Mid Winter Conference 2014

Lion President Mike Norton and myself traveled to sunny Anchorage for the Mid-Winter Conference being held there.  Our weather had been iffy with dense fog and flights cancelled or delayed so we were a little skeptical to begin with but arrived at the airport early enough to catch an earlier flight to Anchorage. It appears to have been a good move on our part as that was the only flight that left Juneau that day.

Here's our weekend in pictures:

Lion Billy Williams serenading us.  Sweet!  

LCIF Chairman Cheryl Hall presenting Lion Mike Norton
with his first Melvin Jones Fellowship

This is the highest honor a Lion could hope for, presented for their humanitarian service.  

Lion Cheryl proud to be presenting this award to Lion Mike

Lion Cheryl Hall, Lion Mike Norton, and District Governor Cindy Beardsley

Lion Ted Burke (Juneau Club), presenting his class on member retention.

Lions Mike Norton and Ted Burke enjoying Lion Brandon Johnson's breakout session on recruiting young people.

Lion Brandon Johnson.... if we could only clone him....  WOW!

Lions Neil Atkinson and Mike Norton.  I think they're going steady....  

District Governor Cindy Beardsley presenting Lion Mike with a Presidential Award for his service.  

Lion Mike at the Parade of Checks.  He presented a check for $2,000 for Ronald McDonald House and $1,000 to Leader Dog

Lion Neil Atkinson presenting his check to the American Diabetes Association for $3,750.  In the last 19 years, our club has donated over $150,000 to ADA!

Any member can attend these Lion conferences and they're so worthwhile for so many reasons.  They help us grow as Lions.

This was the weekend in a nutshell.  Music.  Fellowship.  Long days.  Meeting up with old friends.  Making new friends.  Business meetings.  Presentations.  Awards.  Proud moments.  Connections.  Laughter.  Training.  More music.  More Fellowship.

Maybe next convention, you'll join us.

We Serve!  
Lion Nancy

2nd Annual Lions Pack Drive

Last August 2013, our club came up with a new project idea.... to provide a backpack to every child who entered into the foster care program.  We asked the community for donations that would help provide a little comfort during this first 24 hours (a blankie, stuffed animal, coloring book) and a few items of necessity (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap).  The support was overwhelming.

This year our wish list of items needed was different.  We asked for infant items, winter hats and gloves, and Christmas toys.

Yesterday we had our second community drive and, once again, Juneau came through for us.

I have to wonder how many of the men, women, and children that come to us, so appreciative of what we're doing, have first-hand experience with the foster program.... Maybe they were once a foster child.... or they fostered children....  Maybe the child that so proudly hands over a bag of donations is now in the foster care program, wanting to give back.  Maybe they're just ordinary people doing extraordinary things.... caring for another human being, paying it forward.

We didn't receive an overwhelming amount like we did last year, but that's okay.  What we received was just right.  We received a respectable amount of donations, and enough to support the Office of Children Services Foster Care Program for the next year.

The saying, "it takes a village" is true.  We couldn't do this program without the generosity and support of our family, neighbors, and friends so to them, a huge thank you! 

We Serve!  
Lion Nancy

Lots of Years

I'm a little late on this post.... in celebrating a fellow Lion who just cleared 35 years of Lionism on November 1.  

That's a little hard to even fathom.... 35years....  I've been a Lion for 1-1/2 years....

Can you even begin to imagine how much service that has been?  The people he has helped?  The monies raised on fundraising projects? The projects he has helped with?  The meetings he has attended?

Yep, Lion Mal Linthwaite...  he took the motto, We Serve!, to heart when he became a Lion.  He's one of the original Charter members of the Mendenhall Flying Lions, starting our club in 1983.  He is a leader, a role model.

Lion Mal is no longer living in Juneau but I'd like to think his spirit is still with us, guiding us as we continue doing the good deed he started so very long ago.  

Congratulations, Lion Mal!  We appreciate that you forged ahead and broke ground!  We appreciate all the hours you logged in helping others, making a difference!

We Serve!
Lion Nancy

Post Barbecue 2014

Another year.  Another Barbecue.  Another successful fundraiser.  

There were a couple hiccups.

But we managed to get back on track fairly quickly and no one was the wiser.   

Lions Allen Butner and Bob Hurley

Lions Neil, Mike N., and Soapy showed up about 7:00 a.m. to start smoking the ribs.

Lion Soapy Lingle and wife, Jill, and Neil Atkinson 

We used a different smoker this year, thanks to the generosity of

Marc Ormsby of FatMo's.

And he also shared a couple tricks of the trade to give us a more moist rib.   

But we aren't telling!  

McGivney's Sports Bar and Grill donated their bar for the second year in a row.

Generous generous people McGivney's and Marc Ormsby....  

Lions Ted Quinn and Soapy Lingle

Most Lions showed up to help, to razz, to meet and greet.

There was something to do for everyone.   

Lions Mike and Becky Allison and Lion Mike Norton had it down behind the counter.

They even had time to goof around!  

As usual, dinner was fantastic!

We hope you grabbed a rack of ribs to take home with you!   

The weather was less than desirable and made smoking a little tough at times.

It kept the boys on their toes though.  

Lions Allen Butner and Neil Atkinson

This year went much smoother at our new site than last year....

Last year it was McGivney's customers.

This year they were there for us.  

Lions Mike N. and Becky Allison

It was a good evening.

We got to thank people for supporting us and the American Diabetes Association

IN PERSON!  

We got to explain who we are.  

What we do.

Why we do what we do.

It was a good day.

Except for this creepy Halloween decoration that stared at me all day!  

We serve!

Lion Nancy

Zone 7 Newsletter: November

Technically, this blog is for the Mendenhall Flying Lions, but I don't think you can ever go wrong keeping current on what other clubs are doing, especially in your zone.  So here it is:

Zone 7 Newsletter:  November

We Serve!  
Lion Nancy