Best Year of Market Days for Wimberley Lions

December 4^th, the Wimberley Lions Club had their sixth record month of 2010.  The market day operation took in $31,100, breaking the previous record for a December market by $10,000.

Wimberley Lions' Treasurer, Scott Brown says "2010 was remarkable year, never were so many records set.  Everyone deserves a pat on the back for all their hard work this year.  We made and served 15,000 meals, poured 61,000 drinks, parked 6,600 cars, day leased 493 booths, hauled 880 loads for shoppers and handled 469 annual booth holders.  Whew!!!"

LEOs Learn Lionism at Their State Convention

The Leos Club officers of Wimberley’s  Katherine Ann Porter School attended all three days of theMD2 State Leo Conference.    This was the 3^rd annual statewide Leos Conference.  Fifty attended the first, one hundred attended the second and around two hundred attended the November 12-14, 2010 conference in Austin.

The attendees from KAPS Leos were  Chaley Eseness, President; Franklin Demaree, Treasurer; Bonnie Gibson, Secretary, and Nick Richards, alternate Vice President.   Also attending the conference all day Saturday were nine Wimberley High School Leos and their advisor, Lion John Stark.

The Lions club advisors were ‘firmly’ advised by State Leo Chairperson Daisy Taylor to step back and allow the Leo’s Clubs to create their own visions. By the end of the conference, many advisors were awed and amazed by the creativity, energy, and boundless optimism of the Leos Clubs as they embraced their own variety of fellowship in community service.

Lion Daisy reminded Leos and Lions advisors  that fun must be a prime component in a Leos Club.  The opening night activities included pizza and swimming at the Embassy Suites Pool.  The Saturday sessions began with after opening with breakout  50 minute sessions of leadership training, plus charities round table.

Keynote speaker and Texas Leo of the Year, Aaron Beaman, explained how all Leos shared the qualities of Leo of the Year if encouraged to ‘go beyond their limits’.  The rest of the afternoon was a blend of cheerleading by individual Leo’s clubs as they boastfully shared stories about their service projects.  The cheering was interspersed by ticket drawings and tossing of Leos Frisbees and Chocolate Eyeballs.  Saturday evening included dinner at Dave and Busters plus $10 in tickets for the giant video game extravaganza.  The final event of the evening was a black light teen dance at the Embassy Suites ballroom.  All meals and activities were covered in the $50 conference admission fee.

The Sunday morning session, beginning at 9:00, was punctually attended by so many Leos Clubs and advisors that even though additional chairs were brought in, the back and sides of the room were filled with standing room only attendees.  Impromptu changes were required for this last session, but Lion Daisy made sure that the focus of the conference remained on the individual Leos Clubs and that each clubs attendees were called forward for pictures and recognition.

As adults we cannot teach this “fire of giving”, only open the pathway; but once the path is chosen freely it may be there for a lifetime.   Being an advisor at an event such as State Leo Conference is an opportunity to  open those pathways  and be inspired by the fountain of youth embodied in our Leos Club leaders.

Guest Contributor – Wimberley Lion Linnea Bailey 

Lion relies on her 3rd grade teaching skills to tame crowd

Wimberley Lions Field contains over 490 vendor booths leased to annual lease holders.  Usually, 10% to 15% of these Lease Holders have conflicts or are sick on a typical Market Day and are no shows.  The Wimberley Lions Club attempts to fill those vacancies with Day Renters.  Day Renters complete the market injecting new products and treasures.  Many become annual lease holders because of their day rental success.  This process is challenged during November and December.  Christmas is everyone's mind, the weather is pleasant, and the shoppers are plentiful.  The Wimberley High School Texan Cheer Leaders counted 10,500 shoppers and 1,000 vendors and volunteers on the field this last Saturday.

This November Market Day's inventory showed 38 empty booths and 105 vendors signed up online for day rental provided the challenge for Lion Rebecca  Stoian, Day Lease Manager.   This is where her 3rd grade school teaching experience comes in handy.  She gets the crowds attention.  She tells them they must fill out the rental form.  If they do not have their completed rental form and sales tax form in their hand, They go to the end of the line.  She makes them line up in the order the number they got off of the internet.  She gives each her undivided focus for a short amount of time and quickly dispatches them where they can set up their wares.  Because of the demand greater than the supply, Rebecca has information about locked booths with some room between the booth and street where someone can set up.  Even grassy knolls become vendor space.  She had labeled tables set up on the pavilion for vendors.

Rebecca is supported by both Lions and Volunteers. Pictured Lion Harold Hudnall and Volunteer Bill Brown of the Hill Country Community Band.  They are taking the rental fees, issuing passes, and giving the renters their parking and driving on the field instructions.  Volunteer Ann Rollings also helps in this area.  Booth inventory is accomplished by Lions Larry Thomas, Harold Hudnall, Frank Williams, Lane Hartsock, Dan Williams, Morris Haggerton, and Cris Criswell.  Most of the gate attendance is managed by Lions Linnea Bailey and Bob Pierce with their crew of great LEOs from Katherine Ann Porter School.  KAP LEOs are led by their President Chaley Esensee.  There is also the staffing of the late arrival call in phone from 5:45 until 7:30.  It all starts with Lion Annette Harrington staffing the Day Rental call in on Thursday.

Spending an average of  37 focused seconds for each of the 105 vendors, Lion Rebecca eliminated the crowd in slightly over an hour sending them out to have a wonderful day selling their wares and putting $4,505 into the Lion's coffers for field repair and donations.

Wimberley Lions Serve the Diabetes Camp

Thanks to Lion John Lyon, we have a report about the Wimberley Lions serving its first Diabetes Camp at The Texas Lions Camp.  


The event started with a gathering at Lions Field at 1PM. All food, equipment and supplies were organized by Lion Frank Williams. Lion's John Stark and John Lyon help to organized some LEO's. Once loaded up, we journeyed to Kerrville thru the Texas Hill country.   Lions John Estepp , Gene Germain, and Annette Harrington started cooking while Lion Frank got us organized for serving

Lion Starks set up tables for serving

The first wave of campers coming through. 

The long line that soon developed.

When all the campers and staff were served we counted only 15 Hot Dogs remaining.

Lion Annette lost a ear ring and about 10 volunteers started to look including Lions Don Campbell,Scott Brown,& Fred Carney.






















Lion Stan Luczkowski and Linda Germain serving diet drinks. 
















Not shown are Lions  Beverley Nesmith and her husband Bryan, John Lyon, Jerry Mackin, & Frank Williams.

"A Beacon of Hope" - A Wimberley Baseline in Community Service

At the first Cabinet meeting District Governor Mike Smith, in Aussie Costume, described “A Beacon Of Hope” A program that I fully endorse and I am excited to share with the lions of the district. This program will shine the light on clubs that develop a signature local service project. The Club’s project must be meaningful for the community and the membership as well.

This made me start to think - Some may think thats a stretch and I open my mouth before engaging brain...

What are the projects that are meaningful to the community?

• Market Days - This is the first thought.  But it is not just a glob of vendors out selling flea market goods.
• It funds Lions Charities with the Lion Share going to support the Texas Lions Camp.  Completing the 100 percent obligation for everyone of our forty years.  This year we hope to give over $9,000 to these efforts.
• In addition to Lion Charities Letters have gone out to 63 charity organizations to submit request for funds.  At least 75% will be funded at some level.  Some of this goes to school activities, river & creek water testing, other youth activities, historical preservation, four year scholarships, student exchange program, 
• Our LEO's learn community service working at Market Days and earn funds.  They then go through a similar process of evaluating service organizations to donate their money.
• Since it takes more people to run a Market Day than Lions, many of our funds recipients participate.  They become friends and some become Lions.
• The community gains from the extra sales in the shops, Bed & Breakfast Inns, and restaurants from the Thursday before through the Monday after Market Day. 
• Road Warriors - For a least ten years the Wimberley Lions have had two miles of adopt a Highway.  From just North of Woodcreek Entrance on Ranch Road 12 to South of the Exxon Station is cleaned the last Thursday of each month.  But, a little extra is done.  Depending on the number of Lions that show up,  extra roads are cleaned.
• Wimberley Lions join with the award winning "Keep Wimberley Beautiful" group each year for a Saturday Cleanup.  We fill a truck trailer sized garbage container each year with cleanup of roads all around Wimberley.  I remember one year a guy stopped his truck and took all of our full bags of trash.  We said we were going to haul it back to Lions Field.  He said if we could pick up the trash on his road, he could at least dispose of it. He was very appreciative.
• Wimberley has no large industry.  It has retired people, faculty from Texas State University, State & High tech commuters, construction contractors, shop owners & workers.  There is no traditional sources of donations. PEC and Brookeshire Brothers Grocery along with the banks are the biggest donors.  This void is filled by the Lions Club, the Civic Club, and the Wimberley Valley Art League.
• Cookout for Texas Lions Camp.  Every year the Wimberley Lions serves a cookout meal.  This meal has a high reputation at Texas Lions Camp.  Camper, counselors, staff, and their family come for a total of as much as 700.  This meal is not made by novices.  These Lions serve multiple thousands of vendors and customers each month.  They know what they are doing.  This Sunday, August 1st, Wimberley Lions will be serving a meal for Diabetic kids.  As the number of disabled kids decrease by medical breakthroughs, Type I diabetes has increased.  Camps are interlaced between disabled and diabetes kids are scheduled.  These kids learn the physical signs they must watch and how to react including administering their own shots and medicine.
• Finally, How does the community see the Wimberley Lions Club?  I can only say just after I became Club President, Lion John Lyon made me get up in the back of the that big Mobile Health Screening Truck to throw candy to the crowd with a couple of LEO's for the 4th of July Parade.  From the time the parade started to the very end, the crowd saw that big truck and trailer with the Lion Logo and us in our vest, the crowd got out of their chairs and applauded until we were out of site.  I have observed in parades since the same response for a Lions presence at the parade.  Similar reception is observed for the Mayor and Citizen of the year.  (They are often also Wimberley Lions)

We are a big and active organization.  Can we do more?  Should we do More?  If So what?  There is a section below this for you to add your comment on other things we do or should do.  Please add your comments.

Lion Mike Jones juggles many hats while serving!

x

x

x

x

Mike Jones is a busy Lion.  He serves two Lions Clubs.  Mike joined the Wimberley Lions Club even though it was some distance from his home at Canyon Lake.  He reliably works parking lot number 1 starting at 6:00 a.m. every Market Day.  Mike is also a founding member of the Canyon Lake North Shore Lions Club founded last fall.  He is actively involved with that club.  He has sponsored five kids for this summer's Texas Lions Camp, four from Mountain Valley Middle School and one from Rebecca Creek Elementary. 


Mike is a prostate cancer survivor and is sponsoring a fishing tournament to fund prostate cancer education.  The information is below.  If you can't participate in the tournament, consider going to the fish fry.


See you there!

Canyon Lake, TX Fishing Tournament

Fish Fry

Fish fry will begin at 3 pm at Little Jacob’s Creek Park.  The fish fry is open to the public.  All are welcome to stop in and get a plate.  Asking for a $10 donation per plate of Fish, Fries, coleslaw and water/tea/coffee.

Raffle

Raffle tickets will be sold on site for prizes.  Some of the raffle prizes include:

Aviation Academy New Braunfels Introductory Flight in a Cessna 172

Veracity Aviation New Braunfels Helicopter ride over Canyon Lake

The Tackle Box Rod & Reel

Guided fishing trips

Mike Jones $100 Walmart Gift card

Tournament Details:

Launch site and weigh in for the tournament will be from Little Jacob’s Creek Park.  This is an open team tournament with $100 entry fee per team.  Which includes beg bass fee of $10 per team.  60% of entry fee will be given as prize money paying a minimum of 3 places.  The other 40%will be donated to the US Too Prostate Education.

Tournament is a shotgun start at 6 am with final weigh in at 3 pm.  Results and prizes for tournament awarded at the Fish Fry benefit, beginning at 3 pm – Little Jacob’s Creek Park, Canyon Lake, TX.

Consolation prizes will be drawn for non-placers.

For additional information call 830-935-3414 or email travis@canyontacklbox.com  or come by the Tackle Box!

Not all donations are reported as donations

The Wimberley Lions Club is proud of its accomplishments in how it has donated so much money in its 40 year history.  But, not all donations are are run through the books as a donation.  When an organization ask for a donation where the Lions Club has no budget, often a vacant booth is offered to the organization so they can earn funds with their own fund raising effort with the booth.  Nearly every Market Day, there is one or two organizations asking for a pro bono location to sell raffle tickets, cookbooks, or tickets.

This last Market Day, an unusual request was received.  Kathleen Buhanan faced with hospital expenses for one of her sons that she was unable to pay ask for a small spot to draw Caricatures.  We had fun posing and helping her get some funds.  Here you see our Lion Boss.

Then there was the famous Past District Governor Dave Slider drumming up business for this talented artist.

And is her drawing of the author, yours truly.


If you are looking for that unique gift for someone you can contact Kathleen at her website www.artisticgrip.com

Lion of the Year Nomination is Special

Each year at this time, members of the club who has been honored by being awarded Lion of the Year gather.  They look over the roster and select members who they think have contributed much to club service that they should be recognized as a Lion of the Year.  This is a fairly easy task since so many Lions do so much.  The difficulty of this tasks come in bringing the number of nominations down to just a few.  The really hard job is left to the club members to select one of these well deserving Lions as the LOY recipient.  This task is so difficult because each has done so much but in different ways.  Like they say with the Academy Awards, its the nomination that counts.

Annette Harrington is a true dynamo for the Club, bringing her highly developed skills as a writer, organizer, and meeting facilitator to the many committees with which she is involved. She facilitates every meeting of the Market Day (MD) Management Committee. She planned and organized every facet of the “$3 million Celebration” Meeting last November that brought us international recognition. She chairs the MD Promotion Committee, and has been appointed to the position of MD Publicity Manager. Annette continues to serve as an Ambassador, organizes our MD Directories, writes every MD Vendor Newsletter, assists with annual booth leasing, manages the matrix for the Donation Committee, and serves as our Tail Twister. Most of all, Annette brings a high level of energy, enthusiasm, and willingness to take on the “hard stuff” with every project.

Beverly Nesmith has been a Lion since joining in 2005. This year, as First Vice President, she has shown great leadership in chairing the Donations Committee and the Nomination Committee. She also serves on the Membership, Scholarship, Special Events and Ambassador Committee and is a valuable contributor on each one. Bev is also a Concession Manager at Concession 6 with all of the related responsibilities for that position. She serves as an Ambassador where she visits 40 vendors each month. Bev has contributed her own time and talents in providing graphics and Lion banners for Market Days when they are needed. She will become our Club President in July and exemplifies the Lion’s motto “We Serve” by doing anything asked of her with absolutely no hesitation.

Billy Broyles after moving to Wimberley, delivered for “Meals on Wheels” for several year before joining the Wimberley Lions. Billy joined about 5 years ago, and started helping then Lion Freddie Jordan with the Lion Tamer duties of setting up and putting away the meeting paraphernalia. For the last two years he has been our Lion Tamer, he is the backbone of our membership meetings. He serves on the Board and also manages all three of the parking lots at Lions Field. He is responsible for staffing from pre- dawn till 4PM, collecting money, and checking on the welfare of his workers. Billy serves on the Special Events Committee and has been an Ambassador for Market Days for 2 years. Billy puts a lot of time and energy in his jobs.

Jerry Mackin has been a member since 1997. During that time he has been an active member and head manager at BBQ (serving area). As Concession Manger, Jerry has organized the running, scheduling of the serving area as well as customer service. Jerry has served on the Long Range Planning Committee, Lion’s Development, as well as Donations Committee. Jerry serviced many years on the MHSU Board of Directors as well as being the Chairman for 2 years.  Jerry has helped to organize our yearly trips to the Texas Lions Camp in Kerrville. Last year he received the Life Membership to that same camp.  Jerry has shown loyalty and consistency to make the BBQ a very profitable concession.

Lion Larry Thomas awarded Outstanding Lion!

A well deserved Lion Statue went to the Larry and Carol Thomas home.  Larry has been a Lion since 1997 working at Market Days at various tasks, increasing membership on the Membership committee, and preparing for special event activities.

Larry retired in 1996 from a career in Real Estate Mortgage & Investing where he fulfilled the position of President/CEO of a Division of Henry S. Miller, Equity Management Corp, and Falcon Group.  Larry and his wife of 45 years, Carol, have three grown children all with successful professions.

Larry has had tough time with his health.  A stroke forced him into an early retirement and have plagued him since.  He is recovering nicely from his last stroke and we are all looking forward to his regular attendance at meetings and work at Market Days.

Looking back and how we have come so far

 Patrick Cox spoke to our club March 2, Texas Independence Day.  He shared some of the history of the Wimberley Lions Club. This allowed us to enjoy some of the early days that many of us lacked first hand experience.  Pat joined the Wimberley Lions in 1975 and became President of the club in 1979.  This was when the Wimberley Lions Club was celebrating its tenth year in existence.  The club had already accomplished much.  It had successfully moved the Market Days from the square to the first portion of Lions Field.  The concession (now known as # 1)  had been built. The pavilion was being erected but the Bar-B-Que was out in the open.  The bonds individual Lions had purchased were being retired or donated back to the club.  1979 was the first year the club gave a scholarship and sponsored a foreign exchange student.

One of the biggest problems then as is now, how to raise the needed donation funds and to equitably distribute them to the overwhelming needs of the community.  Even then, there were Lions lobbying for their favorite for emergency services, youth & education, and community services like the library.   Then as it is now, Texas Lions Camp is high on the list of funding priorities.  This photo shows Jim McCronklin and Dr. Bill Daniels presenting cowboy boots to a foreign exchange student from Germany.  Bill Daniels later became a District Governor and is a member of the San Marcos Noon Lions Club.  Bill will be inducted into the Texas Lions Hall of Fame this June at the State Convention.

This photo is of Bob Gweynn, Edne Mitchell, and Pat Cox.  Bob was one of the long time backbones of the Wimberley Lions and Edne was the volunteer librarian along with many other civic activities.

Pat mentioned that while he has served on the Board of many organizations, his first experiences on a Board of Directors was with the Wimberley Lions Club.  He learned from that experience.

Dr. Patrick Cox will be discussing his latest book Come to Order: How the Texas Speaker Became a Power in State and National Politics in Wimberley at WIC's May 10 lecture series.  He is Associate Director of the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at UT Austin and a member of the Board of Directors of the Perdernales Electric Coop.

Tail Twisting Exceeds Expectations!

The Tail Twister duties are to promote fellowship, fun and laughter, encourage good feelings, life and enthusiasm in the meetings. They shall impose and collect the fines at the meetings.  Much of the success of the meetings will depend upon the Tail Twister’s resourcefulness in , making the members forget, for a time at least, their business and any worries they may have.  The Tail Twister will break down any reserve which might exist, and draw the members together in closer friendship.

Lion Annette Harrington performs all of these duties while bringing new twists to each meeting.  She gets audience participation with skits or contests that are often germane to current holidays.

Here are Lion Russel Cox and Lion John Estepp in a contest with their buzzers to punch when they think they know the answer.  The prizes are authenticated by the famous phrase "As Seen On TV"

Annette and Lion Scott have lived in Wimberley since 1999.   Annette grew up in Baytown and graduated from, what was then, Southwest Texas State, now Texas State.  Her work has been mostly in sales and marketing.  

With the boys out of the nest, Scott and she are owned by two miniature schnauzers, Ruffles and Miss Lucy Brown. Miss Lucy was bought (illegally) at Market Day in November 2008. Annette was sent to deal with a day renter selling puppies and she solved the problem by buying the last one!

Lion Pioneer Kaye Cook passed away

One of the last Charter Members of the Wimberley Lioness Club passes away.  Kaye worked on Lion projects with her husband, Lion James. when women were not permitted in Lions.  Past District Governor Dave Slider presided over the Wimberley Lioness Club Charter Night during his term as District Governor in 1985.  Kaye was one of its leaders.  Lion Kaye continued her leadership role as the Lioness club merged with the Wimberley Lions Club.  Kaye worked on the Donations Committee and wrote the club newsletter for many years.  Kaye was recognized by her club by her Outstanding Lion Award, Life Membership of Texas Lions Camp, and being named a Melvin Jones Fellow.

Kaye did not restrict her volunteering to the Lions, she worked with the Crisis Bread Basket as a volunteer, a recruiter of volunteers, and as a member of their Board of Directors.  Kaye was an active member of the Chapel of the Hills Church and served on its Benevolent Committee.