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Installation-Tailtwister-Charter ‘Night’ event – Great Celebration Picnic

On Sunday, July 17th, 2022, the DeAnza Lions celebrated a 3-in-1 event, organized in big parts by Lions Barbara and Al Knox, the new First VP/Secretary, and the new (and former) Treasurer respectively. It all happened at the picnic area in Memorial Park in Cupertino, where around 50 – 60 Lions with family members had gathered under shady canopies, enjoying a beautiful summer day and the company of fellow Lions. Lion Jeff, our outgoing president, addressed the club members a last time in his official function, thanking all for the last 9 years (and vice versa) before a catered lunch was served by 3 former girl scouts. After lunch Former District Governor Liz Crooke thanked the outgoing board members for their service and inducted the new president and his new ‘cabinet’.

Awards were presented to quite a few lions – congratulations!

Lion John, our new president for the next two Lion years, gave an overview over his ambitious plans for the club, with visitations to other clubs and invitation to speakers at our meetings already in full swing. Lion Prez John remarked after the event:

“A big Lions Roar to Barb Knox and her team for all the hard work in organizing the picnic.  We have a new team installed, congratulations to those who received their well-deserved awards and we really impressed Installing Officer, Liz Crooke (which is not easy).  Great Job, Barb and Al”.
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34th Charity Golf Classic – De Anza Golf Tournament was back, June 20th, 2022

The DeAnza Lions 34th Annual Golf Tournament held at Spring Valley Golf Course was a great success. We had two silver sponsors and there were about 50 golfers playing. Players started at the 10th thru 16th holes. A new opportunity was presented at the 10th hole. Golfers were asked to donate $5 per player to move from the tee box to the 150-yard marker where they would lie one shot. (That would be the equivalent of a 300+ yard drive.) A large percentage of golfers took the deal. Golf was followed by a great steak dinner. After dinner, prizes were awarded for the two best winning team scores (there was a tie), the best women’s team, the longest drives for men and women, the putting contest and the most honest score. We held a Silent Auction and raffle tickets were sold and drawn, as well. Several Lions were generous by volunteering their time to make the event possible.
This was the return of the event after a two-year absence due to Covid. It was a small tournament compared to previous tournaments we’ve held, but still a good fundraiser. We plan to build on this event next year.
Contributed by Lion Ray Lancon

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Vision Clinic in San Rafael – May 15, 2022

On May 15, Las Gallinas Lions Club held a Vision Clinic in San Rafael.  Three members of our Club volunteered, Leslye Noone, John Smith and new De Anza club member Trevor Newman.  We attended the second shift which was less busy than earlier in the day.  The clinic supported all needs of their clients: eye testing, detailed eye examination, diagnosis of vision issues, prescription of corrective lenses, issue of recycled glasses and provision of new glasses for unusual prescriptions.  Lions Eye Foundation was represented in case any clients needed subsequent procedures, cataract removal, for instance.  The organizer was Graham Forder, a member of Las Gallinas Club and a trustee of Lions in Sight, the organization that provided medical and technical volunteers.

Graham estimates that around 300 clients received attention that day, a figure that was a little disappointing to him as he had been assured by local health authorities that the figure would be nearer 400.  However, the event was a resounding success, and all clients were accepted regardless of financial means or immigrant status.  All treatment was provided free of charge and the eyeglasses issued were from the Multiple District 4 inventory.

Contributed by Lion Prez John Smith

PS: Our new Club Prez is planning a Vision Clinic early next year, 2023, in San Jose. Details will be communicated in due time.

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Project Linus – Feb 26, 2022

Dear Fellow Lions

This is a late report on one of our annual signature events – Project Linus Blanketeering!

Lion Leslye put a lot of thought and preparation into this event, which was held via Zoom, as in the previous year, on February 26, 2022,

You find more details in the attached report Lion les put together.

2022 March 2022 Project Linus Report Leslye

Delivering well over 100 lovingly made blankets for children in crisis situations is a rewarding moment – heartfelt thanks to all helpers!

 

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Highly Successful 40th Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive – 2021

During the weekend before Thanksgiving Cupertino De Anza Lions Club held their 40th Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.
This year the beneficiaries were 220 needy families with students in Trace, Hughes, Rosemary, and Empire Gardens Elementary Schools, YWCA, Second Harvest Food Bank and Farmworkers in the Watsonville area.
Prior to the event we published on social media, requesting donations and food.
We were delighted with the response that generated a significant amount of cash donations and many bags of food (see photo below)
Over the weekend and for delivery on Monday, November 22nd, a total of over 50 volunteers spent an estimated 400 hours soliciting donations, counting, packing, shopping, and delivering the food. In total we collected over $6,500.00 in cash and estimate we collected $14,000.00 in food donations.
The featured image at the top gives a visual of the size of the task.
One of the major benefits of this event is that we introduce non-Lions of all ages to experience the fun and satisfaction of public service.
Special thanks to the West San Jose-Campbell Lions Club, all volunteers and generous community donors who helped make this event such a success.

   

 

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Family BBQ Party – Aug 28th, 2021

The event took place with a limited amount of people – lots learned for next year’s event

Select your Tickets

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Linus – Blanketeering Event Sept 19, 2020 – ZOOM

BREAKING NEWS!

Our DeAnza Lions Club received a lovely “Certificate of Appreciation” from Project Linus for our contributions to this wonderful cause!

Project Linus Fall 2020

During this time of isolation, time seems to have come to a slow crawl. It was sad watching the calendar change while our Lion community was able to do less and less service. Trying to come up with a way to get us together and to serve, an idea came. Maybe we could try a Project Linus Zoom event. It could be a chance for us to see each other via Zoom outside of “a Club Meeting” where we could chat and make a blanket for children in need. Community and community service! Most of our Club members have seen and participated in a Blanketeering evening at least once over the last ten years so it seemed a comfortable and natural way to go.

The process was old and new. We gathered the fleece during a Labor Day 60% sale and got a teacher to Joann Fabrics with her ID so our discount could be even greater. We were able to purchase 73 fleeces within our budget. We figured out a way to make a kit filled with almost all the necessary items to send home to participants, observing the COVID 19 recommendations of no contact. Then things changed dramatically! A Club member and Girl Scout Troop leader reached out to her troop, another troop and her elementary school and invited them to join us in this community service project. All organizations said yes. When the sign-up deadline arrived, we had 60 new people signed up to participate with us. We had to go back to Joann’s to buy 40 more pieces of fleece in order to fit the need. (Expenses were covered by the other organizations so DAL could stay within our annual budget.)

Event day arrived on September 19th. More than twenty onlookers were signed on (14 of whom were Scouts and students!) as we proceeded to make our blankets. Lion Leslye tried to provide some guidance and answer questions as we all followed the instructions provided by Project Linus. Then Blanketeers began announcing that they had completed their blankets!! With every announcement, the cowbell was rung to keep up the DAL tradition set by young, future-Lion, Eli Erickson a few years back. (I don’t know if online participants could hear it but it was pretty noisy at the house as the bell rang recognizing everyone’s success.) We were online for about two hours and we got great, positive feedback from those who completed the survey we sent out (what a huge relief!).

The greatest news is that we delivered 114 blankets to Project Linus! We should all be so excited. This is the most Cupertino DAL has ever donated after one Blanketeering event and it is all because of you all for having trust in the vision and wanting to be a part of community service once more. We also have to give a special shout-out to Lion Claire who had the foresight to reach out and include the perfect organizations to partner with us in this project. By the way, our blankets will most likely be going to local fire victims so we should also be proud knowing we might have been able to help our little neighbors in need if only with a warm, fuzzy blanket.

 

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Putting For Pups – Sept 4th, 2020 – Golf Tournament for CCI

Dear Fellow Lions –

The “Canine Companions for Independence” (CCI) Gold Classic tournament took place on Friday, September 4th, 2020 – at the Cinnabar Hills Golf Club in San Jose!

Lion Les was busy participating at the online auction, but was sadly out-bid in the items she was interested in. We are waiting for a full report from the event.

In the meantime a speaker for CCI will join our PM zoom meeting on October 7. Details will be communicated via email

 

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Student Speaker Contest – MD-4 contest held Aug 21

Student Speakers Contest Finals August 21 at 6:00pm
This is the time reserved to hear all 4 finalists in the MD-4 Governors Scholarship contest. The time reserved is for 6:00 pm on Friday. Several of the students may be on the zoom meeting as well.
The winner will be announced on Sunday when the winning video is played. PDG Kevin Patel has arranged this video presentation for us. Thank you Kevin! I hope you all can make this zoom meeting.
This post will be updated when the results are available

 

 

 

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Work Days at Via West – May 15 & 16, 2020

As usual Lion Bill (soon to be 94 years old) led the way to our work party on Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16 at the “Via West Campus”. On Friday, he arrived early in his big truck, accompanied by his son Patrick and lugging 2 lawn movers, starting work even before anybody else showed up. By 9:00AM a handful of other DeAnza Lions arrived and received instructions from Rick, the leader at the Camp. Lions Joan and Dagi focused on pulling weeds around Building 11 and the 4 huge flower boxes in front of the house. Lion Bill and his son, Lions Al, Ray and Ron went through a lot of meadows, cutting grass, trying to avoid huge rocks hidden underneath.
On Saturday Lion Prez Jeff joined the grass cutting team in the hills, also clearing a fallen tree from the road to the upper areas, while Lions Joan and Dagi continued clearing the weeds around another abode, also planting some lilies and succulent plants Lion Joan had brought from her own garden.
The team finished the day by moving chemical barrels into the hazmat storage area.
Lion Prez Jeff summed it up: “A few Lions, a few hours, a couple days, good work once again”.