Lions meeting busy with full agenda

Brian Arrowodd sharing his prize-winning poster with Lion Louise Little, Chairperson of District 18D's Peace Poster Contest.

Milestones and a contest winner were honored and celebrated at the recent meeting of the Union Lions Club held on January 10, 2008 at Steve's Cookie Jar in Blairsville. After the customary opening by our President Lisa Little, which included prayers for Meredith Emerson and her family, offered by Secretary Betty Gurr, our youthful Peace Poster Contest winner, Brian Arrowood, age 11, received his award and accolades. Brian attended the meeting with a bevy of proud folks which included his grandparents, his parents, Kenneth and Sheila Arrowood, and his art teacher, Ms. Garner of Union County Middle School. An articulate explanation of his picture was given by Brian who not only came in first in our club's contest, but was second in District 18D's contest! The theme of this year's contest was "Peace Around the World" and Brian's work accurately depicted that theme in a pleasing, appropriate way.

Our Lion, Dale Elliott, proudly and humbly received his pin for 25 years of service to Lionism from Arthur Gurr. Our Lion Tail Twister, Les Meyers, was awarded a Membership Excellence Award by former club president, Ken Castle, for sponsoring 5 new members in a year. Both are accomplishments, which club members applauded and will strive to emulate. Les, recovering from cataract surgery, sported a humorously designed hat with headlights on it, constructed by Jeff Neal, to assist with his vision until Les is able to get new glasses appropriate to his improved vision.

Lion Dale Elliott receives his 25th Year of Service pin from Lion Arthur Gurr.

Our featured speaker for the evening was Barbara Waldschmidt, school counselor at Mountain Education Center High School, located near the Veteran's Memorial at 218 School Street in Blairsville. Lion Michael Thompson introduced Ms. Waldschmidt whose credentials are sterling and include 35 years as an educator in the states of Texas, Florida and now Georgia. Interestingly, the school was started by a former Lion, Wade Smith in 1993, as a way to deal with the dropout rate. The school's mission statement says that its purpose is "to provide students the opportunity to be successful learners and to earn a high school diploma." Contrary to public perception, the students who attend are not those who have been evicted from other high schools for discipline infractions but rather those who have dropped out on their own accord for a variety of reasons involving need to work, family situations, desire to learn at a faster or slower pace, and even teens who have small children. All students share the common denominator of being 100% at risk.

The curriculum is individualized, paced to the student and discipline is based on respect for teachers as well as for fellow students. Barbara emphasized that the diplomas received by the students requires the same number of credits as other high schools in order to fulfill the graduation requirements and that is having earned 22 credits. In 2007 there were 85 graduates from MECHS. "The goal of Mountain Education Center High School is: achieving success one student at a time," stated Barbara Waldschmidt. Her talk was most informative and presented a thorough, enthusiastic picture of MECHS. Folks are invited to contact the school at 706-745-9575 for further investigation of what it has to offer their child.

Lion Arthur Gurr handed out a packet of information particularly geared to our new Lions but pertinent to those of us with memory lapses! It contained basic definitions, activities, officers and general facts specific to our Georgia clubs and general to all clubs. We were warned that there might be a test!

Though our Lions' motto is We Serve, this meeting illustrated that we can do that while learning, celebrating and just plain having fun.