Dear Fellow Lions,
I would like to update you
on recent news in LCIF. I ask that you share this
information with your club and district to help promote
LCIF.
CSFII Surpasses Goal
Campaign SightFirst II has
surpassed the $150 million minimum goal.
On Worldwide Report Day February 20, National and
Multi-National Coordinators’ telephone calls and reports
revealed that Lions have raised more than US$157.9
million for CSFII. With four months remaining, Lions are
now looking ahead to the additional challenge goal and
helping ensure the future of SightFirst through
continued and expanded efforts to eliminate preventable
blindness worldwide. Lions’ support of CSFII is crucial
in the remaining months. Visit the
CSFII Web site for more information on
the campaign and fundraising ideas.
LCIF #1 NGO Ads Available
In a
special report released in July, LCIF was ranked the
number one non-governmental organization worldwide. From
34 global organizations, LCIF came in first. As a result
of the ranking, LCIF has received a great deal of media
coverage and has also placed special ads in the New York
Times, Wall Street Journal and several other nationwide
daily newspapers around the world. These ads are
available to
download online for Lions to use in
their local newspapers as well. To localize the
information, simply add a local telephone number and
club Web site. The
press release of this announcement is
also online to share with your local media.
Milestone in Trachoma Treatments
LCIF reached a major milestone in trachoma treatments
January 23 when LCIF Chairperson Jimmy Ross distributed
the
10
millionth dose of azithromycin (Zithromax®)
to 16-year-old Messeleche Tilahun. The antibiotic,
donated by
Pfizer Inc, is a main strategy in the fight
against the blinding disease in poor, rural areas.
Messeleche lives in the Awi Zone in
Ethiopia , the most trachoma-endemic part of the
country, where an estimated 18 million are at risk.
Representatives from The Carter Center, Lions clubs of
Ethiopia ,
Pfizer, the national trachoma program, government
of Ethiopia , and other partner organizations joined the
celebration and are a part of the coalition working
toward elimination of trachoma in the region by 2012.
Lions in
Ethiopia have been integral to achieving
remarkable results in the country. The 10 millionth dose
comes after just 18 months of full scale intervention
and points toward meeting the elimination target date.
Through SightFirst, LCIF has awarded numerous grants for
trachoma control, outreach and
training projects in
Ethiopia and elsewhere in Africa .
SightFirst Grants Awarded
The SightFirst Advisory Committee Meeting
awarded nine grants at its January
meeting. This included grant funding to continue the
childhood blindness project with the
World Health Organization, which has established
30 need-based centers around the world. Other grants
included cataract surgery campaigns, upgrading a Lions
eye hospital and establishing and equipping a teaching
hospital. A total of US$9,554,378 was awarded,
US$3,580,708 of which represents grants from
undesignated SightFirst funds. The full list is
available online.
Grants Approved for Lions
Quest
Seven grants totaling US$364,872 were
approved at the January Lions Quest Advisory Meeting.
The grants enable Lions Quest programs to expand in
countries currently participating in the program or to
begin the program in new countries.
Japan ,
Kenya ,
Canada and Turkey received grants to implement
and expand the program.
Pakistan and
Sri Lanka became the newest countries to launch
the program. The full list of approved grants is online.
Lions Join Coalition
Lions Clubs International
has joined the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America
(CADCA) as a sustaining member and partner to enhance
the work of local communities and help youth resist
alcohol and other drugs. Lions will support their
mission to build stronger capacity for anti-drug efforts
through the 5,000 community coalitions nationwide.
Through Lions Quest, Lions can teach youth how to avoid
drugs and make responsible decisions. A letter
announcing the partnership was sent to the 500 other
organizations in the coalition encouraging these
organizations and communities to work with their local
Lions club on drug-free programs. LCIF also had a booth
at CADCA’s annual convention this month, the
largest training conference in the U.S. for
community coalition activists and substance abuse
professionals.
New
Giving Publication
A new publication, ForSight in Gift Planning, is
available to those Lions wishing to increase their
support to LCIF. It provides an overview of various
donation programs, news updates and stories of those
helped through Lions’ contributions. The publication is
available
online or by contacting
LCIF
Development Staff.
Increase Your Support Through an MJF
Have you considered becoming a Melvin Jones Fellow or
extending your generosity through a Progressive Melvin
Jones Fellow? Fellows are a group of dedicated
philanthropists who have changed the lives of hundreds
of millions of people worldwide. To increase support for
CSFII in the final months, President Mahendra
Amarasuriya has issued a challenge to raise the number
of Melvin Jones Fellows to 300,000 total. One Fellowship
can save the sight at 167 individuals, each with a
story, a family and a face. The application form is
available
online or credit card donations can be
made securely
online.
Cruise
with the Chairperson
Support LCIF while soaking up the sun in the Caribbean .
Join the LCIF Chairperson and fellow Lions from around
the world for the 9th annual LCIF Cruise, which will set
sail
November 9, 2008 for 12 nights in the southern
Caribbean . The cruise visits with local Lions in ports
of call and there is a special Melvin Jones Fellowship
reception on board. All of the cruises are open to the
public and US$1,000 of every cruise is tax deductible.
The cruise has raised over $300,000 for LCIF. To learn
more about the cruise,
download the brochure or email
lcifdevelopment@lionsclubs.org. Space
is limited.
Lions’ support and
promotion of LCIF is crucial. I thank you for your
continued dedication to LCIF.
Serving Through LCIF,
Jimmy M. Ross
Chairperson, LCIF
For more information about
Lions Clubs International Foundation contact
Alecia Dimar at
Alecia.Dimar@lionsclubs.org or at
(630) 468-6967.