Lions of Illinois Foundation Trustee's Corner

District 1-H Lions of Illinois Foundation Trustees

PDG Carol McCann Kojima ... PDG Ben Dodge

   I want to thank the Lions of District 1-H for giving me the opportunity to serve as your Lions of Illinois Foundation Trustee for the past two years. Congratulations are in order - we've not only exceeded our Candy Day goals for the past two years, we are the only District in the State with no delinquencies and all Candy Day Reports filed in a timely manner. Thank you so much for doing this

  We should be very proud of our Foundation. Our budget is right on target (within $5,000) and that's the best we've ever done. Our Endowment Fund is a $5,494,376. Our investments are still on the plus side for the year, and that's fantastic in these turbulent times. That is due to the investment strategy of our Endowment Fund's management. The money in the Endowment Funds comes from the following sources: 70% from bequests, 24% from Foundation Fellows, and 6% from Sustaining Supporters.

  We are planning to go into the business of conducting hearing tests for small businesses. We will need to hire several technicians and get them OSHA certified, then we will start contacting small business. It will take about $70,000 for new equipment and other money for start-up costs. This program should be profitable within three years. We have already talked with OSHA and have their blessing.

I hope that now all clubs have received their Sight and Sound Sweepstakes books. This is the Foundation's second largest fundraiser. It supports 13 of our programs and is instrumental in helping more than 28,000 children and adults. Please remember that it's a fundraiser for the local clubs also.

  Please come to the District Convention to see our Low Vision Screening. This program is called "Seeing is Believing". The scheduled time for this is 8:45 AM on Saturday, march 1st at the Holiday Inn City-Center in Peoria. This past year 152 children who were considered legally blind were screened under this program. Here are the statistics: 162 children received exams: 147 received glasses: 126 received magnifiers; 91 received telescopes. Total cost was $44,080.

  We are all mooring the death of Lions Must Kojima. We have lost a dear friend and a champion of the Lions of Illinois Foundation. Lions Must and Carol made service to our Foundation the main priority in their lives, and their service is recognized all over the state Please remember Lions Mush with your Memorial Donation to the Foundation and Keep Lion Carol in your prayers. Thanks, Ben