Visit the Lions October-Fest charity fund raiser on Saturday October 13th, 9am-5pm. Location: Food Court at intersection of University Dr & Sager Av, Fairfax City Fall Festival. Enjoy good fall weather (hopefully), a brat & beer or wine/soft-beverage, and support the Lions Club….ALL PROCEEDS GO DIRECTLY TO LIONS CHARITY PROGRAMS.
At the Fairfax Lions Club dinner meeting on October 2, 2018, the discussion topic was military deception in World War II. Below is a chart that outlines four topics discussed…
Regarding the last deception topic, the “Ghost Army”…even the existence of that US Army unit (the “23rd Headquarters Special Troops”) is still not widely known – because military security restrictions precluded release of any information about it for 50 years after WW II ended. It is a very interesting story, see this internet location: http://www.ghostarmylegacyproject.org/
Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity spoke to Lions and guests at their September 18th dinner meeting.
Pat Herrity Speaks to Fairfax Lions Club
He discussed trends in county population (increasingly, seniors and young grads are moving out), wages and employment, the unsustainable county pension system, and transportation improvements. Pat leads a county initiative to improve “sports tourism” in the county, and is excited about the prospect of an indoor down-hill skiing venue likely to be located near the Lorton Workhouse Arts Center. Pat also talked about riding with local police during arrest of a MS13 gang member. Pat was accompanied by Bill McCabe, Legislative Aide from his office.
Legislative Aide Speaks with Lion Jeff Root
Club President Karen Parker presented Supervisor Herrity a small gift in appreciation for his visit.
Our Club collects eyeglasses donated by members of our community; we help process those eyeglass at the Northern VA Lions Eyeglasses Recycling Center, and the fruits of that work – recycled eyeglasses – are distributed to help needy persons around the world see better.
Twice monthly, several members of our Club take donated eyeglasses to, and work a few hours at, the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center. In Arlington, the center is in a Virginia Hospital Center building. Lions have their own entrance to the building.
In the recycling center, the first step is washing and inspecting the eyeglasses. The clean and serviceable eyeglasses are stored in “Washed” bins until volunteers can “process” them.
Teams from several local area Clubs process the eyeglasses using sophisticated machines in the Center that read the correction of each lens. The volunteers mark that correction factor on the plastic bag they put the eyeglass into. The product of this volunteer effort are eyeglasses that have been through the complete process, packaged and then shipped around the world to help others.
Lions Read Eyeglass Lens Correction
So, what are the measures of Fairfax Lions Club’s service at the recycling center? We track the number of Lions, and the hours they work at the Center each month, and the number of donated eyeglasses and hearing aids we collect and deliver to the center.
Service Delivered by Fairfax Lions to NoVA Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center
Volunteers Hours Glasses Hearing Aids
(For 12 months, Lions year 2017-2018)
90 193 7415 18
(And so far this year July-August, 2018)
11 22 2217 0
Private First Class Christina M Gaizick of Fairfax County Police Traffic Safety Services spoke at the Lions dinner meeting on August 21st.
Private First Class Christina M Gaizick
Christina gave us a wonderful refresher on safe driving, including updates due to technology. For example, instead of the placing your hands at the 10 and 2 o’clock positions on the steering wheel (as most of us were taught), the recommendation now is 4 and 8 o’clock. This is to reduce the chance of air-bags forcing your hands back into your face in an accident. And, with 4 and 8 positions, “shuffle steer” the wheel thru your hands when turning – no hand-over-hand movements.
Would you like to visit a Lions dinner meeting, as our guest? Just send us an email: fairfaxlions@cox.net
Each year, our Lions Club President may select a Lion-of-the-Year. The criteria and process for selecting that person rests completely with the King Lion. Our club is a member of Fairfax City’s InterService Club Council. A primary activity of the ISCC is a ceremony each year to recognize the volunteers-of-the-year across the many service clubs that make up the ISCC. That ceremony took place on August 1 in the Sherwood Center, a very nice city facility just off Old Lee Highway. For Lions year 2017-2018, Immediate Past President selected Lion Marilyn Tanner as the 2018 Fairfax Lion of the Year.
Past President Marty Lockard represented Fairfax Lions Club, commented on the service mission of all Lions, and introduced the wonderful contributions made by Lion Marilyn Tanner to this community. Those include Chairing several programs for our Club: eyeglasses for the poor, food drives for local food banks, holiday meals for the needy, road cleanup, and reading action (books for children).
L-R: Mayor David Meyer, ISCC President Pete Conklin, Honoree Marilyn Tanner, and IPP Marty Lockard
Please join us in commending Lion Marilyn Tanner for her dedicated service to the community.
If you have an interest in community service contact the Fairfax Lions Club at fairfaxlions@cox.net
Fairfax Lions Club is one of the largest service organizations in Northern Virginia. Our members are from all walks of life, we give back to our community in many ways, and we have a good time doing it! We welcome you!