The press briefing held recently in Ebute Metta Lagos marked the commencement of a new calendar year for Lions Clubs International, District 404B-2 and the newly elected Centennial District Governor, Lion (EVS) Taiwo Adewunmi, seized the opportunity to reel out activities lined up for the year as well as to inform that the 2016-2017 Lions service year is the 100th anniversary of the Lions Clubs International, having been established in the year 1917 in Chicago.
The new Lions’ year, according to Adewunmi began July 1 and will run through June 30, 2017, noting that District 404B-2 shall focus on the centennial service challenge of contributing to imparting 100 million lives around the world in the area of engaging the youths, sharing the vision, relieving the hunger and protecting the environment.
The district activities, Adewunmi said would kick start from August 8-14, 2016 when district will observe the Worldwide Week of Service for Youths, which will involve lectures/seminars on entrepreneurship for young graduates and training on beads making, cake baking, decoration, tailoring and barbing for unemployed youths as well as visit and donate textbooks/notebooks to some selected schools within its coverage. The Lions’ Worldwide Week of Service in Sight will quickly follow from October 10-16, 2016. This will witness screening and sponsoring cataract surgeries for thousands of Nigerians.
“We shall make donations of white canes and brails to schools for the visually impaired and free eye glasses to the needy,” Adewunmi said, adding that the week will be rounded off with “Dinner in the Dark”, a special event for the visually impaired in Ado Ekiti. While from January 9-15, 2017, the Week of Service to Fight Hunger will take centre stage. This will focus on feeding the poor and de-worming exercise as members will be encouraged to make great impact in their respective communities.
Rounding off the calendar year will be Worldwide Week of Service to protect the planet from April 17-23. Activities for this period include but not limited to planting over 1000 trees, clean up of roads, gardens and playgrounds.
Adewunmi who promised that the Lions Club District 404B-2 shall make a lasting gift to the community while enhancing a visual presence in Nigeria, revealed that Lions was already in talks with the Lagos State Park and Garden Authority (LASPARK) for the development of a park and garden in Ilupeju, Lagos, to be named, “Centennial Lions Park”, which will service as his administration’s legacy project.
