Denver Lions Club Year in Review - President Dwight Steen
The kickoff for this Lions year was the patron party held at the Cactus Club with 32 members and spouses in attendance. Donors were able to celebrate raising enough funds to support the centennial activities of the Club and to view an abbreviated version of the centennial video. More then 30 members and guests attended the annual picnic at the Railroad museum in August. The Railroad museum made the facility available as a result of 13 Club members who had volunteered 31 shifts during the museum’s annual Thomas the Train event.
The annual Club retreat was held at Savio House in August with 26 members working on the Lion’s program for the coming year and reviewing Board member manuals. The Past President’s held a brainstorming exercise on possible fundraisers.
Over 200 members and guests attended the Centennial Celebration Dinner in October. The highlight of the dinner was the featured speaker, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Dean of the Korbel School of International Studies at DU. Seventeen regular lunch meetings we held at Maggiano’s and the last lunch meeting will be at Savio House. Average attendance at meetings has been just under 30 percent of members.
The Club continued many on-going service projects such as Vision including direct help to individuals with exams, glasses and surgeries. Several “one day missions” also assisted low income and refugee families with exams and glasses. Five members made a trip to Mongolia where they were able to help 1,200 people. KidSight continued both in schools and at several health fairs, the numbers will be forthcoming. The Club also partnered with VSP Mobile Eyes and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver in a “Glasses for Kids” program. Club members and other area Lions screened 928 kids and referred 253 kids to be seen in the mobile clinic coming to Denver June 1-3. 56 kids received new glasses made on site. Another 40 received vouchers for exams and glasses
The collection of used eyeglasses, ringing the bells for the salvation army, hearing assistance, 9Health Fair cashiering and social services activities continued during the year. At Christmas, the Club assisted 125 families at Eiber Elementary school. Also in collaboration with the Golden Club we were able to assist a person with a DaVinci reader. Nine members and guests spent a day working on various project to get the Lions Camp ready for the summer season.
Finally, the Club sponsored the Denver Latino Branch Club during this year. The Club held an induction ceremony for 15 members in April. The branch had its first service activity at the annual Denver Cinco de Mayo days where they screened kids and provided readers to many folks who stopped by the tent.
It has been an honor to serve as Club president this past year. As Lions all know and believe what Helen Keller stated so many years ago: "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." I want you all to know how much I appreciate your support and your efforts during the year. Now let’s all get ready to pitch in and help Susy make this next Lions year even more successful than the last.
The Denver Lions partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs and VSP Mobile Eye Clinic. This was a tremendous success, The results were 931 kids screened at the 10 Boys and Girls Club locations. There were 244 referrals to see an eye doctor, The VSP Mobile Eye clinic had full exam rooms and an lab to make glasses. 56 kids received new glasses and 40 kids received vouches for exams and glasses. Thank you to all the Lions who help make this event a success. A special thank you to Lion Dwight Steen for arranging the program with VSP and the Boys and Girls Clubs. CLICK here to see photographs.
A DAY OUT WITH THOMAS AT THE COLORADO RAILROAD MUSEUM THE RAILROAD MUSEUM IS HOSTING THE “THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE” FOR THE 16TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR AND THE DENVER
LIONS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE THOMAS VOLUNTEERS AND HELP WITH THIS YEAR’S PROGRAM.
THOMAS WILL BE RUNNING ON THREE WEEKENDS ---
Sept 8/9, 15/16, 22/23
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP, YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR A SHIFT IN THE MORNING, AFTERNOON, OR ALL DAY, ON ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE SIX DAYS.
IT IS A FUN TIME AND YOU WILL BE A PART OF MAKING A LOT OF LITTLE CHILDREN HAPPY.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE EMAIL OR CALL BILL HENDERSON
henderson_277@msn.com (303) 638-8690.
HE’LL TELL YOU ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES, SHIFT STARTING TIMES, GIVE YOU DIRECTIONS, WHERE TO PARK. ALSO, WHERE TO CHECK FOR YOUR LUNCH CARD, THOMAS T-SHIRT AND SOME QUICK TRAINING :-). YOU WILL GET A PARKING PASS BY EMAIL
WE ARE GOING BACK TO THE MUSEUM FOR OUR ANNUAL LIONS PICNIC, SATURDAY, AUGUST 25. THE MUSEUM IS NOT CHARGING US ADMISSION, NOR ARE THEY CHARGING FOR RIDES ON THE “GALLOPING GOOSE”.
THIS IS IMPORTANT: IF WE GET ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS THEY WILL ALSO TRADE OFF THE USUAL CHARGE FOR THE USE OF THE PAVILION FOR THE VOLUNTEER HOURS.
The 2018 Annual Denver Lions Golf Outing at Meadow Hills Golf Club was a big success. A little warm to start at 94. But it cooled down some at the end of the day (89F). This year was the best turnout in years at 20 golfers plus 12 more for dinner.
This was a unique scramble format call Step Aside. Get Steve K to explain it. It was a way to speed play and even out the players. It gave the high handicappers more opportunity to play.
A special thank you to Lion Steve Krebsbach and wife Debbie for putting on a great event.
The Score Card
Winning team Steve Krebsbach, Debbie Krebsbach, Mark Williamson, John Love
Losing team - Bob Sweeney, Patrick Sweeney, Sean Sweeney. Saundra Sweeney
Closest to pin on a par 3 - Ron Abo
Furthest from pin on a par 3 Patrick Sweeney
We are very grateful for the companies donating = Maggiano's, Heritage Eagle Bend. Argonaut Liquors
Thank you to Lions donations - Bill Adams, Don Smith, Harold Hein, Dwight Steen, Steve Kinsky, Mark Williamson, Steve Krebsbach, Ned Nagle,
With all these donations everyone went home with a prize.
The Denver University Pre-Optometry Club was able to volunteer with the the Denver Lions. The club officers were Madeline Almen and Natalie Uberer. The club helped with three KidSight events. They had a special Recycle for Sight event on campus where they collected 80 pairs of classes.
The 100th Colorado Lions Convention was held at the Beaver Run Resort in Breckenridge on May 18-19. Over 150 Lions from across the State turned out for the event. Friday was dedicated to District Conventions and a Bingo fundraiser and ended with a Casino night where winners walked away with flat screen TVs, Crock Pots and Suvee Cookers. Saturday morning provided time for the annual reports of the State Lions entities and the afternoon program consisted of the Youth Public Speaking contest, the Peace Poster winners, scholarship winners and several breakout sessions. The evening dinner featured PID Brian Sheehan as the speaker. PID Sheehan also presented our own District Governor, Steve Kinsky with the LCI President’s award.
Hello Lions Club, Last year I was provided with a $1,000 scholarship on your behalf. I wanted
to send you an email once again thanking you for your donation. My first
year of college has been a wonderful experience, and I would like to share
some of it with you.
I joined a social sorority called Delta Zeta. This allowed me to meet many amazing people and learn how to take on leadership roles that I had not previously been comfortable doing. I became very involved in community service and helped with raising money for our national philanthropy, the Starkey Hearing foundation. I have enjoyed this experience so much that next year I plan on living in the sorority house to further my involvement.
Along with joining a sorority, I decided I wanted to continue my lacrosse career and joined the UNC Women's Club lacrosse team. Through this, I was able to meet many people while also staying active. I have just recently been elected treasurer for the upcoming season. I have many ideas in mind of how to expand our team and create a stronger program, and I am excited to implement them in the coming year!
This being said, I was busy this last school year from sorority meetings and fundraising events to lacrosse practice four times a week. I did manage to keep my grades up however. I ended the year with a 3.82 GPA. Some of my classes included Advanced Anatomy and Physiology, Nutrition, and Statistics. I have decided to continue to major in Sports Health and Exercise Science with an emphasis in Human Performance and recently picked up a nutrition minor. I have found a passion for health and fitness and I am excited to pursue a career in this field in the future.
As for my health, I am still taking Humira, which is the medication that my doctor prescribed to help with my eye disease, Pars Planitis. As I said before, going into college I would just be starting the medication. In the beginning it was a difficult adjustment, since it is a shot every two weeks and can often cause some side effects. My body has adjusted to the medication and it seems to be working well. I go to the eye doctor about every month and in my last visit I was found to have no inflammation and no changes, which is great news. We are hopeful that I will go into remission after this next year of treatment.
I would just like to say thank you again for the donation from this organization to my college education. I felt that it was important to inform your organization of the success I have had this year partly due to the scholarship I received.
Paige Applegate
Help support the Club buy King Soopers Cards,
A Call to Action
This weeks edition of A Call to Action is:
Complete the online Dragon Boat survey sent to you by email.
.jpg?_=636642958149522263)
.jpg?_=636642958149522263){kind=logo}
Help support the Club buy King Soopers Cards,
.png)