In the News

Kansas Lions Club will feed Greensburg residents prior to town

Kansas

Lions Club members across Kansas will come together in a state-wide grassroots effort to prepare and serve a meal to every resident of Greensburg at 5 p.m., June 7 prior to a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. The Lions expect to feed a hamburger/hot dog supper to approximately 1,000 people at Davis Park and they plan to do it in one hour.

"We are being asked to serve this many people in one hour so the community can have a town hall meeting at 6," said Lion Dan Funke of Goddard, treasurer of the Kansas Lions Foundation.

FEMA representatives and other agencies are expected to give brief presentations during the town hall meeting, which also will include discussion by residents of their ideas for the rebuilding of the community.

Numerous local Lions clubs and organizations have pooled resources to provide the meal on June 7. Greensburg Lions Club members are hosting the meal. Cargill Meat Solutions, Dodge City, is providing 1,000 hamburger patties. Other items being provided by Lions include 250 bratwursts, 500 hot dogs, 1,000 bags of chips, 50 gallons of baked beans, 40 gallons of coleslaw, cold drinks and 1,000 pieces of pie. Lions clubs from Great Bend, Ulysses, Parsons, Chanute, Wichita, Maize, Valley Center, Overland Park, Scranton, Minneapolis, Morganville, Salina and Claflin are among the many clubs who will help.

A volunteer team of Lions from across the state will prepare and serve the food.

Each will wear a special ALERT response T-shirt provided by the Kansas Lions Foundation.

Lions responded quickly following the May 4 tornadoes and to date have distributed $50,000 in cash vouchers to storm victims. Lions also have prepared and served meals to residents and relief workers.

The Kansas Lions Foundation is coordinating donations and to date, a total of $90,000 has been received, said Funke. That amount includes grants of $10,000 and $15,000 from the Lions Club International Foundation. Monies also have been received from Lions clubs and individuals across the country and funds are still coming in.

Kansas Lions Council Chair Anne Smarsh of Colwich said Greensburg residents also will be asked to complete community and individual needs assessments surveys at the dinner, to assist Lions in providing services as the city recovers. Survey results also will be given to community leaders.

There are more than 7,000 Lions in more than 300 clubs in communities across Kansas, including the Greensburg club, which celebrates its 55th anniversary on June 9. The motto of Lions is: "We Serve."

For more information, contact the Kansas Lions State Office at 316-773-2100 or send an e-mail to kansaslions@aol.com.

Date: 6/6/07
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