Dear Lion,

Maureen and I have just returned from Haiti where we led a team of Lions and Leos to distribute relief supplies. It brought tears to our eyes to witness the despair of the people, but Lions are committed to meeting these needs in the days and years ahead.

I'd like to first thank all of you for your tremendous generosity. Lions Hope for Haiti mobilized more than US$1.5 million. By the time you receive this message, I'm sure it will be even more.

While in Haiti, we met with local Lions to discuss immediate needs and long-term reconstruction. They appointed a committee and are discussing long-term relief efforts.

The Foundation is partnering with the Lions of Sweden to provide 200 large tents to house those who are now homeless as well as relief workers. Haitian Lions established three tent cities in the Port au Prince area, where they are focusing their immediate relief efforts. This weekend, Lions delivered additional relief supplies from the Dominican Republic.

We have launched a Haiti section on the Lions Web site, with photos, video and other news. As we receive additional information, we will continue to add it to the Web site.

If you haven't already done so, I ask you to consider making a donation to LCIF to support this disaster. Lions in Haiti appreciate your support and are anxious to serve.

Zone Chairperson William Eliacin's initial desperation turned to hope and gratitude for the people of Haiti when he learned of the great outpouring of support from Lions around the world.

He said, "We want to show the Lions and the Haitian people in general that the Lions Club is an extraordinary organization, that we are here and that our motto is, "We Serve". We serve our peers, we serve our brothers who are in need. That is why we are here. So I am appealing to you. You can count on us to achieve as much as we can with your contribution to help those who are in need."

You can donate in confidence to LCIF, as 100 percent of every donation will go directly to Haiti relief. Through LCIF, Lions around the world are helping those most in need.

Al Brandel
chairperson_lcif.org

In attendance: Magrath Lions Roger & Shauna D, Elizabeth O, Tom S, Hazel D plus many members from Cardston, Raymond and Stirling clubs. Coutts/Sweetgrass and Warner clubs were also invited. Guest Speaker: District Governor Pam Beyer. Zone Chairperson PCC George Takashima. Evening hosted by Cardston Club and their Club President PCC Ardith Tjornelund.

Text version follows:

• * To Organize, charter and supervise service clubs to be known as Lions clubs.
• * To Coordinate the activities and standardize the administration of Lions clubs.
• * To Create and foster a spirit of understanding among the peoples of the world.
• * To Promote the principles of good government and good citizenship.
• * To Take an active interest in the civic, cultural, social and moral welfare of the community.
• * To Unite the clubs in the bonds of friendship, good fellowship and mutual understanding.
• * To Provide a forum for the open discussion of all matters of public interest; provided, however, that partisan politics and sectarian religion shall not be debated by club members.
• * To Encourage service-minded people to serve their community without personal financial reward, and to encourage efficiency and promote high ethical standards in commerce, industry, professions, public works and private endeavors.

Lions Code of Ethics

• * To Show my faith in the worthiness of my vocation by industrious application to the end that I may merit a reputation for quality of service.
• * To Seek success and to demand all fair remuneration or profit as my just due, but to accept no profit or success at the price of my own self-respect lost because of unfair advantage taken or because of questionable acts on my part.
• * To Remember that in building up my business it is not necessary to tear down another's; to be loyal to my clients or customers and true to myself.
• * Whenever a doubt arises as to the right or ethics of my position or action towards others, to resolve such doubt against myself.
• * To Hold friendship as an end and not a means. To hold that true friendship exists not on account of the service performed by one another, but that true friendship demands nothing but accepts service in the spirit in which it is given.
• * Always to bear in mind my obligations as a citizen to my nation, my state, and my community, as to give them my unswerving loyalty in word, act, and deed. To give them freely of my time, labor and means.
• * To Aid others by giving my sympathy to those in distress, my aid to the weak, and my substance to the needy.
• * To Be Careful with my criticism and liberal with my praise; to build up and not destroy.

Please remember: Our next meeting will also be a 'traveller': Wed Jan 13th 5:30pm at The Remington Carriage Centre in Cardston, AB. Carpool info: contact Lions Roger or Shauna Davies if you need to hitch a ride. We will be leaving Magrath (from the Magrath Pharmacy) at 5pm sharp. Thanks! Also: should sport our lions vests if available as this is meeting will feature a visit from the current District Governor [DG Pam Beyers of Big Fork, MT].