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[ Hantsport & District | Lions International | Lions Foundation of Canada | LCIF | Lions Quest | Camp Lion Maxwell ] History of Hantsport & District Lions Club The Hantsport & District Lions Club was organized in the fall of 1983 with the efforts and assistance of PDG Buster Woodworth and sponsored by the Wolfville & District Lions Club. We were officially chartered in March 1984 with 25 Charter Members. Our Charter was presented to us on our Charter Night, Saturday, March 31st, 1984 by PDG Doug Adams. The Charter Members Were:
We are located in the beautiful Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, Canada. Our boundaries include the Town of Hantsport and the communities of Mt. Denson, Bishopville, Hants Border, Lockhartville, West Brooklyn and Avonport. Our philosophy is to bring together, in fellowship and common understanding, the ideas and energies of community minded individuals who wish to help those in need and to provide services which will help make our community a better place to live, work, play or go to school. A few of our fundraising and service activities include: Fundraising:
Service Activities:
History of Lions International The International Association of Lions Clubs began as the dream of a Chicago insurance man Melvin Jones, who wondered why local business clubs - he an active member of one - could not expand their horizons from purely business concerns to the betterment of their communities and the world at large. Jones' idea struck a chord within his own group, the Business Circle of Chicago, and they authorized him to explore his concept with similar organizations from around the United States. His efforts resulted in an organizational meeting at a local hotel on June 7th, 1917. The 12 men who gathered there overcame a natural sense of loyalty to their parent clubs, voted the "Association of Lions Clubs" into existence, and issue a call for a national convention to be held in Dallas, Texas, USA in October of the same year. Thirty-sex delegates representing 22 clubs from nine states heeded the call, approved the "Lions Clubs" designation, and elected Dr. William P. Woods of Indiana as their first president. Guiding force and founder Melvin Jones was named acting secretary. Thus began an association with Lionism that didn't end until his death in 1961. That first convention also began to define what Lionism was to become. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, the colors purple and gold approved and a start made on Lionism's Objectives and Code of Ethics. One of the objects was startling for an era that prided itself on mercenary individualism, and has remained one of the main tenets of Lionism ever since. "No Club", it reads, "shall hold out the financial betterment of its members as its object." Community leaders soon began to organize clubs through the United States, and the association became "international" with the formation of the Windsor, Ontario, Canada Lions Club in 1920. Clubs were later organized in China, Mexico, and Cuba. By 1927, membership stood at 60,000 in 1183 clubs. In 1935, Panama became home to the first Central American club, with the first South American club being organized in Columbia the following year. Lionism reached Australia in 1947 and Europe in 1948, as clubs were chartered in Sweden, Switzerland and France. In 1952 the first club was chartered in Japan. The International Association of Lions Clubs is today the largest service organization in the world with over 1.4 million members in more than 43,300 clubs in 714 Districts covering 182 counties and geographic areas. Lions Clubs are not social clubs, although there are social benefits to membership. Lions Club members give their time, skills and resources to raise funds for charitable giving both in their communities and internationally. The major focus of Lions fund raising activities is sight conservation, although other projects are pursed such as drug awareness programs in high schools, diabetes awareness programs and other programs that are specific to individual Clubs and Districts. Lions took up sight conservation as their major goal after a speech given by Helen Keller at the Lions International Convention held at Cedar Point, Ohio, in 1925. At that time, Helen Keller challenged the Lions to become the "Knights of the Blind", a challenge that has become a rallying cry for Lions projects around the world. Lions work in the area of sight conservation is carried out at many levels. Individual Clubs sponsor free eye screening programs using mobile eye clinics, in many countries. Clubs sponsor eye surgery camps where cataract surgeries are performed at no charge for those that can't afford this medical care. Many clubs collect eye glasses for distribution to the needy in other countries. The International Association of Lions Clubs is the largest non-governmental organization associated with the United Nations and was called upon by the United Nations and the World Health Organization to raise funds for an international program of sight conservation. It has been estimated that 40 million cases of curable and preventable blindness exist on this planet today. Without intervention, this is projected to become 80 million by the end of the decade. The International Association of Lions Clubs began a program of fund raising that they called "Campaign Sigh First" in order to cure/prevent 40 million cases of blindness worldwide. Over $148,600,000 have been raised by Lions all over the world fro this program. Eye hospitals are being built in the places that most need them. In India alone, over 300,000 cataract surgeries have been performed and that number is rapidly growing. Lions services to humanity range from purchasing eyeglasses for a child who's parents can't afford them to multimillion dollar programs to cure Blindness on a worldwide scale. The Lions International Headquarters is in Oak Brook, Illinois, USA. You can contact Lions Clubs International as follows: Lions
Clubs International Telephone: (603)
571-5466 History of Lions Foundation of Canada The Lions Foundation of Canada came into being in February 1983 when a group of Lions from across Canada met to consider ideas which would unite Lions from coast to coast behind a single project and provide a service which was sorely needed. The idea agreed upon was that of a dog guide school to assist visually handicapped Canadians. Since 1983, the lives of approximately 700-800 men, women and children from ages 8 to 84 have been enriched by the services of specially trained Dog Guides from the Lions Foundation of Canada. A renovated school in Oakville, Ontario houses the Lions Foundation of Canada and their national projects - Canine Vision Canada - Hearing Ear Dogs of Canada and Special Skills Dogs of Canada. Canine Vision Canada - created in 1985, this program trains Dog Guides to work with persons who are blind or visually disabled. The dogs used in this program are usually Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and Standard Poodles. A six month training program in addition to a 26 day period with the client evolves into a team ready to face street situations and ensures " They'll Never Walk Alone ". Hearing Ear Dogs of Canada - was created in 1988 to provide Dog Guides to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. This programs trains year old, small to medium sized dogs who are assessed for both medical reasons and temperament. These dogs also undergo a six month training program in addition to specialized training in the client's home. Fully trained, these dogs provide " Their Link To a World of Sound ". Special Skills Dogs of Canada - started in 1991 to train Guide Dogs for people with physical disabilities and/or medical conditions. These dogs are usually Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and Standard Poodles but on occasion, smaller breeds are trained depending on the needs of the client. Six to eight months of custom training along with a two week period together with the client establishes the bonding required to ensure " They'll Never Be Alone ". A major expansion in the early nineties, funded by members of the Lions family, interested individuals and corporations from across Canada provided a world class facility for the training of dog guides at no charge to the clients. A breeding facility was also constructed. Funding for the programs at the Foundation come from dog guide sponsorships, memorial donations, fellowships and from generous corporations and individuals across Canada. Specific projects such as the following also assist with raising the much needed funds: The Board of the Lions Foundation of Canada consists of a representative from each of the Provinces who serves a 3 year term. A Chairman is elected from the outgoing Directors in any given year. The day to day operation of the School is overseen by an Executive Director who reports directly to the Board and is responsible for approximately 50 employees. This Foundation is among the leaders in the world of providing assistance to the visually, hearing and physically impaired. For further information on the Lions Foundation of Canada or more details on their programs, please go to our links page and click on Lions Foundation of Canada..
The Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) serves as the vehicle by which large and small contributions of many Lions, Lions Clubs and Districts may bring about humanitarian achievement. The Lions Clubs International Foundation is a public, non-profit, tax-exempt corporation with headquarters in the United States. It's purpose is to promote human welfare by careful application of funds contributed to it. LCIF Objectives LCIF is Lions helping other Lions to serve humanity. It is concrete demonstration of the WE SERVE spirit and the motto of Lionism The major objectives of the foundation are: Major disaster
relief For further information on LCIF or more details on their programs, please go to our LINK page and click on LCIF. In 1983 the International Association of Lions Clubs voted to form a unique partnership with Quest International to develop and promote life skills programs for schools. Lions-Quest Canada represents the Canadian partnership between Lions Clubs International and Quest International. Lions Clubs International the largest service organization in the world, has provided major funding through its Foundation for the development of the Skills programs. Quest International reaches more than three million children each year, all over the world, with programs and services to promote positive youth development. Main Goals
What are the Lions-Quest Programs? Lions-Quest programs teach young people to develop positive social behaviours such as:
Lions-Quest Canada offers two kinds of Lion-Quest programs, Core program and Conflict Management program. The Core Lions-Quest programs promote personal and social skills and include -
The Conflict Management programs focus on teaching strategies for dealing with conflict and include -
For further information
on Lions Quest or more details on their programs, please go to our links
page and click on Lions-Quest Canada. Camp Lion Maxwell, for children with diabetes ages 7 - 12 years, is sponsored by the Lions Clubs of Nova Scotia. It is located in Pictou County, Nova Scotia at Scotian Glen Camp, which is owned and operated by the Salvation Army. Over the past 15 years, hundreds of children with diabetes have benefitted from an experience made possible through the generosity of the Lions Clubs of Nova Scotia. Camp Lion Maxwell, named in the honor of the late Lion Peter Maxwell from the Truro Lions Club, exists to provide an extraordinary camping experience for children with diabetes. This fun-filled, educational program has become well known for instilling new hope and independence in these children. It is our belief that the experiences the children at camp enable them to live longer and healthier lives. At Camp Lion Maxwell, youth establish confidence and a sense of security that help them manage their disease and develop a positive outlook on life, reducing the amount of serious complications later in life, such as adult blindness. Lions clubs have been the generous primary supporters of Camp Lion Maxwell for many years and as well additional funds are raised for camp through Canadian Diabetes Association branches in Nova Scotia.
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©2008 Hantsport & District Lions Club