Creating Harmony Through Service

“April 2020 Issue”

Disaster and disease – what a time that we’re having as I write this! Our Pendleton Lions Club is hard at work helping to restore some of the tremendous loss suffered by members of their community during the flooding of the Umatilla River. What a totally unexpected event – as are all natural disasters – and took the city of Pendleton completely by surprise both with its rapid development and the amount of devastation. The MD 36 ALERT team continues to work with Pendleton and District G Lions – particularly District Governor-Elect John Taylor and District Governor Gary Mose – as the damage is assessed and the cleanup process begins. Watch for communication from the ALERT team for possible ways that we Lions across the state can help in this work.

As we all read the reports of the COVID 19 (coronavirus) and wonder if we are all going to be in the path of this disease, it’s important to remember that we as Lions are here to help each other as well as our communities. Should a member of your club, a close family member or a friend be exposed to the virus, put into isolation or, more sadly, become ill, there will be ways to help. Work with your club to assess ways that Lions can provide assistance (while still remaining safe from contagion). We are all waiting for the much warmer weather to come, given that viral experts are telling us that the virus won’t like heat and will slowly disappear – hopefully!

Lions Clubs International Foundation is offering immediate $10,000 grants to the districts in Tennessee that were horribly affected by the powerful tornadoes on March 2-3. International Director BJ Blankenship and his wife Lion Carolyn, who live close to the areas affected and who just visited with District O at the convention, are keeping many of us in the loop as disaster recovery begins in those areas. While we are some distance away from that tragedy, we can certainly help by making a donation to the LCIF disaster fund, indicating that you wish your donation to go to the relief project in Tennessee.

Remember that by donating $1,000 to LCIF in the manner of purchasing a Melvin Jones or Progressive Melvin Jones Award, your clubs will be assisting in all of the services that LCIF provides. PID Robert Littlefield is looking forward to presenting many MJ or PMJ Awards at the MD 36 convention on Saturday, May 16 in Canyonville. If your club’s chosen awardee will not be attending the MD 36 convention, recognition will still be given! If award(s) are mailed to your club secretary and the awardee will be present, please be sure to have the materials brought to the convention with whoever is representing your club.

How are you doing with putting your “Ah-Ha” moment, the time when you became a Lion in your heart, into a story for our MD 36 book? Our district governors have reported to me that very few stories have been submitted. Please, put your creativity to work and describe your heartfelt moment, so that it can be included in the contest at the MD 36 convention and in the book to be created as a fundraiser for our Pediatric Cancer service focus.

We’re Lions and WE SERVE – locally and worldwide!

Council Chair Sharon