Bike Safety Rodeo

What exactly is a bike safety rodeo?  Previous to this event, I did not know....  When I was a kid, you got a bike, you climbed up, you fell a few times, but you learned to ride it, and off you went!  Yes, you had spills and lots of scraped knees and bruises and bangs, but you learned how to ride a bike from one end of town to the other.  Our parents never taught us the safety part of it.  I wonder if they even worried about us!  We took off and we rode everywhere with not a care in the world.  We didn't even wear helmets!

But times have changed and teaching your young child the rules of riding and the do's and don'ts of bike safety is important.

Lions Tommy Dawson and Joe Molburg headed up the committee to put this event together.  The rest of us just showed up to be safety gurus and keeping the youngsters in line!

So what exactly IS a bike safety rodeo?  It's a clinic to teach young children the skills and precautions to riding a bike.

You set up a series of exercises for the child to practice their skills as a bike rider.  You have others watching to make sure they don't get hurt riding through this course.

In our case, the kids started with a safety check of their bike.  Brakes were checked.  Tires were checked for air pressure.  Kids were made sure they had a helmet (or one was offered at a small fee).  Next they were asked to ride from point A to point B which was actually a fake cross walk.  There were Stop signs and the kids were being watched to see if (1) they STOPPED at the crosswalk and (2) if they got off and walked across to the other side.

We had Officer Jim Esbenshade from the Juneau Police Department there and he talked to the kids about bike safety.  We had a whole slew of other community helpers from the President of the PTA to Boy Scouts.

The first course was a circle and the children were asked to ride inside the boundaries, as slow as they could go.  The purpose of this exercise was to see how well they could control their bike.

Lions Mike N., Tommy D (in the middle) and Joe M.

This course above was to monitor how a child rode their bike from a wide point to a very narrow point. Were they cautious?  Paying attention to what was changing?  Were they able to stay in bounds?

From here, they went to the next course where they were asked to weave in and out as slow as they could go.  This also showed how well they could control their bikes.

All in all, the children were having a great time and hopefully they learned a thing or two about bicycle safety and the rules of the road.  If not...maybe next year.  

Thanks, Lions Tommy and Joe for setting this event up!  

We Serve!

Lion Nancy

One Year Plus

I'm going to make this short and sweet.... Happy one year anniversary, Lion Steve Byers!

I messed up earlier this month in thinking it was Lion Steve's birthday.... when in actuality it was his one year anniversary as a Lion.

Lion Steve has been a contributing member on the Nominating Committee and Pin Committee as well as helped out with our Spring Dinner and Auction.  Lion Steve is listening, learning, asking questions, and growing as a Lion.  He has been elected to serve in the 2 Year Director position for 2014-15.

Thanks, Lion Steve, for your contributions to the community!

We Serve!
Lion Nancy

Spring Dinner/Auction Debut

The Mendenhall Flying Lions had their debut Spring Dinner and Auction Saturday night.  Did you join us?

Some of us got to the church at 8:00 a.m. to start prepping.  Here Lion Mike Norton is getting our bidding plates ready:

The proceeds from this event will benefit the American Diabetes Association and other community projects. 100 percent of the funds we made will go back to the community, so if you donated an item, came to dinner, or bought an auction item, we thank you!  

Here Lion Becky is hard at work getting the bidding sheets ready:  

We had a couple special desserts that Shannon West and Michelle Vuille contributed to the cause.  They are known for their exceptional baking talents and creativeness!  I have to say that the two items that went over the value of the item went to these two items!  A special thank you to Shannon and Michelle!  

Lions Mike A. and Soapy are trying to figure out how best to showcase the items:

It takes a lot of work to put an auction of this size together.  We had 88 items up for auction:  

We were up against a lot of other activities going on Saturday but in the end we still did well.  Right now we're trying to find our mix of what's going to work....  Over the last 17 years we had our barbecue and auction at a local bar.... you know... where everyone knew your name.... But the bar got sold and now we're trying to find a new home and a new mix for our largest fundraiser.  It's tough starting over....  But we will get our footing again.  

Chef Felipe Ogoy and a few of his boys hard at work.  If you ever get a chance to dine at the Pacific Island Grill or taste some of his home cooking or need a great Chef for your event.... Chef Felipe is the one to contact!  

Nonetheless, we had fun!  The food -- prepared by Chef Felipe Ogoy and his crew -- was EXCEPTIONAL!  

The tables were all set.  Dinner was ready.  And we were hungry!

People came.... and even a Leader Dog.

 Our crew at the front table (Rachel, Cari, and Lion Mike Allison):

Lion Neil Atkinson did a great job as auctioneer:

Jill, Lion Soapy's wife, did  great Vanna White interpretation!

All in all it was a great evening and a good time.  We worked hard getting donations, advertising, and making it the best evening for you, our guests.  A huge THANKS to the Lions that participated in one way or another to help make this a successful event.  We hope you had a good time and will continue to support the Lions whether it's our club or another club in town or around the state or down South.  Thank you.

We Serve!

Lion Nancy

Spring Dinner and Auction

Juneau, please join us for our inaugural event to benefit the American Diabetes Association and other community service projects!  

If you click on Spring Dinner/Auction on the right side of your screen, it will take you to a listing of items that will be at auction.  Throughout the week, however, I will be posting pictures of some of the items as we receive them, so you can get a better look at what we will have to offer.

We believe this to be a Birdsall print.  Beautiful.  Donated by Steve and Monica Brandner

This whimsical quilt can keep you warm or use as a wall hanging. Donated by Flying Geese

A beautiful 12" beaded basket.

A 10x13 framed watercolor by E. Powers

Leather Chair donated by Office Plus

Signed Game Day Program by Russell Okung from Championship Season August 2013

Never too early to think colder weather!  $100 Certificate for energy logs OR pellets donated by Camerons.

Some nice artwork. 

Crab Cooker

Nifty tackle bag with lots of pockets!

A couple of these camouflauge camp chairs.  Very cool!

St. Michaels, Sitka

Russian Orthodox Church

Signed baseball by Relief Pitcher Danny Farquar of the Seattle Mariners

A night at Super 8.  Perfect for a guest coming into town!

And while those guests are still here... you might need a nice, relaxing massage!  

28" Chinook Salmon metal artwork hanging from Western Auto

Sunglasses from Specs in the City

40" Creeper from Napa

Din't even THINK about bidding on this one!  This one is mine!  :)

Pavitts has offered one month free membership!

Just what you need on a nice summer evening--a fire pit!

Pickled Garlic from Spankys in Kodiak.  Great for your relish plate or Bloody Mary.

These lovely blue/white moccasins are a size 9-10 (mens?) and the black/white size 8.  Donated by Hummingbird Hollow Gifts

A J01 indoor/outdoor light.  Very cool.

Annie Kaills donated these cute coffee cup sets.  

This is a cool frame with stand.  These insets look copper.  

5 Panel original oil painting of Ward Air plane.  By Jon Maki.

Alaskan-shaped Trivette/serving board.  Donated by Last Frontier Cabinets and Millworks

19x21" Print.  Donated by Rie Munoz Gallery

We also have a lot of Gift Certificates from massage to boat batteries to whale watching and other tours.

Please join us for a great evening of fun!

Happy Anniversary!

Thirty-one years ago, Lions Club International had the privilege, and honor, to receive as members Neil Atkinson and Robert Hungerford.  Thirty-one years later, Lion Robert is residing in Washington State and Lion Neil is still sharing Lionism wherever he goes.

I could write a book about Lion Neil's accomplishments since becoming a Lion....  Well, maybe I will!

Lions Neil and Robert were both Charter members of the Mendenhall Flying Lions that was chartered on May 23, 1983.  Lion Neil has served as Vice President, Director, Tail Twister/Lion Tamer, Membership Chair, Secretary, and well.... you get it.  To be a leader in the club, almost requires you to know every aspect of the club's business.  Doesn't it?  A couple of his pet projects for most of these years include the annual Barbeque and Auction to benefit the American Diabetes Association and Light Flights to benefit the Children's Tumor Foundation.  This is not to say he hasn't chaired other committees and hasn't been otherwise involved, because Lion Neil has pretty much done it all at the club level!

Lion Neil has also held the following district positions:
  Zone 7 Chair 1993-1995
  Region 2 Chair 1995-1996
  District Governor 49A 1997-1998
  MD49 Council Chair 2001-2002

He also received 49A Secretary of the Year for 2000-2001.

Lion Neil has attended International Conventions in Philadelphia; Birmingham, England; Denver; Indianapolis; and Osaka, Japan; and USA/Canada Lions Forums in Syracuse, Forth Worth, Reno, Milwaukee (2 times), Portland, Oregon, and Anchorage.

Lion Neil first heard of Lions in 1959 when his brothers and him "won" money for clothes from the Columbus Lions Club for school following their dad's death from diabetes.  As a paperboy, the Lions treated all paperboys to a Christmas dinner and a gift.  In 1967, Neil represented the Lions Club in the Lions band at their State Convention.  Lion Neil says, "my service here is to pay back a little of what that club did for me and my family."

And there you have it.  Lionism at its finest.  Thank you, Lion Neil for all your service, for your mentoring, for your compassion towards others.  Do you think he's done "paying back"?  Nahhhh, me neither!

I wish I knew something about Lion Robert, but I don't.  He left Juneau many years ago and we're not in touch.  But I know all those Charter members worked hard to make the MFLC the club it is today. So congratulations to him, as well!

We Serve!  
Lion Nancy