Recap: Spring Events with Yosemite Lions Club

Spring in Yosemite is about waterfalls and wildflowers, but it is also about the beginning of event season for Yosemite Lions Club. Each year in April we host a Pancake Breakfast for the annual Spring Fling held in the community of El Portal that raises funds for the El Portal school. This year's breakfast was not as successful as years past, but we hope to see you there next year with a hearty appetite.

May is now filled with club events. Last year, the Yosemite Rotary Club disbanded and we have taken on a few of their annual events to continue the tradition. This year we hosted the former Rotary Annual Easter Egg Hunt for children in the Yosemite community at the Yosemite Valley School. Kids find eggs with prizes and candy, and they also have their photo taken with the Easter Bunny. The American Cancer Society Relay for Life takes place every May in the town of Mariposa, and the Yosemite Hiking for a Cure team sponsored by the Yosemite Lions Club again contributed great fundraising efforts to support cancer research. Team Captain Teri Tudela and Past President Kym Wright-Youngdale anchored the team at the event by participating for the entire 24 hours. Our team raised $3000. May also sees our annual Spring Blood Drive hosted with the Central California Blood Center in front of the Yosemite Valley visitor center. This year we collected pints of blood for a life-giving cause.

New to the event roster for Yosemite Lions Club is the annual Summer Gear Swap. Hosted at the Curry Village Community Center, the gear swap allows Yosemite residents to sell, buy or swap gently-used gear for something new to you.

In addition new events, we are pleased to announce the new members of Yosemite Lions Club - Jennifer Cleary and David Crow. Jennifer and David both work for DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite.

Next update: Summer Gear Swap, Mosquito Festival and the Golf Tournament!

Relay for Life This Saturday!

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!


Donate here: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLCY13CA?team_id=1310741&pg=team&fr_id=48977

Yosemite Lions Club Helps Raise $3724.00 for Cancer Research!

On Saturday, May 19, the Yosemite Lions Club participated in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life to raise funds for cancer research. The club supported the Yosemite Hiking for a Cure team at the Mariposa fairgrounds by walking the track, hosting a fundraising bingo game and raffling gift bags. Here's a summary from Lion Patti, team co-captain:

"Thank you to everyone for your participation and support in the 2012 Relay For Life.  The event raised $59,222.04 to date.

In the team category, Yosemite Hiking For A Cure came in second place with $3,724 raised!  Our team goal was $2,500.  Great work everyone!  We not only met, but exceeded our goal for 2012.  This was not only made possible by our sponsor contributions from the Yosemite Lion's Club and DNC P&R at Yosemite, but also by some great fundraising from our team members, both individually and collectively.

In the individual fundraising category, Kym earned second place having collected $1,450.00.  Great job Kym!

Congratualtions to everyone for a great Relay!  A big thank you to Teri, our co-captain. She was there when I needed her facilitating fundraising and logistics!  Bingo was a successful fundraiser.  Kudos to Teri and Kym!  You both had the patience and resolve to walk the track to get the word out and bring in participants. Kym, your years of participation in this event, and fundraising capabilities, are an inspiration to all of us. Thank you for your enormous contribution!  Emily, thank you for providing our shade for this event, or we would have surely wilted under the heat of the Sun!  Pat, Audrey and Kurt, Michelle, and Alison, you are here, year after year, and without your participation and contributions to our team, we wouldn't have one.  Thank you!  I will follow up with our newest team-members to congratulate and give thanks for their participation.

The wrap up party is currently scheduled for Thursday, June 21st with time and place forthcoming from the Committee.  I hope to see you there!"

Yosemite Lions Club Team Formed for the Mariposa Relay For Life Benefitting the American Cancer Society

Yosemite Lions Club members have formed a team for the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life, a fundraising event that "gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease."  At the Relay, teams camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and walk or run around a track or designated path. Each team has a representative on the track at all times during the event which can last up to 24 hours.  The club's team, Yosemite Hiking For a Cure, will be led by club member and team captain Patti Burgess.  The 2011 Relay for Life of Mariposa, CA on Saturday, May 21 will be held at the Mariposa fairgrounds beginning at 9:00 AM.  Besides Yosemite Hiking for a Cure, 21 additional teams have registered for the Relay with a total of 184 participants to date.  If you would like to join the Yosemite Lions Club team to participate in this year's Relay, you can register online at the event website.  If you can't participate, but would like to contribute to this fundraising event, you can also use the event website to donate funds.