Lion - May 2019

In The News

2019-04-24 15:39:36

Helen Keller is back in the Texas school curriculum

Past International President Jimmy Ross (2006-2007) and dozens of Lions in Texas put pen to paper protesting a proposed change to the Texas school curriculum that would eliminate Helen Keller from lesson plans.

The preliminary decision by the Texas State Board of Education in September caused a stir among the public, and Lions spoke up in an effort to keep the iconic activist in the books. In his letter Ross wrote, “There is no more powerful example of someone lighting a candle rather than cursing the darkness than Helen Keller.”

In November, after hearing hours of live testimony from residents, the board reversed its original vote and decided to include Keller in the state curriculum.

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Looking Ahead

June

World Environment Day

6/5

Lions Clubs International Birthday

6/7

Helen Keller Day

6/27

What does your club have planned? For service ideas, check out archived issues of LION Magazine at lionmagazine.org.

Trailblazer Gives Big Gift to Posterity

Lion Ruth Molenaar, vice district governor 16-N, recently received the Cultural Preservation Award from the Newark Public Library for her donation of archival material, articles, and photos from La Tribuna, the largest and oldest Spanish language newspaper published in New Jersey.

La Tribuna was founded in 1962 in Newark, N.J. by Carlos Bidot, a Cuban émigré who saw a need to provide a newspaper in the Spanish language for others of Hispanic origin and those Cubans fleeing the Castro regime. The newspaper was published on a bi-monthly basis and over the years diversified to provide in-depth coverage of matters important to the Hispanic community.

On March 11, 1988, Molenaar purchased La Tribuna and became the owner and publisher. Molenaar worked alongside Bidot for a year after purchasing La Tribuna, learning many of the aspects necessary to successfully operate and publish a newspaper.

Born in Caracas Venezuela, from a Dominican mother and Dutch father, Molenaar lived in Aruba until the age of 14, when she and her family moved to the United States.

At its 30th Anniversary Gala in 1992, Governor of New Jersey, Jim Florio, said “La Tribuna Newspaper has been a lighthouse for the Latino community of New Jersey, showing them the path to a better future. Under the leadership of Ruth Molenaar, La Tribuna increased its influence on the aspects of life that not only affect the Latino community, but all New Jersey’s communities at large.”

“It is an honor and privilege to own a paper that has been a community paper, a decent paper, and has supported the Hispanic Community,” says Molenaar.

Molenaar has been a member of the Newark Borinquen Lions Club for 24 years.

Original reporting by John Romano.

OVERHEARD

“I love it here. I could live here another 20 years. I love it.” —Lion Anny Cochrane, Bethel Lions Club, on living in Bethel, Alaska. Read story now.

“New members and diversity bring new, fresh ideas as well as provide those extra hands needed to accomplish more service projects.” — Lions Clubs International Third Vice President Brian Sheehan, Bird Island Lions, Minnesota. Read story now.

“Broken people cannot fix broken communities. You have to fix broken people.” — Lion Margarita Romo, Dade City Hispanic Lions Club, on turning around her community. Read story now.

“I think I am shaking them up a bit!” — Lion Shyana Jayalath, New Voices Winner in Marketing, on how she is changing Lions. Read story now.

Published by International Association of Lions Clubs . View All Articles.

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