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Lions on Parade

Twenty-five marching bands
and astronaut Buzz Aldrin highlight
this week's Lions Club convention

Lions show the way

By Pat Gee
Star-Bulletin

ABOUT 20,000 Lions Club International members from 185 countries will fill the Hawaiian Convention Center this week and crowd Kalakaua Avenue with a spectacular "Parade of Nations" tomorrow.

The conventioneers and thousands of their friends and family members are expected to bring an estimated $63.3 million into Hawaii's economy from June 19-23, according to Sandra Moreno of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.

Highlights of the festivities include a four-hour parade with 25 international marching bands in native dress; a food festival and eyeglass collection drive following the parade at Kapiolani Park; and former astronaut Buzz Aldrin as a guest speaker Thursday.

The parade, to include 12,000 Lions, will start at 9:30 a.m. from Saratoga Road at Fort DeRussy, continue down Kalakaua and end at the park.

Celebrating its 83rd year, the Lions are the world's largest service club organization, including 1.4 million members in 44,457 clubs. In line with its "We Serve" motto, the association is best known for its efforts to help the blind and visually impaired.

Yesterday, club president Jim Ervin presented a $10,000 check to the USS Missouri Battleship Museum to be used for Braille plaques.

Convention business sessions will be held at the University of Hawaii's Stan Sheriff Center. Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, is scheduled to speak at 9:30 a.m. at the Second Plenary Session.

If you go STREET CLOSURE, PARKING: Kalakaua starting at the intersection with Ala Moana will be closed to motorists from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow for the parade. Parking on many nearby streets will be restricted for the parade and food festival at Kapiolani Park from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. For further information call 523-4385 for the city's Department of Customer Services. EYEGLASS DONATIONS: Used glasses will be collected in a 6-foot-tall pineapple-shape receptacle at the following locations: Kapiolani Park tomorrow, the convention center Wednesday and Thursday, and at the Taste of Honolulu Friday through Sunday on the grounds of City Hall. For locations of regular glasses drop-off points, call the Hawaii Lions District 50 office at 524-7025, Monday-Friday mornings. MORE INFO: For further information about convention events, contact the Hawaii Convention Center at 791-8880.