JANUARY ISSUE

          When this article appears in our magazine, the holiday season will be over. I hope all you Lions in District 36 had a great season visiting with family and friends. A new year is upon us, with new beginnings and hope for a bright new future. We have worked hard this past year with many Lions successes. New clubs have started, but we have also lost clubs. Our District Governors are working very hard to reverse the trend of membership drop. We, as individual Lions, must do everything we can to help them. I believe I read that each Lion impacts 70 people. Just think-- the new club in Redmond will impact over 1500 people. 

          Now to change the subject. Our International President Corlew has designated the week of January 9-15 as Worldwide Week of Service to Fight Hunger. Hunger is a terrible thing. When I taught 7th and 8th graders in the mid 70s in Texas, there was no breakfast program in our school. Many children came to school without breakfast. Studies have shown that when students are hungry they have trouble learning. It was so hard to watch hungry children and not be able to do anything about it. I'm so glad that schools now have a breakfast. Many schools also now have a backpack program in which food is collected and sent home with children who probably won't have food for the weekend. But this isn't enough. Because of the holiday season, our local food banks have empty shelves. If your club hasn't already done an annual drive, now is the time to start. It is a most rewarding service.