A Virtual Convention It Will Be
COVID strikes again! A District Convention is an exercise in long-range planning and preparation and I am determined that 36-G will have a convention in 2021! Our convention is scheduled for March 6, 2021. The Convention Committee had planned on holding the get-together at Wildhorse Casino. But as Umatilla County remains one of the COVID hotspots in Oregon, Wildhorse cannot commit to large meetings where social distancing would be difficult. An informal poll of Lions in the district revealed a near 100% reluctance if not refusal to attend an in-person convention. So, a virtual convention it will be. Our International Director guest, Larry Edwards, who hails from Altoona, PA, is fully on board with a virtual convention.
Spoiler Alert! The change to a virtual format means that other things will also change. Registration, voting and payments will all be handled online. So too will be the display of raffle baskets and Photo and Peace Poster contest entries. We plan a mix of live and recorded highly interesting presentations for you to pick and choose amongst. But the really good news is that we anticipate we will need to only charge a very modest fee to cover our reduced expenses and you won’t incur expenses for travel, hotel, and eating.
I want to recognize the following brave pioneers of the virtual convention format (in no particular order): Lions Janet Stafford, Elgin; Timothy McGlothlin, The Dalles; 1VDG Kathy Oliver, Elgin; Charles Clupny, Hermiston; Sherri Sievert and Risa Riggen, Pendleton; PDG Phyllis Carlin, Crooked River Ranch; Sue Mose, La Pine; Ruth De LaRosa, The Dalles; Joan Oliver, Elgin; and Cheri Jackson, Weston-McEwen. We will be adding others to the team over the next month or two. If you would like to get involved, please contact me.
LCI has just released the Charter Monarch and Monarch Chevron Awards for our district. Monarch Awards recognize every 5 years of service in Lions. I want to take this opportunity to recognize and congratulate the following Lions for their service. All told, there are 94 Lions on this “Honors List.” Those with 40+ years include the following Monarch Lions:
PCC Rodney Schossow, Bend/Sunrise 40 years
Cindy Winfield, Hood River – 45 years
James Zatica*, Jordan Valley – 50 years
Marvin Haylett*, Jordan Valley – 50 years
Bryan G Branstetter, Pendleton – 50 years
James Wilcox, The Dalles – 40 years
Richard Lafever, The Dalles – 40 years
Ronald McHale, The Dalles - 40 years
Russel Paddock*, Hood River Eye Openers – 45 years
Trudy Tallman, Hood River Eye Openers – 45 years
PDG Thomas Bessonette*, Crooked River Ranch – 70 years
*Indicates Charter Members
There were 94 District 36-G Lions on this year’s list, representing 1,875 years of service to their communities. To all those I didn’t name, just stick around a few more years! LCI has provided chevron pins to add to your LCI pin. Because clubs are not meeting in person, if at all because of COVID, I will mail the award letters and chevrons to club presidents to present in my absence.