For Immediate Release – February 16, 2008
LIONS CHILI SUPPER HUGE SUCCESS
Over 500 people showed up for the 55th annual chili supper and silent auction. According to President Pat Greever, “this was the first time the public filled the McKinney High School cafeteria consistently all night. People started arriving for the 5pm event as early as 4:40pm and didn’t stop until the event was over”.
With so many in attendance, the Lions actually ran out of food with about 35 minutes to go. However, the people that arrived afterwards, were very understanding and spent their time in the silent auction looking at more than 100 items available. At the end of the night, all but 3 items were sold. Winners not present for the closing of the auction will be contacted within the week to make arrangements to receive their items.
Winner of the new Tahoe for a weekend with a tank of gas, courtesy of El Dorado Motors, was Chuck Ribble. Winners of the wine tasting certificates, courtesy of Premier Wines of Plano, were Brad Cope and Don Argentiero.
Gross receipts thus far are in excess of $10,300, a Lions record, with more due in from the pickup of remaining auction items. “A lot of MISD kids can be helped with eye exams and eye glasses with this money, even more than the 4350 in 2007”, according to Danny Wolf, Lion Event Coordinator. “We are in it for the Kids and it’s very exciting to see the success of tonight’s event, thanks to some great public support”.
Cash sponsors for the event included McKinney Courier Gazette, El Dorado Motors, Nissan of McKinney, Consumer Credit Counseling Service, Lewis Brokerage and Consulting, Donnie Burnside and Sons, A.G. Edwards/Wachovia Securities, Griffin Jewelry and the Cooley family. These sponsors gave us a great start in helping us get the event started.
The local McKinney Lions club, which has been in place since 1920, has some 80 members working for the good of the community. For more information on this local club and how to become involved, go to www.mckinneynoonlions.org
“Serving So Others May See”
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For Immediate Release – October 5, 2007
McKinney Lions Club named
International Lions “Club of the Month”
With over 45,000 clubs in over 200 countries and geographic areas, the International Lions Club named our own McKinney Lions Club as Club of the Month for October 2007. Brett Rush, International Assistant Editor/PR said “You made the choice for October Club of the Month an easy one”. The McKinney noon club is known for its involvement in providing eye exams and eye glasses for kids and adults that can’t normally afford them. Some of the other recent projects that encouraged this special honor and recognition include:
- Hats Off for Cancer - hats are collected for kids going through cancer treatments
- Sending local area handicapped kids to the Texas Lions Camp in Kerrville Texas, where they are able to be with others with the same issues and build self esteem
- When the Salvation Army put out the call to help stock their food pantry, the Lions answered with a truck load of food and $500
- Involved in student of the month recognition from three McKinney high schools
- Provides Leo club organization and direction for the high schools which help develop leaders of the future for both the community and the McKinney Lions Club.
- Preparation is now underway for the 7th annual Hole in One golf Shootout. Funds will be used entirely for all the community projects that the Lions are involved.
Organized in 1920, the McKinney Lions Club will be celebrating its 87th birthday on Wednesday, October 24th, Eldorado Country Club at 12 noon. “Being part of this organization and playing a part in giving back to the community has been extremely rewarding to me. Our members are always ready for a challenge”, says President Pat Greever.
The McKinney Lions Club is a non profit community organization dedicated to making a difference, expressed in the mission statement “Serving so others may see”. The membership is made up of individuals from all walks of life determined to give back. For more information, go to www.mckinneynoonlions.org .
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For Immediate Release – August 22, 2007
MCKINNEY LIONS CLUB ANSWERS CALL
PROVIDES FOOD TO SALVATION ARMY
Last week Captain Curtis Kratz issued a request for donations of food to re-stock their pantry shelves. Today the McKinney Lions Club delivered, as the entire club brought in a pickup load of food to meet that request. “What’s unique about this donation is that our members personally pitched in to do this together”, says Lion Danny Wolf. President Pat Greever also challenged the membership to give from their wallets as well and as a result was able to present an additional check for $500 to Captain Kratz.
Captain Kratz, who heads the Salvation Army Center in McKinney, said the need was urgent since the summer had pretty much drained their stock. Since last October, the center has provided assistance to more than 400 families in McKinney and with the busy summer behind them, it was urgent to replenish for future family needs.
The McKinney Lions Club, established in 1920, has a membership of some 80 community and business leaders that work together to give back to the community. Lion Danny recalls the recent support of some 13 handicapped children that the club sent to the Texas Lions Camp FREE of charge. The Lions are known nationally for their involvement in helping kids obtain eye exams and even eye glasses that they may not otherwise be able to afford. Fund raising events for these programs include the upcoming Hole In One Golf whereby the winner will win a 2008 Tahoe, compliments of Eldorado Motors.
The McKinney Lions Club is always looking for outstanding men and women to join in their community effort. For more information, go to www.mckinneynoonlions.org . Be a part of serving the community and feel good about yourself.
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For Immediate Release – July 9, 2007
Corporate Citizenship and Philanthropy
Case Study: Lions Club International Foundation
By Andrew Jack
Published: July 5 2007 09:23
It should be no surprise that an organizations funded by business people for business people is highly rated in a poll of business partners. Lions Club International Foundation ranks at the top.
One explanation for its popularity and influence is history. Ever since 1917, Lions clubs have been expanding across the US and around the world, bringing together business men and women committed to change their communities through fundraising programs and volunteering.
Another factor is the organization’s sheer size. Lions clubs claim 1.3m members in 200 countries – outranking Rotary, Kiwanis and other similar associations. That has allowed them to generate $56m in income a year.
“The fact that we have been able to stay around for a long time and continue to progress and raise millions of dollars is testament to what we do,” says Lisa Hellman, development manager for North America and Europe.
She also stresses the importance the organization gives to regular communication with its members, through magazines and its website, “to showcase where the money has gone”.
Lions Club’s predominant program focus – the fight against preventable blindness – dates to 1925, when Helen Keller, the early campaigner for the deaf and blind, addressed its convention in Ohio, challenging the Lions to become “knights of the blind in this crusade against darkness”.
In 1968, the year of her death, the Lions formally created the International Foundation, with a remit to help tackle global causes and more local challenges too big for individual clubs to take on alone.
The foundation’s first grant was $5,000 to address the consequences of flooding in 1972, and to date, it has given out $583m, becoming a significant international humanitarian organization. It is active in work with the elderly, homeless and children in crisis; youth development; disabilities; and disaster relief.
But blindness prevention remains the foundation’s principal focus, boosted by the launch of its Sight First program in 1990, which has spent $202m for 841 projects in 90 countries.
The money has provided 7.1m cataract operations, 80.5m treatments for river blindness, upgraded 325 eye centers and trained 305,000 ophthalmologists.
Much has been done in cooperation with corporate partners, including a 15-year link to Merck, the pharmaceutical company which donates its drug Mectizan for river blindness. Other important long-term links have been established with Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly and Allergan.
A more recent logistics partnership, the creation of Lions Clubs Lens Finishing Labs, allows Essilor to supply lenses and equipment at cost, train Lions Clubs members to make new glasses, and find customers to purchase recycled glasses.
Now it is in the process of raising $150m for Sight First II, a new program designed to help reduce the risk of preventable blindness rising from 37m to 74m people worldwide by 2020.
But Ms Hellman stresses that there is still room for improvement in its partnerships with companies. They have traditionally come to the foundation, which she wants to see taking a more active effort in establishing and fostering long-term links.
“Very often the benefits to our partners have been haphazard,” she says. “Now we are thinking more about branding and PR. We are looking at recognition events at our annual international convention, and trying to be a better steward and just a little bit more professional.”
The McKinney Lions Club, organized in 1920, participates in these programs through the efforts of some 80 members. For those interested in joining or learning more about the Lions Club, go to www.mckinneynoonlions.org . Weekly luncheons/meetings are held on Wednesdays at 12 noon at the El Dorado Country Club. Visitors are welcome.
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For Immediate Release - June 27, 2007
By Beth Shumate
Charles Ribble stands at a table in the banquet room at Eldorado Country Club. He greets members, takes money from them and counts tickets off a big roll. Somewhere in the middle of the room, Abbie Jouette walks from table to table, making sure everyone bought their tickets before the meeting starts.
Ribble, Jouette and the 80 or so other Lions meet every Wednesday for lunch and like other service organizations, they raise money for pet projects. The McKinney Lions Club is the oldest service organization in the city, having been chartered 87 years ago. Back at the front table a few minutes later, Jouette explains the tickets. “Half the money goes into our general fund to pay for camp for disabled children and to buy eyeglasses for disadvantaged kids in McKinney,” said Jouette, Lions immediate past president.
The Lions Club International, Jouette explains, was challenged by Helen Keller (in 1925) to help eradicate blindness. “This year, McKinney Lions have already spent $17,000 on eyeglasses for kids. Last year, we spent $24,000 on glasses,” Jouette said.
The group’s other pet project is Texas Lions Camp, a summer camp in Kerrville where children with physical disabilities, Type 1 diabetes and cancer can go free of charge. “They swim, they learn how to use bows and arrows, they do all kinds of regular camp activities. For one week, these kids are regular kids,” Jouette said. “And the diabetic camp works with the kids to educate them on establishing a healthy diet.”
The camp opened in 1949 and is funded by money raised by Lions Clubs throughout the state. The McKinney group holds events like its annual chili supper and this week’s ticket sale to help fund the camp and vision clinics.
“The winner gets the other half of the money [from the ticket sale],” said Ribble. “And we’re going to have lots of other winners today. Someone brought some McKinney Marshals T-shirts we’re going to give away, too.”
The “someone” who brought the T-shirts would be the Marshals themselves. A quick glance around the room reveals members of McKinney’s Texas Collegiate League baseball team sitting amongst the Lions, enjoying lunch and visiting. Also on-hand are Marshals' owner/president Mike Henneman, general manager Ray Ricchi and manager Kyle Hope.
“These Marshals are wonderful ambassadors for our city. They play here, then they go back home to their schools and they talk about McKinney,” Ricchi said. “And often after they graduate, they come back here to live and work.”
Tickets in hand, the members wait for a chance to win half the earnings from the ticket sales and Marshals’ T-shirts. Jouette walks among the tables, handing the microphone to players one at a time. Each tells his name, hometown, and team position then draws a ticket and reads the number. Ricchi and Hope throw T-shirts to excited winners.
Jouette announced a final piece of business before the group could adjourn – induction of new officers, as sworn-in by Barry Beeson. New officers include Pat Greever, president; Tracy Holcomb, first vice president; Danny Wolf, third vice president; Widge Proctor, secretary; Carolyn Lovell, treasurer; John Childers, Lion Tamer; and JoEllen Zabel, Tail Twister.
Tummies full of roast beef, au gratin potatoes, salad and cake, the Lions and their guests crowd around tables, laying out their T-shirts. Marshals’ players stop at the tables, Sharpies in hand, to autograph each shirt.
McKinney North High School 2004 grad Michael Gunter, who pitches for the McKinney Marshals, is among those signing shirts. “It’s good to be a [North] Bulldog and play baseball,” Gunter said. “I love playing here at home for the Marshals.”
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For Immediate Release – May 18, 2007
Lions’ Eye Clinic Receives Donation
McKINNEY, TEXAS (May 18, 2007) – McKinney Morning Pride Lions Club has received the donation of a retinal camera for its community eye clinic from Drs. Rudolf Churner and Sanjay Patel, local ophthalmologists. The camera, valued at over $20,000, is used to detect retinopathies – diseases of the retina – such as diabetic eye disease, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration,” says Dr. Paul Degenaer, local optometrist, member of the McKinney Morning Pride Lions Club, and a director of the board of the Organ and Eye Bank for the 2E2 District of Lions International. “This contribution will add important diagnostic capabilities to our clinic.”
McKinney Morning Pride Lions Club opened the eye clinic last year to serve members of our community with limited financial resources to manage health and eye care. The clinic is open once a week on Thursday mornings at 9 AM and sees patients by appointment. For a minimal fee, eye exams and eye glasses can be provided to Collin County resident. Lions Clubs throughout the area support the program by purchasing vouchers to distribute to individuals who cannot afford to pay the fee for the exam and eyeglasses.
Other supporters of this program include Medical Center of McKinney, who has donated space for the clinic in their Wysong campus building, and Lions International’s Organ and Eye Bank, who has provided the clinic with set-up equipment.
To learn more about 2E2 Lions Organ and Eye Bank – go to www.organandeye.org “If you are interested in serving the community and would like to be one of the proud members of the McKinney Noon Lions club, contact Barry at barrybeeson@tx.rr.com .
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For Immediate Release – June 12, 2007
Lions Sponsor Young Campers
McKINNEY, TEXAS (June 10, 2007) – The McKinney Lions Club provided a happy send off to 11 boys and girls as they departed McKinney on their way to Kerrville Texas for a week long camp for children from all over the state of Texas. The Lions club financially supports handicapped campers every year. The purpose is to create an atmosphere wherein campers will learn the “can do” philosophy and be allowed to achieve maximum personal growth and self-esteem.
The Texas Lions Camp offers exciting camp programs in an encouraging atmosphere that is designed to accommodate handicapped children of Texas. While at camp, children challenge themselves as they participate in activities such as arts and crafts, nature studies, field sports, horseback riding, swimming, and overnight camping. All of the activities are provided in a beautiful outdoor setting spanning hundreds of acres of hills and woodlands in The Texas Hill Country. The camp which began in 1949 has grown to serve over 1500 children each summer.
“For many of the kids we take to camp this year it is the first camp experience they will have. Most camps are not equipped and staffed to handle their special needs but this one is and it enables them to go have a fun, safe camp experience. The McKinney Lions Club is pleased to offer this wonderful service to the children in our community”, says Lion Club Camp Director Dan Strother.
The week long camp will reach a conclusion Friday night with an evening of celebration and awards. McKinney Lions Club, organized in 1920, is extremely active in supporting handicapped children. The club meets every Wednesday at noon at the Eldorado Country Club. If you are interested in becoming a Lion, visit our website at www.mckinneynoonlions.org or email barrybeeson@tx.rr.com .
Its an organization that will make you proud to serve……….
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