Grand Island Lions Club and Board Meeting Minutes
March 13, 2024 at Howard Hanna Conference Room
Attendance:
Tom Rusert, VP, Jim Ryan, Secretary,Tom Witkowski, Treasurer,
Shelia Ferrantino, Membership Chair, Paul Bassette, Director
Anne Fahning, Director, Susan Standora, Director
Adrienne Cassata
 
1. Meeting called to order by VP Rusert at 6:35
2. Pledge of Allegiance led by Lion Fahning
3. Patriotic song led by Rusert
4. Prayer led by Lion Bassette
5. Treasurer Report provided to all members by e-mail. Motion by Bassette, second by Fahning to accept report. Motion passed.
6. No bottle refund money forwarded by the collection site. Rusert to follow-up with them.
7. No minutes from meeting at Mallwitz Bowling in February.
8. President correspondence:
a. Niagara Frontier Antique Boat Club newsletter responding to thank you letters received from donations. No acknowledgement of GI Lions thank you. Lion Ryan to follow up.
b. Thank you from the Town of Niagara Lions Club for $175 donation for Veterans Hygiene Collection
9. Secretary Report:
a. Received notification from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo that we have $1.731.41 for distribution. Provided form to Treasurer to complete and obtain funds
b. Received $1,000 in gift cards donation from Tops Markets. Treasurer has the cards. Received 5 $100 card and 20 $25 card. We will spend $100 cards for Spaghetti Dinner and Kids Picnic supplies. We will use some $25 cards for auction baskets at the Spaghetti Dinner and the remaining will be used as needed.
c. Received an award from LCI which will be presented at a later date.
d. Received raffle tickets for Camp Badger. Tickets are $50 each. Treasurer will purchase 2 tickets as approved in the budget. Treasurer has additional tickets. Prize is 10 winners of $1000.
e. If anyone going to the International Convention in Melbourne, Australia, let Secretary know to make you a voting delegate at the convention before June 19th. We are allowed 1 delegate.
f. If anyone is going to the State Convention in Binghamton, let Secretary know to appoint voting delegates before April 20th. We are allowed 3. Witkowski is going.
g. Since this is the 100th State Convention, Multiple District is asking for clubs to buy an ad in the souvenir program. Motion by Witkowski, seconded by Rusert to spend $75 to purchase ½ page ad in the program. Motion passed. Witkowski will supply ad content when purchase made.
h. MD is also asking for copy and pictures about a single event for each club to include in the journal. After discussion, we decided to included information about the Kids Picnic. Ryan to coordinate with Marketing Chair Chervinsky for Picnic history and pictures.
i. Discussed proposal at State Convention to increase state dues by $1 on July 1, 2024, $2 on July 1, 2025 and $2 on July 1, 2026. State is currently running a deficit of $9,500. Motion by Rusert, second by Fahning to approve increase. Motion passed. The Club will have to adjust our dues accordingly if the increase is passed at the State Convention.
10. District Report by Witkowski (written report):
The following is my report of March 9, 2024 Cabinet Meeting. I have
included only the important aspects relevant to our club.
a. Food drive to be conducted at convention. The Binghamton Lions will be conducting the drive and would welcome non-perishable food items and gift cards. Cash, checks and gift cards from Aldi, Wegmans and Dollar General will be greatly appreciated.
b. Doubletree hotel booked up. Other convention hotels are available in the area. Go to https://md20lionsconvention.org to register, select meals and book hotels.
c. Save the date! The Visually Impaired Picnic will be held Sunday, July 14, 2024 at Town of Wheatfield Five Senses Park. Volunteer drivers are needed. Let Lion Tom Witkowski know if you would like to perform this highly valued service to the sight-impaired community.
d. Vision Beyond Sight Foundation receives unanimous vote for new course to help all district Lions and their clubs. The foundation has previously completed its mission to fund the Lions Diagnostic Imaging Center at the Ross Eye Institute. The foundation is now focused to broaden its charitable mission embracing LCI’s Global Service Framework (vision, youth, humanitarian, disaster assistance, hunger, diabetes, childhood cancer, and the environment), while also supporting local Lions projects and initiatives that address demonstrable community need. Outlined goals of the change include:
i. Developing new opportunities for donations directly to VBSF based on a broadened scope of community service
ii. Enhancing opportunities for tax-deductible individual and corporate donations on behalf of District 20-N
iii. Enhancing opportunities for tax-deductible individual and corporate donations on behalf of individual Lions Clubs within District 20-N
iv. Leveraging VBSF 501(c)(3) status in applications for grants from other foundations to fund local District 20-N and Lions Clubs projects
v. Facilitating development of multi-club collaborative initiatives
vi. Facilitating development of collaborative working relationships with other community service organizations
e. Help is available to grow our club.  Lion Sharon Battaglia, Global Membership Chair, is offering all clubs to help grow in membership.
f. Reporting our service – something is amiss! Report from our Zone Chair Steve Smith only stated our promotion of Elden’s pancake breakfast benefiting the Neighbors Foundation and the announcement of our Spaghetti Dinner. Pretty meager for all that we have been doing and will do in the future. We need to figure where the communication is poor or broken.
g. Raymond Wheeler Humanitarian Foundation currently has $17,000 in grant money available to all clubs, limited to $1,000 annually per club.
h. Potential reading service project. DG Paul A. Forestiere II (District Y – Central NYS) presented promoting reading/literacy programs. 130 million US citizens are reading at a sixth-grade level or less, while 36 million are illiterate. New York State data indicates 25% literacy rate for the population that possess a literacy rate of below sixth-grade levels. Programs available are Read To Them and book vending machines, two programs geared toward children. (Note: these programs have received matching grants from Brandel-Murphy Youth Foundation).
11. Lion Adrienne Cassata gave a program on myopia. Nearsightedness is becoming an epidemic around the world. She presented solutions that she is using in her practice to reduce myopia in children. She is seeing no need for financial support from the Lions Club to help pay for exams or glasses.
12. New Business:
a. As of 1/12/2024, we have accumulated $7,583.25 in DCG (District and Club Community Impact Grant) funds. This means that if we need funds for a project, we can use this money. The application can be found at lionsclubs.org. These grants are approved fairly quickly and are reviewed on a rolling basis. This credit is good for 15 years from the time it is earned.
b. Nomination Committee made a preliminary report. They are working to fill the positions. There are 7 open. Please contact Ferrentino if you wish to volunteer.
13. Old Business:
a. Peace Poster Contest: Bassette reported the kit was received. The Art Teacher at the school where we get most of the responses is on Admin Leave, so he has questions about the viability for next year.
b. Textile Collection – no report
c. Spaghetti Dinner – Crawford is in contact with the Tops Manager to see about food costs. The ticket prices will remain the same as last year. Fahning has started the collection of auction items. Standora will start getting support for the baked goods immediately.
d. Henty Lobl – he is living in Long Island with his daughter and all reports of his health are good.
e. Kids Picnic – Planning ongoing. Confirmed date of July 17th with the Launch Club.  Fahning to check with Bob DeGlopper about the docks at the BLC.
14. Ferrentino was chosen for the split club. She picked a silver kiss, so it continues.
Motion by Ryan, second by Fahning to adjourn. Motion passed.

Submitted by Lion Jim Ryan

Grand Island Lions Club Board of Directors meeting
April 24, 2024
Attendance:  7 Lion President Kelly, Lion Jim, Lion Paul B, Lion Tom W, Lion Tom R, Lion Dick and Lion Donna
Called to order 8:13 PM

501c3 filing status:  Lion Jim: We new 2/3 of the membership to vote for approval of the 501c3. Lion Jim will send this out via email.  Lion Jim will wait until the July meeting to get the vote and implement our new status.

Membership:  Lion Tom: ways to increase our membership, more community service

1. Miracle league: Lion Paul B; There will be a day that the Lions Club can participate in the Miracle League.
2. We could have a table at the spaghetti dinner to promote membership, that would be the members only job at the dinner.
3. Everything we do should be submitted to the GI Dispatch and Isle de Grande. Thank you’s to the community should be submitted to the dispatch and Isle de Grande.
4. If someone is in charge of an event they should be responsible for publicity.
5. Contact the HOAs and other community rooms on Grand Island and make sure we are visible in their newsletter. We can see if these organizations allow us to use their community rooms and we have a meeting and invite the people in their neighborhood.
6. Avenue of the Flags could generate new membership.
We will read through the Avenue of Flags and discuss on upcoming meetings. We could develop a list of groups and go to presentations to generate interest.

New Business:  Celebration of Life for Chi Doring on Saturday May 4 at noon at St Martins in the Field followed by a reception at the Moose Club. Currently Floyd is in an unassisted home. Lion Dick will send out an email.

Motion to adjourn:  Lion Kelly, seconded by Lion Tom W meeting adjourned 8:53 PM
Submitted by Lion Donna Lavallee