District 36-R

Visit District R Facebook page at:  https://www.facebook.com/LionsMD36R/
(Secretaries, you and any other persons responsible for their digital media presence are encouraged to reach out to Lion Rod Taguchi to get their activities and fund raising events posted on the Facebook page. Even if you don't use Facebook for your club, the event can be posted.)

“June 2020 Issue”

     As I begin my last article as DG I am reminded of a quote of Albert Einstein “When you stop learning You start dying”. And boy do we have a lot to learn now and into the future. What is the new normal? Are you as tired of hearing that as I am?  Still, we need to pay attention. Things are changing every day and what the playground rules are today might not be the same tomorrow. Right now as I am writing this we know that Governor Brown has said no large group gatherings until after at least September 15th. Ouch no state fair!! My favorite place to go at the end of summer and before school starts. I love the vender sales pitches” but wait there’s more”. So, as everyone’s heads continue to spin, I continue to think about a quote from Sam Gleen’s book Attitude “To keep your attitude working for you, focus on what you can control when everything is out of control.

     So, what did we in District R control this year before we got slowed down by this mess? We attended the opening of Heartfelt House in Springfield. We secured an $11,000 E-prep grant for Central School District and an $800 grant for wood and materials for bird houses for the children who will attend Gales Creek Camp when it reopens. We tested over 50,000 students in District R schools. Our clubs helped students and adults get glasses and supported our Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation. Moneys were sent to LCIF for further assistance all over the world. We helped schools, communities, parks and the list goes on and on.

     But once we start moving again in our communities they will need our help more than ever, so once again “focus on what you can control when everything is out of control.” Remember it’s one day at a time and we are in this together. Tomorrow we will still be here, but we will have moved one more step forward.

DG Steve

“May 2020 Issue”

Here we are trying to understand what the new normal will be.  We know that everyone has been affected in some way by the covid-19 virus.  So, let’s start by reaching out to all of our club members and make sure they are safe and well (I have been reaching out to at least 5 friends a day).  Next as our clubs get ready to start up activities and projects again, we have some very big shoes to fill.  Every community in our district needs help with their food banks.  Hunger is huge and there are now more people than ever before reaching out for help.

Every community is going to be cancelling activities or they are going to be very rushed to make events happen. For example, my community cancelled our Memorial Day tribute to past pilots because the flag we give to families are unavailable from Washington DC as they are not putting flags up right now and don’t plan to start again until June.  We will all have to be very flexible and understanding.

May is Strengthen Membership Month.  As we sit at home, think of 3 people to call and contact about joining Lions. Invite them to a club project or meeting (membership could double THINK BIG).  Also, it’s time for club elections and new officers need to be reported on PU 101 to LCI. Please make certain that the info is also passed on to Leah so it can be put into the new directory. We also want to make sure that we have the correct meeting date, time and location.

And don’t forget a donation to LCIF before the end of this Lions year.  Just in the last year or so LCIF has given District R over $120,000 in grants and  with the covid-19 virus they are going to be giving out thousands of dollars all over the world.

And last, Stay Safe and Have Fun as we all get going again.

DG Steve

To all of the Great Lions of the State of Oregon as we start the month of April all kinds of things have changed. No Keep the Promise Breakfast for Eugene or Salem. We hope the MD 36 State Convention will go on as planned. Stay tuned. We all have hopes that our club meetings can get started back up again.

Service in our communities may need to be looked at as our food banks have been getting a lot of families coming in. So, they now will need our help more than they did during the holidays.

April is environmental month and with warmer weather starting, think about a possible community project as well as other groups in your community to partner with in that activity. Also think about your members who you haven’t seen for the last several weeks and reach out to them. Say Hi and make sure that they are ok.

Above all have fun and hope to see you soon.

DG STEVE

    My Fellow Lions, District R Convention’s is February 8, in Corvallis.  Late registration deadline is January 31!  Hopefully, you have registered or will go on the md36lionsclubs.org website and download the form if you haven’t registered already.  The incoming DGs are getting ready to go to training in Chicago, the State Convention on May 15-16 is just around the corner and we DG’s are or have finished our club visits.  Time is going by so quickly!  All of our clubs have so many great things going on.

     February is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.  Keep all these young ones in your thoughts and let’s work to change the 1 in 5 number of those that won’t survive to 1 in 10. What a great goal and we have so many places we can help! Anyone working on a grant idea talk to the DGs. Getting started is the hardest part.

     February and March are women membership months.   I gave everyone a card in those clubs that I have visited and asked them to write down 3 names of prospective members.  Let’s give those folks a call and see what we can do. It would be cool to be the first MD 36 District to be 50/50 men and women, number-wise.

     And we are starting to work on Keep the Promise Breakfast events for our Oregon Lion Sight and Hearing Foundation.  Also we continue to do school screenings across our district and across the state. What a great way to help our youth.  And like I continue to say “Have Fun.”

DG Steve

     My Fellow Lions, Wow!!!  It’s hard to believe that half of this Lions year is over.  And I hope that everyone has recovered from the holidays.  As I finish my club visits, we now begin convention season.  First, is our District R Convention in Corvallis on February 8 at the CH@M Hill building on the OSU campus.  Hope to see you there.  Our speaker will be International Director Steve Thornton and his wife Becky from Wooster Ohio. May 14-16 brings us to our MD 36 State Convention at 7 Feathers in Canyonville.  The Convention speaker will be Dr. Robert Littlefield and his wife Kathy.  Both locations have room blocks for Lions so if you are planning to attend and spend the night, make your reservations.  Also don’t forget your “AHA moment” of becoming a Lion and send them in to the DGs so we can pick our winner and pass it on the state convention where the overall winner will be decided and the Guiding lamp will be awarded.

     January is Hunger Awareness month.  Please don’t forget about your local Food Banks.  After the holiday they are often forgotten as everyone gets busy thinking about spring and summer activities ahead.

     As we are working on our final events of the year, please remember to consider a club donation in support of LCIF.  Campaign 100 is just half over in their efforts to raise 300 million dollars.  As a result of this campaign, there will be many grants available all the time.  Have your club work on a project, check the website and apply for a grant. We (MD 36R, Central Lions Club and Central SD 13J) are just getting ready to wrap up the $10,500.00 E-Prep Grant we got.  Watch for a story about this.

     We continue to do our school screening events it’s exciting to think that we in District R are on track to check over 50,000 children in our district.  And statewide we hope to check over 200,000 children this year.  As always, we need your help and support for this wonderful activity state wide.

     And Remember Have Fun.  DG Steve

     My fellow Lions as we begin this Christmas Season, I want to thank all of our Lions clubs out there that are involved in some type of activity supporting your local food banks during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season.  Please remember that in January and February there are often times our food banks run low of food as we are no longer thinking about the holidays.

     As of November 8, Lions in District R have conducted 85 school screening events and checked over 22,000 children’s vision.  Our referral rate continues to be about 10% for additional screening needs.  Just think about how many children we are helping. What a great service project this is. I also want to thank the several clubs that have done local screening events for adults in their communities.

     In December we will be having our 2nd meeting regarding the E-Prep Grant which we were able to obtain from LCIF to assist the Central School District.  We are doing a needs assessment, looking at what each school needs – i.e., bags with supplies in them. Also, we may need to standardize the containers and consider if larger tubs or containers will be useful in each school for additional needs.  Another component of this grant will be training offered to teachers, Lions and community members. Also, we found out that there is state money available for doing some safety drills in the spring to test our readiness on a local level.  Watch next month for more info and maybe a few pictures.

     On February 8, 2020, the District R Convention will take place in Corvallis with our speaker being International Director Steve Thornton and his wife Rebecca from Ohio. And May 14 – 16 will be the MD 36 Convention in Canyonville with the speaker being PID Robert Littlefield.  For both conventions don’t forget to write you’re AHA moment of when you felt in your heart you became a Lion.  Please send them to your District Governor so we can pick our winner and get them all ready for the book after the conventions.

     Lastly, as we are all very busy during this time of year, please take a moment and think did I check the smoke detector when we turned the clocks back?   Where did we put the fire extinguisher and is it still charged?   Do we need to stock up as we think about snow in the next couple of months?   Above all be safe, have fun and thank you for all you do as Lions.

DG Steve Moser

Happy November Oregon Lions

     November is Family and Diabetes Awareness Month.  As we look ahead to the holidays and I continue to make my club visits, I see and hear all of the great things that our clubs are doing for their communities and Lions Club International.  It is very heartwarming.  Our 2nd District Cabinet meeting will be in Yachats on November 2 and the COG meeting will be November 16 at 9845 SW Walnut Place in Tigard, OR.  Club officers and upcoming leaders, we hope to see you at these meetings and trainings.

     The District R Conference is just around the corner on February 8, 2020, in Corvallis.  I hope to see you there and hear more wonderful stories.  As we get ready for the conference, don’t forget that if your club has any schools that are doing the Peace Poster Contest the deadline is November 15 to get entries to myself or PDG John Hamstreet. That way we can get your winners judged and our entry forwarded for the MD 36 Convention in May.   Also, don’t forget to submit your entries for the awards contests at the District R Conference and the MD 36 Convention.

     We just received a grant to do Zone Chair Training.  LCI is coming out with a new training guideline so this is a chance to train next year’s upcoming leaders and zone chairs.  The planned date will be March 28, 2020.

     I am looking for an idea to submit for a diabetes grant which we could do with every club across the whole district late in the year maybe late April or May. If you have an idea, email me.  And as we are doing all of our projects and fundraisers don’t forget to tell your story to people you see and help and ask them to come and check out what it is that we do and remember to Have Fun!

     DG Steve

     The school year has just begun and vision screenings are underway. Already in just the first week we have checked over 1,000 children and we are just getting started.  It’s going to be a busy year with more screenings everywhere!!

     Just around the corner in November is Thanksgiving and I know that many clubs help the food banks in their communities. So, it’s time to begin planning for these projects.

     So much to do and remember everyone in your club wants to help.  Give them a call. What a Great Day to be a Lion Everyday!!

     In another issue of the Lions Magazine soon you will see a story about the Disaster Preparedness Grant that we are just finishing up.  Keep your eyes open.

DG Steve

Greetings Fellow Lions,

     WOW!!  As summer winds down and school starts all across the state, it’s fitting that September is Vision Awareness and Membership Growth Month.  As we begin screenings in our schools, just remember in Oregon we screened over 180,000 children last year (approximately 35% of the children in Oregon schools).  That includes almost 40,000 in District R and, with a referral rate of approximately 10% for additional screening, that is a lot of children who need our help.  During screening we run the spots, help get classes and organize the lines (play traffic cop), all to make the screenings process goes as efficiently as possible.  What a great process as “WE SERVE” our communities.  And next year as funding increases from the state we could be even busier as we begin hopefully screening even more children (possible as high as 70%).  That alone will really keep us busy.

     Remember Membership Awareness as you’re doing those school screenings.  Talk to the moms, dads, grandparents, teachers and administrators about Lions.  Make sure they know what we do for the community, state and LCIF.  Tell our story every time you can.  Invite them to another event or a club meeting.  Get their name and phone number so we can contact them again.

    On September 19-21 many of us will be going to the USA/CANADA Forum in Spokane Washington.  There is still time to sign up. It’s a great training event and close by. Hope to see you there.

     October 15 is White Cane Awareness Day.  A lot of work by Lion Mark Ritacco of the Lake Grove Lions has resulted in matching monies for anything up to $10,000 raised that day in support of our Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation.  PLEASE, PLEASE!!!, as a club consider a donation that day or hold an event in support of this cause for our Foundation.

     And don’t forget publicizing your club’s events. Send a flyer copy to PDG Tom Hilgers so we can get the information out via the Constant Contact Email.

     As this adventure continues during this year, I am impressed everyday with what our clubs are doing. Remember “We Serve Through Teamwork” is my motto for a reason.  Thank you all for everything you do for Lions.

DG Steve

Greetings to All District R Lions,

     As I start my club visits, I can’t tell you all how much I am looking forward to all of these visits.  What a great opportunity to learn about all the wonderful things everyone does in their communities.  For everyone to know, my theme is “We Serve Through Teamwork”.   And everyone on my team is there to help you at any time, just call.   If you need assistance in planning events you don’t need to reinvent the wheel, someone can help.  Think about asking other clubs to help with your events or reach out to other community groups like your local Boy Scout and Girl Scout groups.  Also don’t forget that your local high school has many clubs which also look for projects to do during the year.  And once you get your event planned don’t forget to send the info to PDG Tom Hilgers so that he can send it out on constant contact to all the club members we have on this network (close to 2,000).

     Our first cabinet meeting is coming up on August 24 from 9:00 -12:00 in Independence at the Baptist Church across from Central High School on Monmouth Street.  Hope to see all of the club officers there. Also, on the same day in the afternoon will be our first club officer training from 1:00 – 3:00.  All you club officers please plan to attend. This will be very informative and everyone is welcome.

     September will bring us to the USA/CANADA Forum in Spokane Washington.  This is a great training opportunity and very close travel-wise.  Plus, this brings us to the start of school in the fall which means that we will start school screenings for children all over the state.  Wow so much to do!!!.  Remember to have fun and how much everything we do helps.

     Once we get through the holidays, it will soon be February 8, 2020, and time for our convention in Corvallis.  It’s not too early to mark your calendar.  Thanks again for all that you do for Lions, for your community and worldwide.

DG Steve Moser

Fellow Lions,

     My year as Governor is nearly over.  There are so many good and long-lasting memories. I especially want to thank my fellow Governors, Phyllis, Bryan and Dan, my predecessor, Past District Governor, Tom, Council Chair Gail and the many others who have done so much to go “Beyond the Horizon”.  A special thanks to the Lions of District R who have stepped up this year to serve.  Without the folks “in the trenches,” no organization can be successful.

     It is important to note that I have a few more things to complete before June 30, perhaps the most important of which is to finish my club visitations.  No matter where Judy and I have traveled in the district, we have been most warmly welcomed.  Thank you. We recently returned from the Multiple District Convention in Seaside.  While there, we were able to connect with many Lions, some of whom we met during this Governor year, but many of whom have been long-standing friends.  I have said this before, but it bears repeating.  If you have yet to attend a District and/or Multiple District Convention, please put that on your bucket list.  Conferences allow us a chance to renew friendships, to learn more about our organization, to gather new ideas for use in our Clubs and to meet new Lions.

     One of the highlights of this year’s conference was the Young Lions panel.  It is so great to see the younger members of our district sharing their stories and their vision for our future.  I encourage all of us to reach out and talk to young people.  Try to get them involved in what your club does.  Remember, too, that we have campus clubs at both Oregon and Oregon State.  Maybe you know a family with a student at one of these campuses.  Reach out to them.  Encourage them to get those students involved with campus Lions.  Without them, we have no future.

     As you look forward to the future and the leadership of incoming Governor, Steve Moser, take a moment to contemplate how you can help Steve and our district continue to grow and prosper.  Thank you again for making this a special Lion year.

I had a unique experience (at least for me) this past week. I was invited to speak at the Springfield Rotary Club by one of my neighbors with whom I work at the University of Oregon track meets. I tried to give the Rotarians a bit of Oregon Lions history. Doing this made me think that maybe some of our own Lions might find a refresher helpful. Most of us know that there are four Districts (O,R,E,G) and that each District has a Governor and two Vice-District Governors, but do you know who they are? Our First Vice-District Governor is Steve Moser from the Central Lions Club and our Second Vice-District Governor is Linda Stent from the Florence-Siuslaw Lions Club (she is also our Cabinet Secretary). Brian Rangitsch from the Salem Downtown Club is our District Treasurer. For District R, PDG Bob Belmont serves as Region Chair. Serving as Zone Chairs in the regions are Dave Fitzgerald, Craig Urbani, Steve Moser, Lynn Coon, Henry Miller, Karen Norton, David O’Kelley, and Linda Stent. District R also has 30 District Committees (one of those, Opportunities for Youth, has five sub-committees). I share this with you for a couple of reasons: 1) to let you know how many Lions have answered the call to serve on these committees and 2) to give a shout-out to those Lions. Incoming District Governor Steve Moser will be reaching out to some of you come July and it is my hope that you will answer his call to serve. For our District to accomplish its goals, it takes all of us working together. I close this month’s column with the names of and a huge thank-you to those Lions who serve as committee chairs: Alert: Susan Gartland and Linda Stent; Awards, Honors and Contests: Jadie DeLille and Paula Hilgers; Camp Representative: Bruce Schnieber; Canine Services: Betty Levenhagen and Dale Howard; Conference Planning: Craig Urbani; Constitution & Bylaws: John Hamstreet; Credentials: Mary Fechtel; Diabetes Awareness: PCC Charlie Tate and Rod Taguchi; Environmental: Open; Finance & Budget: Brian Rangitsch; Global Action Team: DG Dale Bachman; Global Leadership Team: PCC Charlie Tate; Global Membership Team: PDG Chuck Blanchard; Global Service Team: PDG Tom Hilgers; Hearing Preservation: Open; International Participation: PCC’s Rod Bach and Charlie Tate; International Understanding: PID Ed Gear; Internet Technology: Rod Taguchi; LCIF: PCC Rod Bach; Lions Centennial: PDG Darrell Scott; Lions Heart: Open; Opportunities for Youth: [Leos (Open); Peace Poster (PDG John Hamstreet); Scouting (Matt Matthews); S.M.A.R.T. (PDG Holly Sparks); Youth Exchange (Open)]; Oregon Lion Magazine: PID Ed Gear; Earth Angels: PDG Tom Hilgers; PDG Association: PDG Holly Sparks; Policy Manual: PDG Tom Hilgers; Protocol/Parliamentarian: Craig Urbani; Public Relations: PDG Judy Kauffman; Sight Preservation: Larry Barnett; Tail Twister: Chuck Cook; USA/Canada Leadership Forum: PDG Chuck Blanchard. Our motto is “We Serve” and these Lions go beyond the call to do just that. Thank you all for doing what you do.

     When I awoke earlier this week and discovered that Mother Nature had dropped nearly a foot of snow on my Springfield neighborhood during the night, I thought I may be dreaming.  Was I back in Northern Idaho?  Waking up to snow during the winter months there was expected.  Here, not so much. Judy and I were fortunate to be inside where it was warm and where we had food.  So many do not have these things.  We especially thought of the people who often have neither food nor shelter.

     The Egan Warming Centers in the Eugene/Springfield area provide food and shelter. Lions, like our own Patty Harrison, volunteer at these shelters, cooking hot meals, washing dishes and providing support for those seeking shelter.  I know there are Lions all over the Northwest who answer the call to serve during these trying times.  It is times such as these where Lions shine the brightest.  Clubs all over the world and, in this case, all over our area, do what they can to help those less fortunate.

     I would also like to give a shout out to DG Phyllis Carlin.  Her District Conference had to be postponed due to the weather, but she immediately began making plans.  Her conference is now being held on the 19th and 20th of April, should any of you plan to attend.  DG Phyllis and her team do a great job of planning, so this should be a fun event.

     In my last Governor column, I asked clubs to send me a list of the service projects with which their clubs were involved.  This time I am asking you to send me an e-mail or a text telling me what your club (or you, personally) did during these inclement weather days.  It will be nice to let other Lions know the types of service that our clubs provide.

     Some reminders: Two Keep the Promise Events: April 10 in Eugene and April 24 in Salem, which is also the day for Lions Day at the Capitol.  Lions planning to attend should meet in Room 162 in the Capitol building at 9:30 a.m.  It may be possible for you to schedule a meeting with your local Congressman.  Please put in a good word for our projects like School Vision Screenings and the Diabetes Awareness campaign. Encourage their support of all Lions-sponsored programs and legislation.  Please do not forget to thank them for their support as well.

     The Northwest Lions Leadership Institute is being held in Keizer April 25 through 28.  This is great training for our incoming club officers and district leaders.  You can obtain more information about this on the Oregon Lions website.

     May 3-4 is the Multiple District Convention in Seaside.  If you have never been to an MD Convention, this would be a great time to start.  Seaside loves to host conferences and there is a lot to do there when you are not attending sessions at the convention.  I look forward to talking with some of you there.

     Keep up the good work, Lions of District 36R.

Fellow Lions,

     The District R Annual Conference is now behind us and I thank the more than 150 who attended. Those in attendance had a good time, enjoyed the visit by International Director Ardie Klemish and her husband, Ken, and were treated to some informative and educational seminars. Special thanks to Craig and Cecelia Urbani, PDG Tom and Paula Hilgers and Linda Stent. These five did the “Lions” share of getting ready for our Conference: securing the hotel, setting up the Friday night dinner, procuring the speakers for the breakout sessions and preparing the decorations. Thanks also to Roger Wylie, Rod Taguchi and Henry Miller for all they did to make sure everything ran smoothly.

     On Friday, ID Ardie and Ken, DG Dale and wife, Judy, PDG Tom Hilgers and PID Sunny Pulley met PID Ed Gear for a guided tour of the Heartfelt Guest House being constructed near RiverBend Hospital. This is going to be a gem for the families of children in the neonatal care unit or for patients in extended care at RiverBend. Lions should be proud of their contributions to this great project. ID Ardie and Ken were impressed, not only with the work that Lions are doing in our community, but also by Oregon’s hills, vineyards and mountains.

     At Saturday’s Conference, ID Ardie gave us an update on LCI, led a session on Leadership, and gave the keynote address. Presidential Certificates from Gudrun Yngvadottir were presented by ID Klemish to 1VDG Steve Moser (Central), 2VDG Linda Stent (Florence-Siuslaw), Lynn Coon (Junction City) and Patty Harrison (Springfield). PID Ed Gear gave us an update on the Heartfelt Guest House, Shirley Keeton led a session on the American Red Cross Alert program, and Dr. Joseph Youssef led one on “The Diabetes Dilemma.”

     At lunch, our Peace Poster winner, Mina Gregg, sponsored by the South Salem Lions, gave a nice thank-you speech. Doug Thompson, OLSHF Executive Director, gave a “State of the Organization” address. Kelly Asbra and Katie Warren updated us on the L.E.A.P. Lab. Following lunch and the Parade of Checks (we raised over $16,000), PCC Rod Bach updated us on Campaign 100. Afternoon sessions included Betty Levenhagen on Canine Services, Jim Jaggers on “Social and Emotional Learning through Lions Quest” , and Carrie Bartley on how meetings can be fun! Karen Norton gave attendees a primer on Honor Flight and what we can do to help. Ted Carlin let us know how we can “Make MD36 Environmentally Green.” I am so thankful to each of these fine Lions.

     While Lions were enjoying the displays and sessions or having a picture taken at the photo booth, Lions Patty Harrison, Linda Stent and several others, including ID Ardie, Jadie DeLille, Kelly Tharp and Ginger Howard, were busy placing donated toiletries and hygiene products into bags that will be distributed by the Corvallis Lions Club. Kudos, to these Lions, and to all who donated.

     Thanks also to you Lions of District R who attended the Conference. Some upcoming dates to keep in mind: April 10 – OLSHF Keep the Promise breakfast in Eugene; April 24 – OLSHF Keep the Promise and Lions Day at the Capitol. Also, Oregon District Governors Dan Wolf (O) February 23 in Hillsboro, Phyllis Carlin (G) March 1-2 in Madras, and Bryan Longland (E) March 15-16 in Bandon, cordially invite you to attend their respective conferences. Registration forms can be found in your Oregon Lion magazine or on-line.

Fellow Lions,

     Did you attend the District R Conference in Corvallis on February 2?  If you did attend, hopefully you filled out the evaluation form.  Your suggestions will be used to make next year’s conference even better.  

     I want to remind you of the focus areas for this 2019 year: vision, hunger, environment, diabetes and childhood cancer.  I would love to hear about anything your club is doing along these lines.  Clubs should also continue to focus on family, neighborhood, community and individuals, as we strive to expand our membership, develop leadership and provide service.  I am proud of the work that our clubs do, and encourage you to report what you do, so other Lions can share your successes.  

     I am well on the way of meeting my goal of visiting all District R clubs before my term is over.  If I am not scheduled to visit your club, please contact me so we can set a date.  I am also still interested in hearing about the projects you have planned for 2019.  Please send me an e-mail or text with a list of projects with which your club is involved.  I like to share those ideas with other Lions.  

     Did you happen to read PDG Rod Bach’s comments about service projects?  Here is an excerpt from him: “Some Lions were lamenting the fact that their Club “only” did things like “a food drive now and then, screen school kids for possible vision problems, and do a free meal for seniors and other projects.  They said they had nothing to report.  WOW, this is what we’re about; let’s tell others.”  I would echo PDG Rod’s suggestion that we (Lion leaders) “encourage the Clubs in our area/zone/region to report their ongoing activities.  Let’s try and get the number of clubs reporting their activities up to 75% for each District.”  

     Speaking of reporting activities, our member focus in February is Women.  Please let me know of any activities that focus on and/or involve the women in your club.  I hope to acknowledge these in my March column.  

     As always, I am hoping to hear from you regarding any ideas you have for enhancing our visibility in our communities, any exciting things going on with your club, and anything in the near future.  Let’s work together to create some excitement in District R, and to really make 2019 a truly great Year of the Lion!

     I begin with a reminder that our District R Convention is just around the corner. Please register for the February 2, 2019, conference at the Alumni Center on the Oregon State University Campus. It would be wonderful to have representatives from each of our 36R clubs there to welcome our guest, International Director Ardie Klemish from Iowa. I hope to see you there.

     As we enter 2019, I find myself reflecting on how many of us felt nearly twenty years ago when we were warned of the potential dire consequences from “Y2K.” We were encouraged to stock up on supplies and to prepare our homes and ourselves for the worst. Was this not akin to what many families had done in preparation for the nuclear disaster that was sure to come following the end of World War II? After all, we had used the atomic weapons to bring an end to the war and there was little reason to think that other nations would not follow in our nation’s footsteps.

     As we enter 2019, we can be so very thankful that those prognostications were not correct. As Lions, we can look forward to 2019 with a renewed energy to continue the work in our communities. As I visit the clubs in District 36R, I continue to be impressed with the great work being done. Lions of Oregon help at homeless shelters, they gather food for the hungry, they stock food panties, they run errands for homebound…in short, they do whatever it takes to help their neighborhoods and communities have a more healthful and happy experience.

     I encourage you to consider what you have: take some time to give those family members an extra hug; take some time to contemplate how you can make 2019 special, not just for your family, your neighborhood, and your community, but for you individually. Let’s all work together to make this a year to remember, and to make it something special for our Lion communities. Thanks to all of you for what you do to live the motto of Lions: “We Serve.” Happy New Year.

Fellow Lions,

     Thanksgiving Day celebrations have passed, but the time for giving will always be with us. The District Governors have a new challenge. Please bring to the District R Convention in February used purses filled with feminine hygiene products, with one of the purses specifically decorated to reflect ID President Gudrun’s theme of “Beyond the Horizon.” Each District will have a winner that will go on to the MD36 Convention. The purpose is to provide support to homeless women and children.

     We have much for which to be thankful: a warm place to sleep at night, good food for the table, friends and family with whom to share the holidays, plus recreation and travel opportunities, things which those less fortunate do not have. Recently, the Springfield Lions participated in the KVAL television station’s annual “Take A Bite Out of Hunger” event. I was so impressed with the outpouring of support from our communities. KVAL had several tables stacked high with canned goods and other non-perishable items that will be used by agencies such as Food for Lane County. We truly are “Proud to be Lions” and proud to be part of such giving communities that we serve.

     In keeping with the service theme, I have asked clubs in my district to share with me some of the projects in which they participate. It really is heartwarming to see how much our Lions do. Following is a sampling: educating pre-school children about gardening; growing and eating nutritious foods; assisting with Halloween safety training for pre-school kids; serving hot meals to the homeless; volunteering at Gales Creek and Taloali Camps; crocheting chemo caps for children at Doernbecher Hospital; planting trees at Minto Brown park; providing birthday parties for children at homeless shelters; Salvation Army bell-ringers; financial support for Gales Creek Camp, Camp Taloali, S.M.A.R.T. programs; Flags for First Graders; donations to Wake the World; working at Egan Warming Centers; working at churches that serve meals to the homeless and, of course, collection of glasses and hearing aids. Please continue to send me a list of your service projects. I want to publicize what you are doing.

     The Giving Trees are up at the Valley River Center. These are Christmas trees that, instead of ornaments, are hung with tags. Each of these tags contains the name of an individual (all age groups) in need. The tag tells what is needed. The person taking the tag purchases the item(s) for return to the VRC. Each year, I am reminded of how this event emulates what Lions do each month of the year. We truly are an organization that prides itself on meeting the motto of “We Serve.” Thank you to all Lions for being such a positive influence in the communities you serve. May all of you have a most wonderful holiday season.  Keep up the good work as we enter 2019.

Fellow Lions:

     The membership focus for the month of November is Family and Diabetes Awareness. Plan a Club activity that focuses on these areas. Visit fightdiabetes.lionsclubs.org for more information. You will also have a chance to win a Fit Bit!

     There are so many great things going on around the world that have the Lion imprint on them that sometimes we forget to look closer to home. For example, how many of you in the Eugene/Springfield area have had the opportunity to drive behind the Riverbend Hospital to see the progress being made on the Heartfelt Guest House?! This is a project that has PID Ed Gear’s imprint on it, one he has been promoting for quite some time. It is special to see the progress and to know that soon it will be “up and running.” Thank you, Lion Ed.

     Recently, the MD Global Action Team (GAT) held a meeting in Bandon. This great group of Lions, under the leadership of Council Chair Gail Black, is taking on the challenges forwarded by International President Gudrun. Your MD36 Governors: Lion Dan Wolf from District O, Lion Bryan Longland from District E, Lion Phyllis Carlin from District G and myself from District R, all want to make an impact during our Governor year. I would love to hear from you about projects of which your club is especially proud and about service activities you have performed this fiscal year. The Springfield Lions and the Springfield Mohawk Lions (under the leadership of Lion Jordan Ryder of the Eugene Bethel Club), are currently helping screen students in all Springfield School District Middle and Elementary Schools. The Springfield Lions Club recently did highway cleanup and members are preparing to have a booth at the Lane County Home Show under the direction of Lions Dale and Ginger Howard (who are, incidentally, relatively new members of our club, having transferred from a club in Nevada). Lion Dale H. also offers information from the Lions website. Check out this one as an example: http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/newsmedia/videos/download.php?id=gFe3

     Another project we are promoting with the help of Lion PDG John Hamstreet is the Peace Poster contest. Several teachers in the Springfield School District plan to get involved with this. Be on the lookout at the District R Convention for some samples. The District R Convention is Saturday, February 2, 2019, at the Oregon State University Alumni Center in Corvallis. Lion Craig Urbani, PDG Tom Hilgers and 2nd VDG Linda Stent are helping to coordinate this event. Our guests will be ID Ardie Klemish and her husband, PDG Ken from Iowa. I look forward to seeing many of you in Corvallis. It should be a fun and educational time. If you have ideas/suggestions for our district, please do not hesitate to contact me. Proud to be a Lion.

 DG Dale Bachman, bachmandale1@gmail.com

     By the time you read this article the 2018-2019 school year will have begun, the fall sports’ seasons will be underway and the new Lion year will begin its fourth month. How time flies. I would like to give a shout-out to Lion Jordan Ryder the Lion responsible for setting up all the vision screenings in the Eugene/Springfield area. If you have never participated in a vision screening event, I strongly urge you to consider doing so. Each year the screenings reveal at least one, and many times, several students who need eye care. And, as all of you reading this know, the parents of many of these students cannot afford the glasses their child needs. This is yet another area where we get to practice our motto of “We Serve.” Kudos also to OLSHF and their Eye Promise retail shop. Lions are now able to access quality glasses at a reasonable price. Should your Club have an arrangement with a local vendor, take advantage but if not, please contact the Foundation about its Eye Promise Optical shop. PCC Rod Bach and PDG Tom Hilgers sent out an e-mail to Lions asking that we consider sharing your vision awareness activities with other Lions around MD36. To do this just send a brief description of what your club did with pictures, if possible, to: rodbach@gmail.com or thilgers@comcast.net.  And, as they conclude, “don’t forget to ask your club secretary to report your activities in the MyLCI reporting module.” You can get these updates from Lions Tom and Rod by subscribing to Constant Contact.

     Just a reminder that Tuesday, November 14, is World Diabetes Day. Let’s all join the fight against diabetes in our local communities. Another date for your calendar is April 24, 2019, “Lions Day at the Capitol.”  The more Lions we can get to Salem on that day, the more influence we can have.

     I give shout-outs to Lion Jadie Delille Wright for her attendance at the Emerging Lions Leadership Institute (ELLI), and to PDG Tom Hilgers for organizing the 2019 Convention in Corvallis. If you have ideas for the breakout sessions, please contact me. In closing (to steal a line from PCC Rod Bach): “It’s a great day to be a Lion!”

Fellow Lions,

     Last year my wife, Judy, and I attended the 100th International Convention in Chicago, close to the site of the 1917 Convention, where Helen Keller challenged Lions to be “Knights of the Blind.” We certainly enjoyed that experience, so were looking forward to this year’s 101st Convention in Las Vegas, which began with four days of district governor training, led by our own PID Sunny Pulley. Conveniently, the Oregon delegation was housed in the same hotel as the convention: the MGM Grand, and it truly was “Grand,” as were the keynote speakers. Nadia Comaneci spoke on preparation, training, focus and goals – all things that helped her accomplish her goals as an Olympic gymnast. We also heard Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN and winner of several Emmy awards. Our final speaker was former U.S. President George W. Bush. All speakers were positive and delivered meaningful messages.

     A focus of the 2018 Convention was “The Power of We,” the theme for outgoing President, Dr. Naresh AggarwaI. My three fellow Oregon Governors (Dan Wolf – O; Brian Longland – E, and Phyllis Carlin – G) and I accept that challenge to do more to increase the “we” as in “We Serve.”

     All incoming district governors (representing over 200 countries) were inducted at the convention by our International President, Gudrun Yngvadottir, from Iceland, who is the first ever female International President. It was a pleasure to meet her husband, Jon, and her. Gudrun’s motto for her year as President is “Beyond the Horizon.” She is challenging all of us to reach beyond our normal comfort zone to reach out and touch others in our communities with our service.

     Now that we are home, it is time to focus on our Lion Year. I encourage your input and feedback. Feel free to call, text, or e-mail me at any time (my contact information is listed below). I will do my very best to respond in a timely fashion.  One of my first tasks will be to assure that training opportunities are set up for new and existing zone chairs, region chairs and club officers. I would like to work with club officers to determine how best to serve our members. I also want to continue projects already established, such as school vision screenings, help for the homeless, food banks and other community-oriented service programs. We must never lose sight of our own motto: We Serve!

     New member orientations for each of the zones is another one of my goals. Of course, for that to happen, we need some new members! I am asking each of you to do what you can to bring in a new member. Remember a few years ago, when many of us were given pins stating, “Ask One”? That is a great way to start. I’m sure each of us can think of at least one person to ask! Do you have some ideas about how we can bring in more new members? Please share those with your club officers and with me. Can we increase the number of women members, and just as importantly, get more women involved in District 36R leadership? Check out the lionsclub.org/NewVoices on the LCI website. Let me know if you have ideas of how Oregon Lions can get “New Voices.”

If you have additional ideas for this fiscal year, please let me know. I am available by phone or text (541-953-0990), e-mail (bachmandale1@gmail.com) and by regular mail (P.O. Box 625, Springfield 97477). I look forward to working with you this year.

     When did you decide to become a Lion? Who or what prompted you to make that decision? Was it a friend, a neighbor, a colleague at work, a family member…”? For those who have been Lions for oh-so-many years, do you remember back to that time when you first became a Lion? If so, it would be great if you shared your Lions journey with the other members of your club. I am going to devote my first article as a District Governor to telling you a little about my own Lion journey.

     My Lions journey started in 1967, but if you look at the records for Oregon Lions, it will show that I did not become a Lion until the mid-‘90s. What happened? In 1967 I was a teacher in a small town in Washington and it was pretty much expected that new teachers join the town’s Lions Club. I joined and was an OK member for my time in that small town. I say OK member instead of great member, because I was a teacher and a coach and had limited time to devote to Lions activities. When I left that job after four years to take a job in another state, I did not pursue finding a club in my new environment. I was still a teacher and a coach and felt that I could not afford the time to be a Lion.

     In 1980, I moved to an Oregon town that had an active Lions Club (it still does), but I did not consider joining. I thought I was too busy teaching and coaching. Also, the club held their meetings at noon and since it was not possible for me to attend the meetings, I did not want to be a member in name only.

     Fast forward to 1991. I took a job in Springfield as a school administrator. My principal, who was both a Rotarian and a Lion, and who was, consequently, out of the building during lunchtime two days a week, knew he should be in the building during lunchtime. He also wanted to stay in Rotary (I know, why not Lions?). Anyway, he asked me if I would consider taking his place in the Lions Club. That way he could be out of the building during lunchtime one day, and I could be out of the building during lunchtime the other day. I said yes, and that is how I became a Springfield Lion.

     However, soon after, that principal left the school and the new principal felt it important that all administrators be in the building during lunchtime. So, I paid my Lions Club dues, attended service projects when I could, but was not a “good” Lion. Truth be told, I did not become a good Lion in the sense of attending meetings and helping with Club activities until I retired.

     Why am I choosing to tell you this in my first Lions of Oregon column? It is because I want you to think about your own Lions journey. Has it been a good one? Have you had other Lions there to help you when the need arose? Have you been, like I once was, a Lion “in name only”?

     My challenge to all of us (yes, I’m including myself) is to devote this next Lions’ year to becoming the very best Lions we can be. We can all do more to not only help our own club, but to also help our communities and those around the world less fortunate than ourselves. I remember a phrase that came from the Peace Corps movement back in mid or late ‘60s: “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” How about all of us striving to be part of the solution – whatever that may be for your club, instead of being part of the problem – whatever that may be! Hopefully together we can make this a most memorable year in Lionism.

     I have spent a good share of this 2017-18 Lions year preaching to readers of my column in the Oregon Lion magazine about an assortment of Lions-related topics.  Now, with the year winding down, I would like to take time to thank you, the Lions of District 36-R, reflect on some of our successes and failures and consider prospects for the future.

     On the membership front, although we did not add any new clubs this year, we have flirted with the possibility of showing a gain in membership in the District for the first time in eight years.  As of this writing, that doesn’t appear to be likely.  The loss of one club and the possibility of additional drops prior to the next dues billing will more than likely offset any gains we might see in the next six weeks.  However, I’m hopeful that improved interaction between our Global Membership Team and our clubs will establish a foundation for regular gains in the future.

     Leadership continues to be a major challenge in our District.  Developing club and District excellence is one of the four goals of the LCI Forward plan, and strong leadership is the only way to make that happen.  We need more Lions to step up to lead at both the club and District level.  In order to make this happen, we must identify leaders, motivate them, and make training more readily accessible to them.

     I have nothing but admiration and praise for the service work being done by our Lions clubs.  One of the most outstanding parts of the job as District Governor is getting to visit the clubs in the District and learning about the services they are performing in their local communities and beyond.  While I’m sure there are ways to improve upon our service as Lions, for now, I simply want to thank you Lions for all you do.  You improve your communities and the lives of the people in them by virtue of the services you provide.

     The future of our District is promising.  The work of our DG teams the last two years has provided a framework and continuity for our efforts to grow Lions in the coming years.  That, in combination with strong leadership moving up the chairs and the new goals and fresh ideas they bring to the cause, should result in a bright future.

     No one steps up to serve as District Governor without the help and support of others.  My employer and co-workers allowed me time away from work and covered for me when needed, so I could visit clubs and attend conventions.  I owe them a debt of gratitude.  Likewise, my wife, Paula, who enthusiastically supported my decision to serve, helped me anyway she could every step of the way.  She also was my first new member of the 2017-18 Lions year.

     I would like to acknowledge and thank the Lion leaders who spent so much time and effort in preparing my fellow District Governors and me for this job.  Your patience and commitment have not gone unnoticed.  The training you offered and the experience you shared went a long way toward any successes we had this year.

     Finally, I would like to thank my fellow District Governors, Council Chair Brad, and Vice Chair Judith for the friendship and cooperation I have enjoyed as a result of being part of our team.  As a wise person once observed, “sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.”  The luck of the draw was certainly with me when I became part of this year’s team.

As Lions, it’s important that we remember that the skills our members bring to our organization and to our mission of service are as varied as they are numerous.  No two people are the same.  Our abilities, attitudes and preferences differ from person to person and to expect every Lion to function in the same way and produce the same results that others do is as futile as it is unfair to the Lion volunteer. Good Lion leaders understand this instinctively and they explore ways to utilize the strengths of their volunteers while being considerate of their personal needs and comfort levels.

Hands-on service to others is a case in point.  Not all Lions are comfortable performing hands-on service with strangers at the outset.  Language barriers, the fear of making mistakes and perceived personal shortcomings can not only make the process of providing assistance to others difficult, but, in some cases, can prevent people from stepping up to serve in the first place.  Without a certain amount of help, personal limitations will, in most cases, trump guarantees of success and promises of rewards to be garnered from being part of helping people in need.  Our comfort zone is a powerful driving force which can override all other considerations if we fail to respect it.

My point here is that we need to be aware of this heading into an activity.  Find out what your volunteers would like to do and what, if anything, they would prefer not to do. If your staffing permits it, allow them to do what they feel comfortable doing.  Short of that, ease them into their assigned position and spend extra time with them until you are satisfied that they are satisfied with the duties of their assignment.  A little planning and consideration here will go a long way toward a successful team effort which produces successful results.

The good news here is that Lions, for the most part, are pretty understanding and forgiving people.  We do, however, have some “driven” members who have their own ideas on how to do things and what constitutes success.  Success, now and in the future, depends on our ability to understand and utilize the talents of all our people.  One of the four goals of the LCI Forward Plan is improving the value of membership in the Lions.  Consideration for our members and recognition of the value of their contributions to everything we do goes a long way toward enhancing the value of their membership in the Lions.

 “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” Those words of wisdom come to us from R. Buckminster Fuller, American architect and futurist, and although he intended that they be applied to complex business and physical systems, they, nonetheless, can be of value in evaluating any process or operation, including Lions clubs.

Two important elements are contained in the statement. First, a model is necessary in order to get the most out of an operation. The model makes it possible to achieve the best possible results by providing structure and procedures for the operation. Second, the model must be adaptable to reality, to the way things are. The model is of no value unless it takes into account the real-world situation in which it will be applied. Remove either of these considerations and the operation will not be as successful as it could be.

For as long as I have been a Lion, Lions Clubs International (LCI) has offered a model to guide our clubs through their day-to-day operations. The model is a plan which incorporates regular club meetings, business meetings, functioning committees, and successional leadership. This model facilitates smooth club operations and provides stability by making Lions part of the members’ routines and changing up the leadership of the club over time. The end purpose is, of course, ongoing service to the community.

So, what happens when circumstances begin to make the model less functional and more cumbersome? The loss of members, change in meeting place, changing times and changing community needs can challenge even the best of club leaders by making the model less workable. What clubs choose to do at this point can make or break them. Unfortunately, too often of late, some clubs have been opting to cite problems with elements contained in the model as reason for closing their doors, thereby abandoning their communities.

Instead of quitting and shutting down all options for the future, I would hope that clubs might, instead, consider addressing the specific issues that are causing them problems. If the meeting schedule or location is a problem, change it. If projects demand more money or effort than the club can give, scale things back. Fundraising tends to be more time and labor intensive than service projects, so curtail fundraising, if necessary, and focus on service. Make changes which will allow your club to continue serving your community – even if at a reduced level – rather than surrendering your charter. In short, change the model to fit your membership and your situation to ensure that you continue to fulfill the Lions vision statement in your little corner of the world now and in the future.

     On Saturday, February 3rd, the Lions of District 36-R met at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis for their annual Convention. The purpose of the meeting was to elect district officers for the coming year, share information about Lions and non-Lions topics, and learn about service and fundraising opportunities available to our clubs.

     This year we were honored to have truly international guests joining us. International Director Nicolin Carol Moore and her husband, Rudy, came all the way from the nation of Trinidad and Tobago to be with us. Director Moore’s visit was made possible by Trinidad and Tobago’s addition to LCI Constitutional Area 1 two years ago and how fortunate we were to have had that happen. ID Nicolin and Rudy are the warmest, most fun-loving people that you can imagine and ID Nicolin brought a wealth of knowledge and understanding about Lions and service to share with us. She spoke eloquently about the opportunity to serve as Lions leaders and the challenges we Lions face beginning our second century of service. Thank you, Nicolin and Rudy, for adding immeasurably to the fun, fellowship and information which were so much a part of this Conference.

     New to this year’s Conference was a photo set at which attendees could take individual and group photos to commemorate their attendance at the event. ID Nicolin and Rudy Moore graciously agreed to pose with Lions and clubs in attendance. The photos will make great additions to club newsletters and scrapbooks and we will have an easily recognizable photo record of the 2018 Convention in the years ahead.

     The traditional basket raffle saw excellent participation again this year.  Ticket sales totaled $1,000, with $800 of the proceeds going to Camp Taloali for deaf and hearing-impaired children. Peace poster contest winner Emma Diehm was recognized during the luncheon and received a $100 award for her winning entry. There were forums offered which informed attendees about developments in all five areas of service comprised in LCI’s new service framework. And finally, club pride was on display with entries of story boards, newsletters, scrapbooks, websites, and FaceBook pages vying for the opportunity to be judged against entries from other Districts at the MD36 convention in May.

     Congratulations to DG-Elect Dale Bachman and 1st VDG-Elect Steve Moser. Your election to lead the District through the next two Lions years is an honor. We are fortunate to have you as Lions leaders and your willingness to serve the Lions of District 36-R is appreciated.

     Perhaps most importantly, I need to express my heartfelt thanks to the 36-R Convention Planning Committee members who worked so hard to put this event together and make it run smoothly. I can’t name you all here, but you know who you are. I would be hard-pressed to repay you for your efforts, so a thank you will have to suffice, at least for now.

         I learned early on in my membership in the Lions that club members in our organization love the community service work we do.  Whether you are talking sight and hearing, diabetes awareness, aid to the young or the elderly or any of the myriad of other charitable activities our members and clubs are involved in, Lions speak with pride and affection about the accomplishments of their own clubs and our association in general.  We are, for the most part, quick to adopt, support and participate in any project presented to us which can be shown to be of benefit to people less fortunate than we are, a wonderful thing, to be sure.

         And then, the subject of membership is brought into the conversation.  Almost immediately, discussion falls off, eye contact is broken and the enthusiasm is dampened.  Nothing kills a good time faster than the suggestion that there is an administrative side to our charitable activities.  Unfortunately, it’s true.  Much as we hate to talk about it, our community service is only possible because of the efforts of people who volunteer their time as Lions.

         Just over six months into the second half of this 2017-18 Lions year, there is good news and bad news on the District 36-R membership front.  The bad news is that our membership is down for the year to date.  The good news is that, as of this writing, we are only minus two members, a very workable number which can be turned into membership growth with just a little more effort from our District and club leaders.

         Our best opportunity for growth would be the addition of new Lions clubs, which would increase our membership by at least twenty for each new club added.  Although nothing is in the works now in the area of extension, there is still time to accomplish this during this Lions year.  We have several areas which used to be home to Lions clubs in the past and re-establishing clubs in those locations would ease the burden on existing clubs now stretched thin by meeting the needs of people in those areas.

         Short of the formation of new clubs, we can still turn things around by recruiting new members and retaining current members in our existing clubs.  We have always done an adequate job of recruiting members.  Unfortunately, we fail badly in retaining members.  With just a bit more diligence on the part of our club officers, we can begin addressing this failure.  Be proactive by staying on top of your club’s dues receivable.  Contact members who have not “re-upped” and find out why their dues have not been paid and why they are not participating.  Make every effort to salvage every member.  The worst thing you can do is nothing.  Remember, your members are your most valuable resource in the effort to improve the lives of people in your communities now and in the future.

During some of my official club visits and unofficial attendance at club Christmas activities, I was able to renew old acquaintances with Lions I had not seen in quite a few years.  Sounds great, doesn’t it? Well, yes and no. While it was very nice seeing old friends again, I was struck by the fact that, in some cases, they didn’t remember me.  We’re all getting older, myself included, and that, combined with my having lost weight since I last saw them, can explain a lot of it. That being said, I keep coming back to one key point that can’t be overlooked. Had we been seeing one another, even occasionally, during the last fifteen to twenty years, any changes in our appearance wouldn’t have seemed so extreme. We would simply have changed together and adjusted to our changing appearance with each meeting.

So where am I going with this? Our opportunities to meet and interact as Lions have fallen off drastically in recent years. We used to have as many as four working regional committees around the District which met monthly to enhance our impact in the areas of membership, sight and hearing, diabetes awareness, and positive youth development.  Club committee chairs used to be expected to represent their clubs at those meetings.  Likewise, District Governor Advisory Committee meetings - a.k.a. Zone meetings - were held four times during the year. Club officers, as members of the Advisory committee, were expected to attend those meetings. Add to the aforementioned regular meetings occasional officer training sessions, membership orientations, conferences, and conventions meant there were numerous opportunities to step out beyond club level to visit with and learn from your fellow Lions from other clubs.

The regional committees are gone. So, unfortunately, are most Zone meetings.  Both scenarios fell victim to the “too many meetings” mentality. The other opportunities still exist, though probably not as often as in the past. The end result is that Lions and Lions clubs no longer benefit from interaction with other Lions and Lions clubs.  Phrased differently, what results is Lions and Lions clubs which choose to “stew in their own juices”.

The benefits of participation activity beyond club level can’t be overstated. Seeing what other clubs do and how they do it might well be the single most important factor in improving club excellence, one of the four prime goals of the LCI Forward plan.  Revitalizing your club visitation program is a great starting point. Seeing how other clubs function in their general club meetings will energize you and provide fresh ideas on how to improve your club. It will also produce fellowship with other Lions who share your belief in community service.

As I said, the alternative is to continue to “stew in your own juices”. Wiktionary offers the following idiomatic definition of “stew in your own juices”: “To be alone and self-absorbed in an uncomfortable state of mind, especially while experiencing the unpleasant effects of one’s own actions”. If that doesn’t scare you into stepping out beyond your club, nothing will.

My previous four articles for the Oregon Lion have focused on some of the larger issues, goals and challenges facing the Lions as we begin our second century of service.  It’s time now to devote some attention to the Lions and Lions clubs that I have had the opportunity to visit and to acknowledge their accomplishments. To date, I have visited seventeen clubs around the District, and these visits have served to educate me about the amazing community service being performed by our Lions clubs, past and present.

All of our clubs are active in local sight and hearing assistance and most have done vision screening of children in one or more of their local schools. Most clubs have cleaned local highways, cemeteries and parks as part of their ongoing commitment to the environment. Food collections for local food banks and purchasing, preparing, and donating meals for local residents are frequently reported. Dimes for Diabetes fund- raising and support for Gales Creek Camp and campers are ongoing projects for a number of clubs. A few clubs are even ahead of the curve in the new emphasis on pediatric cancer with contributions to St. Jude and Shriners hospitals being reported. These projects all fall within Lions Club International’s new service framework, which shouldn’t be surprising, since Lions from all over the world chose the five areas of emphasis via the survey by conducted by LCI.

There is also lots of service being done by Lions outside the new service framework. Honor Flight has benefitted from Lions fundraising events in recent years.  Days for Girls came on the scene two years ago, and at least one of our clubs has made that charity part of its ongoing commitment to service. A number of our clubs have made assistance to foster children part of their service, a badly needed focus in light of recent news stories about the plight of Oregon foster kids. Support for family and children services agencies is the focus of several clubs in the District and, in some cases, this support has produced partnerships which will benefit both the agencies and the Lions in the years ahead. The variety and nature of the service is limited only by the imagination of the Lions and the needs of the communities involved. My thanks to all of you for your efforts to improve the viability of your communities and the lives of the people in them.

Finally, to all of you who are reading this, please accept my best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season. Among other things, the season is a reminder of all the things for which we should be thankful. The ability and the privilege to serve others should be foremost among them. Thank you for caring enough to serve as Lions.

Lions International President Naresh Aggarwal has set a goal of Lions serving 200 million people globally each year by the 2020-21 Lions year. That is twice the number of people served in the 2016-17 year just completed. I am not a fan of this sort of numbers game. Too often, this practice is used to justify, rightly or wrongly, the impact an organization or a program has in its efforts to be successful in whatever field of endeavor it works in. Numbers aren’t always an accurate indication of success, and success is not always guaranteed by the numbers. In this case, however, one would be hard pressed to be critical of Dr. Aggarwal’s goal. Lions have a remarkable track record of success when we work together to accomplish global initiatives. Campaign Sight First, Campaign Sight First II, and the Measles Initiative are examples of what can result when Lions from all over the world unite to serve a common cause.

The numbers he is proposing will certainly be a challenge. To begin with, he is asking each of the 1.4 million Lions in the world to make it a personal goal to impact the lives of ten people per month during the 2017-18 Lions year. If you do the arithmetic, that works out to about 170 million people. Although this would be short of the goal of 200 million, it would be a huge first step toward getting there. On the other hand, serving ten people per month for twelve months is no cake-walk. Just the first step to his plan should tell us this will take some doing.

Then I got to looking at the reports from LCI detailing activities reporting by our 36-R Lions clubs. More than half of our thirty-nine clubs have not reported any activities for six months or more. Some haven’t reported in more than two years. What would happen to our numbers of people served if our clubs simply reported the community service activities they have been doing and are doing, month in and month out? It’s entirely possible that President Aggarwal’s goal of 200 million people served would not be nearly as daunting as it appears at first glance. I harbor no illusion that reporting would, in and of itself, be enough to meet IP Aggarwal’s goal, but it can’t be discounted as meaningless, either. The fact of the matter is, our Lions clubs are performing lots of community service which goes largely unreported and every little bit helps in our efforts to enhance the impact of our service around the world.

I must confess that I find the activities reporting module in MyLCI a bit challenging. I am studying instructions on how to report properly in order to make my job as secretary faster and easier and improve my accuracy. As I said earlier, I certainly don’t want to “pad” my reports to make the numbers seem more impressive. It’s not the numbers that matter in our service; it’s the impact that service has on our communities and the people who live in them.

To open or not to open. To click or not to click. To unsubscribe or not to unsubscribe. If you are a Lion in District 36-R and have an e-mail address in the LCI database, you have probably received e-mails from me via Constant Contact (CC) and wondered why you were getting them and what you should do with them. Constant Contact is an e-mail marketing service which makes it possible to reach more people in one mailing than is usually possible when using one’s regular e-mail service provider.  CC also returns statistics to the sender on the results of the mailing. In other words, I can see how many of you open the e-mail, how many click to print or save the embedded attachment and how many bounce-backs I get as a result of incorrect e-mail addresses.

Why, you are probably asking, am I assaulting you with these unsolicited messages? There has been a huge emphasis in recent years on improving our communications. We have certainly improved our track record of communicating with club officers thanks to the work of Cabinet Secretary Linda Stent, but ultimately, it was always hoped that we could find a way to update all Lion members in the District directly. CC makes this possible.

The updates I send out are intended to accomplish two things. First, we want to let all Lions in the District know what is happening from LCI on down to individual clubs in our District. Hopefully, sharing this information will spark interest and cooperation among our Lions clubs as we go about the business of providing service in our communities.  The second reason for the updates is to provide tips to club officers to make their jobs easier and achieve better results. Not all officers are able to receive training, and pointers presented in an appealing way might help them find success and reward in serving as club leaders.

So what should you do with the 36-R update messages you receive via CC? I would hope that you would open them and read them rather than summarily deleting them.  Remember, almost all of the information in these messages pertains to your club, zone, region, or District. There might be information in them that is of interest to you or your club. If so, I encourage you to click the button to print or save the embedded flyer. If not, you may delete the message. Above all, please don’t unsubscribe from receiving future messages. Once this has been done, you can’t re-subscribe without going through a process which I have to initiate.

I mentioned above that I receive feedback from CC on the results of each mailing.  So how are we doing? For the four messages sent out to date, the open rate is 35.3%, and the click rate is 11.5%. According to CC, these are very good numbers; however, if you consider most CC promotions go out to cold contacts unrelated to the sender, we could be doing better.

Back on June 21, District Governors Elect received an e-mail from incoming International President Naresh Aggarwal urging his Lions leaders to be prepared for the challenges of our second one-hundred years of Lionism. One paragraph in particular from that message caught my eye. Dr. Aggarwal stated, “Lionism is in a state of rapid transition. We are launching a new mobile app, digital platform, new service framework, new awards and funding systems, new unified global brand, etc. etc. However, these are just pieces of paper. The real power is in service, which is rendered by our members.”

People join Lions clubs for any of a number of reasons.  Some join because a friend or acquaintance invited them. Others join for the fellowship and sense of belonging that comes with membership in an organization. Some even come to Lions with their own agenda, in hopes that they can convince Lions to take up the cause that concerns them. Still others join because their local Lions club performs community service and offers financial support for causes in which they are particularly interested.  In the final analysis, it is the last one - the passion for service - that will produce a dedicated member, ready and willing to take on the challenges that his or her club faces over time, through all the changes, in good times and in bad.

There is no doubt that service is going to figure prominently in everything you see and hear from Lions Clubs International and your Multiple District and District leaders this year and in the years ahead. Regardless of your reason for joining the Lions, service was and is the goal of Melvin Jones’ creation. As we begin our second century of service, LCI is asking that we focus our efforts in five main areas: vision, hunger, diabetes, the environment, and pediatric cancer.

To this end, MD36 Global Service Team Coordinator Rod Bach, PCC, has put together six “statewide”, coordinated service activities for this Lions year. Each of the activities addresses needs in one of the five main areas of focus and, although there is a proposed time line for the activities, it is very flexible. The projects adopted by your club need not be large and demanding. Rather, the size and nature of the project your club chooses to participate in is entirely up to your members.  The important thing is to begin making inroads in the five critical areas of need.

Please watch for more information on this coordinated effort and plan to take part in your community. Be imaginative in your plan, but be responsive to the needs of your members at the same time. Most of all, have fun and take pride in what you are doing.  I’m betting others in your community will see this and be willing to step up and help.

In the business world, there is an age-old expression of self-effacement that goes, “Yesterday I learned how to spell salesman, and today I are one.”  This might well be adapted to my situation today.  A slight change in the wording, and you come up with, “Yesterday I learned how to spell District Governor, and today I are one.”

The statement encompasses a number of emotions I am feeling as I start my year as Governor in 36-R.  Fear and apprehension are certainly at the forefront of them when one considers the challenges that lie ahead.  Humility and gratitude figure prominently in them as I reflect on the training and expressions of confidence I have received from those who served in the position before me.  A healthy measure of thankfulness and appreciation for the relationships developed with my fellow governors and Council Chair and for the clubs and members of my District who elected me round out the emotions.  Hopefully, all these emotions I am feeling will serve me well throughout my year as Governor and make me a better member of our District and Multiple District Lions teams.

As we begin our second 100 years of Lionism, Lions Clubs International has committed to step up our service to new heights. The goal is to triple our impact around the world by expanding our service to reach 200 million people per year by 2020-21.  I can almost see the grimaces on your faces and hear your groans now.  What more can LCI possibly expect of us, right?  But, what we need to realize is that there is little new in the “LCI Forward” plan.  Most of the elements in it have been the subjects of trainings and forums you have attended for years now.  We simply need to integrate them into everything we do from club meetings to fundraising projects to community service activities.  By incorporating service, visibility, organizational excellence and member satisfaction, we grow our clubs and grow our impact on the communities we serve with little or no increase in our personal investment of time and effort.  In short we need to work smarter to maximize our impact and make the process more rewarding for us.

Finally, I would like to thank District Governor Judy Kauffman for her outstanding service to the District and Multiple District this year.  She came in a year ago with lofty goals and, as she herself points out, we achieved some of them and others, not so much so. That being said, she knew coming in that we were not going to reverse our membership decline in just one year and the same is true for me as I start my year.  The efforts, which were started in recent years to grow the District, will continue in 2017-18 and beyond. Through it all, however, PDG Judy has remained upbeat and positive, focusing first and foremost on the amazing community service achievements of our Lions clubs, large and small. I know I speak for the membership in District 36-R when I say it has been a pleasure serving with her.  PDG Judy has been and is pure class.

Well, here we are at the end of this District Governor’s year.  It has had lots of “ups” and lots of “downs”, but the positive prevails making it a great year. Visiting clubs has been one of the most rewarding parts of the job. Each club is unique and works within the framework of the organization; yet each club does great things, big and small. It’s been rewarding to see how Lions care for each other and work together to accomplish their goals.

I can’t believe how the clubs have such unique ideas for projects and fund raisers. Take, for instance, the Mapleton Rain Derby in which you can buy in and make a guess at the annual rainfall and maybe win the prize. That takes little effort. Then there is the Central Car Show. That’s a lot of work, but very rewarding.  Chicken BBQs are always a winner. Then there are the tulip fundraisers.  Plant the bulbs and let Mother Nature do her work. Each club does a terrific job organizing its year to reach its goals.

We’ve had a few problems also.  This District Governor had the idea that solutions were easy to put in place.  Not so. Sometimes the answer is illusive and even many hands and heads together take lots of time and effort to accomplish a solution that’s workable.

I would like to acknowledge those volunteers that come out to help and serve with our organization even though they are not members. We are the core group for the many volunteers that help to make our organization the greatest humanitarian organization in the world. Without them our tasks would be much greater.  THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!

Although I still have some time left, I hope to do more work, serve better and have lots of fun in the future and yet continue to work and serve my community, my District, and my world!

Thanks to you all!

As you read this we are celebrating the second annual Women’s Symposium.  We invited the guys to join us this year and we have had a terrific response. Thanks to all who worked to make this a successful event.

Our campus clubs will soon become branch clubs.  This way they can make plans for the end of the school year and summer and start planning for recruiting in the fall. By doing this, our new member numbers will “almost” be in the plus category and maybe we can end the year with positive numbers. YES!

I have met with Scio members, picked up their property, and transferred their Christmas tree decorations to another group in Scio. Using their remaining funds, they will give out a scholarship. Any other funds that remain after that will be transferred to the Jefferson Club to be used for eyeglasses.

I hope to have Blue McKenzie re-activated by the end of my year. This is great news and we’re glad they are re-joining us.

          I’m not sure what to tell you about the Lebanon Lions Club. They are not responding to our communications so this makes it difficult to make decisions. I hope to get this issue resolved soon.

          The Multiple District Convention in Pendleton is coming soon, May 19-20. It’s not too late to join the crowd to enjoy the parade. We will welcome new leadership in all four Districts and in our District we will be celebrating “Friday Night at the Oscars”. I promise the ending will be different from what you saw on television. We will be giving out the Challenge awards also:  Award # 1 will go to the club with the most new members and Award #2 will go to the club with the greatest percentage growth of new members.  Come and join in the fun!

Finally, don’t forget the Solar Eclipse August 21st. The Central and Yachats Lions Clubs are selling viewing glasses, a storybook and activity book. Call Judy (541.961.4406) or Rod Bach (503.508.2121) for more information.

See you at Convention!

          Once again we think of all that we have to do before the end of this term and the list is still long.  We complete one task and another one takes its place.  We are still working on campus clubs and, hopefully, when you read this we will have a campus club charter at Western Oregon University. We will try to add one additional club by June 30.  It is unfortunate that we have seven clubs in the District that do not have any new members so far this year.  So, I have two challenges regarding new members.  Challenge #1:  I challenge every club to have at least two new members by May 5. Challenge #2:  The club with the largest percent increase of new members by May 5 will win this challenge.  Recognition and awards will be given out at the District R “Night at the Oscars”, at the MD36 Convention, Friday, May 19.

          As I look at reports coming from LCI, there are a couple other items of note.  We have 38.26% females and 61.79% males. As of February 28, seven clubs had not done their MMRs and sixteen clubs have not filed activity reports.  Let’s work to do better about our reporting, please.  Of the three canceled clubs, Lebanon, Scio, and Blue McKenzie, we are working to reactivate Lebanon and Blue McKenzie.  Scio has closed and their property and funds will hopefully go to another club.  We all do better when we have more members, but small clubs can also be healthy.  We have six clubs that have less than ten members.  We also have four clubs that have more than fifty members.  Together, large and small, we make a difference in our communities!

          Again, I want to thank each of you for the work you are doing.  Our numbers are down a little, but I am proud of each of you and the work you are doing in the communities, whether it is a Centennial project or a service project.  All working together, you make a great team!

          Here we are in March already and there’s still a lot to be accomplished before my term is over.  At least we are over one big hurdle - CONFERENCE.  It was a day filled with elections, forums, storyboards, and lots of fun, thanks to Chuck Cook, the world’s best tail twister.  I hope everyone enjoyed International Director Lewis Quinn and his spouse Gayle.  They brought some new and interesting ideas for membership and different ideas for specialty clubs.  It was time well spent.  Oh yes, thanks to those who attended from the campus clubs.

          Now that the District R Conference is over we will concentrate on retention in our clubs.  If your club feels that it would like a boost of energy, let me know and we will see what we can do to bring new life to the club.  Visitations and sharing of ideas is always helpful to clubs.  Recently, on one visitation I was expecting maybe four members and to my surprise Springfield and Eugene Bethel Clubs came and we had twelve for the meeting.  What a nice evening.  Thanks to the members that visited and thanks to the Alvadore Franklin Lions for hosting the evening.

          We will also continue working with our campus clubs.  They are active and doing well. Hopefully, this month we will charter the Western Oregon University Campus Club and the Corvallis Campus Club will become a Branch club.  We are very pleased with the progress in each of the clubs, including the University of Oregon Campus Club.  Everyone is working hard to support the campus clubs and I thank each of you for your hard work.

          We hope to start work on a new club in the Drain/Yoncalla area in March/April.  We always need volunteers so please step forward and help us recruit for a new club.  It’s been ten years since Yoncalla has had a club so it’s time.  You will hear more about this project soon.

          Have a good month!

          We are all ready for spring, complete with sun and warmer weather.  Once we can recover from all the winter we’ve had, we can start working again on forming new clubs.  Planning is in the works for at least one new club. Actually it’s not a new club and actually it’s more than one, because we are looking at the Drain-Yoncalla area that hasn’t had a club since 2007.  It always takes longer than expected to recruit and build a new club, but with careful planning we will achieve our goal.  We will start our training early in March and, hopefully, will begin our recruiting soon thereafter.  We love volunteers and we would love to have any of you come help us if you can.  We always have a lot of fun even though it’s a lot of work - very rewarding work!

          By the time you read this article our District-R Convention will be over.  Convention is always a lot of fun and this year we celebrate Lions - 100 years.  Now we look forward to the next 100 years of service in our communities and support for our world organization.  We are celebrating our Centennial Year with many activities in our District, plus the International Convention in Chicago.   Last year we had 35,000 Lions in Fukuoka, Japan, and this year they anticipate there will be 55,000 Lions celebrating in Chicago.  Plan to attend and join in the many activities.  We will have our banner (that you all have or will have signed) in the parade.  It will be a great celebration!

          We, as Governors, are honored and humbled by all that you do in your clubs and the help you give to those less fortunate in your communities.  You all work very hard and are thanked only by the warm feeling you get, knowing that you have helped others.  You are all VERY special and we thank you for all that you do.

          A special “THANK YOU” to the clubs that have chosen a Legacy Project for the

Centennial Celebration.

          WAY TO GO LIONS!

          Happy New Year! I hope the holidays were kind to you and you stayed safe and warm. There were times when we all wondered what the weather would be like since the forecasts were crazy some days. Mostly, the weather man was correct and we had that blast of winter a little early.

          Now it’s time to concentrate on the second half of our year and put together our plan to end the year with positive numbers. In District R we are focusing on retention. It is always on our minds and in the coming months we will be thinking of new ways to reward our members for their commitment to serve in our communities and beyond. Every club in District R has really been working to serve those in need and doing a great job! Whether you delivered food to families, gave warm clothing to the homeless or just took someone’s hand to let them know that you care, you all touched many lives. THANK YOU! Your service is so important.

          I am also very proud of the campus clubs and how they moving forward.  Thanks to their advisers they are making progress to meet their goal of becoming chartered clubs! Also, thanks to all of you who are helping locate possible members for the three campus clubs. It is very rewarding to see how college students are working on their campuses and in their communities.

          Lastly, I want to thank everyone in District R for working very hard to make our communities a better place to live. When I visit clubs I see what great progress you are making to serve your communities. Fundraisers are important to give us the needed funds, but the service to the community is the bottom line. Every club is doing a great job!

          Convention is coming early in February, Alumni Center in Corvallis.

Make your reservation and plan to come celebrate 100 years. We’re going to have a lot of fun!

VISITATIONS
    Something interesting happens when a District Governor visits a club. Suddenly the club becomes real to the Governor, not just a line in a book and a duty to be fulfilled. Not only is there a rush of energy between the parties, but an alliance with our communities is renewed for a common cause - WE SERVE.
    Club visits offer a look into the club, its members, and how the club works in the community. Hopefully, every club has a relationship with their community that provides for addressing the needs in the community. The club should be ready to fill needs to youth, the hungry, the environment, and vision.
    The four areas of support mentioned are the focus of our Centennial Celebration.  Hopefully, all clubs will provide support to the community in each of these four areas. Many clubs will do multiple projects in these areas. WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY!
    It has been such a pleasure to visit clubs and see the different ways they are supporting their communities. School vision screenings are at the top of the list.  What a response from the community to how we are helping school children.  Close behind is the help we give to provide food for the hungry, in food pantries and other ways.  I love to hear that clubs are providing teddy bears to the fire departments and sheriff departments to give to children during emergency visits.  I feel good knowing that children are getting backpacks of food for the weekend. There are just so many ways we are helping our communities through our clubs.
    I attended the dedication of the Veterans Memorial Park in Springfield last weekend.  It touched my heart to know that two Clubs, Springfield and Springfield Mohawk, each donated a bench for the park.  It was a great contribution to the community. Thank you!
    I am honored to visit each club in my District and please know that I love what you are doing for your communities!

    As you read this column fall is but a memory and we’re into our winter months. It was a busy quarter with days and weeks moving quickly.  We have been recruiting for campus clubs at three universities and hopefully we will have at least one club to charter as you read this column.  We are also having club visits with the hope they will be complete by the holidays.  Sadly, I must report that we are losing the Lebanon Lions Club. This Club has struggled and finally took the vote to close its doors.  My hope is that members will choose to transfer to other clubs and we can rebuild the Club at a later date.
    There are clubs in the District that are choosing to partner together on some service projects to make a bigger impact in the community.  One such example is the farm tour of the Kauffman Farm on October 27. First, second, fifth and sixth grade classes will be visiting the farm to see its operation.  The Yachats and Waldport Lions clubs are coming to help the children see the milking operation, pet the kids and lambs, gather the eggs, check out the tractors and much more.  Each student will have a chance to get his/her picture taken on the tractor, and each child will get to pick out a pumpkin. It is great to see clubs working together and, by doing so, reaching more members in the community.
    As I visit clubs I feel the commitment and dedication of our members.  We are down in membership and need to really work to attract new members to help us serve.  If each member brought one person to our service projects, what a difference we could make.  Besides, when the community learns of what we do it can result in new members to join forces to feed the hungry, help the homeless, improve our environment  and work with youth to become leaders in their community.
    I am proud to serve as your governor and will do whatever I can to make our year the best ever!  Together we can do it.

          Fall is in the air and it is time to work on goals for the year.  Fall colors are everywhere, trees are losing their leaves, and it is time to make our goals and projects reality.  Check out what LCI has to offer, what's going on in our District and see how you can grow as members and as a club.  Always remember, there is always someone you can reference and use as a sounding board, your Zone Chair, your District Governor, or a Guiding Lion.

          As this issue comes to press we are working hard to charter campus clubs at U of O, Oregon State University, and Western Oregon University.  We hope to have clubs to charter at all three universities by the end of September.  But we need your help!!  If you know of a student starting or returning to any of these campuses call your District Governor to get them on board.

          And now it is time to think about Halloween and the holidays.  Plan your club projects, poinsettia sales, Sees candy, Santa projects, helping families in need.  Remember, your club and you as members are important.  Enjoy each other and what you do to make your community a better place.

          Have a great month and CELEBRATE LIONS!

I am honored to serve.  We can look forward to a great year of serving together to make a difference in our communities and beyond.  My theme to “Celebrate Lions” is honoring the work of the past and the work that we are beginning in our next century of service.  We are training Guiding Lions to help in clubs that would like to have an outside look at how clubs can be stronger.  I hope to help bring the service of each club to a new level and find new opportunities to excel.  Moreover, as part of our Centennial Celebration we will be showing our communities that we are moving into the next century of service.

Summer is almost over and we begin in earnest to work with clubs to continue our commitment to service.  As a volunteer, I am dedicated to ensure that clubs are making wise choices to be healthy clubs and to serve others as well as their members so that all members are satisfied and feel good about the work that they are doing.

It is said that a small thing can be made large - that’s what we want to do!  Let’s take a small thing or event in our community and make it the “grooviest” thing that ever happened.  It may be a Centennial project or maybe a project that has been “to do” for some time.   Let’s make it fun and let’s make everyone want to join in on the fun, members and our community members.

Commitment this month will be to charter campus clubs.  We are recruiting on our University campuses to open new avenues of service for young people.  To do that we will all have to work together to get young adults to join us to work on campuses and in communities to make our world the coolest place to be in the universe!

July/August Newsletter"

President Chancellor Robert Corlew’s slogan “New Mountains to Climb” paints a picture of opportunity for us.  DGE Training and International Convention were very good and now it’s time to get to work.  First let me thank all of the clubs and individual Lions who have been improving their communities by helping supply glasses to the needy, collecting food for food banks, giving help to our seniors and veterans and helping in countless other ways.  We are making our communities better places to live.

Here are 3 of my goals for the year.

CAMPUS CLUBS - Let’s share our desire to serve our communities with our children, grandchildren and the neighbor kids.  We will be starting two new campus clubs this year, one at Oregon State and one at University of Oregon.  Each University has club recruitment days in the fall.  The Lions will have a club recruitment table at both Universities. Contact me for more information.  The great news is that we already have several students ready to sign up to help their communities by joining a campus club.

COMMUNICATIONS - We will be improving communication between individual Lions, clubs, zone chairs and the District.  Thanks to PDG Chuck, Lions Rod Taguchi and MD36-R District Secretary Lion Linda Stent we will have a MD36-R Facebook page.  This Facebook page is a place to share your club happenings, events, service projects and fundraisers.  This may sound a little scary/complicated to some of us but our two Facebook experts have promised to help us out.

CLUB VISITATIONS - I have already started my club visitation schedule.  EVERY club is important, no matter how small or large, whether your club has one project or several.  Each club is doing great.  I am looking forward to meeting each and every Lion this year!

This will be my last letter for the Oregon Lion.  It has been a fun, interesting and sometimes challenging year.  Thank you for allowing me to serve as your District Governor.  I look forward to having District Governor-Elect Judy take over on July 1.  I will stay involved and I will support DG Judy and the Lions clubs in District 36R to the best of my ability.

Final thoughts on Membership:  I participated in a webinar on Membership in April.  The speakers were a Zone Chair from Virginia and a Club Membership Chair from the Seaside, CA Lions.  Each had an important message for our Lions clubs.

The Zone Chair related how he was asked six times before he finally decided to join his Lions Club.  That may seem excessive, but it was worth the effort in his case.

The message:  If you have a good prospective Lion, don’t ask once and give up if she or he says no.  Personal circumstances change.  A “No” may turn to “Yes” on the second or third try.  If the prospective Lion will be a good addition to your club, make the extra effort to make him or her a member.

The Membership Chair described how his Club made the decision to take one year to do service projects as a way to increase the visibility of his Club.  They found as they continued their service project program that more people began to ask about their Lions Club.  Then they started to join.  The Seaside Lions Club now has 230 members.

The message:  Service is how we become visible to our communities.  When we do service projects we not only help our communities, we also build our Lions clubs’ reputation.  Be active.  Be visible.  Above all, ask people to join you.

By the time you read this, the District 36-R Women’s Symposium will be over. Considering the hard work the Symposium Committee has put into this project, I am sure it has to be a success. I particularly want to recognize the Lions who served on the Committee. They have worked for months to make sure our first symposium was a success. Those Lions are: Symposium Committee Chairperson Judy Kauffman, Debbie Bach, Carol Casciato, Mary Fechtel, Judith Grosenick and Karen Norton. If you see any of these ladies, stop and thank them for the excellent work they did to make the symposium a reality.

I have been doing a lot of traveling to District Conventions during the past two months. It started with our own District 36-R Conference in Albany. I then visited the District 36-O Convention on February 20 in Gresham.  In March, I visited two District Conventions: District 36-G in The Dalles on March 4 and 5 and the District 3-6E Convention in Medford on March 18 and 19. It’s interesting and frequently educational to visit the Conventions of the other Districts. Of course, I have the opportunity to renew old acquaintances and friends I haven’t seen for a year. I also had the opportunity to see how Conventions are done in the other three Districts. Needless to say, there were many similarities between the Districts. There were also differences that I believe District 36-R should consider for future. After all, the first thing you learn as a Lion is to plagiarize shamelessly.

I visited the Lincoln City Lions Club on March 6.  I never got the chance to speak (they probably planned it that way) because they were reviewing the details involved in the Club becoming the sponsor of a local Cub Pack. There were several issues to be settled and I was impressed with the organized and business-like manner in which they handled them.

Finally, I want to recognize the Newport Lions Club which is the lead Club for the “101 on 101 Bike Tour” to be held on October 1, 2016. Planning involves five Lions Clubs on the coast: Lincoln City, Pacific Sea, Newport, Waldport and Yachats. Lion Jill Smart is chairing the committee and she is doing a great job.

    We have some great things going on in District 36R.  Here are a few of which I am particularly proud.
  
    The Western Oregon Lions Club has nineteen members and is working to recruit their twentieth member. They will apply for a charter in the near future. This will be our first Campus Lions Club. I look forward to presenting their charter before the end of my year as Governor.

    The District 36R Women’s Symposium is a reality. It will take place on April 30 in the Wheeler Pavilion at the Lane County Fairgrounds. We have lined up a group of excellent speakers who will discuss a wide range of topics including health, exercise and even music therapy. In addition, there will be a dozen organizations, both businesses and non-profits, who will have tables. Our keynote speaker will be journalist and author Bob Welsh. Our luncheon speaker will be Linda Burden-Williams who is an outstanding motivational speaker. The Symposium is open to women and men, Lions and non-Lions. Contact Vice Governor Judy Kauffman for reservations. We hope this will spark interest in finding out about Lions Clubs International.

    I am excited about the 101 on 101 Bike Tour. It will take place on October 1.  The tour will start in south Lincoln City and end in Yachats. Five coast Lions Clubs from Lincoln City to Yachats are working together to make this a success. A shout out to the Newport Lions Club which created the idea of a bike tour and has served as the lead Club in organizing this project. As with the Women’s Symposium, I hope this project will prompt interest in the Lions and provide a chance to recruit new members.

    Finally, we had two Lions from District 36R attend the Emerging Lions Leadership Institute – Jadie DeLille Wright and Dori Showell.  This is a national leadership training institute sponsored by Lions Clubs International.  Both the trainers and the seminars are top notch. I hope we can continue to have District Lions attend this excellent training forum.

I am writing this right after the District 36R Conference held on February 6. I am happy to report that the Conference was a great success. In spite of having use of only the main floor of the Wheelhouse Events Center due to a scheduling error, we were able to make the space available work extremely well. The forums and seminars were excellent and our guests, International Director “Bob” Lubin and his wife Michelle, were a wonderful addition to our District 36R and Multiple District Lions.

I want to recognize the Lions who worked on planning the Conference and making sure it came off in a very professional manner. I particularly want to thank Chairman Tom Hilgers and Co-Chair Marva Rohla. Unfortunately, Lion Marva was forced to resign from the Committee shortly before the Conference due to health issues, but her contributions are greatly appreciated. I also want to recognize the other members of the Committee: Lions Terry and Roger Wylie, District Governor-Elect Judy Kauffman, Linda Stent, Carleene Iverson, Lou Amerson and Jadie DeLille Wright. I owe every member of the Committee a special note of thanks for a job well done.

District 36R will have two Lions attend the Emerging Lions Leadership Institute (ELLI). Lions Dori Showell from Central Lions and Jadie DeLille Wright from Albany East Lions applied and were accepted to ELLI which will be held in Denver in March. I think this is pretty exciting. The Institute will have top notch presentations done by LCI’s best instructors. In addition, they will meet Lions from all over the United States. I believe it is a wonderful opportunity. I know they will “do us proud”. Needless to say, we will use Dori’s and Jadie’s skills in their clubs and in the District. Congratulations to both Dori and Jadie. Well done!

Happy February! What a busy month. First a reminder of important dates coming up this month. 

The District Conference will be held on Saturday, February 6. Our guests will be International Director Robert Libin and his wife, Lion Michelle. I am looking forward to the Conference and introducing you to the Libins. I hope you all have made your reservation for the Conference. If you haven’t you can still do so. The registration form is available in the December Oregon Lion and online on the MD36 website (md36lionsclubs.org) as well as our District R website (lionsclubs36r.org).

February 27 is the District Cabinet meeting which will be held at the Albany Regional Museum. All of our club officers should try to be there.

One other important date! We are planning a Women’s Symposium which will be held on April 30. The location will be the Wheeler Pavilion at the Lane County Fair Grounds in Eugene. The symposium will address a number of topics important to women in today’s world. VDG Judy Kauffman and her committee have worked diligently to put together a varied and interesting program.

Second, I want to briefly discuss Lions Clubs online leadership training. Lions University is available on the USA/Canada Forum website. The training is very comprehensive and includes both basic Lions clubs organization and leadership training. There are three degree levels: Bachelors, Master and PhD. I encourage you to take a look, sign up and begin your Lions education. Past District Governor Darrell Scott has already completed his Bachelor degree.

Training for leadership skills is available on the LCI website: lionsclubs.org. The modules are interactive and cover a wide range of basic leadership skills, such as delegation, time management, organization, etc. The training teaches skills that can be used in your Lions club, your job, other organizations to which you belong and in your life. They are worth a look.

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a safe and joyous holiday. Now it’s time to get back to Lions. We want to finish out this year as strongly as possible so VDG Judy will be able to hit the ground running when she takes over July 1st.

The most important item coming up in the near future is the District 36R Conference. The date is February 6, 2016. It will be held at a new location this year – the Wheelhouse Events Center in Albany. We will be using the first and fourth floors of this new building. The fourth floor is a large open area which we will use for general meetings and for our luncheon. The first floor has several conference rooms that we will use for seminars and forums. Our guests will be International Director Robert Libin and his wife Lion Michelle. ID Libin is from New York. He prefers to keep it informal so he asked if he could wear jeans and boots. However, he agreed to wear coat and tie. He has asked that we call him Bob. He will address the Conference three times: as part of the opening ceremonies; leading a forum on leadership and as Keynote Speaker at the luncheon.

We will also have information on a variety of subjects, e.g., a forum by the Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation; seminars on leadership and membership; a presentation by Puppy Raisers. We are working on other seminars that can provide information that will be both useful and interesting.  We are looking into the possibility of a workshop on making origami cranes since that is the symbol selected by International President Yamada.

This will be a fun and interesting Conference. A registration form for the Conference was included in the December The Oregon Lion, and is also in this issue. I hope to see many District 36R Lions in Albany.

The next District Cabinet Meeting is scheduled for 9:00 AM February 27, 2016. It will be held at the Albany Regional Historical Museum. As I write this, I am still working on finding interesting presenters. I will keep you posted as I get things worked out.

I have been visiting Lions clubs all over District 36R for the past four months and I have been amazed by our clubs. They are doing some terrific programs and activities to serve their communities. Many of those activities also fall under the four service areas included in the “Lions Centennial Challenge” - Sight, Environment, Hunger and Children. I am truly honored to be Governor of such an active Lions District.

I want to return to the discussion of Leadership I started last month and discuss Lions Leadership Training Institutes. The first of these is the Northwest Lions Regional Leadership Institute. This is an excellent three-day seminar that is equal to some of the best leadership training I have received elsewhere. The training will take place in Yakima, WA, from February 4-6, 2016. See if your club will help to cover the cost of attending the Institute.

The gold standard of training available from the Lions and some of the best training anywhere is offered at the USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum. It includes seminars on leadership, management and Lionism as well as offering outstanding motivational speakers. The USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum will take place in Omaha, NE, from September 15–17, 2016. Try to get there if you can. It will be well worth the time and money. The USA/Canada Lions Leadership  Forum will be held in Portland in 2017. It is one more way to celebrate the Lions Centennial.    

Finally, I want to mention the new Lions Clubs Handbook. It was prepared by the USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum and it is packed with useful information. The cost is $10 each. We have sold one case and have ordered another. Try to get your hands on one.

Greetings Lions

First and foremost the good news: We are in the process of forming a new Lions Club at Western Oregon University! As I write this, we have eleven members who have completed an application and paid dues. We have thirteen completed applications of students who intend to join. I expect that we will have a new Lions club with at least 20 members in the near future. So, welcome Western Oregon University Lions.

I want to discuss leadership training opportunities. The LCI website, lionsclubs.org, offers many leadership training modules. These include Club Officer training with specific modules for President, Secretary and Treasurer as well as general club management. The LCI website also offers interactive modules covering basic leadership skills such as Delegation, Communication, Time Management and Organization. These training modules are well worth the time to it takes to do them. These training modules are not just for current Lion leaders. Every Lion is encouraged to take advantage of this training.

These leadership skills can be applied at your job, in other volunteer organizations and in your life in general. They will make you a more effective Lion leader but they can help you in everything you do.

LCI also offers advanced Lions training through Lions University. There are two courses offered: Basic Degree and Advanced Degree. The training consists of a series of modules that you complete in order, moving up as you learn more about Lions Clubs International. I would be delighted to present the first Lions Club University diploma in District 36R.

This concludes my discussion of Lions on-line training opportunities. Next month I will continue my discussion of Lions Leadership Training Institutes, some of the best training available!

    I have been visiting Lions Clubs in District 36R, both on the coast and up and down the valley. The reception I have received has been very gratifying and I have enjoyed every visit I have made. I look forward to visiting all of the clubs in the District and meeting as many Lions as I can.

On September 3, I had a unique opportunity to see a Lions program in action. PDG Betty Levenhagen invited me to welcome participants to a Lions Quest workshop held at the Oregon School for the Deaf in Salem. After I welcomed the participants, I stayed on to observe the process. I met the facilitator, a Certified Lions Quest trainer named Frances Portillo. And I met many of the participants who were teachers and dorm councilors from the School for the Deaf, teachers and administrators from the Central and Salem-Keizer School Districts and a participant from the Washington School for the Deaf in Vancouver.

Many of the participants were unable to speak, so they communicated in sign language. There were two interpreters who facilitated communication between those who could hear and those who could not. I found it especially interesting how the exercises using Lions Quest seemed to open new ways for these veteran teachers and counselors to be able to reach the students they teach. I thought, once again, what a great organization we belong to that we can make something this valuable available to people who work with youth.

District R is in the process of establishing a Lions Club at Western Oregon University and we hope to follow that Club with one at Willamette University. By the time you read this letter, we will have completed Campus Club Guiding Lion Training and conducted tabling and recruiting at both universities. This will give us two young and active Clubs able to serve their own campus communities and to work with other Lions Clubs in the area.

Finally, I want to note the passing of PDG George DeHart. George was one of the finest Lions I have ever met. He loved the Lions and he believed strongly in what we stand for. Until the day he passed on, he was giving advice and council to Lions who knew and loved him. Rest in peace, George. You are already greatly missed.

I have visited Lions clubs all over District 36R in the past two months. I have been delighted by the enthusiasm and excitement I have seen. I have visited small clubs that are doing amazing things in their communities. I have met and talked with Lions who look for new and better ways to serve. I have talked about the Lions Centennial Celebration and USA/Canada Forum coming to Portland, both in 2017.  There has been a great amount of interest in both in the clubs I have visited.

I encourage Club Officers, Board members and future leaders to attend our District Cabinet meetings. We held our first Cabinet meeting on August 7th in Yachats. We had a guest speaker and a Tail Twister. We had a lively meeting with a great deal of exchange of ideas. Our next Cabinet meeting will be held at the Moose Lodge in Junction City on November 7th. Please try to be there. I believe you will find it worthwhile.

District 36R is “Moving Toward the Future.” We have interesting things going on in both Leadership and Membership development. 

Leadership: The District 36R Training Challenge was sent to Club Presidents and Secretaries in early August. We are challenging club leaders and future leaders to complete at least three online modules during this Lions Year. The modules are on the Lions Club International website. Clubs will report training completed on a quarterly basis. Details are included in the Training Challenge letter.

Planning is underway to conduct Certified Guiding Lion training in two locations in the near future. Certified Guiding Lion is not only for current leaders. It is for any Lion who is interested in working with new clubs or with existing clubs that are rebuilding. It is excellent training for anyone who wants to become a better Lion. 

Membership: We are working to establish a Campus Lions Club at Western Oregon University. We plan to be certified as a Campus Club and to participate in “Clubs Day” on September 23rd. We will conduct Campus Club Guiding Lion training on September 22nd and meet with students on the 23rd. We hope to have a club on campus by October 1st.

We are looking into sponsoring a Women’s Symposium which will probably be held in the spring. The symposium will address women’s issues in a meaningful way and come up with ways Lions clubs can work on those issues. We hope get some recognition for doing this and also recruit women who will join local Lions clubs.

The International Convention is over; the District Governor Seminars are completed; now it is time to get to work. Before discussing plans and goals for this year, I want to commend and thank Past District Governor Darrell Scott for the dedication and leadership he provided during the previous year. I also want to thank 2nd Vice District Governor Judy Kauffman and District Cabinet Secretary Tom Hilgers for their hard work and effective leadership last year. I look forward to working with them as 1st and 2nd Vice District Governors this year. 

Many new and important ideas came out of the District Governor Seminars before the International Convention and from the Convention itself. International President Dr. Jitsuhiro Yamada’s theme for this Lions Year is: Dignity – Harmony - Humanity. He is challenging Lions worldwide to promote Dignity through Humanitarian Service. He is also asking Lions to promote Harmony through cultural exchanges and joint global projects.

The Centennial Service Challenge is continuing. Dr. Yamada’s theme supports and enhances the four Centennial Challenges: Sight, Environment, Health and Youth. Lions service projects that support Dr. Yamada’s theme will also support one of the four Centennial Service Challenges. We will encourage every club in District 36R to develop new projects or improve existing projects to meet both the International President’s and the Centennial Challenge.

In addition to the International Presidents theme and the Centennial Challenge, I have my own goals for this year. We will address communication within the District with intent to improve communications from District to clubs, from clubs to members and between clubs. We also need to do a better job of identifying future leaders and to promote effective training of club officers and future leaders. We will introduce programs to address both of these issues.

I want to accomplish the following membership goals: ● Start at least two new clubs – one of them a Campus Club ● Recruit 75 women as Lions Club members 
● Help clubs retain members through the use of the Club Excellence Process (CEP) and Blueprint for a Stronger Club to insure that your club is addressing the needs of your community and needs of your members.

I plan to discuss these Themes, Challenges and Goals in future letters.

 Is Spring Here Yet?

The weather is getting warmer and plants and trees are staring to bud and bloom. This is an indication that things are starting to grow. How great would it be if our clubs continued growing as well? We’ve had a good year so far, over 120 new members but we’ve lost just as many.  Right now our District is at a break even point instead of being on the short end of the stick. There are still a few months left in our year to really make a difference, but we need everybody’s help to do it. Teamwork is the key to making a comeback. Besides recruiting new members, we need work on retaining the ones that we have now. Making your meetings and activities fun and interesting is a must. People won’t stay around if you can’t keep them from being bored. 

How are you doing with your CLUB EXCELLENCE AWARD PROGRAM?  This has been the District Governor Challenge to all clubs since the beginning of my year.  If you’re not sure of where you are standing, get in touch with me and we can work on this together. For the clubs who think they have accomplished the goals, contact me as well so we can be sure. Some of the best laid plans have been totally destroyed by one small mistake. I want all clubs and members to be recognized this year for their accomplishments and reaching their goals. As a team we can do it.

If you missed the Charter Dinner for our newest Club, the Lincoln City Lions, you missed a good time. Lion PID Ed Gear was the guest speaker and good food and a silent auction made for a good time all around. I want to say welcome to our new Club in Lincoln City.  They are a younger group of Lions with good ideas and plans for their community. Again welcome!

Coming up is the Northwest Lions Leadership Institute in April and the Multiple District Convention in May. You should also have your new club officers picked by now and elections need to be held in April.  No time to slow down. Let’s keep moving forward and pushing hard. Thank you to everyone for all hard work. “Together We Serve”! 

Are we there yet?

Spring is almost here and our year is drawing closer to an end, but there is still a lot of work to be completed. Looking back and comparing to previous years, our new member enrollment is up and we have a new club and are working on plans for another one. But our loss of existing members has also risen. Overall, District R is slightly under the beginning numbers that we started with last July. Membership retention needs to be worked on.

One big reason members leave is lack of interest. Boring meetings, not enough service projects or fund- raisers. People joined Lions to be involved in their communities and to help make a difference in many lives.

There are still four months left in this year and we can come out with a positive finish but everyone needs to help to make this happen. “Ask One” and keep asking for new members and then get those members involved as well. Make your meetings interesting; invite guest speakers; start new service projects. Find out what your members are interested in and work toward a common goal. 

We are always looking for people to work into leadership positions on all levels Club, Zone, District and Multiple District. Online training is available so you can work and learn at your own pace. The Northwest Leadership Institute is coming up in April. Talking with a current or past officer is always helpful or call me or one of the Vice Governors; we can help you get started in the right direction. If you know of someone whom you feel has leadership capabilities, we would like to talk to them as well.

So let’s pull together, have a wonderful few months for a big finish. I know we can do it together.

TOGETHER “WE SERVE”

It is finally official. With the charter in hand, we now can say welcome to our newest Club,  LINCOLN CITY.  Several people have worked hard for this Club but one person in particular has put in more time and work than anyone. THANK YOU to Lion Judy Kauffman 2nd Vice Governor.  Lion Judy gets the credit for bringing this Club into our family. The Charter Celebration is being scheduled for Saturday, February 28th  at 5pm at The Salishan Resort,  just south of Lincoln City. Let’s show our support and have a large turnout for our newest club. WAY TO GO LION JUDY!  Reduced room rates are being put together for those who would like to spend the evening on the Northern Oregon Coast.

There is a lot of activity going on in the District. Twenty-five clubs have added new members and twenty-one clubs have lost members while ten clubs show no activity either way. Putting the pluses and minuses together we show a positive growth of three members. We’re headed in the right direction so let’s keep it going. Just keep asking; ask again; don’t stop asking. The bigger our membership grows the more people we can help. 

Kudos go to the Junction City Club. They are working on a Leo Club and have just under twenty members as of this writing. Several of their members are working hard to have the Leo Club chartered soon.

Being strongly involved with your club is one of the best ways to help support the District. Spending time working on service projects, raising funds, increasing membership or training for an officer position make a difference.

Our year is growing shorter, but there is still plenty to do. Lions Northwest Leadership Training in April will be held in Salem. This is an excellent training source for anyone looking to move into an officer position in a club and helps prepare for District and Multiple District positions. Online training is also available for everyone.

The Multiple District Convention is coming up in May at Seaside. Reserve your rooms early as this is on Memorial Day weekend. The starting of summer on the northern Oregon coast, meeting with old friends and making new friends and just being a Lion, what could be better? 

I want to thank all members in all clubs for your help in all that you do. It is your support that makes this District what it is and makes me proud to be your District Governor.

Happy New Year

The holiday season, is behind us now and our Lions year is half over.  It seems like we’ve hardly gotten started. Where has the time gone?  I guess time really does fly when you’re having fun.  There have been good times and there have been sad times, but the good outweigh the sad. Our membership has dropped more than eighty people along with the passing of a few faithful Lions, who will be dearly missed.  On the bright side we’ve gained approximately seventy new members along with the addition of a new club in Lincoln City and are still working on a couple new Leo Clubs. 

The service projects of our clubs this year have touched and help change the lives of many.  There is still so much more to do.  People receive gifts from Lions on a daily basis. You could say that being a Lion is almost like being Santa at Christmas.  Well at least we run a close second. The look on a face of someone being able to see or hear clearly or the voice of a small child saying I’m not hungry now, makes our work efforts all worthwhile and makes me proud to say, “I’m a Lion”.

Convention season is just around the corner.  It’s a wonderful time to see people that you haven’t seen in a while and meet others, make new friendships and build relationships,  share stories and ideas and sometimes get to meet some of  those who lives have been touched by Lions and hear  their stories.

This year we have the pleasure of having ID Robert Littlefield and his wife, attend our Conference. ID Robert is from Fargo, North Dakota and is a very dynamic speaker. The Conference Committee is putting together some very informative forums and don’t forget the Peace Poster winner, basket raffles, awards and simply just having a fun day with others. 

Have you put your club story board together; one that you feel best depicts your club: possibly when your club was formed or your service projects, whatever you feel tells the best story of your club. 

This will be the initial year of the Guiding Light Award, this will be a traveling award passed on to other clubs. Each year the criteria will change as to the incoming District Governors mind set.  So see you in Corvallis on February 7th.

Happy Holidays

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is upon us. As you make preparations, STOP! For a few moments, think what it might be like if your vision was gone. Not able to see lights and displays, children smiles or the joy of families being together.  Touch, taste, smell and hearing are all wonderful, but sight is the most precious.  Lions worldwide help to provide the gift of sight every day. Can you imagine what the world would be like without Lions and their work?   We could, but why?  As we celebrate this Christmas season, let’s not forget those who depend on our help year round.  I realize that it may be hard to think about membership right now, but with a larger membership think of how much more we could do and the extended number of lives we could touch.

District R has approximately fifty new members in our existing clubs and some great news. Its official, we have the first new club in four and a half years.  The Lincoln City Lions Club has chartered. They are a younger-aged club and full of fire. They have already planned their first service project and first two fundraisers.  Charter party is being planned for mid-January on a Saturday afternoon; details will be made available as they happen.   My Christmas wish is to see District R continue to grow more members and new clubs.  We have a wonderful start and with everyone’s help we will continue to grow for many years to come.  Can we become the largest membership District in the State?  District O, we’re gunning for you we’ve got a great team and fire in the belly. 

Now on to January. What’s your New Year’s resolution?  Mine is to do whatever I can do with Lions, to have a positive effect on the lives of those who may be less fortunate. If you can help cover my back, then I’ll cover your back. Let’s just work together, do lots of Lion things and, most important, have fun doing it.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year To All

Hello District R

Well it’s that time of the year again, leaves are changing color, daylight hours are shorter and it seems like we start slowing down a little as well. But we need to keep our momentum going. So far this year in District R we have inducted more than forty new members, trained over sixty club officers, worked on establishing two new Leo clubs and a new Lions club in Lincoln City. My hat is off to everyone for all their hard work. Let’s keep it up and make this one of the best years ever. The work that Lions do makes a difference all over the world. So by building our clubs in membership and leadership, we are able to help more people with a little less effort and have fun doing it.

Everyone is invited to attend our Cabinet, Zone, District and Council meetings as well as any training. Don’t be shy. Give it a try. You might even enjoy it: meeting new people, creating new friendships and relationships and building bridges between clubs by working together. I know of several clubs that work together on service projects and fundraisers and they say it makes a difference.

Over the next couple of months, I will be encouraging everyone to attend our convention/conference on February 7th in Corvallis. Our committee is hard at work to make this one of the best ever. The guest speaker this year is ID Robert Littlefield from Fargo, North Dakota. He is a very dynamic speaker and I’m sure everyone will enjoy listening to him. Some very interesting forums are being planned, something for everyone. So mark your calendars for this date.

Again, I want to thank everyone for all of their hard work this year, especially the District team for all they do. This year the leadership team has really come together and made a big difference.         THANK YOU for all you do. 
    

We’re On A Roll

Way to go District R.  So far this year we have held three club officer training sessions with more than fifty officers in attendance. That is almost twice as many as any previous year. Through the month of August we already have 23 new members and are looking at a new club on the North Coast area in Lincoln City. I know everyone is working hard at a building up our District. Thank you to all for everything you’re doing.

As the winter months get closer, we need to continue our push to build District R, bigger and better than ever before. Communication is a main concern for us as a group. All clubs need to use their Zone Chairs as a main contact person and inform them as to what is happening in your club and community. Remember, for District R, October will be visitation month. Visit as many clubs as you possibly can; get to know them and work together as a pride of Lions. International President Joe Preston’s theme is “Strengthen The Pride”. By working together we can make it happen.

This year I have put out a Governors Challenge to all clubs in District R. Clubs who meet the challenge requirements will receive a Club Excellence Award.Here is the criteria for this award: 1) Status - Club in good standing (no outstanding dues); 2) Service - Conduct 3 service projects during the year; 3) Contribution - Club contribution to LCIF; 4) Leadership Development - Majority of Club officers have participated in training at Zone, District, Multiple District or International level; 5) Club Development - Club must host regular and meaningful meetings and submit the Monthly Membership Report (MMR), Service Activity Report and Club Officer Reporting Form (PU-101).

At the time of this writing about half of the clubs need to work on submitting their monthly reports. This area has been somewhere between hit and miss and entirely forgotten. I’m sure this is just an oversight. These reports can be completed online in about 10-15 minutes.

Thank you for being Lions! Together WE SERVE!

Membership

It’s not a four letter word, so why do we avoid it?  Do we step out of our comfort zone to talk about it? Or do we just assume all the other Lions around us will ask someone. If everyone assumes, then it means that no one is asking!!! This year International President Joe Preston is asking all of us to JUST ASK and ASK 1 but why stop asking after just 1. Did you get a no answer? Well pull yourself up by your bootstraps, dust yourself off and go ask another.  Everywhere we go and the many people we might happen to talk with may be interested in Lions, but if we don’t ask we’ll never know. One of our Past District Governors worked in a grocery store for many years. Many Lions came into the store all the time. She bought their candy and bought their mints. She talked and joked with them all the time, but no one ever asked her to join.

While in Toronto, our study group asked the incoming Governors how many people have you sponsored? One woman from the Philippines had brought in over 150 new members. During a break, I asked her how long it took her and how she did it. She replied, “It took eleven years and that I just talked to people and asked them.” She also stated, “Many said no but even more said yes. So I didn’t stop asking.”

As of July 2014, the membership of District R has dropped below the one thousand mark. LCI requires a minimum of 1,250 members for a District. It’s a lot of ground to make up but with every Lion in the District asking we can do it. If one out of four people ask a person to join us we can make this one of the best years ever. But don’t stop asking.

                                ASK--ASK--ASK

The District Team has decided to make the month of October, Club Visitation Month. Visit as many of the surrounding clubs as you can and also try to visit a club that you haven’t been to before. Call and make arrangements to visit. Communication in our district has been almost non-existent for the past several years. We need to work on that as well. As you visit other clubs, get to know about them. What are their service projects as well as their fundraisers?  Exchange ideas and even work together on different projects. As our communication grows between clubs, so will our knowledge of what’s happening in the District. Hopefully our communication network will begin to look like a giant spider web over the entire District.

By building our membership, opening our lines of communication and working together, our clubs and our District can and will grow stronger. This will allow us to help more people not only in our communities, but around the world. That’s why we joined Lions. Together WE SERVE!

Hello District R

Greetings from Toronto. Well at least that is where this column was started.  

          As this my first International Convention, I have to take the word of others that this has been
the best one yet. The first three days were filled with very intense training, meeting the International President and Mrs. Preston and learning a little about some of the other incoming District Governors (755 Governors in all).  We added one new country this year bringing the total to 209 and membership to a little over 1.36 million. 

          Yes our membership is up slightly but we still have a lot of work to do. District R lost four clubs this past year. We will work on bringing in one or two new clubs, but our main concern will focus on our existing clubs. The CEP and Blue Print programs are both designed to help strengthen our clubs. International President Joe Preston’s theme for this year is “Strenghten The Pride”. Catch phrases of “Just Ask” and “Ask 1” will be very prevalent throughout the year. 

          There are also new programs and awards for the members, clubs and officers. The theme for my year is “A Year of Growth and Continuing Peace.”

Our District Leaders “SHINE”!

         Much gratitude and thanks to our District’s leadership for stepping up to assist the last six months during my wife’s illness.  Your agility and purpose have been greatly appreciated and have made for a meaningful experience.  Thank you to DGE Darrell Scott, 1st VDGE Chuck Blanchard, 2nd VDGE Judy Kauffman, Sec., Stella Horsely, Treas., Brian Rangitsch, GMT Leader Cy Kauffman and GLT Leader Carleene Iverson.
         Thank you for all the work you’ve done to expand Lions into new communities in District 36-R.  We can’t claim any new clubs, but we are making ourselves known.  Your hard work has and will make a difference.  We all must work together - to support each club (new & established) and each member - for a strong District.  As Mahatma Gandhi wrote: ‘ If we are to make progress, we must not repeat history but make new history. We must add to the inheritance left by our ancestors.”
         Additional “Year of Peace 2013-2014” books will be available at the MD36 Convention for $15 each.  Proceeds go directly to assist Lion DGE Darrell for his year.  The Dove and “civility cards” will be available as well.  I’d like to extend a special thanks to Lions Marc Powell,  Marva Rohla and Carleene Iverson for their work on this project.    
         It’s been a wonderful year: the “Year of Peace” booklet published, club visitations made, new club activities initiated, new members encouraged and new leaders promoted.  Our new DGE Darrell will soon be heading north to Toronto, Canada, for his DG training.  We wish him the best for a great trip and the up-coming year.  
     Thanks, Greg

It's A Miracle

Albert Einstein is quoted as saying “There are two ways to live your life… One is though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle.”

When I read this, I could only think of Lions, an organization committed to SERVICE, peacefulness, compassion, forgiveness and kindness. Lions is truly a miracle of great humanitarian effort, an organization devoted to bringing hearing when there is no sound and light when there is no sight. It is a miracle!

We, District R Lions, often forget what we own and what we should promote in Lionism. District R Lions own their own club’s and all the activities we provide for our communities. We share in ownership with The Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation and the wonderful gifts they provide for our members and their communities; we share ownership of Patient Care, which has paved the way for many Oregonians in need of sight to receive surgery. We share ownership in Lions VisionGift and all their research and development and we share ownership in the Lions Administrative Office in Eugene. It’s a miracle! 

District R Lions have much to be thankful for. Historically, District R Lions had the foresight to engineer and provide direction in developing what we District R Lions now share with the other three Districts. Our old guard Lion leaders knew where our needs were and how to make District 36-R Lions successful.

The future is in front of us and we, as District R Lions, will address our low membership numbers. Selling our prestigious past and sharing our future goals can assist us in bringing new member into our clubs. Reduced membership means fewer clubs and fewer miracles for our communities. Let’s not give our history or our future away. Lions are continuing to be a miracle for our communities.

A Profile of a Veteran’s Need to Serve

Regularly I am at the Veterans’ Hospital in Portland.  The lobby is always full of men and women in wheelchairs, PTSD & brain damaged veterans, amputees and more.  It always brings a tear to my eyes.  A volunteer plays the piano as chatter drowns out the softness of the music.  Bus after bus unloads and load outside the front doors as veterans attend to their medical needs from SERVICE to our country.  These individuals know about SERVICE as well as the troubles that plague America.  

We, as Lions, need to lend a hand in return. INVITE them to our clubs and let them SERVE.  They are givers; they are heroes; they are the “Acts of Kindness”.    The recently published book “Year of Peace: 2013-14” has a number of veteran authors.  My hope was to quote them but space herein doesn’t allow for me t to do it properly.  We are currently out of the first run but will have more books by the Convention for any of you that are interested.

As we search for new members, never forget what our veterans have done to SERVE.  They represent the best in our communities.  Look to them as possible members.  Veterans know the meaning of peace, charity, compassion, forgiveness and kindness.  They also know about hardships and teamwork.  Our veterans will bring new ideas and energy to our clubs and enhance our ability to SERVE.

Family, Community and Lions

         When I am asked why I joined Lions, my answer is my youth, my family and my community.  During my travels this year to 36-R’s clubs, I have asked this same question of many Lions.  Their responses include:  “I want to serve.”  “My father/mother were Lions.”  “I want to give back to the community.”  “I received my first pair of glasses from the Lions.”  “My friend is a Lion and he asked me to join.”  “I love helping and I love our club projects.”
          In last month’s magazine there was a section on kindness and the need to express our desires for peace, sharing, compassion and forgiveness.  These traits are taught at home and reinforced as we join and participate in Lions.  One way to give is by participating in District and Multiple District activities.  This is a way to learn new ideas about serving our communities, Lions VisionGift and OLSHF.
          On January 25th, the Lions of 36R met in Corvallis for their first one-day conference.  Due to illness at home, I was unable to attend.  Co-Chairs, Chuck Blanchard & PDG Carleene Iverson stated it was the largest attended conference/convention in 6-8 years.  Twenty-five new Lions registered; twenty-five “Year of Peace 2013-14” books sold, giving 1st VDG Darrell Scott $360 to add to his budget for next year.  Lion District Secretary, Stella Horsley, received a thank-you card from Barry Palmer, LCI President, for his copy of the book and emails are now coming in from the International magazine.   A special thanks to Lion Darrell for his opening presentation at the conference.
          In late February, a team of Lions hit the streets of Falls City and Adair Village with hopes of bringing these communities into Lionism.  In March, more Lions will be working in Seal Rock and North Lincoln County.  We have much to do - will you help?

District 36-R Lion are Givers and Thinkers

          Helen Keller once said she was "proud to be a Lion." Paul Martin, author of We Serve, responded to her comment this way. He said, "Her words have been echoed by the many beneficiaries of Lions services who are happy and proud to know a Lion and of course, by the Lions themselves who have learned the joy of service."

          Lions are remarkable, independent thinkers and givers. I have said that the world is made up of two types of people, the givers and the takers. Lions are the givers and we have made a difference in thousands of people's lives. Mahatma Gandhi said, "Do not crave to know the views of others, nor base your intent thereon. To think independently for oneself is a sign of fearlessness." District 36-R Lions have and continue to think independently through kindness, giving and forgiving.

          I would like to share four short examples of District 36-R Lions bringing kindness, giving and forgiveness to their families and the Lions community. First, Lion Jack Rye of the Central Lions, a 50 year member, and his wife Grace, work each day to share their compassion and For their son, John. At age forty, John has had eight brain surgeries in 12 years and recently wrote a paper for the Year of Peace 2013-14 book titled “a Perspective on Peace.” John writes about his trials: "I have a health condition that is potentially life-threatening. This condition could conceivably take my life in the very short term, or I could possibly live for many decades; this health issue may or may not factor into my death. So the prospect of death due to this condition is not at all guaranteed, but remains ever-present. As a matter of course, it has become something that is on my mind, in one way or another, every day of my life. I have had to come to terms with it, which in essence means I've had to find peace within myself."

Second, Past International President, Ed Gear of Eugene Downtown Lions, has committed his life to supporting his wife, Elaine, as she fights dementia. In Lion Ed's article in the Year of Peace he states, "Cognitive dissidence can cause great turmoil in one's life. It is important for people to behave consistent with their beliefs." Lions Ed and Elaine are true examples of living without fail.

Last, I want to specifically thank a few Lions for their generosity. The Year of Peace 2013-14 book was financed entirely from a gracious gift from Lions PDG George and Deloris DeHart of the Salem South Lions. As you can see, District 36-R are givers and fearless in their independent thinking.

I hope you had a wonderful time at our District 36-R Conference.

As I sit down to pen this message to our colleagues throughout Lions District 36-R, I can’t help but feel the need facing Lions and our communities during this harsh season of giving. Coats, hats, boots, gloves and food are just few of the items needed by our communities. While we work to help others lets not forget our own. When I visited our Lions clubs I’ve been reminded of the need to reach out to our own members who need assistance. Let’s warm the hearts of many by warming the hearts of Lions. We each know a Lion who could use help at this time of year so let’s see how we can make their winter season a much warmer, healthier and thankful time of year.

These past six months have come and gone with much completed work. The Kitchen (K)abinet met numerous times to make suggestions and recommendations on how the year 2013-2014 could get kicked off without a hitch. The “Year of Peace 2013-14” book is completed and on its way to the publisher. When you see the book and read the articles you’ll be impressed with the writings of more than 50 authors. You’ll also see a short, but sincere, foreward by former President Jimmy Carter who speaks to peace. The following Lions met numerous times to prepare and distribute information pertaining to this massive project. When you see these people, thank them for their unselfish contribution to the “Year of Peace 2013-2014” book: Jack and Susan Stoops, Co-Chairs, South Salem Lions; Susan Garland, Dallas Lions; Gene Lund, Central Lions; Jack Rye, Central Lions; Craig Johns, Central Lions; Carleene Iverson, Pacific Sea Lions; Sam Angelos, South Salem Lions and our very own contributing member Beth Pierce.

The “Year of Peace” theme continued on with the work of the Conference Committee. Early in September, a sturdy group of unpretentious and determined Lions gathered around tables to listen to our co-chairs Lions Chuck Blanchard and PDG Carleene Iverson describe a process of putting on our very first one-day conference in District 36-R. The committee listened and put forward a rewarding and educational conference we all will benefit from. The work goes on and I’m so proud and thankful for the time and energy they have put into this marvelous conference. Please thank all these special and determined Lion volunteers: Chuck Blanchard, Eugene Downtown; Carleene Iverson, Pacific Sea; Holly Sparks, South Benton; Marva Rohla, East Albany; Grover Rohla, East Albany; Gene Lund, Central; Phyllis Harriman, Central; Herb Swett, Central; Terry Wylie, East Albany; Melissa Hallam, Stayton; Jo Hallam, Stayton; Stella Horsley, S.E. Salem; Darrel Scott, Mohawk-Valley; Jim Abbott, Mid-Valley; Lou Amerson, East Albany; LeRoy Horsley, N.E. Salem; Paul Dixon, Keizer; Sam Angelos, South Salem; BJ Hull, East Albany; Skip Volkmann, Mid-Valley and Tom Hilgers, West Salem.

Write it on your calender: District Conference – January 25th, 2014, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (with an old fashion ice cream social) Location: Oregon State University Alumni Center
 

DISTRICT 36-R IS DOING IT RIGHT

With November and December comes the rain, wind and colder weather to remind all of us winter is close by.  Thanksgiving and the seasonal holidays bring out the best in Lions.  Corvallis and Applegate Trail will get the season going with their holiday parades and clubs will soon be gathering for their Christmas dinners.  At Central Lions, food, clothing and toys are gathered and delivered.  The Club will sing holiday songs and carols as we all get together to enjoy a special moment and time.

Reflection on my first few months can only be outdone by the District Lions who have been compassionate, caring and forgiving throughout Lionism.  Lion Sam Angelos, South Salem Lions, has accompanied me to all my visitations. Each club we’ve visited was warm, inviting and full of good cheer, laughter and light moments. 

By the time you receive this message Sam and I will have visited 41 of the 44 clubs in the District.  The “Year of Peace 2013-14” booklet will have gone to press with over 40 articles written by our District Lions.  Our District “Peace Poster” contest is in full swing and clubs are submitting their winners.  The Conference Committee is closing in our organizational agenda for the January 25th Conference in Corvallis (look for the ad in this month’s magazine).  The Global Membership Team (GMT) will have started working with potential communities to start new clubs.  The Global Leadership Team (GLT) has organized District Training and completed one training activity this fall.  Nearly all the clubs are consciously aware of the need to grow and expand their membership and ideas for community service.  Several clubs have held Open Houses and the interest in Lions is felt by community leaders.

Lion Chuck Blanchard has been elected, by the Cabinet, to become our new 2nd VDG to complete our Lions officer corps.  Lion 1st VDG Darrell Scott is starting, with earnest, his training to become our new District Governor for 2014-2015.  Our membership is beginning to level out and with all of us working together we may see an increase in membership this year!  Wouldn’t that be special?  Now, you know why District 36-R Lions are so AWESOME!

“Happiness Is Never Perfect Unless It Is Shared” Barry Palmer, International President, Lions Clubs International.

My wife, Beth and I, send our very best to each of you and your club.  The Holiday Spirit is bright and shinning in Lion Hearts.  Happy Holidays!

Digging Up the Answers and Maybe More Questions

“The “Year of Peace” theme is catching on at nearly every Club we visit.  Many members want to know more about national demographics and how we, as Lions, can change as well.

Many of us have thoughts as to “why” membership continues to fall with all the work by club members & District leaders.  I am no exception in wanting to understand the trends that lead to the “why”.

I look for trends, information and ideas that impact Lions’ membership.  These include: young people not wanting the expense of driving/owning vehicles- 50% of our youth do not have a driver’s license; America is made up of 70% woman and people of color; the ongoing struggles in Washington D.C. – compromise, working together, negotiating.  Lions are needed more than ever.

We are the largest service organization in the world.  Let’s serve each other as “we serve” all.  With each other’s help and commitment we can answer our questions.

Our District has a dedicated Global Membership Team (GMT) chaired by Lion Cy Kauffman.  Lions Dale Bachman, Chuck Blanchard, Chuck Cook and Darrell Scott are searching for ways our District might help McKenzie River and Blue McKenzie.  Lions Sam Angelos, Marva Rohla and Holly Sparks are seeking ways to assist Scio.  The Global Leadership Team (GLT), under the direction of Lion Carleene Iverson, is gearing up to help all Lions with training.  Lion Rod Bach (Chair/MD36 Grant Project) and his team are looking for ways through community projects to increase membership.

Both GMT/GLT are working to get new Clubs in the District.  Some thoughts are:  Adair Village, Chinook Winds, Falls City, Gervais and Grand Ronde. Feedback is helpful.

Our District 36-R Conference is on January 25th, 2014 at Oregon State University Alumni Association Building from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Look for more information. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

“There is not a single offense which does not, directly or indirectly, affect many others besides the actual offender. Hence, whether an individual is good or bad is not merely his own concern but really the concerns of the whole community, nay, of the whole world.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Lions throughout the world are brought together because of love, compassion, caring and forgiving. There is no place better to see this example than in District 36-R.  Lion Sam Angelos (South Salem) and I have been busy visiting our clubs in the District and we know peace, love and compassion is in the heart of all Lions.

Recently I was visiting with Lion Zone Chair Jo Adelsberger (Eugene Bethel) and he and the Eugene Bethel Club have raised a CHALLENGE TO ALL CLUBS IN THE DISTRICT.  Their Challenge, being sent to each club, concerns new membership. Eugene Bethel plans to bring in eight (8) new members. If another club can bring in more than they do and, thus, have the most new members in the District, Eugene Bethel will treat the winning club to a spring BBQ in their honor.  

I can’t conclude this message without mentioning a few Lions in our District who are doing great things:  Lions Sam Angelos (South Salem), Joe Adlesberger (Eugene Bethel), Pete Larsen (Salem NE), Stella Horsley (Keizer), Susan Gartland (Dallas), Jan Burks (Central), Chuck Blanchard (Eugene Downtown) Carleene Iverson (Pacific Sea) and Dale Bachman (Springfield). I know there are more and I’ll try to include you all in the next article. 

Zone Share Chairing:  Marva Rolha (Albany East) with Holly Sparks (South Benton). Assisting with Region 1 Zone 1 are Lions Paul Dixon (Keizer), John Hamstreet (Dallas), Jo Hallam (Stayton) and Timm Cable (Central). We’re stepping up as a Community of Lions!  Lions are helping Lions. 

A recent District activity is heading our way because of a grant from LCI.  This grant will help communities with their community and Lion projects.  Our District representatives include: Lions Judy Kauffman (Yachats), Judith Gosenick (Eugene Downtown) and Doug Thompson (South Salem).

My heartfelt “thank you” to all who are making a difference in today’s troubling world.

Lions Serve and WE own the Oregon Sight and Hearing Foundation, Patient Care and Oregon’s Vision Gift. Take a tour of these places and see for yourself what wonderful things WE do as Lions to help others. 

Year of Peace 2013-2014
and forward:  – Part Two

“We are all bound by the ties of love…
We notice it between father and son,
between brother and sister,
friend and friend....
Where there is love there is life.” 

 Mahatma Gandhi (1908)

      I want to use this month to provide you with a volunteer opportunity in Lionism and to recognize some outstanding Lions. There are number of possibilities for you to help others and show what Lions are all about! 

“May Our Children Be Readers”

“May they find as others found before them, the sustaining world of books;
May they find exhilaration and the solace and the human voices waiting for them there.
And may some among them become writers, that the new age shall have its new poetry,
its new history, its new epics and prayers and song”. 

– Author Unknown

      The world of reading is exciting and wondrous. Help spread this wonder! Would you be willing to volunteer to assist non-readers and allow them the opportunity to open a door to a future filled with knowledge and happiness? I am asking for your help in calling and visiting schools, visiting with neighbors and friends and identifying those who could use Lions assistance. Helping others help all of us! 

      When you see the Region and Zone Chairs at your Club meeting, thank them for stepping up to help make a difference in our District. These Region and Zone Chairs are the engines of our District! These Lions are the “change agents” for this year. The District thanks each of you! The Region Chairs are: Lions Sam Angelos, Chuck Blanchard and Carleene Iverson and the Zone Chairs are: Lions Woody White, Timm Cable, Paul Dixon, Holly Sparks/Marva Rolha, Joe Adelsberger, Mike Beyerlin, Judy Kauffman and Jackie Lux.

      I would also like to thank Lion Stella, District Secretary, and PDG Carleene Iverson for being with me through all the activities that needed to occur prior to taking office in July.

      On Monday, June 3rd, 2013, I had the privilege of attending the Springfield Lions Club and installing the 2013-14 Officers. The new officers will lead this Club in areas of membership, leadership and beneficial new projects.

Year of Peace 2013–14 and More – Part One

Over the next year, I will put my fingers to the keyboard each month, to address Lionism and spread the work of others throughout District 36-R. As you may know, I am your new district Governor: Greg Pierce. July’s article is my first attempt at spreading “The Lion Word”. This year’s theme is: “Year of Peace 2013-14” and I look forward to sharing \exciting news each month.

My dream is to develop a booklet allowing District 36-R members an opportunity to express their thoughts on peace. Will you help me? On June 8, 2013, members of the “Year of Peace 2013-14 Committee” have kick-off this campaign by addressing the Region and Zone Chair’s training in Junction City. Lions Jack Rye and Gene Lund presented how each club and individual member can participate in this booklet. This procedure will give each Lion a chance to express and share their thoughts. Jack and Susan Stoops (South Salem Lions) are the co-chairs of this project and if you have questions or require additional information, they can be reached at 503/838/2301 or jwstoops@minetfiber.com. I hope each of you are willing to help contribute to this booklet and help make the “Year of Peace 2013-2014 Campaign a success!

“The Year of Peace 2013-14, isn’t one that (Lion Greg Pierce) recently concocted to fulfill a requirement for his position; Lion Greg has pursued peace in one way or another for most of his adult life and the concept of peace is one to which he is truly dedicate. Lion Greg has had a distinguished career as a police officer, city judge and a professor in criminal justice for 32 years. In addition, Lion Greg is a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, serving in combat with the 101st Airborne Division (1st Brigade).

- Lion Jack Rye, 50-year Lion & member of Central Lions

A group of compassionate and passionate Lions started working, last September, in assisting me with my upcoming. Through their efforts (“Kitchen Kabinet”) they assisted me in developing the District Cabinet, members on the “Year of Peace booklet” and developing a committee to identify members for the, one day, conference on Saturday, January 25th. Our Conference will be highlighted with speakers and booths illustrating the “Year of Peace” theme. The District has over 60 committed members who will be working on a verity projects. If you wish to participate at the Cabinet level please call me at 503/838/0117 or email me at pierce2882.msn.com.

I look forward to a great year and serving as your District Governor.