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Important Note:
The Third District 20-S Cabinet
Meeting for 2008-2009 will be held on March 2nd at Brian Scotts at 90 North
Country Road in Miller Place. The meeting will start at 7:30pm.
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As Governor I feel a
Commitment to Youth in Lionism is essential if we are to continue to deliver
the same high quality services to the visually and hearing impaired as well as
those affected by diabetes in District 20-S. In addition to the programs we
have in place to help those in need, our District has a strong history of
fundraising that has benefited those in need inside and outside our district.
We raised approximately $195,000 for Campaign Sightfirst II, which was the
third highest total in MD-20.
In order for us to
continue this laudable legacy we need to be able to bring in new members who
can be mentored by the current leaders in our district. These Lions are
working very hard to make sure that our commitment is clear and unwavering,
but they can’t do it forever. We need to make sure that developing programs
for youth in Lionism are a key component to our overall district wide
membership program.
PDG Andy Viola (Leo
Chair) and I are committed to improving our current District Leo (Leadership,
Experience and Opportunity) Program. We currently have approximately 14 Leo
Clubs in our district. The Leo Clubs are sponsored by an existing Lions Clubs
and are usually coordinated through their local high school utilizing an
advisor provided by the high school or a Lions Member designated by the
sponsoring Lions Club. Our District also has Leo Clubs that are affiliated
with Girl Scout and Boy Scout Troops. During the District Governor’s visits
to clubs this year, one of my talking points will be sponsoring a Leos Club.
As you know from
the Governor’s previous letter regarding the Gift of Sight Committee,
eyeglasses will be provided free of charge under a program initiated with Ann
Curto-Pollina, the General Manager of the Holbrook Lenscrafters (244-8844).
We have also started a program where Leos can come to Lenscrafters to clean
and prepare donated glasses for use in Third World Countries. If these
students need documentation for school service credit, this will be provided.
The Great South Bay and the Longwood Leos will be pursuing this option in the
near future. We are hopeful that the other Leo Clubs in District 20-S will
also be joining this effort.
In May of 2008 our
District held a Leo Conference at Dave and Buster’s Restaurant in Islandia.
This allowed Leos from throughout Suffolk County the opportunity to come
together and discuss strategies to assist the needy within their own
communities. Furthermore, there were exhibits on the Youth Exchange Program,
Diabetes Awareness, the HOBY program and Campus College Lions Clubs. We plan
to have a Leo Conference in the Spring of 2009 and we would like all Leo Clubs
in our District to participate.
In closing, PDG
Andy and I would like to ask all the clubs in our District to please consider
starting a Leo Club to assist them in promoting Lionism within their
communities. PDG Andy (654-0904) is available to come and speak to your club
about how to start a Leo Club and will help with the process of bringing this
club to fruition.
- One of our goals this year is to create a database of interesting speakers
to be available to speak at club meetings, cabinet meetings and AC Meetings.
If your club is aware of speakers who are
informative and engaging please contact: Zone Chair Vinny DeSimone and Zone
Chair Bruce D'Abramo.
- If your club has a website and is not listed on our site, please
contact Lion Marianne :melvillelions@aol.com
- Lion's and Leo's needed to help clean and align eyeglasses with the help
of Lenscrafters in Holbrook. This is a great hands on activity!
CALL Lion Ann Curto Pollina @ Lenscrafters: 631-244-8844
- New Gift of Sight Committee formed. Its goals are
threefold. First: to simplify and assist with the requests that come to clubs
and the district for eyeglasses. Next: we have initiated a program to have
audible crosswalks put at busy intersections in Suffolk County. Once in place
an Audible Crosswalk allows a visually impaired person the opportunity to
proceed safely after they receive the verbal prompt to do so. Lastly, the
Vision Screening Program under the auspices of PDG Andy Viola, PDG Gloria
Burton and Lion Eileen Maida has joined our committee. They are committed to
continuing the Vision Screening Process at the Head Start Program and the many
other entities that they have assisted in the past.
Mission Statement
"To create
and foster a
spirit of
understanding among all people for humanitarian needs by providing voluntary
services through community involvement and international cooperation

Lions Code of Ethics
To Show my faith
in the worthiness of my vocation by industrious application to the end that I
may merit a reputation of quality of service.
To
Seek success and to demand all fair remuneration or profit as my just
due, but to accept no profit or success at the price of my own self-respect lost
because of unfair advantage taken or because of questionable acts on my part
To Remember that in
building up my business it is not necessary to tear down another's; to be loyal
to my clients or customer and true to myself
Whenever
a doubt arises as to the right or ethics of my position or action towards
others, to resolve such doubt against myself
To Hold friendship as
an end and not a means. To hold that true friendship exists not on account of
the service performed by one to another, but that true friendship demands
nothing but accepts service in the spirit in which it is given.
Always to bear
in mind my obligations as a citizen to my nation, my state and my community, and
to give them my unswerving loyalty in word, act, and deed. To give them freely
of my time, labor, and means.
International
President 2008-2009
Albert F. Brandel

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