Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Survey indicates just three percent of Americans are concerned about diabetes.

This was in an email newsletter from the American Optometric Association. If one of Lions International's goals is to increase awareness of diabetes and the seriousness of it's complications, we've got our work cut out for us.

HealthDay (10/28, Doheny) reported, "While millions of Americans are at risk for developing diabetes, too few perceive the threat it can pose to their health, according to a new survey" commissioned by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Investigators polled "more than 2,400 U.S. adults," and found that 49 percent "they most feared cancer as a potential health problem," but "just three percent said they worried about diabetes." Yet, "each disease has about the same number of expected new cases each year, more than a million annually." The ADA noted that "overall, one in 10 U.S. adults, or 10 percent, have been diagnosed with diabetes at some point in their lives, compared to six percent who have experienced cancer." The survey also revealed that "after cancer, respondents next feared heart disease, mentioned by 12 percent, and nervous system disorders, noted by 11 percent."

WebMD (10/28, Colihan) quoted Ann Albright, Ph.D., of the ADA, as saying, "Unfortunately, people don't seem to take diabetes seriously, and they don't seem to realize that diabetes -- if left untreated or poorly treated -- can be a very scary disease." She added, "We don't like to unnecessarily scare people, but the findings from this survey are alarming because diabetes is more deadly than these other fears, and Americans are more likely to have a personal experience with diabetes than shark attacks or snake bites."

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Lions are on the Ellensburg Charm Trail


The "Lion" charm for the Ellensburg Charm Trail is here. Charms are available at Family Eye Clinic for $1.00 each, and all proceeds will be donated back to the Lions Club. Support awareness of Ellensburg Lions by buying a charm today (even if charm bracelets aren't really your thing, I'm sure you could come up with something to do with a little lion...)

October 28th Minutes

Attendance.
Members: Sarah, Bob Wagner, Dick Wedin, Wayne, Mark, and Liz.
Guests: Joan Wagner, and Crawford Spens (Longview Lions Club).
Speaker: Dale Larson, WSU Kittitas County Exenstion.

Call to Order – Lion President Sarah Storrs

Flag Salute – Lion Sarah Storrs

Invocation – Lion Wayne Weidert

Introductions & Tail Twisting – Lion Bob Wagner

Approval of October 14th Minutes – Approved.

Treasurer’s Report – Lion Dick Wedin
· Dues Account & Project Account balances
· Outstanding Exam/Glasses: 3

Old Business

Mint Sale: Lion Bob Wagner.
Bob will pick up 3 more cases of mints. Dick wrote out a check for $180 to the West Valley Lions Club. With Bob and Joan moving back to California, Byron has volunteered to take over the mint sales…ordering mints and servicing mint sale boxes, starting in December.

Sight & Hearing Committee: Lion Sarah Storrs
· Outstanding: 1 exam/glasses & 1 glasses only approved; 1 glasses only bill submitted by provider.
· Revised Provider Agreement – Signed agreements from Family Eye Clinic and Valley Vision are on file
· Change in procedure –Secretary will be the person keeping all applications on file, sending notification letters to patients after receiving approvals from the Sight and Hearing Committee.

Play It By Ear Bunco Tournament: Lions Liz Whitaker & Sarah Storrs
· Saturday November 15th, 6:30-9:30 pm at St. Andrew’s Church (waived rental fee!)
· Sub-committees
o Byron and Chris-promotion & tickets
§ Fliers to be posted at businesses around town. Flyers distributed to several members to distribute around town: Mark, Dick, and Bob W.
§ Ticket sales—Mark will buy a table, Dick has sold one table.
o Mark-prizes: Working on it…some wine already donated. I’ll drink to that.
o Cindy-refreshments: Via email—will deliver refreshments to the tournament, but unable to attend event.
o Card Tables, need 10: Dick will bring 2, Mark 1, Bob Wagner 1, Liz 2, and Sarah 1. Need 3 more tables.

Lions Health Screening Unit for Schools– Fall 2009: Lion Liz Whitaker
· Committee: Liz, Doug, Dick, Bob T, Wayne.
· Application due November 30th.
· Bill Meehan indicated ESD was interested, Cle Elum also interested; Ellensburg Christian School –haven’t spoken with Anna Ng (per a parent, they have no screenings)
· Full-scale (5 days) for our first time or less (2-3 days) to get a feel for running a screening
· Costs involved: currently $100 per day for LHSU, fee increase expected (not exceeding $150/day per Marge Sheppard); donations of lodging, meals, gas cards for driver are “encouraged”
· After much discussion, the club will coordinate with Yakima Lions for three days in Ellensburg, servicing the Ellensburg School District…this year. We will see how it goes and if successful may include other county school districts the year following.

Zone Pull Tab Collection Project
· Still need a chair, preferably by 10/30/08
· Ronald McDonald House has cardboard “house” receptacles in two sizes—Spokane RMH is mailing us 10 large and 20 small (we can get more)
· Main job now is finding sites to distribute collection containers –possibly the list of mint sale participants?

Speaker Coordinator –Lion Dick Wedin
· Current list:
o November 11th: Boy Scouts.
o November 25th: FISH
o January 13th: Rolf Williams, Kittitas Valley Opportunities, Parent-2-Parent (need to confirm)
o Ideas for future programs? A representative from Foster Care would like to be on program…Sarah will forward request to Dick for scheduling.

Ellensburg Charm Trail-Sarah Storrs
· Charm forms submitted to ECC 10/15/08. Charms delivered to Family Eye Clinic 10/28/2008. The Lion charm is $1, and proceeds go to Lions Club.

New Business

· Boy Scouts would like to have the Ellensburg Lions Club become a Charter sponsor for a new cub scout den out of Mt. Stuart. Sarah will invite him to our November 11th meeting to explain.

Program: presented by Dale Larson, Kittitas County 4-H

Adjourn

Next Meeting: Tuesday November 11th
Speaker: Frank Villaneuva, Boy Scouts.


Tuesday December 9th No noon meeting
Winter F1 Zone Meeting, at Rodeo City BBQ 6:30 pm.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Volunteer Positions

As small of a club as we are, it is inevitable that each member may end up serving on multiple comittees. We have three positions which need to be filled as soon as possible. Volunteers would be greatly appreciated--not being able to attend every meeting does not mean you still can't serve in one of these positions (Zone Project Chair).

1. Lion Tamer
• Responsible for bringing bell & mallet to each meeting
• Keeps other club items, bringing to meeting as necessary (splay of flags, extra vests)


2. Zone Project Chair (by 10/30 if possible)
• Project is collecting aluminum pull tabs for Spokane Ronald McDonald House
• Chair duties involve making collection containers, finding locations to put the containers, distributing containers to said locations, emptying containers periodically, forwarding tabs to Spokane Lions Club

Thank you to Lion Dick Wedin--he is our new Speaker Coordinator

Monday, October 13, 2008

Minutes for 10/14/2008

Attendance
Members: Doug, Sarah, Byron, Bob Wagner, Bob Titus, Mark, Cindi, Dick.
Guests: Gene Ketzenberg, VFW; Don Morris, VFW; Joan Wagner.

Call to Order – Lion President Sarah Storrs

Flag Salute – Lion Doug Rider

Invocation – Lion Byron Thomas

Introductions & Tail Twisting – Lion Bob Wagner

Approval of September 23rd Minutes: Approved.


Treasurer’s Report – Lion Dick Wedin
• Dues Account & Project Account balances
• Outstanding Exam/Glasses: 4 (2 exam/glasses; 2 glasses only)

Old Business

Mint Sale: Lion Bob Wagner

Sight & Hearing Committee: Lion Sarah Storrs
• Approved CH application for exam and glasses.
• Hope Source has declined to continue being a screening source
• Revised Provider Agreement – Sarah reported that the Provider Agreement has been revised;Family Eye Clinic signed, and an agreement has been mailed to Valley Vision Associates for signature

Play It By Ear Bunco Tournament: Lions Liz Whitaker & Sarah Storrs
• Saturday November 15th, 6:30-9:30 pm at St. Andrew’s Church (waived rental fee!)
• Sub-committees
o Co-Chairs: Need card tables. Bob Titus volunteered along with Byron, Dick (2) and Mark. May need more.
o Byron and Chris-promotion & tickets
1. 20 color fliers to be posted at businesses around town
2. Press releases submitted to Daily Record and Tribune 10/8/08
3. PSA applications to KXLE & KCWU 10/6/08
4. Email announcement with request to forward sent out to each Lion, SS’s Bunco group, others???
5. Tickets are here—asking each Lion to try and sell 5 tickets and were passed out to members.
o Mark-prizes
Donations from Family Eye Clinic, Avon gift basket, Pampered Chef. Mark will follow up with other organizations including Suncada for prizes.
o Cindy-refreshments: Need 12 dozen cookies. Dick, Cindi, Sarah, Mark volunteered.

Still looking for a Lion Tamer…

Promotional Items Needing Updating with New Meeting Days and/or Location
• Road sign update – Bob Titus and Wayne. No report.

Indian John Hill Rest Stop
• Date for 2009: July 4th weekend (July 3-6th). Members need to reserve the date to staff a shift or two. This is our main fund raiser and need full participation by members.

New Business

VFW Flag Presentation – Gene Ketzenberg & Don Morris.
American flag and mount were presented to the club. Arrangements have been made for the flag to remain at Rodeo City BBQ. The presentation was cheerfully accepted and is appreciated. Gene indicated that we should contact him to depose of any torn flags…for there is an accepted way of deposing of the American Flag which VFW performs on request.

Gene also indicated that the local VFW is hosting a turkey dinner, October 25, 6:00 p.m., at the First Lutheran Church. Cost is $10 per ticket or $25 per family. Real food, and proceeds go to a good cause.

Lions Health Screening Unit for Schools– Fall 2009• Committee: Liz, Doug, Dick, Bob T, Wayne.
• Application due November 30th. . More information at our second meeting in October.
• Liz will contact Bill Meehan about level of interest/dates; Include Cle Elum; Ellensburg Christian School also interested (Anna Ng).
• Marge Sheppard had suggested putting our request either immediately before or after West Valley/Tieton’s days (they are requesting last week of September); this may give us a weekend to do a public screening as well

Summary of 1st Zone Meeting
• Minutes were emailed out to club members
• Two main action items
o Zone Project: Collecting aluminum pull tabs for Spokane Ronald McDonald House
• Need a chair for this project (involves making collection containers, distributing them, and then emptying periodically)
• Tabs will be forwarded to Spokane Lions Club
• Need to separate the tab from the aluminum can or just collect the can and we can remove…since the Zone is collecting the tab, club can recycle the can.
• Zone needs to know the club contact person by October 20…any volunteers?
o Ellensburg will host Winter F1 Zone Meeting, Tuesday December 9th at Rodeo City BBQ 6:30 pm. Working on guest speaker from RMH Spokane. With a night meeting, the December 9th noon meeting was cancelled…no reason to have two meetings in one day.

Upcoming Programs
• Need a volunteer to serve as “Speaker Coordinator”
o This person will come up with program ideas (with club input), contact speakers, remind/confirm 1 week and 1 day ahead of time, make framed award certificates, introduce speaker and present award certificate at conclusion of program. Dick volunteered to coordinate.
• Current list:
o October 28th: Dale Larson, Kittitas County 4-H Program, Dick will confirm.
o November 11th: FISH Food Bank (Need to invite)
o December 9th : Zone Meeting by Ellensburg Lions, 6:30 p.m., Rodeo City BBQ. Need attendance. Potential speaker from Ronald McDonald House Spokane (Sarah is arranging).

Ellensburg Charm Trail-Sarah Storrs
• Program sponsored by Chamber of Commerce & Downtown Association
• Purchase a bracelet from CC, & get a map to businesses that have charms; cost public ~$1 each
• Enrollment fee ($75), minimum 144 charms to get started (~$75)
• Sarah is signing up Family Eye Clinic & am willing to “piggy-back” the Lions club with a second charm (Lions club would pay for the charms—proceeds would come back to the club). Motion approved for the Lions club to participate.

Adjourn

Next Meeting: Tuesday October 28th
Speaker: Dale Larson/4-H

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Play it by Ear Bunco


Ellensburg Lions Club is sponsoring the first ever Play it by Ear Bunco Tournament on Saturday, November 15th, 6:30-9:30 pm. The event will be held at St. Andrew's Church (401 S. Willow St. in Ellensburg).

Tickets are $25 each or $80 for a table of 4 tickets purchased at one time. There will also be a hearing loss demonstration, dessert refreshments, and a raffle throughout the tournament. One raffle ticket is included with the Bunco registration, additional tickets will be available at the event.




Proceeds from this event will be split between the Northwest Lions Foundation for Sight and Hearing and the Ellensburg Lions club to fund local hearing projects.

District Governor Visit

Here is a photo with most of our local club members, taken on the day of our District Governor's Visitation last month.


(L to R) Dick Wedin, Zone Chair David Heath, Mark Grassel, Liz Whitaker, Wayne Weidert, District Governor Fujiura, Byron Thomas, Sarah Storrs, Chris Hobbs, Joan Wagner, and Bob Wagner.