Last year, the Lions Club of Canberra Valley had the pleasure of hosting a member of the Story Dogs team in Canberra. The club was deeply inspired by the incredible work they are doing to support literacy accessibility in Canberra schools.

Story Dogs offers children weekly reading sessions with a dog and a volunteer handler throughout the school year. Volunteers are trained to go at the child’s pace, using the dog’s calming presence to help with reading comprehension.

The handler often speaks on behalf of the dog, creating an engaging environment. For example, they might say, “Simba doesn’t understand this page, can you help him?” This approach boosts the child’s confidence as they ‘teach’ the dog, fostering a supportive and shared learning experience.

Now, in partnership with the Australian Lions Wellbeing Foundation (ALWF), the Lions Club of Canberra Valley is thrilled to announce the sponsorship of Story Dogs volunteer Tricia and her Maltese, Dude. The club joins 64 other Lions and Leos Clubs across the country in supporting this meaningful cause.

Tricia and Dude will be making a significant impact at Lyneham Primary School by providing weekly one-on-one reading sessions. These sessions offer a fun and safe space outside the classroom where children can read at their own pace. Learn more about Tricia and Dude’s work here.

Special thanks go to the Australian Lions Wellbeing Foundation and its Community Grants program, whose generous support has enabled the Lions Club of Canberra Valley to sponsor Tricia and Dude for the coming years.

The club is also looking forward to the possibility of inviting Tricia and Dude to share firsthand stories about the outstanding work they’re doing with Lyneham Primary School in the near future.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and Lions are calling on all Australians to stand with them in backing the life-changing work of the Australian Lions Childhood Cancer Research Foundation (ALCCRF).

Since 2009, the ALCCRF, with the help of Lions volunteers and their communities, has raised over $13 million to fund vital research into childhood cancer.

This includes the successful $4 million Lions project with Australia’s Garvan Institute which mapped the genome of over 400 children with cancer, to advance research and to guide personalised treatment.

The Zero Childhood Cancer Program has now expanded to enable all Australians with cancer aged 0-18 years being able to benefit from life-changing DNA sequencing.

“Childhood Cancer is a silent pandemic. Every year in Australia, almost 1,000 kids are diagnosed with cancers, many of them aggressive, hard to treat and with a high risk of mortality. Although the survival rates have improved greatly for some cancers, others still take a heavy toll on our young peoples’ lives,” says ALCCRF Chairperson Ron Skeen.

“This funding truly is changing and saving lives and we ask Australians to join us in ensuring more vital work continues in childhood cancer research.”

In recent years, the ALCCRF has also been supporting the vital work of Telethon Kids Cancer Centre (formally known as Telethon Kids Institute).

Over $1.2 million worth of funding over the past 5 years has enabled the Telethon Kids Cancer Centre to continue its leading research into childhood cancer – particularly in the area of cancer immunotherapy, which focuses on supercharging the body’s natural defenses to destroy cancer cells.

An additional $375,000 will be provided to the institute over the next three years.

Support has not only fueled groundbreaking research, but has also helped the ALCCRF secure one of Western Australia’s biggest-ever philanthropic donations.

The Stan Perron Charitable Foundation will contribute a transformative $135.5 million over the next decade to advance the foundation’s mission of improving outcomes for children with cancer.

This significant funding will build on the vital work being undertaken at the Cancer Centre and Perth Children’s Hospital.

Together, we can make a profound difference in the fight against childhood cancer. Find out more about the ALCCRF and how you can support their life-saving work here.

The Fraser Lions Club has introduced two yellow benches along a Hervey Bay esplanade as part of an initiative to combat mental health stigma.

These benches aim to facilitate meaningful conversations about mental health challenges and vulnerabilities.

Bruce Taylor, a long-standing Fraser Lions Club member, emphasized the importance of these conversations in understanding mental health.

The benches are located in Otto Merchel Park and near Witt Street, offering a tranquil setting for discussion.

This initiative, known as ‘The Friendship Bench’, has seen similar benches appear worldwide, with Hervey Bay leading the way in Queensland.

Denis Love, a Fraser Lions member who lost a son to mental health issues, understands the lifesaving potential of open conversation.

Fraser Lions Club, established in 1986, has contributed over $25,000 to various causes this year and continues to support mental health initiatives in the region.

Original story in the Hervey Bay Advertiser.

Originating as an Apple Users Computer Club in 1984, the Apple-MAQ Lions Club from Brisbane’s East has evolved into a dynamic community service organisation over the span of 20 years.

In April 2024, they not only celebrated their anniversary but also a very special milestone for one of their biggest projects.

The Club’s transformation can be largely credited to the innovative thinking of the late founder, David Phillips OAM, who envisioned a platform for aiding the disabled and disadvantaged.

The Club’s journey led to the creation of Computer Aid for Disabled and Disadvantaged (CADD) in 1992, which provided refurbished used computers to those in need.

The concept expanded to include sending these resources, along with school equipment, overseas as well.

In time, the Club formally became the Apple-MAQ Lions Club and grew to a membership of 20.

The Club evolved further with their Lions Aid & Relief Centre (LARC), a non-profit that supplies quality education and health equipment to local and overseas communities in need.

Remarkable efforts include distributing $5.5 million worth of new clothing and bedding during the 2011 QLD Floods and assisting recovery efforts in Tonga following a volcano eruption and tsunami.

They’ve provided crucial support during North QLD cyclones and floods too.

The Club proudly hosts the Work for the Dole program, offering participants a chance to discover their interests and gain experience in areas like computer skills, woodworking, painting, and repairing medical aids.

Celebrating their 20th anniversary, the Club shared their achievement of sending over 220 containers of aid locally and overseas.

The event was attended by a diverse group, including current and past members, Lions and non-Lions volunteers, equipment donors, and long-time supporters.

The Club’s members continue to make extraordinary contributions, with Margaret and Nicole, (Nicole is the daughter of founder David), receiving an OAM in 2023 for their dedicated service.

Congratulations on this brilliant milestone to all members of the Apple-MAQ Lions Club!

The Lions Club of Warrandyte’s “In the Drivers Seat” project, awarded the Top Club Service Project during the National Convention in Darwin, breaks down barriers for blind and visually impaired people.

While many of us don’t think twice about hopping in the car and driving off, this freedom isn’t typically accessible to visually impaired individuals.

However, this project turns the tables, allowing them to experience the thrill of driving.

The annual event at Sandown Raceway is a true highlight for participants.

Accompanied by a qualified driving instructor, they get to navigate the track in a “learn to drive” car.

The man behind this exceptional initiative, Peter Watts, a long-serving Lion of over 50 years, knew firsthand the thrill it would bring to the visually impaired community, being blind himself.

Ever since its inception in 1997, the event has become a staple in the club’s calendar.

Each year is marked by an eagerness from past participants as they await the registration opening.

The joy and fulfilment it brings to everyone involved, from participants to Lions members and volunteers, is undeniable.

The Warrandyte Lions Club continues to impact their community through the “In the Drivers Seat” project, truly embodying the saying, “where there’s a need, there’s a Lion.”

Learn more about this transformative project by clicking here.