Since 1948, the Yosemite Lions Club has sponsored fundraising events in Yosemite National Park to benefit the Yosemite community. Attend our monthly meeting the first Thursday of every month at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite Valley, or better yet, attend one of our events or serve as a volunteer!
Happy New Year from Yosemite Lions Club! We had a great 2014 thanks to our supporters in the Yosemite community. We ended the year on a high note with donations to support two causes that are new to the club: purchasing library books for the Yosemite Valley school and purchasing food for a homeless shelter in the Yosemite gateway town of Mariposa.
In the fall, we received a request from the Yosemite Valley School to support the purchase of new library books. With a donation of $2000, we assisted the school in expanding their library materials for the benefit of elementary school students in Yosemite Valley. We received a lovely handmade thank you card from the students for our efforts:
In December, we received a donation request from club member Bil Gleason to support Mariposa Open Arms, a homeless shelter that is operated out of the United Methodist Church in Mariposa. We donated $500 to purchase gift cards from local grocery store Pioneer Market to provide several meals. The all-volunteer staff feeds approximately 40 homeless individuals each day and the gift card donation will allow them to create some healthy meals to support their mission. We hope to create a partnership with Mariposa Open Arms that benefits the community.
We wrapped up 2014 with a wonderful holiday luncheon meeting at The Mountain Room restaurant at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. Club members brought guests to help celebrate our successful year in 2014 with holiday spirit. In honor of the book donation to the Yosemite Valley school library, we performed a holiday gift exchange in the form of well-loved books. Club members chose titles from their personal libraries to share with others and many were pleased with the thoughtful choices. Many thanks to our server Sydney at The Mountain Room, who decorated our table and helped make our luncheon so special.
We look forward to our first events of 2015 in the form of the Yosemite community Easter Egg Hunt for local children and the Pancake Breakfast during the Spring Fling event in the community of El Portal. Both events take place in April. Proceeds from the Pancake Breakfast support the El Portal school, so we hope to see you there with a hearty appetite!
Each year the Yosemite Lions Club sponsors a team for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life - a fundraising event that supports cancer research. Our Relay is scheduled for Saturday, May 18, which means we have two more days of fundraising left!
From our Team Captain and fellow Lion, Teri Tudela:
"Only two more days to go! Yosemite Hiking for a Cure is running in second place with $3180 raised so far (not including $345 I am turning in tonight)! Thank you for all your hard work. Some teams have been fundraising since last October - just tells you what a strong team we have! Jodi is bringing a tent if anyone wants to rest. We will also have a canopy set up for shade. I would suggest bringing a chair and any snacks you might want during the day. Food is also offered both for sale and for free at various locations around the track. If you are staying the full event you might want to bring a sleeping bag, etc. Don't forget sunscreen (maybe a hat) - I hear it's suppose to be warm Saturday.
Our location is on the same side as parking. We will have our purple "Yosemite Hiking for a Cure" banner up so we should be easy to find. We will continue our fundraising during the event with the baskets for raffle and Bingo again this year. Both were requested by participants from last year. Vendor donations will make up the giveaways. Thanks again, Teri"
If you would like to make a contribution to our team's fundraising efforts, please visit our team page at the link below. If you are a team member already, we thank you for your contribution and dedication. See you on the track!
Spring has arrived and we're looking forward to seeing you at club sponsored events in April and May. Come out and enjoy spring in Yosemite as we host the annual pancake breakfast at Spring Fling in El Portal on April 27, 2013. In addition to our pancake fundraiser for the El Portal school, Spring Fling involves a 5K fun run called the El Portal Spring Run-Off, food vendors, craft vendors and live music at the El Portal Community Hall. If you're lucky, you'll also catch the California Poppy show that debuts each spring in the Merced River Canyon just outside of El Portal.
Each spring, in the Yosemite gateway town of Mariposa, the Yosemite Lions Club is proud to sponsor the Yosemite Hiking for a Cure Relay for Life team representing the Yosemite community. The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life is a 24 hour fundraising event held at hundreds of venues across the country. Team members raise funds by pledging to walk a designated number of hours during a 24 hour time period to symbolize that cancer never sleeps. Located at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds, teams walk the track from 9 AM on Saturday May 18, 2013 through 9 AM on Sunday May 19. The event includes contests, team fundraisers, food, music and games to help keep the teams on the track for 24 hours. We are always looking for more team members and if you'd like to join us this year, please send us email at yosemitelionsclub@yahoo.com, join our team online at the Mariposa Relay for Life website or contact any of our club members.
On May 22, 2013, we return to Yosemite Valley for the annual Spring Blood Drive. Hosted in conjunction with the Central California Blood Center, the Bloodmobile will be parked in front of the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center from 10 AM to 3 PM to accept blood donations from community members and visitors. As always, donors receive a free t-shirt along with doughnuts and orange juice. We hope you'll join us for this important event that supports life-preserving efforts in our California community.
Lions Club President Kym, Lion Teri, Lions Club Treasurer Yolanda and Lion Alison at the Mariposa Relay for Life
"Yosemite Hiking for a Cure", the Yosemite Lions Club sponsored fundraising team for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, raised $4130 for cancer research in this year's relay. Team Captain and Lions Club member Patti Burgess congratulates all of her team members on a job well-done: "It was a privilege to be your team captain this year. Thank you everyone for not only meeting, but exceeding our team goal of $2,500.00."
The Relay for Life is a 24 hour event that is hosted in various venues across the country. Locally, the event takes place at the Mariposa Fairgrounds, where walkers (or runners!) circle the track at scheduled times during the 24 hour period to raise funds by asking friends and family to sponsor their time on the track with donations. Events include music and movies, raffles, a drag queen contest (Miss Relay 2011), and a Luminaria Ceremony where individuals who have suffered from cancer may be recognized with a customized luminaria - a candlelit bag that is decorated with an individual tribute. The luminarias are staged around the entire track and lit at sunset, while the ceremony consists of speakers, live music, and a reading of the names on each luminaria. Relay participants light candles of their own and walk the track during the name reading.
Team Captain Patti and Lion Kym light luminarias on the track.
The "Yosemite Hiking for a Cure" team consisted of more than just Lions Club members. We send a warm thank you to our twenty-three team members from all walks of the Yosemite community: Team Captains Patti Burgess and Pat Reilly, Kurt Anderson, Annette Catamec, Yolanda Cheley, Jacqui Coffman, Christy Contreras, Marty Fazio, Michelle Hansen, Megan Hooper, Audrey Lanting, Joe Lewis, Jennifer Lipsinsky, Maddie Moore, Sean Pence, Eric Popoe, Sarah Rosenfeld, Danny Schaible, Bill Thomas, Melisa Tovar, Teri Tudela, Kym Wright-Youngdale and Katie Zepp. Special thanks to Patti, Teri and Kym for sticking it out for the 24 hours, sleeping in a tent and walking in the middle of the night!
Overall, the Mariposa Relay for Life raised $70,000 for cancer research with Yosemite Hiking for a Cure being the third most successful fundraising team. Our team also included the fourth most successful fundraiser for the entire event: Kym Wright-Youngdale with $1444. The Yosemite Lions Club sponsors successful fundraising events with the dedicated assistance of the Yosemite community, providing funds and opportunity for community organizations and individuals. Join us year-round for fundraising events in various locations throughout the Yosemite area, and check back often with the Yosemite Lions Club blog for the current event schedule.
