Lions Club hosting Kickball Tournament
The Marquette Lions Club is hosting a Kick Ball Tournament Sunday, April 22, beginning at 10 a. m. at the Kaufman Sports Complex off of Hawley Street to raise funds for Leader Dogs for the Blind.
This event has been organized and led by Sarah Juday, a Northern Michigan University junior, majoring in elementary education, and the youngest member of the Marquette Lions Club. As part of NMU’s Superior Edge progarm, Juday chose to volunteer with the Lions. Sarah wanted to lead a fundraiser that would get college students, in particular, and twenty-somethings, in general, more involved in serving the community. We believe she has more than succeeded.
Mary Sinclair, Marquette resident, will have Jazzie, leader dog in training at the tournament. Jazzie is her fifth puppy. Also Lion’s Past District Governor Gary Klop will attend with his Leader Dog puppy.
The Lions obtained twenty-four sponsors. They wish to thank the following people and organizations: 906 Technologies, Ahmed Shriners, Besander Roofing, Big Boy Restaurants, Brown Rehab, Cappeli Hair Salon, Casa Calabria, Downtown Eye Care, First Federal, Houeshold Appliance, Johnson’s Glass Cleaning, Lafayette Health Fitness, Menards, Milestones & Mobility Center, Inc., NMU School of Nursing, Pride Printing, Superior Blue Link Party Store, Superior Eye Health Center, Teaching Family Homes, The Landmark Inn, Toarmina’s Pizza & Butchie Boys, UP Rehab Services, Wright & Filippis and Wright Electric.
Spectators are encouraged to attend. Free admission. Event runs from 10am to 3pm.
Nine teams, eight from NMU and one from Menards, are participating. This is approximately eighty-seven people.
“Leader Dogs for the Blind is a guide dog training school located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. It was founded in 1939 by Lions Club members, Charles Nutting, Don Schuur and S.A. Dodge,[1] as the second guide dog school founded in the U.S. and has paired over 14,000 dogs with the visually impaired worldwide, making it one of the largest organizations of its kind.
“Leader Dogs is a nonprofit organization. All expenses, including room and board, airfare, and the dog itself, are offered free of charge. An Applicant, after being accepted into the program, travels to Leader Dogs headquarters and must spend from nineteen to twenty-six days of training with his or her new dog, after which the dog belongs to the applicant officially.”
This is the program the Lions Club and the NMU Student participants are supporting.
T-shirts in white, with the “Lead the Way” logo and paw print, are available for $10. Contact Maureen Jensen at 250-2042.
Weather Forecast
Saturday, 4/21, Mostly Sunny, High 46, zero precipitation.
Sunday, 4/22, Partly Cloudy, High 48, zero precipitation.
About Marquette Lions Club: Founded in 1919, the Marquette Lions Club is Michigan’s oldest Lions Club. They meet on the first and third Mondays of the month, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Landmark Inn in Marquette.
They focus on four areas: vision health, youth, health and wellness and community and environmental services. Recent examples of the local Lions’ Club activities:
Michigan Eye Bank (began in Marquette with Dr. Ahmed), vision screening, eye glass grants, vision care scholarship, eyeglass recycling, peace poster competition, dictionaries for 3rd graders in Marquette Area Public Schools, Leader Dog for the Blind kick ball tournament, pancake breakfast to support new police dogs.
The Lions welcome new members. For informantion on membership, contact Lin Dembowski at 226-0193. For mail use: Marquette Lions Club, P.O. Box 55, Marquette, MI 49855.
Posted by Jerry Taylor