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LIONAustralia / Papua New Guinea edition – $1

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Connections, influence, friendship, philanthropy

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2016 Volume 127 No. 6

LIONLion – Australia and PNGLion - Australia and Papua New Guinea edition ispublished bi-monthly for the Multiple District 201Council of Lions Clubs International and circulated toall members.Published by MD201 Council of Governors and printed byPMP Print, 37-49 Browns Road, Clayton Victoria 3168.An official publication of Lions Clubs Interna tional, the Lionmagazine is published by authority of Board of Directors in21 languages: English, Spanish, Japanese, French,Swedish, Italian, German, Finnish, Korean, Portuguese,Dutch, Danish, Chinese, Norwegian, Icelandic, Turkish,Greek, Hindi, Polish, Indonesian and Thai.Editor: Tony Fawcett, Fawcett Media20 Millett Road Gisborne South VIC 3437Phone: (03) 9744 1368Email: [email protected] Enquiries: Lions National Office31-33 Denison St, Newcastle West, NSW 2302Phone: (02) 4940-8033Lions Australia website: www.lionsclubs.org.auDeadlines: 1st day of month before co ver date.MD201 Council of Governors: C1 Paddy McKay,C2 Bryan Hearn, N1 Malcolm Peters, N2 Sharon Bishop,N3 Rosalie Sellers, N4 Roger Thomas,N5 Dennis Halpin, Q1 Graham Jackson, Q2 Brian Hewett,Q3 Norm Jensen, Q4 Jan Barsby, T1 Michael Walsh, V1-4 Naga Sundararajah, V2 Terry Heazlewood, V3 AnitaCulpitt, V5 Brian Buchanan, V6 Peter Poels, W1 Michael Wolf, W2 Terry Collinson. Council Chairman: Rodd ChignellDistribution of Magazine: Clubs and MembersAdditions to distribution list, deletions, changes of addressand of club will be made only when advised through theClub Membership and Activities report. Non-Lions, librariesand other organisations who wish to advise changes shouldcontact Lions National Office, Locked Bag 2000NEWCASTLE NSW 2300, Tel: 02 4940 8033 email:[email protected] Editor-In-Chief - Sanjeev Ahuja Managing Editor - Christopher Brunch, Lions ClubsInternational 300 W 22nd Street, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523-8842 USAExecutive Officers: President Chancellor Robert E. “Bob”Corlew, Milton, Tennessee, United States; Immediate PastPresident Dr. Jitsuhiro Yamada, Minokamo-shi, Gifu-ken,Japan; First Vice President Naresh Aggarwal, Delhi, India;Second Vice President Gudrun Yngvadottir, Gardabaer,Iceland; Third Vice President Jung-Yul Choi, Busan City,Korea. Directors First Year: Bruce Beck, Minnesota, United States;Tony Benbow, Vermont South, Australia; K. Dhanabalan,Erode, India; Luiz Geraldo Matheus Figueira, Brasílía, Brazil;Markus Flaaming, Espoo, Finland; Elisabeth Haderer,Overeen, The Netherlands; Magnet Lin, Taipei, Taiwan; SamH. Lindsey Jr., Texas, United States; N. Alan Lundgren,Arizona, United States; Joyce Middleton, Massachusetts,United States; Nicolin Carol Moore, Arima, Trinidad andTobago; Yasuhisa Nakamura, Saitama, Japan; Aruna AbhayOswal, Gujrat, India; Vijay Kumar Raju Vegesna,Visakhapatnam, India; Elien van Dille, Ronse, Belgium;Jennifer Ware, Michigan, United States; Jaepung Yoo,Cheongju, Korea. Directors Second year: Melvyn K. Bray, New Jersey, UnitedStates; Pierre H. Chatel, Montpellier, France; Eun-SeoukChung, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; Gurcharan Singh Hora, Siliguri,India; Howard Hudson, California, United States; SanjayKhetan, Birgani, Nepal; Robert M. Libin, New York, UnitedStates; Richard Liebno, Maryland, United States; HelmutMarhauer, Hildesheim, Germany; Bill Phillipi, Kansas, UnitedStates; Lewis Quinn, Alaska, United States; Yoshiyuki Sato,Oita, Japan; Gabriele Sabatosanti Scarpelli, Genova, Italy;Jerome Thompson, Alabama, United States; Ramiro VelaVillarreal, Nuevo León, Mexico; Roderick “Rod” Wright, NewBrunswick, Canada; Katsuyuki Yasui, Hokkaido, Japan.

‘We serve’“To create and foster a spirit of understandingamong all people for humanitarian needs byproviding voluntary services throughcommunity involvement and internationalcooperation”

DeadlinesContributions for the DECEMBER - JANUARY 2016-17 issue should be submitted

by November 1 to The Editor, Lion magazine, Tony Fawcett, Fawcett Media,20 Millett Rd, Gisborne South, Victoria 3437 or emailed to

[email protected].

C O N T E N T S4 International President’s report5 Lions rally for victims6 $360,00 bionic eye research7 Doing their bit for farmers8 Hobart Convention11 International President’s visit

Page 8 - Hobart Convention

Page 19 - TV star in Lions playPage 7 - Helping the far mers

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COVER: Breathtakingscenery, fresh air andfabulous wine and food ...Hobart has got it all. Lionscan savour Hobart’s charmswhile taking part in our 65thNational Convention. All thedates and details can befound on page 8 of thisissue of the LION.Cover photo: Tourism Tasmania& Wrest Point

13 Community 100 Program14 Council Chairman’s report20 Lions saving sight24 Lions out & about26 Executive summary27 Committee vacancies/appointments


4 Lion

By BobCorlew, LionsClubsInternationalPresident

The best way to observethe Centennial

The meaning of Lions– same today as before

The other day I heard a sports commentator talk about a greatathlete’s legacy. The player was an all-star ever y year and aprobable Hall of Famer, but the commentator remarked heneeded to win this championship to cement his legac y. Wehear that word a lot – legacy. It’s part of discussions aboutartists, elected officials and innovators. Somehow there issomething greater than the sum of our accomplishments.There is an identity or a lasting effect we can create thattranscends what we have done and ser ves as a capstone, anobvious high point.

We have the opportunity to make the Lions Clubs Interna tional(LCI) Centennial more than just a celebra tion. We have anopportunity to leave a lasting impact on our communities.Centennial Legacy Projects are a grea t way for your club to cementits value and leave a lasting impression. It’s a way for your c lub tocelebrate the Centennial while reminding the community of yourvital contributions.

Clubs worldwide have eagerly embraced this initiative. Morethan 4,000 Legacy Projects have been reported to LCI on MyLCI.Clubs are undertaking smaller initia tives such as making parkbenches or doing larger projects such as building c linics andexpanding libraries. Many of the projects are innova tive andingenious such as the dona tion of the Kensington Lions in PrinceEdward Island in Canada of a dozen 16-channeltransmitters/receiver sound units to a school to enhance learning.

With three levels to choose from, there’s an opportunity for everyclub to get involved:• Level 1 Legacy Projects will raise your community visibility . Postnew Lions signs, donate park benches, dedicate a statue or providea park fountain. • Level 2 Legacy Projects are about giving back to the community .Give a gift that lasts – refurbish a park, build a footbridge over aheavily-travelled road, fund resources for the visually impaired, ordonate a vehicle to a community organisa tion that needs one.

• Level 3 Legacy Projects are large-scale efforts. These includebuilding a clinic, expanding a library or school, equipping a hospitalor developing a training centre to teach new work or life skills.

So connect with your community by planning a Legac y Projectduring our centennial. Make your centennial celebra tionunforgettable by giving your community a lasting gift tha t Lionsand community members will never forget.

Learn more about Legacy Projects at Lions100.org

The pages of LION magazine during theearly years of Lions were filled with storiessuch as “The Purpose of Lions”, “TheMeaning of Lionism” and “The Value ofLions”. A businessman’s club dedicated toservice was still a novel concept, and itwas as if Lions had to convince themselvesthat they were on the right track. Theuncertainty led Lions to question whetherLions Clubs would even survive. “Duringmy lifetime I have seen organisationsformed with the highest ideals flourish fora time, then drop into comparativeunimportance. Will that be the fate ofLionism? I hope not,” wrote DistrictGovernor A. Baker of Cheyenne, Wyoming,in January 1922.

But Lions stayed the course. They stuckwith service. Fellowship was part ofmembership. But service was paramount.“Activities Make the Club” was the headlinefor a column in 1927 by Interna tional PresidentIrving Camp of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.“Show me a club that simply meets and ea ts,and I will show you a club that has failed torespond to the call of ser vice as invited in thevery principles of our grea t, unselfishorganisation,” he wrote.

Rapidly approaching our Centennial in 2017,we now know that our forebears were right.Service is what makes a Lion. It’s what we do.It’s who we are. That has never been moreevident than over the past couple of years. Weset a goal to ser ve 100 million people by June30, 2018, through the Centennial ServiceChallenge. We asked Lions to host youth,vision, hunger and environmental projects.

We wondered whether we’d reach the goalbecause clubs reported serving 8 millionpeople annually to Lions Clubs Interna tional(but we knew the true figure was higher). I’melated to tell you tha t we recently reached ourgoal of serving 100 million people. Take pridein being part of an associa tion that lives up toits amazing ideals and tha t sets goals andexceeds them.

We have so much more we can achieve.There are more people who need us, moreopportunities to make a difference and newmountains to climb. Together we can reachnew heights in service. So keep serving!

Lions are being invited tohead for Chicago in the U.S.next year to celebrate ourInternational Centenary.

The celebrations willcoincide with the LionsInternational Convention,appropriately being called theCentennial Convention.

It will take part in Chica go,the place where Lions began,from 30 June to 4 July.

Past International PresidentJ. Frank Moore III detailed theprogress of the centennialcelebration at this year’sInternational Convention inJapan: nearly 100 millionpeople served, 4,000 Legacyservice projects and grandcommemorative projects suchas a $1 U.S. silver coin,postage stamps and aglobetrotting enormous banner,divided into 48 parts to besigned by Lions until a ttachedback together in Chicago.

Well over 20,000 Lions frommore than 120 countries areexpected to gather in Chicagofor the event.

Located on the banks ofLake Michigan, the Windy Cityis one of the top conventiondestinations in the UnitedStates. Its unique history,Midwestern hospitality,gourmet restaurants, colossalskyscrapers, and world-classshopping are just a few of thereasons why Chicago hassomething for everyone.

The Chicago convention alsooffers a unique opportunity tovisit LCI’s InternationalHeadquarters in Oak Brook,just 30 minutes west of thecity, where you will be able totake a self-guided tour ofheadquarters, get your picturetaken, and meet our many staffmembers who will be there towelcome you.

For more information aboutChicago, visitwww.choosechicago.com

LIONS URGED TOCELEBRATE OURCENTENARY


5October - November 2016

With the death toll nearing 300 following the 6.2 magnitude earthquakethat hit Italy on 24 August, Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF) iswell into a humanitarian campaign.

Quickly after news of the devasta ting event swept around the world, LCIFapproved a Major Catastrophe Grant of US$100,000.

Relief funds are also being sought from Lions and others around Australia.Said MD201 LCIF Coordinator, PDG Tom Becker: “Your donations will help

provide immediate relief – food, water, clothing, supplies and temporaryshelter – and ongoing assistance. Lions will be there to help thosecommunities rebuild and regain hope.

“Lions, your generosity enables us to respond to disasters whenever andwherever they strike. We hope that you will keep the victims in yourthoughts and prayers, and we ask you to join us in giving as only Lions do.”

Cheques should be in Australian dollars and sent to your District CabinetTreasurer.

Tom Becker said donations to the Disaster Relief Fund will be eligible togo towards Melvin Jones Fellowships or Progressive Melvin JonesFellowships.

“One hundred percent of ever y dollar donated to LCIF goes to the peoplein need,” he said.

Lions rally to aid Italian earthquake victims

IMMEDIATE$100,000LCIF GRANT

ITALIANHEARTBREAK:

Scenes of destructionlike this were all too

common around Italyafter the earthquakestruck on 24 August.

This was all thatremained of thehistoric town of

Amatrice in centralItaly. LCIF has

approved $100,000 inrelief and Lions in

Australia andelsewhere are asked

to raise more.

Picture: Leggi il Firenzepost/Youtube/Wikipedia

From drought to flood, Lions to the fore

Not all that many months ago Lions in Victoria were aiding drought victims.Now they are aiding flood victims.

Across the water-clogged state they are doing their bit to help farmerscope with the latest torrent.

Typical is Charlton Lion Martin Tatchell, well known for his volunteeringand never far from the action when Lions help is needed.

This time he was filling sandba gs to help keep the deluge a t bay, achange from distributing relief packs to flood victims.

Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper profiled Martin’s deeds during thisflood, and in the previous big flood in 2011 when he worked on theCharlton club’s Foodbank project.

“No one should be alone in times like these, ” he told the paper. “I comehere and help pack up food parcels read y to be handed out to farmers whoare really doing it tough.

“Just giving people a helping hand, a pack of food and the opportunity to cha tis enough to keep them going sometimes. We have to pack more than a tonne offresh produce each week.”

Mighty Martin’s volunteering puts him back in the news


Lion6

Bionic eye research has received amajor boost with the VictorianLions Foundation and the L.E.W.Carty Charitable Fund combining tofinance a new post-doctoralresearch fellowship at the NationalVision Research Institute.

The $360,000 funding over three

years was announced by the Australian

College of Optometry (ACO).

The funding is expected to make a

significant difference to people affected

by blindness.

“One approach to returning sight to

the profoundly blind is through the

development of effective visual

prosthetic devices (bionic eyes),” said Professor

Michael Ibbotson, Director, National Vision Research

Institute.

The new LEW Carty-Lions Victoria Research

Fellow will design the next generation of bionic eye

devices and investigate taking visual prosthetics

(bionic eyes) from the current prototype stage to

something offering true functional vision, where

wide-field images can be formed. This will allow a

profoundly blind person to experience a more

independent quality of life.”

Said Maureen O’Keefe, Chief Executive Officer of

the Australian College of Optometry/National Vision

Research Institute: “Sustainable high quality

research in Australia is increasingly reliant on

philanthropic funding, especially for early career

researchers. The vision of the trustees of the L.E.W

Carty Charitable Fund and the Victorian Lions

Foundation is the creation of a philanthropic

partnership through co-funding. This has enabled

the establishment of a new postdoctoral research

fellowship at the National Vision Research Institute

at the Australian College of Optometry, through

provision of matching funding of $180,000 each

over three years.

“Support for early career years for a medical

researcher is very important, but also very

challenging with fewer than one in five scientists

securing federal funding for their research despite

more than half of all applications being considered

worthy of funding. Younger researchers have to

compete against senior researchers for increasingly

limited funding, and their lack of an established

track record is a significant barrier to success.”

The National Vision Research Institute (NVRI) is a

partner in the Bionic Vision Australia consortium and

works closely with the physics and engineering

departments at the University of Melbourne in

developing this next generation of bionic eyes.

$360,000 bionic eye research fellowshipLions join withcharitable fundin vital sightinitiative

EYE RESEARCH PIONEERSNational Vision Research Institute Director, ProfessorMichael Ibbotson, with members of the NVRIresearch team – (from left) Kevin Meng, Parvin Zorei,Tania Kameneva and Yan Wong. Professor Ibbotsonwas recently named the winner of the 2016 KevinCahill Award for Vision Science from the Rebecca LCooper Medical Research Foundation. The award isfor his work on “creating the next generation ofbionic eyes” and is linked to a proposal that securedimportant funding for research into the eye’s visualcortex.

There was much celebrating at the announcement of the $360,000 r esearch fellowship. From left to right are ProfessorNathan Efron AC, President of the Australian College of Optometry; Dr. Sue Forrest of the L.E.W. Carty Charitable Fund; RodJackson of the Victorian Lions Foundation; Professor Konrad Pesudovs, the Chair of the National Vision Research InstituteBoard of Administration; and Maureen O’Keefe, CEO of the Australian College of Optometry.



Photo courtesy Shepparton News / Holly Curtis

Whether fire, drought, flood or falling produce prices, many Australianfarmers have been doing it tough in recent times. That’s whatprompted Keira Birchmore and her daughter Isabella, 6 (picturedabove) of the Victorian town of Toolamba to get out among the cows.

They were helping promote the Dair y Farmers Day Out, an eventorganised by the Toolamba Lions Club for local dair y farmers who have beensuffering hardship.

The day gave farmers in Toolamba and nearby Murchison and Tatura abreak and the chance to access health ser vices such as Lifeline, beyondblueand the National Centre for Farmer Health.

The idea for the event follo wed an approach to the club by the NorthernVictorian Farmers Relief Drive, an organisation that has been helping thosein need on the land.

“Once we were approached, we came up with the family fun

day for everyone to be involved, not just farmers but their familiesand workers as well,” said a club spokesperson.The main organiser, Lion Keira Birchmore, described the event as being a

way for people to show their appreciation for farmers and to promote thehealth and wellbeing of local families who may be doing it tough.

Children were well catered for with hot dogs, a jumping castle, facepainting, fairy floss, paper plane-making and sumo wrestling suits for bothchildren and adults.

Farmers were able to cha t with friends, colleagues and neighbours andlistened to three guest speakers.

There was also a roast dinner for ever yone, deliciously cooked bymembers of the Toolamba Fishing Club.

It’s been estimated that more than 275 hours were put into the event byToolamba Lions.

DOING THEIR BIT FOR THE FARMERSVictorian country Lions come together in support of our primar y producers


HOBART – just the pl

Picture: Tourism Tasmania & Samuel Shelley


ace for a Convention

MD201 65th National Convention– Friday, 5 May to Monday, 8 May 2017

DETAILS OVER THE PAGE


10 Lion

Nestled amongst the foothills of Mount W ellington, Tasmania’scapital city combines heritage charm and a modern lifestylewith plenty of natural beauty. It’s easy to fall for the manycharms of this quietly buzzing city that Lonely Planet hasnamed one of the top 10 spots to visit in the world.

And Hobart is where the Multiple District 201 65th NationalConvention will be held from Friday, 5 May to Monday, 8 May 2017.

The Wrest Point Convention Centre will again be the venue for theconvention, renewing a friendship with Lions that has continued overmore than two decades – many will have experienced the 2003Convention there and some might even recall the Convention of 1993.

Wrest Point provides for all convention activities under the one roof.Here is all that is needed for the ceremonies, business sessions,meeting rooms, function rooms, plus accommodation (see conventionwebsite for details) and fine dining to cater for all conventioneer needs.

While the convention will follow the normal programming, with theOpening Ceremony on the first day and finishing with sparkle and bangat the Silver and Gold Gala Dinner on the final evening, there will be areal opportunity to celebrate 100 years of Lions Clubs International and70 years of Lions in Australia.

And what is there to see and do in and around Hobart when you arenot engaged at convention?

Just a couple of suggestions …

Salamanca Market is a celebration of Tasmania’s unique culture,creative artisans, talented musicians and local producers amongst thehistoric sandstone warehouses of Salamanca Place on the Hobartwaterfront. The weekly outdoor market is held ever y Saturday, rain orshine.

MONA – the Museum of Old and New Art – Any trip to Hobart is notcomplete without a visit to this mind-blowing showcase of internationalcultural treasures and contemporary art, not to mention its onsitevineyard, winery and fantastic food offerings.

PDG David Daniels OAMChairman

Convention Organising Committee

THE CONVENTION WEBSITE – access through theLions Australia website/conventions – provides links that

will assist conventioneers with travel andaccommodation options.

HOBART – just the place for a Convention

Sandy Bay with the Convention location, WrestPoint Hotel, in the foreground.

Photo: Tourism Tasmania & Southern Cross Television


October - November 2016

It was a whirlwind visit to P erth but LionsInternational President, Chancellor BobCorlew, last month gained an extensiveinsight into the good work his Downundercolleagues are doing.

In five days, IP Bob managed visits to seeminglyeverything, from tours of Lions facilities and formalreceptions to dropping in on the state parliament.He even squeezed in the planting of two nativeJarrah trees at the local Lions Memorial Park inBull Creek.

Hosted by DGs Terry Collinson (W2) and MichaelWolf (W1), our IP was accompanied on the visit byInternational Director Tony Benbow and CouncilChairman Rodd Chignell.

Missing from the tour was Dianne Corlew , hiswife, who stayed behind in the U.S. to assist withthe arrival of a further grandchild.

Highlights of the five-day visit includedinspections of Lions Cancer Screening and LionsHearing buses and visits to the Lions Eye Institute(hosted by Lions Save Sight), the Ear ScienceInstitute/Lions Hearing Clinics (hosted by LionsHearing Foundation) and the McCusker AlzheimersFoundation (hosted by Lions Clubs joint AlzheimersAssociation members).

IP Bob witnessed the foundations at work, sawthe science labs and talked in-depth withtechnicians and staff.

While he saw the work of Australian Lions, manylocal Lions got the chance to meet him, with visitsto clubs including South Perth where he metBooragoon and Fremantle Lions, Wanneroo andCity of Perth where he attended a formalreception.

In between there was good fellowship as hetalked to Lions over dinners, checked out Perth’sfamous beaches and Kings Park and even took amemorable ride on a children’s train.

At tour’s end he departed with a far greaterunderstanding of Australian Lions and the work wedo.

Tour organisers, DGs Terry Collinson andMichael Wolf, paid tribute to those who had helpedmake IP Bob’s visit such a memorable one, tocountry Lions who travelled to Perth, to clubmembers and to their own partners, Lions MaxineCollinson and Mary-Anne Wolf, who had been sucha big part of it.

INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT’S LOOK-SEE VISITPerth shows IP BobCorlew howcommitted AussieLions do what theydo best


By Tom Kerr and Cassandra RotoloLeaser Lake in America’s easternPennsylvania – 13m deep before unrelentingseepage – eventually became a kind of ghostlake. By 2001, the 48ha, man-made lake wasan eerie landscape of weeds, small trees andeven pieces of an old farm that wasswallowed when the lake was filled in the1960s. Attempts to fix the seepage f ailed, andthe surrounding park was mothballed.

The Leaser Lake Heritage Foundation (LLHF)laboured for years to get several governmententities to supply nearly $5 million – enough torepair the dam and refill the lake. The repairs werecompleted in 2015.

Bringing life back to the park became muchmore than just filling the lake with water . LLHF hadbig dreams for Leaser Lake: it hoped to providerecreation opportunities to those who otherwisefound them just out of reach. It wanted individualswith limited mobility to be able to explore lakesidepaths, fish from a floating dock or even slip into akayak for a paddle on the water. But those wereexpensive dreams.

Lion Tom Kerr, a foundation board member,presented a plan to raise the money to fellow Lionswho shared his affinity for Leaser Lake. The lake isa source of pride for locals in the sleepy butpicturesque farmland.

The plan called for a park fully compliant with the‘Americans with Disabilities Act’. Its trails, picnictables, toilets and parking would be accessible tothose with disabilities. The Kempton Lions Club

committed to raising money to fund a fishing pierand a kayak launcher. The LLHF committed toseveral other pieces of the puzzle.

The idea of facilitating positive, unique outdoorexperiences for people with limited mobilityenergised the Lions. There was nothing like thiswithin 100km of Kempton.

Over two years, the Kempton Lions, aided by theneighbouring Ontelaunee Lions Club, generatedmore than $7000 through fundraising. Meanwhile,Kerr applied for grants from the Lions ofPennsylvania Foundation and Lions ClubsInternational Foundation, garnering US$49,500 –enough to pay for the fishing pier and launcher .

The Lions and LLHFworked with a localmanufacturer and anengaged group of localadaptive kayakers. Theathletes tested prototypes atthe manufacturer’s facilityand at the lake.

“In the process ofdeveloping the boatlauncher, I had a greaterunderstanding of thelimitations of a wheelchair-bound person, as well asmany things an able-bodiedperson takes for granted,”admits Kerr. “Understandingthe impact this project hason the lives of those with

mobility issues makes this project ver y gratifying.”The project was dedicated in October 2015.

During the inauguration ceremony, Mike White, whohas spina bifida, rolled his wheelchair down thegangway with ease and paddled off into the openwater. “It is liberating. One of the nicest feelings isto look and feel like ever ybody else,” White says.

Sporting his yellow vest, Kerr beamed with prideat what Lions achieved. “I hope this project, done bya small group of people, can serve as a testamentto other small clubs that they, too, can do bigprojects.”

Watch a video about the Leaser Lak e projectat lionmagazine.org.

By Cassandra RotoloNearly 800 million people in the world do nothave enough food to eat. The situation is mostdire in developing countries, where one out ofsix children is underweight. The Venezia Hostand Venezia Angelo Partecipazio Lions clubsin Italy teamed up with the KoudougouBaobab Lions Club in Burkina Faso and LionsClubs International Foundation (LCIF) toaddress food insecurity in several villages inthe West African nation.

The Italian Lions received an LCIF InternationalAssistance grant (IAG) for US$54,267 to support theproject. The Lions had two main objectives. The firstwas to form a field school to train rural women touse a drip irrigation system. Secondly, they woulduse that drip irrigation system to create a villagevegetable garden. Women from nearby areas wouldbe taught how to cultivate crops using the newsystem, as well as how to use those crops to feedhealthy meals to their families. Water storagetowers, compost pits, a storage shed and fencesplayed important roles in helping the project reachits goals.

Drip irrigation is a low-water, low-pressuresystem that keeps plant roots moist. By applyingwater directly to plant roots rather than thesurrounding soil, drip irrigation systems use less

water than some other traditional systems. Dripirrigation is particularly beneficial where watersources are scarce.

Lions got to work. They secured and cleared ahectare of land. They dug a well with a solar pumpand a storage tank and planted onions, othervegetables and fast-growing moringa trees. Oncethe crops were planted, Lions from both countriestrained local women on using the drip irrigationsystem and tending to their gardens.

The field school pilot program trained sevenwomen from the Kyon District. It is expected that upto 60 women will be trained annually . The Lionshope these women will grow enough excess foodthat they may start their own village market and selltheir produce for a profit, leading to economicstability and independence.

“We Lions are fighting poverty and securing foodfor women and children in rural Burkina Fasobecause malnutrition is widespread,” says LionGiovanni Spaliviero of the Italian Lions Association,MK Onlus. “We hope these vegetable gardens willhelp to significantly improve the health and theliving conditions of children and their families.”

LCIF’s IAG program awards grants betweenUS$5,000 and US$30,000 on a matching basis.IAGs enable Lions clubs in developed countries topartner with Lions clubs in less developed regions

on projects that significantly impact entirecommunities. IAGs fund international assistanceprograms focused on basic health care, educationand literacy, clean water and sanitation, ruraldevelopment and self-sufficiency programs,services for people who are blind and otherwisedisabled, and environmental protection.

For information on how your district canapply for an IAG, visit lcif.org.

LCIF

Italian hospitality blooms in Africa

A rising tide lifts all kayaks

Women tend their new village vegetablegarden in Kyon, Burkina Faso.

Mike White uses the adaptivekayak launcher at Leaser Lakeas Lion Tom Kerr looks on.12


To celebrate the Lions Centenary, LionsAustralia launched the Community 100Program, which donated more than $100,000to community projects, assisting more than100 worthy causes throughout Australia.

Seven hundred community organisations appliedfor funds under the program that was supported byCountry Style magazine. Projects included supportfor people with dementia, sports programs tointegrate refugees, resilience building workshopsfor at-risk youth, community gardens as well asdomestic violence and mental health initiatives.

Rob Oerlemans, Lions Australia Executive Officersaid the Community 100 program has highlightedhow many fantastic projects there are and howthese grants can fund a much needed piece ofequipment or keep a meal program running, forexample.

“These amazing projects can make a significantimpact to their local communities, and what betterway to celebrate 100 years of ser vice than bydoing what has made us great, helping others,” hesaid .

“For 100 years Lions have shared a core beliefthat the community is what we make it and LionsAustralia’s Community 100 program celebratesthis belief.”

Australian Lions Foundation Ltd. is alsosupporting 10 select projects with an additional$1,000 grant to each.

To see the full list of successful projects, pleasevisit www.homelife.com.au orwww.lionsclubs.org.au/activities/community100

Our Lions Centenary program awards projects around the na tion

$100,000 COMMUNITY BONANZA

THE NUMBERSl 708 applications received

l District N5 received 100 applications,

followed by V5 with 77

l Angle Vale received 20 applications,

followed closely by Fraser with 19

l Media releases went out to major

newspaper, TV and radio outlets

JUST A FEW OF THEAUSTRALIA-WIDE WINNERS

Cooma Lions ClubAnna Rudd-President Cooma NorthPrimary School P&C with CoomaLions President Roger Norton.Project: Quality reading materials forthe school to build literacy resources tobenefit of children across all learningstages.

Emu Park Lions ClubPresident of Emu Park Lions, PeterRoper, congratulates Alby Wooler forwinning a grant in the Community100 Program. Lion Kay Ratcliffe wasinstrumental in the club’sparticipation.Project: Nature Discovery Day will takeprimary school students from Emu ParkState School to explore and learn aboutthe spectacular wetlands in nearbyCooberie.

Essendon Lions ClubClub President, Lion Peter Gilbertsonwith Community 100 Winner, AmyGallinaProject: Our Lady of the Nativityschool – create a sustainable gardenenvironment with year-round vegetablegarden, composting, recycling, sensoryelement and to be a part of largerproject for a playground.


14 Lion

From Council Chairman Rodd

FROM THE MULTIPLE DISTRICT

Greetings to all themembers of ourwonderful Lions familythroughout Australia.Here we are threemonths into our newLions year and so manythings have happened.All the DistrictGovernors have been

very busy visiting clubs and implementingtheir programs, with the assistance of theirDistrict Teams. Their dedication and focus isto be commended.

The Council of Governors met in August toexamine and discuss various issues and to agree onplans to move our Multiple District forward over thenext few years. It was good to see the ver y positivesteps taken and the agreement of the Governors tothe development of a coordinated approach tomanaging our long term future.

Supporting the Council, the Long Range

Development Committee met and workshopped anumber of scenarios to be developed and discussedby the Council in Januar y.

The District Global Leadership and GlobalMembership Team leaders have also met for a ver yproductive weekend of workshopping in a spirit oftogetherness. Nearly all 19 Districts wererepresented and some wonderful insights wereprovided to all in what MD 201 can achieve thisyear with some focus and encouragement. An on-line meeting was then held with District Governorsto instigate some brainstorming in relation to thepromotion and development of supportiveleadership and membership plans for districts. Thishas provided the basis for the development of abest practice model that will benefit all our districtsin the future.

The Multiple District Leo and YE teams have alsoarranged workshops to develop and coordinate theactivities of their teams across all Districts. Overall,there has been lots of activity right across ourorganisation with all the teams working towardsnew goals aimed at us moving together in the rightdirection. As a Lion in MD 201 Australia, you arepart of this movement and I ask that you play yourpart in promoting and supporting the developmentand growth of Lions in Australia.

The 6th ANZI Pacific Forum was held inYogyakarta, Indonesia this year and I was pleased tosee an Australian contingent of more than 30 attendand support the forum. The forum provided anopportunity to meet and interact with our Lionsleaders from around the world and also to participatein some valuable learning experiences about ourorganisation. Overall it was a wonderful experienceand the Lions of Indonesia went all out to make sureeveryone enjoyed the experience. The forum sessionswere well attended and the entertainment providedby local Indonesian bands and musical troupes wasunique to this special part of the world. I ask you allto start planning to attend the next forum to be heldin Ballarat, Victoria in September 2017. Thisopportunity to be a part of the forum in Australia isonly available every three years, and next year will bespecial as it is our Lions Centennial year.

As you are aware, our Centennial Challenge is toserve 100,000,000 by 30 June 2018. InternationalPresident Bob Corlew was pleased to tell all that thetarget had been reached by the start of September .However if Lions can do that, then the challengehas now been raised to 200,000,000 by 30 June2018. Where there is a need, there is a Lion againrings true. Let us accept the challenge, seek out theneed in your community, address the need and thenrecord the action on MyLCI. The data we report is

important to both our Multiple District and also LCI.Please make the effort to make the data inputhappen. It is good for us all.

In early September Immediate Past InternationalPresident Dr Yamada dropped into Sydney to visitthe Garvan Institute and review the progress of theLions Kids Cancer Genome Project. You mayremember a presentation at Echuca Conventionwhich highlighted how LCIF provided a AUD$3.2Mgrant for the project, supported by ALCCRF with afurther AUD$.8M. The visit included the Gar vanMedical Research Institute, the Kinghorn CancerCentre, the Children’s Cancer Institute and theSydney Children’s Hospital. This will become asignificant focal project for Lions of Australia andthen Lions of the world.

In conjunction with International Director TonyBenbow OAM, I was pleased to welcome ourInternational President Bob Corlew to Perth inSeptember. The District Governors in the west, TerryCollinson and Michael Wolf, prepared an engagingprogram for the visit so that our President could seeLions projects in action and talk with many Lions atdifferent events. The President was also warmlyreceived by the Speaker of the WA LegislativeAssembly.

You already know that we have reached our firstgoal of providing service to 100 million people.Whilst we will continue ser ving the next 100 millionpeople, it is time to prepare our Legacy projects forour communities, to do something that will leave apermanent Lions footprint on your community. Thatis a challenge that is connecting Lions around theworld, now is the time to do something. Accept thechallenge and make a difference. The MyLCI dataindicates that we are doing OK, but we want to bebetter than OK. There are only 164 Legacy projectsrecorded and only 20% of clubs have recordedCentennial Service Challenge activities. This is whatwe do and we need to record what we do so thatothers know. You owe it to yourself and to yourorganisation to stand tall and be proud of what youdo. Now is the time, let’s get moving for the wayahead is clear and we want to celebrate ourCentenary of Lions.

Also in 2017, it is 70 years of Lions in Australia.We need to be aware and be proud of who we areand what we do. We have been challenged this yearby our 100th International President Bob Corlew toclimb new mountains. As you have read, themountains represent the new challenges and thenew opportunities open to us to make thingshappen in our communities. We should always beon the lookout for ways to make our world and ourcommunity a better place.


From Executive Officer Rob

Finally, October is the beginning of our DistrictConventions period. Your District Convention is oneof the highlights of the Lions year. It is anopportunity for you to learn and to also share ideasso that we can continue to grow and ser ve. Atconvention, this is your opportunity to connect withother like-minded, community focussed individualsand plan what you can do for your community andyour district. I encourage you to participate at yourconvention and report back to your clubs about themany positive things that you will learn. Don’tforget the fun and fellowship that happens whenthe Lions family comes together.

Speaking of conventions, hopefully you havenoted your diary for 5-8 May 2017 so that you canjoin the rest of Australia in Hobart for our NationalConvention. Planning is being finalised and aninformative and engaging time is assured.

In conclusion, I ask that you stay proactive andhelp us increase the membership of Lions ClubsInternational so that we can continue to supportthe communities in which we live as well as ournational and global communities where possible.

Have Fun and Enjoy,– Lion Rodd Chignell

Membership of LionsClubs Internationalprovides opportunitiesfor development atmany levels.

As Lions, we can takeup positions on our clubboard, aspire to becomePresident and beyondthat, consider roles such

as Zone Chairperson and positions on your Districtadministration. Not only do these provide

opportunities for growth and advancement, butthese roles are essential to establish theinfrastructure that helps our Lions Clubs to worktogether.

Our 19 Districts come together as MultipleDistrict 201, the structure that looks after LionsClubs within Australia and Papua New Guinea, andwe support many committees and foundations thatdrive the organisation forward. Programs likeLeos, Youth of the Year, Lions Christmas Cakes andothers all need Lions in the MD 201 committees tosupport them. Best of all, any Lion with the skills,interest and time can apply to participate in thesecommittees.

Participation in a Multiple District committee canhelp you to see our organisation in a ver y differentway. You will have the opportunity to contribute todevelopment of these programs and gainexperience and skills that may be useful to you inyour job, or other voluntary work. Many positionswill be coming up for select ion in the next fewmonths so please look at the vacancies section andconsider putting your name forward. Theapplication process is very simple.

We are currently seeking candidates for the roleof Webmaster, to manage www.lions.org.au. Ourcurrent Webmaster will be stepping down due towork commitments and this critical role is nowavailable. Our website uses Wordpress as itsbase, which is relatively easy to learn and requiresno special software. If you have the time, arecomputer literate and have a flair for writing andpresentation, this may be the job for you. Trainingin Wordpress can be provided and you will besupported by the National Office, but you will needto commit about 1-2 hours per week to the role.

For information about this vacancy, and others,please go to page 27.

Council considered the matter of the 2019Convention at its last meeting. We agreed atEchuca that the 2019 Convention would be held inGeelong, however the matter of the timing wasconsidered. Having listened to the GeelongConvention Bid Committee, heard the views of theconventioneers at Echuca, and reviewed the

convention surveys from Echuca and Newcastle,Council has agreed to plan a 3-day convention inGeelong as a pilot. Dates are to be confirmed,however the convention will commence on aSaturday and conclude on the Monday.

There has been much comment from Lions abouttrying to reduce the length of conventions to make itmore affordable for conventioneers and the Councilfelt it was time to test out this concept. Of course, a3-day convention will not be able to include all ofthe presentations we now see on stage.

Our 19 Districts will be holding their DistrictConventions in October and November, and youwould have received information from your District.District Conventions, like Multiple DistrictConventions, are for every Lion. They are a greatway to find out more about our organisation andthe opportunities within it, as well as to make newfriends or catch up with old ones. Friendships andgood times are the glue that binds us together asan organisation, so please consider attending, ifonly for a day.

– Rob Oerlemans, Executive Officer

Coming up1. District Conventions – Contact yourCabinet Secretary for more information.2. National Office Christmas Close – TheNational Office will be closed fromWednesday 21 December 2016 untilTuesday 3 January 2017.3. Environmental Photo Competition –This is the last year of the competition so getyour entries in. Hard copies of your entr ymust be received at the National Office by 6January 2017. For further details go tohttp://members.lionsclubs.org/EN/serve/contests/environmental-photo-contest/index.php4. Stay tuned for information about nextyear’s Happiest Lions Club competition.Details will come to you in our monthly ClubE-mail blast. (Any Lions can subscribe to oure-mail blasts via http://eepurl.com/bra6k5)


16616 Lion

A community in Harare in Zimbabwe isgrateful to Queensland’s Gold CoastMermaid Broadbeach club for the freshwater now flowing in their village.

Earlier this year the club installed a pumpon an existing well to supply the ZinatsaSchool in Chivu.

Parents of pupils at the school know thefresh water will mean there will be far lesssickness in the community.

The Queensland club, encouraged by its1st VP, has been supporting the school andthe community in many ways for a numberof years

Earlier this year the club’s President, KeithRobinson, detoured to Harare to super visethe pump’s installation and he savoured thefirst taste of the fresh water.

Much joy and a celebration barbecuefollowed.

“We thank the Lions Club of HararePhoenix for their assistance with transportand their agreement to ensure the ongoingfunctioning of the pump,” said the club.

Fresh water flows thanks to Aussie Lions

COOL CLEAN WATER:Gold Coast MermaidBroadbeach President KeithRobinson and local Lionscheck out the water beingpumped at the Zinatsa schoolin Zimbabwe.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET THIS MANY PEOPLE INTERESTED IN YOUR CLUB?

Short of ideas on how to attract interest in your c lub? The solutionmight be as simple as holding a ‘welcome dinner’.

Ten years ago, Queensland’s Maleny Blackall Range Lions had their firstwelcome dinner and they haven’t looked back.

Theirs is now one of the biggest Lions clubs in Q3 with a membership over60 (it was just 14 a decade ago).

The dinners have become a highly respected community event in the area. “When we nervously set about running the first Welcome Dinner, we hoped

for about 50 to turn up,” said the club. “This would cover costs (ever yone buysa ticket in advance). By the time the night arrived, we were staggered to findthe total attendance was well over 160!

“Now it is common to have 210-plus (the maximum our venue can handle –we have had to close off bookings early for the last two years).

“We aim for about 120 newcomers, the rest being sponsors, real estateagents, a handful of community groups and Lions so that the newcomers canmeet some of the locals.

“The night is run as a community ser vice event (not a Lions meeting – wesimply facilitate the event).

“There is great food, some entertainment and plenty of encouragement forpeople to talk to each other.

“All those attending walk away with a smile on their face, with new friendsthey have met and a free gift or two provided by sponsors.

“A welcome dinner annual event is well worth the effort. Several clubsthroughout Australia have obtained information on running such dinners.”

For details on running a ‘welcome dinner’, contact John Blyth –[email protected].

This is how many one Lions club attr acted with just one ‘welcome dinner’


C1’s Glenside Lions Club has been running itsfabulously successful Bookmart outlet forseveral decades but it’s never been able toboast a literary connection like this one.

Earlier this year one of their volunteersdiscovered she was related to English writerCharles Dickens.

Jacquie Holdich worked out she was a firstcousin, four times removed, to Dickens.

Dickens’ son Edward Dickens lived at Wilcanniafor about 25 years after being sent to Australia byhis father.

“I did have an inkling of it because an aunt ofmine had told me a long time ago when I wasquite young, ‘You’re a descendant of CharlesDickens’,” Jacquie recounts.

"Then when I got onto Ancestry.com just thisyear I thought I’d better have a look and see ifthere’s any truth in this, and before very long Ifound out through my great great grandfather thathe was a cousin of Charles Dickens.”

Jacquie also enjoys painting and has a paintingin the children’s section of the Bookmart.

Since Bookmart was set up about 34 years ago,the club has raised almost $1 million.

See story below of Glenside’s latest fundraising triumph.

MEET A CHARLESDICKENSDESCENDANT

C1’s Glenside Lions might have created a wonderful public event withits annual art show held earlier this the year but it was the fundraisingpayoff that mattered most.

The club was able tohand over a donation of$20,000 to LegacySouth Australia.

The money waspresented to Legacy SAPast President MaxLemon and his wifeMeredith at a ceremonyin which the retired

Army man shared some of the histor y of Legacy.A staggering 60,000 Australian soldiers died in action in World War 1 with a

total of 250,000 dead or wounded. The magnitude of the percentage loss is allthe more staggering as Australia only had a population of five million at thattime. This is not counting the number of shell-shocked soldiers, which we nowknow as PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder sufferers. That was whyLegacy was founded, to look after the families of fallen or wounded soldiers.Max Lemon said currently their oldest beneficiar y is a 106-year-old war widowand their youngest is a two-year-old child.

GRATEFUL RECIPIENT: Legacy SA Past President Max Lemon receives the$20,000 cheque from club president Alastair Birse and art show chairman BruceSpangler.

Charles Dickens descendant Jacquie in front ofher painting in the Children’s Section.

$20,000 donation at the art of the matter


Lion

Community 100Program bringsBrooke new wheels All 12-year old Brooke Langeveld wantedwas a tricycle so she could go riding with therest of her family.

For Brooke, a bicycle was out of the question as

Down Syndrome has affected her balance.

The family had tried all kinds of modifications to

bicycles but the only answer proved to be a trike

especially designed for older children – but the

cost meant it was out of the question.

Yet Brooke’s dream became a reality when

Carrara Lions donated a new trike to her as part of

its participation in the Community 100 Program.

OFF & RIDING: Lions Karen and Bart McGee andClub President Roxanne Scott watch on as Brookeproudly tries out her new trike.

In March, Victoria’s Lions Club of Heidelberg-Warringal Inc. voted unanimously to adopt aHearing Dog project following a request fromLions Hearing Dogs Australia.

Subject of the project was young PaulBlackshaw who had suffered a hearing impairmentfollowing a brain tumour.

In May, trainer Darren Coldwell arrived inMelbourne with Elmo, a lovely 20-month-old terriercross.

Three Lions members attended the handover atPaul’s home and our local paper/photographer tooka photo and we had a lovely stor y the followingweek.

Darren introduced us to the role he plays andLions Anne and Kay committed to visiting Paul andElmo three times weekly for three months.

Paul and Elmo bonded immediately.

Darren visited after six weeks and was impressedwith his test results.

In August, Lions Hearing Dogs Australia CEODavid Horne arrived in Melbourne for Elmo andPaul’s accreditation testing on sound and publicbehaviour. It was an “excellent” pass.

We all went to have a coffee and a chat andPaul and his dad Stan couldn’t have been happier .We duly signed the accreditation papers and David

presented me with the collar and accreditation tag.In September, Heidelberg-Warringal Lions Club

invited Paul, Elmo and his dad Stan for a clubpresentation of the accreditation collar and tag. Itwas a joyous occasion and Paul wrote a beautifulmoving poem expressing his feelings before andafter getting Elmo. He thanked the club for thiswonderful gift and a lovely supper was enjoyed byall. – Lion Kay Ford

Lions Hearing Dogs Australia CEO David Horne presents Lion Kay Ford with Elmo’s new Hearing Dogs collar,which was duly passed on to Paul and the fully qualified pooc h.

Elmo’s a terrierwhen it comesto helping outEver wondered if your clubmight sponsor a Lions HearingDog? Here’s how one club wentthrough the process.


October - November 2016 19

An enthralling performance of Carpe Diemstarring award-winning actor John Wood andChris Pidd has been staged at the BluestoneTheatre in the rural Victorian town ofKyneton.

The touring play was staged as an arts andhealth initiative by the Lions Club of Kyneton, withsupport from Kyneton Rotary Club and MacedonRanges Shire Council.

Set in a rural town, Carpe Diem portrays thefriendship of a hard-working farmer and his stockagent mate, both impacted by a long-runningdrought.

The performance addresses mental health inrural communities.

Written by arts and health production companyCentre Stage Scripts, Carpe Diem is acontemporary portrayal of everyday Australianmales dealing with issues of health, grief, loss anddepression.

It stresses the importance of professional carein times of crisis, and highlights the value ofmateship and looking out for each other. With therising incidence of depression and suicide amongAustralian males, a project of this nature isgermane; encouraging open and honestconversation and increased awareness.

Kyneton Lions Club secretary Peter Hendersonsaid the club was proud to have brought theperformance to the area, and he hoped itstimulated conversations or prompted others to“look after their mates”.

“The Q&A session after the performance wasthe highlight of the evening, with many questionsand experiences coming from the audience, andthe actors also contributed with some of their ownexperiences.

“All those who attended thoroughly enjoyed theperformance.”

Donations on the night went to Lifeline, to assistin its work of aiding all Australians experiencing apersonal crisis with access to 24-hour crisissupport and suicide prevention ser vices.

– Lion Peter Henderson(courtesy Midland Herald)

TV’s John Woodin ‘male crisis’play for Lions Stage production shines arevealing light on the helpmates can be when the goinggets tough

MALE ISSUES: TV’s John Wood and fellow actor Chris Pidd on stage inKyneton in the Lions-supported, two-handed production Carpe Diem, a movinglook at the importance of mates in dealing with personal crisis.


20Lion

20Lion

Giving the gift ofsight for 25 yearsMelbourne’s Lions Eye DonationService has marked its 25thanniversary with a celebrationattended by donor families andrecipients, as well as the Go vernorof Victoria, the Honourable LindaDessau AM.

Since 1991, the Lions Eye DonationService has facilitated over 7,500 cornealtransplants from over 4,600 donors.

“At that time, there were 180 peoplewaiting for a corneal transplant inVictoria,” said Dr Graeme Pollock,Director of the Lions Eye DonationService. “Today, we are proud to say thatmost patients referred to us for a cornealtransplant will receive a new corneawithin weeks.”

The cornea is the clear surface at thefront of the eye and is the main focusingelement. If the cornea becomes cloudyfrom disease, injury, infection or anyother cause, vision is dramaticallyreduced. A corneal transplant is asurgical procedure which replaces adisc-shaped segment of an impairedcornea with a similarly shaped piece of ahealthy donor cornea.

The Honourable Linda Dessau AM, Governorof Victoria and Patron of the Centre for EyeResearch Australia attended the event with herhusband His Honour Judge Anthony Howard.The Governor expressed her deep admirationfor the work of the ser vice over the past 25years and enjoyed a tour of the Centre for EyeResearch Australia laboratories.

A highlight was the heartfelt words fromAnne Rogan, whose late partner Christine Walshdonated her corneas last year. “Chris was sucha kind, generous person. It makes me so happyto know that somewhere out there is a youngman who can see again thanks to her gift.”

Greg and Alison Shah know full well theimpact of such a gift. Their seven year-olddaughter Sienna received a corneal transplanttwo years ago.

Mr Shah described the excitement Sienna feltwhen she received her ‘new eye’. “She still haslimited vision in her right eye but that doesn’tstop her from reading, climbing on play

DUAL MILESTONES FOR LIONS

equipment and jumping on the trampoline,” he said.When asked what she wants to be when she growsup, Sienna already has a good idea. “An eye doctor!”she exclaims.

The Lions Eye Donation Ser vice is a joint venturebetween the Lions Clubs of Victoria and Southern NewSouth Wales, the Centre for Eye Research Australia,

the University of Melbourne and the Royal VictorianEye and Ear Hospital. It routinely provides corneas andsclera for transplantation and research across Victoriaand Tasmania

The Governor of Victoriathe Hon. Linda DessauAM and Lions EyeDonation Service DirectorDr Graeme Pollock unveila celebration plaque(above), while theGovernor is joined (right)by Alison Shah (Sienna’smother), Anne Rogan (thedonor’s partner), SiennaShah (the cornealtransplant recipient), GregShah (Sienna’s father)and members of the Shahfamily.


October - November 201621

Lions Eye Bankcelebrates 30 yearsof saving sightAlmost 4,500 Western Australians havespecial reason to celebrate the Lions EyeBank’s 30th anniversary.

They have been the recipients of sight-savingcorneal transplants through the Eye Bank – the onlyfacility in Western Australia that collects, processesand distributes eye tissue for transplantation.

The Lions Eye Bank was established in 1986 bythe Lions Eye Institute, with support from the LionsSave-Sight Foundation, to help people withconditions that require corneal transplants such askeratoconus.

“For people with a range of usually inheriteddiseases, a corneal transplant is the only way tosave their sight,” says Eye Bank Director Dr SteveWiffen.

“Keratoconus usually emerges in people duringtheir teens and 20s, so the emotional, social andeconomic impact can be devastating.”

The Lions Eye Bank’s first Medical Director,Professor Geoffrey Crawford, trained in cornealtransplantation in the United States.

Although well-established in the US, there wasnothing similar in Western Australia at the time.

“Before 1986, the whole process of collectingdonor tissue was extremely difficult,” he says.

“There were no donor registers and nocoordinated system of alerting doctors to theavailability of donor tissue. Tissue also couldn’t bepreserved so it had to be used within 24 hours.

“The logistics of getting family permission totake tissue, transporting it to the hospital, gettingaccess to a theatre and lining up patients andmedical staff in that timeline was ver y challenging.

“The result was that the waiting list for donorcorneas was very long with patients waiting up totwo years.”

Dr Wiffen says new storage methods andadvances in corneal surgery had transformed eyebanking since then.

“Back then, only one type of graft – penetratingkeratoplasty – was offered, regardless of whichpart of the cornea was diseased.

“Thirty years later it is a completely differentstory with donated tissue able to be stored for upto a month and virtually no waiting times forsurgery.

“State-of-the-art surgical techniques have

evolved so only thediseased portion of thecornea is replaced,shortening the recoveryperiod and improving visualoutcomes for the patient.”

The Lions Eye Bank’s30th anniversary wascelebrated throughout theJuly. Recipients, their familymembers and former andcurrent Eye Bank staff wereencouraged to take a selfieand share their story at#savingsight430,www.facebook.com/lionseyebankWA or [email protected]

The celebrations ran upto DonateLife Week 2016with its theme of “What are you waiting for?”

SAVING SIGHT

The campaign encouraged Australians toregister as an organ donor. To find out more, visitwww.donatelife.gov.au.

VITAL WORK: The Lions Eye Bank’s Director Dr Steve Wiffen says thatcorneal transplants are the only sight-saving option for many people.


22Lion

Megaswim brings in the dollarsThe sixth MS Australia Megaswim run by FigtreeLions Club in the Illawarra in NSW raised more than$38,000 to provide special Go for Gold scholarshipsfor people suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.

The club’s Megaswim committee chairman Bill Wrightsaid he was delighted with the result.

“It’s a fantastic effort by all concerned and in particularthe swimmers and teams who competed and raised thisgreat total,” he said.

“We had 12 teams this year – an increase of four from2015 and one of our largest since commencement of theevent in 2011(185 swimmers participated). In the sixyears of the event the total amount raised isapproximately $232,000 which is another excellentachievement.”

Go for Gold scholarships will be awarded to people withMS to fulfil a variety of dreams such as travelling, furthereducation or to purchase equipment.

Next year’s Megaswim in Wollongong will be held onMarch 18 and 19.

Swimmers hit the water at 12pm and must have ateam member in the water during the next 24 hours untilthe event finishes at 12 pm on the following day .

The burden of enduring one of the world’ s mostdevastating diseases will be made a little easier thanks toa $45,000-plus Lions donation.

With the help of a $15,000 Australian Lions Foundation grant,the Lions Club of Richmond Inc. in South Australia donated themoney for vital medical equipment to assist people living withthe life-threatening lung condition of Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis is the most common genetic killer amongstyoung Australians.

Living with Cystic Fibrosis requires intensive daily medicaltherapy at home and a number of hospital admissions each yearthroughout a sufferer’s life

This adds an extra financial burden on CF suffers along withthe already huge stress placed on their lives.

The money bought 50 nebulisers and spare parts for CysticFibrosis SA (CFSA). In addition CFSA is working closely with theRoyal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) to purchase an oxygenconcentrator, for home use, vital to Cystic Fibrosis sufferers whoare chronically ill and waiting on the transplant list.

CFSA receives no government funding and relies on donationsand fundraising.

Much of the money donated by Richmond Lions came frommembers and volunteers working in the club’s large op-shop inCamden Park.

Richmond Lions donated $180,320 to worthy causes in2015/16 and have donated a total of $851,589 since 2009.

CEO Cystic Fibrosis SA’s Leanne Davis with Lions Club of RichmondVice President Jacquie Hordacre at the club’s op shop.

$45,000 Lionsdonation to lessenCystic Fibrosis suffering

UNI LIONS TACKLE EMERGENCY FOOD NEEDSIt was a variety night fundraiser and members of South Australia’ s Griffith UniversityLions Club showed off Lions talent both on stage and backstage in the kitchen.

The fundraiser drew money for the local Village Avenue Community Church’s Emergency FoodProgram. Based in Coopers Plains, the program serves surrounding areas.

Funds raised by the uni Lions went to installing a cold room and freezer at the VACC facilities,to enable an increase in its food storage capacit y and to supply a greater range of fresh/frozenfood for families finding it difficult to make ends meet.

In the 2014-15, VACC assisted 447 families. While the main focus is to provide food, theprogram also works as a contact point for people in the community who feel isolated.



Growing up in Kenya in the 1990s, SimonNdung’u had an image of Australia largelyformed through watching television programslike Neighbours and Home and Away. To himAustralia was a beautiful country of wonderfulfun-loving people and lots of hoppingkangaroos. However, he never imaged hewould visit. “I was raised in a humble f amilyof nine children in the rural village of Mirima-ini in Kiambu district, Kenya,” he says. “Myparents struggled to put food on the table andmy high school studies were financed throughthe sale of family property, livestock and, insome instances, government bursaries andfamily contributions.” Not deterred, Simonworked hard at his schooling to graduate in2004 as a Bachelor of Agribusiness withsecond class honours, before joining Kenya’sMinistry of Agriculture as an agribusinessspecialist. In 2013, he was chosen as one of20 Kenyans to study at Australian universities.Two years of study for a Masters degree inGlobal Food and Agricultural Business at theUniversity of Adelaide followed.

SIMON’S STORY

On arrival in Australia in January 2015, I wasinterested in joining an organisation or clubinvolved in community activities, and

especially programs for people living with

disabilities. From my internet search I found thatLions Clubs Australia had such programs and thus Iexpressed my interest to join. From this pointforward, my life in Australia has never been thesame as I soon realised the Lions Club of Unley isnot only accommodating but a well-knit family unit.

I have not only made personal friends in the clubbut the families and friends of the members havebecome part and parcel of me. Since my studiesare agricultural related, I have visited a member’sson’s farm as well as having many experiences withanother member’s friend who exports agriculturalproducts to China and South East Asia. Throughthese I have gained firsthand knowledge about beefbreeding, strategies and opportunities ininternational trade, as well as the use ofcommunication technology in agriculture.

My wife and son joined me in June 2015 andwithin a short time, my wife got a fulltime job with aresidential aged-care facility. Our stay, studying andworking in Australia has given us an opportunity tobenchmark some best practices in a developedeconomy that we intend to replicate in our countr ywhen we go back at the end of this year .

One thing that has stood out is the Australianlove for barbecues. As well as enjoying barbecuesduring our home meetings, the Unley Lions holdseveral a year to raise funds.

Out of their love for Australian Rules Football(footy) I have become a big supporter of Adelaide’stwo football teams and have participated in

cheering when Port Adelaide is playing at theAdelaide Oval, courtesy of a member.

Another member has presented me with thejumper of the most famous Aboriginal player for theAdelaide Crows.

My academic goals have not been left behindeither. Throughout my university study, I havesuccessfully been among the top students in class.After my studies, I intend to work with internationalagricultural and food security agencies indeveloping countries.

Apart from studies and social activities, I wasfortunate to get a parttime job in an Italianrestaurant. This further gave me the chance tointeract with Australians and learn their way of life,foods and culture. Some of the foods that I haveloved most are fettuccini pasta, calamari andpepperoni pizza.

Some of the things that we will surely miss areour warm Unley Lions Club, the pizzas, HungryJack’s burgers and the footy. Thank you Australiafor giving us this invaluable opportunity to live andstudy in your good countr y. I hope I can continuemy association with Lions International but thatremains uncertain when I return. My stay has beenvery exciting for my family and I and if doors openin future, we would like to come back and be partof you.

– Adapted from a longer stor y

AUSSIE LIFE’S A LAUGH, says Kenyan studentEver wondered what it would be like living for a few years overseas and joining alocal Lions Club there? Kenyan student Simon Ndung’u did just that in Australia.Here is his story.

HAPPY AUSSIE LIONS TIMES: Simonshares a laugh with fellow Lions Club ofUnley members, Immediate Past PresidentFrank Salerno (left) and Peter Hughes.


24 Lion

LIONSOUT AND

ABOUT

BEAUTY & THE LION: Lion David Patterson gets among thecolour at the 60th celebrations of Victoria’s Bendigo club. Chartermember Frank Taylor received an award from the Bendigo mayor.

GETTING IN EARLY: Q2 Mareeba Lions and Lionesses turned out in force to serve bananafritters and chicken kebabs at a highly successful ‘Christmas in July’ event for the motor homefraternity.

ROAMING ON: Young Christian takes delivery of a Buddy RoamerWalker while mum, Jess Sheridan (left), and Coffs Harbour Lionswho fundraised for the walker look on. This is Christian’s secondwalker from the club.

CLEAN-UP TEAM: Since Queensland’s Pinery bushfire last November, Balaklava Lions,assisted by others including Tumby Bay Lions, have been busy cleaning up properties. Photocourtesy the Plains Producer.

BBQ BRINGS FUNDS: Tin Can Bay Lions Medical Research Personality Quest entrantMichaela Harries receives $250 from the club for Fight Against Kids’ Cancer. The Queenslandclub organised a Biggest BBQ Ever event as part of fundr aising.



FIGHTING FIRE: Lions Club of Gold Coast Mer maid Broadbeach presentedlifesaving equipment to volunteer Rural Fire Brigades in the Gold Coasthinterland. Included were an AED defibrillator and a chainsaw.

A PRESIDENTIAL FIRST: After 51 years of service and 40 presidents,Queensland’s Lions Club of Bundaberg has its first female president, Sue Lord,here being inducted by Lioness Joyce Donghi, wife of PDG Peter.

GETTING IT TOGETHER: Members of five V3 clubs, Bass Valley, Inverloch andDistrict, Phillip Island, San Remo-Newhaven and Wonthaggi, celebrated with others inthe handover of falls-prevention equipment to Bass Coast Health.

SAIL AWAY: Sailability, the non-profit organisation that facilitates sailing andboating for those with mental or ph ysical disability, is $1000 better off thanks to adonation from Queensland’s Runaway Bay club as part of the Community 100Program. Each Tuesday about 40-50 volunteers help others ac hieve their dreams.

HAPPY DINERS: A lunch organised by Victoria’s Flinders Lions at the MontaltoVineyard raised $15,858 for Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Prostate Cancer ResearchFund. Guests heard from world renowned urologist Professor Tony Costello AM.

HELPING THE SCOUTS: It was all about cooperation of the ages whenSouth Australia’s Strathalbyn club joined with Strathalbyn Cubs on a sausagesizzle to raise money for a multi-purpose trailer for a scout group.


Lion26

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS COMMITTEE1. Denied a second vice district governor electioncomplaint filed in District 108-TB (Italy) anddeclared Lion Bernardino Salvati as second vicedistrict governor in District 108-TB for the 2016-2017 fiscal year.2. Denied a first vice district governor electioncomplaint filed in District 300-C1 (MD 300 Taiwan),declared a vacancy in the office of first vice districtgovernor for the 2016-2017 fiscal year and thatthe first vice district governor vacancy shall be filledin accordance with the International and DistrictConstitutions and By-Laws.3. Upheld a first vice district governor electioncomplaint filed in District 300-D2 (MD 300 Taiwan),declared the first vice district governor election inDistrict 300-D2 for the 2016-2017 fiscal year nulland void and of no force and effect, declared avacancy in the office of first vice district governorfor the 2016-2017 fiscal year and that the first vicedistrict governor vacancy shall be filled inaccordance with the International and DistrictConstitutions and By-Laws, and declared that thefiling fee less US$350 shall be refunded to each ofthe Complainants.4. Removed District Governor A. Sadiq Basha fromthe office of district governor in District 324-B2(India) for failure to comply with the InternationalConstitution and By-Laws and policies of theInternational Board of Directors. Declared that A.Sadiq Basha shall not be recognised in the futureas a past district governor by Lions ClubsInternational or any club or district, and that heshall not be entitled to any privileges of such title.5. Approved the objectives, duties, meetingschedule and budget of the International OfficerQualifications Ad Hoc Committee.6. Revised the Trademark Policies in Chapter XV ofthe Board Policy Manual related to the generalstandards of quality and content in the use of theassociation’s trademarks. 7. Revised the Standard Form District Constitutionin Chapter VII of the Board Policy Manual to clarifythe provision related to the district cabinet and itsmembers being from a Lions club in good standingin the district.

CONVENTION COMMITTEE1. Revised the section pertaining to the PastInternational Officers Seminar to delete the phrase“immediate past”.2. Removed the bid requirement specifying that thelocation of the International Convention be heldoutside the USA once ever y five (5) years.

DISTRICT AND CLUB SERVICE COMMITTEE1. Twenty-two clubs from District 322 C4 werecancelled and recorded as fictitious and are noteligible for reactivation or a dues refund.2. Past International Director K. M. Goyal wasappointed to serve as the Coordinating Lion forDistrict 321-A3 (India) for the 2017-2018 fiscalyear.3. The 2016-2017 Club Excellence Awardrequirements were amended to allow the formationof a Leo club to complete the membershiprequirement for the award.4. The 2017-2018 District Governor Team Awardwas revised to no longer specify that the award begiven to specific members of the DG Team andinstead allow an award medal be given to five Lionleaders who the district governor believescontributed the most to the success of the district.5. Chapter V of the Board Policy Manual wasrevised to clarify that clubs may be cancelled orplaced into status quo utilising multiple status quocategories.

FINANCE AND HEADQUARTERS OPERATIONCOMMITTEE1. Approved the FY 2016 4th Quarter Forecast,reflecting a deficit.2. Approved the FY 2017 Budget, reflecting adeficit.3. Approved revisions to the Purchasing Policy.4. Approved that, contingent upon the adoption ofthe proposed resolution to remove the EmergencyReserve fund, the Board Policy Manual be revisedby deleting the existing General Surplus Reser vepolicy in its entirety and replacing with theOperating Reserve policy.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE1. Contingent upon approval of the 2016-2017proposed budget, approved the design,development and implementation of a new CertifiedLions Instructor Program beginning in 2016-2017.

LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE1. Reconfirmed the goals of LCI Forward (the newstrategic plan) – the primary goal being to triplehumanitarian service by 2020-202 – and addedone new first year international director to theexisting LCI Forward Project Team for continuity.

MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE1. Approved the New and Emerging Countries AdHoc Committee, to be implemented during the2016-2017 fiscal year.

2. Expanded and extended the Join Together Pilotto be implemented worldwide until June 30, 2018.3. Extended the U.S. Involve a Veteran PilotProgram until June 30, 2018 and expanded theprogram to include Canada.4. Revised board policy to add the Republic ofMontenegro.5. Revised board policy related to signaturesrequired when 10 or more clubs are added to adistrict.

PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE1. Discontinued outside advertising in theheadquarters edition of LION Magazine beginningOctober 1, 2016.2. Sponsorship for the 2016 Chick-Fil-A PeachBowl Parade set at US$160,000.3. Increased the International Leadership Award to2,030 for 2015-2016.4. Established “We Serve” as the presidentialtheme beginning with 2017-2018 and thereafter.5. Established a digital categor y for theinternational newsletter contest.

SERVICE ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE1. Adopted a new service framework consisting offive major service platforms (diabetes, vision,environment, cancer and hunger) with specialprogrammatic components developed for andsupported by children and youth, and diabetesserving as the first signature cause.2. Adopted that the signature cause will be for fiveto 10 years, and any extension beyond thattimeframe will be reviewed by the Ser vice ActivitiesCommittee.3. Established the Ad Hoc Committee to review andprioritise Youth Engagement Strategies withapproximately 10 (ten) members (Lions and Leos)appointed by the International President andExecutive Officers and requested further review byour successor Service Activities Committee.4. Adopted a Leo Club Program Advisory PanelReimbursement Program to begin in the 2016-2017 fiscal year.5. Awarded the 2015-2016 Leos of the YearAward.

For more information on any of the aboveresolutions, please refer to the LCI website at

lionsclubs.org or contact the InternationalOffice at 630-571-5466.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING, Fukuoka, Japan June 19-23, 2016


Lion28

Inappropriate pictureAt our club’s last Board meeting the Lion magazineJune-July 2016 edition was discussed and inparticular the splendid article of the EchucaMD201 National Convention which appeared onpages 7-11.

However, the Board has requested that I write toyou to express their concern on the level of nuditydisplayed on page 11 of the LION magazine. Underthe heading ‘Show Time’, two Echuca Conventionentertainers are depicted providing anunforgettable show and a head-turningperformance.

It was agreed the show did not look good in theway Lions members were being promoted and wasnot in good taste and inappropriate for display inthe magazine.

John Price, Sec., Nowra Lions Club

Time to help Lion measles initiativeWe Lions accepted the challenge from Bill Gates toraise US$30 million in the fight against the deadlydisease of measles and rubella. This commitment byLions is to be fulfilled by our Centenary Celebrationsin Chicago in July 2017.

Lions’ $30 million will be matched by the Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation or the U.K. Government’sDepartment of International Development. To date,Lions have donated $18 million leaving $12 million tobe raised by 30th June 2017.

I am asking the Lions Family in Australia to makea donation to the LCI/LCIF ‘One Shot, One Life –Lions Measles Initiative’ by Christmas 2016.

Each vaccine costs about $1, so every Lions dollarsaves a child’s life. In fact, every Lions dollar with thematching dollar saves two children’s lives. Lions havevaccinated almost 600 million children in Africa andAsia. Local Lions organise rural villagers to bring theirchildren and babies to the medical centres to receivethe life-saving vaccination. Lions leaders also workwith the country’s health minister and officials toensure an ongoing immunisation program isimplemented for the future benefit of the healthservice and communities.

Beyond Nepal, Kenya, Nigeria and Mali who haveall carried out in-country activities for 2016, otherpotential countries for Lions measles and rubellaengagement activities for 2016 include Botswana,Ethiopia, Madagascar, South Africa and Zambia.Additional countries will be identified.

When Lions first became involved in the ‘One Shot,One Life – Lions Measles Initiative’ over 450 people,mostly children under five years of age, died every dayfrom measles and rubella. Many survivors experiencedcomplications like blindness, hearing loss and braindamage. With Lions involvement the number of dailydeaths has been reduced to 340. It is still too many,but what Lions do works!

For information on the measles campaign, or otherLCIF programs, please contact your DistrictCoordinator. They will be happy to help. Please helpus to eliminate this most contagious deadly disease.Send donations to your District Cabinet Treasurer.

PDG Tom Becker, MD201 Coordinator

yoursayLions’ letters

We have all been there when a contestantfreezes when asked the first question and it’shorrifying for the contestant, parents and wethe audience. It is, arguably, the worst, orhardest, part of this program for contestants,and it is certainly the most stressful.

There has been a suggestion that we abolishthese two questions. The Judges’ Guide, 3.B.1,states these questions are “included because thefive-minute prepared speech may be over rehearsedand therefore an unrealistic example of thecontestant’s ability to respond spontaneously underpressure of publicity”. YOTY is about leadership andin many facets of life and work we are required torespond to the unexpected and the unprepared.

Club Chairpersons, when briefing their judges todetermine these questions, must give as muchguidance as possible. We want our contestants tocome away from the Club Final saying they really gota lot out of it. With approximately 500 Club Finalsaround Australia each year, 1500 of the 2000entrants exit at this stage. Do we want any of themremembering Youth of the Year as a horribleexperience? I am certain that you’d all agree that theanswer is “No”. All contestants, on exiting theProgram, need to feel it has been a rewarding andvaluable experience from which they will have gainedskills they can utilise later.

I think a few guiding comments are appropriate.Keep these questions simple and brief. Rememberthat your contestants are 16, 17 or 18 years of ageand are very nervous. No multiple sub questions,

within the questions. Try to keep your questions toabout 20 words or less, with no more than twosentences and on one subject on a topic you’dreasonably expect students of this age group to haveknowledge or experience of.

At my club final, when briefing the judges I insistthat the first impromptu question should be onewhich all contestants can respond to withconfidence. It is; Who is your hero and why? Or, Whois your role model? All contestants are able torespond to questions such as these. The secondquestion should then be concerned with a local issue– a subject which all of your contestants will haveknowledge and thus be able to respond.

It’s timely to also advise judges we are looking forcontestants who can think on their feet, able toanswer impromptu questions asked during interviewsduring university or job interviews. This helpscontestants to improve their ability to think quicklyand gives them confidence in themselves.

On no account should impromptu questions be toolong, ambiguous, designed to confuse or to trick orto trip-up a candidate. These guidelines apply at alllevels of the program.

In conclusion, as adults we would have concernsabout being asked some of these questions, so whyput a young person in such a position?

Best wishes for your club final.(Adapted from advice that Jim Harvey, YOTY DistrictChairman 201V1-4, shared with his District’s Clubs)

Brian Williams, ChairmanLions Youth of the Year Program

YOUTH OF THE YEAR PROGRAM

Those impromptu questions

NoticesTime on stage at MD201 Convention

Projects, foundations and other speakers wishing to request time on stage at the MD201 Convention,Hobart 2017 must submit requests in writing to the Executive Officer no later than 31 January 2017.There is no guarantee that time can be provided, however preference will be given to those groups whohave provided their request in advance.

The request must include:1. Name of the group2. Name and role of the proposed speaker3. Purpose of the presentation4. Total time requestedThe Multiple District has absolute discretion to determine the time and date offered to the group, from

9am Friday 5 May 2017 to 5pm Monday 8 May 2017.Bids for the MD201 Convention 2020

Hosting a Multiple District Convention in your town, though challenging, provides considerable benefits.Host committees serve their community by highlighting their home town, demonstrating the quality andcompetence of their members and providing an important economic benefit. Estimates by touristassociations place the economic benefit of hosting a Convention at $2-4 million.

If your club or district wishes to host the 2020 Multiple District Convention, please contact theExecutive Officer in the first instance by e-mail to [email protected]. Bids close 31 December 2016.

Notices of Motion to Hobart ConventionClubs and Districts wishing to submit a Project Notice of Motion or a Fundraising Activity Motion to theHobart 2017 Multiple District Convention should note that such motions must be received by the ExecutiveOfficer prior to the 1st day of January preceding the Convention. Any other motion, other than a latenotice of motion, must be received no later than 6 March 2017. In both cases these motions must havebeen duly passed at a District Convention or the motion seeking its adoption submitted by the Council.Full provisions regarding these motions can be found in the Multiple District Constitution and By-laws,CL94 to Cl103.

Caution should be exercised in relation to Project Notices of Motion in particular, to ensure they arecorrectly framed to be considered at Convention.



Lions smelling the roses in Lyon

A memorial wall recognising the community ser vice of past Lionsmembers in south-east Queensland has received a makeo ver after morethan 20 years.

At Lions Haven for the Aged at Hope Island, the memorial wall had beenmaintained by Runaway Bay Lions Club since its initial construction, howevermany years of exposure to the elements had taken its toll.

Now the wall has been completely refurbished with the help of locals. The comeback came courtesy of the support of Cr Cameron Caldwell, Gold

Coast City Council, Tim Connolly of Newhaven Funerals, and the members ofRunaway Bay Lions Club in underwriting the cost.

WELCOME COMEBACK: Cr Cameron Caldwell of the Gold Coast City Council(left) and Tim Connolly of Newhaven Funerals, supporters of the makeover, atthe unveiling.

A visit to an international rose show attended by Lions in the French city of L yon hasconvinced a local Lion to do similar here.

Ashgrove Gap Lion John Keays believes a similar show could be staged successfully in therose-growing Queensland city of Toowoomba, maybe even in time for next year’ s LionsCentennial.

John’s ambitious plan was formed after he and his wife visited the World Federation of RoseSocieties’ (WFRS) international conference in the historic French city .

The Lyon Rose Festival was held in conjunction with the conference and was opened with aparade of flags from attending nations, in a manner similar to the Lions InternationalConvention parades.

“After the opening ceremony my wife Sue and I visited the rose trial gardens in Parc de laTete d’Or next to where the conference was held, ” says John.

There he and Sue came across Lyon’s rose-loving Lions, the Lyon Bellecour et Sud DistrictLions. The rose-bedecked mannequin on their display left no doubt where their floral love lay .

“I immediately recognised them as Lions from the logo and Lions International objects onthe banner, which struck me as being exactly the same as ours at Ashgrove /The Gap.”

After getting over initial language difficulties, greetings were exchanged and photos taken.

Memorial wall gets a timely makeo ver

John was fascinated how much money the L yonLions were making by selling rose blooms for two Euroseach, for purchasers to pin on the mannequin beforetaking a photo.

“The Japanese tourists loved it and took many happysnaps,” says John. “The Lions told me they had raisedabout 2,000 Euros just in the morning session.”

John sees a similar festival as being a natural forToowoomba.

“All the stars are aligning for Lions and ToowoombaCity Council and the rose group to do something specialmid next year,” he said.

LOOKING ROSY: The French club’s rose-bedeckedmannequin (above), and club members in a photo theysent to John and his wife after they r eturned to Australia.


30 Lion

YOUTH OF THE YEAR PROGRAM

JORDAN GREEN (above) was the 2014 WDistricts and National Winner. He recentlygraduated from the Royal Military College,Duntroon as an army lieutenant; a long-heldgoal.

He has been posted to the 2nd Royal AustralianInfantry Regiment at Townsville, after 18 months’training.

Jordan was sponsored by the Lions Club ofFremantle and presented an inspiring speech – TwoPush-Ups, which focused on his pursuit of a healthylifestyle.

MOLLY MCINERNEY (right) won the 2012National title in Perth. She attends theUniversity of Queensland and is studying aBachelor of Economics/Laws (Honours) and aDiploma in Spanish. She aspires to work as anin-house legal counsel for a large compan y.

“This past July was by far the best July of my life.After two and a half years of Spanish lessons Ifinally felt equipped to conquer the countr y andspent three weeks immersing myself in the cultureand history of Spain.

In my travels I visited Barcelona, San Sebastian,Bilbao, Oviedo, Salamanca, Sevilla, Malaga, Granadaand Valencia and saw and stopped in countlesscountry towns and villages all across the countr y.

Before travelling to the mainland I spent oneweek visiting Mallorca, one of the Balearic Islandsoff the east coast of Spain. My home base was atiny traditional rural town called Montuiri and it wasthere that I experienced my first paella, a traditionalSpanish rice dish. After leaving the sun, sea andSpanish holiday destination of Mallorca behind Ireturned to the mainland to begin my road trippingadventure.

Barcelona is my newfound favourite city in theworld. Its energy is contagious. Whilst there I took a

tour of the city in one of the classic tourist buses,rode a cable car to the Montjuïc Castle and whizzedthrough the underground via the metro. One of thehighlights of Barcelona was Font Màgica. Sitting atthe base of Montjuïc, overlooked by the Olympic parkand the spectacular Plaça d’Espanya, Font Màgica isBarcelona’s largest ornamental fountain. On certainnights of the week the fountain is transformed into asynchronised water, light and music show. Thousandsof people, locals and tourists alike crowd around thefountain to relax and enjoy the truly spectacularchoreography.

One of Barcelona’s most iconic sites is La SegradaFamilia. The church is famous not only for itsspectacular and inspiring architecture, but also theduration of its construction. Work first began in 1882and is not scheduled to be completed until 2026.

La Segrada Familia is just one of the incredibleworks of the master Catalonian architect, AntonGaudi. Gaudi is treated as somewhat of a nationaltreasure in Barcelona – loved unanimously by thelocals. Park Guell is another famous architecturalaccomplishment of Gaudi – an enormous, sprawlingpark, amphitheatre and estate atop Carmel Hilloverlooking the entire city.

After four nights in Barcelona I moved ontoBasque Country, a semi-autonomous regionstraddling the Spanish and French borders. Drivingalong the roads I saw the most breathtaking scener yI have ever laid eyes on. The constant sense ofwonderment whilst soaking in the beauty, vibrancyand tranquillity of the countr yside was intoxicating.

After a few hours of driving the next stop was theseaside city of San Sebastian, where I enjoyedpintxos, the local version of tapas, every night fordinner. San Sebastian is an incredibly picturesquetown with amazing beaches and a stunning oldtown, packed full of boutique restaurants and shopsand street performers entertaining the crowds onnearly every corner.

Following a quick visit to the Guggenheimmuseum in Bilbao I next arrived in Oviedo.

The locals didn’t speak much English (not a bigtourist town!) and the dinner I experienced thatnight was unbelievable, the traditional Asturian foodwas like nothing else. One of the local ‘delicacies’included potato fries topped with scrambled eggsand crackling pork ribs. The speciality of the area issidra, a special Spanish cider that is ser ved in oneway and one way only. The waiter will raise thebottle above their head and without looking pour thecider into the glass which they are holding by theirwaist. I would recommend not standing within thesplash zone if you’re wearing nice clothing!

In small towns such as Oviedo or Salamanca nextto no one can speak English. Experimenting withSpanish was definitely one of my favourite parts ofthe whole trip. I was far too pleased with myselfwhenever anyone could understand me, creditingmyself with the Spanish skills rather than creditingthe patience of my long suffering listener.

Of all my Spanish travels, however, Granada wasthe most authentic experience. My accommodationfor the night was a 16th centur y house, nestledamongst cobblestone streets on the top of a hillfacing Alhambra. Granada’s history and people andtheir local cuisines and cultures were incredible. Icannot wait to return.

With only three nights left I travelled to Valenciaand visited the famous aquarium and City of Artsand Sciences. Not only was the architecture of thecomplex amazing but the exhibitions inside werejust mesmerising.

My trip ended with a four-day stint in London. Iquickly learnt that their summer days consist of 23degrees, heavy cloud coverage and a chance ofrain. Quite a change from the 44 degrees Celsius Ihad experienced in Sevilla.

Over the course of the month I averaged 10kilometres of walking every day and yet whenever Ileft a city I felt as though I had only just scratchedits surface. I will forever be grateful to all of youwho made it possible for me to travel to Spain andexperience a taste of the other side of the world.

Without The Lions Youth of the Year initiative, atrip like that would not have been a possibility forme. I am indebted to all of you for your enduringsupport and generosity. I will never be able toexpress what my journey with Lions has given tome; however, I hope you know how much Iappreciate the work that you all do and the LionsYouth of the Year competition.

To the Lions of Australia, from the bottom of myheart, thank you.”

WHAT ARE THEY DOING NOW?It’s catch-up time with two past National Youth of the Year winners


31

LEOS IN ACTION

Innovative Leo Club launchedCongratulations to the Leo Club of Melbourne

Sino Innovation who held their official Charter

Night on 23 July. The event, sponsored by

RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of

Technology), attracted a large number of

guests including RMIT representatives, local

politicians, multicultural ambassadors,

members of the Chinese community and a

variety of student clubs and organisations, as

well as many Lions from the sponsoring Club

and District.

The Leo Club, sponsored by the recently-formed

Lions Club of Melbourne Sino Innovation Inc, has

big plans and I am sure we will be hearing a lot

from this group in the future. Even before their

official Charter Ceremony, they had started working

on their first initiative – a Youth Forum to give young

people the opportunity to discuss the issue of safety

in the local community.

This club’s main goal is to nurture the new

generation to become future leaders through

participation in activities that highlight significant

social issues and stimulate social responsibility and

positive cooperation. Congratulations to Leo

President Jonathon Chan and all the members of

the newly formed club. We wish you a ver y

successful future!

Leo Membership Growth Month

October is Leo Membership Growth – any

Leo who recruits more than three new

members into their club during the month is

eligible for a Leo Membership Growth

Award. To apply for this award, simply

download the ‘Leo 101’ form from the LCI

website before 15 November.

But beyond growth within clubs, how

about starting a new Leo Club in your town

or district during October? There are a few

clubs already in the process of forming in

Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and

Western Australia, but there are still thousands of

young people who would eagerly take up the

opportunity to serve their community. They can’t do

it without Lions sponsoring them!

District Leo Chairman training

Early in September, the MD Leo Committee is

providing a training weekend for all District Leo

Chairmen. We hope they come away from the

weekend with plenty of knowledge, resources and

enthusiasm to develop the Leo program in their

respective areas. Please contact your District

Chairman if you need any help with Leos in your

area. Together, we can achieve great things!

Leos and Lions – ser ving together.

Lion Toni Lanphier

MD Leo Committee Chair

PROMISINGSTART: Membersof the Leo Club ofMelbourne SinoInnovation at theirCharter Night, and(below) the club’;sbanner beingproudly displayed.


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