By The Fiery Independent, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada
Part 2 – yesterday Lions stop thinking about our money
Dear Lions,
You are great neighbours and many of you friends; however you don’t seem to understand that your pecuniary interests are going against the good of the children of this community.
The kids don’t have the privilege of enjoying the gymnasium five days a week in the Lions centre because “it costs too much to heat up in the winter”.
The kids cannot eat in the cafeteria on days that there is a funeral lunch so they have to eat in the classroom. The kids cannot enjoy a freshly cooked meal a few times a week, nor can they have cooking oriented learning activities. It is not permitted to make use of the Lions Centre’s kitchen because “it would cost too much in insurance”.
The kids cannot enjoy green space because there is none for them around the centre. The kids cannot enjoy a modern playground because there is none at the centre. The kids are having behaviour problems at school because they cannot expend their energy for lack of use of gymnasium installation, playground, green space.
There is no room for after school activities in French, such as fiddle classes, dance classes, all for lack of room. Inside and outside signage is in “English only” except for the name of the school. When the kids need to go to the bathroom in the day, they are going to “women’s” and “men’s” bathrooms. Where are the French signs?
How can they be proud of their roots and aren’t they getting mixed messages? When the Francophone community groups want to gather in Rustico, they yet again have to pay for room rental and only if there is room.
Are you getting the picture? We want the best for the kids and if the choice has been made for them to regain their language, culture and pride in their roots. The school alone, from 9 to 3, is far from being sufficient.
I know for a fact that the Lions in Cornwall used to own a building and the more the community needed the space for activities the less room they had for their own purpose–to the point that they had to get out of the building.
Do you know what they did? In true Lions spirit, they handed the building over to the community at no cost with no strings attached. They simply handed it over for the good of the community.
What is going on in Rustico that is so different? We are all neighbours and must get along. Please Lions Members, some of those kids we’re talking about are your grandchildren.
Take a long hard look at what motivates you to act the way you do. Ask yourself if you what you really want is truly for the good of the community.
I rest my case, for now.
Shameful Conduct
Lions International Purposes, Values and Ethics
Lions Purposes
To Organize, charter and supervise service clubs to be known as Lions clubs.
To Coordinate the activities and standardize the administration of Lions clubs.
To Create and foster a spirit of understanding among the peoples of the world.
To Promote the principles of good government and good citizenship.
To Take an active interest in the civic, cultural, social and moral welfare of the community.
To Unite the clubs in the bonds of friendship, good fellowship and mutual understanding.
To Provide a forum for the open discussion of all matters of public interest; provided, however, that partisan politics and sectarian religion shall not be debated by club members.
To Encourage service-minded people to serve their community without personal financial reward, and to encourage efficiency and promote high ethical standards in commerce, industry, professions, public works and private endeavors.
Lions Code of Ethics
To Show my faith in the worthiness of my vocation by industrious application to the end that I may merit a reputation for quality of service.
To Seek success and to demand all fair remuneration or profit as my just due, but to accept no profit or success at the price of my own self-respect lost because of unfair advantage taken or because of questionable acts on my part.
To Remember that in building up my business it is not necessary to tear down another’s; to be loyal to my clients or customers and true to myself.
Whenever a doubt arises as to the right or ethics of my position or action towards others, to resolve such doubt against myself.
To Hold friendship as an end and not a means. To hold that true friendship exists not on account of the service performed by one another, but that true friendship demands nothing but accepts service in the spirit in which it is given.
Always to bear in mind my obligations as a citizen to my nation, my state, and my community, as to give them my unswerving loyalty in word, act, and deed. To give them freely of my time, labor and means.
To Aid others by giving my sympathy to those in distress, my aid to the weak, and my substance to the needy.
To Be Careful with my criticism and liberal with my praise; to build up and not destroy.
The only question that remains is: is Cymbria Lions Club a member of Lions International? Or, do they perhaps have their own set of rules …?!
Major Charter Infraction ….