Excess carbon dioxide (Co2) is contributing to climate change. In 1 year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the amount of Co2 produced when you drive your car 26,000 miles.

A single tree can absorb as much as 48 pounds of carbon dioxide each year and produce enough oxygen to support two human beings. At maturity, the trees planted by Lions will be removing more than 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide and adding enough oxygen to the atmosphere to support almost 17 million people!

We Lions, at the MELC have decided to make it our yearly project to join hands with the 10,000 Trees for the Rouge. Over the past 24 years, 10,000 trees has reclaimed over 171 acres of fragile watershed lands and plant­ed over 168,000 trees. But we can’t do it without the energetic participation of everyone who comes out to plant.

In the spring of 2004, Markham Council approved an enhancement to the Adopt-a-Park program called Friends of a Park/Adopt-a-Park. It has been established as an environmental stewardship and public service program. This is an opportunity for volunteers to enhance their local park system by keeping the areas clean of debris and to be the Town’s eyes and ears through Park Watch. It is a way for environmentally-minded citizens to make a personal contribution to a more beautiful environment.

With this program, the Markham Elite Lions Club took the initiative and adopted Milliken Mills Park as their Park to go for cleaning.

Camp Kirk is a registered charity in Canada, known as Friends of the Learning Disabled, Camp Kirk. With neurodiversity youth and children in mind, have been empowering them with recreation programs since 1993.

The Lions of the Learning Disability Association of Ontario connected with a group of individuals dedicated to supporting the needs of children with learning disabilities. Sporting activities are a great way to nurture children with special needs and this group saw the benefit of partnering with us. The Lions Club’s Camp Kirk Foundation was established to develop and maintain the camp property, while Friends of the Learning Disabled, Camp Kirk was established to oversee the summer camp program. Camp Kirk was developed as a team effort between the two charities.

MELC took initiative to participate in the Camp Kirk activities to support the great cause.