The Lions Roar...serious and fun information form the Westerly Lions Club

Over 50 members and guests attened the November 28th meeting of the Westerly Lions Club at Dylan's Restaraunt.  Five nembers were industed, Dave Rivera, Oskar Hellwig, Joe Wilkenson, Eric Thavenet and Paul Doyle.

The audeince was also treated to a very informative program by Stephen Iacoi on the Westerly Mentor Program in the Westerly School system.

The mentoiring program was established in 1998 as a result of needs identified by several community members involved in youth activities, including the Westerly Police Department's juvenile police officer, a social worker, and several school administrators.

It is a school-based program in which members visit the "mentees" during the school day, within the school building and during the school year for about one hour a week.

Mentors are assigned to students in grades 4-12.

In 1998 the program began with 10 mentors. There are now over 100 mentor/ mentee relationships throughout the district.

All mentors are required to attend a 2 hour training session and then particiate in an orientation at the school at which they will be mentoring. At the orientation they are introduced t their mentees and the contact persons which include social workers and nurses at the school.

Mentees are referred to the program through teachers, guidence councilors, school administrators, social workers and nurses.

The program is run by a volunteer Steering Committee which meets monthly. The committee consists of representatives from each school involved in the program, a liason from the police departmentm and several community members.

Mentor-Mentee matches are determined by the school administrator who referred the student and Jody Serra, a member of the Steering Committee who conducts the mentor training sessions.

Addditional activities are planned thoughout the school year so that mentors and mentees can get together with one another is a social setting. Some of the activities include picnics at the YMCA camp, bowling and special activity days at the YMCA.

The program is sponsored by several community organizations such as the Westerly Sun, the YMCA, Westerly Hospital, The Washington Trust, The Town of Westerly and the Westery School department.

There will be an orientation program some time in the next few weeks. Anyone interested in attending or would like additional information, contact Stephen Iacoi at 401-596-2109 or siacoi@westerly.k12ri.us

Well, the first few weeks of work at the new South County Habitat for Humanity home in Charlestown was just incredible. The 1st Saturday crew got the floor joists in, the Lions got the floor down, Wednesday the walls got built, and the 2nd Saturday was the wall raising ceremony, followed by all 4 walls going up .

On Tuesday, the Lions did it again and got the floor joists in for rthe second floor. Wednesdaty and Thursday the crews got the plywood down and the 1st floor interior walls up.

Saturday the 2nd floor wall went up. Tommorrow the Lions will start raising the roof!

Anyone interested in the Westerly Mentor Program at the Westerly Schools, the upcoming training program has been scheduled.

The training is schedule for Thursday December 13th from 4 to 6PM at the Westerly Hospital Board Room. If anyone is interested have them call Stephen Iacoi before then at 315-1618.