This is the newsletter for the Lions of Wyoming Foundation. It it published three times per year.
Allen H. Stewart Lions Camp undergoing water system repairs...
Visit the new web site to make a donation to support the AHSLC.
Connect With Us
Lion Jerry Durfey elected Chairman of AHSLC Board
Past District Governor Jerry Durfey of the Lander Lions has been selected by the Camp Board as their new president. He assumes the role held by Lion PDG Lewis Lyon for many years.
Click here for more.
Long Range Planning Committee meeting to discuss future of Lions Camp.
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Greetings, and welcome to our first Maneliner using our new format. Please make sure you print this and share it at your next club meeting.

Meet the Lions of Wyoming Foundation Board Members ( click here )


Brandon Mapes - New AHSLC Summer School Director: 
Foundation has a new Fund Raiser for the Lions Camp: Show productions scheduled for Casper and Laramie. (
)
Honor a club member with a Gold/Silver/Bronze Lion. Click here for more!
Become a "Friend of the Foundation." Make a $20 donation and receive a pin and danglers for each successive year. Click here for more information.
Consider becoming a  100% Friends of the Foundation Club!
While credits last,  award a  Melvin Jones Fellowship when your club has 
100% Friends!
 Click here for more information.
The Allen H. Stewart Lions Camp needs all of our support. There have been some major changes related to the Summer School, and have had to make some major repairs. Please do all you can to support the Camp through financial donations and participation in work crews to help with upkeep and repairs.

Please check out our newly designed  web site. It is intended to invite support, not only from our Wyoming Lions, but also from the general public. Please note that there are a large number of vendors where you may shop and a percentage of your purchase price will come to the Foundation. If you are going to shop online, why not help the Foundation out by going through our website? Please share the idea with your non-Lion friends as well.

Like our Facebook page. Search Lions of Wyoming Foundation from your Facebook account or click here.

Sincerely, 
David Orr, Executive Director
Lions of Wyoming Foundation
liondave@lionsofwyomingfoundation.org

PDG Jerry Durfey
Durfey   
 

 

Jerry Durfey elected Chairman of the 

Allen H. Stewart Lions Camp Board of Directors

 

Lion Jerry Durfey was elected Chairman of AHSLC Board at the Board meeting in Lander at State Convention. Lion PDG Jerry Durfey of the Lander Lions has been selected by the Camp Board as their new chair. He assumes the role held by Lion PDG Lewis Lyon for many years. Lion Jerry brings a wealth of experience to the position. Besides his service as Past District Governor, he has been District Leadership Chair and has been involved in the leadership of District 15 for many years. His work for the BLM will provide skills that will help with his leadership of the Camp Board. Lion Jerry is married to Lion Emma Durfey and both have been members of the Lander Lions for many years. Jerry has served previously on the Camp Board, and is also a member of the Lions of Wyoming Foundation Board.

 

Lion Lewis Lyon will continue to serve on the Camp Board as Treasurer. Lew is also a Past District Governor. He has spent many hours working at the camp to effect repairs and do maintenance. Lion Lew and his wife are both Lions - Lew is a member of the Laramie Plains club and Linda is a member of the Laramie Lions.

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Brandon

We asked Brandon to tell us a little about himself, and here is what he said:

     I grew up in Michigan and still spend a lot of time visiting family in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

      I received my master's degree as a Teacher of Visually Impaired Students from the University of Northern Colorado. I'm also a certified orientation and mobility specialist. I've worked in this field for nearly 8 years so far.

      Camp experiences: I worked as a director and/or carpenter for Visions Service Adventures for service learning programs that took place in Alaska, Mississippi and the Caribbean. I was a staffer at the Lions Summer School in 2013 and I've also been a staffer at Confidence Camp for visually impaired students in the Denver area. I have also been a consultant and director of recreation-based programs for visually impaired youth in Crested Butte, Colorado through an organization called Adaptive Sports. 

      Hobbies: I enjoy mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, playing the guitar and mandolin, gardening, cooking and carpentry.

      My wife Abby and I have been married for two years. We live in Leadville Colorado with our black lab Olive.

      I've been working in public schools as a teacher of visually impaired students and orientation and mobility specialist. Currently, Amy works as an organizer for the Leadville Race Series- a series of mountain bike races and ultra-marathons that take place in Leadville and across the country.

      I'm passionate about ensuring that visually impaired students become well-rounded, happy and productive individuals. I feel the Lions Summer School provides a setting for students to make huge gains in many areas of their life, while also giving them the chance to connect with other students who share the experience of being a visually impaired youth. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to direct the Lions Summer School on Casper Mountain this summer.

 

     We are very excited to have Brandon to lead our Summer School for Visually Impaired Youth.

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summer_work


 

"Loads" of work done this summer at the AHSLC!


There is a lot to get done in a short period of time between the snow melt and the first campers arriving. A long list of tasks, including repairs and maintenance must be done. 


 

The water system and septic systems at the camp are shared with our next door neighbor, Camp WYOBA. Last fall, the State DEQ and the EPA mandated extensive repairs to the water system to bring it up to date and in compliance with current standarts. Our share of those repairs is $30,000. The WYOBA folks have agreed to take $5,000 installments over the next six years. The Camp and the Foundation would welcome donations toward this major infrastructure expense. As of this writing the repairs to the water system are complete, and everything is working fine.


 Fire Mitigation Work:

Thanks to Camp and LoWF Board member, Lion Dick Dubay, a great deal of work has been accomplished this summer at the camp. Roof replacements on the Shumway and Mills/Mountain View Buildings are in process, but before work could begin, we had to comply with fire mitigation rules. Trees had to be thinned from an area 100 feet around the camp structures. A sawyer was hired for part of the work, and the BLM sent a volunteer saw crew up to cut down the rest. We are extremely thankful to the BLM for using our project as a practice exercise for their chain saw work! But that was just the beginning - all the slash had to be cleared away and logs and rails had to be hauled to a central location on the property and stacked. 


 

On June 19-20, the first group of Lions spent the weekend addressing that task. Lion Lewis Lyon from the Laramie Plains Lions rented a large dump trailer. Upwards of 20 loads were hauled to the Forest Service slash pile further up Casper Mountain. In addition, 2 load of scrap metal were hauled to the recycle location in Casper. AND - 2 loads of miscellaneous materials were brought to the Natrona County dump. Lion Howard Last managed to get the dish washer working properly - a constant problem with water being heated properly. In addition to Lion Lewis Lyon from the Laramie Plains Lions, Lions from: Laramie Lions Club - Ralph Hague (and wife Diane), Cheyenne (Noon) Lions - Howard and Diane Last (and son-in-law Jack) and Dick Dubay; Lander - Jerry Durfey, Cheyenne Sunrise - John Harper, Jim Reynolds and Dave Orr; and also Camp Director Monty McDaniels.

 
PID John Harper drives the lawn mower.
 A second work party went to the Camp the weekend of July 11-12. Painting was the main task for this group. Painting took place in Mills/Mountain View, Shumway in new divided area of the pantry. The floors in all of Shumway and the Mills/Mountain View building were stripped and waxed as well. The walk-in cooler received needed repair. In McCarrell: New sub-floor and tile was laid in the hallways, women's restroom and nurse's office; three toilets were set in the women's bathroom; a new drinking fountain was installed. The yard was mowed and trimmed. Whew! What a job these Lions did: Jim Reynolds and Rick Fisher from Cheyenne Sunrise; Dick Dubay, Howard and Diane Last from Cheyenne (Noon); Ralph Hague from Laramie Lions; Lewis Lyon from Laramie Plains; Gary Roadifer from Pine Bluffs; Analyn Reader from Riverton Lions; Jim Allender and Mel Nelson from Douglas. Thanks to all these Lions who did such a great job on these maintenance and repair tasks!


 Previously the nurse's office was relocated to McCarrell complete with cabinets and sink. The front two rooms of the Couples Quarters (Parmely Building) were restructured for the Aids to Daily Living Classes, including stacked washer/dryer, refrigerator, microwave and range as well as cabinets and furniture.
Dick Dubay, Diane Hague and Jim Reynolds load the trailer with slash from fire mitigation.
Last of all, we all owe a huge Lion thank you to Lion Dick Dubay who has overseen all the work. He has traveled to Casper several times to meet with County Officials and BLM, arranged for the insurance appraisal resulting in the replacement of two roofs with the insurance funds - not to mention arranging a donation of roofing materials from the roofing contractor, saving the Camp over $7,000; arranged for the sawyer and saw crew from BLM, the tile contractor, the building and installation of the cabinets; All this, in addition to the actual work he did himself - wiring for the dryer, plumbing for new sinks... and on and on. Be sure to give Lion Dick a huge ROAR of thanks when you see him.

 

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AHSLC_LR_comm


     A committee was formed at the Camp Board's spring meeting to discuss the future of the Allen H. Stewart Lions Camp. There is concern over the lack of general support for the camp - both through Lions joining work parties to help with maintenance and upkeep of the facility AND through financial support for the Summer School. 
     The promotion of the Lions Camp as a rental for groups is also a concern. We depend on rentals of the property to pay for operating expenses - utilities and repairs, etc. 

The committee will meet on August 21 at the Camp at 8:00 AM. Members include PIDs Mick Barrus and John Harper, Camp Board Chairman Jerry Durfey, Camp Board Treasurer Lewis Lyon, Camp Board members Jim Reynolds and Dick Dubay (also on LoWF Board), Lions of Wyoming Board members Jim Rapp (Chairman), DG Lee McDonald, 1st VDG Gary Roadifer, LoWF Executive Director Dave Orr and PDGs Mindi Crabb and Ted Wenckus. Others are welcome to attend if interested.
 
westlake

W estlake Events Arranges Productions in Casper and Laramie 
to Raise Funds for the Lions Camp 
(continued from above)

The Foundation has entered into an agreement with the Westlake Events booking agency to produce shows in Casper and Laramie in September. They have worked successfully with the Gillette AM Lions, the Cheyenne Frontier Lions and the Sheridan Sundowners Lions Club over a period of many years.

A Tribute to Garth Brooks will be presented at the Attic above the Wonder Bar in Casper on September 21 at 7:00 PM. Telemarketers have secured donations and ad sales sufficient to provide the guarantee of $2,500 for the Casper show. The show is being co-sponsored by the Casper Lions Club.

A second show is planned for September 22 at Laramie High School in Laramie, also at 7:00 PM. The Laramie Plains Lions are co-sponsoring this production (also the Tribute to Garth Brooks). Currently we are seeking individuals to pick up checks for donations and ad sales solicited by the telemarketers. Persons who are selected will be paid to pick up each check, and may designate day/times when they are available/unavailable. Contact Lion Dave Orr at 307-631-5423 or dorr7111@gmail.com if you know of someone who might be interested. 

Additional shows may take place in other Wyoming cities that have Lions Clubs.  Click here to see a promotional poster with information about the performer.
boardmembers

New Foundation Board Members Elected
The following Lions became members of the Lions of Wyoming Foundation Board of Trustees on July 1, 2015. For more information about the terms of office and membership of this governing board, please click the link at the bottom of the article. 

Lion Val Grant, 2nd VDG
    Val Grant of the Torring-ton Lions becomes a mem-ber of the LoWF Board of Trustees by virtue of her election to the office of 2nd Vice District Governor. She will serve a term of four years as she moves through the chairs through Immediate Past Distirct Governor. She will serve as Chairman of the Board the year she is IPDG. 

Analyn Reader, Area One
   Lion Analyn Reader is not a new Board Member; however, she is in a new position. Analyn served two years of a three year term as Trustee for Area One (Northwest Wyoming) while a member of the Greybull Lions.  Last year she moved to Riverton, so a new Area One representative had to be chosen. However, no candidate ran for the term in Area One, so Analyn ageed to serve, and was elected to a one year term until a Lion from Area One could be found to serve (as prescribed by our By-Laws). She serves as an at-large member for the one year term. In the meantime we need to find a Lion willing to serve a new three year term to be elected at next year's state convention.

Stuart Bechtel, A
rea Two
    Area two is Northwest Wyoming.  L ion Stuart Bechtel moved to Wyoming from Indiana in 2013. He served on the Board of the Indiana School for the Blind before moving to Gillette. Stu has been on a work crew at the AHS Lion Camp this year. He is in the construction industry and proved himself to be a capable hand working at the Camp. He was elected to fill the unexpired term of Lion Don Cherni, who moved out of state (but has now returned). Lion Stu has two years remaining in the term he was elected to fill.

    
Jeanne Staplet on, Area Five
    Lion Jea nne Stapleton was elected to a three ye ar term for Area Five (South Central Wyoming - Albany and Carbon Counties) at State Convention in April. Lion Jeanne joined Lions in Cheyenne. In fact, she was sponsored into Lions by current Area Three Board Member Dick Dubay. Jeanne transferred her membership from Cheyenne to Casper and later to her current home in Rawlins.  She is  banker and works for Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union. Her background in finance will be a great addition to the expertise on our Board of Directors.

For a complete listing of all Board members and an explanation of the terms of office and years of election, please click here.