JANUARY 2019 ISSUE

SOARING BEYOND THE HORIZON AS “WE SERVE”

     As we start out this new year of 2019 and the second half of our 2018-19 year of Lionism, I reflect on this year’s accomplishments.  From an international standpoint, this year is the first of seeing a woman installed as the International President of our great organization.  We have continued with services to our communities emphasizing the following: Environment, Hunger Relief and Vision and have added Childhood Cancer and Diabetes to these efforts.  This is the first year of three of the newly launched “Campaign 100” which is well under way.  We have started the new “Lions” app for reporting activities, have a new web site (which some like and others do not) as well as many more new innovations brought forth by LCI.

     Here in MD36 we find that, thus far this year, we have a plus in our membership, and that is a really big item.  We have four great District Governors who are getting the word out in their districts and their clubs about Lionism, encouraging projects and being all around dedicated to what we stand for.  Our MD36 Committee chairs are stepping up and doing their jobs. Isn’t this a great time to be a Lion!

     This year was the start of our Global Action Team, comprised of Global Membership, Global Leadership and Global Service and it has gotten off with a running start.  Each of these leaders have come forward and been very active in their endeavors, from working on getting new clubs started, to leadership training for VDGs and club officers, to establishing projects and writing grants to promote our organization. Yes indeed, it is a great time to be a Lion as we all look beyond the horizon and accomplish our goals.

As I reflect on being your Council Chair for this first half of the year, I have learned much, made new friends, renewed old acquaintances and found this position to have enhanced my joy and fulfillment of being a Lion.I look forward to many more accomplishments by all of the Lions in MD36 in the next 6 months, as well as learning and accomplishing more myself. So to all of you – Job well done and a Happy New Year to all Lions everywhere.

DECEMBER ISSUE

Soaring Beyond the Horizon As “We Serve”

     Here we are in the midst of the holiday season, so first let me wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

     Our Sight and Hearing Foundation has been going full out with all the vision screening in the schools. Aren’t we lucky in the state of Oregon to have such a great Foundation serving the needs of the state with our vision screening program, as well as all the other things involving vision that they so readily accomplish.  Kudos to our Sight and Hearing Foundation.

     The Global Action Team has met for their 2nd get together for the year and some very good ideas and projects have been brought forth to indeed look beyond our horizons. It is great to see that following meetings such as this, our leaders go back to their districts with renewed energy to bring forth to the clubs new vigor and enthusiasm.  The next scheduled GAT meeting will be held at the Tigard Methodist Church on March 30, 2019.

     As Lions our service to our communities is all encompassing.  And as we all know, it takes all of our members to do this service.  It takes leaders who have the knowledge and enthusiasm to work with their clubs and district to bring forth projects which serve their communities; it takes leaders who are ready to train up and coming Lions to take the reins and go forward and it certainly takes leaders who can bring in new members and see that they are properly motivated to stay and to serve their communities.  It was recently brought to my attention that one of our greatest tools involving getting new members is “Just Ask”. Many times we forget that simple thing.  This was brought home to me when a Lion asked a local business owner why they were not a Lion and that Lion was told “No one asked me.” So let’s get back to basics and “Just Ask”.

At this time of year we take note of so many who are less fortunate.As many leap into the holiday season with glad and happy hearts, we also see much depression brought on by the season.As Lions in our communities we can help.I know that many of our wonderful Lions clubs provide food baskets or make donations to those organizations that do supply food and gifts to those in need.In addition, I see this as a time for personal involvement as well.Find that person or that family that needs an extra measure of love and kindness in this season and give of yourself.Adopt a family, take a child shopping, invite someone who is alone over for dinner- the amount of thoughtfulness and caring that we as individuals can do is boundless as we follow our motto: “We Serve” and “look beyond the horizon”.

NOVEMBER ISSUE

SOARING BEYOND THE HORIZON AS “WE SERVE”

     This year we are putting a great deal of emphasis on the Global Action Team (GAT) which is comprised of the Global Leadership Team (GLT), the Global Membership Team (GMT) and the Global Service Team (GST).  The first GAT meeting of 2018-19 was held in Bandon with 22 Lions in attendance. At that meeting we discussed the goals for the year for each of the four district governors and the progress they are making toward those goals, with everyone pretty much on track.

     GLT reports showed that each of the districts have scheduled leadership training as well as having completed some training. The importance of doing orientation was also brought up by all. The need to train your replacements is essential, so that we can keep on going beyond the horizon.  Also, of importance is promoting future leaders through the use of Lions University studies as well as the USA/Canada Forum and the Northwest Lions Leadership Institute.

     Membership, of course, is always a big issue.  All districts are working on obtaining a new club and looking for better ways to rejuvenate and reinvigorate existing clubs. Several ideas were proposed for retention of current members. One idea suggested by MD36 GMT Chair PDG Judith Poage was to provide each new member with their own eyeglass box for which they can be responsible, giving them immediate ownership in the club.  A second idea was from District R where they are putting out a monthly Membership Newsletter, which each month addresses a new item worthy of review and/or action and which anyone can receive. If you are not receiving it and wish to do so, contact Chuck Blanchard at ccblanchard71@gmail.com.

     Some of the districts have already established district service projects, while others are just getting started.  MD36 GST Chair PCC Rod Bach gave us a slogan to use here- “Let’s share what we have, let’s not reinvent the world”.   Distributed to all in attendance was a very simple survey from the American Diabetes Association that can be placed in Dr’s waiting rooms, or any place where people gather. It gives people a quick check to see if they might be prone to diabetes.  Even though the survey does not reference the Lions, it is a very simple but effective project that can be used by all Lions in our fight against diabetes. It is also important that all clubs be given the MD36 service calendar highlighting each monthly service theme for the year.  Be sure to let all clubs know the importance of reporting all service projects to LCI.

Bringing the GAT team together to share what each district is doing and what future plans they have gives all in attendance new ideas and concepts that can be incorporated into the individual plans that they are making.The next GAT meeting is scheduled for November 17at the Springfield Justice Center.Once again, we will collaborate to achieve the goals set forth by our international President as we set, by example, our creativity to look beyond the horizon.

OCTOBER ISSUE

SOARING BEYOND THE HORIZON AS “WE SERVE”

     As we enter into the fall season, all of the DGs are busy making visitations in their respective districts.  If you ask any past DG they will tell you that meeting the Lions club members at each of the clubs in their district is what makes their year so great. All of the Lions clubs throughout our multiple district are very active in their community and what they do in the community does have an impact on both the state and international Lions.

     As we look beyond the horizon this year, we need to emphasize each of the 5 major categories on which we are working, but, in order to be effective, we must have members.  Our membership has been declining. That needs to be turned around. All those local projects we do provide service to our communities and it takes members to do these projects. Experience shows that members become leaders when they work toward a goal.

     When Lionism started some 100 years ago, it was comprised mostly of business men, (no women), but as time marched on other male members of the community joined.  During those days, women had their own organization and most women were not in the work force outside their homes.  Fraternal organizations were big and had many members, all of whom wanted to do service in their communities, found the time to do so and included many of their family members.

     Over the years, things changed.  Most homes started having both parents working; the children are into all kinds of sports and activities both in school and outside of school which parents attend, leaving very little time for community projects for any organization to which they belonged.  There was even an era of time when community service was put on the back burner.  It is great to see that women are now a part of Lionism and schools are requiring the students to do community service prior to graduation. It’s great to see that the need for community service volunteer is now being recognized once again.

     We do find now that in most of our clubs the average age is 60-70+.  The 30-50 age group is pretty much non-existent, although we are starting to get the younger ages in as we bring in social media.  That more “mature” group of the 60-80 year-olds is the basis of our clubs and it is important to put a lot of work into insuring that these members are retained.  But It is also important that these members are ready to change into this new evolving society in which we live.  Maybe these members aren’t as active as they once were, but there is always a job in any project that they can fill and remain a viable member of this great organization.

     So I challenge everyone to look beyond the horizon and utilize and retain the more mature members of your clubs. They need Lionism and Lionism needs them.