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(NAME) LIONS CLUB AIDS KATRINA VICTIMS

(City, date) - (Using the tips provided on this Web site, briefly explain in one or two paragraphs what your club has done or is doing to help Katrina evacuees or victims. Add a quote from your club president or a club member.)

The relief activities by (name) Lions Club are part of a large-scale
relief effort launched by Lions and Lions Clubs International Foundation
(LCIF), based in Oak Brook, Ill. LCIF has mobilized nearly $5 million to
help victims of Hurricane Katrina. LCIF has committed $340,000 from its
own reserves and has raised more than US$4.5 million from Lions to help
Lions in areas affected by the hurricane aid those at shelters. Lions
are providing evacuees with food, water, medicine, personal hygiene
needs and other items.

LCIF has a 30-year history of disaster relief including two major rebuilding efforts in South Asia after recent natural disasters. LCIF mobilized US$15 million for relief in South Asia following the tsunami. After an earthquake in Gujarat, India, in 2001, LCIF mobilized $2.5 million to rebuild 734 homes, 20 primary schools and a general hospital. In 2000, LCIF provided almost US$500,000 to assist areas affected by the Orissa cyclone in India, constructing a total of 360 homes, nine community centers, five schools, and two orphanages.

Although primarily funded by Lions club members, donations for Katrina relief can be made to LCIF by anyone. Every donated dollar goes directly to relief efforts. To contribute:

• Mail a check payable to LCIF and write "Katrina relief" in the memo field. Send the check to LCIF, 300 W. 22nd St., Oak Brook, IL 60523, USA, Attn.: Donor Services.

• Donate by credit card with MasterCard, Visa or American Express by calling LCIF at 630-571-5466, ext. 517 or 554. Lines are open between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CST.

Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service club organization with nearly 1.35 million members in approximately 44,600 clubs in 194 countries and geographical areas around the world. Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth throughout the world. For more information about Lions Clubs International, visit www.lionsclubs.org. For more information about Lions and Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, visit www.lions-katrina.org.

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Note to Media-Following are examples of Lions activities to support those affected by Hurricane Katrina:

Louisiana Lions in the north part of the state are helping to take care of thousands of displaced people who left New Orleans and other places before the hurricane hit. Lions are assisting at improvised non-Red Cross shelters that have sprung up. Lions also are helping out at larger venues such as the gym at Louisiana State University in Shreveport, which was holding some 2,000 displaced people.

The Louisiana Lions Children's Camp in Leesville is housing and feeding 114 people who fled north from New Orleans before Katrina hit. Half of them are Lions themselves. Just because they are displaced does not mean they are forgetting about their identity as Lions "They've kept busy. They've cleaned the campgrounds," said Ray Cecil, camp director. "They're refugees who've lost their homes and livelihood but they've been busy the whole time they've been here."

Lions are filling the unmet needs they come across. The Opelousas Club and Carencro Club in Louisiana are helping people get drug prescriptions filled. The Grandlake-Sweetlake Club has helped places of worship put together packages of necessities for people at shelters.

The Mississippi Lions state office asked clubs to purchase chain saws. "We figure one person can clear his home and then pass the chain saw on to the next person," David Barham, council secretary for the Lions in his area.

Lions in Alabama are focusing their efforts on the coastline area where 3,000 homes were destroyed. The Alabama Lions dispatched one of their eye vans to the coast to do screenings and eyeglass recycling for hurricane victims. A second eye van is serving the needs of displaced people who are in shelters in the middle of the state.

The Dothan, Ala., area has 4,000 refugees, most of them from Mississippi. At one shelter, Lions are helping to feed 80 to 100 people each night. Lions in Alabama sent a truckload of water and supplies to Mississippi. Anticipating the donation of goods, Lions in Alabama have secured in advance a large storage space at a Wal-Mart building in Mobile. "Lions here are at work. We're doing everything we can," said Council Chairperson Rick Berry of Enterprise, Ala.

Supported by LCIF, the Texas Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center distributed eyeglasses and offered eye care services to evacuees at the Astrodome in Houston and other nearby shelters.