richard Langin receives his 25 year Lions

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Big Rapids Lions ClubBig Rapids Lions Unsung Hero Award presented to PDG Jim Chipman.

Big Rapids Lion PCC Dick Perrin receives his 30 Year Lions Certificate.

Coleman Lions ClubColeman Lions Unsung Hero Award presented to Mary Lewis.

Carson City Lions ClubCarson City Unsung Hero Tom Wilcox.

Newaygo Lions ClubNewaygo Lions Unsung Hero Award Karl Frederikson.

> district 11E2

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DG Barb Durflinger

Alcona • Alpena • Antrim • Arenac • Charlevoix • Cheboygan • Crawford • Emmet • Gladwin • Iosco • Kalkaska • Montmorency • Ogemaw • Oscoda • Otsego • Presque Isle • Roscommon

District Editor:Mitch Smith20933 Palmateer Rd,Hillman, Ml 49746 mitchs048@hughes.net

East Jordan Lions Have Some “Dog Gone” FunEast Jordan Lions Club held their first annual Dog Gone Fun Dog

Show at the EJ Civic Center to honor the anniversary of Lions Club Founder Melvin Jones, and to raise awareness of the Charlevoix Area Humane Society. CAHS Executive Director, Scott MacKenzie, announced and awarded winners as 30 dogs competed in humorous, fun dog events such as scruffiest, least obedient, longest tail, best trick, etc. Over one hundred spectators watched with amusement as the dogs and owners competed for prizes. $500.00 was raised for the Charlevoix Area Humane Society.

Super “Souper Bowl Supper & Empty Bowl Art Show In OscodaThe Oscoda Lions Club held a Souper Bowl Supper & Empty Bowl Art Show

on February 20th! Students worked hard making the bowls and getting them glazed, and Lions Dustin Clare and Julie Burrell worked on painting ceramic bowls which were be sold at the Souper event. Those who attend may purchase a bowl made by the students, enjoy a bowl of soup made by Lions members — and support this fantastic fundraiser!

Bellaire Lions ClubKing Lion Al Becker presenting the Silver Membership Growth Award

to Lion Lee Somers for sponsoring new members Shirley Hoppe and Lorri McArthur.

2015 $3,000.00 White Cane Scholarship RecipientsThe Lions of Michigan are proud to present each of these deserving

students with a $3,000.00 Scholarship.

Yassmine Farhat is a student at Henry Ford College in Dearborn with an Associate’s Degree in Pre-Special Ed, and is furthering her studies to pursue a career in Special Education. Born blind, Yassmine has a special interest in the field of special education for young children. Service to her community includes volunteering at a local elementary school and the Westland Library and training students how to use assistive technology. The money awarded for the scholarship will go toward specialized equipment with will aid her in her studies and her independence.

Mohamed Fawaz is a student at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. Mohamed lost his sight from a roadside explosive device in his native Middle East. Mo has served his campus and community with his growing legal skills, volunteering as an assistant at Disability Advocates of Kent County helping clients advocate for reasonable accommodations of their disabilities; serves as a volunteer at the Kent County Legal Assistance Center as well as many additional associations. With a goal set to practice disability law upon completion of his law degree, Mo Fawaz will truly be an inspiration to all.

David Stirnemann is a student at Oakland Community College with a 3.85 GPA. An Eagle Scout from Lake Orion, MI, he has served in ways that many without a visual disability would find difficult to keep up with. David has assisted with the local food bank collection drives, is dedicated to serving the members of his church, and earned his Eagle Scout status by creating a nature pathway and classroom area for the Waldon Middle School. In addition, David has traveled with his church mission group to restore homes damaged by flooding in Nashville, TN and helped build a recreational center for the Lakota Indians in South Dakota. While a career choice has not yet been determined, we are certain this rising star will shine brightly in his future profession.

2015 $1,000.00 Lions Hearing Center & Lions of Michigan Scholarship for Deaf/Hard of Hearing

The Lions Hearing Center of Michigan and the Lions of Michigan are proud to honor Kassandra Ross with a $1,000 scholarship for her college education.Kassandra Ross is a 17 year-old senior at the Michigan School for the Deaf in Flint, Michigan. She lost her hearing at age nine and her life changed overnight. She struggled in school until finally her parents enrolled her into the Michigan School for the Deaf where she has been ever since. She learned sign language over time, and now it is her first language of choice. Kassandra’s journey of being a deaf person has had many challenges. She recognizes that the difficult time she

has gone through has made her stronger and able to deal with challenges in a positive way. Kassandra carries a 3.8 grade point average and has been accepted at Eastern Michigan and University of Detroit. She has also applied at Michigan State and would like to attend there to pursue her Bachelor’s Degree in teaching. She wants to attend Gallaudet University (University for the deaf) to obtain her Master’s Degree and ultimately would like to teach elementary or special education deaf students. Most of all - she hopes to become a role model for deaf children.