In addition to the large purchase of mattresses through the generous donations of Johnson City Lions and the Johnson City Central Baptist Church, the $10,000.00  LCIF Grant has been used to purchase food and cleaning supplies through Second Harvest.

Lions who can help distribute the food and mattresses are desperately needed this:

• Friday, June 24^th between 4PM and 8PM
• Saturday, June 25th between 8AM and 1PM.

Locations and time for July 1 & 2 are to be determined.  Please contact PDG Dennis Powell at dp@dpbs.us for more information and to volunteer for a location where you will be most needed.

The locations:

• Washington County – South Central Roatan Wharehouse, 2634 Highway 107, Chucky, TN (About 20 miles south of Jonesborough next to the Fire Department)
• Green County- Freewill Baptist Family Ministries,90 Stanley Lane, Greeneville, TN
• Johnson County – Little Doe Baptist Church, 325 Doe Creek Road, Butler, TN  (Hwy. 67 toward Mt. City, turn right at Arnolds Car Lot – Church is next to lot on left)

Update June 15, 2011:

I would like to give you all an update on the progress of District 12N’s emergency relief effort.  We have partnered with Second Harvest in Gray, Tennessee to purchase food stuffs and set it out at three distribution sites to be given to individuals most effected by the tornado damage.  Second Harvest has agreed to purchase the food, package it in boxes for families of 1 up to four, with enough food stuffs for that many people per day’s ration.  They (Second Harvest) would transport it to the distribution site where we, the Lions, would hand it out.  I was completely amazed at the procedure they have in place already for this kind of help to the community.  What a blessing in such a time of need!

The cost of the food will vary from about 13 cents a pound to free.  The average cost of one adult meal is less than a dollar per.  Makes $10,000 go alot farther.  We have two week end dates (Fridays and Saturdays) set up, the July 23rd and 30th.  We think that all the food will given out before the completion of the second weekend.  We are looking for help in the manpower area so I would like to extend an invite to anyone from the 12N Clubs and the other districts if they’d like to help.

Please contact the Johnson City Lions club, PDG Dennis Powell, dp@dpbs.us for more information on times and locations.

Thanks in Lionism,  DG Bill

Update June 1, 2011:

I would like to announce that we have been awarded a LCIF Emergency Grant for the relief aid effort in northeastern Tennessee.  The Johnson City Club is helping in the relief effort as the primary club in the area.  They are assisting with additional help provided by local churches and others.  They will be providing food, clothing and cleanings supplies that will be purchased with monies from the Grant.  We will see first hand how our donations to LCIF come back to help those in our area.  I will be addressing this issue in more detail in my last monthly letter.

Thanks again for all you have done for me and the District this year,  DG Bill

May 25, 2011:

DGE Chuck and I, assisted by PDGs Carl McDaniel and Dennis Powell, were in Washington and Greene Counties surveying the damage of the tornados of last month.  I include pictures out to let you see for yourselves the level of damage incurred there.  I will tell you that I only took a few pictures and they are good but they do not give you the full picture of the amount of damage and destruction leveled on those counties.

Over 300 home were totally destroyed and another 150 damaged to the point no one will be able to occupy them until major repairs are complete.  The toll in human suffering is beyond what we see.  We had 10 deaths and nearly 100 still in the hospital with the majority of those still in critical or serious condition.

I am asking that all Lions clubs in District 12N to  help in what ever way they can to provide aide to these people.  As some of you know from growing up and living in this area that most rural people in East Tennessee will not leave their property to live in a recovery center.  It’s not what they do.  They will stay on their property in Tents, Campers or just on the ground under a tree.  We have alot of that here in Greene and Washington Counties.

I know also that some Lions have had bad experiences with how relief programs work.  Who controls the monies, who buys what, who gets the help and a whole lot of things that I can address in this E-mail, but I want to assure those with questions and doubts that all monies raised will be going to a Lions Club and will be closely monitored so that all funds and materials given will get to the people in need as soon as it can.

The Johnson City Lions Club, with PDG Dennis Powell at the helm is helping with aide to these two counties, and has stepped up to be the lead.  Please forward all donations to them at Johnson City Lions Club, PO Box 902, Johnson City , TN 37601, or contact them to see what assistance you can provide.

I must say that due to time and daylight available we were only able to see two of the 6 counties hit by these tornado so the need is even greater than what we were able to see.  All funds or material will go from LIONS to LIONS no other agency will profit or be a recipient of those funds. That is not to say that we won’t be working with churches, the Red Cross and other non profits to help.  We need to know that our help is not being squandered.

Please feel free to contact me or any of the individual above, if you have questions or comments on this project of hope.

Lion District Governor Bill