July 22, 1997
next newsletter to be added VERY soon!!!
Rely on your phone committee for more information or changes!!!
July 31st: Harry
Wickersham Golf Tournament at Lady Bird Johnson Park (all proceeds
go to benefit the Texas Lions Camp in Kerrville).
Aug 5th (1st Tues): The Noon Meeting at Golden Corral; the charge is $7 and includes the meal, beverage, gratuity, speaker's meal, and a small contribution to the BBL administrative fund (no reservation required).
note:
please park further away from the main entry way - thanks. Pay
before entering the actual room, and take two plates,
please, for count purposes.
Aug 12th (2nd Tues): Board meeting, at 6 pm, at the San Marcos Public Library.
*** note the change in time
***
Aug 16th: annual
BrikFest fund-raiser event, which is part of Caring for Children
(Vicki)
Aug 19th (3rd Tues): Evening meeting at Dunbar Center, 7 pm.
Sept 2nd (1st Tues): Noon
Luncheon Meeting
Sept 9th (2nd Tues): Board
meeting, 6 pm
Sept 16th (3rd Tues): Evening
meeting, 7 pm
Oct 11-12: Diabetic Screening at Wal-Mart from 10 am to 5 pm (D.J. Domstead is Chair)
(repeat) We should be doing more
actual service for the community rather than just dispensing money
towards good causes. We can give even more richly if we add time and effort helping out.
Wanda Stone filled the vacancy of our 1-year director (thanks).
Vicki handed out schedules of "activities Planned for the San Marcos Bluebonnet Lions Club" for members to review, discuss, approve, or change (see enclosed form) Turn in at meetings.
Board meetings have been changed to 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month
Beth asked the Board to consider sponsoring an event featuring students enrolled in SWT's "English as a Second Language" program. Students could demonstrate foods, dress, and customs of their homelands. International student associations might support the event, so campus facilities could be used at no charge. (good PR)
Our Club's participation in next year's Summerfest activities should be handled by our 1997-98 committee.
A garage sale was discussed as an August fund raiser (to be proposed to the membership).
Glamour Shots, as an October fund-raiser, will need all club participation and a new location, if it is to be open to the public.
Club to pay for a ticket for Vicki to represent the club at the AWARE banquet on October 25th.
Vicki will contact Sights and Sounds to see if we still will operate Santa's Village. The possibility of having a booth to raise funds was discussed.
Providing lunch for the Annual Genealogy Society meeting on March 7th (to approximately 150 people) was discussed. Members decided to take this project on as a Fund Raiser.
Vicki will clarify trash pickup dates and report back.
KiteFest is set for April 4th and 5th 1998.
Beth stated that the members of the Noon Lions would like to have some joint events with the Bluebonnets, such as: couples' Christmas Party, installation of officers, etc.
Ways to help needy family (reported at June board meeting) were discussed. Vicki will contact Jo-Anne Cearley for more information.
Web page for the Bluebonnet Lions. Members has been started.
Sue Turney stated that Lions Linda Jalufka and Shaila Martin want their businesses to sponsor a report (similar to Bonnie's Tuesday Report). Referred to Constitution committee to determine if support by businesses is allowed under international rules.
Ruth Molina stated that she would
like to have some of our meetings use a "Get to Know Each
Other" format. Referred to Membership committee.
Note:
Please get Committee
reports and meeting times to the Board meetings and/or Newsletter
Editor each month (any Committee member can give the monthly
report).
Awards - Sue Turney.
Presentations were given at the Noon meeting.
Community Service - Sandra Ellison. Southside Community Center has an emergency homeless shelter, and needs all kinds of things, including clothing, dishes, pots, pillowcases, sheets, blankets, mattresses, "sample" sizes of toothpaste, soap, etc. As Gloria emphasized, your volunteer help/time is greatly needed and appreciated, too.
Gloria stated that Southside Community
Center has been busy getting ready to host student works who come
each summer to work on houses needing repair and maintenance.
Constitution and By-Laws - Susy
Moore. The committee will
check with international on any constitutional questions.
Eye Care - Lynn Norris. Lenses themselves can be wrapped in plastic grocery bags to protect them from scratches. Do not send broken frames, as they cannot repair frames. Prescription sunglasses OK.
At the District Convention in New
Braunfels, we received a certificate of appreciation for the Bluebonnet
Lion's work on eyeglass collections.
Finance - Jane Moss. The check sent to the San Marcos Youth Soccer Association came from funds approved in the budget for 1996-97. All checks have been sent to the agencies approved in the 1996-97 budget.
Dues are due for the new Lion year. Notices have been sent to all members who have not paid.
A memorial was sent to the San Marcos
Public Library in memory of Jo Starr's mother.
Membership - Bonnie Flammang.
Public Relations - Marie Coffey. Pictures in the newspaper are on-going and bring attention to us; good to see a higher profile for our Club. Highway cleanup also put us in view. Terrie Purcell will continue as club photographer. Also, the Bluebonnet Lions Web page has been started and is temporarily (while being built up) located at: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/3709/lions.html (and lions2.html, lions3.html, and lions4.html) Pages will cover local, national, and international Lions activities and events. The pages are in draft form, so the links are not yet incorporated (not ready for "click here" and the links to national and international sites are yet to be added, as well as polishing up these, but take a look and send questions and comments to:
mc35563@swt.edu or katfriend@geocities.com or katamount@hotmail.com.
The committees and their descriptions
will be included, as well as a list of officers. Another page
will be devoted to KiteFest and related links, and there will
also be a page for newsletter and calendar of events (and meetings).
Lions Camp and Guide Dogs will also be included. Official emblems,
too.
Projects - Judy Aswell.
Programs - Bonnie
Flammang. This committee
will try to arrange programs for both the Noon and Evening meetings,
except those designated as work sessions.
Service - Katy Lighthouse.
Report deaths and illness. Concerns: Vicki's father had heart
surgery and is doing well after a very short hospital stay. Lynn
Norris was in the hospital for x-rays. Linda Jalufka's son had
adenoid surgery
Social - DJ Domstead. Call
D.J. to sign up for evening meeting goodies.
Telephone - Jo-Ann Cearley.
The Committee provides information about Club activities.
Year Book - Linda Winn.
Youth Outreach - Patty Coffey.
Only one person signed up for the committee. VP Melesa Yager will
work to fill in the vacancies. Peace Poster kits have been ordered
(and have now arrived).
Reminder, potential new members must
attend regular and Board meetings (exceptions can be made under
certain circumstances for Board meetings).
Ruth Molina stated that the wife of one of her co-workers at Texas Parks and Wildlife is ill with cancer. A benefit Dinner will be held July 26 to raise funds to help with medical expenses. Bonnie moved to donate $100 to the cause.
Pat Young stated that she had been
contacted about a 7 year old boy with cataracts who is in need
of new lenses on his glasses. He was referred by the Lighthouse
for the Blind. Request was tuned over to the Eye Care Committee.
Lynn Norris stated she will take care of the matter.
RANDALL'S CARD:
Remember, you can designate the
Bluebonnet Lions Club to receive 1% of your grocery dollars; anyone
(friends, neighbors, relatives) can do this. Go to the service
desk and have the card registered for Bluebonnet Lions with #2552.
Tell everyone you know, and hand out flyers, too. (Randalls will
send us a check quarterly).
Correspondence and Donation Requests:
1. A thank you was received from
Aaron Tessaro for the $150 check.
2. Acknowledgments were received
from the San Marcos Public Library for the memorial donations
for the mothers of Fern Rajnoch and Jo Starr.
3. Thank you from Hays/Caldwell Women's
Center for our donation of $500.
4. Thank you letter from Meals-on-Wheels
for our $350 donation.
5. Letter inviting Bluebonnet Lions
to enter Veteran's Day Parade, November 11, 1997.
6. Letter from the San Marcos School
system announcing the San Marcos Rattle "Planner Partners"
to encourage the organization of time and activities for students
in grades 4-9. Debby Lawrence stated that the program should be
beneficial for all those who participate in it. Club agreed to
send $100, a Silver Level Supporter.
7. Club's copy of the Mane Messenger
for members to review its contents.
Mane Messenger:
Our incoming District Governor is Bill Phillips. One of the most pressing issues facing him and the growth of Lionism is the need for growth in membership.
Take every opportunity to tell the story of Lionism. Ask others to join.
Reduce member losses. Contact them and make them feel wanted and needed.
Conduct meetings that are started on time, informative, interesting, friendly, well organized, and completed on time.
Above all: Inform the membership of the accomplishments of the club.
Be involved in the Peace Poster Contest.
LIBERTY
INTELLIGENCE
OUR
NATION'S
SAFETY
Effective Communication: Our Crucial
Bridge to the community
by the President of The International Association of Lions
Clubs
President's Message:
A few words from the President of the International Association of Lion's Clubs.
The world bank of ideas will be a tremendous bridge linking Lions around the world; truly an investment for the years to come!
Considering one of society's greatest problems (children at risk), a memorandum of understanding, signed with UNICEF, joined our two organizations in a partnership with promises to increase our cooperative efforts on behalf of children.
Another bridge, SightFirst, has
now recorded more than one million sight restoring cataract surgeries
and continues this battle to eliminate blindness.
Lions are best known for their magnificent
accomplishments in answering sight related needs ever since 1925,
when Helen Keller challenged them to become the "Knights
of the Blind" in the crusade against darkness. Lions readily
accepted this challenge, and their enduring commitment is witness
today in the monumental SightFirst program which aspires to conquer
preventable and reversible blindness.
Lions Clubs International
is formally affiliated with the United Nation's Children's Fund
UNICEF, United Nations Economic and Social Council ECOSOC, United
Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organizations UNESCO,
World Health Organization WHO, and is pending affiliation with
the Food and Agriculture Organization FAO.
Helping Children in Crisis
Food, clothing, shelter, hope. Every child needs and deserves these. Unfortunately, there are 1.3 million runaway and homeless youth who are still searching for all four of these basic necessities of life. The national runaway switchboard NRS offers help and hope to these kids by providing confidential crisis intervention and referrals for youth and their families. Services include identifying and conferencing calls to community based organizations which offer not only shelter and food, but medical assistance and counseling, delivering messages between runaways and their parents, or just providing people who care enough to listen.
The NRS also administers the Greyhound Lines Incorporated Homefree Program which provides free transportation home for qualified youth. All NRS services are available 24 hours a day 365 days a year and are accessible across the United States. In 1996 the NRS received 160,000 calls at
1-800-621-4000.
So far, several Lions Clubs have received NRS promotional kits
containing materials which include posters, brochures, stickers,
and buttons promoting the toll free number. Dedicated Lions have
already posted these materials in areas where teens are known
to congregate, including 24 hour convenience stores, shopping
malls, fast food restaurants, and video arcades. It's important
to remember that children between the ages of 10-18 run away because
they have not yet fully developed adequate problem-solving skills.
They are victims of situations over which they feel they have
no control, and they often lack a strong caring and supportive
environment necessary to thrive.
Constantly refresh old and new members with the vision and mission of Lionism.
Match new Lions with active members to serve as Club mentors. Rally around a member who suffers personal tragedy, misfortune, or business problems.
Volunteer for committee assignments, projects, tasks, and activities.
Include family members in activities and projects.
Survey the talents and resources
of members for new project ideas.
Ring the Bells
Would you like to join the 5,000 churches, National Monuments, State Houses, and radio stations who participate in the Let Freedom Ring National Bell Ringing Ceremony?
On July 4, 1997 at 2pm EDST, the bells will toll 13 times in honor of our national celebration.
Sponsored by the Philadelphia Society
of Sons of the Revolution, Let Freedom Ring grew in support
of a Congressional resolution adopted on June 26, 1963. Congress
declared that the ringing of bells to mark the "birth of
our country as a free and independent nation" is both "appropriate"
and "fitting".
Help One Student To Succeed - - - - - - - -
is a mentoring program which pairs a student who needs help in reading with a community volunteer as a mentor. You will spend about 30 minutes with the student (so adding in travel time to and from, it will only take an hour of your time for the week). The initial training session will take one hour with the HOSTS teacher. Available times are between 8:15 and 3:00, at Crockett Elementary (1300 Girard St.), Mondays through Thursdays.
Contact Katy Clayton at
393-6418