Toastmasters Champion Jnr. Speaker Contest

The Champion Junior Speaker Contest which is open to all children between the ages of 12-18 is a tremendous opportunity tailor made to bring out the best in young orators.

Organized by the Colombo Toastmasters in association with Lyceum Toastmasters and Kandy Toastmasters, the Champion Junior Speaker Contest formerly known as the All Island Young Speakers Contest, has been held for the past five years.

The winner will receive the prestigious Lyceum Challenge Trophy and also have the distinction of being recognized as the Best Speaker having being chosen after a rigorous selection process beginning with a preliminary round, semi final and then culminating in the finals which is scheduled for Sunday February 3, from 6.00 p.m. onwards at the Bishop’s College Auditorium.

This contest is an eagerly awaited annual event and attracts the finest of young speakers gifted, confident and eloquent.

The brain child of Toastmaster, Haleem Ghouse, affectionately referred in Toastmaster circles as ‘The father of public speaking’ whose concept of giving students a platform to display their speaking skills, coincide with that of Mohan Lal Gero a Toastmaster of no means standing himself, saw the emergency of this contest.

With the expertise of the Colombo Toastmasters this event is now a firmly established fixture in the calendar of junior speakers hoping to become the Champion Junior Speaker!

For further details call Romayne Diaz on 5752257.

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Medical clinics by Galupura Metro Lions Club

Theja Vidyarupa, Akuressa group correspondent

Galupura Metro Lions Club has extended its welfare services to remote villages in Galle district holding medical clinics, distribution of spectacles and school books and other materials to students of low income families.

Recently the club in collaboration with Neluwa-Medagama tea factory attached to the Tea Smallholder Factories Ltd. (TSFL) has distributed necessary paraphernalia consisting of school books, shoes and writing materials to the needy children of Neluwa Medagama Kanista Vidyalaya situated in a remote area in Hinidum Pattu.

Lion P. Wickramasekara, President of Galupura Metro Lions Club has distributed gift parcels among schoolchildren. Secretary Lion Lalith Kariyawasam also participated at the distribution ceremony.

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306B2 Lions join Indian 324D-6 Lions at Isaame

During the sessions of the International Association of Lions Clubs 35th India, South Asia, Africa and Middle East (Isaame-2007) Forum, Lions Club District 306B2, had an opportunity to join Lions Clubs District 324B6 of Bangalore, India for the benefit of both districts.

In the picture from left are Cabinet Secretary, Lion Udaya Silva, President Lions Club of Kelaniya, Lion Quintus de Alwis, District Chairman, District 324D-6 T. Narayan, Vice District Governor, 324D-6, P.S. Vamsidhan Babu PMJF, District Governor, 324D-6, P.S. Venkatachalan, MJF District Governor, 306B2, Lion Mahesh Pasqual, MJF. Multiple Council Chairman, District 324, Lion V. V. Krishna Reddy, MJF and District Chairman, Lion Brian Walter.

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Christmas at Fingara Club

Sri Lanka’s most exclusive family club, Fingara Town & Country Club has launched its special seasonal programme Christmas at Fingara to celebrate the joy of the season with its Life Members and their guests.

The award wining Fingara Chefs, fresh from their victory at the Culinary Art 2007 competition, will dish out sumptuous delicacies on weekly theme nights - Flavours of Sri Lanka, Seafood Delight, Colours of India, Country & Western Roundup and Christmas Around the World, from November 20, December 31.

Christmas with Fingara with Fingara will be spiced with Christmas Carols, fashion shows, special acts, live bands, fabulous prizes and surprises to ensure that Fingara will be the place to celebrate this season.

As part of the seasonal events, Jilan De Silva, the Executive Chef of Fingara arranged the mixing of the choicest ingredients to produce 100 kilos of Christmas cake at the traditional cake mixing ceremony which took place at the club recently with the participation of Fingara officials.

The Christmas cake mixture will be divided to make over 500 portions. Members will get the opportunity to buy this authentic Christmas cake over the counter from its pastry shop FinDeli from mid December onwards. Other bakery products available this festive season would be Bruedher, Stollen, Xmas Cookies, Ginger Bread, and much more.

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Lions are Knights of the blind

Dist. Governor 306C2 Lion Dr. Priyanka Baddevithana:

District Governor of 306C2 Lion Dr. Priyanka Baddevithana MJF has given a unique mission for Lions to accomplish as No. 1 priority during the Lionistic year ending 30th June 2008 to give the Gift of Sight through Sight Conservation & Caring for the Visually Impaired.

Under this programme every Lions Club in the District must carry out scientific eye screening camps for high priority segments in their communities identified as Police and Tri-service Personnel and their families, Schools and orphanages, Members of the clergy at places of religious worship, Homes for the Elderly, Physically or Intellectually Challenged members of society.

Furthermore, each administrative province (Eastern, Uva, Central, Sabaragamuwa and Western) in District 306C2 must develop and sustain Lions Eye-care Facility through Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) funded capacity building programme at a Base Hospital Lion Dr. Beddevithana said.

Also in the agenda is the development of Vocational Training Facilities for visually impaired and blind members of the community.

Each scientific eye screening camp will be assisted with a Diabetic Awareness programme towards preventive measures specially targeting children through seminars supported by literature and deploying Medical Specialists to disseminate knowledge on insulin therapy and other valuable control measures to live a normal life for diabetic afflicted people Lion Dr. Beddevithana said.

Helen Keller gave a call to Lions at the Lions Clubs International Convention in the year 1925 to become the KNIGHTS OF THE BLIND. Responding to this call in 1930, White Cane for the blind was developed by Ohio Lions.

World’s first Eye Bank was started by Lions Club of New York in 1940. Lions’ pioneer guide Dog program was developed in the year 1950. Sight First program was launched at St. Louis convention in 1990. Campaign SightFirst-1 was launched in the year 1993 which, netted US $ 146 million surpassing the Campaign goal to a cumulated amount of US $ 200 million.

In the last 16 years, US $ 190 was allocated to about 750 projects in about 90 countries and prevented vision loss in 20 million people. SightFirst has restored sight to 5 million cataract blind and provided 60 million treatments for river blindness, built or expanded 225 eye hospitals and upgraded 325 eye hospitals with equipments and trained about 85,000 eye care professionals and workers.

Therefore, in a special year Lions of Sri Lanka are celebrating their Golden Jubilee, District Governor Dr. Priyanka Baddevithana’s mission is to create top-of-the- mind public awareness for Lions as Champions or Knights the crusade against darkness through Vision Restoration, Sight Conservation, and empowerment of the Blind.

Gift of Sight to Buddhist Monks

Under the Gift of Sight Programme of District Governor Dr. Priyanka Baddevithana of District 306C2, a mammoth project to screen the eyes of 500 Buddhist Monks was organized at Cittavivekashrama at Wickramasinghapura.

The District Governor’s Programme Coordinator for Gift of Sight Programme Lion Sandaka Lenagala who is also the President of Sri Lanka Optometric Association mobilized the services of more than 30 Optometrists and also the services of state-of-the-art mobile eye testing unit of Techno-Vision Ltd.

The project was organized by Lion Roshan Kanchana Yapa who obtained the assistance of Ministry of Urban Development where Minister Dinesh Gunawardena graced the occasion. President of Lions Club of Thalapathpitiya Lion Lal Delgoda and his team made all arrangements for a very successful project on Gift of Sight.

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62nd World Congress of Junior Chamber International

The 62nd World Congress of Junior Chamber International was held in Antalya, Turkey, with a participation of 3108 delegates from 105 countries.

The 1989 World President of Jaycees, Isfahani Sameen from Sri Lnaka was invited to serve the Nominations Committees to interview all the candidates seeking JCI office for the year 2007 and also to be a judge of the World Speaking Competition at this Congress.

The former Foreign Minister of Japan and the Prime Ministerial Candidate at the recently concluded elections Taro Aso who has been a close associate of Mr. Sameen for over 30 years, was invited to be the Keynote Speaker at the Annual Senate Dinner at this Congress.