Spring 2020Past Issues United in Kindness and DiversityGreetings Lions, Serving as your International President for the past year has been an honor of a lifetime. Never have I been more humbled and more moved than by the compassion and hard work I saw from Lions every day. Now, in the face of the unique challenges the world is facing, I have been asked to extend my term as your International President. I accept this honor and responsibility with the same enthusiasm and…more...Mural Increases Visibility of LionsA new mural on the side of the Jefferson Township Lions’ clubhouse and banquet hall in Mount Cobb, Pennsylvania, has been drawing traffic. The vibrant mural depicts a lion’s head with a full, brightly- colored mane showcasing the many local services, landmarks, and volunteer projects that make their community great. Gabrielle Edwards, a high school junior and Girl Scout, designed, planned, and executed the project with the support of the club as her Gold Award…more...Lions Solve a Food Scarcity ProblemWhen the only grocery store for miles closed in the small town of Tionesta, Pa., residents found themselves in a food desert. It seems hard to believe on the banks of the Allegheny River, along the lush Allegheny National Forest, but getting healthy food meant driving to towns 30 to 45 minutes away on hilly two-lane roads where winter weather can only make things worse. Tionesta, population about 500, includes many elderly individuals who could…more...After Flooding, the Revival of an EcosystemIn the aftermath, the city of Fargo purchased the land (and homes) in the floodplain. The homes were razed and the area was banned from development. Jane Pettinger, a Lion who lives in Fargo, not far from the River, says the area was in limbo. The homes had been torn down, but the landscaping and some driveways remained. One day a fellow Lion was walking through the area with his wife when she mentioned it…more...Mission InclusionThe organizers of the OSEAL Leo Forum 2020 teamed up with Special Olympics Asia Pacific (SOAP) and Special Olympics Cambodia to organize an afternoon of Special Olympics Unified Sports, which places individuals with intellectual disabilities on teams with those without disabilities. Part of the purpose of the forum was to raise awareness of Special Olympics and its partnership with Lions. Unified Sports is the philosophy that teaming individuals with intellectual disabilities with those without intellectual…more...The Doctors Are InOn January 26, 20 doctors, all members of Lions Club Doctors Unité in Casablanca, set out for Douar Ait Tamjat-Tagleft, a small village near Taroudant, a coastal city in the south of Morocco. Their mission, done in partnership with Moubadarat Al Khayr association of Béni Mellal, was to provide medical care for the residents of the village. “Sadly, medical coverage in Morocco is particularly lacking,” says Lion Salwal El Jamali, communications director for the club.…more...Taking Care of the EarthAs the world honors the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the environmentally conscious Lions of Bowie, Maryland, have their own big numbers to celebrate. The Lions will hit the 500 mark on rain barrel sales this spring, having sold the recycled plastic 55-gallon barrels since starting the project in 2010. And on April 18, they will sponsor the 10th annual Bowie Green Expo – one town and one club’s way of showing people how important…more...Club News - April 2020The Phoenix Metro Lions in Arizona participated in Arizona‘s Service Rally Day with their Pathways to Reading Project. They have provided more than 80,000 books to underserved children through this major project. At Mountain View School they gave out 650 books, free to children from pre-kindergarten through third grade. Tim Pasquarelli, a Lion in Arizona, represented the Golden Lions with holiday bell ringing while vacationing and visiting family in Colorado. In New Jersey, the Stafford…more...Parting Shot - April 2020Comfort Fruit Members of The Phoenix Asian American Lions Club pick oranges off a grove in a local gated community for distribution to non-profit organizations, churches, and needy families.more...Anniversaries - April 2020APRIL 2020 100 Years: Des Moines Host, Iowa; Paducah, Ky. 95 Years: Millersburg, Pa.; Medford Host, Ore.; Lake Worth, Fla.; Malden, Mo.; Burlington, Ontario, CAN; Dunnville, Ontario, CAN 90 Years: Pleasanton, Calif.; Philadelphia Roxborough, Pa.; Saxton, Pa.; Dimmitt, Texas; Everson, Wash. 85 Years: Llano, Texas; Jonesville, Mich.; Rolla, Mo.; Orwigsburg, Pa.; Central Montcalm, Mich.; Gatesville, Texas; Grand Coulee Dam, Wash.; Schuykill Haven, Pa.; Tifton, Ga.; Winona, Minn.; Clifton Forge, Va.; Macclenny, Fla.; Alto, Texas; Bowmanville,…more...The Bird ArtistIn early spring, sometimes as early as the first cold mornings of March, Jeff Klinefelter will rouse before daybreak and drive out to his pond to get in place before the migrating ducks or other birds light on the water or the woodland edge.more...Thriving In The Digital EcosystemScientists are still unsure when, or how exactly, animals took flight. They do know it happened four separate times: in insects, bats, birds, and pterosaurs. Whether gliding from treetops or jumping from the ground, at some point in history animals began flapping their arms. And eventually, they flew.more...From Beneficiary to BenefactorThe thing is, serving isn’t only about doing something for your community. When a club is truly respected and well-known, the community can’t help but give back. There’s No Place Like Home When the Granville Lions in New York learned that the community’s food pantry was running out of space in the basement of a church where they had been for 30 years, they chose to help. They did the same for the pantry as…more...The World According to SoundThis one-hour live show puts the listener in the dark Have you ever heard the hum of a giraffe? Did you even know they make sounds? Until recently, scientists didn’t either. It was assumed that their 13-foot long necks were too long to produce sufficient air flow to vibrate their vocal chords and produce noise. However, researchers wondered if maybe the sounds they produced were simply too low for humans to hear. So they recorded…more...The Waggle DanceAerial Gilbert can tell a lot about her bees just by listening. She has three beehives on her back patio in Petaluma, California. “I can hear how the bees are behaving — if they’re agitated, if there are other bees trying to get in the hive, or if it’s too crowded or too hot or too cold,” she says. What you want to hear, she says, is a calm steady buzz. That indicates that everything…more...Potawatomie Wildlife ParkVISITORS FIND PEACE IN THIS REFUGE FOR ENDANGERED PLANTS AND ANIMALS At the Potawatomie Wildlife Park, a small not-for-profit natural sanctuary for plants and animals in northern Indiana, the bells and whistles of a larger park are gladly traded for the peace and serenity of nature. From the woodlands, wetlands, ponds, and prairie, visitors might spot a deer, small animals like the river otter, or a box turtle, as well as summer wildflowers and birds…more...Fundraising During Social DistancingHow to bring funds to your community when you can’t leave your home. When bush fires burned millions of acres of land, destroyed buildings, and led to the deaths of both people and wildlife in Australia in 2019, the Lions Club of Taree in New South Wales knew they wanted to help families, farmers, and first responders affected by the blazes. Lion Phil Grisold of the Taree club witnessed the damage first-hand. "I was gobsmacked…more...In Times of Darkness, Be the LightSometimes, it’s hard to find our way. In the dawn of 2020, our world has been thrust into a great trial. The past few months have seen countries – including my own – tested to their limits. Many people are facing new realities that challenge their ability to make ends meet and provide enough food and essentials to keep their families safe. And many first responders – doctors, nurses, police officers, grocery store clerks, among…more...