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November 2007 (Click Here for Newsletter Archives) From the Desk of District Governor Jim Merritt Hello Again Fellow Lions. I have been visiting many clubs this month, and I am so impressed with the good job you are doing, and I know there are even better things to come! Since Thanksgiving is fast approaching I want to thank all of the Lions of District 2X2 for allowing me the honor of serving as your District Governor. It has been a terrific, fast paced year so far. We are in well into the new Lion year, and I’m hoping the new club officers are getting used to their jobs and feeling comfortable and excited as we look to the future. As I have met with you, I have seen first hand all the worthwhile projects you all working on. Please remind your Club Secretary to put down on the Activity Sheet what you accomplish each month. Also, I must remind Secretaries to file their monthly Membership Report. These are vital reports to our District and also to International. If your club has not paid its dues, this must also be addressed by the Club President and Club Treasurer. Our Cabinet Meeting in January is still going to focus on our Texas Lions Camp Walk. I’m hoping you all have begun to add names to your list of sponsors to walk, and are checking out some corporate sponsors. Lions, let’s make this upcoming walk a tremendous success for our District and most importantly of all, for our Campers. They deserve our best efforts. I also wish to mention the passing of another great Lion. PDG Jim Williams passed away the early part of this month. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends – He will be missed! Both Lion Linda and I wish each and every one of you a very Happy Thanksgiving! Remember We Serve! Yours In Lionism, DG Jim Remember to Pay Your Dues This is a reminder to all clubs that have NOT paid their dues. Please be sure you have your dues paid in full by the end of December. Statements for January to June will be coming out soon. There will be some important items your club will want to vote on during the District Convention. However, you will NOT be able to vote if your club is not up to date on all of its dues --International, District and Camp. Quips and Quotes This month is Veterans Month. Lion Mary and I have had 3 children involved with this new war. One is a Marine, one in the Navy, and one in the Air Force. We thank God for their safe return. Found this article that I had stored, and thought you might find a few things interesting to you that you can remember. If any of you have been to a Military Funeral in which taps was played; this brings out a new meaning of it. We in the United States have all heard the haunting music to the song, "Taps". It's the song that gives us that lump in our throats and usually tears in our eyes. But, do you know the story behind the song? If not, I think you will be interested in learning of its humble beginning. Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Efficombe was with his men near Harrison’s Landing in Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land. During the night, Captain Efficombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the battle field. Not knowing if he was Union or a Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention. Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment. When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead. The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly with shock he learned that it was his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army. The following day, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial, despite his enemy status. His request was only partially granted. The Captain wanted a group of Army band members to play a funeral dirge for his son. The request was denied, since the soldier was a Confederate. Out of respect for the father they could give him one musician. The Captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of notes that he found on a piece of paper in the pocket of his son's uniform. This wish was granted. The haunting melody, we now know as "Taps" used at military funerals was born. The words are, "Day is done. Gone the sun. From the Lakes. From the hills. From the sky. All is well. Safely rest. God is nigh. Fading light. Dims the sight. And a star. Gems the sky. Gleaming bright. From afar. Drawing nigh. Falls the night. Thanks and praise. For our days. Neath the sun. Neath the Stars. Neath the Sky. As we go. This we know. God is nigh. Now you have seen all the words, two verses of them and you now know the history of the song. Let us all remember those lost and harmed while serving our Country May We Never Forget. VDG LION JOHN SAMPLES Time to get out and take those nature pictures Anything in nature is acceptable. NO people. Send your picture to Lion Nancy (nancyv43@yahoo.com) by January 15. Let’s beat last year’s entries of 12! An Area for Service The Veterans of Bonham are in need of the following items: Phone cards Postage stamps Tennis shoes in all sizes Shower shoes in all sizes Blue jeans in all sizes 2X, 3X, and 4X long sleeve shirts Coats Cordless headphones Pocket radios CD/Tape players Batteries (AA/AAA/C/D) SD cards Hand held pocket games Volunteers Harmonicas Jump ropes Bingo machine Golf balls If you or your club would like to help, see Lion Jackie Childress. New Members The following is a list of new members for District 2X2 for the month of October: Leslie Smith - Bogata David Talbott - Bogata Allie Dukes - Canton Stephanie Hanks-Wynne - Canton Felix Lugo-Adams - Canton Felicia Green - Canton Barbara Vaught - Detroit Richard Ross - Gladewater Randy Larpenteur - Grand Saline Jamie Sugg - Henderson Terry Giddens - Hughes Springs Paul Boggs - Longview William Strathern - Paris Ronald Segers, Jr. - Waskom District Calendar Of Events November 17 - Turkey Shoot, Cypress Springs 10:00-4:00 November 15 - Deadline to submit Peace Poster December 11 - Christmas Party - Wake Village and Nash December 19 - Deadline to register for Camp Walk December 30 - Deadline for 2-X2 Hall of Fame nominations January 15 - Environmental Photo Essay deadline January 19 - Mid-Winter, Pittsburg January 19 - Camp Walk, Pittsburg Have your Club's events listed here: email Lion April McCright at aprilm128@aol.com District 2X2 Obituary Lion Neal Brooks, Charter President - Edgewood Lion Leon Slaughter - Edgewood Lion Gordon Barlow - Edgewood Lion Phil Bird - Jefferson Lion H. R. Slack - Marshall PDG Jim Williams - Marshall Lion Martin Foye - Pittsburg Lion Howard Skelton - Tyler Lion Ronald Seber - Tyler New Members The following is a list of new members for District 2X2 for the month of Setpember: Sandra Crow - Bogata Jonathon Smith - Bogata Stephen Dunklin - Chapel Hill DeBorah Bankston - Gladewater Lana Niemann - Gladewater Jerry Shive - Gladewater Michael Bell - Henderson Gerry Haverland - Henderson Brian Kasper - Judson Adrienne Myers - Judson William Castelman - Linden William Elliott - Marshall Sandra Hyde - Marshall William Power - Marshall Gordon Downie, MD - Mt. Pleasant Rosa Cuence, MD - Mt. Pleasant Scott Peebles - Ore City Jack Gunnells - Ore City Clint Hardeman - Pittsburg A Word From Immediate Past International President Lion Jimmy Ross 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 Diego area) 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 .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 committed 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. The following Clubs are 100% to Lions World Services for the Blind: Atlanta Bogata Canton Chapel Hill Cypress Springs Daingerfield Dodd City Edgewood Gladewater Hallsville Hawkins Henderson Jefferson (200%) Judson Marshall Mar-Tex Mineola Mt. Pleasant Nash New Boston Noon New Boston Evening Ore City Paris Pittsburg Sulphur Springs Tyler Wake Village White Oak Windom Winnsboro Yantis-Lake Fork The following Clubs are 100% to Leader Dog for the Blind: Atlanta Bogata Canton Chapel Hill Cypress Springs Daingerfield Dodd City Edgewood Gladewater Hallsville Hawkins Henderson Jefferson (200%) Judson Marshall Mar-Tex Mineola Mt. Pleasant Nash New Boston Noon New Boston Evening Ore City Paris Pittsburg Sulphur Springs Tyler Wake Village White Oak Windom Winnsboro Yantis-Lake Fork The following Clubs are 100% to the Texas Lions Camp: Bogata Canton Chapel Hill Cypress Springs Daingerfield Dodd City Edgewood Gladewater Hallsville Hawkins Henderson Jefferson (200%) Judson Kilgore Lindale Marshall Mineola Mt. Pleasant Nash New Boston Noon New Boston Evening Ore City Pittsburg Spring Hill Sulphur Springs Tyler Tyler Rose Wake Village White Oak Windom Winnsboro Yantis-Lake Fork The following Clubs are 100% to Texas Lions Foundation: Bogata Canton Chapel Hill Cypress Springs Daingerfield Dodd City Edgewood Gladewater Hallsville Hawkins Henderson Jefferson (200%) Judson Marshall Mar-Tex Mineola Mt. Pleasant Nash New Boston Noon New Boston Evening Ore City Paris Pittsburg Sulphur Springs Tyler Wake Village White Oak Windom Winnsboro Yantis-Lake Fork Get your Pins! District and State pins are now available. The cost is $4.00 a piece or $7.00 for the pair. See Gov. Jim to purchase them.