"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.