OUR MEETING ACTIVITIES AND PRESENTERS

6/9/15

Dr. Cheryl S. James, Executive Director of Development and External Affairs/PIO

Visits Live Oak Lions Club

Dr. Cheryl James and Lion John Wiggins host

Guest speaker for the Lions Club’s June 09 meeting was Dr. Cheryl S. James, Executive Director of Development and External Affairs/PIO for NFCC. Dr. James updated the members on the growth and outreach programs of North Florida Community College into area communities including the activities of the NFCC Foundation. It was noted that NFCC was recently ranked by Washington Monthly as one of the top community colleges in the country. The college serves approximately 3000 students from our north Florida area. Interestingly many students are not “straight out of high school”. Instead a high percentage are in their mid-twenties or older. They have recognized a need to improve their lives which includes a need to improve academic skills for job advancement opportunities or a totally new career.

Dr. James reviewed the North Florida Community College Foundation and its it's activities to change lives and launch futures of students. Last year contributions to the NFCC Foundation from area individuals, business, and organizations amounted to approximately $200,000, and they enabled 248 scholarships to enable students needing financial aid for completing their educational opportunity. It was noted in the meeting that several Lions present had attended NFCC at some point in their past.

Anyone interested in learning more about the Foundation activities or in becoming a NFCC Foundation contributing member can contact Dr. James 850-973-9416. As Dr. James explained, new contributors to the foundation are welcomed and appreciated. Some individuals may hesitate to become a contributing member due to their thinking that contributions have to be big amounts. To the contrary, gifts don’t have to be large…. most aren’t! Each gift to the Foundation, no matter the amount, represents not simply an investment in the future of North Florida Community College, but more so it is an investment in the future of the students from your community.

LIONS Learn About Digital Vision Enhancement Devices

Local resident JoAnna Neely was the guest presenter at the local Lion Club’s February 10 noon meeting. She gave a very interesting program about the challenges people with limited sight have with routine activities and the new technological devices available to help them. Ms. Neely related to the group the story of her growing up in Suwannee County as she gave a very informative demonstration of the advancements in technology and the functionality of modern electronic aids. She indicated that the local LIONS Club had provided her with her first reader back in 1976. The modern portable hand held visual-to-auditory digital readers were amazing to observe in actual use. Although their capabilities seemed like “science fiction” Ms. Neely’s hands-on demonstrations using her personal devices proved they are real and available today.

L-R: Lion Mike Johnson, JoAnna Neely, Lyndon Fortner (JoAnna's dad), Lion Adam Hitt

July 08, 2014

LIONS Learn Do’ & Don’ts

Involving Electrical Safety

An enjoyable and informative do and don’t program concerning electrical hazards was given by Suwannee Valley Electric Co-op’s Craig Ragan, Lineman Foreman and Mark Mosely, Safety Director. They gave graphic demonstrations illustrating the dangerous and potentially deadly hazards involved in situations and incidents that people expose themselves to when trying to move work or traverse around downed electrical lines.

11/26/13

SURREY PLACE DIRECTOR OF ADMISSION & MARKETING

Lion Gerald Herring; Nancy Martin, Surrey Place Director of Admissions & Marketing; Lion President Wyman Clark

Lions Get Update...

Long Term Healthcare

Ms. Nancy Martin, Director of Admissions and Marketing updated the Lions about a subject everyone needs to be concerned about. More specifically the subject is the current and looming anticipated changes in the procedures and accessibility of long term health care both present and soon to be made in Medicare and especially private HMO plan coverage. The changes are primarily a consequence of the new controls and rules being implemented under the Affordable Health Care Act better known as ObamaCare.

Ms. Martin's message was of special interest and concern to those over 55; however, as she advised long term care is not just for "old folks", because It is not the same as "nursing home care". It is more accurately described as "recuperative care" and anyone at any age can need it at some point in their life as part of their needed treatment regimen in order to recover from a serious incident, illness, or injury. Great program!

10/23/2013

City Administrator, Kerry Weldon with Director Lion John Wiggins

New City Administrator Visits With LIONS

New City Administrator, Kerry Weldon, a native Hamiltonian, and UF graduate, was our guest speaker Tuesday. As part of his informative talk and introduction he gave an interesting history and account of personal experiences teaching in colleges and serving as city administrator and successful business development in various Georgia cities for several years before returning to the Suwannee Valley area and specifically to Live Oak to assume the activities of Live Oak City Administrator.

10/08/2013

Revernd Shawn Johnson

How to be Service Successful

Rev. Shawn Johnson of Dowling Park Baptist Church gave an entertaining and motivating talk to the Lions members at their regular noon time meeting. The subject centered on what practices are needed for businesses, organizations, leaders and members to be “service successful”. Three crucial values need to present and practiced by an organization’s members for it to be successful in its purpose:

I am second (serve organization’s vision before self)

I am surrendered (dependably faithful to vision and purpose).

I am stretched. (reaching out to needs - not waiting to be approached).

Service successful organizations and businesses must have leaders and members who not only understand its visions and goals but who are also willing to put it first and go the extra mile, contribute the extra time, and give the financial support to be service successful.

Rev Johnson with Lion Coy Howell

8/2013

Guest Speaker

Greg Scott

Director Suwannee Parks and Recreation

Suwannee County parks and Recreation Director presented an interesting and informative program about the various and numerous activities his department is involved in throughout the county. Not only are the local community recreation facilities under his oversight but the department also oversees various facilities throughout the rural areas that include boat ramps and recreations sites and springs facilities.

The Lions presented Mr. Scott with a plaque expressing their appreciation to Suwannee Parks and Recreation and their employees in helping make the annual Lions Horseshoe Tournament a successful event.

Horseshoe Chair,Wyatt O'Neal - Parks and Recreation Director,Greg Scott - Lions President, Wyman Clark

April 23, 2013

D. Jordan, Hillary Cannon, Kevin Greene

Guest Speaker

Hillary Cannon, Executive Director

Suwannee Foundation for Excellence in Education, Inc.

Ms. Cannon gave an interesting program regarding the history and a number of present activities involving educational enhancements for both teachers and students taking place in our community. These include awarding over 400 mini-grants to Suwannee teachers, sponsoring Teacher of the Year, School Employee of the Year, Dancing with the Stars fundraiser and providing Take Stock in Children Scholarships designed to identify and motivate promising students who might not otherwise have the opportunity for advanced learning. Students accepted into the program sign contracts in 8^th grade agreeing to maintain good grades, stay out of trouble, stay away from drugs/alcohol and graduate from high school in order to maintain eligibility. They are matched with mentors who are resources for guidance and encouragement.

Suwannee Foundation for Excellence in Education is a nonprofit organization. Anyone interested in more information or helping can contact them at 386-647-4617.

July 23,2013

Local Lions Updated on

USED EYEGLASS RECLAMATION Program

Local LIONS Learn More About their Part in a Worldwide Program..

Past District 35-L Governor, Pat Hall John Fuentes, Secretary, Mandarin Lions Club

District LIONS Pat Hall, PDG 35-L, and John Fuentes, Mandarin Lions Secretary, traveled all the way from Marianna and Mandarin to our Lions Club noon time meeting Tuesday to give an informational and educational update about our LIONS worldwide sight preservation program and its eyeglass reclamation activities. This worldwide program is in addition to and separate from the various individual LION club's local vision care programs.

Each year Florida Lions (like others around the nation) collect tens of thousands of used eyeglasses that are cleaned and distributed world wide to third world populations in desperate need. All is done through volunteerism and without any expectation of compensation. Eye care specialists and physicians volunteer their time and expertise to travel to less fortunate foreign cultures over the world to provide glasses to a multitude of people who could not have gotten glasses on their own. Our local LIONS Club has participated for many years in this activity by collecting around 600 sets of used glasses each year donated by local citizens. Before leaving the meeting the local club gave Ms Hall to take back with her several hundred glasses collected locally in the past few months.

Based on the comments everyone at the meeting really enjoyed the presentation, plus they learned a lot about what efforts Lions everywhere can make personally to insure continued success ..., and some became turned-on motivated! Within minutes after the meeting one of our go-getter members, Wyatt O'Neal, in the true spirit of Lionism went out and picked up a box of used glasses from a local business.

Any person with old eyeglasses to donate or any business wishing to participate in our program by allowing a collection box to be placed in the facility can contact any member of the Live Oak Lions Club or call Sight Chair Mike at 362-6713 or 364-2725

L-R: David Mullis, John Fuentes, Wyman Clark, Pat Hall