And a Happy New Year!

Looking for a New Year's resolution that matters? A way to help others? Look no further, Vermilion Lions Club wants you! We are a group of volunteers that participate in many activities from making and selling French fries and perch at festivals, to community bingo or ringing the Salvation Army bell all of which helps raise funds for those in need; and those are just a few of the things we do.

We participate in various community projects and partner with other community fund raising from Vermilion Food Pantry, to Athletic and Band Boosters, we are here to serve others. We also meet twice a month as guest speakers inform the club on a wide array of topics from doctors, fireman, sailors to arborists. You never know who is going to speak and what interesting topic will be shared.

There are many other opportunities to serve your community as a member of Vermilion Lions Club, a project to fit every schedule, all with a sense of community and camaraderie.

So this year resolve to get involved. Contact us to learn how you can serve yourself by serving others.

Merry Christmas from your local Lions!

Fa-la-la-la-laaaaa

From the many great volunteers here at Vermilion Lions Club we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We sure have enjoyed great support and generosity this holiday season as we have manned the Salvation Army Kettles at various location throughout the town.
Thank you so much for your help!
 
This past week we gathered for our final meeting of 2010, which included a Christmas Party and gift auction to raise money for various causes in Vermilion.

Santa and Janet Ruh

Members and their wifes, friends, and other guests bid on wrapped gifts site unseen. We even had a visit from Santa! He wanted all the kids to know he was just about ready.

We would also like to thank outgoing President Joe McDonald on a heck of a job in guiding the club, and also congratulate Chuck Sooy who won the Melvin Jones award for excellent service to his community.

President Joe McDonald

We wish everyone a safe and prosperous 2011! See you next year!

Chuck and Linda Sooy

Doc Decker with a head scratcher!

Our November Student of the Month - Michelle Wendt

In recognizing hard work, community involvement, and high academic standards Vermilion Lions Club is proud to announce its Student of the Month for November, Michelle Wendt.

Of course no student would be where they are without great parents, it is our pleasure to also introduce and congratulate Jill's parents April and Todd Wendt for their great effort.

Academic Honors: 3.7 GPA
• Placed 3rd among 100 + students at the History Day program.
• Completed Independent Art Studies
• Received two gold keys in Scholastic Art Competition
• Designed the Agenda book cover given to every student in the high school.

Holiday Season is the Season of Giving

Despite tough economic times Vermilion Lions Club has been blessed with both great volunteers and great support from the community. It is because of these generous folks that we are very pleased to announce donations from Vermilion Lions Club to the Salvation Army and to the Vermilion Food Pantry of $1000 each.

Also, Vermilion Lions Club was able to donate 578 pairs of glasses, plus 63 packs of lenses so far this year.

Sales from the French Fries also helped generate $200 to Vermilion Band Boosters and $1200 to the Vermilion Athletic Boosters in support of those programs.

State programs receiving VLC funding in November are as follows.

• $400 to sight and hearing
• $300 to eye/sight research 
• $50 to Diabetes awareness 
• $50 international relations
• $50 Ohio Lion Foundation
• $1000 to Melvin Jones L.C.I.F 

None of this would be possible without the ongoing support of our great volunteers and from the giving people of our great community. We thank you all!

Vermilion Lions Club wishes you a very safe and happy Thanksgiving!

While our speciality may be French Fries, we all have a love of turkey and would like to take the time to wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

If you are travelling to visit family please be careful and use the utmost caution as today and this weekend will see some of the densest traffic of the year.

From all of us here at Vermilion Lions Club!

Don Babson Shares His Adventures

This month's guest speaker Don Babson, author of Sail Away and founder of Babson Fluid Power, shared with Vermilion Lions Club his photos and stories about sailing on the Great Lakes.

Don brought a projector and showed many interesting pictures of freighters from all around the Great Lakes as well as shared some very interesting history on his time travelling from port to port with his family.

Many of Don's stories are in his critically acclaimed book Sail Away which is a story about his families difficulties and life aboard a sail boat while venturing around the globe.

We are grateful to Don for sharing his tales with us. For more information about Don Babson, or to purchase Sail Away visit Don Babson.com

For more information on how you can be a Lions Club member and hear great guest speakers several times a year contact us at the link above.

Message from International President Sid Scruggs

It takes time to make a Lion. Certainly all Lions, even the newest, share in the same privileges and responsibilities as every other Lion, but to really understand what it means to be a Lion -- that takes time.

Even experienced Lions sometimes underestimate the value of our service. That is not true of the people we serve. They fully understand the value of what we do and they will tell us about it if we listen with open hearts.

I can still remember hearing the words, "We can always count on you Lions," when my home club in North Carolina delivered holiday packages to families in need of food. I recall the gratitude of elderly people who received a flu vaccine at the annual health fair my club organized and I will never forget the joy on the face of a child who received her first pair of eyeglasses from a Lion. These were some of the most rewarding experiences of my life and they taught me what it really means to be a Lion.

It is our job as Lion leaders to ensure that all Lions have opportunities to experience the rewards of service. That feeling of accomplishment and connection to another human life is our "secret weapon" in the effort to build and retain our membership. The more moments like those that we provide to our members, the more satisfying their Lions experience will be. And satisfied members are the best ambassadors our clubs can have. They will surely attract other people of good will who are seeking the rewards of service that only membership in a Lions Club can provide.

The next Global Service Action Campaign will provide many opportunities for the kind of one-to-one interaction I have been describing. Please do all you can to ensure that as many Lions as possible participate in Relieving the Hunger, scheduled for December and January.

Thank you for all you do.

Best wishes,
Sid L. Scruggs III
International President

Our October Student of the Month - Jill Weeks

  

In recognizing hard work, community involvement, and high academic standards Vermilion Lions Club is proud to announce its Student of the Month for October, Jill Weeks.

Of course no student would be where they are without great parents, it is our pleasure to also introduce and congratulate Jill's parents Cindy and Frank Weeks for their great effort.

Many thanks!

We would like to take the time to thank the many fine and generous people who have purchased our Vermilion Lions Club French Fries in support of their community. It is your good will and support that allow us to reach other not so fortunate neighbors in the community with aid of all sorts.

We had a great time serving fries and getting to see our good friends in the community. Thank you all so much!

Last Chance This Year for Football and Fries!

Last Chance! Football and French Fries returns to Vermilion High School stadium this Friday at the Firelands vs. Vermilion football game.

We will have the Vermilion Lions Club chuck-wagon setup and ready, located at the north end of the stadium next to the concession stand.

All proceeds from the sale of Vermilion Lions Club fresh cut French Fries benefit the community as both Vermilion Athletic boosters and Lions Club are volunteer organizations.

Be sure to stop by the Chuckwagon and get your fries and help a neighbor in the process.

We'll see you at the game! GO SAILORS!

Our Student of the Month

In recognizing hard work, community involvement, and high academic standards Vermilion Lions Club is proud to announce its Student of the Month for September, Kara Cremean.

Of course no student would be where they are without great parents, it is our pleasure to also introduce and congratulate Kara's parents Jackie and Mike Cremean for their great effort.

We're building tomorrows leaders today....Leo Club - A Lions Club for Teens

Leadership – Experience – Opportunity

 Those are just a few of the rewards young people gain from participating in Leos. They also happen to be the values that create the acronym of our club name.

In total, more than 144,000 young people in 139 countries are proud to serve others in their local communities and to call themselves Leos. These young community leaders are friendly, active and dedicated to creating new and exciting opportunities by participating in their local Leo clubs. Social and professional connections are an additional benefit for Omega members (age 18 and older).

Vermilion High School Leo Club Welcomes You!

Next Meeting: Wednesday, October 27, 2010
2010 President : Anissa Pugh
Vice President and Communication Directors: Tanner Lias/Kelly Duncan

Membership Requirements:

• Submit Application
• Pay a $10 fee
• Get involved! - All members are required to volunteer 7 Hrs in the community, plus help with fundraising at Lions Club Bingo nights. In the 09-10 school year Emily Stump contributed 16 hrs in volunteer work helping others. 

For more information on how you can help contact Leo Club Coordinator Marty Plas.

French Fries March On!

We know what your thinking, French Fries again! Absolutley!
This week carries on the new tradition of serving our terrific Vermilion Lions Club fresh cut French Fries at the Rangers vs. Sailors football game. So all of you folks who are running late and didn't get a chance to grab a bite to eat, don't worry. We have you covered. Just stop by at the north end of the Vermilion High School stadium and visit our Chuck-wagon. You can't miss it.

Also know that the proceeds from the sales of fries are split between the Vermilion Athletic boosters and your neighborhood Lions Club, which means it really goes to benefit the community at large.

How great is that?

We hope to see you at the game!

Introducing Leo the Lion.. Plus join us at the VHS band festival tonight!

We had a lot of fun serving the fans at the Avon vs. Vermilion football game last night. And though the score wasn't what we hoped for, everyone is a winner when football fans support your local Lions Club. Even Leo the Lion showed up and helped for awhile.

For those of you who missed your chance at the fresh cut french fry festivities, you have another shot tonight as we will have the Vermilion Lions Club chuckwagon up and running at VHS Stadium for the Band Festival, so join us tonight as we raise funds to help the community.

And, as always, we are grateful for your kind and generous support!

Back by popular demand... Football and Fries with a bonus Saturday Night!

French fry fans have something to really celebrate, starting tonight we have football and french fries at the Sailors vs. Avon football game, then Saturday we will have the Vermilion Lions Club chuckwagon back at the stadium for the Vermilion Sailor Marching Band Festival.

So that's two nights of french fry goodness.

Join us and help raise funds to help others in your community!

We will be at the north end of the stadium near the consession stand, look for our friend Leo the Lion!

Why Lions Club?... Reason 5 - Diversity

From time to time Vermilion Lions Club will bring you the many reasons you should consider when choosing how best to serve your community.

Today, we would like to talk about diversity. The very word is at the heart of all Lions Clubs world wide. When you join Vermilion Lions Club you become a part of an organization composed of men and women from more then 192 countries around the globe. Our members, both locally and international are from a wide array of backgrounds, various ages, professions, and ethnic backgrounds. We are constantly on the lookout for people from all walks of life who wish to contribute in helping others.

One of Lions Clubs stated goals is to embrace and celebrate the differences that we all bring to the table, that is what makes Lions Club the largest humanitarian service club organization in the world.

How did it get that big? One member at a time. For more information on how you can help please feel free to contact us!

Double Dose of Fries this weekend!

First, tonight's the night for Football and French Fries at Vermilion High School Stadium as the Sailors take on Fairview. Our chuck-wagon will be at the north end of the field next to the concession stand so stop by!







Then Sunday we will have the Vermilion Lions Club chuck-wagon ready to go at the Vermilion Fox 8 WoollyBear Festival. So if you can't make the game, bring the family to festivities!

Two chances to enjoy our fresh cut goodness!

All proceeds from the sale of Lions Club French Fries go to benefit the community at large. Vermilion Lions Club is a 100% volunteer organization whose fund raising efforts provide much needed help to your neighbors in need.

Horticulture Specialist Shelly Hill Teaches Green!

Horticulture specialist Shelly Hill was the speaker for the Sept 21st Vermilion Lions Club. Shelly brought with her a list of  "Do's" for a greener Vermilion. She taught the values of mulching for a greener yard, and also the use of natural vs. man made, as in using rain barrels and composting over commercial fertilizer. Shelly is a expert on staff at the Ohio State University's Lorain Extension.  

The Vermilion Lions Club would like to extend our sincere appreciation for Shelly's time and knowledge!

Football and Fries Returns!

Back by popular demand! Football and French Fries returns to Vermilion High School stadium this Friday at the Fairview vs. Vermilion football game.

We will have the Vermilion Lions Club chuck-wagon setup and ready, located at the north end of the stadium next to the concession stand.

All proceeds from the sale of Vermilion Lions Club fresh cut French Fries benefit the community as Lions Club is a volunteer origination which contributes to many causes throughout the town.

Be sure to stop by the Chuckwagon and get your fries and help a neighbor in the process.

We'll see you at the game! GO SAILORS!

Thank you Vermilion!

The Vermilion Lions Club would like to thank all the generous fans who visited the Lions Chuckwagon and purchased our famous french fries at the Sailors vs. Comets football game Friday night.
We served nearly 260lbs of potatoes! Of course all the proceeds from the evening go to helping your community, as the Lions Club is strictly a volunteer effort.
Anyone interested in helping out and volunteering in the community please contact us for more information on how you can serve others. 

We hope to see you at the next home game! Thanks again, we couldn't do it without you!

Tonights the Night!

Remember it's football and french fries tonight at the Vermilion Sailors vs. Amherst Comets game.
Be sure to stop in and treat yourself to our famous French Fries while you enjoy the gridiron action. Look for the Vermilion Lions Club Chuckwagon near the concession stand at the north end of the stadium.
All proceeds from the sale of Vermilion Lions Club Victory Fries benefit the community!
We'll see you at the game!

Help Us So Others May See...

Core 4 Grant for Vision Screening Cameras

In the beginning, Melvin Jones created the Lion’s Clubs, blessed are we that serve. Helen Keller charged us to be “Knights of the Blind,” and so we are. The Sight & Hearing Committee challenges all Lions to eliminate childhood blindness and so we
will.

We have made great strides as Lions to help the blind, provide Ohioans with glasses, help support our communities and do many other great things. Now it is time to request funding through Lions Clubs International to accomplish a new goal of vision screening of all 4 year olds. This core 4 grant is to save children from blindness starting at birth and continuing through their childhood. The answer is the Sure Sight Camera.

What can it detect? Without being technical, lazy eye, cross eyed, farsightedness, nearsightedness and strabismus (eyes do not line up with each other). The main loss of vision is lazy eye.
The core 4 grant has been signed off by the Sight & Hearing committee and will be signed off by the District Governors in November at the Council of Governors meeting. It will be sent to LCI for their examination at their quarterly meeting in January. Pending approval, the cameras could be here in Ohio by April of 2011. Sight & Hearing plans to ramp up support and training as soon as possible. More
to come over the following months and we will keep the Lions of Ohio appraised of the situation with frequent news releases.

Sincerely yours
YOUR Sight & Hearing Committee

Your Vermilion Lion's Club!

“Giving is always intentional”

We gave to these state projects on 11/25; $400 to Sight and Hearing, $300 to Eye Research, $50 to Diabetes Awareness, $50 to International Relations, $50 to the Ohio Lion Foundation, and $1,000 to L.C.I.F. for Melvin Jones.

Join us Friday for Fries and Football!

This Friday, Sept 10 Vermilion Lions Club will have our French Fry trailer located near the concession stand at the Vermilion High Football game. So while you enjoy the Amherst Comets vs. Vermilion Sailor game you can also enjoy our famous fries and help out your community at the same time.

We hope to see you there!

Welcome to our new home!

The Vermilion Lions Club welcomes you to our new blog. You can also follow our activities at our official Lions site for news and events located here. We hope you check back often to see how you can help support your community through Vermilion Lions Club events and gatherings and even consider membership in lending a helping hand to those in need.