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With 31 clubs in Sendai
alone, Lions are making an
impact in the Japan disaster
area.
The Lions office in Tokyo is the command center organizing Lion volunteers and reaching out to area
governments in order to provide a timely and coordinated response. This is a personal tragedy for many Lions
whose families and neighbors are affected by the devastating floods and building destruction.
In the case of disasters, Lions volunteers are often the first to respond, and continue to help for as long as
it takes until all the work is done. As volunteers of the world’s largest service club organization, Lions live
in the affected communities, so they best know the needs of the community and are able to respond quickly
and efficiently. They share a passion for rebuilding their communities.
With more than 107,000 Lions in Japan, they are mobilizing to provide immediate relief. Lions Clubs
International Foundation is providing $7 million to support Lions’ efforts. This includes grants as well as
donations from Lions around the world.
Lions have established four relief command centers in the affected areas, as well as one in Tokyo at the
Lions office. The Funabashi Sazanka Lions club, together with 32 members of the Japan Agricultural
Cooperatives Funabashi, provided two tons of supplies including fresh vegetables and female underclothing.
Lions from 335-A and 333-C distributed 30 tons of rice packs to the tsunami evacuees in Fukushima, Miyagi,
and Iwate. The Tamura Lions club provided cardboard dividers at evacuation centers to give privacy to the
families who have been on the gymnasium floors without any privacy since the disaster. They also set up
a play zone. In Saitama, Lions provided bath service for 3,000 evacuees, paying for transportation and
entrance (bathing) fees with funds collected from all clubs in their district. Lions are also working with the
Red Cross to meet the most pressing needs, including holding blood drives to collect more blood due to
the severe shortage.
These are just a few examples of the many stories of Lions’ exemplary service. For more information, visit
http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/lci-foundation/disaster-relief/japan-update.php
The Foundation has established a designated fund for donations for disaster. Donations can be made in
confidence, for 100 percent of every donation will go directly toward disaster relief. The foundation has more
than 40 years of experience in disaster relief, and all funds are administered by local Lions in the area.
“On behalf of all Lions in Japan, we wish to thank you for your support,” said Lions Clubs
International Director Yasumasa Furo. Lions are appreciative of the immediate response
of the Foundation of Lions’ worldwide.
If you have not done so already, please consider donating to LCIF toward its relief efforts. If every Lions
member in District 5M6 were to donate $10, total 5M6 donations would exceed $14,500.
Please give your tax deductible personal checks, payable to “LCIF”, to your club treasurer to forward to our
LCIF representative, Lion PDG Richard Thron, who will then forward them on behalf of your club. All
donations designated for this relief effort until June 30 will be eligible for Melvin Jones Fellowships.