EL CAJON VALLEY HOSTS LION’S NEWSLETTER
April 13, 2026, Members: _28___ Guests: _2__
Facebook: El Cajon Valley Host Lions Club
Volume 2026 _______________________________________Issue 10
CALL TO ORDER: ____Ron Nevels__________________________________
Invocation: __Mark Clifton___________ Pledge of Allegiance: _Pennie McMahon________
Patriotic Song: _Cathy “Cat’ Zeman_____________ Song: God Bless America______________
HELEN KELLER QUOTE BY: Don Anthony__________________
“A happy life consists not in the absence, but in the mastery of hardships.”
GUESTS: __
| Joshua Vilman. | Agnes Zsigovics |
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:
April 16th – ECV Lions Foundation Board Meeting. All are invited to attend.
April 18th – Gunsmoke Fundraiser 6: 00 pm – 10 pm
April 21st – Visit with Leo’s meeting at El Cajon High School, 11:30 am
Flag Day Event Coordination: Over 800 flags to be distributed at Johnson Elementary School in May, funded by the Lions Club.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
ROB RANSWEILER (4-30-70) CARTER SHORT (4-15-76)
April EXEMPT BADGE: Tom Hoban and Yvonne Paris
VICE PRESIDENT REPORTS:
1st VP Grant Thiem III: Gunsmoke This Saturday at the Ronald Regan Center
Emphasis on strong ticket sales through multiple channels, including Eventbrite and door sales, reflects a strategic push to maximize attendance
Members are reminded to actively promote the event by bringing guests, crucial to fundraising success and community presence. Fundraising events like Gunsmoke are key to sustaining our efforts and expanding support for children’s vision care
The group encourages members to bring guests to upcoming events to boost ticket sales and fundraising impact
A bonus prize valued at about $500 will reward the member who brings the most ticket sales, incentivizing participation
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2nd VP Kat Zeman: _Past president Chris Bramwell facilitated payment for an additional 18 pairs of glasses and exams. Lions have provided 35 eye exams and glasses this year.
3rd Dyna Jones: Upcoming Leo’s club event on May 14th aims to sponsor a $500 to $1,000 scholarship for youth education. ____________________________________________
MEMBERSHIP: Grant Thiem III: ___________________________________________________
LCIF: PP Yvonne Paris: __Don Anthony
Congratulations on completing 30 years as a lion. To commemorate and recognize your years of service, I’m presenting you with the milestone Chevron Awards as three chevron marks.
The Chevron Award is aptly named after the chevron symbol in reference to a badge or insignia indicating rank or length of service. You have taken the lead on service and are guiding the way towards a brighter future. From the smallest project to the largest undertaking, your many years of service have made an incredible difference in your community. Lions International. Lions International recognizes the anniversaries of members like you because they are a reminder of important milestones in our lives. You need to serve and serve to lead, showing your community and the world what we are capable of as lions. Your dedication has allowed us to celebrate, commemorate, and carry our long legacy of kindness forward into the future. Congratulations once again on your milestone. I wish you many more healthy and happy years.
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HAPPY DOLLARS/FINES: TT ___Bob Acker__________________________
| Paul Tremblay | $5 | For the sake of getting us out of here, I’ll leave it at that. | |
| Gary Sims | $3 | Wife won at Vejas | |
| Tom Hoban | $20 | Won at Vejas | |
| Mark Clifton | $3 | Matching Gary Sims | |
| Don Anthony | Please put it in the memory. The next week, when Mike Raney shows up. He has a confession. It should be very costly. | ||
| $5 | Back from Vacation | ||
| Ron Nevels | $5 | Padre 5 Wins | |
PROGRAM: Agnes Zsigovics from the Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is intensifying efforts to educate the community about dementia and brain health while promoting early detection and support resources.
Alzheimer’s Impact and Caregiver Support highlights that 7 million people in the U.S. live with Alzheimer’s, and 12 million are unpaid caregivers, stressing the widespread community impact
Agnes, community engagement manager, emphasized the severe emotional and financial toll on families and caregivers
The association offers education, support groups, and a 24/7 helpline to address caregiver needs and provide professional guidance
Early detection is stressed as critical for accessing emerging treatments that can slow disease progression
Disease Understanding and Research Investment clarifies that Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, representing about 80% of dementia cases
The Association invests $408 million in 1,100 research projects across 56 countries to accelerate breakthroughs
New medications like lecanemab and donanemab, approved in 2021, offer hope by slowing early-stage progression through infusion therapies.
Research is exploring neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and multiple biological targets to develop combination therapies for more effective treatment.
Brain Health and Risk Reduction Strategy promotes lifestyle adjustments as an actionable way to lower cognitive decline risk, with brain health education integrated into all presentations
The association highlights 10 key healthy habits, including physical exercise, cognitive challenges, and diet
The MIND diet, combining Mediterranean and DASH principles, emphasizes leafy greens, berries, nuts, and whole grains, shown to improve cognition over two years
Evidence from the Pointer study shows that comprehensive lifestyle changes can improve cognition to levels typical of someone two years younger.
Community Engagement and Resources include a new app, MyAlz Journey https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alzheimersassociation.myalzjourney.production
, designed to help recently diagnosed individuals navigate early disease stages.
The annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s events raise funds and awareness, with the San Diego walk scheduled for October 3rd at Liberty Station
The Association offers a 24/7 helpline (1-800-272-3900) providing expert advice, crisis support, and planning assistance to caregivers at any hour
Diagnostic Challenges and Treatment Insights
Accurate diagnosis and effective symptom management remain essential challenges in Alzheimer’s care, with ongoing advances but persistent gaps.
Diagnosis Accuracy and Methods show that general practitioners correctly diagnose Alzheimer’s about 60% of the time, while neurologists improve accuracy to around 70%
Recent FDA-approved blood tests aid early and more reliable detection, complementing PET scans and spinal taps, which remain gold standards
GPs often defer diagnosis to specialists due to complexity and sensitivity, which can delay treatment access
Definitive diagnosis helps in managing care, but does not currently change treatment options significantly
Symptom Management and Agitation Causes are primarily linked to patient frustration over communication loss and memory decline, rather than direct disease effects
Medications currently available focus on symptom relief rather than curing or reversing the disease
The emergence of infusion drugs offers new hope for slowing progression when administered early in disease stages
Care approaches emphasize supporting emotional well-being to reduce anxiety and agitation in patients
Misdiagnosis and Public Perceptions remain concerns, with some cases historically misclassified as general dementia instead of Alzheimer’s, affecting treatment and support
More definitive diagnostic tools and neurologist involvement are improving accuracy and patient outcomes
Public confusion between dementia and Alzheimer’s is common; education efforts aim to clarify differences and encourage early medical evaluation.
Medication and Supplement Use guidance advises caution, noting the lack of evidence supporting over-the-counter supplements like Prevagen for slowing Alzheimer’s
The Association follows WHO recommendations against unregulated supplements due to unknown quality and efficacy
Prescription medications are symptom-focused, and no known drug reverses Alzheimer’s or dementia progression at this time
UPCOMING PROGRAMS: Dark on Monday, April 20th
April 21st – Visit with Leo’s meeting at El Cajon High School, 11:30 am
ATTENDANCE DRAWING: Grant Thiem III__________________ $(left early)________
50/50 OPPORTUNITY DRAWING: _Cathy Zeman___________$___50_____
TODAY’S RIB TICKLER
Lead to serve and serve to lead
Together in service
AP Singh, International Lions President