One thing is for sure; our club just doesn’t have a “down” period!!  By the time we have our first meeting, Lions Sue Suddath, Mary Frances Gosnell, Midge Tench, Ann Davis, Joy Schwab and unidentified others have celebrated birthdays at the senior center last Friday.  With that group, you know they had a fun party!

This weekend we Celebrate Damascus.  Thanks to Lion Tess, the club again has a “float” in the parade on Friday.  Lion Tony will be driving the tractor and we have plenty of room for Lions to join the fun and take a ride.  Stay and enjoy the fireworks.  On Saturday we have the flea market, this year at the DVFD grounds.  Lion Jerry is taking charge of a “flea table” for our club.  Bring her your stuff to sell for the good of the club.  If you can, spend an hour or two helping out. 

Our second meeting this month will be held in Frederick at a Keys baseball game.  We had such a fun time last year, let’s do it again.  Due to the Keys’ schedule, that meeting will be on Tuesday, July 27^th.  Please let me know how many tickets you need.  Feel free to bring your friends and family to enjoy an evening of baseball.  There will be a flyer on this outing at the meeting and also posted on the website.  Have you seen the website lately??  Lion Cindee does an awesome job keeping it up-to-date with news, photos, copies of the Lions Tale and all.  Spend some time there and know what’s going on at www.damascuslions.org.

Our first August meeting will be held at Montgomery UM Church again this year.  We can look forward to a delicious meal and interesting program.  The 2^nd August meeting is our night of Ice Cream dipping at the Montgomery County Fair.  See Lion Charlie Hertel to lend a hand with this annual event on Tues. August 17th.  Then on Thursday the 19^th we have our day at the fair for vision and hearing screening.

There’s no shortage of activities to chose from.  Participate in those that you can.  We’re always glad to see you and enjoy the time we spend together serving the Damascus Community.  Here’s to a great year!

 Mark your calendar now to come out and greet the cyclist to encourage them on for a safe and productive ride.  We will have water, fruit and snacks for them.  Watch your email for their ETA

For the events in May, my appreciation goes to –

• All Lions who assisted and attended Youth Night.  It truly was a rewarding evening for the recipients as well as the Lions – We Serve!
•  To Lion Bernie Duplan who organized and worked the Lions Booth for Damascus Relay For Life – also to Lion Jerry Mallack for helping to set up and getting started.  Was great exposure for the Lions and a sense of appreciation for the attendees?
• To Zone Chairman Lion Eloise for inducting the new Leo Advisors and to District Youth Outreach Chairman Lion Marcia for Installing the Leo Officers.  The night was important for the Advisors and Youth.  They are now ready to start the Leo Club this coming school year early on.
• Lion Martin for attending the Multiple District Convention, going to all the Business Sessions gathering pertinent info while I manned a booth for Cochlear Americas.  Also the Lions Tuck and Eloise for coming to attend the Multiple Banquet and the Necrology Service.  And yes, Damascus Lions, we are a Five Star Club for the year 2009-2010.  Thanks to all!
  • Lions Dale Ryan and Chris Fletcher for organizing and working the Clarksburg Relay For Life Lions Booth.

Welcome to new members Mary Kroll, Deborah Volley, Kym Ails and Theresa Sluger, all Leo Advisors.  WE look forward to working with them in the coming school year.

Mark you calendars now for June events,

• Blood Drive – June 7, DVFD Activities Building, Lion Charlie can use some help.
• Golf Tournament – June 14, Beaver Brook Country Club – Have you sponsored a Hole or got a team?  Contact Lion John Warfield
• Installation Night, June 15, American Legion – Lion Bob Snapp needs your reservations.

 Hope your Memorial Day weekend was a safe and memorable one.   School will soon end its year – so watch out for the kids while driving, enjoy your vacations and relax.

The entertainment for the evening will be DAMASCUS LIONS HAVE TALENT!   Yep, you got it; the Lions are going to entertain.  So sign up to do your thing – join ranks with other Lions for your performance -  practice your latest jokes – get out that old Sax -  practice your jig -  and lets have a fun evening.  Prizes await the participants!   Sign up may be done at the following email address – mgosnelldamsacuslions@gmail.com

I know there are many talents that we have not uncovered.  Now is the time to let them shine!

And so, our appreciation goes out to –

• Lions Carol and Charlie Stone for planning, organizing and bringing a great Big Band Dance to fruition.  It was an elegant evening with three of our newest Lions volunteering their time.  Although it is not a huge fund raiser, the ambiance of the evening says it all. 
• Lion Tuck Woodfield for arranging the 22-C Night reservations.  A great evening of connecting with other clubs and honoring our Most Valuable Player, Lion Ken Phillips.
• Lion John Holpuch and family for organizing the Highway Cleanup.  It truly makes a difference upon driving south on Route 27 and witnessing what a great service was done by the Lions Highway GANG!
• Lion Joy Schwab and sponsors on coordinating another new member Induction and meeting our membership goal.

     Welcome new members – Lion Heather Geehreng, Advisor of John T. Baker Middle School Leo Club, Lion Carol Cook, Lion Donna Feuilett and Lion Ruthie Johnson, representing

Damascus Community Bank.  I trust all Lions will make these and other new Lions welcome, give them guidance and get them involved.  Lions Heather and Carol have already volunteered.  Way to go Lions!

The calendar reflects lots of Lions activities that we can all become involved with in the next two months.  Just remember, being out in the community makes the Lions very visible.  “We Serve” is the name of the game!

Thanks to all of you for what your do for Lionism and the Damascus Community.

My Thanks and vote of appreciation goes to –

• Lion Joy Schwab, Membership Chairman for a very informative yet fun Prospective Member Night.  PDG Lion Gary Burdette shared a great program on Lions.
• Lion Gary Rogers for his leadership in the Papa Johns Fund Raiser.  Thanks for a great job of selling, maintaining and boosting our revenues.
• Thanks to Lion Charlie Hertel and all his helpers for another successful Blood Drive.  Also for organizing the blood drives in the various churches.  In all your efforts for our club and community, many lives have been saved.
• Thanks to Lions Joy Schwab and Sue Suddath for another successful Pancake Breakfast.  A lot of good comments about the food as well as the atmosphere.  We reached out to many in our community. Thanks for all – Lions, Leos, Partners-In-Service and family and friends who helped in any way.
• Auctioneer Holpuch will go on record as to knowing how to pull those dollars out of our pockets.  Thanks to Lions Marcia and Charlie for a great In-House Auction.  And thanks to all of you who donated items, large and small. And to all who carried different things back out – Thank you for opening your purse strings for the benefit of the Club Administrative Costs.  A real fun night!
• Thanks to Lions Marcia Holpuch and Charlie and Carol Stone for representing the Club at the Advisory Meeting on Saturday, the 27^th.  Seems as though, several of us overbooked for the date.  I really appreciate your stepping and taking the time to represent us. Thanks
• Lion Cindee Rogers has got the Damascus Lions Web Site up and running and it is better than ever. She has already received some compliments on it from others that have visited the site.  She has also linked it to Twitter and Facebook.  So join up Lions!  Visit our web site, it is fabulous!

The Big Band Dance is April 17.  Have purchased your ticket?  It is ok if you don’t dance – you can watch and enjoy the music.  We need you participation.  Check it out with Lion Carol Stone before it is too late!
Enjoy this spring weather – It is a wonderful time of the year!

I will push the signup sheet around during this meeting and I’ll pick up the stragglers at the mid-April meeting. Folks: this fundraiser needs the participation of every able-bodied Damascus Lion for at least one two-hour shift. When the sign-up sheet reaches you, please contribute at least one shift; two, if you can. Every two shifts bring us enough funds to provide an eye appointment and new glasses for some needy Damascus-area child or adult. We will have shifts at both doors of Safeway this time, in the hopes that this will help us increase our collections there.

Thank you, all Damascus Lions, for your help with this fundraiser over the years.

The Damascus Lions Foundation, Damascus, Maryland announces the Vernon R. Simpson Scholarship program for the school year 2010-2011.   Scholarships in the amount of $ 1,000 each will be awarded in the Spring 2010.

To be eligible for consideration, an applicant must:

• be a citizen of the United States
• be a graduating senior in the upper 50% of the class who will attend full-time an accredited postsecondary academic institution, accredited vocational, trade or business school
• not have accepted an appointment to a service academy or have received any other grants or scholarships (including ROTC awards) exceeding $5,000 (does not include Guaranteed Student Loans)

Applicants will be judged on scholastic achievement, leadership, character, citizenship, school activities, work experience, community activities.

The decision of the scholarship committee will be final.

The following information must be submitted by April 10, 2010 to:

Student Loan and Scholarship Committee, Damascus Lions Club
Lion Mary Frances Gosnell, Scholarship Chairman
1674 Florence Road,
Mount Airy, MD 21771

or to:
Ms. Barbara Barry, Leo Advisor,
Damascus High School.

1. A completed Application for Scholarship Grant (attached)  [Download Application as a Word Doc  , Open Document Format or as a PDF .  Download  General Information and Instructions (PDF)]
2. A High School Academic Transcript, including SAT and other test score results, certified by school registrar
3. Three (3) letters of reference by adults (not relatives)
4. A brief original essay by the applicant indicating their career objectives and why they need further education

The successful recipients of the scholarships will be announced at the Damascus Lions Youth Night and the School Awards Ceremony.

The scholarship grants will be sent to the recipient in July 2010 and the check will be made payable to the college or institution the recipient will be attending.

While you are dreaming of planting seeds, fertilizing the lawn, watching the first crocuses bloom, just remember as of this newsletter, Spring is not far away – just 18 days.  THINK SPRING!

While at our last meeting I said that the groundhog didn’t see his shadow, I think I must have had my hood over my head too far!   In my lifetime in the Plateau of Maryland, I have seen the likes of this winter before but certainly not recently.  But I do know that I have seen the wind cause more problems than it did this time. Snow drifts up to the telephone poles!  The good thing is that we have all survived!  Hope you had time for some good ole homemade soup, a good book and time with the family.

At the February 2^nd meeting, we acknowledged and honored Charter First Lady Ruby Hyatt and our first lady member, Lion Helen Boyer for their support and work with the Damascus Lions. A donation in honor of First Lady Ruby was sent to the Laytonsville Elementary School for a project that “Miss” Ruby will help select.  A donation in honor of Lion Helen Boyer was sent to the Women’s Board of Montgomery General Hospital.  Lion Helen is a Charter Member of the Board and instrumental in leading many of their projects.

Although our Board Meeting and second Dinner Meeting were cancelled and our activities were limited, we continued on in support of our members and community.

Associate Member Lion Rodney Duvall died on February 10.  Our Lions participated in a Memorial Service for Lion Rodney. Thanks to all 18 of the Lions who came and stood in honor of our deceased member.  The Damascus and Zephyrhills Lions supported the Damascus Vol. Fire Dept. in serving meals to the Duvall Family on Monday night and at the Tuesday Reception. 

Partner-In-Service Martha Slacum died Feb 19.  Martha was the widow of Charter Member Emerson Slacum.   

Please keep both the Duvall and the Slacum families in your thoughts and prayers.

Welcome to new members, Cheryl Wyatt and Cindee Rogers!  We look forward to working with these new Lions. Also, Welcome to new member, Lauren McCormick, Leo Advisor at Damascus High School

We have many great projects and fundraising events coming up.   I trust all of you will lend your support to help these events be successful ones.
Thank you for being a Lion, a Damascus Lion!