The Official Licensees of Lions Clubs International are now posted on the Club Supplies Store. You may access this information by going to www.lionsclubs.org, clicking on "Lions Store" on the left side of the screen and then on "Official Licensees" on the left side of the Club Supplies Store home page.

Official licensees are authorized to sell items with the Lions logo as noted on the Official Licensees web page. Please visit this page often as we will be adding more licensees in the near future.

Please e-mail  clubsupplies@lionsclubs.org if you have any questions.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Anthony Holowicki, Division Manager

Club Supplies and Distribution Division

                                                                                                                                                                                        From Lion International President  Mahendra Amarasuriya
Dear Club Officers:
 
Best wishes and Happy New Year to you and your Lions club!
The beginning of a new calendar year is an opportunity to reflect on the previous year’s accomplishments and look ahead to the opportunities we will have in the months ahead. By far, the greatest of these opportunities is Campaign SightFirst II (CSFII).  What we have accomplished together thus far is remarkable. Over the last three years, Lions worldwide have raised more than US$130 million toward our US$150 million CSFII minimum goal, an amazing feat. These funds will provide sight to approximately 22 million people in danger of losing their sight to the scourges of preventable blindness. But before we celebrate our accomplishments to date, we must realize that the sight of millions more individuals hangs in the balance. Now, we have just six months to exceed this minimum goal and strive toward our challenge goal of providing “Vision for All.” Only through the continued efforts of Lions worldwide will we save 37 million people’s sight. Throughout this year, we have addressed the “Challenge to Change” in a variety of ways. How will your club’s actions through CSFII in the next six months change the lives of individuals who otherwise face a life of blindness? This January, I challenge you and your club to be a part of CSFII’s success. Since the SightFirst program can save one’s sight for an average of US$6, every Lions club has the power to change lives. Consider if each Lion in your club was dedicated to saving the sight of 30 people in the next six months. If each Lion personally committed to saving the sight of at least 30 people, CSFII would surpass its minimum goal and millions of individuals would have their vision restored or saved. As a club officer, you have the task of leading your club in this effort. Whether your club members have not yet participated in CSFII, or have raised or pledged some funds, or even if they have already done much for CSFII, I ask you to consider what more you can do to bring the miracle of sight to millions around the world. I have every confidence that your actions and conviction during the final six months of CSFII will inspire your club members to accept the “Challenge to Change,” whether they are saving the sight of 30, 300, 3,000 people or many, many more!

Sincerely,
Lion Mahendra Amarasuriya
International President
The International Association of Lions Clubs

Four ways to save sight and accept CSFII’s Challenge to Change:

·        The Power of 30
Each Lion in your club can save the sight of 30 by personally committing US$180 to CSFII

·        Accept the Model Club Challenge

Become one of CSFII’s 3,000 Model Clubs or Progressive Model Clubs by June 2008

·        Honor Lions and Honor Sight

Designate a Melvin Jones Fellowship to CSFII

·        Share SightFirst’s Vision with Your Club

Order copies of the “Faces of SightFirst” and “Year of CSFII” DVDs

LINKS USED:

http://www.lions-csfii.org

http://www.lions-csfii.org/live/content/pdfs/lionmag_01_2008.pdf

http://www.lions-csfii.org/live/content/sightfirst_program.shtml

http://www.lions-csfii.org/live/content/model_clubs.shtml

http://www.lions-csfii.org/live/content/mjfs_en.shtml

http://www.lions-csfii.org/live/content/sightfirst_stories.shtml

 

Click here for the Lions Clubs International privacy policy:

http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/pdfs/lionsclubs_privacy_policy.pdf

Lions Clubs International, 300 W. 22nd Street , Oak Brook , IL 60523-8842 USA







[]

JIMMY M. ROSS

PAST INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT

2007-2008 LCIF CHAIRPERSON

Dear Lion Ferrentino:

I would like to update you on recent news in LCIF. I ask that you share this information with your club and district to help promote LCIF.

LCIF, Lions Respond to California Wildfires
LCIF is working with Lions leaders in Southern California to help victims of the California wildfires. A total of US$45,000 in emergency grants and relief funding has been approved to date. Sixteen fires across the southern part of the state have destroyed more than 1,300 homes and more than 500,000 residents have evacuated.Lions in Districts 4-L6 (San Diegoarea) and 4-L5 have mobilized their emergency response team. Lions in District4-L6 have also set up an online message board for those able to offer assistance or ideas. LCIF continues to work with Lions in southern California to assess the situation and determine a course of action. An LCIF designated account has been established for those wishing to donate to the relief efforts. For updated information, continue to visit our Web site.

Year of Campaign SightFirst II
Programs like SightFirst have made Lions the international leaders in the fight against blindness. Together, we have saved or restored sight to more than 27 million people and improved the vision treatment for hundreds of millions of individuals. Several of these individuals' stories are included in two new DVDs, The Faces of SightFirst and The Year of CSFII. Copies are available free of charge to inspire your club to continue our legacy of saving sight.
Today, thousands of Lions are doing just that through their personal donations and club fund raising for Campaign SightFirstII (CSFII). During The Year of CSFII, help achieve President Amarasuriya's 2007-2008 Challenge of 350,000 MJFs worldwide. Like an MJF, a Progressive MJF designated to CSFII has the power to save 166 individuals from blindness.

New SightFirst Publication
To promote the work of Lions and LCIF through the SightFirst program, a new publication titled ForSight has been created. Produced three times a year, ForSight is distributed to current and past international officers, partner organizations, technical advisors, SightFirst chairpersons and other supporters of SightFirst. The August and October issues can be viewed online.Future issues will be available in all official languages. This publication is especially valuable for those considering donating to Campaign SightFirst II.

Sri Lanka Hosts Lions World Sight Day
Lions clubs throughout the nation conducted vision screenings for more than 50,000 residents and distributed eyeglasses to those in need on October 7 to mark Lions World Sight Day. Lions also provided free cataract surgery for more than 1,500 people at the two Lions eye hospitals in the area. The surgeries were made possible through an LCIF SightFirst grant. Lions in Colombo, Sri Lanka, also took part in a march through the city's streets in support of Campaign SightFirst II and to promote healthy vision. A seminar on childhood blindness and press conference were also held.

Lions launched World Sight Day, now its in 10th year, to recognize the importance of eradicating preventable blindness around the world. Lions clubs around the world held local activities on World Sight Day to educate their communities about the need to preserve sight.

Key Partnerships for Lions Quest
The U.S. State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs awarded LCIF a second 5-year US$1.255 million sub-contract to provide teacher training and curriculum support for Lions Quest drug prevention in schools in Russia for the first time, as well as expanding current Lions Quest programming in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine.

Lions Clubs International has joined the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) as a sustaining member and partner to enhance the work of local communities and help youth resist alcohol and other drugs. Lions will support their mission to build stronger capacity for anti-drug efforts through the 5,000 commnict coalitions nationwide.

Grants Awarded at the October Board Meeting
More than US$3.48 million in grants were approved at the October 2007 LCIF Board Meeting. A total of 52 grants were awarded to Lions clubs all over the world to assist many humanitarian projects. This includes a grant for US$1 million to continue the Special Olympics-Lions Clubs International partnership. Through the partnership more than 100,000 Special Olympics athletes have had their vision screened and 44,000 athletes have received glasses or sport goggles. The deadline to apply for Standard, Core 4 and IAG grants for review at the next board meeting is January 18.

Holiday Giving Ideas
This holiday season, give a gift to the world with your gift to LCIF. Your gift of stock, property, will bequest or monetary donation will help LCIF continue to fulfill its mission worldwide.

NEW: Donations by credit card can now be made online. Consider making a gift in another's name to recognize a family member or fellow Lion this holiday season.

Effective through December 31, 2007 (in the US), if you have a traditional or Roth individual retirement account (IRA) and are 70.5 or older, you can now exclude from your taxable income distributions of up to $100,000 per year that are made to LCIF. Contact the LCIF Development Department (lcifdevelopment@lionsclubs.org) for more information on the various types of annuities offered by LCIF, the IRA rollover, or gifts of property or stock.

I thank you for your continued support and dedication to LCIF. Also, I'll be soon sending a message about recent efforts in fighting the pandemic flu.

Serving Through LCIF,


Jimmy M.Ross