Past Events 2021 - 2022

 

Four Paws to Independence

At the Middletown Lions Club monthly dinner meeting on March 15, 2022 at the Athenian Diner in Middletown, we had a full house plus six special guests – Cabinet Guide Dog Chairperson, Wendy DeBarros (our speaker for the evening), her trusted Guide Dog companion, Harold, her mother Sandra Wells (also on the committee and her driver), East Hampton Lions President, Past District Governor (PDG), Mary Krogh, and lions BillAlbrecht and Sharon Oldham from the East Hampton Lions Club.

Wendy spoke to the members and guests about what a wonderful difference in her life she experienced after receiving her Guide Dog, Harold from Freedom Guide Dogs in New York. She said, “I regained my independence and can go anywhere and everywhere… when I want.”

Just looking at Wendy while she was speaking about her guide dog you could feel the self-esteem and confidence that she was exuding to everyone present.

She talked about different Guide Dog Schools in the area and amazed everyone when she told the members and guests that the average guide dog costs approximately $60,000 to raise and train.

Wendy was so inspirational during her talk. I do know that feeling she had because I have had four Guide Dogs in my life.

One of our members, incoming club Tail Twister, Tammy Heckstall has a Guide Dog from Fredom Guide Dogs in New York and our incoming club Treasurer, Catie Yarlot has been accepted to Guiding Eyes for the Blind in Yorktown Heights, New York for her first Guide Dog.

 

 

 

We thank you Wendy and your Guide Dog, Harold for coming to visit and speak to us. You were so inspiring.

Below is a listing of the fourteen accredited Guide Dog Schools in the United States. You can visit their respective websites by clicking on their school logo images.

California

Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc.
P.O. Box 151200
San Rafael, CA 94915
Phone: 1-(800)-295-4050 or (415)-499-4000
Area Served: U.S. and Canada

Guide Dogs of America
13445 Glenoaks Blvd.
Sylmar, CA 91342
Phone: 1-(800)-450-4843 or (818)-362-5834
Area served: U.S. and Canada

Guide Dogs of the Desert
P. O. Box 1692
Palm Springs, CA 92263
Phone: (760)-329-6257
Area served: U.S., Canada and Mexico

Connecticut

Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation
103 Vision Way
Bloomfield, CT 06002
Phone: (860)-243-5200
Area served: Primarily New England

Florida

Southeastern Guide Dogs
4210 77th St. E.
Palmetto, FL 34221
Phone: 1-(800)-944-3647 or (941)-729-5665
Area served: U.S.

Michigan

Leader Dogs for the Blind
1039 S. Rochester Rd.
Rochester Hills, MI 48307-3115
Phone: 1-(888)-777-5332 or (248)-651-9011
Area served: Unlimited

Mississippi

Gallant Hearts Guide Dog Center
131 Red Fox Lane
Madison, MS 39110
Phone: (601)-853-6996
Area served: U.S.

New Jersey

The Seeing Eye Inc.
P. O. Box 375
Morristown, NJ 07963
Phone: (973)-539-4425
Area served: U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico

New York

Freedom Guide Dogs
1210 Hardscrabble Rd.
Cassville, NY 13318
Phone: (315)-822-5132
Area served: Northeastern United States and some Southeastern States

Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind
371 E. Jericho Turnpike
Smithtown, NY 11787-2976
Phone 1-(800)-548-4337 or (631)-930-9000
Area served: U.S. and Canada

Guiding Eyes for the Blind
611 Granite Springs Rd.
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
Phone: 1-(800)-942-0149 or (914)-245-4024
Area served: U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico

Ohio

Pilot Dogs, Inc.
625 W. Town St.
Columbus, OH 43215-4496
Phone: (614)-221-6367
Area served: U.S., Canada, Mexico and other countries

Texas

Guide Dogs of Texas, Inc.
1503 Allena Dr.
San Antonio, TX 78213
Phone: 1-(800)-831-9231 or (210)-366-4081
Area served: Texas

Wisconsin

OccuPaws Guide Dog Association
P. O. Box 45857
Madison, WI 53744
Phone: (608)-772-3787
Area served: Wisconsin and surrounding states

 

Middletown Lions Become a Campaign 100 Model Club

On Tuesday evening March 15th at its monthly dinner meeting the Middletown Lions Club became a Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF) Campaign 100 Model Club.

LCIF’s principal areas of service are Diabetes, vision, Childhood Cancer, Hunger, and the Environment. Money donated also goes towards world-wide disasters such as the devastation in Kentucky from tornadoes and war such as in Ukraine and much more.

LCIF’s Campaign 100 goal is to reach $300 million dollars by June 30th of this year. $282 million dollars have been raised thus far.

The Middletown Lions Club has until June 2025 to reach its commitment goal of $6,000.

Model Clubs do important work for important causes. Leading by example as they encourage other clubs to become Campaign 100 Model Clubs.

At our meeting Past District Governor (PDG), Mary Krogh who is the Multiple-District LCIF Coordinator talked to our members about becoming a Model Club.

A vote was taken, and all members agreed to participate.

 

 

 

 

Calling All Trick or Treaters

Middletown lions purchased $116 of candy to be bagged for the Middletown Halloween Drive-By around Crystal Lake that would be held on Saturday, October 23, 2021.

Members of the club got together Thursday evening, October 21, 2021 to bag candy at Club President, Ellie Paules apartment. They included Club President, Ellie Paules, lion Catie Yarlott, LCIF Coordinator, Marty Knight, and lion Richard Pelletier. They bagged 435 bags of candy for the upcoming event.

On Saturday, October 23, 2021, the Middletown Recreation Department and Youth Services once again sponsored the Halloween Candy Drive-By around Crystal Lake from 10am until 2pm.

Middletown lions LCIF Coordinator, Marty Knight, lion Richard Pelletier and Tail Twister, Sandra Reynolds along with members of the Cromwell Lions Club Director, Pat Scully, Vice President and Tail Twister, Carol Pajor, and Membership Chairperson, Todd Corey.

What made this event special was not only because Middletown and Cromwell Lions worked together but also because some members of the upcoming MidState CT Leo Club assisted as well. The new Leo Club will be co-sponsored by Middletown and Cromwell Lions clubs.

 

 

 

 

Middletown Tail Twister, Sandra Reynolds and Cromwell Secretary, Petronella Martyn were so busy giving out candy they did not stop for photos.

Middletown and Cromwell Lions along with Leo's elect worked together to make many costumed trick or treater's happy and full of great candy.

We thank the Cromwell Lions and Leo Club members who assisted in this wonderful event.

 

Happy Trails to a Special Friend

On Tuesday evening October 19th members of the Middletown Lions Club met for their monthly dinner meeting at the Athenian Diner in Middletown, CT.

That evening's meeting went off without a hitch. But there was sadness in the air.

Nineteen-year member Sandra Reynolds would be at her last meeting as a Middletown Lion. She and her husband Christopher will be moving back to Texas to be with family.

During her years in our club, she held the positions of club Secretary, Membership Chairperson, Tail Twister, and Lion Tamer.

Lion Sandra has been a special part of our club. She has had a way of bringing joy and excitement to everyone around her.

At the end of the meeting club President, Ellie Paules made a presentation to Sandra.

The photo above is of Club President Ellie Paules (center) presents Lion Sandra with a framed Certificate of Recognition and other gifts from the club (right) while Club First Vice President Howard Geltman (left) looks on.

Sandra, we will miss you! Happy Trails to you

 

Town-Wide Tag Sale

The Middletown Lions Club participated once again in the Middletown Town-Wide Tag Sale on Saturday, September 11th from 9am until 2pm.

Members of the club: Ellie Paules, Marty Knight, Richard Pelletier, Ada Spillane, James Beyer, Sandra Reynolds, and Audrey Klein all participated at either the setup or the tag sale itself. The club's tables were set up outside of ACE Hardware on Main Street. The club made $368 at this fundraiser. This money will go to assist people in our community.

The photo above is of (from left to right) Richard Pelletier, Ellie Paules, Marty Knight, and Ada Spillane in front with club member and District 23C Region 1 Chairperson, Howard Geltman standing behind them.

 

Celebrating 100 Years of Lions in CT

Saturday, August. 28th at the New Britain Bees Stadium from 4pm until 6pm over two-hundred and fifty lions from Multiple Districts 23A, 23B, and 23C came to celebrate one-hundred years of Lions in the state of Connecticut.

Prior to the start of all of the festivities clubs marched with their club banners held high.

The photo above is of Sandra Reynolds and Marty Knight holding the Middletown Lions Club Banner high as they marched around the stadium.

The photo above is of Eastern Connecticut Virtual Lions members Renee Williams and Jake Scanlon parading with the Campaign 100 Banner.

The photo above is the Honor Guard - Silver Dolphins from the Submarine School in Groton, CT.

 

 

Can Tabs for Kids

On Friday, July 30, Middletown Lions Club President, Ellie Paules, Tail Twister, Sandra Reynolds and Ellie's son, Hal Yost (who was the driver) took 47 pounds of aluminum can tabs down to the Ronald McDonald House in New Haven CT.

During the year the Middletown Lions Club conducted this aluminum can tab collection drive. We thank all of the various lions clubs that donated to our project from all three lions districts in the state: 23-A (New Haven and Fairfield counties), 23-B (Litchfield and Hartford counties), and 23-C (Middlesex, Tolland, windham, and New London counties).

The photo above is of lions Sandra Reynolds and Ellie Paules holding just a couple of the many containers of aluminum can tabs they had with them in the reception area inside Ronald McDonald House.

Due to COVID-19 precautions in the facility they could not meet in person with facility officials.They were not permitted to pour the contents of all of the containers they brought with aluminum can tabs into the large receptacles inside the building.

The photo above is of lions Sandra Reynolds and Ellie Paules standing behind the large Ronald McDonald House sign outside the building.

We thank all of the lions clubs in Connecticut who helped us reach such a wonderful goal this past year.