2012 Feb - Lions Australia

More documents

Recommendations

Info

When you feel proud to be a Lion Sometimes it takes someone from outside to best sum up a situation. That was the case when the Chief Minister of Norfolk Island, the Hon. David E. Buffett AM MLA, opened the N5 District Convention on Norfolk Island late last year. What he said made many Lions proud of what they did. As Greg Dunn (N5 Vice District Governor who was present during the Chief Minister’s opening speech, said: “I held my head high that day because someone, who was not a Lion, made me proud to be one.” Here’s what the Chief Minister said, about Lions generally and the great work being done on Norfolk Island. We all know of Helen Keller. Blind and deaf from 18 months of age. Her personal amazing courage to learn sign language and braille, then learning to speak. Her tireless advocacy for people with disabilities: When Helen Keller addressed the 1925 International Lions Convention in Ohio USA, she sought that the Lions fraternity become “Knights of the Blind in the crusade against darkness”. She spoke for probably less than four minutes. Lions took up Helen Keller’s challenge and the work of Lions has ever since included “Sight programs” aimed at preventable blindness, restoring eyesight and improving eye care. Allow me to remind you of these amazing figures. Lions: Improved eye care for 100 million people by training more than 650,000 eye care professionals and building 315 eye hospitals. Distributed more than 147 million treatments for river blindness. Provided nearly eight million cataract surgeries. Saved the sight of more than 14 million children by providing eye screenings, glasses and other treatments through Sight for Kids. Prevented serious vision loss for more than 30 million people worldwide. Established or strengthened paediatric eye care centres that have helped more than 120 million children Vaccinated 41 million children in Africa against measles – a leading cause of childhood blindness. Helped halt the spread of trachoma in Ethiopia by providing 10 million doses of the sightsaving drug azithromycin annually. Since 1990, Lions have raised US$415 million through two SightFirst fundraising campaigns to help provide vision for all. 22 Norfolk Island Tourism These figures are more than eye catching! Helen Keller challenged in 1925 when Lions was in its eighth year. Six years out from this year, Lions will reach its 100th anniversary. That transposes into sight programs for almost a century! Delivery is measured by the above statistics. It’s impossible to measure the personal, the social or the financial empowerment, of such beneficial work. However, sight programs are but one of the many Lions projects. They extend to Health, hearing, diabetes Community volunteer work Children and adults Hospitals and senior centres Cancer research Areas battered by natural disasters Youth volunteer opportunities Community and environment programs And more. Norfolk Island experiences Lions international, national, district and local programs through two commendable local clubs: The Norfolk Island Club, under the present presidency of Kevin Coulter, and the Norfolk Island Arthurs Vale Club, with president Bianca Walsh. Collectively in some projects, individually in others, these two clubs also deliver their own “We Serve”: to the Norfolk Island country. Support where offshore medical treatment is required School equipment Christmas gathering every year for the elderly. Participation in Lions Christmas Cake and Lions Mint sales. Barbecue and furniture in both the Lions Park and the World Heritage Kingston and Arthurs Vale historic area. Support for youth educational travel, and Impressively, organising some 160 Lions to this District Convention, which is a substantial financial drive to this rather small place. And much more Both clubs are proud to be part of District 201N5. Both clubs and their members, value the strengthening of the ties that bind the people of this place and yours. Both clubs, and we, in the Island are honoured that the District has chosen to meet for its annual convention in this place. I re-enforce the warm welcome accorded by His Honour the Administrator. I offer compliments to the organisers of all that is required, to mount a convention of this size and nature in Norfolk Island. The Service of Lions is indeed honoured. Globally – across 205 Countries and geographical regions encompassing some 1.36 million members. Nationally (Australia) – some 28,000 members in 1,500 clubs Nationally, over $20 million is raised annually to assist community and health projects and funding for Lions foundations and programs. Interestingly, and importantly, in 2013 Barry Palmer will be the first Australian Lion to be elected to the International Presidency. I offer compliments to the Lions Club organisation in devotion to their many worthwhile programs. At this Convention of District 201N5 in 2011, I wish you well and good fellowship in your deliberations in fostering your good works; and declare the Convention open. Lion
LIONS IN ACTION For the love of brave Lucy Lucy Day, 2, is a special little girl. And because Lucy is so special she has been adopted by Queensland’s Mooloolaba club as deserving of special help. Lucy was born with a rare congenital condition called Goldenhar Syndrome that affects about one in every 10,000 births. In Lucy’s case her abnormalities include a small malformed lower jaw, malformed tongue, a missing section of cheekbone on the left side, a small dermoid cyst in her left eye, bilateral skin tags (which were surgically removed at 16 months of age) and atresia/stenosis of her ear canals. Her left ear has complete atresia (absence of ear canal and eardrum) so she is essentially deaf in that ear. Her right ear has a severely stenosed canal (very narrow). Even though her right ear can potentially hear well, unfortunately due to wax buildup and persistent glue ear, her hearing is now only at 20-30% and she relies heavily on her bone conductor aid to hear. As well as hearing difficulties her abnormalities mean that she has had issues with eating, speech and sleep apnoea. Despite her difficulties, Lucy is a bright, happy and delightful little girl. Her mum Michelle is determined to ensure that hearing difficulties don’t hold Lucy back and that she has as normal an education as possible. Last year Mooloolaba Lions watched Lucy doing a regular hearing therapy session. This essential therapy does not come cheap for single mum Michelle. The cost of sponsorship for a child for one year is $10,000. Government funding accounts for only February - March 2012 Lucy during therapy and (below left) with her mum (Michelle Ridoutt), Karen Von Homeyer (Principal of Hear and Say), and Mooloolaba Lions President Fred Smedley. Photos: Charles Hodgson, View News 30% of the annual costs, the rest must come from charity. So moved were Mooloolaba Lions they pledged $2,000 as a part sponsorship, then raised that to $5,000. As Lucy requires extensive surgery to repair her hearing mechanisms internally she needs to go to the United States as it can’t be done in Australia. The family needs to raise $80,000 for this treatment and is appealing for support. Lucy has a website – http://listeningforlucy.weebly.com/index.html – where more information can be found on her condition. Book on Lions’ V2 walker Author Rhys Thurston has published a book, From Point AA to Point B, that provides an intimate insight into the life and adventures of V2’s very own long distance walker – Lion John Olsen. In the forward, Ian “Macca” McNamara of the ABC’s Australia All Over describes John as “a humble bloke undertaking inspiring feats” when referring to his gruelling north-to-south and east-to-west fundraising walks across Australia on behalf of children suffering cerebral palsy and leukodystrophy. The 220-page book is an easy read and an opportunity to share the upbringing, mindset and experiences of a man who was committed to help disabled children in the true spirit of Lions International. His two marathon walks raised over $125,000, donated equally to the Australian Lions Children’s Mobility Foundation (ALCMF) and the Australian Leukodystrophy Support Group (ALDS). Included was John’s personal contribution of $10,000. John is the only recipient of the ALCMF Platinum Award, he has an Ian Stockdale Humanitarian Award and is also an Ambassador of ALDS. The book is $20 plus $6.35 postage. Payment can be made direct to Bendigo Bank Account in the name K J Olsen - BSB 633-000-100855-428. All proceeds go to the Australian Leukodystrophy Support Group Inc. For a copy, contact Lion Brian Edward – (03) 52 226 986 or bseapm@bigpond.net.au – of the Lions Club of Geelong Corio Bay, PO Box 1205, Geelong, Vic, 3220. 23
Page 1: Registered Registered by Australia
Page 4 and 5: Tell the world who we are By Wing-K
Page 6 and 7: LIONS ACTION Students with green th
Page 8 and 9: 8 10,000 satisfied Schoolies It cou
Page 10 and 11: U.S. Army turns to Lions Quest At s
Page 12 and 13: 12 PATRICK the Lion Namers P atrick
Page 14 and 15: LIONS YOUTH LEOS DO LIONS PROUD Com
Page 16 and 17: LIONS YOUTH 16 Young vision Brooke
Page 18 and 19: Stepping ahead in spinal cord recov
Page 20 and 21: A LIONS GUIDE What you should know
Page 24 and 25: Cup’s a winner Melbourne’s raci
Page 26 and 27: Committee Vacancies The Council of
Page 28 and 29: 28 yoursay Lions’ letters Best da
Page 30 and 31: 30 Just some of our award winners

2012 Feb - Lions Australia

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?