The Mail-Journal, Volume 26, Number 42, Milford, Kosciusko County, 2 December 1987 — Page 2
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THE MAIL-JOURNAL—Wed., December 2,1987
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MISSION ACCOMPLISHED — The Indiana Lions Mission to Guatemala has been accomplished. The fire truck shown in the background and a number of other vehicles were delivered to the people of that Central /American country in mid-November, driven there from Indiana by a crew of 14. Shown in the photo are representatives of some of the clubs which contributed S2OO or more toward the.expenses of transporting the vehicles the 3,100 some miles across the USA and Mexico to Guatemala. <f From left are Robert Lancaster of Leiters Ford; Richard Rosburgh of Claypool; Vern White of Syracuse; Slim Sherlin of the Bremen Lions Club; Bob Kunce of Mid-
Second in a series —
Guatemala Indiana Lions give vehicles to 5 towns
“There are many languages spoken in the world of Lionism One is common: the concern we demonstrate toward our neighbors and fell ow human beings thrpugiiuui the world.” — Immediate Past President of Lions In temational Sten A Akestam y ißy Editor JERI AND BUD SEELY ] “It don’t get any better than this!” was the first part of an adage which was coined by the Lions of Indiana who recently returned from a journey which would take 14 men and women some 3,100 miles south to Guatemala. The journey is a tough ope, but vehicle break downs and problems did not stop the determined Lions on their mission to help the people of the Central American nation. They simply adopted the “It don’t get any bet ter than this” phrase and solved their problems one at a time.
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It all started as a small spark It was kindled by team leader James Cameron of Urbana and has now grown into a fire that is not about to be put out. One request, “Can you get us a truck?” itOin the Lions ui Cuilapa sparked Cameron’s interest to help his fellowman. The next year, he delivered that promised vehicle. The next year he led another group of Lions to Guatemala with even more vehicles. This year he returned with even more. In all, over the past three years, 10 vehicles have been delivered to Guatemala under the leadership of Cameron and the Lions of Indiana. When this year’s vehicles had been delivered, Cameron said, “Another successful mission has been accomplished. In the three years we have been delivering vehicles to Guatemala, the friendship between the two countries has grown and we feel they are a lot closer to us than before we started this project. In the future, maybe our peoples will have a better understanding of
Lakes; Tom Doyon of South Bend River Park; Victor Kring of Greene Township, South Bend; Jim Cameron of Urbana; Carl Thomas of New Paris; John Krzyzanowski of Clay Township, South Bend; Bill Van Paton of Elkhart; Lloyd Deardorf of Ardmore, South Bend; Jim LaFree 11 of Centre Township, South Bend; Phil Hall, Wabash; Dale Wagoner, Grass Creek; Harold Kabay, Lakeville; Chuck Hogan, Warsaw; Dick Runyan, North Webster; Wayne Hart, Dunlap; Glenn Yoder, Millersburg; Bud Seely, Milford; Will Siders, New Carlisle; and Bob Johnson of Carmel and Lake Wawasee. Cameron, Yoder ar, c eely were among those who made the trip to Guatemala. (Photo by Jeri Seely >
each other because of our mission.” The journey began at 5 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, as a number of vehicles left the Cameron home near Urbana. They would rnaKe a uumuci Oi stops along the way, picking up additional people and equipment. When they returned to the USA on November 22, they would have delivered the following: A fire truck for Chimaltenango; an EMS vehicle for Salama; a truck for San Marcos; a truck for Chichicastenango; a van for the farmers of San Padro; and a boat for Solola. Tons and tons of clothing and peanut butter were given to the orphaned children of the country. And, a wheelchair was given to a man who had fallen out of a tree. With Cameron on the trip were District Governor Glenn Yoder of Millersburg; Past District Governors James Ross of Indianapolis, Bill Blankenship of South Bend, Jerry Martin of Mishawaka and Bud Seely of Milford; and, Vivian Blankenship
of South Bend, James Brown of the Jamestown Lions Club, Charles Haffner of Syracuse, Wallace Huffman of Warsaw, Mike and Shawn McVey of Pittsboro, Norm Panther of Peru and Jane Tieman of Marietta, Ga. Mrs. Tieman is Haffner’s daughter. The Indiana Lions clubs help by furnishing money to purchase used vehicles and service them, as well as for gas to drive them to the Central American country Those who went along paid their own expenses. In return, they learned what the motto “We Serve” really means and came home with the satisfaction of knowing that the people of Guatemala are a little better off because of what they did. Lions International joined the trip to the border by sending a representative from the organization’s public relations firm with the caravan. He went in front of the group and alerted media across the USA of the fact the Lions Were a few miles behind him. He had set up media interviews in such places as Memphis, Little Rock, Dallas, San Antonio and at the border in McAllen. Two stations covered their depar ture from the Ross home in Indianapolis and, for a short time, the Lions of Indiana became television personalities. Tuesday morning Cameron gave final instructions to his drivers and'.the caravan was ready to cross the border into Mexico Mike McVey noted the immediate culture change. “Like someone hung a curtain on one side of the USA," he related. The towns were rundown. The people were poor. It was nothing like Indiana. Problems The fire truck quit. The threads in the carburetor were stripped. This would give them problems for the remainder of the trip as they could not find the right size part to fix it. At times it slowed the caravan to seven miles per hour. As the problem continued, the excitement of the trip wore off. It became a difficult job. However, in the spirit of Lionism, the men did not quit. They kept telling themselves, "It don’t get any better than this,” adding, “but when it does, I want to be there.” At one point on the trip they found they had traveled 140 miles in two days. They continued to tell themselves that they were having fun and, “It don’t get any better than this! ” As flat tires added to their problems all hopes of reaching the border Thursday night and making an early crossing on Friday began to fade. They found simple things like getting air in a tire could take a long time. Wherever they went and wherever they stopped, Cameron said it was like a three-ring circus. The crowd would collect and performers would begin to per-
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form. Then, everyone hated to see them leave. As they pushed onward toward the Guatemalan border, they drove longer into the night. They slept less and began their days earlier. Early Friday evening, a's they neared the Mexican-Guatemalan border, they were pulled over by “of all things,” a group of Guatemalan Lions who had come to welcome them and help with the border crossing. The North Americans received a “royal” welcome from their fellow Lions who wanted to know immediately where Jim Cameron was! The handshakes were warm and friendly The smiles were genuine. There was a feeling of relief. With the Lions were firemen from Chimaltenango who had come to see their new truck. It had problems No matter. They would fix it. Bud described the meeting of the two groups with the following words: “We were close to the border when we were met by the Guatemalans and friendship immediately prevailed. They had a Lions emblem with them. And, of all things, the people who are going to be receiving the fire truck showed up with their blue outfits and fire equipment on, looking at the truck with great admiration. “You got the immediate feeling of warm friendship some 3,000 miles from home. Somehow this long trip, which was full of problems and hazards, was really worth it. We didn’t feel like we had traveled 3,000 miles, but just down the road. These people were very appreciative of what they were getting. It was like a kid with his first toy.” Brown said, “It’s a very moving experience. These people are obviously very appreciative and very sincere and the welcome was very warm.” Seely added, “We all felt whatever we did was well worth the effort and were proud to be Lions and perform this service for these people so far away.” Then there was the border. Check points. And, the age old problem, even with the Guatemalan Lions there to help, of waiting. No one is in a hurry in Mexico or Guatemala. They all have a speed of their own . .. S L OW! Again the Hoosiers noted a change as they crossed from Mexico to Guatemala. Instant poverty! More so than in Mexico. At 1 a m. they found themselves traveling down Guatemalan roads at speeds which ranged from 8 to 15 miles per hour. The fire truck was once again holding them up. It had been a long but very gratifying day! After a very short night, they got an early/start on Saturday realizing theV were on their last leg to Guatemala City. As they
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‘IT DON’T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS’ — On their way to Guatemala, the Lions of Indiana played a hurry-up and wait game because of problems with the fire truck and the fact that modern garages as we know them in the USA do not exist in the small communities they passed through in Mexico and Guatemala. Because of their problems, they came up with the saying, “It don’t get any better than this.” In spite of their problems, they did reach Guatemala City and their vehicles were delivered to the waiting people there. In the top photo Jim Cameron of Urbana, team leader, and Charles Haffner, president of the Syracuse Lions Club, are shown at the rear of the fire truck as they wait for repairs at a Mexican "garage.” In the bottom photo, Haffner and his daughter, Jane Tieman of Marietta, Ga„ relax during another stop. (Photos by Bud Seely)
traveled up and down winding mountain roads, the fire truck quit again. Because of the pro blem with gas flow, they decided to turn the truck around and back it up the mountain. It worked. They traveled at a snail’s pace (3 mph), but they were moving. Their newly adopted theme, "It don’t get any better than this” was heard over and over again as the caravan inched its way south. Later they would learn they had gone 31 miles in four hours. Where Are They? Meanwhile, four of the wives — Fran Cameron of Urbana, Doris Yoder of Millersburg, Norma Ross of Indianapolis and Jeri Seely of Milford — arrived in Guatemala fully expecting their husbands to meet them at the airport. The wives, traveling with a VOSH group, received a Lions’ welcome upon their arrival in the city and were treated to a special performance by a marimba band. As the Indiana Lions approached the town of Chimaltenango, they were greeted by howling sirens, fireworks and people who lined the roadsides to welcome the caravan and its big, red fire truck to their town. The grand entrance made some of the Hoosiers think about 4th of July parades back home. Later we would all learn that marimbas, pine and fire crackers are the sign of a celebration in this Central American country. In Chimaltenango Jim Ross was questioned on whether it was worth the effort or not. His reply, “Oh yes, this celebration is really worth everything we have gone through to get here. I’m glad to have been part of it, glad 1 could help out!” District Governor Yoder described their arrival in Chimaltenango with the following words: “The delivery of the fire truck, in which I rode most of the way, was an unforgetable, overwhelming, emotional experience for me. We were met by the bomberos (volunteer, firemen) five kilometers out of town. We were ordered to take the lead. With all the vehicles, sirens screaming, we entered the town. The streets were lined with
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cheering people as we followed a U-shaped route through the town to the fire station. Amid fireworks, we were greeted by the governor of the state, Lions, bomberos and townspeople. The I'2-hour ceremony that followed further emphasized how greatful they were for the vehicles.” As the Lions celebrated, the women waited and wondered. Another town. Another celebration. At 7:30 the women were taken to a Lions hall in Guatemala City. A big celebration had been planned for the Indiana Lions by the Lions who had been with them when they crossed the border. The celebration was well planned. All it lacked was the Lions from Hoosierland. As the women arrived at the hall, they stepped out of their vehicle onto a sidewalk which had been covered with pine needles and heard a special song of greeting played on the marimba. They welre then led up steps, which were lined with pine ropes, and greeted by the children of the Lions who were wearing native costumes. Later the children would re-enact an Indian wedding. Even though it would be put off until almost midnight, it would be one of the events which held special meaning for the waiting wives.
Alone this
(By VIRGINIA GLIST I Guest Feature Writer None of us likes to think of a Christmas alone, but let’s face it, Americans will be alone this tioliday, and some will be from our wn comnjunity. First, let it be' said thaba people consider Christmas alone a treat. These are mainly individuals whose pre-holiday season was so hectic and so stressful that it seems like bliss to be alone. But most of us prefer being with family, or, at the very least, good friends. For those who are alone, however, there are things that can be done to make the season more enjoyable. Some who are alone find
The program was delayed. The Lions of Guatemala City did not want to start until the Lions from Indiana arrived. Where were they? The telephone rang. They had just left Chichicastenango and would be there around 8 p.m. Sighs of relief. Later it would be learned they did not arrive at Chichicastenango until 8 and were feted at a celebration there. That town, too, would receive one of the vehicles and its firemen and citizens wanted to show their appreciation. About 11:30 it was decided the celebration should begin in Guatemala City. The Lions’ meeting was opened and introductions made. Speeches were given. The Leos were introduced and said they needed a few minutes to set up. It was at that time the fireworks went off again and those in the hall anticipated the entrance of the first Indiana Lion into the hall. The Guatemalan Leos waited patiently as husbands and wives were reunited. They then proceeded with their ceremony. More speeches. More thank you’s. For most, the Indiana Lions Mission to Guatemala had ended. It had been successful. And, “It don’t get any better than that!”
Christmas?
satisfaction in either helping or visiting others. Making others who are also alone happier is the best reward one can find. Visit someone in a local nursing home who has no family. Take your neighbors a treat. They will surely invite you in. Visit someone who is blind, for they cannot see Christmas, and it will surely make them happy. Find someone' who will notr receive many gifts, ifimy, and enjoy giving them a special present. The rewards will be great. If there’s someone you’ve been meaning to contact but haven’t, do it this Christmas. Wen thinking of others, you cannot be totally alone. Remember to go to church on Christmas Eve, especially if you haven’t been there in a while. And, how long since you’ve listened to some real Christmas music? Then there’s community work. There’s no time to be alone if one is kept busy. One last bit of advice. There are those who cannot do these things because they are too old, or too crippled, or too ill. These are the ones who deserve a visit from you on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Don’t let yourself be lonely during the holiday season.