Maine Lions Club celebrates clubs, members at statewide event

AUGUSTA — Lions Club members from around the state came together on Sunday, June 12, at Buker Community Centera to celebrate their clubs and members’ achievements.
International Director John Youney kicked the event off with a presentation about the organization, and recognized clubs in which 100% of members donated $100 each to LCIF Lions year, including Skowhegan, Jay/Livermore Falls and Gardiner/Augusta.
Also recognized were Model Clubs, in which members have donated $500 or more per member to LCIF over the past five years. These included Bangor, Skowhegan, Falmouth, Jay/Livermore Falls, and Portland. Waterville also committed to becoming a Model Club.
Melvin Jones Fellows, who have donated $1,000 to LCIF for disaster relief or empowering services, the highest recognition LCIF gives out, including 31 members this year.
In total, those recognized impacted the lives of more than 12,700 people in need.
Three clubs qualified for a Community Impact Grant of $750 — Falmouth, Jay/Livermore Falls and Skowhegan.
John Kustron, of Massabesic Lions Club of Waterboro, presented the Mobility World Wide program, which donated hand-pedaled three-wheeled vehicles to those who have lost use of their legs at a cost of $350 each.
Kim Dunlap, Massabesic, presented the Project Recycle program, which collected and distributed to third world countries including 46,624 used eyeglasses, 325 hearing aids and 942 cellphones.
Michelle Crocker, Manchester, presented the Service Projects Award to the Massabesic Club.
Michelle Shores, Waterville, presented Stories That Warm the Heart, and introduced the first-place winner, Lion Louise Neuts, and told by Dawn Connelly.
Linda Deming, Freeport, presented a survey on Maine Lions donating to their communities. There were a wide range of donations from youth programs, hunger to community betterment.
Lyn Jellison, Jay/Livermore Falls, presented Maine Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation role in serving the public. The foundation partnering by giving grants and with the Lions clubs giving eyeglasses and hearing aids to those who qualify. The club has a hearing aid clinic about every three months and she say’s “it is very rewarding.”
Connie and Al Godfrey, Jay/Livermore Falls, presented the Vision Screening Program. The District Lions Clubs vision screened more than 5,000 children in Maine this year.
Neil Iverson, Stratton-Eustis, gave a presentation on membership.
Providing music were Paula Beach, Skowhegan; Regal Naseef and Gwen Bassinger, Falmouth; Jeff Woolston; Winthrop.
Clubs involved in the event were Bridgton, Camden, Clinton, Cumberland/North Yarmouth, Falmouth, Farmington, Freeport Lioness, Gardiner/Augusta, Jay/Livermore Falls, Manchester, Massabesic, New Portland, Oakland, Searsport, Searsport Bay Area, Skowhegan, Stratton-Eustis, Waterville, Westbrook, Winthrop and Yarmouth.
Lions Clubs International was formed in 1917 by Melvin Jones, a businessman who believed that clubs with caring people could serve the needs of their communities. LCIF has expanded to more than 200 countries and territories and 1.4 million members. It is a 501(c)3 foundation and has awarded more than $1.1 billion in grants to efforts addressing disaster relief, vision, diabetes, hunger, childhood cancer, youth, humanitarian causes and the environment.