Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach is carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 1,600 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad.
Omar’s Dream Run is in its 7th year, and like in the past few years, it was held at Hellyer Park in South San Jose. Our club provided extra tables and support for financial transactions. Lions Eli, Ron, Jeff and Mike looked after the hauling back and forth of tables and chairs, while Lion Al and Barb took care of the financial side. Lion Claire participated with her two girls, and all 3 got a medal! Way to go!
As usual the event was amazingly well organized with dozens of young students volunteering with the elaborate set up. Lion Al estimates that around $ 50k were donated to the cause – which will provide learning tools, like computers, to young hospitalized students who can follow their classes from their hospital beds. As last year, Lion Claire’s friend Portia sent a little note and posted a few photos, too:
Hello! Here are some pictures of my niece and her classmate Coral, who Omar’s Dream sponsored after we connected them after the run last year! She is in remission 🎉❤️ and receiving maintenance chemo treatment. Her parents are both active military and they are being transferred to Columbus, OH soon, so we were so lucky to get to run with her this year!
More details to come
On October 17th, our second LINUS blanketeering night this year took off at our usual location, the Odd Fellow Hall in Cupertino. Lions Leslye and Joan, as well as Lions Jenni and Carl had been shopping for approx. 50 pieces of fleece which were waiting on two tables to be turned into cuddly blankets for little human beings. About a dozen adults, lions and friends, a LEO from Monta Vista, and almost a dozen of kids, including brownies, were busy cutting and knotting fringes. After ringing the bell, the kids took the ready blankets to Sharon (our rep from the LINUS organization) and she as well as one of her friends did final quality control before attaching labels. Lion Leslye had provided refreshments which were gratefully accepted by young and old. Apart from a few blankets which still needed knots to be tied, about 45 blankets were completed within 2 hours. Thanks to all participants and to Lion Don for once again letting us use the big practical hall.
A report and pictures of the event will be posted here shortly
Karl Goeltner, a Junior at Monta Vista High School, was awarded first place at the Cupertino DeAnza Lions Club, 2018 Student Speaker Contest. Karl Goeltner was one of 3 high school students participating from the
Fremont Union High School District who took part in the event held at the Odd Fellows Lodge in Cupertino.
The topic was “Integrity and Civility Play What Role in Today’s Society”. The other finalists were Tiffany Liu from Cupertino High and Neha Palvai from Lynbrook High. This was the 81st year that the Lions Student Speaker Contest was being held.
As a winner, Karl will advance to the Zone level competition, which will take place on March 08th, 2018, at the same location.
According to the rules from Lions International, the winner at each level can advance through Region, District, Area, and the Final Contests. The venue for this year’s final contest will be announced soon. The Grand Winner will be awarded a $10,000 scholarship although accumulated winnings at each level will amount to $20,000 in scholarships and some cash.
Please come and join us on Thursday, March 8th, 2018, at 6:30pm at the Odd Fellows Lodge # 70 in Cupertino to support our winning student Karl when he competes against at least 2 other students from other clubs in our district.
It was with considerable apprehension that our club prepared for the 22nd Crab Feed. It had taken a lot of time and investigative efforts to find and secure a new location that would fit our needs. Crab Feed co-chairs Lions Al and Steve, together with other major players, finally agreed on Saint Lawrence the Martyr Community center in Santa Clara. Everything seemed to check out, including the rental cost of the hall. Lion Carl liked the kitchen facilities, with one major drawback: the dishwashing unit was not working. Still – the decision was made, and it turned out to be a good one!
Ticket sales were lagging a bit – maybe because there were doubts that fresh crab would be available; maybe the ticket price seemed to be high (although prices were the same as last year); maybe because of the Superball weekend – we finally had a comfortable number (about 350) of guests in our two seatings and all of them liked the additional space for seating and moving around.
With the help of a lot of fellow lions, Rotarians, LEOs, friends and family members as well as the indispensable crew from the Santa Clara Fish Market Restaurant, we continued the tradition of putting on a spectacular feast for seafood lovers. While the approximately 50 LEOs from Monta Vista High school served the usual fare of salad, spaghetti with pasta sauce, garlic bread and crab, all freshly prepared by Kitchen master Lion Carl and his crew as well as Lion Jim and the Fish Market team, the Thrown Together Jazz Band played at their best on the elevated stage. Lions Steve and Ellen had solicited raffle and silent auction prizes worth over $ 7,000.00. Guests in both seatings were keenly buying raffle tickets from 3 LEOs (Joel J, Tom Z and Suraj G) who went tirelessly around the tables LEOs, while all silent auction items were purchased.
MCs Lions Claire and Jen led through the evening with relevant announcements; they also supervised the kids drawing the winning raffle tickets. The keys for the treasure chest were managed by Dave Zirkel, one of our loyal helpers from the Sunnyvale Rotarians.
The overall feedback has been very positive – people commented on the space, the excellent service of the LEOs (other crab feed events serve buffet-style and people have to stand in line), the plentiful supplies of everything, including lemons, butter and of course crab, as well as the happy atmosphere. We will attempt to get the same venue for next year’s event, hopefully on a date which does not coincide with Super Bowl weekend.
A roaring Thank You to all of our guests, sponsors and contributors!
We also want to thank all of our volunteers, Dave Zirkel (our loyal Rotarian) LEOs, the Fish Market, the Band, Lions and their family members and friends for working to make this fundraising event a huge success.
A few days ago, Lion Prez Jeff received a couple of emails and photos from our Lions Club partners in Ambikanagar
For the past 10 years, we have been financially supporting eye clinics in this part of the world, and are being kept up to date by Lion Dr Byacod.
Here are two reports, one from Lion Dr Byacod, and one from Lion Prof Umesh Patil
Dear Lion Jeff Ludlum
Good morning. We are fine here. We conducted free eye camp in Dandeli. 242 pts [patients] attended the camp. 62 pts were selected for surgery. 42 pts were chosen. All the pts were operated. All the pts recovery was fine. Our Lion Prof U S Patil has already sent your photos to your mail. Convey our regards to all the members
Lion Dr Byakod
Respected Sir
Lion JEFF LUDLUM, SIR LION DR. BYAKOD HAS ASKED TO PASS THIS MAIL
I AM MJF LION UMESH PATIL FROM AMBIKANAGAR DANDELI LIONS CLUB
I AM SENDINDIG REPORT OF FREE EYE CAMP HELD AT GOVT HOSPITAL DANDELI ON 11TH NOV 2017.
WE HAD ORTHOPEDIC CAMP ALSO SAME DAY.
280 REG FOR EYE CAMP, 62 SELECTED FOR FREE CATARACT OPERATION, 180 REG FOR ORTHOPEDIC CAMP; 6 OPERATED FREELY
THANK YOU
FROM MJF LION UMESH PATIL
MIG 03 AMBEWADI DANDELI, TA. HALIYALDIST KARWR
KARNATAKA. INDIA 581325 –MOB 09448034882
Needless to say we are pleased to help with our financial contribution to make these events successful.
On October 26th the De Anza Lions held their 8th Project Linus Blanketeering event! We welcomed members, new and old, friends, relatives plus Brownies and Girl Scouts. The evening began with a short explanation of how Project Linus began and grew and then, scissors poised, we launched into making 59 blankets.
Once adults got down to business measuring, pinning and cutting, Brownies and Girl Scouts waited to hear the call to come tie knots. When a blanket was completed, the proud Blanketeer would walk up to the front table, sign his or her personal card before it was tied to the blanket and then he or she would ring the big ole cowbell to announce its completion. The process worked like a well-oiled machine and the results were fantastic. We began our work at 6:30pm and all the fleeces were converted into blankets by 8:45pm, a record-setting experience. Thank you to all who were able to help make this a success!!
Making cozy, fuzzy blankets from a 1½-yard piece of fleece is a terrific experience and every one of us felt the warmth of community as we worked to complete our task. Our members should be proud that they belong to a Club that provides an opportunity for community service like Project Linus (for more information, visit www.projectlinus.org). There were actually had more community “visitors” attending the Blanketeering night than we had members this time. It would be wonderful if more De Anza Lions members could take the time to join us and experience our next event. As our flyer says,
“IT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL ALL WARM AND FUZZY INSIDE AND OUT!”
Contributed by Lion Leslye Noone
It will make for a Happy Thanksgiving Weekend for 167 Families in the Community!