New officers start July 3

Now that they've been installed, the new officers will kick off their Lion year with a board meeting Thursday, July 3, at 11 am at Vinland Lutheran Church, 2750 NW Finn Hill Rd., Poulsbo. Our new president, Kathy Moncrief, will lead this meeting and then a general meeting follows.

New officers officially installed June 26 at casino

President David Damazo and Past District Governor Lisa Ikeda

Poulsbo Lions gathered at the Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort for their annual installation and awards banquet Thursday. The program was organized by outgoing president David Damazo and vice president Sherri Burch with John Macdonald as the MC and Past District Governor Lisa Ikeda as the installing officer.

Incoming presidents are Kathy Moncrief for Poulsbo Noon and David Risley for Poulsbo Evening Pride (PEP) Branch Club. Incoming officers are: VPs Burch and Laurie Carson, secretaries Gretchen Dunmire (Noon) and Erika Dodsley (PEP), treasurer Macdonald, and board members Laurie Sarver and Martina Ferguson-Hazen.

Recognition and Awards:

[1] PDG Pat Burch called all Melvin Jones award holders to the front and then presented the 2024-25 Melvin Jones award to Andy Hento.

[2] Steve Calhoun presented all vision screen volunteers with a pin with special recognition to Karen Reitan.

[3] PDG Ikeda presented the NK Vikings Leo Club with the 2023-24 Leo Club Excellence award which was accepted by PZC Karl Ostheller.

[4] Damazo recognized many Lions for their work and efforts over the year with a Lions pin. Special recognition went to: Sandy Dahlquist – Lions Newsletter; Dennis Tesch – funding work with Raab Foundation; Kate Ebert = given a $1,000 check to support her service trip to Peru;

The evening also had guests Bob and Dede Theal from Bremerton Central Lions Club.

 

Pat Burch presents Andy Hento with a Melvin Jones Fellow Award

 

54 pounds of fresh greens delivered to ShareNet

 

54 pounds of fresh, organically-grown cabbage, kale, broccoli, bok choy and Chard were delivered to ShareNet this morning from our Firehouse Garden.

Lydia and Julie helped set the veggies out so clients can see their options.

Firehouse Garden veggies are ramping up

 

Our Firehouse Garden is looking pretty amazing! We delivered another 48 pounds of cabbage, kale, chard and bok choy.

We're including a photo of our beautiful beans!

Our best and brightest receive $36,000 in scholarship awards

 

Our scholarship recipients were our program Thursday. They shared their future plans with us as well as a special fact about themselves.

 

Front row: Emma Nodolf, Izzy Cera, Wren Mason-Todd, and Reyna Blackwood; Middle row: Ava Oldenberger, Eliana Ginn, Cadence Rabideaux, Emalee Burgh, and Alan Olmedo; Back row: Avery Pruden, Norah McFeat, Kail Taylor, Rhys Hernandez, Max Smith and Leonard Taylor.

 

Our club gave out $36,000 in scholarships this year - the most ever!

Our future looks very bright.

 

 

Gearllach and Hatton earn blue vests

 

Congrats to Kay Gearllach and Ken Hatton (2nd from right) on earning their permanent blue Poulsbo Lions vests at our meeting Thursday.

Lion Rick Wright was on hand to give Kay her vest with Membership Chair Andy He to in the middle and Ken's sponsor on the far right, Dennis Deitch.

Another successful wash day

 

Here are June's Loads of Change numbers:

We spent $730 ($10 in Lion donations) serving 28 people who washed 187 loads and dried 115 loads for 55 people.

Many thanks to Lions Ray and Ria McMahon, Ken Hatton, Lee Metcalf, Dennis Tesch, Pat Rae and Terry Blais for volunteering anywhere from 2-4+ hours.

Lions deliver greens to Kingston food bank

 Another 15 lbs of chard, cabbage, bok choy and lettuce for ShareNet from our Firehouse Garden.

 

Wash day tomorrow!

 Tomorrow is clean laundry day! 2-6 pm at The Village Laundromat.

 

52 pounds of fresh veggies taken to local food bank

 

With today's harvest of 52 lbs, our Firehouse Garden has already produced 155 lbs of organic veggies for ShareNet Food Bank in Kingston.

 

We took in a few heads of cabbage, red and green lettuce heads, kale, Swiss chard and bok choy.

Lions help needy with eye exams, eyeglasses

Poulsbo Lions average 6 eye exam/eyeglass vouchers a month. The funds come from our White Cane Days, which is the first weekend in May every year.

We also collect eyeglasses, sunglasses, reading glasses and hearing aids all year long at these locations:

Poulsbo:

NK Fishline, Viking Ave (also where you fill out application for eye exam and glasses)

Pacific Eye Care, 20669 Bond Rd NE

Poulsbo Eyecare Center, 19220 8th Ave NE

Poulsbo Library, 700 NE Lincoln Way

Walmart, 21200 Olhava Way NE

Safeway Pharmacy

CVS Pharmacy

JRO Insurance, 8th Avenue

Kingston:

Safeway Pharmacy, 8196 NE State Hwy 104

20-20 Eyecare, 25989 Barber Cut-off Rd

Bainbridge Island:

Ace Hardware, 635 High School Rd

Bainbridge Vision, 345 Knechtel Way

Another 40 pounds of organic veggies taken to food bank

40 lbs of 3 types of lettuce, along with bok choy and Swiss chard were harvested and taken to ShareNet this morning from our Firehouse Garden.

Firehouse Garden produces organic veggies for Kingston food bank

 We delivered 35 lbs of red and green lettuce, kale and bok choy to Lydia at ShareNet today.

 

Those are some extraordinary Lions!

 

The dynamic duo of Pat and Sherri Burch were recognized for being Extraordinary Lions with a plaque presented by President David Damazo (left) at today's meeting.

First Firehouse Garden harvest hits ShareNet Food Bank

 

The first harvest has been delivered to ShareNet this morning - 28 lbs of bok choy, red leaf lettuce and kale! Our garden guru Rob Ratcliff is doing an amazing job. See for yourself in the photos!

 

Last year Poulsbo Lions donated 1,091 lbs of veggies. We hope to do that and more this year.

We're looking for help clearing weeds around the perimeter of the garden this next Saturday morning. Drop a line here if you can help!

 

 

Silver City fundraiser helps kids with diabetes go to Camp Leo

 

Silver City Restaurant and Poulsbo Lion Club are teaming up help collect funds for Camp Leo!

 

Camp Leo is a nonprofit overnight camp in Western Washington just for kids with Type 1 Diabetes, offering a fun, supportive space where they can be themselves, make friends, and thrive.

 

To donate, round up on your check on your dining visit or simply let your server know how much you want to contribute to go directly to Camp Leo.

 

Help us support!

Fundraiser starts today and ends on June 30.

Hento receives membership award

 

Our membership chair, Andy Hento, earned a Lions International medal that President David Damazo presented him with at Thursday's meeting.

Lions hand out plenty of scholarship awards

 

Senior Night for graduating seniors at Kingston HS May 28 and North Kitsap HS May 29 featured individuals and organizations giving away thousands of dollars in college scholarships plus recognition for a multitude of events.

 

Poulsbo Lions gave out $7,000 in scholarships to three Kingston HS seniors and $13,000 to North Kitsap HS seniors. Making the presentations for the Poulsbo Lions were Pat and Sherri Burch, President David Damazo, and Karl Ostheller.

Students receiving Lions scholarships were Maxwell Smith, Reyna Blackwood, Isabelle Cera, Norah McFeat, Cadence Rabideaux, Kail Taylor, Alan Olmedo, Rhys Hernandez, and Leonard Taylor.

Taking a minute to say THANK YOU

We've had a lot going on lately - our tulip fundraiser with Valley Nursery, our Firehouse Garden, White Cane Days for sight and hearing, American flags set-up and take down, our free kids' fishing derby, Viking Fest pancake breakfast, parade and our walking taco booth, choosing scholarship recipients for the $36,000 we have to give, and our Loads of Change at the laundromat.

 

These events take a lot of time and a lot of people. We especially want to thank our Leo students, family and volunteers. THANK YOU!

 

50 unhoused and low-income individuals helped with laundry

Poulsbo Lions spent $764 ($78 in Lions' donations) helping 50 people wash 170 loads and dry 130 loads Wednesday.

 

Many thanks to Lions Ray McMahon, Ken Hatton, Terry Blais, Dennis Tesch, Dennis Deitch, and Lee Metcalf.

Walking Tacos all the rage

Did you hear? Walking Tacos are all the rage at this year's Viking Fest at the waterfront. Poulsbo Lions are selling small and large Walking Tacos - they're taco fixin's in a bag of Fritos. Bliss!

Hours are till 10 pm Friday, May 16; 10 am to 10 pm Saturday, and 10 am to 5 pm Sunday down in the waterfront parking lot. Hope you can make it and try one! They're really tasty!
 

What is a Walking Taco?

For the first time ever, Poulsbo Lions are making Walking Tacos for Viking Fest, this Friday through Sunday downtown. What is a Walking Taco (so glad you asked): We start with a bag of Fritos, add meat, cheese, lettuce, salsa, jalapenos, sour cream and a fork to eat it with while you walk around and enjoy the entertainment at the waterfront. Oh, and we'll have Coke, Diet Coke and bottled water.

 

Come early and you may be one of the lucky ones who gets a Walking Taco sticker ('cause they're just that cute!).

 

 

 

Olsen leads White Cane Day two-day event

We're happy to announce that we collected $2,788.92 during White Cane Days May 2 and 3. Special thanks to our chairwoman, Beth Olsen. 100 percent of the funds are used for eye exams, eyeglasses and hearing aids in our community.

If you'd like to donate, we are at poulsbolions@gmail.com on PayPal, or you can drop a check in the mail to Poulsbo Lions Club, PO Box 1244, Poulsbo, WA 98370. Thanks!

 

Fishing derby a great success

Donuts, goslings and a good time fishing... What more do you need? Our Hooked on Fish fishing derby has it all! Lions will be at the pond at Poulsbo Middle School till 2 today only. Poles and bait are available to borrow.

Families with kids aged 12 and under showed up for a pleasant day fishing at the Horticulture Pond by Poulsbo Middle School.

Lion Tom Settle cleans a trout for 4-year-old Eisen with his parents looking on.

Poulsbo Middle School Leos selling donuts, hot chocolate, coffee and water.

Poulsbo Lions (l to r): Karl Ostheller, Dennis Deitch, Pat Osler (back), President David Damazo (sitting), Ken Hatten (yellow vest), Scott Puhn (front camo) and Tom Settle.

 The fishing derby was chaired by Pat Osler with help from Tom Settle. The two organized a clean-up around the pond beforehand, as well as a time to go through the fishing poles and other equipment to ready everything for fishing day.

Free fishing derby tomorrow morning at 7

Only one more sleep till our annual Hooked on Fish fishing derby at the Horticulture Pond near Poulsbo Middle School. The pond has been stocked with some beautiful trout and some weeds cleared from around the pond. All you have to watch out for are the ospreys!

The gate opens at 7 a.m. Children aged 12 and under fish for free! Lions have fishing rods, tackle and bait available for anybody who doesn't have it. Heck, we'll even clean your fish.

Leo students will have a concession table with donuts, coffee, water, etc. for sale as a fundraiser for their club.
 

More than 700 children get eye screening

Our Lions have made a difference in the eyesight of our kids! Our vision screening team has gone to various schools, preschools, learning centers, daycares, Montessori schools and the library from early October to the end of April, screening 713 children and referring 119 on for further evaluation.

 

A total of 16 Poulsbo Lions, led by Chair Steve Calhoun participated.

 

#kidscansee #savetheireyes #poulsbolions #weserve #visionscreening #sightfirst #poulsbowa

 

Walk yourself to our Walking Taco booth

Guess what we're serving up for Viking Fest next week? That's right - Walking Tacos. All the goodies that go on tacos will go into a Fritos bag (with the Fritos, of course). Come on by and enjoy a Walking Taco May 16-18 at the waterfront.
 

Pancakes are back at NK High for Saturday, May 17

 

Do you need an invite to our pancake breakfast? Consider this it! We're back at North Kitsap High School on Caldart Avenue and for ONE DAY ONLY - 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. We'd love to see you!

Get Hooked on Fish Sat., May 10

 

We are once again hosting a great family event - our FREE Hooked on Fish fishing derby for kids aged 12 and under - on Saturday, May 10, at the horticulture pond by Poulsbo Middle School on Hostmark Street.

Poulsbo Lions have rods and reels, tackle and bait available for kids who don't have it. We offer assistance and free fish cleaning! The trout have gone into the pond and we're hoping the kids catch them before the ospreys do.

Our Leo kids will be selling donuts, water, coffee, etc. to raise funds for their group. We hope you'll come out to support this wonderful event!
#freefishing #poulsbowa #hookedonfish #weserve #funtimes #allaboutthefish

Puhn earns Sensational Lion award

 

Lion Scott Puhn is one Sensational Lion! President David Damazo presented him with this impressive award at our last meeting.

White Cane Days get underway

Lions are out in force today to collect money for sight and hearing! We're at Safeway (pictured with Lee Metcalf and Chair Beth Olsen), Red Apple and T&C.
 

Dollars collected for White Canes May 2 and 3

Poulsbo Lions Pat and Sherri Burch collect donations for sight & hearing during White Cane Days May 2 at Safeway.

 

Lions shop for White Cane support Friday and Saturday

Poulsbo Lions are handing out little white canes tomorrow in support of our sight & hearing programs. 100 percent of what we collect stays in the North Kitsap community! We provide eye exams, eyeglasses, and hearing aids to the needy via Fishline and Helpline House.

 

We're also collecting used eyeglasses, including readers and sunglasses.

 

Look for your favorite Poulsbo Lions starting at 9 a.m. Friday (May 2) at Safeway, Town & Country and Red Apple! We'll be out Saturday, as well.

 

#sightfirst #whitecanedays #weserve #poulsbolions #poulsbowa #lovethoseorangeaprons