The parking area at Honwanji Mission in Lihue started filling up more than an hour before the Memorial Services for Lion PDG George Toyofuku on September 28. An estimated 300 people attended, not just from Kaua‘i, but from the entire state, to say farewell to PDG George who passed away September 20.

Among those representing a variety of constituencies and communities were more than 50 Lions who gathered for the Lions Memorial Service at 3 p.m. Organized by PDG John Uyeno, the service was attended by 28 East Kaua‘i Lions, members of every club in the region, and a number of D50 Lions Dignitaries. Beginning at 2 pm, Lions took 5-minute terms, 2 by 2, standing as honor guard with the Lions banner for the next hour.

During the impressive service, every Lion had a word of praise and memory for PDG George before making the appropriate presentation. PID Phil Sterker led in the Lions Pledge. PDG Roy Nishida read the eulogy (which had been written by Lion Juan Ochoco in the Philippines). DG Shannon Ching read and presented the D50 resolution. Region Chair Kelvin Moniz and PID Mel Nakamura followed with the memorial plaque and International Lions Pin to CIS Elsie. EKLC President Wayne Shimizu presented the American flag and EKLC Vice President Diane Kent led in the Buddhist Meditation. The Lions Service closed with all Lions singing “Aloha Oe” as led by Donald Quon (Koloa LC), Malcolm Tam (West Kauai LC), and Shizu Hashimoto (Kapaa LC).

In the gathering time before and after the service, every Lion in attendance seemed to have a “Lion George story,” which captured the essence of a dedicated Lion who greatly challenged and influenced all in attendance. In an interview for The Garden Island News, East Kauai Lion Norman Akita said, in part, that “[PDG George] wanted to make things happen in a positive and productive way.” PDG Roy Nishida, in the same interview, said that PDG George was a forceful leader whose leadership style was always to “talk story” to get things done, because he really was “the kind of leader that makes things happen.” (Photo left, PDG George and Region II Chair Donald Yamato)

PDG George was well-known in the state and political arenas as State Senator (1971-82), after having served previously in the state house and the county Board of Supervisors. By order of Gov. Linda Lingle, flags at state and county buildings were to fly at half-staff in honor of PDG George. Her proclamation, and the testimony of many who worked and served with him, indicated that he was one of those individuals that truly “made a difference” in all his endeavors for the community he loved. (Story & Photos by PDG Paul Steinfort - East Kauai Lions Club pictured right)

In addition to PDG Paul's article, Lion John Ochoco has provided the Eulogy given to PDG George. You can view it here.

...In Memory

One I’ll Remember from Lion George Toyofuku   I was asked to take on a task in District 50, so I gave Lion George a call to get his take on things. I figured on picking his brains because during the time I served as Cabinet Secretary when he was District Governor, I discovered that there was more to Lion George than I had ever thought, that he really was a man of great wisdom and depth. I said on the phone, “George, what do you think . . . .” and I gave him some updates. He offered a couple of things, and before hanging up, said, “Ochoco, just make sure you keep talking story on this, because if you don’t, you’re going to look behind and nobody’s going to be following you.” Sometimes I think I know how to do things, but Lion George had a way of making something look stupid if you didn’t do it right.

A Moment with Lion George Toyofuku   I accompanied then-District Governor Lion George Toyofuku on his Club visitions as his Cabinet Secretary when I could. As always, he was the featured speaker. DG’s who spoke to us at EKLC shared Lions information, extolled the history and accomplishments of our Club, and injected us with moments of inspiration. All good stuff. When Lion George spoke, he went to war. First he gave his thing on Lionism and the Clubs’ role in their communities. Then he hit the Clubs with their problems, simply calling an ace of spades an ace of spades, and offered what they could do to move ahead. He was able to do this because he’d call the respective Club Presidents and talk story to perceive what problems existed in their Clubs. At left, (Leaders pictured in attendance) After one of his visitations, a stalwart of the Club said, “Man, George, just like you were talking straight at me!” Lion George, laughing in his inimitable way, said, “Gotta wear the shoe where it fits, eh? I only said what I had to say. This is a good Club, and it can be a great.” To me, Lion George was an amazing man. He saw his DG year as a fleeting moment in which to do important things importantly. Not a single day went by that he didn’t do DG things. He was determined to make his time to count. He had an urgent sense of mission. He minced no words and pulled no punches in his drive to make a difference. I’m blessed for having been associated with him. Lion George was Lion George, and I’m a better man for it. He made a difference. (Story & Photos by John Ochoco - East Kauai Lions Club pictured above right). Below, Lions gathered outside the Chapel after Lion PDG George's service. Rest in Peace...

For some, holding elected office is about politics. For others, such as Lihu‘e resident George Toyofuku, it was a way to serve the public.

Past District Governor (1999-2000) George Toyofuku, 78, died Saturday September 20, after a lifetime devoted to community service spanning county and state government and more than 50 years with Lions Club International at the local and Hawai‘i levels. You can read the complete article at the Kauai Garden Isle News, and more info from the Honolulu Star Bulletin. Honorary Kamehameha Lion Governor Linda Lingle ordered the state flags to fly at half mast until sunset on September 28. (snippet by Blake Jones - The Garden Island and photo from the Honolulu Star Bulletin, both used without permission)

It was a beautiful morning in Hilo on September 27 with no rain from the night before - a perfect day to paint the parking lot lines at Hilo High School. 11 Lions from Hilo Lions Club and 15 Leos from Hilo High School participated in a joint project to paint the stalls. With overcast sky the volunteers painted for four hours.

This is one of several joint projects. The teachers and students will be surprised when they return to school on Monday. The parking lot is beautiful! The Leo advisors are Ms. Kristeen Roberts and Mr. Calvin Pitoy and the Leo Liaison is Lion Shirley Ito. Visit this link to the Photo Gallery. (Story and Photos by George Ito - District Photographer)

CIS Priscilla and I had the privilege of attending the 32nd USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan from September 18 – 20. The theme of the forum was “Everyday Heroes Performing Miracles Through Service”.

The forum was very inspirational and informative, with outstanding guest speakers, and over 50 breakout sessions covering a wide range of topics. It truly reinforced our commitment to Lionism on a world wide scale. Lions International President, Al Brandell, gave an outstanding talk about the beginning of Lions Clubs in China, as well as the work that they are doing in helping the earthquake victims. He proudly pointed out that Sight First II exceeded its goal of $150 million and will be able to prevent blindness in even more areas of the world.

All of the speakers were inspiring and entertaining, talking about topics such as the Lions Foundation of Canada which sponsors guide dog training, the Lions of England who provided post-natal health care in Bosnia, and the ability to face challenges and persevere in the face of difficulties. Topics such as positive attitude, community service, and caring for others were emphasized in all of the talks.

What really impressed me was the obvious commitment to service from all of the more than 2200 attendees, but particularly the commitment from the Lions International Leadership – the International officers and Board of Directors. In all of the large group and breakout presentations there was continual reference to the various service projects performed by local clubs throughout North America and the World, some large, some small. It reinforced my belief that the Heart of Lionism is in the local club helping their community in whatever project is needed. Projects that were referred to ranged from delivery of food baskets to the needy to helping the earthquake victims in China. One of the larger Lions projects is the Canadian National Institute for the Blind which is sponsored by the Lions Clubs of Canada, and was headed by an executive director who is a Lion and totally blind.

The breakout sessions covered a wide range of topics such as “Getting a Grip on Grants”, “Lions and the Law”, convention planning, ideas for conducting installation and induction ceremonies, and many, many more. There were breakout sessions for club officers – Presidents, vice-presidents, secretaries, treasurers, tail-twister, and more. Pictured at left, flag ceremony and posting of the colors.

The forum held at Prairieland Park (click on Prairieland Park sign for an aerial view of the complex) was open to all Lions to attend, not just the DG, VDG, and high level officials. Every Lion would be inspired and motivated by attending this annual forum. The 2009 forum will be held in Memphis, Tennessee; 2010 in Milwaukee; 2011 in Anchorage; and 2012 in Tampa Bay, Florida. I encourage all Lions to attend at least one of these excellent forums! (Story by VDG Alan Garson). Here are a few more pictures of the event.

The 32nd Annual USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum “Miracles Through Service” convened in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada from September 18 to 20. Lions converged to Canada’s heartland, Saskatoon, a city 187 miles north of the US border, above Montana/North Dakota. This “City of Bridges” is situated on the banks of the Saskatchewan River and is named after the Cree indigenous berry “mis-sask-qua-toomia.” Today the heritage of the native peoples continues to flourish in contemporary Saskatoon. At the Opening Session, the Native people shared their culture via story, language, dress, dance, and music with the audience. It is said, the drum connects the peoples through time and place.

At the forum, Hawaii’s own International Director Maurice Kahawaii and his companion in service, Lani, were part of the leadership core. Some days were extremely long for ID Maurice: one of his days started with a meeting at 5:30 am, with his last meeting ending passed midnight. By the way, ID Maurice did us proud singing with the Lions Chorus; the chorus performed at the Saturday luncheon. The contingents from Hawaii were special guests at ID Kahawaii’s table (second row and center of the stage) at the luncheons as well as the dinner banquets. (Pictured above right: Native peoples share their songs and dance at the opening ceremony.)

By the way, did you know that PDG Sei Toda holds one of Hawaii’s longevity records for attending the USA/Canada forum? Although he isn’t part of the “magnificent seven” who attended all 32 forums, this was PDG Sei’s 14th conference, and he already signed up for next year’s forum. PDG Sei was accompanied to Canada by CIS, Doris. DG Shannon Ching and Lion June were also in Saskatoon as were VDG Alan Garson and CIS Priscilla. Everyone attended seminars of interest, i.e., a blind educator, Beverly Berger of Lions Foundation of Canada/Dog Guides, presented “Disabilities and How to Relate to People with Disabilities”, won praises from the Todas. DG Shannon was inspired by the “LCIF Preschool Vision Screening Project” while Lion June was motivated by ID Dr. Patti Hill and PDG Marie Grosso at the seminar, “Women in Leadership Roles.” VDG Alan and Priscilla are on their way with “The Year of Planning and Preparation as a Vice District Governor” with VP Eberhard Wirfs providing the tone for next year. The Garsons also gained pertinent insights at the “Lions and the Law” seminar: What does your club need to know about the law? DG Shannon, in addition to Fundraising and Lions Club accounting by club treasurers, attended IP Al Brandel’s “District Governors…Are Not Just Paid Dinner Guests” where Lion Al shared his leadership vision with the District Governors. All the sessions reminded Lions to strengthen their clubs foundation while promoting Lions to be “Everyday Heroes” by creating “Miracles through Service.” (Pictured above left: PDG Sei Toda, CIS Doris; ID Maurice Kahawaii, DG Shannon Ching, VDG Alan Garson)

The “Miracles through Service” theme was reinforced by the guest speakers at the forum’s luncheons and dinner banquets: David Okerlund – award winning speaker, best selling author; Yvonne Camus – Eco-Challenge, world champion; President Al – our present Lion visionary; and Corry Collins – motivational speaker who over came a life threatening virus. The diverse experiences and style of each of the speakers found commonality in their unique commitment to make a difference in the lives of others. We were very motivated by the achievements of each individual, Lions and non-Lions. These speakers were extraordinary. (Pictured to the right: International President Al Brandel is the keyspeaker at the Saturday luncheon.  He reiterates the importance of being everyday heroes in creating "Miracles Through Service.")

Next year’s forum, September 24 to 26, 2009, will be in Memphis Tennessee. If you haven’t been to a USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum, or if you haven’t been to one in a while, you might want to consider attending the 33rd forum. Besides the educational seminars, and the motivational speakers, Memphis promises to be a time to Rock and Roll. (Story & Photos by District Governor Shannon Ching)

Super job by co-chairs Stan and Cecelia. Thanks to Stan, we got all the publicity that we could handle. Not only did we have coverage in the Windward area, but also island wide. There was a lot of interest and a whole bunch of phone calls were responded to.

Our thanks to District Exec Secretary PID Merv for providing a listing of used eyeglass drop off points so that those aside from the Windward residents could find a location to drop off their used eyeglasses.

Things started off slow at the Pali Lions eyeglass cleaning on Saturday, September 20th at the St. Anthony School. Hardworking co-chair, Cecelia was there early on to set up the site so that cleaning could begin at 8:00 a.m. Prexy Ben Baniaga and Lions David Kunioka, Clarence Izuo, Bob Hiramatsu, Dan Motohiro assisted along with new member Garret Kamei and potential member, Linda Kuhn. Most of the eyeglasses collected prior to Saturday, were cleaned and packed by 10:00 a.m. Since the cleaning was completed, some of the volunteers left to perform other chores. The remaining volunteers were surprised to find that there were a lot of people who responded to the article and brought their used eyeglasses to St. Anthony School. A steady stream of used eyeglasses were received until noon. It was almost 1:00 p.m. when Cecelia completed her cleanup of the area used to clean the glasses.

Prexy Ben Baniaga zipped over to Zippys when there was a lull in the cleaning to get the remaining volunteers some lunch. The Zip Pacs really hit the spot after a pretty hectic morning. (pictured at right holding a bag of glasses with the attached Honolulu Advertiser Article that ran earlier in the week)

There were 630 used eyeglasses cleaned and packed. The boxes of cleaned eyeglasses will be transported to Pacific Transfer where it will be housed with the used eyeglasses of other clubs in District 50. (Story by Dan Motohiro - Finance Committee Chair, Photos by Clarence Izuo)

It was a great girls day out for 5,000 women on Sept. 6 and 7 at the “6th Annual Hawaii Woman Expo – An Event of Spirit Wellness and Style” at the Neal Blaisdell Center! Mahalo to all the women in Lions who helped at the booth co-sponsored by the new District 50 Lions Family and Women’s Membership Development Committee and community partner Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii, the Hawaii Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America. Hardworking women Lions plus potential members and friends from Hawaii Kai Lions, Wahiawa Lions, Honolulu Lions, Waikiki 2000 and Aloha Pono staffed a booth all weekend while we had fun distributing information ("Families that volunteer together, grow together" brochure, "I Am a Lion" - Women's Brochure, and "Lions Make a Difference") on women in Lions, “Your Family Can Make a Difference” brochure, parenting tips and family activities. We even had surprise visits by District Governor Shannon Ching, and famous wrestlers from Japan. Visit our photo gallery and check out our photos of the event.

Most importantly, Lion Kahiwa Chung helped put together a Hawaii Lions Community Survey that all our volunteers asked women to answer about their ideas, comments and opinions on issues affecting Women and Families including how can the Hawaii Lions help to improve the community. Over 150 women filled out the surveys and we are collating all this information. We will publish the information in the future on the District 50 Lions website to help Lions plan future activities when we find out the most important issues facing women and families today as described in the surveys.

(D50 Webmaster sidenote per Rene Mansho - Expo attendee Barbara Bruer was invited to join the Wahiawa Lions Club. She attended their meeting on Sept. 17th, worked at the Wahiawa Extreme Make-Over Project on Sept. 20th and will be inducted in October. Pictured to the left in green)

Again, a great big mahalo to CIS Aki Leu, members Peggy Toyama and Clara Ozaki from the Hawaii Kai Lions, Rene Mansho, Lani Varde, Alice Vierra from Wahiawa Lions, Kay Chong, Denise Werle and Miu Lan Oman from Aloha Pono Lions, Aloha Pono volunteer Quin Murphy, June Ching from Waikiki 2000, and Donna Tamasese from Honolulu Lions. (Story by Aileen Deese - Family & Women's Membership Development Chair, Photos by Region 2 Zone 2 Chair Rene Mansho and CIS June Ching)

On September 17th, he Aiea Lions Club with the help of Pearl City Lions Club and the students of the Pacific Buddhist Academy painted over graffiti, cleaned the huge bell and scrubbed the plaques that describes its history and messages for peace. The large log 'hammer' will be hung in place for the kickoff peace commemoration ceremonies for Peace Day Hawaii 2008.

The bell, as well as bells of churches, temples and other places of worship will join together to ring their bells at 9 a.m. Sunday, Sept 21, for one minute. Anyone who attends the ceremony will be able to ring the bell.

All the Peace Day events are free and will be held at the Hawaii Convention Center in Waikiki (forum on school bullying at noon, talks on peace topics at 1 p.m. and a celebration ceremony at 3 p.m. that will include a candlelight vigil, a taiko performance, hula dancers and videos. View the photos of the service project. (Story & Photos by Paul Kudo - District 50 Photographer)

(D50 Webmaster sidenote - In addition, the Honolulu Star Bulletin got word of this news, check out Mary Adamski's article, Click on this link . Good reading including mention of the now gone Pearl Harbor Lions, a great legacy that has passed to fellow clubs. Another quickie bite, when one Lions club helps another, it's always good etiquette to follow up with a thank you letter, like this one from Aiea Lions Secretary Wendell Hosea. Also, this story has been updated with the Peace Day 2008 Ceremony. Check out the additional photos.)

On Saturday, September 13, 2008 Region 1 Zone 1 sponsored a Zone Social at the Hanapepe Recreational Center. Zone Chair Lion Charles Ortiz with the help of members from West Kauai Lions Club sponsored a very successful Social. All Clubs in Region 1 Zone 1 attended. The evening started with each Club individually meeting with DG Lion Shannon Ching. (D50 Webmaster sidenote - DG Shannon was a busy guy; earlier in the day, he was at the Region IV Forum. As soon as pau, he flew out to Kauai). Continuing with an opening ceremony, dinner which was delicious, lots of socialization, and a great program. After dinner and a great speech by DG Lion Shannon there was a lucky number drawing and silent auction. See the pictures of Lions, Companion in Service, and family members who attended the Social. (Story & Photos by Eric Nordmeier - Information Technology Committee Chair)

Better late than never! I had this collection of photos and story on deck at the time I launched the revamped D50 Website. Back then, it was a challenge to juggle maintaining the old site, implementing the new, and dealing with the tons of Lion email that landed in my direction after the reigns were passed to me. Phew! Anyway, this article got tabled until now...

Gonna git a lit-o side tract... For the past several years, I participated in the Great Aloha Run. It's actually walking fast as I can in an effort to beat 2 hours. Carole Kai has been a generous sponsor to my Superman808.com website over the past years. She handed me a bunch of entries that I could pass out to my "peeps" (my OTHER list that has 1000+ people).

Something was wierd in the air cuz this is the only time I would see CK, and in a 9 day period, I've been around her 4x and with her hubby Eddie 3x at different events. Well, the first 2 times were GAR related (the Run AND the Expo at the Blaisdell). The Friday following, she and Eddie were at the "Get Down Tonight II" Hawaii Bone Marrow Donor Fundraising Dance Party. Two days later, we were at Lulu's for the Farewell of UH Football Head Coach June Jones. Lastly, the next Tuesday, Eddie was cruising with us at the Christmas in February Party at Cheers Bar & Grill. Woah, STUCK just like glue. So now, you have a little back-story that goes with this article.

At 5am, I got my butt up to head on over to Downtown. Catching the city bus to the staging area was convenient. After the drop off, I made my way to the starting line and did my Photobug thing. 13,757 participants covered Ala Moana Boulevard. Take a look at the pictures and see the mass of people! During the run, I've switched up on cameras and used my handheld point-and-shoot, check out those photos during the actual run/walk. I did double duty that day, as a participant AND a Lion. Right now, this story seems like ME, ME, ME...but wait!! I'll let go now and deliver the Lion's share...

During the course, I came across several Pearl City Lions under the viaduct taking care of the trash. A good sign of servicing the community, especially for this fundraiser! However the Holy Grail...the chunk of Lions, were waiting at the end of the run...a fast paced-walk that I finished in 2 hours 11 minutes and 2 seconds. It says so right here. One thing came to mind when I crossed that line...MY FEET HURT!! Dragging 300+ pounds of carc-ass across 8+ miles is not an easy thing to do. It's time to lay off those Mickey-D Double Cheeseburgers...

OK, so I'm out of the woods, said "Hi!" to Carole on the Aloha Stadium field and then bee-lined my way to the refreshments...fresh bananas, sweet bread, and the Amino Vital electrolyte beverage (which I tanked). One more stop and I was home free. That was to catch up with several of the Hawaii Lions Clubs that were handing out the heavily sought after "Great Aloha Run Finisher's T-Shirt". Yes! You couldn't leave the stadium without one. Fortunately, taking 9147th place, I managed to score a XXL shirt. But that came with some help as a fellow Lion had a secret stash. I told him I was a Lion, and VOILA!! WOW, that's clout for ya'! Lucky me, but I forgot who gave it, and if he is reading this, THANK YOU!!

Shortly after, I caught up with the Kamehameha Lions (my home club) to touch base and do my camera thing. I got a bunch of Lions pictures, and if you were present, did my best to get your photo...Take a look at that gallery again! Pictured to the above left are Lions Ray Tadaki & Franklin Takahashi with several Waipahu Leos.

As I made my way around the spiral concourse, I met the last of the Lions. This bunch first look was "Braddah, you don't belong here!" Maybe cuz I wasn't wearing purple & gold, then again, I do look like a braddah. Lion Robert Piimauna was the first to say something, "You need to go around."

I replied, "I wanted to take pictures of the Lions" (camera was in my backpack at the time).

The look I was given was "who's this guy?" So, I explained myself and informed them that I was the new District 50 Webmaster and I wanted to shoot photos for the website (it helped when I pulled out my Canon Digital Rebel XTI SLR). EUREKA! The walls of defense came down and they gladly pony-ied up a mug for me. This was the first time that I've met DG Shannon Ching (VDG at the time), and Lion Juan/John Ochoco - East Kauai. I didn't realize that till I reopened the photo gallery a day ago. Ha! Surprised me. Enjoy the photos! (Photos and story by Irwin Santos - D50 Webmaster)

Breaking a sweat while serving their local community, Lions Earl Hunter and Julian Esdicul keeping us “green” at the Mililani District Park. The Mililani Lions enjoyed the great weather and athletic events going on at the District Park September 13th, while managing to maintain the newly painted look on the older picnic benches dotting the park. No sooner were the benches painted and dry and people were seen sitting around them and enjoying their friends and families. (Story & Photo by Corky Yoshina - Mililani Bulletin Editor)

The JAIMS Facility housed Lions in the annual Forum. Topics discussed included new concepts in maintaining membership, fundraising, and other beneficial knowledge to Hawaii Lionism. Plus, the roll-out of the new "Hearing Screening Project". Visit this link to get a heads-up on what these Lions were presented.

District Governor Shannon Ching (a doctor of Audiology by trade) and PDG Roy Nishida introduced the upcoming Hearing project. This program is currently running on the island of Kauai and will soon be implemented state-wide.

At left, VDG to be, Chris Tamura samples the audio testing gear. The testee is subjected to different frequencies of sound and in general, will indicate whether they can hear this sound or not. The equipment was simple to use and screening takes less that 3 minutes. Take a closer look at the gear (along with other photos).

In addition, Lion Paul Kudo of Pearl City was this year's recipient of the Wesley & Dorothea Charlton Region IV, Hawaii Lions Community Service Award. Congratulations!! Here's what is written on the plaque, "This Community Service Award is in recognition of over fifty unselfish years of dedication, devotion and labor of love by Lions Wesley and Dorothea Charlton to District 50, Hawaii Lions. The recipient on this plaque reflects the same example of 'We Serve' motto to improve our community, we call Hawaii." Paul even had time to shoot a bunch of pictures, take a look as his photos here.

After a full morning of thought provoking information, "The Gang" dived into an AWESOME Lunch. Everyone that has participated walked away with worthwhile tools to help their clubs become better and stronger. (Story & Photos by Irwin Santos - D50 Webmaster, additional Photos by Paul Kudo - D50 Photographer)

Up in Las Vegas, Nevada "A Lions Pride", a first of its kind talk show whose goal is to inform and unite all Community-minded non-Profit organizations and open communication. By working together, these establishments can provide maximum service for the people in need within the communities. A Lions Pride encourages each and every Service Club, Non-profit, and Volunteers to get involved by calling in and voice your concerns, comments, questions, up coming events activities, fundraisers etc.

September 7ths guest was International President Al Brandel. You can catch his episode here (player below). They also mention a few Hawaii Lions in there! John and Ivy Williams, along with Mike Kenney host the show every Sunday at 7pm (Las Vegas time). Tune via the web by visiting http://www.klav1230am.com. To listen, your browser must be JAVA enabled. Get on the Talk Line at (702) 731-1230, OR call Toll Free 1 866 820 5528.

Air Date: 9/7/08 with IP Al Brandel (Running time 57 minutes)
Courtesy of John & Ivy Williams (KLAV 1230am)

The Akaka Falls Lions Club of East Hawaii participates in various beautification service projects throughout the year. On June 21st, nine members gave a facelift to the Kapehu and Ookala bus shelters. In addition to adding the fresh coat of paint, the Lions also picked up litter in the surrounding areas. Lion members who participated are, from left to right: Glen Shigehara, Atsushi Sato, Hiro Shima, Len Shimabukuro, Lynnette Kaneshiro, Glen Matsuda, Jan Asano, Stan Sanehira and Dennis Tong.

A few years ago, both bus shelters were power washed and painted by the club members with the help of the Laupahoehoe High School Leos Club. Thanks to the county Mass Transit Agency who generously donated the paint for the project.

Pictured in the collage (hover over the image and click to view an enlarged image), #2 (l-r) Lions Stan Sanehira and Lynnette Kaneshiro painting the Ookala bus shelter, #3 Lion Dennis Tong applies a fresh coat of paint to the inside wall of the Ookala Bus Shelter and #4 Lions Stan Sanehira and Dennis Tong painting the Ookala bus shelter. (Story & Photos by Lion Jan Asano - Akaka Falls)

Conflict around the world touches Hawaii. More than 200,000 Georgians were displaced, lost their homes, family members and friends. The majority of refugees are children. The Hawaii connection to the Georgian club is through PDG Cecelia Izuo who met the past president of the Tsilisi Lions Club at several of the International Conventions and they have periodically emailed back and forth.

In one of the emails from President Ira Lobjanidze of the Tbilisi Lions Club wrote "Dear Lions, Tbilisi Lions Club is involved in LIONS Youth Exchange Program during last three years and Youths from Georgia have participated in different Lions Camps of the world, I would like to express my deep appreciation towards a all the Lions who kindly hosted Georgian youth. Please see attachment the letter (in "Pali Lines" Bulletin) and picture of the youth expressing they will to establish Leo club in Georgia We strongly believe this idea will be supported by you. With Best Regards."

You can find the full article in the Pali Lions "Pali Lines". Also, more pictures of the youths in action. (Story submitted by Clarence Izuo Bulletin Editor- Pali)

I am happy to announce that in the end, the Lions Club of Honolulu was able to pull it all together to make "The Cavalcade of Stars #31" a great success! A few weeks before show time I was worried that no one was coming because for some reason our list of invitees did not seem to be responding. Being forewarned of this problem, stout-hearted Lions that we are, we kicked into action.

Lion Bill Malone, Co-chair, was able to get us on the OC 16's Tiny Tadani show, which included hula dancing by our own Lion Ramona Harris. Our "Magnificent Seven," Lions Nancy Soohoo, Charlotte Tsie, Valerie Southwood, Grace Yap, Alice Kealoha, Masue Nakamura and Bill Malone, started calling all of our invitees to alert them to the show. Lion Sharon Yoshiura actually went to busy stores and passed out our flier and Co-chair Lion Bill and I started calling all of the high schools (followed up by a fax transmittal and a flier) with an urgent request for the school principal to make an announcement to the students. Still worried, Prexy Keoni Devereaux then pulled upon his email power getting the word out to organizations he felt could help spread the word. Still I was worried. Calls also went out to RC Jim Bryan for any last minute suggestions for help and to our own ZC Kin Ching who continually gave us moral and physical support. Then who should appear, but Lion Valerie Southwood who called upon her celebrity friend Hazel, who was able to get us on TV-2 with Kirk Mathews – 24 hours before show time! Wow, that was cutting it close! (D50 Webmaster sidenote - Tiny was a former classmate of Lion Irwin Santos attending King Intermediate '75-'77)

With such powerful energy in the air, my fears were put to rest as hundreds of people showed up anxious to see a good show. This year we had the additional help of our Damien High School Leos who helped carry the day by wheeling people from the buses to the McKinley High School auditorium as well as acting as the stage crew and delivering the many prizes we gave away (including 10 trolley bus tours from our own Lion Kent Cotton). The Leos and their advisor, Ms. Jean Ota were great assistants as they responded to every and any plea for help! With young spirits and cheerful faces, they cordially greeted all the guests as they entered the auditorium.

Then came show time, and it was flawless! The show ran over time but only because the performers responded to the audience who seemed to want more of their entertainment! . Our MC, Tiny Tadani, was excellent and engaged the audience with his wit and humor. Ending the show with the magic act and the theme of success was epitomized by "snow" falling on the stage empowering the audience to find their own success in the world.

When the Nahenahe O Na Kupana (including our own Lion Ramona), closed with "Aloha Oe", the show went over the top. But to confirm I was not looking at things through rose-colored glasses, I went out to where the buses were being loaded with our many guests. I did not even have to ask them how they liked the show, as I could see on their faces the look of true joy as they passed by me. The look told me that "We done good!"

As far as the fundraising portion of our project, Lion Nancy Tomczak wrote a terrific letter of appeal that is already showing good returns. With the help of Prexy Keoni, we hope to receive some corporate donations that will enable us to continue producing our “baby,” The Cavalcade of Stars for a few more years.

Aside from the greatness of the show, this year was a milestone for another very important reason. For the first time in 31 years, there were two of us as co –chairmen of this event. Lion Bill Malone and I were able to divide up many of the tasks, making this truly a total club joint venture. The camaraderie after the show was so strong that we all felt the need to meet together and share our joy. To me this speaks volumes about our club which is, not only the mother club, but still the leader of the pack. On behalf of Co-chair Lion Bill and myself, we thank you all for making 2008 a year to remember for Cavalcade! (Story by Lion Jack Schweigert Co-chairman, Photos submitted by Lion Donna Tamasese)

The Pearl City Lions hosted "Casino Night" at the Fleet Reserve Association Hall on August 30th. All the fun was to help kickoff Lion Chris Tamura's run for the Vice District Governor position in 2009. Haven't seen Chris yet? Check out the picture to the right as the President Alice Kudo of the Pearl City Lions, holds up the official campaign poster.

Notwithstanding, although the position of VDG lets you run unopposed, Chris did have a challenger, Ross Tamura, his evil Jamaican twin. Ha! Anyway, both were present, and paraded through the hall with supporters in tow. Ideally, that set the tone for a very entertaining, EXCITING evening! The monies raised are used to support expenses when Chris rises to the top as District Governor in 2010. At this point, Chris/Ross is now committed to serve in the top leadership position through the coming years. Let's all stand behind him and his message "A Vision with Passion". Share in the Vision by clicking on this link to the 400+ photos.

Phew! Got the preaching out of the way...now for the REAL fun stuff! If you came through the door, your ticket also included 10 chips just to tease. Additional chips could be purchased, and when I showed up with Karen, we got the 600 chip special for $20...What? Auwe!! Small kine snafu, something was not right. It was $10 for 100 chips and I handed back the "barato". Honesty is the best policy. Lucky me. The chips were used to play the various games and through the evening, you get to purchase consolation goodies (pictured to the right). If that didn't satisfy you, then you can participate in the auction where there were select prizes, such as a LeSport Sac bag or bottles of wine.

Various donations were made for all prizes available. We used our winnings to score a large pizza from Papa Johns and a complete meal at that French restaurant, Jaques-in-le-Box. Pretty good deal and that's not the only thing we walked home with...more on that later. Guests were treated to heavy pupus...lots of it too...but from what was served, I would call it a heavy dinner local style. Steak, Kalua Pork, Pork Guisantes, plus other entrees were on the menu. In addition, a KILLER spread of desserts. I had my mouth wrapped around several sweet potato confections. Yummy!

At this point, being fed and fully loaded, the casino games started. One of my favorite games to watch (but not play) is Craps. Something to do about people losing their minds when they win. Since I had my camera in hand, I let Karen do the dirty work and just horsed her the chips.

She did pretty well with the help of "HOT HANDS" Mark Gardner. I believe there were 40 chips down on the "pass line", and she just let it ride. Mark hit 7 or 11 5x in a row. My partner in crime walked away with the first of the paper vouchers. I had to depart from the Craps table, it was conveying a sublimal message to me and aside from mass picture taking, I had other doo-ties. C'est la Vie!

Upon my return, I jumped in for a hand of Black Jack. Membership Committee Chairman Bob Lee and Region 5 Zone 2 Chair Ken Nishibun, kindly opened up a spot to fit my wide load. It was do or die when I dropped 25 chips.

The cards in my hand, showed 13, and the dealer showed a 9. Geez, tough call, had to go for it and I pulled a face card. Not lucky for me and went bust. The dealer drew 2 more cards and busted. I would have lost either way as the card before the dealer's draw was a small card which would've made him win at our table of 9 players.

After using up my set of chips, I kept busy shooting photos, finding more satisfaction of documenting the event and talking story with fellow Lions. During the lull from the main action, the guests also had the opportunity to win lucky drawing prizes. There were pretty good stuff on hand. My lovely co-hort literally jumped for joy when she won a $20 Tesoro gift certificate. A year or two ago, it may not have come across as a big prize...but with gas prices over $4.50/gallon, it was WELCOMED relief! Lucky her! Mentioned earlier, there was the LeSport Sac bag...that alone was over $100...and there were 2 bags given away. WOW! Also, up for grabs was a quilt valued at over $350.

This Fundraiser had it all! Good food, ongoing action, and overall, what stood out to make this overly successful was bar none, the people that were in attendance. Congratulations to the Pearl City Lions for putting together this AWESOME event! When is the next one?

On a side note, the Hawaii Kai Lions hooked up with Chris for a photo opportunity. They sport the color theme of the D50 website. Lucky me! Thanks guys! Best wishes to Chris Tamura and his quest to be our future District Governor! (Photos and story by Irwin Santos - D50 Webmaster)

I was surfing the net today and came across this article on KHNL. Fellow Kamehameha Lion, Diane Ako asked me for a few select pictures that I took of their modeling gig so that she can use it in a news segment. Well, I never got to see the airing, though I did find the article that shows the pictures. We had photo shoot that KHNL members Stephanie Lum, Diane, Paul Drewes, and Mari-Ela David participated. They helped display the Celebrity garments that were offered on Laughs for Lions 3.

It's a nice feeling to have your work published, and TV is a plus. You can see a larger version of each image by clicking on any of the photos to the left. (Irwin Santos - Hawaii Lions D50 Webmaster)

P.S. Tune in to KHNL for your LIVE-LOCAL-LATE BREAKING news!

In Hawaii there is another entity that sports similarity to the Lions "purple & gold" colors...toss in a Lion mascot to boot! As a '81 alumnus of Damien Memorial School, I was invited by PDG Bernard Ho (current President of this all male Catholic School) for the blessing of the new gymnasium basketball floor. Over the years, flood, termite damage, wear & tear have taken it's toll on the sport facility.

Back in 1978 when I first entered Damien, my class was the first to grace it's floor. It was a treat to attend the gathering as it was the first time I stepped on campus beyond the parking lot...that's over 25 years ago. Karen (my significant other) and I witnessed Father Dennis in prayer along with 50 others on August 24. The group followed the trail of sprinkled Holy water while taking notice of the spankin' brand new basketball court flooring...visit this link for pictures.

After the ceremony, PDG Bernard acknowledged those that have contributed to the ongoing support and well being of the school...and then, a generous spread of ONO food, buffet style. Lion Ron Jones was also there in attendance (check picture, we're all together).

The royal colors of purple and gold were selected as the official colors when the Lions association was organized in 1917. Purple stands for loyalty to friends, and for integrity of mind and heart. Gold symbolizes sincerity of purpose, liberality in judgment, purity in life, and generosity in mine, heart and purse to those in need. "Mauve" is a fancy name for purple and is represented in our school's Alma Mater, here it is;

What about the Lion? Well, the Lion was often used as a symbol of Royalty, as in many cultures it was considered the "King of the Beasts". In early Christianity, as Jesus was seen to be the "King of Kings", he was often represented by a Lion, and a Lion was the symbol of St. Mark. The Lion is mentioned many times in the Bible and the time when a Lion lays with a Lamb is seen as the dawning of a New Age. The Lion or Leo, is one of the twelve signs of the Zodiac and represents the Sun. (Reference from VanishingTattoo.com.)

Sheer coincidence? I don't know that answer. Damien Memorial School produces fine products and with that said, I'm proud to be in BOTH Clubs! For more information on the school, please visit their website. (Irwin Santos - Hawaii Lions D50 Webmaster)

Because the need is great, the Wahiawa Lions have conducted a school supplies drive in Wahiawa for the last six years. The recently completed drive netted $1,078 and 806 pounds of supplies. Over the last six years the Wahiawa Lions have collected more than $8,000 and well over three tons of school supplies for Wahiawa area students in need.

A University of Hawaii study identified Wahiawa as having a poverty rate nearly seven percent higher than the Honolulu county average, and the second highest on Oahu. As a result, all Wahiawa schools have at least thirty percent of their students receiving free or reduced lunches. At one elementary school the rate approaches 70 percent and at another the rate of free or reduced lunches is a staggering 87 out of a 100 students.

Because they lack basic school supplies, needy children feel ashamed and inferior to their classmates. Some just stay home. Past District Governor Dick Crislip, a former principal at Wahiawa Elementary School, told Wahiawa Lions’ project initiator and coordinator, Lion Jack Kampfer, “I had parents who kept their children at home and would not send them to school, because they did not have the proper school supplies.” Fortunately, the Wahiawa Lions recognized this need in their community and took steps to help correct this distressful situation.

PICTURE: Lions Ginai Curti, Dr. Weslie Hamada, and Tino Bagasol receive a generous donation from Wahiawa resident Ron Verano outside of Longs during the Wahiawa Lions sixth annual school supplies drive that began on Saturday, July 26. (story & photos by Jack Kampfer - Peace Poster Contest Chair, Wahiawa Lions).

The Kamehameha Lions Club's recent meeting on August 12 had several members of Palama Settlement make a visit. Nicole Kuwahara (Fund Development Administrator), and Larry Sweets (Program Manager of the Pakolea Program) spoke to members and provided insight on what Palama Settlement does for the community. Click here for picture gallery.

The "Neighborhood Development & Community Outreach Program" (NDCOP) provides support services to the low-income and/or immigrant populations living in the housing projects in the neighborhoods they serve. Part of the goal of the NDCOP is to provide a mechanism, through Palama Settlement, for the residents and Tenant Associations to address community concerns such as youth gang violence, ethnic tensions, juvenile delinquency, pedestrian safety, poverty, and drug/alcohol use and abuse.

Their "Pakolea" program is designed to help youths, ages 7-17, through sports, academics (learning center/academic study time), and teaching of socialization skills, challenging previous notions of individual limitations, and assisting youth with the setting of short and long-term goals. Sports/athletic activities include football, basketball, cheerleading, volleyball, hiking, and any other sports/recreational opportunity that neighborhood youth show an interest in. They left us with reading material...Download their Palama Settlement 100 Years Article and Benefit Car Wash Brochure. You can also visit their website at http://www.palamasettlement.org (story & photos by Irwin Santos - D50 Webmaster - Kamehameha Lions).

Kamehameha Lions joined other Lions' Clubs on Aug. 16 at Kapiolani Park to help with the Heart Walk. Hawaii Kai Lions, Ala Moana Lions, and Kalia Lions have been volunteering for several years. This was also the official debut of our new work shirts designed by Lion Jim Bryan and Lion Daryl Matsuo. Our assignment was "The Inflatables". After decorating all the tents with balloons, we then got to play with the kids while trying to keep some type of order. As you can see from the pictures, it was quite a "blast"! (Teresa Bryan - President and Mel Tom - Kamehameha Lions). Visit the photo gallery to see all the Lions in action!

The Kamehameha Lions Club hosted their annual fundraiser. This past Saturday, August 9th, 500+ people attended a very entertaining evening. It was decided at a previous Kamehameha Lions Club meeting that they will no longer sell an uku pile of Zippy's Benefit Chili tickets. It was too hard, it took too long, and really, how much chili can you eat? AUWE! OK, so the ticket was $40...but let the D50 Webmaster tell you what was in store...

Upon arrival, guests were treated to a warm and relaxing atmosphere, including BALLOON LIONS!! "Balloon Monsoon" was on hand to dish out their wacky rubber creations, from the Road Runner to the Lion pictured at right. Visit The Courtyard photo gallery and see if you can find all the balloon art. This set the tone for a fun evening. Visit their website http://www.balloonmonsoon.com Oh yeah, the D50 Webmaster had a trigger happy finger on his camera and shot 900+ pictures. It was actually 1454 photos, but he weeded out the stuff you really couldn't publish. Ha!

Now, VIP ticket buyers ($75) got the following; PRIME seating, heavy pupus PLUS beverages. That's not it!! Add on a sheet of 25 raffle tickets, and a BLING BAG!! The beverages (beer & wine) came in handy as it was refreshing to have a cold drink in hand while watching the sunset courtesy of Lion Sonny and crew (a.k.a. the Bartenders). The D50 Webmaster had the honorable task of locating a conch shell to sound, which signifies the start of the evening. Unfortunately, none were available, and he used a reasonable facsimile...a Bud Light Bottle. However, in his MANY attempts, the likelihood of anything coming out of the bottle (other than beer) squelched his goodwill, though it did quench his thirst. Go figure. In the mix, was the smooth tunes of Jim Hubbard, who added to the ambiance.

As you waited for the heavy pupus to be served, guests were hovering around the Celebrity Prize area gearing for an opportunity at winning one of these coveted prizes. View the offerings here; Celebrity Prizes. So what did the D50 Webmaster want? The Star Trek Dilithium Crystal AND Grace Kelly's MINK wrap. Jumping ahead, none of these were acquired by the end of the drawing. Bummer.

OK, DINNER TIME!! The DELICIOUS food was catered by Tango Contemporary Cafe. All Attendees were treated to the following menu; Classic Caesar Salad (Heart of Romaine, Caesar Dressing & Croutons), Spinach-Mushroom & Goat Cheese Ravioli (with Roasted Garlic Cream), and Asian Style Five Spice Braised Beef (with Pureed Potato & Chili Fried Onion Rings). In other words, AWESOME GRINDS! The food line had been visited twice and there was still more food to go around. Certainly, the folks at Tango did a FANTASTIC job with their cuisine. Simple name, easy to remember, and if you need more information, visit their website http://tangocafehawaii.com

So now we're fed, refreshed, relaxed and poised for an entertaining evening. For the lucky few -->>> D50 Webmaster...he got to go in and see his buds backstage. The night's gig line-up included the "GREAT BALONEY", but I was told later in the evening that it could've gone the way of HAM. Ha!! Well, GB was there in the back getting ready having a little trouble putting on his red cape. I mean how hard can it be? For future reference, he (or you) can visit http://www.superman808.com . That guy in blue tights knows how to put on a red cape.

Anyway, Mr. D50 Webmaster made his rounds saying "Hi" to Magician Alan Arita and Jim "Man of a Thousand Impressions" Gossett. Franklin & Abe were there to make their FINAL appearance as the Dynamic Duo. To note, their performance during the evening was OUTSTANDING.

Comedian Steve Byrne got his "Best Bud" picture in with the D50 Webmaster. Lucky him! Steve performed material from his HIT DVD "Happy Hour", which was also available for sale after the show, including autograph!

Through the course of the evening, each entertainer hit on all cylinders. The Great Baloney opened the night demonstrating his mental telepathic skills in a feat to seek the truth by a horde of (uh...5) ruthless liars. For some implausible reason, the Great Baloney got roaring audience approval. Ah...well done!

Master of Ceremonies, Region IV Chair Jim Bryan took command of the stage and welcomed our friends Abe & Franklin to hand out the first round of Celebrity prizes. Sadly, the D50 Webmaster did NOT garner his most prized selection, the Dilithium Crystal. For those unfamiliar with Star Trek and the science that surrounds it, Dilithium crystals are placed in a high frequency electromagnetic field. Magnetic eddies are then induced in its structure which keep charged particles away from the crystal lattice. This prevents it from reacting with antimatter when so energized, because the antimatter atoms never actually touch it. Therefore, it is used to contain and regulate the annihilation reaction of matter and antimatter in a starship's warp core, which otherwise would explode from the uncontrolled annihilation reaction. (from Wikipedia)

Just in case, you didn't know what it was.

Remember the Grace Kelly MINK wrap? Our beloved security guard took that home, seen pictured at the above right with Jim Bryan. Lucky her! Surely, the Princess of Monaco won't mind. Definitely a treasure to have in your possession, but if it ever shows up on Ebay, the D50 Webmaster will be there! Oh well, life's good, where you going to wear that Mink in Hawaii anyway?

Magician Alan Arita took the stage and displayed his wizardry which included dropping a bowling ball out of thin air, and a "presto-chango" with his assistant and audience member. His finale was an illusion that was most impressive. He made his assistant scrunch up in this little itty-bitty teenie-weenie box. Check out the pictures in the Alan Arita photo gallery!

Franklin surprised us with his family members, the "Unknown Geisha", and Tom Selleck. Wow!! Lucky us! Famous Family, good genes. And yet, the evening was still not over!! The crowd got treated to Jim Gossett doing impressions of Rodney Dangerfield, various Presidents, and all-time Night Showman Johnny Carson. There were more, but you had to be there...too many to remember. Plus Steve Byrne WOW'd the theatre with his brand of humor. Not only did he show up to perform, he did it for FREE!!! All to benefit the cause, and "He Served"...served up TONS of LAUGHS!!

There were HAPPY Lions all night long (see picture above). Plus, the D50 Webmaster was part of an elite and private ceremony, which included IPDG Rodney Jung, ID Maurice Kahawai, District Photographer Paul Kudo, and Region IV Chair Jim Bryan in an exclusive presentation. The "International Presidential Award", which is the highest award of achievement that any Lion can get, was presented to Jim Bryan, for his merits in bravery...ah...check that...merits in doing such an EXCELLENT job in his quest of Lionism. Congratulations Jim!!

To close, the hard work of Kamehameha Lions Club, Roosevelt Leos, other Hawaii Lions, and especially all those that have attended, made this an AWESOME night!! Look forward to Laughs for Lions IV. Tune in to the website http://www.laughsforlions.com April 2009! (Irwin Santos - D50 Webmaster - Kamehameha Lions Club)

Hosted by Chinatown Lion Stanford Yuen, Executive Assistant to Rear Admiral Tim Alexander, Navy Region Hawaii, who graciously allowed this tour, Lions from several clubs on Oahu were treated to an educational tour around Ford Island and Pearl Harbor on July 25, 2008.

Beautiful blue skies, balmy trade winds and an amazingly calm, gorgeous blue-green sea greeted us as we boarded a tour boat that would take us on a relaxing 90 minute cruise through Pearl Harbor. Lions and their guests heard information about Ford Island and incidents that happened in 1941, saw mothballed as well as active ships, toured around the Pearl City and Waipio peninsulas and heard stories about the sharks in the West Loch. Lion Stanford also talked about the future plans around Pearl Harbor and Ford Island. Close up views of the Battleship USS Missouri and memorials USS Utah and USS Arizona capped the day before we were treated to a private visit to the USS Arizona Memorial. A perfect day, a great host who shared a wealth of information and friendly Lions all made for a memorable tour of Pearl Harbor. (Donna Tamasese - Honolulu Lions, Photos by Donna & "Smiley W"). Here's the collection of photos.

Sa-wat! Dee ka! Like aloha is a common greeting at home in Hawai`i, this Thai phrase became our official greeting on our recent trip to the land of smiles, Thailand! Everyone starts the day with this warm greeting and a big smile and visitors cannot help but feel welcome and comfortable in this lovely country. Five of us left Hawai`i in eager anticipation of days touring another country and then being participants in the 91st LCI Convention. Never did we imagine what a delightful and truly memorable trip and convention this would end up being. Follow this link to the ENTIRE story...(Donna Tamasese - Honolulu Lions)

IYC Committee Chairperson Darlene Nakayama sent in a few photos. These were from a visit to the Governor Linda Lingle's Office. Click on the picture to the right to enlarge. Of course, the IYC was there too, here is their picture. (Pictured-right Camp Personnel Jason Yama, Conchita Stewart, Darlene Nakayama, Palani Agosto, and Donna Souza).

Aloha was abundant during the IYC stay, made possible by the many volunteers from D50. A souvenir program was provided to the individual campers. Inside, you'll find the people directly involved. You may download it by clicking on this link. Please note that personal vital & contact information were removed from this online version to maintain privacy. Mahalo to all that have participated in some form, making this event a memorable experience for our International Youth. (Irwin Santos, D50 Webmaster)

The 2008 District 50 Hawaii Lions International Youth Camp came to a spectacular close at the Farewell & Recognition Dinner at Jarrett Middle School on Saturday, July 26, 2008. The youth campers from 13 countries were treated with their last 5-star Local Style International Buffets before returning to their native lands. The lavish dinner was provided by the Palolo Chinese Home Caterers. In return, the 24 youths performed a barrage of Polynesian dances, including a scary "Haka" by the warriors from abroad! The wildly cheering audience was proof of their successful performances.

HLIYC Chair Darlene Nakayama thanked and recognized the hard work and tireless dedication of the committee members and all the District 50 volunteers throughout the duration of the camp. The 11 host families were also recognized for their sacrifices and Aloha as they gave the youths a taste of what its like to live in Hawaii. Gifts were exchanged, pictures taken, a few tears were shed and with unforgettable memories from the summer of 2008, they were homeward bound to spread the Spirit of Aloha to wherever they call home. (Paul Kudo, Assistant Photographer). Here's the collection of Paul's photos.

The 1st Cabinet Meeting of D. G. Shannon Ching's tenure was held at the Pearl City Cultural Center on July 26, 2008. In addition to cabinet officers and committee chairs many presidents and other Lions were present. Special recognition was given to PID Phllip Tom of LCI, Lion Nancy Tomczak (pictured to the right) who recently retired as District 50 Office Manager, Lion Yama who helped with the IYC and Lion Chris Tamura for this extraordinary services last year. (George Ito, District Photographer). View Photos by George, and Photos by Irwin Santos.

The Wahiawa Lions hosted the international youth campers for lunch and dinner during their visit to Central Oahu and the North Shore on Wednesday, July 16. After the youth managed to find their way out of the giant maze at the Dole Pavilion, the Wahiawa Lions treated them to a Japanese bento lunch, accompanied by chips, drinks and cookies. The campers then proceeded to the Polynesian Cultural Center to spend the afternoon learning about our island culture.

They returned to Wahiawa for a spaghetti dinner hosted by the Wahiawa Lions. The dessert course consisted of three homemade cakes baked by Lion Alice Vierra. Following dinner, each national grouping of campers spent a few minutes describing some aspect of their culture. This included everything from beer and sausage to their home country’s current president and Blessed Damien of Molokai, who was mentioned by Mathiu Buysscharert from Belgium. All the youth showed their hula skills and the boys demonstrated the haka that they just started learning. The youth seemed to enjoy themselves and the Wahiawa Lions had a great time conversing with and hosting the future leaders of the free world. (Jack Kampfer - Wahiawa) sent in his photo gallery of their dinner on July 16th.

Over a week later (July 22nd), the following clubs; Aloha Pono, Chinatown, Lions Club of Honolulu, Kalakaua, Moanalua, and Kamehameha hosted another big dinner at the St. Louis Alumni Center. Here, the 24 youths got to sample the delicious Kiawe Grilled Steak, Liliha Coco Puffs, and other items on the buffet menu. Lion John Koki provided music to compliment the evening.

In an informal program, Region IV Chair Jim Bryan called upon each of our IYC guests and using his "reporter" talents, provided light inquiry about themselves and thoughts about their Hawaii trip. Meet each of our International Youths. After each interview, OMIYAGE (gift baskets) were given as a fond rememberance of their evening. Visit the Dinner Banquet picture gallery (over 450 pictures).

The Aloha Pono Lions led the way in a joint club effort from Region IV, Zone 1 on June 7, 2008. ARC, located Diamond Head is a facility that cares for the mentally and physically challenged. This routine maintenance was joined by 30+ Sophomore volunteers from throughout the state who will be using this as their HOBY service project. Specific tasks were painting, kitchn & window cleaning, and weeding. A light lunch had been served to all. (Photos by Karen Pack). See Lions in action by viewing the photos!

This year’s camp started on June 28, 2008 with 1 boy from the Netherlands arriving 1 week early, followed by a girl from Germany arriving on July 3, 2008. We had a total of 11 host families for the first week of the camp which included Lions Mark Mizuno, Eugene Thomas, Susan Moniz, Mel Aoki, Nina Hoohuli, Cecelia Izuo’s daughter-Cherylyn, Mayee Wong and Darlene Nakayama.

On July 9, 2008 the youths left for Maui via the Superferry and was hosted by the Lions Clubs on Maui. Activities on Maui included a service project of removing 2,000 pounds of invasive plants at the Hawaii Nature Center. Their Maui stay ended with a farewell luau at Hongwanji Mission, which was hosted by the Lion Mark Mizuno and the Haleakala Lions Club. The youths had such a great time that they did not want to leave.

We are presently at Camp Puu Kahea in Waianae and have a solid schedule of Lion sponsored activities.

This year we have a total of 24 youths, 10 boys and 14 girls, from over 14 countries, England, Israel, Italy, Germany, Ireland, Austria, Finland, Croatia, Turkey, Netherlands, Holland, Mongolia, Norway, and British Isle. (Darlene H. Nakayama, Chairperson, HLIYC, / Photos by Mark Mizuno). View Mark's Photo Gallery.

For the DGE and CIS, sessions began on June 18th, a week earlier than the actual convention, in the resort city of Pattaya located 2 hours south of Bangkok. International President (then elect) Al Brandel with PID Ron Luxton planned the seminars to prepare the candidates of some of their responsibilities and to introduce them to the theme, "Miracles Through Service." At the end of DGE School on June 23rd, the 91st Annual Lions Club Convention commenced in Bangkok with over 26,000 lions from throughout the world converging into the city. The Impact Challenge Center, on the outskirt of the city, was the site of the convention. Over 200 buses accommodated the Lions.

Besides the schooling, the convention provided friendship, fellowship, and an appreciation/commitment to a viable global service organization called Lions. View DG Shannon's Photo Gallery.

On Saturday, June 21, 2008 members of the Kapahulu-Moiliili Lions Club visited Ho`opono Services for the Blind to check out the blackout draperies they sponsored for the Braille Classroom. Among the various skills taught to persons who are blind and visually impaired, Ho`opono also teaches Braille as part of its required core curriculum. Students wear sleep shades as a integral tool towards gaining the blindness skills in all classes. The blackout draperies now aid in teaching Braille as well as keeping the classroom cool. Ho`opono would like to thank the Kapa-Moi Lions Club for its generosity and support through this special project for the blind.

Ho`opono appreciates this generous donation from the Kapahulu-Moiliili Lions Club as the blackout draperies allow our students to more effectively learn and practice their Braille literacy skills using sleep shades as a viable tool in the learning process. A darkened room prevents students from "peeking" and aids at focusing on the skills of blindness students are learning through Ho`opono's New Visions Program. Students' other senses such as touch, smell and hearing are developed. The honing of students' blindness skills empowers them, builds their self-confidence and validates the fact that "Blindness is not a barrier to success". A timely project, the draperies also keep the Braille Classroom cooler during these hot afternoon summer sun days!

This may not be "sweat shots" of the Kapahulu-Moiliili Lions Club members in action, however, their hearts, sacrifice, support and interest in Ho`opono's program is definitely there. The new draperies are displayed in the backdrop. (Jon Koki Community Services Coordinator Ho`opono Services for the Blind)

KHNL News Stars Model "Laughs for Lions III" Celebrity items