Tag Archives: wisconsin lions foundation

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!

Making a Difference & the Ray Hempel Fellowship

19 Thursday Feb 2015

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Lion Ray HempelWhat does it mean to make a difference? The dictionary definition says; it’s “having a significant effect on a person or the situation.” Many would say that making a difference is one of life’s biggest goals. So, is it is just us or is this phrase not getting the credit it deserves? We think that it’s meaning should read closer to “having a powerful impact on surrounding people and the environment.”

Ray Hempel was an outstanding individual who made a big difference in the Lions community and the world. In 1952, Lion Ray was in the hospital visiting two blind 12-year old boys. The group started talking about the great outdoors and Lion Ray asked if they ever attended camp. One of the boys responded with these famous words, “blind kids can’t go to outdoor camp and stuff like that.”

After the conversation, Lion Ray began imagining a camp that would provide an outdoor experience for blind children. He was an enthusiastic camper and Boy Scout Leader and thought everyone deserved to experience nature at its finest. In 1956, the Wisconsin Lions Camp was born. Since its development, the camp has touched the lives of thousands of children and adults with special needs.

Each and every day, Lions and Lionesses are making a difference in the lives of others, in their communities and the world. Do you know someone who goes above and beyond the call of duty? We encourage you to nominate that outstanding individual with the Ray Hempel Fellowship Award.

A Hempel Fellowship contribution of $1000 will be deposited into the permanent Lions Pride Endowment Fund, which helps support Lions Camp and other Wisconsin Lions Foundation state projects for both today and tomorrow.

Thank you for the difference that you are making every day!

National Braille Literacy Month

08 Thursday Jan 2015

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Part of Lions Camp Braille Library

Part of Lions Camp Braille Library

What is the first thought that comes to mind when you think about the month of January? You probably think about the New Year and resolutions, exercise, and healthy eating, but did you know that January is also is National Braille Literacy Month?

As you already know, Lions Pride is dedicated to preserving, protecting and providing for Lions Camp, which serves both children and adults with special needs, including blindness.

What you might not know is Lions Camp has a fairly large Braille Library for its campers to utilize. Denise Rocha from LPEF spoke with Jamie Jannusch, Lions Camp’s Assistant Camp Director this week. Jamie showed Denise the bookshelves full of Braille books including the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter series. “I was surprised by how big and thick the books were, it looks like it takes several volumes to make up even one book,” said Denise.

When asked who uses the books more, Jamie told Denise the books get much more use during the week we serve adult blind and visually impaired campers in comparison to the weeks we serve children.

In addition to the books, Denise told us she learned Lions Camp also has a Perkins

Perkins Brailler at Lions Camp

Perkins Brailler at Lions Camp

Brailler which is a machine similar to a typewriter, but instead of letters, it punches the Braille alphabet into the paper.

Now that you have learned all that, you can certainly understand why National Braille Literacy Month is near and dear to our hearts.

The Braille code has been around for quite some time. Louis Braille first developed the system at age 15 in 1824. It was introduced to the United States in 1869, but not adopted into the Standard English code until 1932. From that time until the early 1960s, many blind children were taught to read and write using Braille.

Unfortunately, after 1965, the literacy rate drastically declined. According to the American Printing House for the Blind, in 2014, there were 60,393 blind children. Of those students, only 8.5 percent (5,147 students) were Braille readers. The majority of those students were actually categorized as non-readers at 34.8 percent.

Many factors have contributed to the declining Braille literacy rate. The first was the passing of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Thousands of children became enrolled in public schools rather than specialized school for the blind. The problem; however, is the fact that many of those schools cannot afford to hire or train Braille teachers. The second factor is the misconception that audio books and talking computers are a comparable substitute for Braille.

Success in life is dependent on literacy. Did you know that the unemployment rate is especially high for individuals who are blind at 70 percent? A point well worth mentioning; however, is the fact that 90 percent of blind people are Braille readers. Learn more about the Braille Literacy Crisis here in America and don’t be afraid to share the facts.

Thank you for reading this week’s Lions Pride Endowment Fund blog. For more information and fun, follow us on Facebook.

Help us continue to be “Today’s Help, Tomorrow’s Hope” for Wisconsin Lions Camp and all the WLF statewide projects by making a donation today.

Sources:

https://nfb.org/blindness-statistics

http://www1.lvib.org/2012/01/09/january-is-braille-literacy-month-2/

http://blog.ncpad.org/2012/01/20/15-facts-to-share-during-braille-literacy-month/

The Kwanzaa Celebration

18 Thursday Dec 2014

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Kwanzaa PrinciplesLast week, we explored the Jewish holiday, Hanukkah, in an effort to learn more about the different holidays being celebrated during the month of December. Today, we move on to the next holiday called Kwanzaa.

Kwanzaa is quite different from both Christmas and Hanukkah because it doesn’t have a religious background; instead it is a celebration of culture.

California State University professor, Dr. Maulana Karenga, created the holiday is 1966 to encourage the indispensable need to “preserve, protect, continually revitalize and promote African American culture.” (The first part sounds awfully familiar to us.)

Kwanzaa takes place from December 26 to January 1 each year. The names comes from the Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanzaa” which means “first fruits.” The first-fruits was a celebration that date back to societies in ancient Egypt and Nubia. Everyone would come together in reverence to commemorate, recommit and celebrate their culture.

The celebration is built on 7 principles:

  • Unity (Umoja) – to strive for and maintain unity in family, community, nation and race.
  • Self-Determination (Kujichagulia) – to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves
  • Collective Work and Responsibility (Ujima) – to build and maintain our community together and to make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and to solve them together
  • Cooperative Economics (Ujamaa) – to build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together
  • Purpose (Nia) – to make own collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to traditional greatness
  • Greatness (Kuumba) – to do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it
  • Faith (Imani) – to believe with our heart in our people, our parents, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle

Throughout the week of Kwanzaa, African Americans come together to celebrate with a profound respect for its values, symbols and practices. They dress up in festive clothing, decorate with beautiful art and cloths and feast on fresh fruits and vegetables.

As we were learning more about Kwanzaa, we couldn’t help but notice the similarities between the celebration and our own organization as well as an importance of culture.

The Lions Pride Endowment Fund‘s efforts to preserve, protect, continually revitalize and promote the Lions of Wisconsin’s culture of serving others through Lions Camp and the WLF projects.

Certainly we can all agree that these are special projects that we can be proud of and want to ensure we can continue to provide for future generations.   The Lions Pride Endowment Fund is “Today’s Help, Tomorrow’s Hope” for all those served by Lions Camp and all WLF statewide projects.

This holiday season, we hope that you keep your own culture in mind and be inspired to preserve, protect and provide for others though a donation to Lions Pride.

Happy Holidays from Lions Pride!

Source:

http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml

November is Diabetes Awareness Month

13 Thursday Nov 2014

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Lions for Diabetes AwarenessThere are many unique holidays in the month of November. It is known as National Model Railroad Month, Aviation History Month and even Peanut Butter Lovers Month, but did you know that it is also Diabetes Awareness Month?

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, diabetes affects approximately 475,000 adults and 4500 children and adolescents throughout the state. People with diabetes are much more likely to suffer from blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, depression, amputations and many other complications. Although diabetes is a very serious disease, it is also very controllable.

Lions are doing a great job informing and educating the public about diabetes through numerous community programs, but we have a chance to make an extra impact throughout the month of November. Lions Club International has come up with a few ways for you and your club to bring diabetes to the forefront:

  • Organize a Strides event in your community – A Strides event is a highly visible, family-oriented activity that combines fun with exercise. Find out more about organizing one today.
  • Start planning a school or community garden – The snow may be flying, but it’s never too early to start thinking about spring gardening.
  • Create a support group for those affected with diabetes – A support group will give you a chance to educate and inform while creating a safe space for those suffering.
  • Invite a healthcare provider to speak at your club – The talk may turn into a great opportunity to brainstorm new ideas to reach your community.
  • Provide your local library with a diabetes magazine subscription – An affordable way to reach all curious library wanderers

To learn more about diabetes, read through this Diabetes Awareness and Action brochure and let’s continue to support the fight against diabetes!

Your gift to the Lions Pride Endowment Fund can be designated specifically for the WLF’s Diabetes Project ensuring funding in perpetuity.

The Power of Goodshop

06 Thursday Nov 2014

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Goodshop

The holiday season is fast approaching. Today is November 6, how many Black Friday and Christmas shopping commercials have you already seen on TV?

Online shopping is not exactly a new way to beat the crowds and get ahead of the holiday chaos, but did you know you can support Lions Pride with the purchases you make?

Goodshop is an online shopping portal that allows you to donate to your charity of choice with every purchase you make. Whenever you make a purchase with Goodshop, a percentage of your sale is donated to your favorite charity.

Possibly the best part about Goodshop is that when you shop, you can find coupons and deals that you may not even have known about in the first place. Not only are you raising money for your favorite charity, but you are also saving money. There is no cost for you to sign up because all of the funds raised from the website come from the advertisers.

Getting started is easy! Simply visit http://www.goodsearch.com/choosecause and search for “Lions Pride”. Next, select “Lions Pride Endowment Fund.”

Lions Pride GoodshopAfter that, you can choose your favorite stores and Goodshop will alert you each time there is a new coupon or sale.

Every time you make a purchase with Goodshop, you will be helping our efforts to ensure the future of the Wisconsin Lions Camp, as well as other WLF Statewide Projects. You don’t have to be a Lion to help so, please help as spread the word. The more people who use GoodShop, the more money will come to Pride.

Please email us at prideoffice@lionspride.org with any questions you may have about Goodshop. Happy shopping!

Happy Boss’s Day!

16 Thursday Oct 2014

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Dewey CarlIt’s an employer’s favorite day – Boss’s Day! Many employees dedicate the day celebrating their supervisors by giving them all sorts of goodies including cards, gift certificates and flowers.

Surprisingly, the holiday is still rather new. Patricia Haroski, an employee of State Farm Insurance Company in Deerfield, Illinois, first introduced the idea in 1958. By registering the holiday with the United States Chamber of Commerce, she hoped to improve the relationship between supervisors and employees. For years later in 1962, Otto Kerner, Governor of Illinois, backed the idea and proclaimed the day a US holiday.

In honor of Boss’s Day, we’d like to recognize our boss, Dewey Carl, with a blog dedicated specifically to him. Dewey is a former president of the Wisconsin Lions Foundation and past Council Chair of the Wisconsin Lions Councils of Governors. The Lions Pride Endowment Fund was started because along with the WLF and Long Range Planning Committee he saw a need.

Day after day, he works tirelessly to preserve, protect and provide significant financial support for the future of all WLF projects. Read more about the Lions Pride Story.

We’d like to wish a ‘Happy Boss’s Day’ to Dewey and all of the other great bosses out there! We appreciate all that you do.

Sources:

http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/boss-day

Stuff the Bus with Wisconsin Lions

21 Thursday Aug 2014

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Stuff the Bus 2014

Where did the summer go? It seems like only yesterday that a new group of campers were just arriving at Lions Camp for a week of fun. However, it’s now time for kids to trade in their sunscreen for a backpack filled with all sorts of school supplies.

While this is an exciting time of the year for parents and children, it can quickly become stressful when it’s time to start purchasing a year’s worth of school supplies. Did you know that in 2013, it was estimated that it cost approximately $631 to send a child back to school? As child poverty continues to rise, it can become especially difficult for families to provide children with the resources that they need in order to learn.

The Lions of Wisconsin are on a mission to help these families in need by taking part in Stuff the Bus and you can help, too!

Still time to help, you can donate new or unused school supplies or books to one of the collection sites. Please click here to see the needed school supplies. Your Lions Club can also get involved by hosting a collection drive, contact MD27 Coordinator Jodi Burmeister at lionsstuffthebus@gmail.com or 608-444-9127 with any questions.

Remember, anything you can do today will help a child tomorrow. Together, we can work to help area children get the resources that they need to be their best.

Matching Gifts

07 Thursday Aug 2014

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The MuellersSharon and I started donating to the Lions Pride Endowment Fund five years ago in an effort to make sure that Lions Camp would be there for future generations. This is an effort that many Lion’s members have committed to. But we all want to do more and that is when I started researching the matching gifts program offered by my company.

Did you know that you could use your company’s matching gift program to increase the amount that you are donating to the Lions Pride Endowment Fund? Many companies match financial contributions of their employees to qualifying nonprofit organizations. If your company offers a matching gifts program they have established guidelines and procedures for the program.

Typical guidelines include the amount of the match, minimum contribution that must be made by the employee, maximum company match and what are eligible nonprofit organizations. This last item is the most important in that the nonprofit organization must be a 501(c)(3) organization and the funds must be used for direct support of the organization’s programs. Great news, the Lions Pride Endowment Fund qualifies.

Companies establish procedures and forms that need to be completed to apply for the matching gift. My company requires me to complete an application form that is sent along with my donation to Lions Pride. The application form then indicates how Lions Pride can apply for the matching gift. This is a simple process for the Lions Pride office to complete and the match is sent directly to Lions Pride. My company matches 50% of my contribution as long as I contribute at least $100 and they have a maximum payment of $1,000 per year.

For many of us this is a great means to increase our contributions that are going to such a worthwhile cause, Lions Pride supporting Lions Camp and all WLF statewide projects. We will continue to donate to the Lions Pride Endowment Fund and use the matching contributions to increase our annual contribution.