Club News

Sweden Lions felicitate counterparts here

Special mention to 306C2:

Beverley Jansz

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International Association of Lions Clubs was established in 1917 and acknowledged by the United Nations to be the first global experiment of humanitarian service culture. Today the Association has accomplished the hallowed position of being ranked as the number one non-governmental organization (NGO) in an independent study conducted by the Financial Times.

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As the Lions Districts in Sri Lanka are celebrating the culmination of 51st years of service in Sri Lanka, the Lion Club President Karl Bertil Gabrielsson of Lions Club of Umea Teg in Sweden has sent a felicitation and a message of goodwill to Sri Lankan Lions. A special mention is made to District 306C2 and the Annual Convention of District Governor Buddheni de Z. Gunasekera since the Lions Club of Jawatte Summit in the District has joined hands with them in conducting many meaningful projects in the past.

International Association of Lions Clubs established in 1917 and acknowledged by the United Nations to be the first global experiment of humanitarian service culture. Today the Association has accomplished the hallowed position of being ranked as the number one non-governmental organization (NGO) in an independent study conducted by the Financial Times. Lionism arrived in Sri Lanka in 1958 and in the 50th year produced an International President Lion Mahendra Amarasuriya MJF to lead the 1.3 million membership in 200 countries around the world.

Lionism counts more than sixty years in Sweden and Europe. The Lions Club of Umea Teg was founded in April 1959, and it is celebrating its golden jubilee this year. Today the club has 43 members including Sri Lankan born Lion Lady Mihiri Ekanayake who is domiciled in Sweden. She began her Lionistic career with the Lions Club of Jawatte Summit in District 306C2 of Sri Lanka and recently conducted some noteworthy service projects in Sri Lanka for the benefit of deserving children under community care such as the School for the Deaf and Blind in Ratmalana.

These projects were jointly sponsored by Lion Mihiri along the members of the Lions Club of Umea Teg and Jawatte Summit. They received a District 306C2 award from District Governor Dr. Lion Priyanka Baddevithana for their part in touching lives of the deserving children of Sri Lanka with their humanitarian services.

The Lions Club of Umea Teg has a net worth of service projects running into $ One million and hopes to continue its efforts with a focus on children of Sri Lanka. They currently have on-going international projects in Africa (Cameroon) and in South America (Peru).

Lion Mihiri Ekanayake who is in charge of the Lions Club’s International Relations Programme is planning to carry out ongoing service projects in Nuwara Eliya and Batticaloa where addressing the plight of the children has been a long-felt need in those communities.

Strategies to Excel - DG Lion Kingsley Bernard’s theme for service

Beverley Jansz

Drug abuse, Road Indiscipline, Child abuse, Bribery and Corruption, indifference to social responsibility and environment pollution have remained a social menace, the bane of society.

“We will create awareness among all segments of the society on the need to eradicate such social menace by conducting awareness seminars, educational programs, poster competitions etc. We need to take a firm stand against such evils, and we will endeavour to convince citizens and encourage corporate social responsibility.”

These sentiments were expressed to the media by Lion Kingsley Bernard who returned to Sri Lanka after taking oaths as District Governor 306B2 at the Lions International Convention held in USA.

The main purpose of the press conference was to brief the media on the annual plan of the District Governor, Kingsley Bernard, who explained his program categorising it into number of sections, including uplift of social conditions with special attention to the poorer segment of the society.

As Keller urged at the Lions Convention in 1925, we are “Knights of the Blind”. We shall therefore implement the Lions International Programs on working with the blind with dedication and commitment, said District Governor, 306B2 Lion Kingsley Bernard. Every effort will be made to sustain the Kadawata Eye Hospital and opportunities for development new facilities will be pursued actively. Youth, the motive force and the future of the nation require special attention.

It would be our responsibility to groom them to be good citizens of the future. We will develop life skills of the younger generation, facilitating their character and self-development, enabling them to become patriotic and exemplary citizens. We will encourage the young to join Leo Clubs, encourage Lions Clubs to promote the Leo Program and through such effort, develop their leadership skills and coach them to take up leadership positions.

Arrangements will be made to conduct districtwide educational leadership seminars and workshops specially among University students, Advance Level and O-Level students, promote the Lions Quest Program and youth exchange programs, consolidation and sustenance of already established signature projects, Kid Care Home, Sinha Sal Sevana, Vocational Training Centre, Kurunegala to continue.

District Governor, Lion Kingsley Bernard said that the Environment Protection and Improvement Program will be conducted with vigour and vibrancy, not merely limiting to common projects like “Tree Planting”. Current topics such as pollution control, carbon positive, global warming would be pursued and dealt with, District Governor, Lion Kingsley Bernard said.

Regarding facilitating organisational growth and development, the main strategies would be Image Building and Membership Development Program.

Under National Reconciliation “We will implement programs on culture, sports and other service areas in association with clubs in the North and East, joint projects and twinning programs with other districts.

Under these programs sports festivals, cultural shows and small business development programs will be conducted by establishing strategic alliance with private, public and other NGOs. The key performance areas (Five Stars) of the District Governor’s Program would be Fighting Social Menace, Image Building, Youth Development, MERL and Sight First.

District Governor, Kingsley Bernard went on to explain his theme for the year “Strategies to Excel” and its relevance to the present economic and social environment prevailing locally and globally. He stressed the importance of selecting and implementing appropriate strategies for Lions to achieve the ambitious targets he has set for the clubs and to the District 306B2.

He also briefly explained the theme of the International President, Lion Eberhard J. Wrifs, first German to lead the Lions International, “Move to Grow”.

Chairman of the Council of Past Governors, Lion Gamini Jayasuriya briefed the media about the history of lionism and its growth process reaching the world’s Number One community service organisation at present. Vice District Governors, Lion Ariya B. Rekawa and Lion Jayantha Gunawardene also took part in the discussion and answered questions raised by media representatives.

For service projects:

Colombo Royalty Lions present Sound of Music

Lions Club of Colombo Royalty of Lions District 306 C-1 will present “Sound of Music” a movie for the entire family on Saturday August 8 at 6.30 p.m. at the Russian Centre, No. 10, Independence Avenue, Colombo 7.

This is a fundraiser for service projects of the Lions Club of Colombo Royalty. Tickets are available at Plate Studio Colombo 3 and at the Russian Centre, No. 10, Independence Avenue, Colombo 7.

Lions Club of Colombo Royalty was extended by Lions Club of Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte in 2004. Since then the club has carried out a large number of service projects for the underprivileged.

Multi service Health camps were carried out Pamunugama and Burulupitya and Dental camps at Agalawatte which benefited a large number of poor families.

The club also donated spectacles, wheelchairs, walkers and clutches to the needy. Lions Club of Colombo Royalty also carried out self-employment training programs for the women inmates of Bogambara Prison. Sewing machines, TV, clothes, and sanitary items too were donated to the needy at service projects. Dry rations and new clothes were distributed to tsunami affected people in Moratuwa and Panadura. The fundraiser “Sound of Music” is being presented to carry out more service projects for the needy.

‘Key of Nation’ award for Lion Lasantha Goonewardena

Deshabandu Lion Dr. Lasantha Goonewardena (right) receives his award from IPIP Lion Mahendra Amarasuriya

1st in the Lanka’s Lionism history:

The Cabinet officers Installation ceremony of Lions Clubs International Distinct 306C2 was held at the Mount Lavinia Hotel, with Immediate Past International President, and Chairman, Lions Clubs International Foundation Lion Mahendra Amarasuriya as chief guest.

Deshabandu Lion Dr. Lasantha Goonewardena, MJF was presented the “Key of Nation” award in recognition of his efforts to enrol more than 100 new members to the Lions clubs international. In the history of 50 years of Lionism in Sri Lanka, this is the first time that such a prestigious award was presented to a Sri Lankan Lion.

Rotary International donates HPLC worth Rs. 5.8 m to National Thalassaemia Centre

A “High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) machine or “Haemoglobin Analysing System” worth over Rs. 5.8 million was donated to the National Thalassaemia Centre at the Teaching Hospital, Kurunegala.

The funding of the machine and equipment worth over Rs. 5.8 million was generated thanks to the generosity of the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International Rotary Districts 3230 India, Rotary District 3220 Sri Lanka, and the Rotary Clubs of Colombo Mid Town, Athugalpura, Colombo Regency, and Rtn. S.R. Weerasinghe of Japan.

With the availability of the HPLC machine, the confirmatory tests can be done directly in the centre after doing Full Blood Count (FBC) in two hours, which procedure earlier used to take four to six weeks for a potential disease carrier to be detected. Thus with the HPLC machine now available at Kurunegala, it will benefit an entire population of two districts, namely Kurunegala and Puttalam, and also the Central Province, towards eliminating the risk of contracting Thalassaemia.

The official handing over of the HPLC machine to the special Thalassaemia Screening Laboratory at the National Thalassaemia Centre took place at a ceremony held recently.

Deshabandu Lion Bulathsinhala takes oaths in USA as DG 306C-2

Deshabandu Lion Nimal Bulathsinhala who took his oaths as the new District Governor 306C2, at the Lions International Convention held in Minneapolis USA, was accorded a warm welcome at the Bandaranaike International Airport on his return to Sri Lanka.

A host of new Cabinet officers, Lions and Lion Ladies of District 306C2 were present at the Airport to greet the new District Governor.

The new District Governor began his Lionistic duties for the year 2009/2010 at a pinkama held at the Kotte Raja Maha Viharaya, presided over by the Chief Incumbent of the Viharaya Ven. Aluthnuwara Anuruddha Thera.

To mark the occasion a number of service projects were conducted, among them were the presentation of wheelchairs to the needy and new clothes to expectant mothers.

Lions and Lion Ladies of the Udahamulla Lions Club also participated.

Rotary Club of Colombo Uptown donates crutches to Accident Ward

As an ongoing project of the Rotary Club of Colombo Uptown, 23 pairs of crutches were handed over to the Colombo General Hospital. The Accident Service of the General Hospital treats a great number of victims of accidents from all parts of Sri Lanka. Upon their release, a great number of victims need crutches. Since many of them are in the lower income brackets, they lack money to purchase these crutches.

In addition to the wooden crutches donated to patients, aluminium crutches too were donated to the hospital by the Rotary Club of Colombo Uptown for the use of warded patients.

The donation was organised by the Training Manager for Nurses at the Accident Ward, President, Rotary Club of Colombo Midtown Rtn. Prabath Gunasekera said.

Rtn. Gunasekera said that this is an ongoing project of the Rotary Club of Colombo Uptown.

The commitment of a dedicated Lion

The commitment of Lion Premanath de Zoysa, Chief District Coordinator, Health Services and Director, Lions Club of Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, has resulted in the success of Lions Clubs International District 306A-1, said Lion Nihal R. Orawatte, Secretary, Lions Club of Dehiwala-Mt. Lavinia.

As another Lionistic year comes to an end, looking back at the year completed, it is noted with great satisfaction the amount of service projects completed, which proved that 2008/2009, was a glorious year, Lion Orawatte said.

Lion Premnath in his magnanimous contributions to the district has indicated the expectations of the community we live in, from Lions.

He has proved beyond any doubt that Lions should extend a helping hand to the poor, needy, sick, aged, homeless and the destitute.

Lion Premanath has exhibited the noble idea of caring and sharing. His services to the community is a blessing to all human beings around us.

He has created a platform to serve the community for a better tomorrow. With his noble contributions to the needy, he has proved that there is no prayer more fruitful than service to mankind, Lion Orawatte said.

19th Rotaract District Assembly - ‘Inspire’

The 19th Rotaract District Assembly was held at the Hilton Colombo Residencies. The District Assembly, the pinnacle Rotaract function in any given Rotaract year was well attended with over 230 Rotaractors from all parts of the island, including Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Batticaloa and Jaffna.

The focal point of the District Assembly was the induction of the District Rotaract Representative (DRR) for 2009/2010, Rtr. Past President Arjuna Mohottala. However, the Rotaract District Assembly is much more.

The Immediate Past DRR Husna Rafeek recognised the outstanding Rotaract Clubs and Rotaractors during the first session of the Assembly. Workshops were held for newly elected Presidents, Club Officials and District Officials of the Rotaract District 3220. In his welcome address, the Assembly Chairperson, Rtr. Supun Liyanage explained as to why this Assembly’s theme was set as ‘Inspire’.

Rolling out the District Theme for 2009/2010 DRR Arjuna highlighted the importance of ‘Be the Change’ that Rotaractors would like to see in others. District Governor, Rtn. PHF Suri Rajan speaking as the Chief Guest highlighted the importance of having a balanced year of projects and working closely with Rotary and Interact.