Mason Neck
Lions Emblem

Lions Club

Lions Year 2008-2009

 

We Serve the Mason Neck and Lorton Area of Fairfax County, Virginia

 

Contents

 
 

As members of the Mason Neck Lions Club, we volunteer our time to humanitarian causes in the Mason Neck and Lorton, Virginia areas and the world community.

By conducting service projects and raising funds, we strive to help the less fortunate, wherever the need exists.

 

The Lions' motto is "We Serve."

The International Association of Lions Clubs was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1917. Although the youngest service club organization, Lions International has grown to be the worlds largest. As of April 30, 2008, Lions Clubs International had 1,321,975 Members in 45,122 Clubs in 753 Districts in 203 Countries and Geographic locations.  Lions Clubs International is headquartered in Oak Brook Illinois. A board of directors, elected annually at the International Convention, governs the International Association.

In 1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions at their International Convention, challenging them to become "Knights of the Blind in the crusade against darkness." Since that time, service to the blind and visually impaired has become one of the association's most significant activities.

While Lions speak many languages and profess many religious and political beliefs, they all subscribe to common objectives and ethical principles.
 
 

 

To create and foster a spirit of understanding among all people for humanitarian needs by providing voluntary services through community involvement and international cooperation.    

 

 

 

           

Past District Governor 2005-2006: Lion Ed "Woody" Woodard

Lion Woody was born in Portsmouth, Va. He served in the USAF from 1955 to 1975. His service took him to the Far East, Middle East, Europe and various States during this time. He retired from the USAF in 1975, and joined the family of Sears. He moved to Allstate Insurance in 1979, and is still currently active. Lion Woody joined the Mason Neck Lions Club in April 1996, and served as Secretary from September 1996 to June 1998. He has served as President from July 1998 to July 2000. He has served as Bulletin Editor, Zone Chairman, and District 24-A Cabinet Secretary for Lions Year 2001-2002 and District Treasurer for Lions Year 2002-2003. He was District Governor Coordinator & Retention Chair for 2003-2004 and was Vice District Governor for District 24-A and MERL Team Chair during Lions Year 2004-2005. Lion Woody is a Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow.

 


Past District Governor 2001-2002: Lion Glenn Ryburn (Life Member)

 Lion Glenn has been a very active member of the Mason Neck Lions Club since the beginning of his tenure in LIONISM.  He is a Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow, and has held positions in the Mason Neck Lions Club of President, Vice President, Secretary, Tail Twisters and Lion Tamer. His committees include; Chairman of Membership, Visitation, Public Relations, Leadership, Program and various fund raising projects.  PDG Glenn was honored with a “Life Membership” by the Lions of Mason Neck for his dedicated service over the years.  Although he has moved from the immediate area, he is still active in the District and the Club.

 

President/Membership/ Lion James "Tom" Nally

 Lion Tom was born and raised in Oakland, Maryland. He attended St Charles and St Mary's in Baltimore. He served 3 years in the U.S. Army while stationed at the Pentagon. Lion Tom worked for Sears at Landmark for 30 years. He is married and has 3 Children and 2 Grandchildren. Lion Tom previously served as President and Secretary the Mason Neck Lions Club.  At the District Level, Lion Tom has served as Region Chair, Zone Chair, Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Treasurer. He is currently serving as the District New Member Orientation Chairman.

1st Vice President Lion Paul Tompkins

Lion Paul was born in Medina, New York on September 4, 1954.  He majored in life sciences in school, and now works for the Alexandria Sanitation Authority.    Paul and his wife, Kristine, have been married for 23 years. Kristine works for the Virginia Dept for the Visually handicapped.  Paul and Kristine have a daughter, Meghan, and a son, Andrew. Andrew is a blind Korean child who they adopted 15 years ago. His participation in camp Merrick is partially responsible for his father becoming a Lion.  Lion Paul is an active member of Immanuel Bible Church in Springfield, VA. where he started working in the youth program in 1991.

Secretary-Lion Liz Carroll

Lion Liz is a native Washingtonian and a retired officer of the U.S. Government. She joined the Mason Neck Lions Club in 1998. She has served two terms as Club Secretary and Club President and Club Membership Chair. At the Cabinet level she has served as Assistant to the district Governor 2001-2002. Chair for Awards/New Member Orientation 2002-2003. In 2004-2005 she was Region II Representative for Awards/New Member orientation and Region II, Zone2 Chair and Chair of the Northern Virginia Lions Youth Camp. She served as Cabinet Secretary 2007-2008. She is active in Club Fundraisers and Chairs the RAM/LAMP School Supply Program and is active in projects and activities of the Newington Station Community Springfield Va. where she makes her home. Lion Liz is the recipient of the President Excellence and 100% Secretary Awards. She is also a recipient of Melvin Jones Fellow Award and the 24-A District Governor’s Distinguished Service Award. .

 

 

 

 Treasurer / Zone Chair: Lion Dave Collyer

Lion Dave was born on Oct.24, 1937 in Summit, N.J. He moved with his family to Baltimore, Md. in 1949. He retired on Dec. 1, 2002 after 32 years as a field service engineer in the medical imaging field. Lion Dave has four children and three grandchildren. He joined the Mason Neck Lions Club in the summer of 2003, and soon after joined the team at the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center as an assistant operations manager. During the summer of 2004 Lion Dave also became a driver/technician for the District 24-A Sight and Hearing Screening Van.  He has served as Zone Chair for Region II, Zone 2 (2006-2007). He is currently serving as District Chair for the Lions eyeglass Recycling Center of Northern Virginia.

 

 

 

Tail Twister/Lion Tamer/Shrimp Chair : Lion Foster W. Morse

Lion Foster, an avid fisherman and sports enthusiast, was born in Portsmouth, VA. He is a retired educator, who spent 32 years working in public schools as a teacher and administrator with 27 years in Fairfax County, VA. Foster, a Melvin Jones Fellow and LOVF Humanitarian, has been a member of the Mason Neck Lions Club for over 25 years. As a club member he has served as Secretary, Treasurer, President (twice), Lion Tamer, and Tail Twister. His service at the District level includes Zone Chair (3 times), Region Chair (twice), District Chaplain, District Lioness Chair, Int. Convention Chair, USA-Canada Forum Chair, and District Social Chair.

He attended the “Train the Trainer Leadership Workshop” and then conducted leadership training sessions. Lion Foster has taught Tail Twister orientation classes for newly elected Tail Twisters at a District Officers Training School. Noted for his sense of humor and ingenuity in assessing fines he is very comfortable in the position of Tail Twister. He considers himself one of the best in the District. In addition to his accomplishments as a Lion he is very active in other civic organizations in the Mason Neck Area and is a member of Springfield United Methodist Church.

 

 

 

Cultural and Community Activities: Lion Joe Chudzik

Lion Joe was born on July 23, 1938. He retired in 1993 as a Foreign Service Officer in the Department of State. Lion Joe has served the Mason Neck community as President of the Mason Neck Citizens Association (2nd Yr) and chairman of the Mason Collar Civic Association. He served as Mason Neck Lions Club Vice-President for the 1997-1998 Lions Year and as Program Chairman during the 2003-2004 Lions Year. Lion Joe is presently very busy helping to coordinate the community projects with Mason Neck Lions. He is also insuring that our efforts are notated and published in the local media.

 

From 1925 to the present, Lions have been recognized throughout the world for their service to the blind and visually impaired. A majority of the world's eye banks are established and supported by Lions, as are hundreds of Clinics, Hospitals and Eye Research Centers.
Since our club was chartered in 1967, countless members of our local community have been helped with free quality eye care, eyeglasses and hearing exams, that they would not have otherwise been able to obtain. The majority of our funds are used to support the Lorton Community Action Center and the Local Community.

Fund-Raising

One of our major fund raising projects is the sale of Fresh Shrimp during the months of September thru December. (When the Florida and/or Carolina Shrimp are running). Our Shrimp Chairman, Lion Foster Morse (703-339-7099), or Lion Don Eckelhofer (703-931-8607) will be happy to assist you or your club in obtaining Shrimp.

When and Where We Meet

Our Club holds its dinner meetings on the Second and Fourth Wednesday of each month at the Polo Grill 7784 Gunston Plaza Dr. at 6:30 PM. All are welcome to attend. Please e-mail the secretary if you plan to visit. We conduct Lions business at our monthly board meetings, held the Fourth Wednesday of each month. Currently, all active members of the club are considered to be board members.  Each 3rd Wednesday morning, we host a breakfast get together at 8:00AM at the American BBQ Cafe located on the corner of Lockport Pl. and Telegraph Rd. in Lorton, VA.  Everyone is invited.

Do You Need The Lions Help

In our continuing effort to serve our communities, the Lions Clubs of Northern Virginia provide several telephone help hotlines. Some telephone help hotlines use voice mail recordings.  Messages left on these voice mail systems are checked daily. Each message is then forwarded to the Lions Club responsible for serving the caller's locale.
Although the primary mission of the Lions Clubs is in the areas of sight, hearing, and diabetes, all Lions are committed to assist everyone in their community that requires help. Therefore, our help hotlines are available to anyone needing help or wanting to learn more about Lionism.

   

Clicking this button will take you to the Web Page that has the hotline telephone numbers.

Calls to the hotlines range from the local resident who needs assistance to a traveling or vacationing Lion looking for a club to visit. More than one person has called looking for a Lions Club to join.