Rainier Lions Club Build a Wheel Chair Ramp

Just before the Bluegrass Festival started, George Johnson received a call from Dave Essency, asking the Lions to build a wheel chair ramp for his neighbor.  Since the Lions were busy getting ready for the Bluegrass Pickin' Party, Dave agreed to wait a couple of weeks for the wheel chair ramp.

George went out this week and picked up the materials for the wheel chair ramp.  Then he
prefabricated parts of the ramp at home, so installation wouldn't take a long time.  It's easier to use tools at home, then cart them to the job site.

This morning Tom Cook, George Johnson and Rainier Lions Club President, Evan Burnett went out and built the wheel chair ramp for Dave's neighbor, Roger Reeves.

The pictures below are of the wheel chair ramp:

 Evan (left on on cell phone) and George (right, facing the camera) working on installing 

the prefabricated wheel chair ramp.

Roger Reeves getting ready to try out his new wheel chair ramp. 

Roger, on the down hill walk!

Success!

WHAT DO RAINIER LIONS DO?

 

WHAT DO RAINIER LIONS DO?

           

Members of the Rainier Lions Club are active in a variety of other non-profit organizations in Rainier:  Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Rainier Senior Center, Rainier Emergency Food Center, Rainier Schools, Rainier Community Cares, Rainier Booster Club, Rainier Education Foundation, American Legion, local churches and much more…..

The Rainier Lions Club has fundraisers during the year to provide events & services to our community.  Our primary focus is on sight and hearing, however, as our club has grown, we have been able to provide more services to our local community.

LOCAL COMMUNITY:

Rainier Schools, Eagle View Christian School & The Phoenix Rising School:

·        Rainier Elementary School:

o   Dictionaries to Third Graders (including Eagle View & Phoenix Rising)

o   Sight and Hearing Screenings (including Eagle View & Phoenix Rising)

o   Special funding projects (Playground Extension in 2014)

·        Rainier Middle School:

o   Yearly Donation to Music Program

o   Peace Poster (including Eagle View & Phoenix Rising)

·        Rainier High School:

o   FFA – Sponsor Rainier Community Garden

o   College Scholarships

o   Dinner for 5 Top graduates

o   Essay Contest

o   Peace Poster

o   Auctions:  REF  & Eagle View Christian School

·        Rainier Senior Center

o   Yearly Donation

o   Donate food & items regularly

o   Members work in Kitchen

o   Promote Activities & Events

·        Rainier Emergency Food Center:

o   Yearly Donation

o   Donate food & auction items regularly

o   Members work at REFC,

o   Create Flyers

o   Promote Activities & Events

o   Provide space at Bluegrass for Silent Auction Table

·        Rainier Lions Club Christmas Donations:

o   Yearly Donation to Rainier Fire Auxiliary (for toys)

o   Donate trees to needy

o   Adopted 3 families Christmas 2014

o   Caroling for Cans gathered over 1 ton of food for Rainier Emergency Food Center

o   Cash contributions to Rainier non-profits

·        Rainier Senior Center:

o   Yearly Donation

o   Donate food & items through

o   Members work in Kitchen

o   Help seniors with gardening & home repairs

·        Rainier Community Cares:

o   Promote events & activities

o   Bought 20 manuals for Youth Mental Health First Aid Training  

o   Members are actively involved in RCC activities & events

§  Movies in the Park

§  YMHFAT

§  CPR Training

RAINIER LIONS CLUB COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES:

o   Rainier Family Fun Days

o   Rainier Bluegrass Festival

o   Float in Rainier Round-Up Days Parade

o   Halloween in the Park

o   Caroling for Cans

o   Hwy 507 Clean-up – quarterly

o   LERC – collect and recycle eyeglasses

o   Charter & Sponsor Boy & Cub Scouts #307 in Rainier

RAINIER LIONS CLUB FUNDRAISING PROJECTS:

o   White Cane Days

o   Fuji Apple Sales

o   Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit Sales

o   Peaches, Pears & Nectarines Sales

o   Christmas Trees (breaks even)

o   Bluegrass (breaks even)

REGIONAL & NATIONAL PROJECTS:

o   LERC – clean, sort & read glasses for 3^rd world missions

o   NW Project New Hope (Vets with PTSD)

o   Leader Dogs

o   Camp Leo for diabetic children

o   NW Lions Foundation

o   CARE – prevent exploitation of Children

o   Hands of Hope (Dana Reynolds – children in Peru)

o   TOGETHER!

o   LERC – collect and recycle eyeglasses

o   District MD-19 C Lions

o   LCI

o   Donations for Special needs – like OSOH mudslide

Members of the Rainier Lions Club do a lot to help community members in need.  Last year we helped pay for cataract surgeries, hearing aids & eye glasses for people living in Rainier.  Our members also helped seniors by building wheel chair ramps, doing small home repairs & gardening. 

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”  Become a Lion.

Contact:  George Johnson (360) 292-5363

tipsooloopy @fairpoint.net

Third Graders Receive Dictionaries from Rainier Lions

The Rainier Lions made its’ annual visit to Rainier area third graders delivering dictionaries this week  .  Last week they visited  Eagle View School  third grade and Phoenix Rising School combined third and forth graders.

This is a ongoing  program adopted by most Lions clubs from coast to coast. They are not only dictionaries ,  more like miniature encyclopedia  filled with information about our country, world and universe.  It includes the longest word in the English language - with 1,907 letters, biographies of our presidents, math tables, countries of the world, braille & sign language alphabets and The Declaration of Independence and more.....

Pictured are Lions Linda Lazelle, Bud Green, George Johnson, Art Runyon and Terri  Rendahl  and the classes of Rainier third graders who received their dictionaries this week.

The third grade teachers are Mrs. Swanson and Mrs. Cinkovich.

Rainier Lions in back left to right:  

Teri Rendahl, Art Runyan, George Johnson, Bud Green 

& Linda Lazelle

Nisqually Valley News Article:

Agenda August 8, 2014

Meeting August 11, 2014

Special Guests: 

MD-19 District Governor John Kirry

& Zone Chair Pat Bucknell

Pledge of Allegiance:

I Pledge Allegiance
To The Flag
Of The United States Of America
And To The Republic
For Which It Stands
One Nation
Under God,
Indivisible,
With Liberty
And Jusrtice
For All.

America:

My country 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty Of thee I sing; Land where my fathers died, Land of the Pilgrim's pride, From every mountain side Let freedom ring. My native country, thee, Land of the noble free, Thy name I love; I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills, My heart with rapture fills Like that above.	Let music swell the breeze, And ring from all the trees Sweet freedom's song; Let all that breathe partake; Let mortal tongues awake; Let rocks their silence break, The sound prolong. Our fathers' God to Thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing. Long may our land be bright With freedom's holy light, Protect us by Thy might Great God, our King!

Our Prayer; Our Pledge; Our Song:

Where Lions meet be present Lord,
And fill our hearts with one accord.
To do thy will, Lord make us strong
To aid the weak and right the wrong.
Amen

Agenda:

Pat Bucknell introduces DG John Kirry

John Kirry, District Governor

George Johnson – Peaches, Pears, Nectarines update:

August 18:  Peaches Pears & Nectarines @ Rainier Chapel

Need to talk to Teddy Bear Hauling about using the fork lift and fork lift jack.

Evan Burnett – Bluegrass update:

Corn ordered from Lattin’s today.  Same price as last year.

August 18:  Bluegrass Fire Lanes, No Parking Signs, Trash & recycling barrels

August 18:  Zone Meeting 6 PM Hawks Prairie Restaurant

August 21:  Set up Burger Den

August 22, 23 & 24:  Bluegrass Festival

Tail Twister

Dessert

Catering provided by the Chinese Wok in Yelm

INFORMATION:

Rainier Community Gardens 1^st Tuesday RHS

Senior Center Lunch:  Mon & Wed at noon - $2.50 each

City Council meets 2^nd & 4^th Tues at 7 PM

Rainier Community Cares – 1^st & 2^nd Wed. @ Valley Heart Church

Sportsman’s Club – 1^st Mon @ 7PM

City Council – 2^nd & 4^th Tues. @ 7 PM

Rainier Food Bank:  Wed & Sat 9 – 12 noon

Historical Soc. – 3^rd Thurs. @ 6:30 PM

Valley Heart Breakfast – last Saturday of the month Sat 9 – 11 AM – Free – menu varies - great food!

UPCOMING EVENTS

August 15, 16 & 17:  Project New Hope

August 18:  Peaches Pears & Nectarines @ Rainier Chapel

August 18:  Bluegrass Fire Lanes, No Parking Signs, Trash & recycling barrels

August 18:  Zone Meeting 6 PM Hawks Prairie Restaurant

August 21:  Set up Burger Den

August 22, 23 & 24:  Bluegrass Festival

Support Our: Rainier Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts

Rainier Lions Honored to Serve.....

By:  George Johnson

Last week I was asked by a friend if the Rainier Loin's Club might be able to help an elderly couple, George and Eleanor Burger, in Yelm move their porch gate.  George said he always wanted cement steps.  They were finally able to get it done last year.  George had the new concrete steps set on the front of his porch where he always wanted them, but  the old steps and gate were on the side. 

Ready to get to work!

Evan evaluating the side steps, after the gate is moved to the front of the porch.

The old lattice was cut out and the gate moved to the front of the porch.

Evan removing the side brace from the old gate.

Bracing the decking where the side steps used to be.

The old side steps going up to the porch.

George Johnson working on the side of the porch.

George Johnson working removing the side steps going into the porch.

'

George Burger overseeing Evan Burnett level the area where the side steps used to be.

The Burger household was established in 1950.

The lattice work moved from the side gate.

The gate opening to the front porch.

The gate installed in the front of the porch.

 George Burger, George Johnson & Evan Burnett

George said that he used to be a plumber and carpenter.  When they first moved to Yelm, he helped construct the Yelm Prairie Christian Church.  Now he is no longer able to swing a hammer.

Three Rainier Lions club member showed up on Saturday the 9th at George and Eleanor's at 1:30.   It was a simple job and only took an hour and a half.  During that time we were able to talk with George, between his trips to the garage, to get supplies.  He told us of his involvement in helping finish the construction of the church to it’s completion.  

He matter of fact mentioned his service as if it were a ballgame watched on TV last night.  George served in the Navy for 22 years.  He was 18 in 1943 when he was drafted.  George, his two brothers and one sister all served in WWII.  They all returned home after the war.  George served for 2 years in the South Pacific, on a repair ship called the Piedmont.  One of his brothers was a co-pilot on a B19, the other an Army Engineer and his sister was a nurse who served the US in England.

Well if that was not enough George then served in Korea and then Vietnam.  George talked about it as if it was a stroll in the park on a Sunday afternoon.

When Linda, Evan and I finished we thanked George for the opportunity to be able to serve him.  It was an honor to assist such a courageous, devoted man and his wife.  Thank you George and Eleanor Burger.  You are real hero's in my eyes.

George Burger, George Johnson & Evan Burnett

Evan told us, "I like doing these kinds of jobs.  This is the reason I became a Lion!"

Building houses for the Birds & Bees

Last Saturday's "Build-a-Birdhouse" workshop was packed with people....  Lions Walt Dohring and George Johnson helped kids of all ages build bird houses and Mason bee houses.........  Great idea that Jeannine and Angie had to put on this workshop for our community.  Thank you all for the great turnout!



Lion Walt Dohring helping kids build bird houses at the Rainier Community Garden workshop.



Say hello to George from the Rainier Lions Club, our local mason bee expert. He helped kids and adults build a habitat for mason bees.  City Councilman Dennis McVey and his wife have Mason Bee Houses in their yard.  He came to Rainier Community Garden on July 19th and shared a lot of information about Mason Bees.  

Frozen in Wilkowski Park!

Frozen in Wilkowski Park

By:  Linda Johnson

Families state together in Wilkowski Park on July 3^rd, waiting to watch the movie “FROZEN” that was presented by Rainier Community Cares.  This is the first time a Family Fun Movies event was ever held in the park and it was a huge success!  Heads were counted and 164 adults and children were seen laying on blankets and sitting in chairs waiting for the movie “Frozen” to start.  The children got a childhood memory that they will remember their whole lives.  There also were adults there, who did not bring children.  They just wanted to enjoy the experience.

The Fire Department arrived with their sirens and lights blazing about a half hour before the movie was going to start.  The children were very pleased with all of the commotion. 

They ran up and checked out all of the equipment on the truck. 

Welcoming addresses were made by City of Rainier Mayor and President of R.C.C. Randy Schleis, as well as Rainier Community Council member George Johnson.  In less than 10 minutes both speakers gave a brief history of Rainier Community Cares, the work it does in the community and the direction they are moving forward in.  The current program is “Parents Matter” reminds parents on ways to promote positive experiences for their children and families.  

Randy & Kathy Schleis on the left of the picture.

George Johnson talked about volunteering in Rainier and the importance of involving our youth in helping others to build sustainable communities.  There are many groups in our community who are doing good work.  He urged everyone to participate with their children in public service activities.  

Juliette Pia, Program Director of R.C.C., said “Parents who want to be involved in our community and help create positive experiences for our children are welcome to join us.  We need more leaders who are willing to give just a few hours a month to help make our community a better place to raise our children.  We want our children to be proud to live here.”

The fire truck turned their sirens and lights back on and waved goodbye to the families nestled in the park.  Then the crowd settled down and the movie started playing on the inflatable movie screen.  Children cuddled up to their parents and were glued to the movie screen.  Even grandparents came with their children and grandchildren.  It was an extended “Family Fun Night.”

Rainier Community Cares is currently sponsoring a FREE Summer Lunch and activities program mornings at Rainier Elementary with the help and cooperation of our school administration and volunteers.  R.C.C. just finished a free six week program held at Sugar and Spice Daycare called strengthening families.  For additional information on how you can help please call Juliette at 360.446.9222.