Lion Bruce Wing's Obituary

Dr. Lion Bruce Wing was an exceptional man.....  

You can read his obituary HERE.

We Serve!

Lion Nancy Norton

  

Light Flights.... Coming to a Town Near You!

Light Flights

Friday, December 16

4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Tickets go on sale at 3:00 p.m.  

Juneau Airport, North Wing (small plane counters)

Juneau Empire:  “Light Flights,” a fundraiser organized by Coastal Helicopters and the Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions Club, are scheduled to take place on Friday between 4:30-7:30 p.m. at Gate 1 in the North Wing of the Airport Terminal Building, lower level. Tickets go on sale starting at 3 p.m.

Tickets are a $30 donation per person and only 300 tickets will be made available.   "Every year we get asked if we will take reservations. This event is on a first-come basis. Once we ticket our quota, we will close ticket sales for the evening,” Donna Hurley, President of the Mendenhall Flying Lions, said.

Juneau residents are invited to head to the airport for the annual helicopter ride that will take passengers over the Mendenhall Valley to view Christmas lights. “This is a magical time for people of all ages,” said Hurley.

The flight begins at the Juneau Airport and goes toward the Mendenhall Glacier, and back to the airport. It’s a short helicopter ride, but long enough to bring the same residents back every year for another ride. All flights are weather permitting.

Helicopters are provided by Coastal Helicopters and all Coastal personnel, including pilots, mechanics and admin, donate their time for these flights. Petro Marine donates the fuel for this event.
Proceeds from this fundraising event go toward the Children’s Tumor Foundation and Lions Club projects.

For more information, contact Coastal Helicopters at 789-5600 or Soapy Lingle at 723-4121.

Farewell, Lion Bob

The Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions lost a loyal Lion on November 3, 2016, when Lion Bob Hurley left us suddenly.

Lion Bob has been a Lion since January 2003 and was our Club Treasurer for many of those years.  Whenever we needed him, he would step up and help.

Lion Bob was a fixture at our events whether the annual Barbecue to benefit the American Diabetes Association or Family Farm Day at Swampy Acres.

Bob was a quiet man but had the best humor.  I will miss that most.....

Bye, Lion Bob....  Thank you for your service to our community these past 13 years.  Your presence will be missed.

We Serve
Lion Nancy Norton

Remembering the Lion King

We lost another Lion.....  Lion Dr. Bruce Wing passed away December 8.

Fifty-one years ago, Juneau became a better place.  That is when Lion Bruce joined the Glacier Valley Lions Club.  In October 2015 we celebrated his 50 years of service to our community.   

Although he started out at Glacier Valley Lions Club, he transferred to the Mendenhall Flying Lions when that club closed their charter.   

In October 2015, we had an intimate dinner filled with laughter and good times.  

Lion President Mike Norton proclaimed Lion Bruce as "Lion King for the Day" and presented Lion Bruce with International President Dr. Jitsuhiro Yamada's pin and a Distinguished Lion award from the Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions Club.

When asked what he has enjoyed most about being a Lion, he said working on the Joint Sight Conservation Committee for so many years. (This program recycles used eyeglasses for re-distribution around the world as well as offers financial assistance for eye exams and glasses for those in need.)

When asked what his secret was for staying a Lion for so many years, 

Lion Bruce simply said, "You get started.  You stay with it.  Forever."

And here he stayed.

And we're glad he did.

Rest in peace, Lion Bruce.
Thank you for your service and commitment to the community of Juneau and Southeast.  

We Serve!

Light Flights!

Mark your calendars and come early!  

Total passenger limit is less this year so be sure to come early for this magical event!

The Numbers Are In

Our Lion year runs July 1 through June 30.  We start the year running, lining up schools, home schools, and pre-schools to offer free vision screening to children.

When we screen a child's eye, we let the PlusOptix screener do the work.  We aren't medical professionals and don't diagnose.  But the computer will identify any abnormalities in a child's eye and give a report of REFER if it found something wrong.

So far this year, we have screened at the following locations:

• Auke Bay Elementary School (preschoolers):  screened 107 children with 7 referrals
• Infant and Baby Fair:  screened 37 infants and toddlers with 4 referrals
• Faith Community Christian School:  screened 53 children with 14 referrals
• Gastineau Elementary School:  screened 120 preschool, kindergarten, first graders, and miscellaneous other children that had questionable eyesight with 19 referrals
• Glacier Valley Elementary School:  screened 213 children with 42 referrals
• Haines Elementary School, Haines, Alaska:  Screened 137 children with 9 referrals
• Harborview Elementary:  screened 121 preschool to kindergarten with 23 referrals
• Harborview Montesorri:   screened 51 preschool and 1st graders with 3 referrals
• Head Start Faith Lutheran:  screened 37 with 2 referrals
• Head Start Pioneers Home:  screened 15 with 4 referrals
• Head Start Mendenhall School:  screened 15 with 3 referrals
• Juneau Community Charter School:  screened 79 with 14 referrals
• Juneau Co-Op Preschool:  screened 37 with 1 referral
• Raven Home School:  screened 9 with 2 referrals
• Riverbend Elementary:  screened 260 children with 53 referrals
• KEET Elementary, Sitka, Alaska:  screened 354 children with 27 referrals
• Valley Baptist Academy:  screened 79 with 7 referrals
• Wrangell Elementary:  screened 73 children with 17 referrals

Total screened and referred the first half of the Lion year:  1,797 with 251 referrals.  

#Lions100 Sharing the Vision

Annual Light Flights Coming to Juneau Airport Soon!

WHAT:  Annual Light Flights

WHEN:  Friday, December 16
TIME:  4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

 COST:  $30.00 per person

TIME:  Ticket sales start approximately 3:30 p.m.

Santa arrives on first helicopter around 4:15 p.m.

First helicopter to depart approximately 4:30 p.m. and will run until 7:30 p.m.

LOCATION:  Main terminal Juneau Airport (at the small plane counters, North end)  

This is a magical event, one children and adults love!  We hear some passengers say they've participated every year; one lady checked it off her Bucket List; one group of young adults celebrated a birthday.   Kids leave scared and smiling when they return.

Details are still being worked out but if you're interested in taking part of this annual event,be sure to show up early!  We've been told the number of passengers has been decreased this year and ticket sales could close early once that number has been reached.

For more information, watch for the public service announcement in the Juneau Empire.  We will also have a representative from Coastal Helicopters and the Lions on Capital Chat on Wednesday, December 14, and on KTOO at 3:00 p.m.  Fliers will be posted on bulletin boards around town.

Stay tuned!

21st Annual Barbecue Coming Soon!

We're just a few days away from our 21st annual Barbecue fundraiser to benefit the Alaska Diabetes Association!

Randy (of Randy's Rib Shack) and Lion volunteers will be up bright and early Saturday morning with ribs going on the grill around 6:00 a.m. for serving at noon.

You can dine in -- or request take home.

A plate of ribs, coleslaw, and baked beans cost $15 per plate; a rack of ribs $40 donation.

The Brewery donates a keg of beer so be sure to ask for the special!

All donations received go towards the American Diabetes Association, but all funds stay in Southeast Alaska.

Hope to see you Saturday!  We serve until ribs are gone but no later than 5:00 p.m.

We Serve!
Lion Nancy

Recycle for Sight -- Eyeglass Collection

Seventeen boxes..... two thousand two hundred and fifty four.... Eyeglasses, sunglasses, reading glasses, and cases that is.  That's what the Aurora Borealis Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center in North Pole, Alaska, will be receiving in the next few days.

The two Juneau Lions Clubs collect eyeglasses as a joint effort.  All eyecare centers in Juneau have a collection box and every year in October, we have a Recycle for Sight collection drive.  This effort is a year's worth of collecting.

Lions Mike Norton, Ted Quinn, Soapy Lingle

Once they are received at the North Pole recycle center, Lions and other volunteers will clean them, fix them, label their prescription, and file away until needed.  Every year this recycle center redistributed approximately 30,000 eyeglasses to needy people around the world.  Sharing the Vision.  #Lions100

We Serve!

Lion Nancy Norton

District Governor's Visit

The Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions was honored to have District Governor Karen Burns visit Juneau this week as part of her annual visit.  Clubs in Southeast can feel distanced from the rest of the district at times as most Lions clubs are further up north; we're about 900 miles from the next closest club.  But.... the silver lining is when a distinguished member from district comes for a visit, we usually get them a couple days due to flight schedules!  Can't complain there!

Not only do we love being tour guides as much as we can and show off our fair city but we try to fit a social event into the mix where we can spend more one-on-one time with the District Governor.

This trip Lions Bob and Donna Hurley hosted a social and asked DG Karen if she would swear in our 1 Year Director Susan Albury.  We don't normally wear our Lions vest to social events but Lion Susan felt strongly about having a vest on during this special moment so for this picture she is acting president!  It was all done in fun!

DG Karen Burns and Lion Susan Albury

Yes, we are honored whenever our distinguished guests from up north take time out of their extremely busy schedule to visit us in Southeast.  It's important that our members see the bigger picture in Lions.  Yes, we love serving our community but there's so much more to being a Lion if you want it.

District Governor Karen Burns and Lion Susan Albury

District Governor Karen shared her vision for this Lion year and that is to start new Veterans Club, provide a service dog to a Veteran with PTST, and increase membership by 100 new members.  That's certainly doable!  We have recently learned that for every new member we bring into Lions, 70 people in our community can be served!  

DG Karen presented our Club President Lion Donna Hurley with a 4 Diamond Centennial patch for completing all four of the Centennial Service Challenge activities:  Engaging Our Youth, Sharing the Vision, Relieving the Hunger, and Protecting Our Environment.

Lion Donna Hurley, DG Karen Burns

We also received a Bronze and Silver patch for completing two Legacy Projects:  The Bronze patch was for planting a tree at the American Legion post and Silver patch for bringing the USS Juneau Presentation Silver back home.

As with all good things, the District Governor and her husband, Mike, had to return to the Anchorage area where they will continue to share her vision, and that of the International President.

L/Back: Lions Bob Hurley, Soapy Lingle, Susan Albury, Mike Norton, Nancy Norton, Donna Hurley, and Tom Dawson
Front:  Lion Chevelle Hogan and District Governor Karen Burns

I, for one, feel this visit is never long enough!  But we'll meet again.   Until then....
 
We Serve!
Lion Nancy Norton

Lions Recycle for Sight

The two Juneau Lions Clubs -- the Juneau Lions and the Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions -- held their annual Recycle for Sight community eyeglass collection drive today.  This is where we ask the citizens of Juneau to bring in their used and unwanted eyeglasses to be recycled.

Lion Mike Norton and Lion Ted Burke

Ninety three pair of used eyeglasses were dropped off today....  Some sunglasses, some reading glasses, some were broken, but all will be shipped to the Aurora Borealis Recycle Center in the North Pole for repair and re-distribution.

We Serve!
Lion Nancy Norton
#Lions100

Vision Screening Is What We Do!

As all Lions know, vision screening for children and young adults is our priority.  If you aren't a Lion, you may not know this.  But around the world, this is what Lions do.

We aren't medical professionals but use a state-of-the-art PlusOptix vision screener that can capture some common eye problems in children.

The Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions reaches out to the Juneau-Douglas School District, concentrating on elementary and middle schools as well as home schools and non-district preschools.  We also travel to most communities in Southeast Alaska to screen children.

So far this year (since September 20), we have screened the following schools:

Auke Bay Elementary:  screened 107 with 7 referrals
Juneau Co-op:  screened 37 with 1 referral
Riverbend Elementary:  screened 260 with 54 referrals
Valley Baptist Academy:  screened 79 with 7 referrals
Haines Schools:  screened 137 with 9 referrals
Faith Community Christian Church:  screened 53 with 14 referrals
Wrangell Schools:  screened 73 with 17 referrals
Juneau Community Charter School:  screened 79 with 14 referrals

The computer will either "pass" the child or it will come back "refer."  If a child is referred, we recommend that they make an appointment with their eye care professional for a thorough exam as the computer found some irregularities with their vision.

Thanks to Lions Soapy, Donna, Bob, Hari Dev, Tommy, and Mike for all your dedication to the children!

We Serve!
Lion Nancy Norton
Sharing the Vision, #Lions100

Chasing the Silver Coffee Hour

You might recall last year when the Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions celebrated the return of the USS Juneau Presentation Silver.  Our Club worked hard to bring it back home, where it sits at the Juneau Douglas City Museum.  It wouldn't have happened without the help of the United States Navy, Senator Lisa Murkowski, the City Museum staff, and others.

Lion Donna Hurley, President of the Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions, invites you to sit with her for a short history lesson on the USS Juneau Silver and her 31 year journey to bring it home, on Saturday, November 12, 10:30 to noon at the City Museum.  This coffee hour is free to all.

Click here for more information: http://www.juneau.org/library/museum/public_programs.php

We Serve!
Lion Nancy Norton

Ready... Set.... Eat Ribs!

You know it's Fall when we start planning our annual barbecue to benefit the Alaska Diabetes Association!  This will be our 21st year in serving ribs to the community!

Who:  Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions

What:  Annual Barbecue to Benefit the Alaska Diabetes Association

Where:  McGivneys, Mendenhall Mall

When:  Saturday, November 5, from noon to 5:00 p.m.

Our meals consist of ribs (smoked by Randy's Rib Shack), salad, and baked beans.  You can enjoy your meal at McGivneys or ask for it to go.  You can buy a meal or a half a rack of ribs!  We're there to serve you!

Stay tuned for more details as it gets closer to the event.

We Serve!
Lion Nancy Norton

End of Season Litter Patrol

Another summer come and gone.  Another year of keeping the road to the Mendenhall Glacier clean of trash.

As part of "protecting our environment," the Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions picks up litter three times a year -- spring, summer, and fall.

One can't help but hope the weather will be kind to us as we trek along the side of the road.  And today it was.

It was a beautiful Fall day, 31 degrees, as the six of us "did" the walk.  A big thanks to Lions Soapy Lingle, Bob and Donna Hurley, Chevelle Hogan, Mike Norton, and myself.

Until next Spring....

We Serve!
Lion Nancy Norton
#Lions100
Protecting Our Environment

1st Cabinet Meeting Report

The following is the cabinet report submitted for the 1st Cabinet meeting in Big Lake:  

Reporting Period:  May to August 2016

Excused Absence:  Please excuse our Club President and Membership Chair. 

Membership Status:  We currently have 20 members.    One dropped and two members Transferred to the Spenard Lions Club.

                                              

Reporting:  District and International reporting is current.  We still have three members with outstanding dues.   Our Club is 100% LCIF Contributing Members as $20 per member has been sent to LCIF. 

Centennial Celebration

Legacy Project (Level 1)

Approached a local nursery to donate an 8’ Crimson King Maple that Lions planted at the VFW/American Legion Post.  Protecting Our Environment. 

Engaging our Youth

Presented a $500 scholarship to a graduate who had previously come to our club as a guest speaker, talking about his journey with Type 1 Diabetes. 

Bicycle Safety Rodeo:  Partnered with Shepherd of the Valley Church with their annual block party and encouraged bicycle safety for the estimated 200 children present.

4^th of July Booth:  Served hot coffee and pastries to the participants in the parade staging area.   We received $417 in donations that were given to Boy Scout Troop 247 whom we sponsor.

Sharing the Vision

Joint Sight Conservation Committee:  This committee consists of members from both Juneau Lions Clubs.  Approved five applications for financial assistance for eye exams and glasses for a total of $1,546.50. 

Feeding the Hungry

Fish Fish Fish!  A local cannery in town donated uncollected canned and frozen sport fish to re-distribute to the hungry.  Approximately 1,500 pounds of fish and wild game were distributed to various food pantries and the homeless shelter in town. 

No Garage Garage Sale:  Cleaned our storage unit and sold unwanted items at a club meeting which netted $153 which went towards our Admin and Charities Account. Protecting Our Environment by keeping items out of the landfill.   NEW

Protecting our Environment

Litter Pick Up:  Held our second litter pick up for the year along the road to the Glacier.

PET Project:  Joined Lion Walt Hays’ effort in collecting and recycling inkjet cartridges to assist the PET mobility cart project. 

Recruitment Efforts

Meet and Greet:  Held our first public recruitment effort and although we did talk to a few people, didn’t get any new members.   

Other

Farm Day:  Assisted Swampy Acres at their annual fundraiser to support a local day care. 

USS Juneau Memorial Site Flowers:  Maintained flower pots at the USS Juneau Memorial site to honor fallen sailors. 

BoxTops for Children:  Collecting BoxTop logos to help a local school.  NEW

We Serve!

Funds Raised:  $459

Donations:  $3,996.50

Joint Sight Conservation Committee for Financial Assistance:   $1,546.50

Joint Sight Conservation Committee for Operating Expenses:  $2,000

Shepherd of the Valley Church Food Pantry:  food items

Beep Baseball (49A  Foundation):  $100

Newtok Water Project (49A Foundation):  $100

Extended Summer Program:  $250

District Governor’s Checklist:

Completed To date:

1 new Social Communication:   Have e-Clubhouse, a blog, Facebook

New Project:   PET Project, BoxTops for Children, USS Juneau Flowers, Planted a tree at the VFW Post

3 Members “friend” DG Karen Burns and follow on Facebook: 

Yours in Lionism

President Donna Hurley

Mendenhall Flying Lions Club

PET Mobility Project

Lions Recycle Household Inkjet Printer Cartridges

The Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions have gone global with serving the needy.  Our latest project collects personal/household inkjet printer cartridges to be recycled.  Not only is this keeping toner cartridges out of the landfill, but funds raised help provide a sturdy, hand-cranked cart for children and adults who lack mobility. 

Personal Energy Transportation (PET) is a global charity addressing the needs of those who are unable to walk due to disability, impairment, or injury.  Through the generous recycling efforts of Empties4Cash, Alaskan Lions and Leos have collected over 16,000 cartridges since 2009, enough cartridges to provide 15 individuals with a mobility cart.  Lions are proud to be a major partner for this humanitarian cause, along with both Protestant and Catholic congregations. 

The PET mobility cart is a sturdy, three-wheeled vehicle propelled by hand-crank or pull handle which can be operated by a man, woman, or child who is mobility impaired.  The PET enables an improved quality of life at work, school, and home.  It allows a father to work again and provide for his family; a child has the opportunity to attend school and receive an education; beneficiaries can go to church and social gatherings.  These mobility carts are distributed on need, at no cost to the recipient. 

Lions have drop boxes at St. Paul’s Church and Shepherd of the Valley Church, at this time, where household toner cartridges can be deposited.  Look for the GREEN BOX!  We are working on other locations as well and will notify everyone when that happens.  We only take HP, Cannon, Lexmark, Dell, and Sharp ink cartridges. 

How can you help?  Deposit your used ink jet cartridges into one of these drop boxes; have a collection drive at your office place, church, or school; ask your family and friends to save their household toner cartridges; mention our community service on Facebook and other social media; or save them until we have a community-wide collection drive in the Fall.  For more options, contact us at mendenhallflyinglions@gmail.com  Protecting Our Environment  #Lions100

We Serve!
Lion Nancy Norton

Box Tops for Education

Their Story:

It started in California in 1996.  General Mills wanted to create a program to help support education and benefit America’s schools.  Box Tops for Education was born.  Companies that participate are General Mills, Pillsbury, and others.  By 2004, over 82,000 schools across the nation were clipping Box Tops to earn cash to buy things they needed like books, computers, playground equipment and more.  You can now clip Box Tops from Ziploc, Hefty, Kleenex, and Scott products too.  Today, America’s schools have earned over $719 MILLION to help their schools!  

How we can help:

Before recycling your packaging, check for the little rectangular box (shown above) with - - - - - - - around it which indicates that you cut it out.  It’s usually found on the top or front of the packaging.  Stick them in a baggie and bring them to Club meetings for the project chair.  Our committee team is Lion Nancy Norton (chair) and Lion Susan Albury.    

It’s really easy to do and can help our schools immensely. 

Other ways we can collect:

• Ask our family and friends to save them for us.
•  Advertise on Facebook that you’re collecting them.
• Ask your place of business to put a drop box for employees to donate them.
• Advertise on your office bulletin board that you’re collecting them. 

TIP:  When you return home from grocery shopping, look your items over at that time and clip them so you don't forget! 

TIP:  Costco boxes of freezer bags often will give you two box tops per box! 

One thing to watch for is they DO have an expiration date and once they've expired, won't do us any good.  So it's important that you turn them in on a regular basis so the school can benefit.   The committee will be making a determination on which school to support in the very near future!  

We are supporting our youth with this project, Engaging Our Youth, #Lions100.

If you want to contribute to our project, please contact me at mendenhallflyinglions@gmail.com Thank you for your consideration!

We Serve!

Lion Nancy Norton

And We're Off!

Even though it might seem our club is not doing much this time of year, we have several projects we're working on behind the scene:

1. Gravemarkers for our Veterans.  
2. Flag boxes to dispose of unserviceable flags. 
3. BoxTops for Children.
4. PET Mobility Project.
5. Fundraiser with Boy Scout Troop 247.
6. Golden North Salmon Derby.
7. Eyeglass Recycle.
8. USS Juneau Memorial Site Flowers.
9. Vision Screening for Children.
10. Lions Packs.  

Several of these are new projects with details still being worked out; some projects we're partnering with the VFW/American Legion; and others we're behind the scenes.  

Serving our community is a never ending endeavor.  One we enjoy doing and are continually looking for ways to help even more.  

If you know of any needs in our community that need to be addressed, please contact us at mendenhallflyinglions@gmail.com

Thank you!

We Serve

Lion Nancy Norton

From the International President

Dear Lions of the World,

Paris, France; Brussels, Belgium; Orlando, Florida, USA; Dallas, Texas, USA; Istanbul, Turkey; Dhaka, Bangladesh; Nice, France; racial tension in many parts of the world.

Why is it happening? When will it stop? How much is enough? These are questions all of us are asking ourselves, and no one is providing any answers.
...

As the global leader in humanitarian service, a central focus is on providing for those less fortunate through a variety of service programs at the international and local level. Over the past two years, as part of our centennial service challenge, we have served 100 million people around the world. We are proud of our selfless service to others.

But as much as service is our focus, it doesn’t completely define who we are and what we stand for in the world community. One need only review excerpts from Lions Clubs International Purposes to gain a true understanding of our focus beyond service:
• To Create and foster a spirit of understanding among the peoples of the world.
• To Promote the principles of good government and good citizenship.

In my inaugural address delivered June 28 in Fukuoka, Japan, I spoke the following words:  “As we look at our future, there is another new large mountain which is arising for our world to conquer, and Lions International is the one to help the world climb this new mountain – and that is international relations. The Lions of the world are one family, focused on the goal of providing for others, and creating peace and understanding among the people of the world. We must strive to leave a legacy of world peace, world health, world safety, and world happiness.”

In February 1945, Lions’ founder Melvin Jones gathered with leaders of other national groups to meet with Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, Jr., and Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affiars, Archibald MacLeish, to discuss forming a United Nations. In April of that year Lions headquarters asked clubs to hold a United Nations week to show support for the initiative.

In that spirit, and as we approach our 100th year of humanitarian service, I ask Lions around the world to hold a day of reflection during the week of July 25th. Set aside this day to reflect on how your club can work with local community leaders to nurture peace, lessen violence that has affected so many of our communities, and foster understanding among all peoples.

As we pause to reflect, please keep the victims and families of the recent tragedy in Nice, France in your thoughts and prayers

Let us be the example of how people of different races, cultures, religions and diverse backgrounds can come together for a common cause.

Sincerely,
Chancellor Bob Corlew

4th of July Activity

Another 4th come and gone!

Here we are, the Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions setting up our canopy in the wee hours of this beautiful morning!

Our booth is set up in the parade staging area and we offer hot coffee and pastries as they wait for the parade to start. 

Local bakeries, like Super Bear and another major bakery that doesn't want to be recognized... donate their day-old pastries for our event.  We take them home and wrap in seran wrap to protect from the weather.  Heritage Coffee donates all our coffee, cups, sugar, creamer, etc.

In years past, we would sell these items for $1.00 each and generally would make $300 in proceeds. It's not a big fundraiser by any means, but was more the service to those men and women who show up at 6:00 a.m. to get ready for the parade.

Lion Becky Allison assisting a customer

We sponsor Boy Scout Troop 247 and this year we decided not to sell our goods, but accept donations only and all proceeds would go towards Troop 247.

The Boy Scouts are always there helping us peddle our wares, working the crowd, and it only seemed the right thing to do.  

It seemed slow this year but we still made $417 to hand over to the Troop!

Lion Mukhya Khalsa with three scouts:  Patrick, Eli, and Cole

It was a sunny day (intermittent) and we were out of there by 10:45 a.m., just before the parade participants started to line up! 

Lions Mukhya Khalsa, Nancy Norton, Mike Norton, Hari Dev Khalsa and Scout leader Bob Mitchell

And over in Douglas, a couple of our Lions were needed to help with a food booth for Helping Hands.

Lions Mukhya and Hari Dev Khalsa

We Serve was covered today!  Lion Donna was on the Parade Committee and helping with that, but made an appearance at our booth from time-to-time.  Lion Tom Dawson participated in the VFW float and also found time to help at our booth.  Not to mention Lion Mal Linthwaite who now resides in Arizona but came to see what we were up to!

Lion Tom Dawson (taken by Juneau Empire)

I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th!  Next year is our Centennial.... I wonder what our President Lion Donna Hurley has in store for us at next year's 4th....

This is a Lions Centennial Engaging our Youth project.  #Lions100

We Serve!
Lion Nancy Norton

Incoming Board of Directors

Welcome to the 2016-2017 Lion Year!

The Mendenhall Flying Lions has an awesome new Board of Directors coming on board!  We thank you for stepping into a leadership position and for your continued service to our community.

President:  Lion Donna Hurley
Vice President:  Lion Soapy Lingle
Secretary:  Lion Nancy Norton
Treasurer:  Lion Bob Hurley
Membership Chair:  Lion Becky Allison
Tailtwister:  Lion Tom Dawson
1 Year Director:  Lion Susan Albury
2 Year Director:  Lion Mukhya Khalsa
Immediate Past President:  Lion Mike Norton

We can look forward to good things happening this year!

We Serve!
Lion Nancy Norton

Another Year Come and Gone

The Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions is a small club by most standards.  We have 22 members but broken down, 4 members live out of town/state and 3 members are inactive which leave 15 active members.  Of those active members, 8 members work and 7 members are retired.

So what can a club of 15 active members do in a year's time?  Let me show you:

July:

• We had a 4th of July booth at the parade staging area where we offered hot coffee and pastries to participants while they waited for the parade to start.  We made $364.  
• Picked up trash on the road that takes you to the Mendenhall Glacier.
  

August: 

• Assisted Helping Hands prepare for a fundraiser.  
• Donated $100 to the Center for the Blind.
• Our meeting place closed (The Broiler) and we had to relocate.

September:

• We had our second litter pick up in September.
• Vision Screening efforts took place at Glacier Baptist  Academy, Floyd Dryden Middle School, Riverbend Elementary, and Angoon Schools.
  

October: 

• Celebrated 50 years of Lionism and Serving our Community with Lion Bruce Wing.  
• Participated in the Recycle for Sight Community Drive where we asked the community to donate their used eyeglasses; 245 pair of eyeglasses were donated.  
• Donated $5,000 to Family Promise.
• Collected and shipped 1,460 pair of eyeglasses to the Aurora Borealis Recycle Center at the North Pole.
• Vision screening efforts took place at:  Gustavus, Headstart, Gastineau Elementary, Early Learning Fair for Babies and Infants, Harborview Elementary, Montessori, and Wrangell schools.
  

November:  

• Annual Barbecue at McGivneys where we raised $3,060 for the Alaska Diabetes Association.  
• Donated $250 to the Bethel Winterhouse after the fire.
• Braved the weather to honor and remember the sailors of the USS Juneau at the USS Juneau Remembrance Ceremony.
• Participated in the Radio Center Annual Food Drive.  Collected food, went to jail, unloaded the buses, and stocked food at the Food Bank.
• Vision screening efforts took place in Sitka.  
• Delivered 20 pair of men’s wool socks, 12 pair women’s, and 4 nice ski gloves to Front Street Clinic for the homesless.  
• Donated $500 to Ronald McDonald House
• Donated $500 to Camp K, a camp for children with Type 1 Diabetes.  

December:

• Donated $500 to Shop With A Cop
• Had a Christmas social where members brought toys to give to the needy.  
• Delivered collected toys to St. Vincents.
• Inducted three new members.
• Donated $300 to St. Vincents
• Donated $300 to the AWARE Center 
• Rang the Salvation Army Bell
• Donated $500 to Salvation Army
• Annual Light Flights fundraiser.  Raised $10,795.  Coastal Helicopter pilots and staff donate their time for this event as well as fuel is donated.  Coastal donated $5,397 to the Children's Tumor Foundation and $5,397 went into Lions projects.

January:

• Served lunch at the Glory Hole, a homeless shelter. 
  

February:

• USS Juneau Social at Buoy Deck for Military and Veterans
• USS Juneau Reception for Legislators and other dignitaries
• USS Juneau Reception open to the public
• Vision Screening Efforts:  Legislative Affairs Health Fair
• Provided New Member Orientation to three new members and their sponsor.  
• Inducted a new member, Lion Bob Nielsen
  

March:  

• Vision Screening Efforts:  Gold Medal, Raven Home School, Faith Community Church.
• Donated $250 to Shepherd of the Valley Church food pantry
• Donated $176 to Leader Dog
• Donated $3,100 to Alaska Diabetes Association

April:

• Litter Pick Up
• Vision Screening Efforts:  Juneau Community Church, Cordova schools, Anchorage Kids Day, Early Learning Fair, Skagway Child Find, Skagway Health Fair
• Had a Social
• Hosted 2nd Vice District Governor Jeannine Morse's club visit
• Donated $100 to the Newtok Water Project 
• Donated $250 to the Harborview Extended Summer Program 
• Delivered donated sport-cut fish to the local food banks and pantries.  This is fish that was caught, processed, but never picked up. 

May:

• Helped Swampy Acres at their annual Family Farm Day
• Offered a Scholarship of $500 for Elias Antaya
• Had our first annual Meet and Greet, a recruitment effort to get new members.
• Donated $100 for Beep Baseball in Anchorage.
• Delivered more fish fish fish to Shepherd of the Valley, Glory Hole, Helping Hands, and Southeast Alaska Food Bank

June:  

• Set up a table at the Nugget Mall to share what we do
• Assisted Shepherd of the Valley Church with their annual Block Party.  We provide a bicycle obstacle course and talk about bicycle safety.  
• Assist Helping Hands with their weekly food distribution
• Placed flowers at the USS Juneau Memorial to honor the other two USS Juneau ships.  
• Delivered more fish fish fish to Shepherd of the Valley, Glory Hole, Helping Hands, and Southeast Alaska Food Bank.  Total fish and wild game delivered, approximately 1,500 pounds!!!!
• Planted a Crimsom King Maple at the American Legion Post.  Tree was donated by Glacier Gardens.  
• End of year social and induction of new officers.  

Joint Sight Committee (September to present):  Approved 10 applications for financial assistance

for a total of $3,201 

TOTAL DONATIONS for 2015-2016:  $15,627

VISION SCREENING EFFORTS:

            Screened 1,891 children

            Referred 280

            At 20 locations

This is what an active club looks like!  Alone, we can do a little, but with a little help from everyone, we can accomplish great things!  

We Serve!

Lion Nancy Norton

A Crimson King for the VFW

Gardening is good for what ails you.  Dirt under the fingernails.  A sore back.  It's all good.

Today a few of us gathered for some laughs, a good time, and planted a tree at the local VFW/American Legion Post while at it!  

Glacier Gardens donated this exceptional 8' Crimson King Maple tree so we could honor our veterans.  

Lion Donna Hurley spearheaded this project along with Lion Tom Dawson who's a member of the Post.

This is a Centennial Legacy Project, Level 1!  #Lions100

We Serve!

Lion Nancy Norton