Lions of Illinois State Magazine for the Month of March, 2020 by Dr. Austin Prabhu

Newest Member of MD1 got inducted to Chicago

MD1 e-Magazine (Full) Vol. 7 - Issue 9, March 2020 6

March Newest Member Lubna Pervez of MD1 got inducted to Chicago Rogers Park Lions Club by District 1A Governor Joni McMillan on March 1st, 2020. 1

MD1 Lions & Leos Monthly e-Magazine

is the time to begin planning on tree planting or environmental projects in your community. For ideas, or examples of projects your club cold participate visit the LCI Environmental page at https://lionsclubs.org/en/start-our-globalcauses/environment or get started with the Service Launch Pad for a template that can be used to create and activity https://lionsclubs.org/en/start-ourapproach/service-launchpad.

Council Chair Speaks:

Lions of MD-1, We are almost three quarters of the way though this Lions Year, and we still have a great deal of work to do. We are down 157 members in the Multiple District for this Lions Year, and we have lost 10 clubs so far. LCI has launched the North American Membership Initiative that will provide additional support to North America, and it will be a primary focus for the incoming council during their year. Without members, we cannot continue to provide the level of service that is needed in our state, and communities. In MyLion the clubs in MD-1 have reported serving 310,097 people so far this year which is 21 people per member. The number of service activities reported is 1,470, so an increase of 310 since the end of January. I want to thank the clubs secretaries and service chairs that are reporting in MyLion. LCI has rolled out some enhancements that make it much easier to report a past activity in MyLion. If you have not used it recently, I ask that you revisit the tool and report the good work that you do. Spring is coming, and April is Environmental Awareness Month. Now 2

Last month your next Council of Governors (2020-2021) took a large leap into their year by attending the 1-J VGETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Training and the LCI training for Governor Elects in St. Charles. It is a great group of future leaders and I wish them success in their upcoming year. As they assemble their cabinets and MD-1 committees I ask that you support them. The MD-1 State Committee Chair notices were published on the State web site and in the State Magazine last month. Please consider serving on one of the state committees as a member or chairperson. The Council can only be successful with the full support of the Lions in Illinois. Finally, the notice for the MD-1 State Convention on May 15-17th at the Bloomington-Normal Marriott. Our International guest will be PIP Jimmy Ross, and PCC Lydia is working hard to bring you a great convention. Please consider attending and celebrating another great year in Lionism. -Lion Jerome Perez, MD-1 Council Chair ----------------------------------------------------------

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MD1 Leadership Chair (GLT)

members. There are tools available. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Take the time to check out that website!! -Jama Wahl, GLT

jamawahl@yahoo.com ---------------------------------------------------

Lions of MD1, Lions Clubs International provides clubs and members many tools to enhance success. A Lion can easily go to the website, www.lionsclubs.org to find resources for membership development, membership retention, club officer training, guiding lion training, funding raising and so much more. A new addition is The Service Journey. Go to the website. In the search box, type in Service Journey. Immediately, there are tools available. There is a video that can be shown at a club, zone or region meeting; information about the LCI Pillars of Service and resources to help clubs be the best they can be such as the Quality Club Initiative or a community needs assessment that allows clubs to investigate how their community has evolved and issues have changed. Plus, directions are available for using MyLion to report service. This information can assist Lions to be effective individually and collectively in meeting the needs of their communities and remaining connected to their 3

The new State Secretary-Treasurer (SST) for the Lions of Illinois, Mary Pemberton, has been in place now for two months and is making great progress in organizing our State Office. The State Office Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 8-12AM and 12:30-4:30PM. If you need to contact Mary, please do it during those hours. The contact information for the state office is as follows:

Lions of Illinois, Inc. 828 South 2nd Street, Suite 101 Springfield, IL 62704 217-299-9113 sst@illinoislionsmd1.org ------------------------------------------------------

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In the early years of television, or for that matter the latter years of the socalled “Golden Age of Radio” there was a program entitled “You Are There”. Hosted by the iconic broadcaster Walter Cronkite, each episode took you to a place in history. The event was reenacted to make you feel that you were part of history. Each day, as a member of Lions Clubs International, you are part of history, making a difference around the world. You can be part of Campaign 100: LCIF Empowering Service with a donation now. Lives can be changed, disease conquered, vision corrected, and disaster assistance provided, and with the help of donations, “You Are There”. You are invited to join us in an exciting campaign to build our International Foundation to even greater heights. Any amount can help. Campaign 100: LCIF Empowering Service, is a three-year building program now underway, to even double the 4

amount of funds that are available to Lions Clubs around the world to battle disease, disasters and dreams of Lions Clubs. Grants all work locally with clubs, districts and multiple districts. As we are half-way through the second year of the campaign, please consider donating now. Donate online at lcif.org/donate or contact any of the chair persons: Multiple District/1-A Chair PDG Wes Salsbury, lionwes2011@gmail.com 1-BK PDG John Joseph Honiotes, johnjoseph1bk@gmail.com 1-CN PDG Lydia Ellis, Serve2dgillinois@yahoo.com 1-CS Lion Ruben Owen, rso1119@hotmail.com 1-D PDG Duane Shaw, dcshaw1945@sandprairie.net 1-F Lion Mary Reading, readingforsight@aol.com 1-G PDG Jerry Effert, jeiff@frontiernet.net 1-H Lion Al Henning, allenhenning@att.net 1-J PDG Ed Carter, edward0022@att.net 1-M PDG Kevin Mendenhall, kmendy1@yahoo.com -Lion PDG Ed Carter. 630-330-1341 edward0022@att.net ------------------------------------------------------------------

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This summer, the Greater Chicago Food Depository plans to break ground on a new meal preparation kitchen to produce nutritious, high-quality meals for people with disabilities and older adults. The Greater Chicago Food Depository is the food bank serving Chicago and all of Cook County. A proud member of the Feeding America network, the Food Depository was founded in 1979 by a small group of volunteers. Today, the Food Depository serves a network of more than 700 partner agencies and programs. There’s currently significant unmet need for prepared meals in Cook County and that need is projected to increase in the coming years, according to the Food Depository’s analysis. It’s also aligned with the Food Depository’s ongoing efforts to feed people facing hunger 5

while also striving to eliminate the root causes of hunger. The Food Depository’s bold project will also include another new building connecting the existing headquarters and warehouse to the new meal preparation kitchen. The connector building will house a nutrition education center and a community cafe. This no small plan – it will require significant support from the community to make it a reality. The Food Depository welcomes support from the Lions Clubs in Cook County. Together, we can build a Greater Chicago. There will be many more details to come on this important project, but here are answers to some basic questions. Where will this new facility be located? The new meal preparation kitchen will be built on the vacant lot just west of the Food Depository facility in the

MD1 Lions & Leos Monthly e-Magazine

Archer Heights neighborhood on Chicago’s Southwest Side. The Food Depository acquired the land, which was previously owned by the BNSF railroad. What operations will be housed in the new facility and how does it fit the Food Depository’s mission of ending hunger? This bold programmatic evolution will holistically combine meal production, workforce development and nutrition education under one roof. We will produce meals that will be homedelivered – either by the Food Depository or partners – to older adults and people with disabilities. Once fully operational, the meal preparation facility will produce more than 4 million meals a year. With this programmatic expansion, the Food Depository will expand its Chicago’s Community Kitchens workforce development program, which has helped lift people out poverty for more than 20 years by bridging employment within the food industry. Why is this necessary? Simply put, it’s difficult for many older adults and people with disabilities to leave their homes to acquire food and prepare their own meals.

The need for prepared meals is projected to dramatically increase with the expected growth in the older adult population. As the Baby Boomer generation continues to move past the age of 64, the number of older adults living on fixed incomes, and facing mobility and health challenges, is expected to significantly increase. According to the most recent Census estimates, the older adult population (65 and older) in Cook County may increase by 48% by 2030. When will the meal production facility be up and running? We hope to break ground on the facility by June 2020 and being operations in the facility by Summer of 2021. Learn more about the project at chicagosfoodbank.org/nourish. How can my Lions Club help? A number of Clubs across Chicago are rallying together to seek a grant from the Lions Club International Foundation to support equipment purchase, which will require matching funds from members. Contact Lion Raj Rajaram, rrajaram510@gmail.com, or Kelly Klein, kklein@gcfd.org, to learn how you can get involved.

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PDG Paul Gergolla from District 1J - passed away on February 28, 2020 6

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The Beecher Lions Club’s Terry Gatlin passed away. Terry was a District Governor 2005 & 2006. Terry was a Founding member of the Beecher Lion’s club joining in June 1981. He will be missed by all of us, he was a big part of this club for a long time until he couldn’t do it anymore. Please say a prayer for Terry and his family. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Dr. Seuss’s Birthday Dr. Seuss made reading fun for kids. His characters, illustrations, and rhyming verse entertained while also inspiring kids to read more. It's quite possible he made kids WANT to go to bed early so they could have story time. 3. He did more than write

March 2nd Get involved! Dr. Seuss’s Birthday is a nationwide reading celebration that takes place annually on March 2 — Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers participate by bringing together kids, teens, and books, and you can too! Why we love Dr. Seuss's birthday 1. He was a legend Perhaps no other American stamped his imprint on children's literature quite like Dr. Seuss did. His books have sold more than 600 million copies and still fly off the shelves to this day. He created some of our favorite children's literary characters including that famous cat. 2. He got kids to read

Theodore Seuss Geisel was more than just a children's storyteller. He was a political cartoonist during World War II and won the 1947 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for a film called "Design for Death." His birthday serves as National Read Across America Day, which promotes reading throughout the country. “Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!” Theodore Seuss Geisel, an American author who, under the pen name Dr. Seuss, wrote and illustrated some of the world’s most iconic children’s books. His sales eventually topped 600 million. Geisel’s first book, “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” came in 1937. “Green Eggs and Ham,” “Horton Hears a Who,” and “The Cat in the Hat” would soon follow. He passed away in 1991 at the age of 87. READ ACROSS AMERICA is an initiative on reading created by the National Education Association that began in 1997. One part of the project is National Read Across America Day, an observance in the

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United States held on the school day closest to March 2, the birthday of Dr. Seuss. NEA is excited to bring you Read Across America year-round to help you motivate kids to read, bring the joys of reading to students of all ages, and make all children feel valued and welcome. Use Read Across America to help kids enjoy and relate to what they read by linking books and reading to other experiences in their lives and on the school year calendar. When everything from your Hispanic Heritage Month celebration to the 100th day of school to the science fair to Memorial Day includes books, guest readers, activities, and conversation about reading, you raise awareness about the importance, value, and fun of reading throughout the year. Here are some ideas to get your year of reading started: Guest Readers Make your community the place where Read Across America is on everyone’s calendar. When people make the time to read with children, children get the message that reading is important. Parents, members of your community, and local celebrities who make time to read at monthly or annual Read Across America celebrations help motivate kids to read and celebrate the diversity in their community and our country. Read Across America Storypalooza Stories are powerful, memorable, and help us understand who we are. Stories began with the oral tradition and are still passed on by being heard and retold. Celebrate story and grow a storytelling community by hosting a 17

Read Across America Storypalooza storytelling event! You can focus on encouraging students, families, and staff to retell traditional tales, like Riding a Donkey Backwards or Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship by Chitra Soundar. You can also include other themes, like family stories or stories from the classroom. Encourage participants to share short stories that they can learn and remember well. Offer storytelling resources or a workshop as a prelude to your Storypalooza. Book Tasting Work up an appetite for reading! A Book Tasting is a great way to introduce students to a wide variety of books, authors, and illustrators. Work with your school librarian and/or cafeteria staff to transform a space with tables and chairs into a cozy café for readers. Flowers, tablecloths, and silver trays are optional, but add to the fun of students sitting down to browse a variety of books at each place setting and then creating a menu of titles that they want to read in the coming weeks and months. You can help students identify titles of interest with genre or themed tables or place settings and have students rotate throughout the tasting. Consider inviting special guests from your school or community to talk up a book or books as the “Specials for Read Across America Day.” Multicultural Festival Work with parent and community groups to host an international night or multicultural festival that celebrates reading and opens windows on the world. Set up stations for students and families to learn more about cultural diversity in your community and around the world. Food, clothing, music,

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games, stories (including titles in this calendar) and performances give families the opportunity to taste, see, smell, and hear the richness of world cultures. Plan this event for Read Across America Day in March and include a variety of multicultural titles that families can choose and take home to keep or check out from your school library. Healthy Readers Host a Healthy Readers wellness fair to support student self-care and boost reading motivation and self-esteem. Work with parents, school counselors, P.E. teachers, yoga instructors, trainers, nutritionists, hair stylists, health care professionals, and others to deliver information about healthy eating, physical activity, and wellness resources to support members of your school community living well. Add interest and reading fun with read alouds and demonstrations and activities like instruction on foundational yoga poses and a reading of The Happiest Tree: A Yoga Story by Uma Krishmaswami; coaching on mindfulness and meditation following a reading of The Sound of Silence by Katrina Goldsaito; or a hair care demonstration and reading of My Hair is a Garden by Cozbi A. Cabrera.

five titles that are mirrors and five that are windows. Provide specific criteria to help students narrow in on their search, such as books about families, friends, sports, holidays, etc. Make sure that students actually read and rely on text rather than images to understand gender, languages, cultural identities, etc., presented in the titles. Give students time to look through books to gather their own data then present one mirror title and one window title to the class. Compile these book finds into a recommended reading list for your community of diverse readers! Poetry Town Robert Frost said, “All poetry begins with Geography.” Geography, like poetry, is very personal as we interpret both based on our own experiences. Help students learn about the people and places in their community and how they fit in by bringing students together with others—businesses, the public library, local government, arts organizations—to turn your neighborhood into a Poetry Town. This could look like poetry added to public spaces, poems in store windows or on restaurant menus, or poetry readings in all sorts of venues. Host a walking tour of your Poetry Town to celebrate Read Across America!

Book Scavenger Hunt Kind Readers A Book Scavenger Hunt is a great way to generate excitement about books and reading! Challenge students to search for books that provide mirrors (stories that reflect their own culture and help build identity) and windows (stories that offer a view into someone else’s experience and the range of possibilities in the world). Take a trip to your school or public library for Read Across America and have students look for 18

Words of caring and kindness can help people know they have value and that someone cares. Get students thinking about why small kindnesses matter and how to make them happen. Share books like Lubna and Pebble by Wendy Meddour and I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoët that show students that their compassion really can make a difference. Then celebrate books,

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reading, and kindness for Read Across America by having students create bookmarks with kind words and inspirational phrases. Bring the bookmarks (and if possible, donated books) to caring centers of your community—your local hospital, food bank, children’s agency, or senior center—to spread kindness and the joys of reading. Community Poetry Everyone dreams of finding their own place in the world—a place where they can be themselves. What does that look like for the families in your community? Build poems and build community as you get students thinking about what they imagine their community could be. Share an image of a place in your community and ask students to write a phrase in response to what they see and a phrase about what they’d like to see. Have students read their contributions aloud, then have them work together to compile one or two poems using all the lines students wrote. You can do this over several weeks to generate a lot of conversation and poetry. Ask local politicians, business owners, and other community members to a reading of the completed poems for a Read Across America celebration. March 2 is National Read Across America Day, a day to celebrate our favorite activity. The day was established by the National Education Association (NEA) in 1998 to help get kids excited about reading. The day occurs each year on the birthday of beloved children’s book author Dr. Seuss, so a perfect way to celebrate is to don a Seussian hat and read one his famous tales, like One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. On National Read Across America Day, students, teachers, parents, and community members around the 19

nation come together to read books and celebrate the joy of reading — join us! NATIONAL READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY ACTIVITIES 1. Make a date with a book When you have a good book, you’re never alone. Celebrate National Read Across America day by taking your favorite book for a coffee, glass of wine, or even out to dinner. Sit at the bar or at a table for two and get lost in your book while out in public. 2. Go to a reading Groups around the country host readings on National Read Across America day. Check out what your local libraries and bookstores have on offer, and if you have kids, see what their schools are planning. Some events may be looking for volunteers to read out loud to kids — what a treat (and a gift). 3. Have a birthday party for Dr. Seuss Invite friends over to celebrate Dr. Seuss and reading! Have Seuss-themed snacks — butter-side down toast, green eggs and ham — and have friends read selections from their favorite Seuss books.

WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY 1. Reading is exciting Reading takes us to exciting new places, enchanted lands, and even faraway galaxies. When we read, we can be detectives, explorers, and heroes. Ever stayed up late to

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finish a book by flashlight under your covers? Or missed your bus stop because you were so engrossed in a chapter? Reading adds excitement to our lives! 2. Reading makes us smarter Did you know that reading actually increases your brain power? It’s true! Regular reading can slow the decline of memory and brain function that comes with age. And of course, as Dr. Seuss says, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” 3. Reading is relaxing Even reading for just six minutes can reduce stress, according to research. In fact, reading is more calming than listening to music or going on a walk! Curling up with a good book and cup of tea (or another favorite beverage) is one of life’s great joys — and relaxers. Reading and Gratitude Garden Everyone can benefit from opportunities to relax, reflect, and connect with nature. Work with school staff, students, parents, and community groups to help create a Gratitude Garden at school—be it an actual outdoor garden, a bench placed under a tree on school grounds, a window-filled south or west corner of the school with containers of blooms, or a quiet sitting space with artwork or murals. Start planning your garden now and have it serve a dual purpose as a reading garden where you can share We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga for Read Across America Day in March! Little Free Library

Bring communities together through reading! Work with students, parents, and community groups to create a neighborhood gathering spot to get to know others and share an interest in books, reading, learning, and service. Develop an action plan to open or revitalize a Little Free Library in your community. This book exchange where neighbors, friends, and students can share their favorite books and stories, is a great way to learn through and with others. Celebrate Read Across America with story time at the opening of your own Little Free Library! Or Read Across your town by connecting with Little Free Library stewards for a day (or month’s worth) of fun reading events at all the Little Free Libraries in your community! Musical Readers Make Read Across America really sing with student songs inspired by favorite books and authors! Start your musical adventure by exploring some of the basic concepts of songwriting: rhythm and rhyme, song structure (verses, chorus), melody (patterns) and lyrics (story or narrative). Create a song together as a class before having students work in small groups or pursue individual efforts to create songs inspired by favorite titles. Give them plenty of time to write their own lyrics and the opportunity to compose music for their lyrics. Provide musical instruments, online tools, or music apps or have them find existing music that complements the words they’ve written. For Read Across America and Music in Our Schools Month in March, intersperse performances of student songs with special guest readers reading aloud the books that inspired the songs. Beyond the Book Cover

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It can be a challenge to put internal biases aside. Help students learn a little about their own preconceptions when you ask them to judge a book by its cover. Provide books that students haven’t read and are not familiar with. Ask them to look only at the outside cover. Then, based on what they see, have them write down what they think the book is about, what the characters are like, and what’s going to happen. This can be a paragraph or a list. Next, have them read the book (or read the book aloud if you are doing this as a group activity) and then write down what the book was really about. Were their first impressions right? Have them talk about how their opinions changed and why it is important to see what’s inside before passing judgement. Use their informed opinions to create a recommended reading list to share for Read Across America.

Please note page 5 – the “Make a Date with a book paragraph #1” – A cup of coffee or a glass of wine works for me! In any case, take the time and enjoy learning about Dr. Seuss – a most interesting fellow! Do something with a book – buy one - share one - give one to someone who needs one – sit and share the words together!

-Lion JUDY TOFT DISTRICT 1A RAP (Reading Action Program) CHAIR 773-763-0662 ------------------------------------------------------

Make a date with a Book – You are asking why???? March 2 is Dr. Seuss’s Birthday that’s why! MD1 Trustees selected Lion Trish Fisher as Executive Director of their Lions of Illinois Foundation. Congratulations Lion Trish!

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Roselle Lions inducted a new member Nick Buriegi (Sponsor is Lion Brian McDougal); both shown in the first photo. Second photo shows Roselle Lions with over 100 stuffed animals collected for hospitalized children. This was our service project for February ------------------------------------------------------

On February 4, 2020 Lion Terry Knollenberg, Pekin Lions Club President, presented a $250 Walmart gift card to Luke Arnsman, Principle of the Jefferson Primary School in Pekin and another $250 Walmart gift card to A.J. Schroff, Principle of the C.B. Smith Primary School in Pekin. These cards were provided so the teachers could purchase items needed for their classrooms. ---------------------------------------------

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Lions of 1CS Disaster Relief helped two families that lost their homes to fire in Cairo, Il ------------------------------------------------------

skills assessment day was an addition to the program for children in grades k6th. Altamont Lions Club is especially thankful for the volunteers and parents who keep this program running smoothly. At this time, there are 215 students enrolled with games beginning March 7th. ------------------------------------------------------

PDG Ralph Johnson receiving 60 years Perfect Attendance pin from DG Kathy Dieker Per Ross Myers (There was an error in last monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s publication, my regrets.) --------------------------------------------------------------------

The annual Altamont Lions Club Basketball Program is well underway. A 40

Altamont Lions Club held their annual Pack-A-Sack food drive for the Altamont Food Pantry. Each year, empty sacks are dropped at homes around town to be filled by residents and left for members to pick up on a designated day. Donations were collected on February 15th. ------------------------------------------------------

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In the words of PDG Jerry Miller..... "Today we ( Virginia Miller and I ) had the privilege of taking our grandson Josiah Agar with us to the 1M District Lions Cabinet meeting in Arthur to present Aluminum Can tabs to the Lions of Illinois Foundation and Lion Trustee Jim to help sponsor some Camp Lions campers this coming year. Josiah collected over 100,000 tabs!!! Well done Josiah!!!" ------------------------------------------------------

Lions know how to get the whole community involved in service. ------------------------------------------------------

Doug Young inducted as a third generation Bismarck Lion by his Sponsor, John Ronchetto, and President, Rich Miller. -----------------------------------------------------For well over 60 years Bismarck Lions Club has held their annual Pancake Breakfast. From pageant winners to local politicians and media, Bismarck 41

Congratulations and THANK YOU to

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Teacher of the Month - Mrs. Kristen Trogdon. It was a pleasure to have your family at our Paris Lions Club meeting to help you celebrate your commitment to our youth. ----------------------------------------------------

service to the community through membership as Lions. Congratulations and THANK YOU to Lion Mike Fear from Robinson Lions Club receiving recognition for selling well over 150 golf cart raffle tickets in August of 2019

Lions Tom Bailey and Nancy Stewart passing out Lions sugar-free suckers at a Halloween event at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson. -----------------------------------------------------

Robinson Lions Club chose to thank some very special members for their 42

Lions Randy Tedford and Nancy Stewart selling giant coloring books at First Financial Bank in Robinson.

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Went hunting for Lee Lions Club when this photo came up for Goat Tree Recycling??? Found out the project was in Lee, Connecticut!! Maybe thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a new project to take on here in Illinois!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Congratulations to PDG Jim Weiss of the Strasburg Lions Club for being named District 1M Lion of the Year! The award was presented by DGE Bill Wallpe, Committee Chair and District Governor David Johnson. -----------------------------------------------------The Boo Crew Haunted House is the main fundraiser for the Rochester Lions Club. During the off-season, the facility is used as a training facility for area fire fighters. ------------------------------------------------------

Waterman Lion Janelle Stein was one of several from the club who helped serve the meal to Ski for Sight guests at the Saturday Evening Banquet. 43

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Phil Nielsen collects a plate of food for the visually-impaired participants at the Ski for Sight Banquet. --------------------------------------------------------------------

The Springfield Noon Lions Club Foundation (SNLCF) just passed $1,000 under this Prairie Farms Milk Program â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Our Caps, Your Cause. This could not have been possible without the dedication of the Starbucks employees who gathered the caps for us (many thanks to Starbucks store Manager Karla Eguez) and Lion Gina Garcia who peels the caps. But the real worker in all this is the one who enters each individual cap code into the computer 44

(Bench at the Mary Bryant Home courtyard.)

(20,000 so far), Lisa Barker. With this in mind the SNLCF donated a bench today to Lisa, which is made out of the very caps she codes. Thank-you so much Lisa. (Picture 1: Lisa on her new bench at Mary Bryant Home with Lion Secretary Mike & Lion Director Gina. -----------------------------------------------------Somonauk Lions Club helped fund new benches for the Open Door Rehabilitation Center. Open Door clients and community citizens recycled 400

pounds of bottle caps which were upcycled into two all-weather benches. ------------------------------------------------------

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The 8th Annual Reindeer Run 5K in downtown Wheaton took place in early December to kick off the holiday season under the sponsorship of the Wheaton Park District and the Wheaton Lions Club Charities. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already set a date for 2021!! ------------------------------------------------------

as Roger's Repair Service; served on the Maple Park Village board as a trustee, and with the Planning Commission; Chairman of the board at Grace United Methodist Church; 26 years of Service with the Boy Scouts of America; Kaneland Hall of Fame for Community Service in 2015; Maple Park Citizen of the year in 2018; and this year Roger has been providing Fireworks for our community for 21 years. ------------------------------------------------------

Clarendon Hills Lions Club welcomes new member Lion Jeff Chadwell (c) with Sponsor Lion Ross Hurst (r). Club Secretary Dr. Bill Hamel officiated the ceremony (l). --------------------------------------------------------------------

Maple Park Lion Roger Kahl (r) was recently awarded with a Melvin Jones Fellow by District Governor Lion Jerome Perez. Roger's service to our country and community includes 3 years of service in the US Army; working with his father at Kahl's Appliance from 1964 until taking over in 1982 and continuing 45

"Rudolph" and Faculty Adviser Cathy Pool, watch as the two Co-Presidents of the Geneva High School Leo Club tell the crowd about LEO activities prior to drawing both the names of the 3

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winners of the door prizes and also the names of the 3 winners of the $5000, $2500, and $1000 prizes for the annual Chance for Sight Raffle. -----------------------------------------------------

Elburn Leos helped Ski for Sight participants play Bingo.

Geneva Lion Bill Minderman was at Lazarus House on December 10, 2019, and presented their Executive Director, Leanne Deister-Goodwin, with a check from the proceeds from the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Annual Xmas Auction... $870.00. ------------------------------------------------------

Warrenville Lions Keith Jones and Chris Fieweger helped pick up donated furniture for the WYFS Discoveries store last month. ----------46

District 1-J Southwest Region Lions Clubs !!!! ROCK !!!! A round of thank you's go out to the Cortland Lions Club, Genoa IL Lions, Maple Park Lions Club, DeKalb Lions, Elburn Lions Club, Big Rock Lions Club, Hinckley Lions Club, Lee Lions Club, Somonauk Lions Club, Sycamore Lions Club, Malta Lions, Sandwich Lions Club, Shabbona Lions Club, and the Waterman Lions Club. By working together, you provided a fantastic weekend full of fun activities,

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great food and fantastic friendships to 65 visually-challenged adults. And a special thank you to the Bloomingdale Lions, Genoa Lions, and the Big Rock Boy Scout troop 319 who also came out to help with his massive undertaking. Thank you!!!! Maggie Perez said â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thankfully, there was snow this year!â&#x20AC;? A big shout-out to Lions and volunteers who helped with the Lions Ski for Sight event at Lake Shabbona! If you think being a Lion just means pancake breakfasts, you should join us for an event of this type to learn more! ------------------------------------------------------

home. Always enjoyed by the residents and the Lions! ------------------------------------------------------

Westmont Lions, at the 1J Bowling Tournament at Fox Bowl in Wheaton. (l to r) Lions Rick Martin, Chris Svitak, Shanu Ansari, and PDG Lion Jim Addington. -----------------------------------------------------Northern Kane County Chamber of Commerce recognized the Dundee Township Lions Club as the top Notfor-Profit organization in the area for 2019. Melissa Hernandez, President of the Chamber (l) presented the award to Lions President Michael Buhrmann (r) at a recent Lions club meeting. -----------------------------------------------------Glendale Heights Barangay Lions Club hosted Bingo at a local nursing 47

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The Wheaton Lions Club welcomed a new member, Lion Elle Withall, Executive Director with the Downtown Wheaton Association (l). Elle was sponsored by Lion Ron Diener (r). ------------------------------------------------------

donation to Leader Dogs for the Blind, the club has sponsored a Lab/Golden Retriever mix named Cheyenne. Cheyenne is currently being socialized in Illinois and learning her manners. She is mastering the skills she needs to move on to formal Leader Dog training when she is old enough. She has a laidback attitude and has shown herself to be very smart and learns new skills quickly. She has a lot of great Leader Dog potential. ------------------------------------------------------

North Aurora Lion of the Year, Officer Robyn Stecklein (l) with Club President Lion Doug Botkin (r). ------------------------------------------------------

Crystal Lake Lions Club President Bill Davies with Carol Waggoner who presented a program on Diabetes Initiatives in McHenry County IL. ------------------------------------------------------

Through Naperville Noon Lions Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 48

MD1 Lions & Leos Monthly e-Magazine

A leaf on the tree was decorated at Lions of Illinois Foundation office end of February to honor Late PDG Mario Gumino, Ex Executive Director of LIF. -----------------------------------------------------SOME OF THE PICTURES TAKEN AT THE III MD1 COUNCIL MEETING:

MD1 Lions & Leos Monthly e-Magazine

INDUCTED 3 NEW MEMBERS

-----------------------------------------------------ROCKFORD NOON LIONS CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION WITH IPP BOB CORLEW & ID BOB BLOCK

MD1 Lions & Leos Monthly e-Magazine

District 1A III Cabinet Meeting held at the Holiday Inn Banquet Hall in February. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

District 1A Governor Joni McMillan at the Annual District Bowling Tournament.

MD1 Lions & Leos Monthly e-Magazine