Tag Archives: rosholt

5 Reasons to Wear Sunglasses

24 Thursday Jun 2021

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Sunday, June 27 is National Sunglasses Day 2021, courtesy of the Vision Council! Although they may not be necessary on a stormy day like today, there are several advantages to putting on your shades before heading out the door:

  1. They prevent your eyes from developing sun-related health issues, including cataracts, skin cancer and macular degeneration.
  2. They protect your eyes from the elements such as dust, wind and sand.
  3. They lead to more comfortable vision by allowing you to see without having to squint.
  4. They make it easier to adapt from light to darkness.  
  5. Lastly, they are fashionable! By putting on a pair of sunglasses, you can instantly look and feel like a movie star.

If you’re interested in sporting a new pair of sunglasses, but don’t want to add to your collection, the Eyeglass Recycling Center in Rosholt can help cut down on your clutter. The ERC is only one of 18 other facilities in the world. It serves as a place to process used eyeglasses (including sunglasses) that are usually collected in containers placed in public spaces around Wisconsin and neighboring states.

Annually, over 500,000 pairs of used eyeglasses are processed at the ERC and sent on missions to developing countries around the globe. Sunglasses can be helpful for those living in hot climates, and children’s sunglasses are especially desirable.

There are many ways to get your old sunglasses to the recycling center:

  • Find a collection site near you by emailing wilionserc@wlf.info
  • Donate your individual pair by sending them to Eyeglass Recycling Center at 3834 County Road A, Rosholt WI 54473
  • Help others also cut down on their clutter by organizing a collection drive of your own

Remember, the future is bright, so don’t forget your sunglasses. Happy National Sunglasses Day from Lions Pride!

Celebrating the Beauty of Our Planet

22 Thursday Apr 2021

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Photo Credit to Wisconsin Lions Camp

You likely already know that today is Earth Day, but did you know that the birth of the modern environmental movement started right here in Wisconsin back in 1970? Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin had long been concerned about the deteriorating state of the planet, but after a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara in 1969, he knew that the country needed a change.

Senator Nelson was keeping a close eye on students involved in the anti-war movement and was inspired by their energy; he wanted to bring the same type of attention to the public regarding air and water pollution. He decided to bring the idea of teach-in to college campuses and recruited Pete McCloskey and Denis Hayes to spearhead the effort. The team of three chose April 22 as their day of action because it was a weekday that fell between Spring Break and Final Exams.

They realized the potential to influence all Americans, so Hayes hired 85 staffers to promote events across the country, which then grew to include a wide range of organizations, faith groups and more.  

Although it may not be initially obvious, Lions Pride is a big supporter of Earth Day, stick around to find out why!

As you likely already know, we work closely with the Wisconsin Lions Camp. Each year, we are able to bring children with special needs from around the state to Rosholt for a week of fun and inspire a generation of nature lovers.

During their week away, campers have 440 acres and a 45-acre private lake to explore. They each have the opportunity for a comprehensive outdoor program. Days are filled with outdoor camping, canoeing, hiking, swimming, sailing, archery, sports and so much more. The importance of environmental awareness is rooted in each of these activities.

Once the week has come to an end, we hope they take back an appreciation of our natural world and reappears to choices they make at home. For instance, we hope that when given the opportunity they choose the great outdoors more often than modern devices such as helping their parents plant a garden rather than staying in to play on their iPad.

Our world is an incredible gift and Earth Day reminds us all to cherish it as such. How will you choose to celebrate the beauty of our planet?

Celebrating Motorcyclists

09 Thursday Jul 2020

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On humid days like today, it’s difficult to enjoy the sunshine without a breeze. Unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate with our plans, so sometimes you need to make your own. If you have to ask yourself how then we would guess that you don’t often find yourself on the back of a bike!

July 10, 2020 is National Motorcycle Day, an unofficial holiday dedicated to celebrating the spirit of adventure and freedom. From what we could find, the creators of the event (Sentry Insurance) thought the second week of July was the perfect time to continue the celebration of Independence Day one week later.

If you consider yourself to be a fan of Lions Pride, you probably already know that motorcyclists have a special place in our hearts.

For the past ten years, we’ve helped host the Friendship 100, an invitation-only motorcycle ride. Riders raise a minimum of $100 to participate, then the group takes a beautiful 100-mile ride from Fond du Lac to Rosholt.

Upon arrival, the riders enjoy a seated lunch, followed by a tour to experience life as a camper at Wisconsin Lions Camp.

Last year’s event was held on July 25, 2019. We were incredibly grateful to have received combined donations of $8270, nearly 50% more than their original goal. To date, the participating rides have donated almost $45,000.

Year after year, we look forward to seeing the friendly faces of our Friendship 100 Riders, but like many other summer events, we’ve had to postpone due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of course, we are disappointed that our 11th annual ride will not continue as usual, but we hope to host it later this fall. Perhaps the ride will coincide with the extravagant autumn colors.

To all of our Friendship 100 Riders, we’d like to send you a virtual message since we cannot see you this month as we’d like. We cannot tell you how much your generous support means to our organization. We are so appreciative of your giving hearts and hope to see you soon!

Early Signs of Spring

14 Thursday Mar 2019

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Do you smell spring in the air? May, not quite yet, but believe it or not, it is right around Screen Shot 2019-03-14 at 5.51.46 AMthe corner. Next Wednesday, March 20, marks the beginning of the vernal equinox.

As you may already know, the equinox is a moment in time when the sun positioned directly above the equator, so night and day are of (approximate) equal length. We know that it may not yet feel like spring, but if you would consider yourself to be a skeptic, we have some additional signs to help you see the light:

  • The snow is disappearing slowly but surely. February brought in record-breaking amounts of snow. In fact, the city of Wausau set a new personal best with 39.1 inches of accumulation, well exceeding their previous record of 28.4 inches set back in 1964. Understandably, it will take some time to get rid of the snow banks completely, but we are making progress.
  • Mother Nature is celebrating with well-above average temps. Today, we are expected to reach 52 degrees here in Rosholt, which will feel like a treat. But we’ll need to stay tuned because it appears that 50-degree temperatures will become the new normal in the upcoming weeks.
  • The birds are back in town. Sparrows and sandhill cranes are making their way back home, and the robins will get back to their usual routines.
  • The days are getting longer. We may have lost an hour of sleep last week due to Daylight Saving Time, but we are now getting more sunlight. We’re looking forward to seeing a little bit more of our old friend, Mr. Sun.
  • It’s almost time to play ball! The 2019 MLB will open on its earliest day ever. All 30 teams will play on March 28, excluding international openers. The previous earliest opening day was only last year on March 29, 2018.

There are many ways to show us that spring is almost here. From now until June 21, 2019, we will be witnesses to the rebirth of the beautiful, Wisconsin landscape. What is your favorite part of the new season?

Happy Spring from Lions Pride!

National Trivia Day: Lions Pride Edition

03 Thursday Jan 2019

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Are you interested in sharing and exchanging little-known facts? If so, then you’ll love tomorrow’s unofficial holiday, National Trivia Day.458432_10150689723660999_1376996678_o.jpg

Although the exact origin of Trivia Day is unknown, many people credit the game, Trivial Pursuit as the start. The creators of the game, Chris Haney and Scott Abbott, wanted to play Scrabble but were disappointed to learn several of their board games’ pieces had gone missing. Rather than dwell on their misfortune, they decided to create their own game. The concept of Trivial Pursuit was conceived in a matter of hours.

In honor of National Trivia Day, we’d thought we’d celebrate with fun facts inspired by our favorite WLF service projects:

  • The Wisconsin Lions Camp was the dream of which well-known Lion? Ray Hempel.
  • How large is the camp in acreage? 440.
  • What is the ratio of staff to campers? 1:6
  • How tall is the famous Totem Pole Na-Wak-Wa? 38 feet.
  • Louie the Lion, the guardian of the Wisconsin Lions Camp, is made out of what materials? Concrete and old gun barrels.
  • The Eyeglass Recycling Center in Rosholt is one of how many worldwide facilities? 18.
  • At any given point, how many pairs of eyeglasses are available at the ERC? 125,000.
  • How many Americans are affected by hearing loss? An estimated 48 million.
  • What percentage of a child’s learning is related to sight? 80%.
  • Vision problems affect one ins how many school-aged children? 4.
  • How many children are adequately screened for vision problems in the US? Less than 20%.

Finally, did you know that your donation to Lions Pride helps us to preserve, protect and provide for all of these projects and more? What’s more, you have the ability to designate your gift to the project of your choice.

Together, we have the opportunity to reach, touch and improve lives all over the state; and we are so appreciative of your continued support.

Happy National Trivia Day!

Eyeglass Recycling Month

12 Thursday Apr 2018

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It seems that in just about every household, you’ll likely find a pair of eyeglasses that areLERC no longer being used as prescriptions change annually, and styles are always evolving. If you have a pair of glasses lying around, there’s no better time to get a jumpstart on spring-cleaning by donating your lenses.

On January 30, 2018, Governor Scott Walker declared April as Eyeglass Recycling Month in Wisconsin. Since the 1950s, Wisconsin Lions have been collecting and donating used glasses. It was until 1994 that a matching grant from Lions Club International Foundation helped establish the Eyeglass Recycling Center right here in Rosholt. Our ERC is one of 17 such facilities found worldwide.

Approximately 800,000 used glasses are received each year. Upon arrival, each pair is visually inspected and cleaned; the prescription is then read with specialized equipment and categorized, packaged, labeled, sorted, boxed and put into inventory.

The available inventory is approximately 125,000 pair of glasses, which are provided to Vision Mission projects to developing countries. Some mission groups included Lions, of course, but there are many others out there including vision professionals.

The need for eyeglasses is more significant than you might think. Millions of people around the world need glasses to see clearly, but many developing countries lack the resources to manufacture quality lenses. People are known to walk miles to get their eyeglasses so you can rest assured that your pair can make a difference.

If you’d like to donate your eyeglasses, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

  • The most useable glasses are those with intact frames and undamaged lenses.
  • Cases are not mandatory but can be useful to avoid damage during transit.
  • Sunglasses are also received and can be beneficial for people living in hot climates.
  • Children’s glasses are always desirable.

Eyeglasses that you wish to donate can be dropped off in Lions Collection boxes. To find a collection box near you, please contact your local Lions Club. Eyeglasses can also be mailed directly to the Eyeglass Recycling Center:

WILERC
3834 County Rd A
Rosholt, WI 54473

Use the month of April as an opportunity to connect with friends and family to see if they also have unused glasses available. You might be surprised to see how many pairs you can collect with only a bit of effort.

Whereas, Wisconsin Lions strive to make a difference in the lives of people in need throughout the world; now, therefore, be it resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, that the legislature hereby proclaims April 2018 as Wisconsin Eyeglass Recycling Month.

Lions Pride encourages working together to change the lives of people all over the world, one pair at a time. Happy Eyeglass Recycling Month!

Lions Pride Annual Meeting – July 2017

13 Thursday Jul 2017

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It’s that time again! This Friday, July 14, Lions Pride will host the 2017 Annual Meeting.

Annual Report

If you’re not already familiar with nonprofit organizations, you may not know that annual meetings are important events. While it may just seem like another meeting, this one is a bit different. Our board members meet four times a year, but they don’t always have a lot of opportunities to talk directly with the general public on the organization’s financial standing – that’s where the annual meeting comes into play.

The annual meeting will directly follow our third board meeting of the year at the Lions Pride Office. During the meeting, we will be discussing the 2016-2017 activities, fundraising efforts, donors and donations as well as the overall financial position. We’ll also hear from our President pro tem Sam Kochel and get the opportunity to thank our donors in person. After all, without you, Lions Pride wouldn’t be possible.

We’re looking forward to taking one last trip down the 2016-2017 Lionistic Year and celebrating the year’s successes while brainstorming new opportunities for the year ahead.

If you are unable to attend tomorrow’s meeting, the annual report will be available early next week. You can request an electronic or paper copy by emailing us at prideoffice@lionspride.org.

We’ve said it once, we’ve said it again and we’ll never get tired of saying “Thank you!” to all of our volunteers, donors and advocates for another phenomenal year. We are so appreciative of your continued support and can’t wait to see what lies ahead.

The 8th Annual Friendship 100 Ride

06 Thursday Jul 2017

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Friendship 100 Riders

As you know, the Wisconsin Lions Camp gets special visitors all summer long, but in less than a week, we’ll be receiving a group of guests that won’t arrive in big, yellow buses – but rather roaring hogs!

We’re happy to announce that Open Road HD of Fond du Lac will be once again partnering with Lions Pride to hold the 8th Annual Friendship 100. The invitation-only ride was started back in 2009 and has raised over $30,000 for Lions Camp.

To participate, the riders raise a minimum donation of $100 before the event. Then together, the group takes a beautiful 100-mile ride from Fond du Lac to Rosholt. This year’s ride will be held on Wednesday, July 12.

After arriving, the riders will enjoy lunch at the recreation center, followed by a tour to experience the day in the life of a Wisconsin Lions Camper before making the trek home.

Year after year, we look forward to the Friendship 100. A unique part of our job is that we work with both Lions and non-Lions to support WLF projects, and there is nothing that we love more than taking part in activities that support the cause.

To all of the participating riders, we’d like to extend a special message for your continued support. Because of your generosity over the last eight years, you have guaranteed several camper spots in perpetuity, and we cannot say thank you enough for your support. See you soon!

The Father of Wisconsin Lions Camp

15 Thursday Jun 2017

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Roll out the barbecue – it’s time to celebrate Dad!

Lion Ray Hempel

Sunday marks the day to honor the men in our lives with a day dedicated just to him. With Father’s Day right around the corner, we thought it would be the perfect excuse to honor an exceptional man in the Wisconsin Lions community – Ray Hempel, the father and originator of Wisconsin Lions Camp.

You may have already heard this story a time or two, but it’s one that we think can always be retold. The year was 1952; Lion Ray Hempel was visiting with two 12-year old boys at an area hospital. He asked them if they had ever attended a camp. One boy replied, “Blind kids can’t go to outdoor camp and stuff like that.”

Others may have just acknowledged the response, apologized and changed the subject, but Lion Ray was not that man. Instead, he took those words to heart and began visualizing a camp that would provide an outdoor experience for those two boys and others like them.

His background in Lions and Boy Scouts, as well as his love of camping told him exactly what he needed to do. He needed to persuade the Wisconsin Lions to start a camp for blind children.

A few years later, Lion Ray and the Poy Sippi Lions petitioned the District Governors for a permanent camp location at the 1955 Wisconsin State Convention. At the 1956 convention, a 240-acre property was purchased in Rosholt, and the Wisconsin Lions Camp was born. Lion Ray served as the first camp director and was proud to be an integral part of its development

Today, the camp has expanded to serve even more children with special needs, including vision and hearing impairments, mild cognitive disabilities and Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, all at no cost to their families.

With the first week of summer camp starting on Monday, we think there’s no better time to reflect on the man who started it all. Who knew a chance comment would lead to such big change. Since its inception Lions Camp has offered the week of a lifetime to nearly 70,000 campers. There’s no question in our minds that Ray Hempel was the epitome of a Wisconsin Lion.

Happy Father’s Day from Lions Pride!

2017 Council of Governors Orientation Weekend

01 Thursday Jun 2017

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June has arrived! The trees are blooming, the birds WI Lions Campare singing and winter feels like nothing more than a cold, distant memory.

While we may only be halfway through the year of 2017, the 2016-2016 Lionistic Year is coming to a close; that means it’s time for our current Council of Governors to start handing the reigns to our the DGEs. Saturday marks the first full weekend of the summer at Lions Camp. The DGEs will be gearing up for their new roles at this weekend’s orientation.

The fun starts on Friday afternoon at 4 pm with initial Council Chair Training presented by CC Shawn Redington, IPID Karla Harris and PID Mark Hintzmann. Immediately following, the elected officials will receive a camp tour and meal from the WLF Directors. The night ends with WLF orientation history and current project overview.

On Saturday, the District Governor Elects will learn about the training at the International Convention and receive more information about the several projects happening within Wisconsin Lions. They will hear from Lions Club International Foundation, the Global Members Team, Wisconsin Lions Eyebank and, of course, Lions Pride.

The day will then wrap up with the council meeting schedule, locations, format and committee action items. The next two days are going to move quickly for the incoming Governors and will begin to prepare them for the year ahead.

Lions Pride is looking forward to seeing all of the District Governor Elects this weekend, and sharing our message about Pride. We’d like to wish all of the new DGEs a nice weekend; we know you are going to be great in your new roles!