Nov 2012 - Lions Australia

German Lions – and especially the Lions of
Hamburg – are looking forward to welcoming
Australians to the Lions Clubs International
Convention in Hamburg from the 5th to the 9th
of July, next year.
It will be the first Lions Clubs International
Convention in Germany.
For Australian Lions there will be the added
attraction of seeing Barry Palmer installed as the
International President of the worldwide
organisation.
Barry is the first Australian elected to the
position.
Hamburg is located in the north of Germany in
the middle of Europe and takes great pride in its
mercantile background, which built the city’s wealth
in past centuries.
From 1241 on, it was member of the Hanseatic
League, a medieval trade monopoly across northern
Europe.
In the 19th and beginning of the 20th century,
Make a date with Hearing Dog Meg
She’s small, cuddly and a bundle of Joy.
Kilo for kilo, she’s one of the best and most
helpful pooches about.
She’s Lions Hearing dog Meg – a pin-up star of
the 2013 Lions Hearing Dog Calendar.
Meg appears in the calendar along with a
group of her canine colleagues.
Hearing Dog number 503, she is now doing
service with a recipient in Theodore, Queensland.
To obtain a calendar, simply email
hearingdogs@picknowl.com.au, fax
(08 8388 1299) or telephone (08 8388 7836) the
Lions Hearing Dog Centre to place an order.
Calendars are $10 each plus a $1 postage
charge.
When the calendars were first launched at the
National Convention in Perth earlier this year, they
October - November 2012
millions left Europe on their way to the new world
through Hamburg harbour. Today the harbour ranks
second in Europe and 11th worldwide. Locally, it is
described as "the gateway to the world”.
The harbour is the heart of the city, however,
Hamburg is also one of the most important media
hubs in Germany. Half of the nation’s newspapers
and magazines have their roots here.
And, unknown even to some locals, is the fact
that, with one of the Airbus aircraft assembly plants,
Hamburg is a major location of the world’s
aerospace industry, following Seattle (USA) and
Toulouse (France).
The mercantile background reflects in the city’s
architecture. The only palace in Hamburg is the
town hall, which houses the citizens parliament and
the senate.
Apart from that, the city still has large quarters
with expensive houses and villas. These residences
were home to merchants and captains of industry,
surrounded by lots of greenery. Large parts of the
were eagerly sought.
Lions hearing dogs have transformed the lives
of hundreds of Australians. The dogs alert their
owners to sounds in the home by touching them
with a paw. They can indicate things like knocks
on the door, a baby crying or the phone ringing.
Most importantly, hearing dogs alert their owners
to life-saving sounds like smoke alarms.
Lions Hearing Dogs offer safety, security and
independence for the hearing impaired at home,
while giving many the confidence to participate
more fully in their community.
Hearing dogs are not just working dogs; they
offer years of faithful and friendly companionship.
They have the same access rights as guide
dogs for the blind.
Wikimedia Commons
Hamburg beckons for International Convention – and an Australian first!
city were destroyed during the devastating air raids
of World War II, particularly the port and some
residential areas, killing tens of thousands and
leaving more than a million homeless, yet much of
historic value has been preserved.
Culturally, Hamburg offers anything and
everything, starting at the Great Hall of Art and the
State Opera, and continuing on to 31 theatres, six
musical performing halls, 10 cabarets, as well as
50 public and private museums.
FASCINATING FACT
The people of Hamburg are known as
“Hamburger” (pronounce the “a” like you're
saying "ah", and it won’t sound as silly).
The beef patties on a bun were named after
this city, where presumably they were
invented (although not popularised:
you won't find any traditional hamburgers in
Hamburg).
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