Author Archives: itadmin

Update on New Yarmouth Community Center

Yarmouth Community Center Steering Committee Continue Search for Available Locations

The Notes – April 3, 2018

At the March 19th meeting of the Yarmouth Lions Club held at the Muddy Rudder Restaurant, Horace and Barbara Horton, longtime Yarmouth residents, and co-chairs of the Steering Committee for the Yarmouth Community Center, gave an excellent presentation on the efforts of the steering committee, to locate a suitable piece of land on which to build a much needed Yarmouth Community Center.

Horace and Barbara Horton present possible locations for a new Yarmouth Community Center

As Yarmouth has grown in population, the needs of the community have outstripped the facilities to provide these necessary services. For example, 91 families, numbering nearly 300 people, currently use the Yarmouth Food Pantry, which was not originally designed to support such great demand. Other services, such as medical equipment assistance, a meeting center, and youth support, are all located at disparate, and often inadequate sites. Numerous properties have been surveyed and several options close to the center of town are deemed feasible sites.

The goal of the steering committee is to identify a location for the community center, then raise the funds necessary for this undertaking through private donations. Various parties, including prospective donors, sellers, the Town Council, and the school department, are involved in the tedious acquisition process.

After the Lions met with the Hortons, we learned that the School Board voted to retain all of the property around the Rowe School for future expansion and parking needs. Therefore, the Yarmouth Community Center Steering Committee is researching other potential locations near the center of Town.

The Lions Club is very thankful and appreciative of the efforts of the Hortons and the steering committee to fulfill the needs of the Town of Yarmouth, and we look forward to supporting them in the future.

Yarmouth Lions 1st VP, Alan Lambert (center) with Barbara (left) and Horace (right) Horton of the Yarmouth Community Center Steering Committee

Back to the News page

Yarmouth Lions Members Recognized for Decades of Service

Four Lions awarded for their combined 100 years of service to Yarmouth

The Notes – March 26, 2018

At the March 5th meeting of the Lions Club held at the Muddy Rudder, Lions Club 1st Vice District Governor, Neil Iverson, presented length of service awards (Milestone Chevron Award) to four Yarmouth Lions.

Bill Goddard receives the 50 years of service award from 1st Vice District Governor, Neil Iverson

The first award went to Bill Goddard for his 50, I repeat, 50 years of service to the Lions Club – a fantastic accomplishment! Neil also presented a length of service award to Larry Forcier (15 years), and two awards in absentia: Scott Dugas (20 years of service), and Joe Ingalls (15 years of service). Thank you gentlemen for your many years of service to the Lions, and the town of Yarmouth, Maine.

Neil also spoke briefly about the Lions District Convention being held April 27th-29th at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, the extensive service of Yarmouth Lions, and the two new challenges for Lions Clubs around the world, diabetes and pediatric cancer. He also reiterated the role of the district to serve and assist each club within its district.

Back to the News page

Lions Hear from The Center for Grieving Children

Lions-supported Center for Grieving Children has assisted more than 66,000 children and their families
The Notes – March 19, 2018

Anne Heros leads the Center For Grieving Children, a Portland-based nonprofit which has been delivering hope to more than 66,000 children, and their families since 1987

At the March 5th meeting of the Yarmouth Lions Club held at the Muddy Rudder Restaurant, our guest speaker was Anne Heros, Executive Director of the Center For Grieving Children based in Portland. She gave a superb presentation on the center and its history, both past and present. Starting with 4 families and 12 volunteers 30 years ago, last year the center amassed a record 26,000 hours of volunteer service providing grief support for children, teens, their parents and caregivers, young adults, bereaved parents and widows, and widowers/partners. Thousands have been and are now receiving professionally-trained support following the illness or death of a loved one from cancer, accidents, overdose, suicide and other causes, and no individual or family is ever charged for these support services.

The center is self-sustaining thanks to fundraisers, grants, and the generosity of individuals and organizations, such as the Yarmouth Lions Club, who has been partnering with the Center since 1996. To learn more about the Center For Grieving Children, go to www.cgcmaine.org.

Back to the News page

Help for Seniors and Our Newest 2018 Lions

Lions learn about new programs for Yarmouth seniors, and welcome two new members
The Notes – March 12, 2018

Maureen Brosnan provides support for local Yarmouth seniors
Maureen Brosnan provides local support for Yarmouth seniors

At our February 19th meeting, the Yarmouth Lions Club welcomed guest speaker Maureen Brosnan, a Community Resource Specialist from Southern Maine Agency on Aging. Maureen is filling a new position that the town has created to help our older adults and their families sort through the many programs and services available to help seniors live independently well into their elder years. Maureen is available to assist by phone (835-9866), walk-in, or by appointment at the Merrill Memorial Library’s Tutoring Room on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11am-3pm. Do not hesitate to contact her with any questions you might have regarding any program or service offered to our senior citizens. Read more about Moureen’s new position with the town here.

Lion Bob Swan inducted two new members into the Lions Club – Johnathan and Linda Shute. They were sponsored by Lion Larry Forcier. In his amiable and knowledgeable way, Bob spoke of the history, commitment and loyalty of the Lions Clubs all over the world.

Johnathan and Linda Shute are the first new Yarmouth Lions of 2018
Club President, Sandy Bowie (left), and Lions Bob Swan (right of Sandy) and Larry Forcier (right) welcome Linda and Johnathan Shute (center) as the first new Yarmouth Lions of 2018.

The new members were then taught the “LIONS ROAR” and welcomed into the club.

Back to the News page

Yarmouth Lions Finish 2017 with a FLOURISH of Service

Lions December Programs Raised Over $19,000 for Local Heating Assistance Service, Student Scholarships, and Families in Need

For 30-plus members of the Yarmouth, Maine Lions Club, December is the busiest months on the club calendar featuring several service activities, raising funds for local community support, and bringing joy to countless children in the area.

Starting Thanksgiving weekend with the arrival of 350 Maine-grown balsam fir trees, club members unload and sort trees according to size for sale with all proceeds going to scholarship for area students. In the 20-plus years of selling trees for scholarships, over $80,000 has been awarded. Students are selected based on school recommendations which are, in turn, based on need, academics and extra-curricular activities. The program is well advertised and this year, as in most years, every tree sold out in the first three weekends of December raising over $6,700 in scholarship funds. Lions, as well as some family members, set up and took down tree stands, sold and as necessary, delivered trees. Click to learn more about the Trees for Tuition program.

More recently the club began to sell wreaths alongside the trees with the distinction that wreath sales are used exclusively to benefit the town’s fuel fund for those needing assistance. The Wreaths for Fuel program, under the sponsorship of Yarmouth Community Services, has become increasingly necessary as Maine has recently seen harsher winters, higher fuel prices and more people needing fuel. In December 2017, club members sold 115 wreaths netting over $2,000 to support Yarmouth’s fuel assistance fund bringing total club donations over a 10-year period to about $20,000.

While wreaths and trees are being sold at the village green, another tradition almost as old as the club itself, takes place each December in the same area. For two hours on Saturday afternoons, Santa Claus ably assisted by an elf or Mrs. Claus sits in Santa’s Chalet greeting an endless line of families who pose with their children for photos. Before the children leave Santa, cookies and goodwill go with them. In the 30-plus years of this activity, veteran club members estimate that over 6,000 children have chatted with Santa in his chalet which magically appears on the village green the first weekend in December. The structure currently serving as Santa’s greeting house was built and maintained by club members while cookies are provided at cost by a local bakery.

Yarmouth Lions Adopt a Family Program Probably, the centerpiece of Yarmouth Lion’s December activities, is the club’s Adopt-a-Family program which began 16 years ago and gains momentum with each passing year. In the Lion’s tradition of service, a few members of the club initially received names from Yarmouth Community Services of a small number of families who were experiencing financial difficulties. The club budgeted a modest amount of monies and members donated out-of-pocket to meet the program’s needs. As the need for assistance increased, so did the club’s support and involvement. In 2017, 14 local businesses donated over $2,000 in gift certificates. The club also budgeted $1,000 to the program. This year, several enthusiastic and generous members shopped, wrapped and delivered gifts to the families and nursing homes. In total, a record number of families (12) with a record of children (26), as well as 22 indigent residents of local nursing homes, received over $7,500, in gifts and gift cards. Cumulatively, thanks to Lions and friends, over $75,000 in merchandise and gift certificates have been donated in just the past 10 years.

Although it would be difficult to single out the reason(s) for the success of Yarmouth Lions December efforts, strong publicity through the local paper, signs and word of mouth indicating where the proceeds from these activities were going, have led to continued success and steady membership in the club.

“Seeing people and merchants open their hearts and wallets to help those less fortunate, the willingness of volunteers to do what they do, and seeing the benefits of their efforts, make me proud to be a Lion.” – Sandy Bowie, President, Yarmouth Lions Club

Yarmouth Lions sell Christmas Trees for scholarships and host Santa
Each December, the Yarmouth Lions Club sells Christmas trees to raise money for scholarships, and wreaths for heating assistance, while hosting Santa for the hundreds of Yarmouth kids to visit and share their Christmas wish.

Back to the News page