Hear Us Roar!

The 38 members of the Naches Sunshine Lions and the Naches Lions Club pack a pretty powerful 1-2 service punch for their small town population of 801. The lists of service they report is mind boggling and I suspect much goes unreported. My visit coincided with a hugely successful open house. 18 visitors attended the meeting and were warmly welcomed, fed and entertained at the barely opened, brand new elementary school. When I visit, I ask clubs to have members tell a joke, sing a song and give short talks on why they love being a Lion. I had the presence of mind to turn on my camera for the following great and hilarious song. The crowd loved it. You will, too.

Back Patting

College Place Lions Board Member Carl Walk and CP Lion Tamer Dave Walk spent about 6 hours sweeping, mopping and waxing the clubhouse floor on Saturday and Sunday.

On Monday, the College Place Lions clubhouse hosted a very distinguished guest in the person of US Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers. The public meeting was called Conversations with Cathy.   

35 mostly elderly citizens came to the meeting to sharpen their griping axes, tout their causes and basically vent out loud about whatever seemed to be annoying them on this particularly hot end of July day. Many of them had been to these Conversations before.  A few first timers came seeking help.

Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers handled all the grousing with consummate grace, dignity and intelligence. She really listened, never once condescended, and did her level best to actually engage in polite two-way communication with the disgruntled citizens. Those needing help got a caring and empathetic hearing and suggestions for solutions. Some were directed to staff members for direct counsel or referrals.

As Conversations came to an end, I stood to praise the Congresswoman and thank her for the wonderful example of Democracy that her meeting was. As I began the thanks she motioned me to join her at the podium and there thanked me for serving with the College Place Lions. 

She presented me a certificate of recognition.

I was genuinely touched by her thoughtfulness.

Every Lion feels good about a pat on the back, even a floor buffing Lion Tamer turned DG.