Lions Club Linda Hite

Lions Club

By Linda Hite

When Mr. Arsenault asked me to write something about what it means to me to be to be a Lion, I had no idea where to start. Then I started typing and remembered he said to limit it to about 800 words. Well, I don’t’ know if I can do that, but I will try.

I am a second-generation Lion. My Dad was a Lion in Southern Illinois for many years and became a LifeMember sometime in the 1970s. I saw the dedication he had to helping others and it inspired me to do something better with my life. Consequently, I became a chiropractor and I now help many people on a daily basis. Thanks Dad!!!

One of my patients invited me to a dinner meeting at Virgie’s in the fall of 2008, and the rest, as they say, is history. I have been the Chairperson of many committees, on the Board of Directors and gone through the ranks of Second Vice President, First Vice President and President of the Gallup Lions Club. On the State level, I have been a Zone Chair for Northwestern New Mexico, Second Vice District Governor, First Vice District Governor and will be District Governor 20222023 for District 40N. All of these positions are volunteer and require you be dedicated

to something beyond yourself. None of these positions were my intention when I joined Lions. I just wanted to be a part of something a little bigger than what one person can do by themselves.

Lions Clubs International (LCI) started in Chicago in 1917. We are the largest service organization in the world. In 1925, Helen Keller challenged the organization to become Knights of the Blind. Since that time, we have helped millions of people with eyesight issues, from getting a Spare Pair of glasses for little ones to keep at school to cornea replacements and more. We do screenings at the schools for Head Start, Pre-school, Kindergarten, 1st and 3rd graders through New Mexico Lions Operation KidSight (NMLOKS) program. This helps identify vision issues before they become a more serious problem for the little ones.

In addition to vision and sight projects, Gallup Lions Club is involved in many other things. We help out TDFL by serving hamburgers to all the participants and their families (sometimes as many 1200 people), we cook hot dogs for the Ford Canyon cookout the Saturday before Easter, we put together the Gallup Lions Club Rodeo (We’re Back!!! Look for our posters around town – June 16-18), we have pancake breakfasts, bowling tournaments and BBQ Meat sales to help raise money. All the money we raise from the Community goes back into the community to help youth clubs (baseball, leadership, cheer leaders) in their endeavors to go to District meets, State competitions and even Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!!! We do food drives for the Community Pantry and Backpacks for Kids at Christmas time. We have helped young ones with diabetes go to a special Diabetes Camp.

As a Lion, we have many opportunities to see how our service can impact the lives of others. Some call that “your Lion’s moment” – that moment in your life that you know why you became a Lion. Mine was last September (yes I had been a Lion for many years before this happened!!) when I went to the USA/Canada Leadership Forum in Des Moines Iowa. The bus driver from our hotel to the Convention Center asked me how to become a Lion. Since I was not local, I told him I would do some research and find him a contact person. When I got to the Convention Center, I went to the information room to ask questions. The gentleman that helped me told me a story about being in Gallup for a State Convention back in the 1980’s. He told me about riding in the Parade with Lion Bill Lewis (one of our oldest and dearest members – yes Mr. Bill still participates in many of our events!!) He continued to share with me how the Gallup Lions Club influenced him to go back to his home Club and implement some of the ideas he learned while here in our town. That’s when I knew I was a Lion, not just to help in my personal community, but to help in the Worldwide community. And Charles, the bus driver, got contact information to become a Lion too!!

I feel very honored to be a part of an organization that has the needs of others as a priority. Our motto is “We Serve.” We may be the best kept secret in Gallup, but I can assure you that “where there is a need there is a Lion.” If you are remotely interested in helping out in your community, please contact me at 505-8621962 or Roxy Yazzie at 505-8799670. We are the Gallup Lions Club Membership Co-chairs and would be happy to get you involved!!!!

Photo by Jay John

D E M O C R A T In this edition I want to talk about two more ways I am working to improve the quality of life in McKinley County and holding people accountable for their actions. Last month I talked about JAMES drug enforcement and active shooter classes for the schools and community members. MAIORANO

FOR

SHERIFF

Paid for by the Committee to Elect James Maiorano III

Ÿ Current Undersheriff of McKinley County Ÿ 21 years of law enforcement experience Ÿ McKinley County resident for 30+ years COMMUNITY SERVICE

Over the last 6 months I have worked with the McKinley County Adult Detention Center and the courts to use vetted inmates and those serving community service hours to work community cleanup projects.

Under the supervision of the Sheriff’s Office, the inmates have cleaned roadside trash in Gallup, Thoreau, and Ramah, cleared snow from the sidewalks and schools, cut weeds, assembled equipment, washed fleet vehicles, and performed janitorial services. I have plans to extend those services to clearing illegal encampments on public land and painting over graffiti. One of the more crucial elements of this project is rehabilitation. While working on these cleanup projects, we have a chance to talk about inmates’ plans when they are released, building a new vision for their future, and referring them to local programs that can help them succeed and not reoffend. WARRANT ROUND UPS

In order to get victims their day in court we have to get accused criminals to court. With over 5,000 outstanding warrants in McKinley County, I am committed to assigning resources to more warrant round ups. Working with other agencies, we have already cleared up over 100 outstanding warrants. I intend to continue these operations in attempts to bring justice to victims. None of these programs are possible without the Sheriff’s Office staff and the commitment of the community and outside agencies. Support your local law enforcement, and help us succeed.

If you like what the Sheriff’s Office is doing now, vote James Maiorano for Sheriff, and let’s continue to improve our quality of life. Stay tuned for new topics monthly, and follow my Facebook page at Maiorano4Sheriff, or you can email me at Maiorano4Sheriff@ gmail.com.

FULLY ENDORSED BY CURRENT SHERIFF, RON SILVERSMITH