First of all, I want to say “thank you” to all the Lions of 33-K for the honor you have bestowed upon me as your District Governor for the Lionistic Year 2009-2010. While I realize that most of the clubs are “quiet” during July & August, your district team has been busy with preparations for the ensuing year. We have already had a successful Cabinet & Advisory Meeting that actually ended when I predicted it would (1:30PM) so I am happy about that. We are forging ahead with the information for the District Directory which will be given to each club at the Fall Advisory Meeting on September 21st at Anthony’s. We do need your input though to make sure the directory is as correct as it can be (at least when it is printed) Please take the time to look over the information on your club, i.e. officers contact info, meeting dates & locations to ensure it is correct. You can contact either the CST Matthew Richardson or your Zone Chair to get the info we have. If you don’t know who your Zone Chair is please contact me and I’ll put them in touch. This project is time-sensitive if we are to get the book published for you on time.
Like all governors before me, I have set out several goals for us and I hope I can count on you and your club to help us achieve them. In return, I commit all the resources of the District Governor to assist your club in attaining its objectives. The list will be set out in the directory, but I do want to touch on just a few here;
One of my top priorities this year is improved communications between the district and the clubs. To make this communication effective, it is necessary that you communicate with us. You can expect to hear from me, perhaps more than any time in memory because I will utilize electronic media to the utmost extent possible to achieve this goal. Hearing from your Governor is great, but I also need to hear from you; Tell us how we are doing; Tell us what you are doing; and what we can do to improve and be more helpful to you and your club’s needs. The Lions motto “We Serve” applies to me as well as you.
I will re-energize the district bulletin this year and will publish it on a monthly basis. It is my hope to get this bulletin into the hands of every member in the district. For this, I will need your help. It is not likely that the district will be able to maintain 1800+ e-mail addresses; so I am asking that the clubs do and that they commit to forwarding the bulletin to each of their members with an e-mail. If you have some members without; then regular US Mail will have to suffice.
« We will work together toward quality memberships for the clubs of 33-K. If your club is losing members, we want to help you find out why as well as how to reverse such a trend. Clubs should be conducting exit interviews of all dropped members (except for death naturally). Zone Chairs will be asked to help in this endeavor in an effort to retain that member; perhaps in another club if appropriate. At the same time, we will provide assistance (if your club agrees) in recruiting new members for your club, although we fully recognize that this effort is most effective when employed by your club members. We are also willing to conduct some training in the art of recruiting; you need only to ask. We have trained several lions to add to the existing cadre of Guiding Lions and they are available to you.
33-K suffered some of the worst membership losses in the state and I, along with the MERL Team are committed to reversing that trend. We have a cracker-jack MERL team in place and they are eager to go to work for you and our district.
« We will work toward improving club participation in such Lions programs as the Peace Poster Contest, the Best Club Contest and the Youth Speech Contest. Each of these committee chairs is prepared to offer whatever assistance you need to participate and there is perhaps no better way to re-invigorate your club than to participate in a contest.
I will be visiting each club in the district at least once during the year; and Vice District Governor, Joyce will be doing the same. She and I along with CST Matthew Richardson and Vice CST Tom Kerr will be working as a team with the objective of making 33-K the very best it can be. You can also expect visits from your Zone & Region Chair and they will be monitoring your progress on a more intimate level. Beyond the visits, however, if your club has an event at which you’d like the District Governor to be present, please extend the courtesy of sending an invitation (preferably through the CST) It will not benefit either of us for you to assume that we simply know of your event.
I see great achievement and challenges ahead in the coming year. International President Eberhard Wirfs theme this year is “Move to Grow” and indeed if we move; we will surely grow. If we collaborate on the challenges, we can jointly bask in the glow of our success.
I am excited by the challenges that lay ahead, but I am confident about our approach. Unlike past years, we will take a team approach this year. That team includes me, Vice-District Governor Joyce Hogan, CST Matthew Richardson and Vice CST Tom Kerr. Lions have long believed in the adage that “Many hands make for light work” and I believe it is no different here. It is a great team that will work hard to ensure your success because your success is our success.
On behalf of everyone on the district level, I wish each of you every success in the coming year and I remind you that we are here to help you succeed; because your success is our success.
