Md 34
District 34N
Grove Hill Lions Club

July 1, a new year begins. A year of planning. A year of projects. A year of comradery. A year of helping. A year of serving. A year of being a Lion.

In July and August, committees are set, chairmen named, projects discussed, priorities finalized and off we go with a $300. donation to the Boy Scouts.

September 6 finds us at the Health Fair for the Grove Hill Memorial Hospital, cooking an grinning. We donated over 40 man hours and brought in over $400., all of which went into the Hospital Auxillary coffers.

We barely have enough time to catch our breath before the brand spanking new (that's southern colloquialism, y'all) Alabama Lions Sight Trailer arrives on 9/22 and stays through 9/25. The eyes of over 500 kids are examined at 3 schools in Grove Hill, 1 school in Coffeeville and kids from the Clarke County Assoc. of Home Schoolers. Our reward? Just look at some of the smiling faces! Over 40% of these kids are referred for further follow-up. We work closely with the school nurses and will assist financially were needed. In addition to donating well over 100 man hours to this worthy cause, we contributed over $1,000. to Alabama sight funds.

The sight bus is an annual event for us and has enabled us to introduce our young adults into the Lions world of serving. We work with the Beta Clubs of the local high schools, utilizing the sponsors recommended members to help with the eye exams. They get a firsthand look at what we do and the world of voluntarism.

Sandwiched in between these projects, on 9/22, we opt to contribute $500. to the local library for new books. Over 30 books were purchased and labeled as donated by the Grove Hill Lions Club.

After a busy September, it is time to relax, discus new projects, finish up old business and enjoy the comradery of the membership. Our final meeting of 2003 is our annual Christmas Diner held on 12/8/03. The food was delicious, the company fantastic.

Back to serving in January with a $500. donation to the local Child Advocacy Center, a home for abused and neglected children, a $50. donation to the Clarke County Mental Health Center, a donation for the purchase of 2 bricks for the Moody "Miracle Field" baseball field for the handicapped. One to be inscribed with the club's name and one to be inscribed in the memory of Dick Knight, a longtime, avid member. Then a $500. donation to Camp Seale Harris here in Alabama. This is a camp for diabetic kids.

Our big project starts the end of February every year. Our lawn mower project. Every week-end, weather permitting, is spent seeking donations at various locations in the county. We need to acknowledge and "thank you" to those businesses that graciously allowed us to solicit in front of their establishments, Wal-Mart in Thomasville and Jackson, Food World in Jackson and here in Grove Hill, Greer's Food Tiger and Dollar General. See additional info on this project under announcements.

And that's the year that was as of May 22, 2004. And the rest of the year that was promises to be just, if not more, as exciting and inspiring. Our May 24th meeting will feature a presentation on the leader dog program and our two June meetings will be a business meeting and then - - and then - - Spouse Night and new officer installation with PIP Aubrey Green! on Tuesday June 22, 2004. How's that for a finish to a fantastic year in Lionism! and what a start to the year that is!