Introduction •The Lions Youth of the Year Program is now in its 6th decade of providing Australian Senior School students a forum togain experience and confidence in presenting themselves to a selection panel and an audience.•The program is managed and supported by Lions Australia and run by Lions Clubs in each of our 19 Districts in closecollaboration with, and supported by, participating Schools.•It looks for students who are contributors to their schools and their communities and, ultimately, selects an outstandingindividual to be an ambassador for the Lions Youth of the Year Program and Lions Clubs International.
Aims of the Program The Lions Youth of the Year Program is designed to foster, encourage and develop leadership qualities of our youth, in conjunction with other citizenship qualities, at the age when they are about to enter the fields of higher education or employment. It provides the youth of Australia with the incentive to pay greater attention to the general qualities that are so vital in their development as first class citizens. The qualities sought, apart from academic attainments, are those of: leadership - personality - sportsmanship - public speaking - good citizenship. The importance of public speaking is recognised at all levels with a specific award to the candidate judged to be the best speaker.
Who can enter? Entry is open to any Australian youth who, on the 1st July in this Lions year (July to June), is attending, or has attended, a high school or other secondary school or equivalent in the Lions year in which the National Final is to be conducted. This includes first year tertiary study students who were engaged in secondary education for part of the relevant Lions year
Our Club Final Each year the Club receives applications from Lake Kawana College, Meridan State College and Pacific Lutheran College to particiapte in our Club final usually held on the 4th Tuesday of February each Year. The overall winner then goes onto the next stage for a chanch to go as far as the National final held at the Lions Australia National Convention in May each year.
Further information on this great Lions youth project can by found from this link.
https://lionsclubs.org.au/our-programs/youth-opportunities/youth-of-the-year/
CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA DAY
Some club members will be participating in Clean Up Australia Day on Sunday 3rd March 2024 by joining with the Currimundi Catchment Care Group at Stockyard Park, Ivadale Bvd this as we have a busy day for Lions Awareness Day at the Kawana Bunnings BBQ on Saturday 2nd March.
The Club has recently agreed to participate in this important Lions community project and will be in touch with schools in our area to establish if they are interested in obtaining access to this free screening project. Club members were recenly involved in a successful screening at the Caloundra State. Further details of the project and how it works is available from this website https://lehp.org.au/childrens-vision-screening-program/ .
If you would like further information on how your child or your school might be able to participate in this Lions initiative contact Norm Jensen via his contact details on the website.
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The Lions Children of Courage Awards originated in Western Australia in 1983 and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. There are four categories that children can be nominated for:
- special needs,
- courageous acts or deeds,
- inspiring sporting achievement, and
- sibling recognition.
This project is ongoing and supported by many Clubs around Australia and in our District. Our Club is looking forward to continuing to support and celebrate the children in the community this year. Our plan is to conduct this activity in consultation with the Currimundi Special School as we have done in past years. Details of the date for this event are still being finalised. Watch this space.
For more information on how to nominate a child for these awards please contact club President Norm Jensen or Lorraine Hendy via their contact details on the website.
Usable Glasses Give New Life. Refractive errors can be easily corrected with eyeglasses, yet millions living in low and middle income countries lack access to basic eye care services. Lions International has recognized the urgent need for corrective lenses and collect usable glasses in their communities to support the Lions Recycle For Sight Program.
The glasses collected from within our area and sent to a recycling centre in Caboolture for processing and despatch overseas.
Glasses can be left at OPSM and SPECSAVERS at Kawana Shopping Town and SPECSAVERS in Currimundi Village. The White Lady Funerals in Caloundra and the office of the State MP for Kawana, Jarrod Bleijie, also collect glassses for the club.
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Lions Australia Spinal Research Fellowship
Spinal cord injury affects millions of people around the world and around 20,000 Australians are currently living with a spinal cord injury. The cost to patients and their families is significant. In Australia it is estimated to be $2 billion annually.
Despite the costs and impact of spinal cord injury, funding to find a cure for chronic spinal cord injury is limited.
The Lions Australia Spinal Cord Fellowship is committed to raising awareness and funds to support more research. 100% of funds raised by the Fellowship are provided to Step Ahead Australia, a leading Australian organization on a mission to improve the quality of life for patients and find a cure for spinal cord injury.
Traumatic spinal cord injury results in the loss of neurons, support cells and the failure of severe nerve fibres to regenerate across sites of injury and re- establish neural circuits.
Quadriplegia or Tetraplegia is the partial or complete paralysis of the upper and lower portion of the body, including legs, trunk arms and hands. Quadriplegia is a neck injury. Paraplegia is the partial or complete paralysis of the lower portion of the body, including the legs and, in many cases, some or all the trunk. Paraplegia is a back injury.
By supporting the most innovative scientists and clinicians in Australia and throughout the world, StepAhead Australia is focused on the development of breakthrough nervous system repair technologies that can have a major impact on the quality of life for people suffering with these chronic disorders.
To date the Lions Spinal Cord Fellowship has raised in excess of $2.3 million for StepAhead Australia. For more information on this initiative check out these websites https://lascf.org.au/ and http://www.stepahead.org.au/ .
Club members support this project by collecting ring pulls from aluminium cans which are then sold for cash which is used as a fund raiser for the fellowship. If you would like start a collection at home or at your business contact us and we will make sure the ringpulls are passed on to the fellowship.
