Tag Archives: spirit

National Pumpkin Day and the Story of the Jack O’ Lantern

24 Thursday Oct 2019

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smiling jack o lantern

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

If we were to ask you what object best symbolizes the month of October, how would you respond? If you’re like many of us, you would probably say the pumpkin. During this month, the famous orange gourd has shown up on doorsteps, featured in coffee drinks and has become the scent of choice for houses across the country.

To celebrate America’s favorite squash, National Pumpkin Day was born. The unofficial holiday is commemorated on Saturday, October 26. To honor the celebration, we thought we’d have some fun with the story of the Jack O’ Lantern.

Legend says, the Jack O’ Lantern came from an old man named “Stingy Jack” who liked to play tricks on people. One day, Stingy Jack invited the devil to have a drink with him. Old Jack decided that he didn’t want to pay for the drinks, so he convinced the devil to turn himself into a coin. Instead of paying for the drinks, Jack decided to keep the coin and placed it in his pocket next to a silver coin; therefore, trapping the devil. He eventually agreed to release the devil but made him promise not to bother him for another year. If he died, the devil could not claim his soul.

One year passed, and again Jack tricked the devil into climbing an apple tree. Once he was up the tree, he made the sign of the cross in the bark, again trapping the devil. He let him down but made him promise not to bother him for another decade.

Soon after, Stingy Jack died and made his way up to Heaven. Saint Peter told him that he was not allowed in, so he tried to get into hell. The devil also denied his entrance because of his promise not to claim his soul. He sent Jack off into the night with only a piece of coal lighting the way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been forced to roam the earth ever since.

In an attempt to ward off Stingy Jack and other wandering spirits, people In Ireland and Scotland began to make their own versions of Jack’s lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips and potatoes. As immigrants came to America, they brought their tradition with them but found pumpkins to be perfect for Jack O’ Lanterns.

If you still haven’t carved your annual pumpkin, there’s no better day to get creative than this Saturday. We invite you to show off your Lions Pride spirit with this fun pattern from Pumpkin Stencils:

Lion Pumpkin Pattern

Be sure to keep away Stingy Jack by carving your Halloween Jack O’ Lantern. Happy decorating!

The Magic of Giving

20 Thursday Dec 2018

Posted by in Giving Tips, Holidays, Lions Camp, Special Events

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Think back to your favorite Christmas memory. You were likely a small child. You can Santa is placing gift boxes under Christmas treeprobably remember your excitement as the holiday quickly approached. The days leading up to Christmas Eve, you were on your best behavior (but had good reminders from your parents and teachers.) When December 24 finally arrived, you couldn’t wait to go to sleep that night. Your mom and dad likely helped you prepare for the evening with a fresh plate of cookies and a glass of milk. You brushed your teeth and quickly went to bed, but then spent most of the night watching the clock – just waiting for an appropriate time to wake up. Then on Christmas morning, you couldn’t believe your eyes as you found a Christmas tree full of presents replaced with an empty plate. You believed in the magic of Christmas.

Sadly, things change as we grow older. Our excitement was instead replaced with stress and a To-Do list a mile long, and the spirit fades. Fortunately, the magic does reappear as we have children of our own, but our roles change – from excited child to excited parent. We also spend Christmas Eve, making preparations and not getting much shuteye because we too are eager to watch our children thrilled be opening our gifts. Then quietly smiling when they ask, “How did Santa know this is exactly what I wanted?” As parents, we come to discover a new kind of magic – the magic of giving.

But as life continues on, the cycle continues. Our children grow up, and the spirit again slightly fades.

Luckily, as supporters of Lions Pride, we have a unique role that allows us to play Santa all year long. How, you might ask? By giving special children all around the state of Wisconsin the gift of experience. This year, over 150 children were given the opportunity to spend a week in the beautiful place known as the Wisconsin Lions Camp. During their week at camp, these kids have the chance for overnight camping, canoe and hiking trips, swimming, kayaking, paddle boating, archery, crafts, sports and more. All the while, they are also developing self-confidence, interdependence, social skills and outdoor recreational skills, at no cost to their families.

This particular gift may not be beautifully wrapped under a bright, full Christmas tree, but we know in our hearts that it’s a gift that keeps on giving all year long because a child’s week at camp allows them the resources, skills and experiences that will serve them long beyond their childhoods.

Of course, none of this would be possible without you, the help of our donors, the lifeblood of our organization. We never get tired of saying thank you for your ongoing support. Although our biological children may be grown, we look forward to playing the role of Santa for countless years to come. Thank you for helping us continue our mission to preserve, provide and protect Lions Camp and all other WLF statewide projects.

The Lions Pride Office will be closed the week of December 24, to celebrate Christmas with our families. We’d like to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

A Short History of Saint Nicholas Day

06 Thursday Dec 2018

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Today marks the beginning of another December holiday known as Saint Nicholas Day, aSaint Nicholas gift- giving holiday that stems from ancient Greece. Will you and your family be celebrating?

St. Nick’s Day is a big holiday in Europe but is not nearly as common here in the United States. It all started back in 4th century Greece. Nicholas’ parents died in an epidemic when he was a young boy but left him with a large sum of money. With his inheritance, he decided to use his wealth to help the sick, the needy and the suffering. His most popular act was to leaving gold coins in people’s shoes around the city. He became known across the land for his generosity. After dedicating his life of service to others, Nicholas of Myra was officiated as a bishop.

European immigrants brought their beliefs and associations around Saint Nicholas Day. The earliest records observe the holiday in big cities such as New York City in the early 1800s. Of course, the tradition has since evolved since making its way to North America. Today, children hang their stockings on the fireplace mantel and awake to small gifts of candy, games and other fun trinkets. However, there is always the chance that naughty children will wake to a sad lump of coal.

If you’ve been through a checkout line in a superstore anytime in the recent future, you know there are all sorts of stocking stuffer ideas out there. Kids of all ages will love stickers, candy, cookies, jewelry, toy cars, fruit, building blocks and bottles of nail polish. But we have an idea for another extra special gift to add to the list.

In addition to small knickknacks, consider teaching your children the value of charity by giving a donation in his or her name. Print off the certificate and add it to their stocking. Then you can explain to them how their special gift helps others. For example, with a donation to Lions Pride, they are helping children with special needs have fun at a week of summer camp, meeting new friends and building life-changing skills – an experience that he or she will treasure for a lifetime.

This holiday season, embody the spirit of Saint Nicholas with a gift that gives back. After all, isn’t it the reason behind season?

Happy Saint Nicholas Day from Lions Pride!

 

Lions Pride Current Happenings (Early 2017 Addition)

09 Thursday Mar 2017

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“Change is the law of life.” 

Where has the time gone? It’s hard to Dewey Carlbelieve we are already well into the month of March. If you’ve been keeping up with us for the past six months, you know that our organization has gone through a lot of changes during this period.

The largest difference, of course, is the loss of our founder and chairperson, Dewey Carl, who passed away last August. While we still feel the obvious hole in our hearts, we continue to pick up the pieces and find new ways to honor his memory.

One of the tasks that has been on top of our To Do list for quite some time has been the review and updates of our website with current information. Each year, there are changes to the Board of Directors, but this was the first time it was updated without Dewey. It just didn’t feel right to remove him completely – after all, where would we be without his original vision? Instead, we just moved him to his own dedicated Tribute Page.

For all of you who only knew Dewey through Lions Pride you might be surprised to learn how involved he was outside of Lions. He was very involved in his community and church and sat on the Board of Directors for several organizations. In 2011, he was presented with the Outstanding Philanthropist Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals of Northeast Wisconsin. He truly was a Lion through and through.

Although LPEF has been shaken by our loss, our mission remains the same. Dewey’s voice and support started the campaign, and his indomitable spirit continues to inspire us to carry on as he would have wanted. Now more than ever, our words hold true. Lions Pride is dedicated to continuing our efforts to preserve, protect and provide for Lions Camp and all WLF statewide projects, and hope that you will help us carry out Dewey’s vision.

A Holiday Wish from Lions Pride

22 Thursday Dec 2016

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winter-sceneThe spirit of Christmas is all around us. With the big holiday only days away, we continue to see it in store windows, on light posts and underneath the tree.

Although we are all excited to celebrate America’s “favorite” holiday, it’s important for us all to remember that Christmas is not the only holiday taking place this time of year. Here at Lions Pride, we thought there was no better time for us to look at several other celebrations happening throughout the month of December:

  • The Feast of Our Lady Guadalupe took place on Monday, December 12. Each year, the festivity honors the belief that Jesus’s mother Mary appeared to a man in Mexico City on two different occasions in 1531.
  • St Lucia’s Day (or St. Lucy’s Day) is one of the biggest Swedish holidays and recognizes the bravery of St. Lucia who was one of the earliest martyrs who was killed because of her religious beliefs in the year 304. The celebration takes place each year on December 13.
  • Hanukkah is the festival of lights that commemorates the Jewish people’s successful rebellion against the Greeks in the Maccabean War. This year, Hanukkah falls on the same day as Christmas. The last time the two holidays occurred on the same date was in 1978.
  • Kwanzaa is the African American weeklong holiday that honors family, community and culture. The celebration honors African heritage with a feast and gift giving, and is observed from December 26 to January 1.
  • Boxing Day also takes place on December 26 and is a holiday celebrated in a few countries connected to England (Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. During the Middle Ages, one day out of the year was designated to open church collection boxes and distributed to the poor. Today, some churches still open these boxes.

Rather than simply spreading Christmas cheer this month, remember to consider all of the other holidays taking place. There are many reasons why they call it the most wonderful time of the year, and we’d like to think diversity is one of the best.

Happy Holidays from Lions Pride!

In Loving Memory of Dewey Carl

26 Friday Aug 2016

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“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” –Albert Schweitzer

Dewey Carl SpeakingThe world seems a little gloomier this week, as we have all lost a very great man. Our Chairman and CEO Dewey Carl passed away last Tuesday, and our board continues to mourn. We thought there would be no better way to honor him than with a post to celebrate his life dedicated to helping others.

Throughout his lifetime, Dewey held many roles – teacher, coach, businessman and philanthropist. He was committed to being an active community member. In 1974, Dewey joined the Manawa Lions Club and from that time on, dedicated his time and talents to the Lions Organization. He held numerous positions at the local, state and international levels. He became the Wisconsin Lions Foundation President in 1986 and served until 1987, and was District Governor from 1990 until 1991.

During that time, he was a need not being met and worked tirelessly to fulfill his dream of preserving, protecting and providing for the future with all WLF projects, including the Wisconsin Lions Camp.

Through Dewey’s efforts, the Lions Pride Dewey Carl FunCampaign received private funding arrangements. Work toward the campaign began in 2003 and in May 2005, the Lions of Wisconsin voted to approve the campaign. The campaign was introduced in 2006. In mid-2011, the WLF Board of Directors voted to establish two separate 501(c)(3) corporations, and the Lions Pride Endowment Fund was born.

In addition to his dedication to the Lions Organization, he served and worked with several other organizations including the city of Manawa, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Northern Lakes Winnebago Private Industry Council Advisory Board of the W-2 program of Waupaca County, Fox Valley Workforce Development Board, Waupaca County Industries Advisory Board, Waupaca County Crime Stoppers Committee, Riverside Hospital Foundation Board, Riverside Hospital Foundation Board, New London Family Medical Foundation Board, Manawa School District Development Board, and The Little Wolf Trail Organization. In 2011, he was honored with the Outstanding Philanthropist Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals of Northeast Wisconsin.

We honestly would not know where we would be today without the conviction of Dewey Carl. He showed us that there is nothing more important in life than working to improve the lives of others. His voice and spirit will live on to continue to inspire the success of our organization.

Thank you, Dewey, for your enthusiasm, dedication and commitment; you truly made the world a better place and will be deeply missed.

—

Dewey’s family has designated Lions Pride Endowment Fund of Wisconsin for memorial contributions. To read his full obituary, please follow this link.

The Spirit of AirVenture

16 Thursday Jul 2015

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Lion in AirplaneSummertime is filled with events happening all over the state of Wisconsin. Last weekend, we saw of one of the largest old car shows take place only 15 miles from the Lions Pride Office. Next week, we will be changing modes of transportation and getting a little from home with EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015.

AirVenture is the world’s largest gatherings from recreational pilots and aviation enthusiasts. The event begins on the last Monday of July in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Over 500,000 people from more than 60 countries come to celebrate their love for aviation. The week is filled with airshows, workshops, forums, aeronautics, concerts and so much more. AirVenture 2015 also includes special theme days such as Honoring Apollo 13, Salute to Veterans and World War II Tribute.

As you can imagine, the whole event is unique, but how many participants get to Oshkosh is even more extraordinary. Of course, they fly, but they take their own aircraft. One week out of the year, the Wittman Regional Airport becomes the busiest airport in the world with more than 10,000 planes flying in.

Participants come back year after year to continue learning about their passion and connecting with new and old friends alike. EAA AirVenture shows us that no matter how much experience you have, if you’re passionate about an industry or cause, you can never stop learning. Is it just us or does this sound similar to another organization? We think the Wisconsin Lions and Lionesses have a lot in common with Lions Pride, we all want to secure the legacy of service that began with Lions Camp almost 60 years ago.

To all of those traveling near and far, we wish you safe travels to EAA AirVenture!