Aug – Sep 2014 6.4mb - Lions Clubs Australia

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Lion-Aug-Sept-1-7 Sect 1 _template Lion 28/07/14 9:47 AM Page 1
LION
Lions Clubs International
AUG - SEPT 2014
Registered by Australia Post Publication No. pp100002889
Lions Facebook QR
Meet our new
International
President
Joe Preston and wife Joni
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‘We serve’
“To create and foster a spirit of understanding
among all people for humanitarian needs b y
providing voluntary services through
community involvement and international
cooperation”
LION
Lion – Australia and PNG
Connections, influence, friendship, philanthropy
COVER: He comes from
Arizona and in the coming
year he is our new
international leader. Learn of
Joe Preston’s background
and his family on page 10,
and read his program for the
year ahead on page 11.
Our cover
Lion - Australia and Papua New Guinea edition is
published bi-monthly for the Multiple District 201
Council of Lions Clubs International and circulated to
all members.
Published by MD201 Council of Governors and printed by
PMP Print, 37-49 Browns Road, Clayton Victoria 3168.
An official publication of Lions Clubs Interna tional, the Lion
magazine is published by authority of Board of Directors in
21 languages: English, Spanish, Japanese, French,
Swedish, Italian, German, Finnish, Korean, Portuguese,
Dutch, Danish, Chinese, Norwegian, Icelandic, Turkish,
Greek, Hindi, Polish, Indonesian and Thai.
Editor: Tony Fawcett, Fawcett Media
20 Millett Road Gisborne South VIC 3437
Phone: (03) 9744 1368
Email: [email protected]
Advertising Enquiries: Lions National Office
31-33 Denison St, Newcastle West, NSW 2302
Phone: (02) 4940-8033
Lions Australia website: www.lionsclubs.org.au
Deadlines: 1st day of month before co ver date.
MD201 Council of Governors: C1 Rosemary Wenham,
C2 Ron Sargent, N1 Peter Willis-Jones,
N2 Lorraine Mairinger, N3 Margaret Pearce, N4 Ian Warren,
N5 Dr Anthony Cheung, Q1 Kent Wilcox, Q2 Gordon Bailey,
Q3 Greg Rollason, Q4 David Trigg, T1 Michael MacLaren,
V1-4 Kevin Tait, V2 Phillip Johnson, V3 Marjorie Radford,
V5 Alan Fluck, V6 Peter Niall, W1 Ivan Sturgess,
W2 Maxine C. Whitely. Council Chairperson: Warren Latham
Distribution of Magazine: Clubs and Members
Additions to distribution list, deletions, changes of address
and of club will be made only when advised through the
Club Membership and Activities report. Non-Lions, libraries
and other organisations who wish to advise changes should
contact Lions National Office, Locked Bag 2000
NEWCASTLE NSW 2300, Tel: 02 4940 8033 email:
[email protected]
USA Editor-In-Chief - Scott Drumheller
Managing Editor - Dane La Jo ye, Lions Clubs International
300 W 22nd Street, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523-8842 USA
Executive Officers: President Joseph Preston, Dewey,
Arizona, United States; Immediate Past President Barry J.
Palmer, North Maitland, Australia; First Vice President Dr.
Jitsuhiro Yamada, Minokamo-shi, Gifu-ken, Japan; Second
Vice President Robert E. Corlew, Milton, Tennessee, United
States. Contact the officers a t Lions Clubs International, 300
W. 22nd St., Oak Brook, Illinois, 60523-8842, USA.
CONTENTS
Page 10 - Our new IP
4
International President’s report
5
Barry’s red carpet triumph
6
Lions action
8
Council Chairman’s report
10 Two hours away by air
11 Two generous givers
24 Looking after your members
Page 5 - Aussie triumph
Directors First year: Svein Ǿystein Bernsten, Hetlevik,
Norway; Jorge Andrés Bortolozzi, Coronda, Argentina; Eric
R. Carter, Auckland, New Zealand; Charlie Chan, Singapore,
Singapore; Jack Epperson, Nevada, United States; Edward
Farrington, New Hampshire, United States; Karla N. Harris,
Wisconsin, United States; Robert S. Littlefield, Minnesota,
United States; Ratnaswamy Murugan, Kerala, India;
Yoshinori Nishikawa, Himeji, Hyogo, Japan; George Th.
Papas, Limassol, Cyprus; Jouko Ruissalo, Helsinki, Finland;
N. S. Sankar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India; A. D. Don Shove,
Washington, United States; Kembra L. Smith, Georgia,
United States; Dr. Joong-Ho Son, Daejoon, Republic of
Korea; Linda L. Tincher, Indiana, United States.
Second Year: Fabio de Almeida, São Paulo, Brazil; Lawrence
A. “Larry” Dicus, California, United States; Roberto Fresia,
Albissola Marina, Italy; Alexis Vincent Gomès, Pointe-Noire,
Republic of Congo; Cynthia B. Gregg, Pennsylvania, United
States; Byung-Gi Kim, Gwangju, Korea; Esther LaMothe,
Michigan, United States; Yves Léveillé, Quebec, Canada;
Teresa Mann, Hong Kong, China; Raju V. Manwani, Mumbai,
India; William A. McKinney, Illinois, United States; Michael
Edward Molenda, Minnesota, United States; John Pettis Jr.,
Massachusetts, United States; Robert Rettby, Neuchatel,
Switzerland; Emine Oya Sebük, Istanbul, Turkey; Hidenori
Shimizu, Gunma, Japan; Dr. Steven Tremaroli, New York,
United States.
AUGUST - SEPEMBER 2014 Volume 114 No. 5
14 Around the nation
16 Our new International President
17 Presidential theme
29 Preventable blindness fight
30 Lions sight saving honoured
Contributions
Contributions for the Oct-Nov 2014 issue
should be submitted by September 1 to The
Editor, Lion magazine, Fawcett Media, 20
Millett Rd, Gisborne South, Victoria 3437 or
Page 6 - High tea happiness
emailed to [email protected].
3
DON’T HIDE YOUR PRIDE
By Joe
Preston,
Lions Clubs
International
President
Do you remember what you were like when you were 21? I do, and let
me just say I still had some growing up to do. I was shy, even timid.
Yet when I joined the Mesa Host Lions Club in Arizona, even though I was
its youngest member, I felt comfortable, even empowered. The club put me
right to work, and several members ser ved brilliantly for me as role models
and mentors. Today I am at ease with leadership and in public speaking, as I
need to be as your new Interna tional President, of course. I owe my growth
as a Lion and as a person to other Lions.
I cite this story because it not only introduces me to you but also because
it perfectly illustrates my presidential theme. This year I urge Lions to
Strengthen the Pride. Strengthen the pride through ser vice, membership
development, club dynamics and other ways (see pa ge 11). But also cultivate
your own growth as a Lion by taking advanta ge of the best resource we
have: other Lions. Role models and mentors surround each of us. Let’s all
grow our clubs and our personal desire to ser ve by leaning on each other
and learning from each other.
“Lion” is a great moniker. Our founders chose it because it symbolised
courage, strength, activity, and most of all, fidelity. The lion symbol “stands
for loyalty to a friend, loyalty to a principle, loyalty to a duty, loyalty to a
trust”, according to a LION Ma gazine story in 1931. So this year, as we
launch our celebration of the centennial in 2017, let’s strengthen our
courage, strength, activity and fidelity. As the great Helen Keller said, “Alone
we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Strengthen our pride,
indeed, and always keep in mind tha t our pride, both in terms of our selfesteem as volunteers and our family of Lions, is our strength.
Our Intenerational President shares a Lion-friendly book with a c hild at a library in
his home state of Arizona. Photo by John Timmerman
4
EYES ON RESEARCH: Lion Alf Hawken, Chair of the Victorian Eye Bank
Committee, with Dr Srujana Sahebjada and Associate Professor Paul Baird, of
the Centre for Eye Research Australia.
Lions funding offers new hope
for eye disease sufferers
Victorian Lions are funding promising new research at the Centre for
Eye Research Australia to enable the early diagnosis and treatment
of the eye disease keratoconus.
Keratoconus is a common condition affecting the cornea (the front
covering of the eye), often developed in childhood. It is characterised by
progressive corneal thinning resulting in an abnormally steep cornea and
considerable vision loss.
In the early stages of keratoconus, vision can be corrected by glasses
or contact lenses, but as the disease progresses corneal transplanta tion is
often required. A significant number of kera toconus patients require
multiple transplants. Almost half of all eye transplants performed in
Victoria are due to kera toconus.
According to Associate Professor Paul Baird, Principal Investigator
Ocular Genetics, recent advances in ima ging techniques, particularly using
a Pentacam corneal imaging system, now allow the detection of corneal
changes in individuals who would not normally be dia gnosed until their
disease is more advanced.
“The key focus of the new stud y funded by the Victorian Lions will be
to identify any characteristics or risk factors tha t might exist in parents
and may impact on the a ge of onset and severity of kera toconus in their
children,” he said.
“We will also identify the presence of an y corneal changes in siblings of
children to allow us to better assess whether these children are a t risk of
keratoconus.
“If this study is successful and the P entacam becomes the tool for early
keratoconus diagnosis, corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) could become
the standard treatment option at the early stage of keratoconus within a
couple of years.”
In March this year, CERA reported conclusive evidence that corneal
collagen cross-linking (CXL) slows or even halts the progression of
keratoconus. CXL is a rela tively simple process involving the a pplication of
riboflavin (vitamin B2) solution to the cornea. The riboflavin is then
activated with ultra-violet light.
Associate Professor Baird said tha t early diagnosis and treatment with
CXL will allow the majority of kera toconus patients to be managed with
glasses or contact lenses throughout their lives, and avoid the need for
corneal transplantation.
“It is a promising time for families with kera toconus – only a few years
ago there were limited trea tment options and the prospect of multiple
surgeries and transplantations,” he said.
“Now there is hope and the real promise of a better , healthier future.
We can’t thank Victorian Lions enough for their generous support.”
Lion
BARRY’S RED CARPET TRIUMPH
Australia’s first Lions International President, Barry Palmer AM, went out in style on a red
carpet with the thanks of world Lions ringing in his ears.
Barry and his wife Anne were widely applauded at his last major convention, the International
Convention in Toronto, of his year-long term as International President for their tireless ser vice to
achieving and promoting the aims of Lions.
It was fitting that at the Convention with Barr y and the large contingent
of proud Australian Lions was entertainer Olivia Newton-John who
performed on stage for attendees.
Throughout his presidency, Barry has promoted the
message of dreaming big in our Lions ideals and never
being put off by hiccups tha t might happen along the
way. In the process, he has inspired and sho wn other
Australian Lions they can play a major part in Lions
around the world.
Pictures: Svend Mikkelsen, Editor, LION magazine, Denmark
ANZI Forum cut-off close: REGISTER NOW!
If you’re interested in attending the second
Australian-held ANZI Pacific Forum, in
Adelaide this year, you need to act now.
Registrations for the Forum, being held from
August 29-31, close on August 15.
The Forum promises to be one of the best yet.
The 32 Forum sessions all have excellent
August - September 2014
presenters covering the modern Lions scene.
Both Australia’s Barry Palmer, the former Lions
International President, and Joe Preston, the new
International President, will be attending.
“A special function entitled Joes’ P arty will be
held on the Friday evening at the Hilton Hotel and
attendees will be able to mix with both men in a
pleasant and relaxed Aussie style,” said
co-organiser Bob Dewell.
The Saturday sessions, in particular, are
expected to be well a ttended to hear Tim Jarvis
tell of his Antarctic adventures along with four
eminent medical personnel.
Details: www.lionsclubs.org.au/anziforum
5
LIONS ACTION
High tea happiness
Queensland’s Samford Leos were in high
spirits after a recent English Rose High Tea
fundraiser they organised.
With Samford Lions and other dedica ted
Meet the new Pres
Last year in the LION magazine an artic le
titled “Lion Solomon now calls Australia
Home” appeared.
It was a story of how Solomon Wahome and
volunteers, they raised $2,349 for their Lions
Club’s Personality Quest Entrant Shayna Lutzke,
with proceeds going to the Lions Medical
Research Foundation.
To the Leos’ surprise, the high tea was sold out
just three weeks after it was promoted on the
club’s Facebook page and website.
The high tea, held at the Samford Homestead
Restaurant, included raffle prizes and 10 silent
auction items and featured a talk by Dr P eter
Darben, head of the SPARQ-ED Institute at the
Translational Research Institute of the Princess
Alexandra Hospital.
The Leos also modelled in a fashion parade
with accessories and clothing from Urban Dweller
in Samford.
his family arrived from Ken ya, settled in Adelaide
and soon joined the Lions Club of Marion.
In June, the story assumed greater proportions
when Lion Solomon was installed as the 53rd
President of the club and also received his
Australian Citizenship.
The joint ceremony was held at the club’s
handover. Breaking with tradition, the handover
also included the presentation of Australian
Citizenship certificates to families from Ken ya, Sri
Lanka and Poland.
Her Worship the Mayor of the City of Marion, Dr
Felicity-Ann Lewis, officiated and spoke highly of
the work of Lions and of the forethought of
combining these ceremonies.
Before the ctizenship ceremony, outgoing
President Kel Waters made donations of $10,000
to local and national organisations and
foundations. He also presented two portable
bladder scanners worth $11,000 to the Ro yal
District Nursing Service (SA Branch). A grant of
$5,500 was received from the ALF to assist.
 Postscript: One of the other newest
Australians will shortly be inducted into the
Marion club.
LEFT: President and now official Australian, Lion
Solomon Wahome (right), is joined by his family, Beth,
Charity and Grace, in receiving citizenship certificates
from Mayor Dr Felicity-Ann Lewis.
6
Lion
Dance “miracle”
Lion Rosalie McPhie knows the value of
putting a spring into the step of young people.
Rosalie, from Queensland’s Macleay Island
club and a former Australian Ballet examiner,
gives free classical ballet lessons to youngsters
as a form of physical expression and relaxa tion.
One of her latest ballet successes has been
Jorja Delaforce, 7, who suffers from autism
spectrum disorder (ASD).
Since Rosalie began giving Jorja ballet
lessons her general wellbeing has improved
dramatically. And so impressed was she with
Jorja’s enthusiasm and ability, she volunteered
to give her free priva te one-on-one lessons.
Recently Jorja’s parents, Kevin and Julia
Delaforce, approached the local Lions club to
publicly thank Rosalie for her extraordinar y
example of Lions community ser vice. “The two
of them have formed a wonderful rela tionship
and we are so ver y appreciative of Rosalie for
coming into our lives,” said Julia Delaforce.
“Ballet in many ways provides a means for
communication for Jorja where the thera peutic
use of movement is further developing her
emotional, cognitive, physical and social
integration. Recently, after we posted a photo of
Jorja and Rosalie on Facebook, we were
delighted when a long-time family friend
commented that ‘this is the most relaxed I think
I have ever seen her’. Rosalie’s kind, loving and
generous human spirit is exactly wha t our
community requires.”
Said Rosalie: “If you can make a difference to
one little child perhaps there are other Lions
who can do the same. They’re all going to be our
future.”
FOOTNOTE: Rosalie McPhie credits Lions with
giving her a new life after her husband John
died suddenly. Realising she needed new
direction (“loneliness and being alone is
dangerous and I was not going to go do wn
that road”), she approached the Macleay
Island club to join. “From there I made new
friends and became a ver y active member.”
Money for jam
Sydney’s Epping Eastwood Lions are making
jams and preserves to boost their fundraising
potential.
So far the club’s products have been ‘flying
off the shelves’ at local festivals and
community fairs and members took part in this
year’s Arts & Crafts Competition a t Sydney’s
Royal Easter Show.
“We have each used different recipes,” says
Margaret Wright who has developed the brand,
Lions Homemade.
Members entered the show to help raise the
profile of their products. “Being a part of ‘The
Memories live
It was a perfect South Australian sunrise in
Beachport that set the scene for the 2014
Anzac Day service.
It was even more noteworthy because the
new war memorial had been constructed as a
community project involving Beachport Rivoli
Bay Lions, the Wattle Range council and man y
Club members
Rosemary Jackson,
Margaret Wright and
Chris Geraghty
proudly display their
Royal Easter Show
entries.
Royal’ is valuable for us as a c lub,” said club
organiser Chris Geraghty. “Firstly, it validates our
Lions Homemade products. Secondly, related
articles in the local press increase our profile in
the community. Hopefully this will transla te into
new member enquiries.”
Interested club members get together for
cooking sessions, demonstrations and product
discussions.
Profits from sales are dona ted to the Australian
Lions Children’s Mobility Foundation. Details:
www.eppingeastwood.nsw.lions.org.au
local artists who
applied the mosaic
tiles.
Conducted by club
member Bob Grieve,
the service was held
in front of a 300plus crowd.
A moving tribute
was paid to local
WW1 veteran Arch
McArthur, while Mayor
Peter Gandolfi spoke
of the new war
memorial.
The opening of
the foreshore memorial was dedica ted by
Anglican lay preacher J.L (F red) Smith and
a group of Beachport primar y school
students paid their respects by reading
poetry and laying red poppies they had
made.
7
From Council Chairman Warren
Hello to my fellow
Lions.
I feel very proud
and privileged to
have been elected as
your Council
Chairman for the next
12 months.
Thank you to all
2014-2015 District
Governors for having the confidence in me to be
the Council Chairman. I am sure that part of the
reason is the support given to me by my wife, Lion
Marilyn.
I look forward to working with the Council of
Governors, the Senior Management team and the
Executive Officer and his staff. I am excited, as I
know they are, at the challenge that lies ahead of
us for the next 12 months.
NEW ON THE BLOCK: Our new Council
Chairman Warren (left) and his wife Marilyn (right)
catch up with incoming Inter national President
Joe Preston and his wife Joni at the Inter national
Convention in Toronto, while (above) Aussie DGs
show the flag. Pictures: Rob Oerlemans
8
It is my role to work with and assist each District
Governor to have a successful year and to achieve
the goals they have set themselves. They will need
the assistance of every Lion in their District to
achieve these goals.
I have had the privilege of ser ving as District
Governor 201N5 for the past 12 months and I
would like to thank all Lions and fellow District
Governors and their partners for a wonderful and
successful year.
On behalf of Marilyn and myself I wish to
congratulate Past Council Chairman Gar y and Lions
Lady Lois for their support and leadership during
the past year and during the handover process.
The role of Council Chairman presents new
challenges and I look forward to working with the
new District Governors and their partners and
companion in 2014-2015.
I have been a civil engineer working as a local
government engineer all my working life. Marilyn
was a teacher of fashion with TAFE and still has a
senior role as coaching convenor for the local
netball association.
I like to use the local government analogy with
the management of our organisation. We need to
continually focus on working around the ‘potholes’
of life, the swings and roundabouts in the
organisation and the speed humps put in our way
when serving our organisation and communities.
My theme will be the same as it was when I was
DG – “Serving and Growing Together”. This
exemplifies to me what being a Lion is all about at
a Club, District and even more so, when considered
from a Multiple District perspective.
Our mission is ‘To Serve’, and to continue to
serve we need to grow and to increase our levels of
service – and we need to do this as part of a TEAM.
The role of Council Chairman is to lead and
encourage the Council of Governors in their
management of the Multiple District so that Lions of
Australia can continue to Ser ve and Grow Together.
We have all enjoyed the past year with the first
Australian International President Barry Palmer at
the head of our organisation. He has been ver y ably
supported by his wife, Lion Anne. When on the few
occasions they have been in Australia, they have
been very generous with their time. This was
evident at the recent Multiple District Convention in
Tamworth.
On behalf of all Australian Lions I congratulate
Past International President Barry and Lion Anne on
a job well done and I am sure they know that we
have all taken great pride in their achievements.
In 2013-2014 we followed Past International
President Barry’s theme of ‘Follow Your Dream’ and
in 2014-2015 we welcome International President
Joe Preston from Arizona. Joe is supported by his
partner Lion Joni.
International President Joe’s theme is ‘Strengthen
the Pride”. This incorporates the pride of
accomplishment in building communities, providing
meaningful service and helping those who cannot
help themselves. He states that the feeling of pride
forms the foundation of our commitment to ser ving
others and this has made us the global leader in
humanitarian service.
He will be attending the ANZI Forum in Adelaide
(29 August to 1 September) and will also be
attending the Skills Forum in Sydney the following
weekend.
Planning has already commenced on the Multiple
District Convention in Newcastle between 1-4 May
in 2015. Please mark these dates in your diar y and
watch out for further details and information.
In the near future, a committee will be
established to formulate a five-year strategy for our
organisation and progressive reports will be
submitted to the Council of Governors.
Membership will remain a major challenge for
Lion
our organisation. We must continue to be involved
in worthwhile community projects. These will
encourage others to see our work and join our
organisation. Remember the important things like
member and club care, changing club culture,
ensuring meetings are well organised and run and
that they have interesting guest speakers. If our
meetings also include fun and fellowship,
members will want to attend.
This year there will be an increasing focus by
the GMT and GLT Co-ordinators at both District
and Area/Multiple District levels.
This is all aimed at making sure we remain the
global leaders in community and humanitarian
service.
We also need to continue to support our Youth
Programs and Projects through the Youth of the
Year, Youth Exchange and Youth Camps, Leos and
Peace Poster Program.
We all need to believe that we can continue to
build our clubs and charter new clubs and this will
also require the courage and commitment of all
members.
Can we do this? Yes, I believe we CAN!
As Marilyn and I continue our journey into this
Lions year, we look forward to meeting and
working with you and being your representative
over this time. We look forward to being part of
another successful year for Multiple District 201.
– In Lions Service, Warren Latham
From Executive Officer Rob
Joining Hands
The recent National
Convention in
Tamworth NSW
adopted the “Joining
Hands” Project as a
National Project for
Lions in 2014-15.
The project, in
collaboration with
Beyondblue, is to raise awareness in our local
communities about the impact of mental illness and
depression. This is an issue that is close to the
hearts of Lions in Australia; we all have friends,
family and business associates who are affected. It
doesn’t discriminate on the basis of age, gender or
geography.
Your club can get involved. All we need your club
to do is to hold one meeting in the next 12 months
to discuss the issue of mental health and open that
meeting to the public.
Through the Lions National Office, Beyondblue can
arrange a speaker to attend your club meeting to
inform you about this issue and lead a discussion on
practical ways your club can help.
Please contact Lions Public Relations Officer to
book your meeting soon by e-mailing
[email protected]. Sessions are filling fast!
Newcastle Convention 2015
The Newcastle Convention Registration will be available in
the next few months. The Convention will be the opportunity
to visit the home of our National Headquarters and the
Convention Committee is building an exciting and informative
program.
There is a change to our Convention Satchels that I would
like you to known about. We would like to provide a high
quality satchel that will be a long-lasting and useful memento
for you. Council has resolved to make this change for the
Newcastle Convention. Satchels will only be provided to
registrants who apply and pay for them as part of their
registration.
The satchels will be printed with the Lions Australia logo
and must be ordered before 27 Februar y 2014.
If you don’t order a satchel, simple bags will be available in
the registration area.
Look for the design of the satchel on the Convention
website soon!
Coming up
1. Last chance to get involved in
the ANZI-Pacific Forum. Go to
http://lionsclubs.org.au/anziforum/
for registration information.
2. Do you want to plan early for
the next International
Convention? The Convention will be
held in Hawaii from 26-30 June
2015 and the information can be
found at
http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/newsand-events/internationalconvention/about-theconvention/index.php
Social Media
3. The Newcastle Convention
Thanks to the many Lions, their friends and family who are
joining us on social media.
It is great to read about your clubs and their projects.
It’s especially nice when Lions are brave enough to also
comment on the stories! Communication is the key to
building a strong Association so I look forward to seeing you
on www.facebook.com.au/lionsaustralia.
– Rob Oerlemans
2014 will be held from 1-4 May
2015. Early information is on the
website with registration forms to be
published early in September 2014 –
http://lionsclubs.org.au/conventions/
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9
Two hours a way by air,
1,000 miles a way from care
Looking back over old copies of “The Bulletin
of the Norfolk Island Lions Club” for some
inspiration as how best to start this artic le, I
came across a report of the charter night of
the club, which took place on Saturday, 17th
October 1964.
That was 50 years ago and looking for an eyecatching heading for this article I chanced upon a
photograph of the charter night dinner and behind
the head table was a Lions banner from the Manly
Lions Club. I am sure that banner was there to
acknowledge all the Norfolk Island Pine trees that
are such a feature in the famous Manly beach area!
Now, I can hear you say, “what has this to do
with an article about the 50th birthday of the
Norfolk Island Lions Club?”
Well, it’s like this. As an eight-year old I made my
first trip to Sydney, and a great delight of a Sunday
afternoon or during school holidays in the late
1930s and World War 11 was a trip to Manly on
one of the Port Jackson and Manly Steamship
Company’s ferries, be it the Barrenjoey, Curl Curl,
Dee Why or South Steyne. One of the company’s
promotional catch phrases was that Manly was only
“seven miles from Sydney and a thousand miles
from care”.
Needless to say, when I saw this phrase I
immediately thought that using a little bit of
journalistic licence it was a good heading for my
article on the Norfolk Island Lions Club’s 50th
Anniversary. Two hours flying time with Air New
Zealand from Sydney, Brisbane or Auckland and
without any doubt, 1,000 miles away from the
problems and care that beset all you Lions who live
in so called “civilisation”.
This article is to put on notice all Lions clubs in
Pic: Wikimedia/thinboyfatter
N5 and elsewhere around Australia of our 50th
Anniversary, and also our forthcoming District
Convention which takes place in 2015.
The 50th anniversary will be celebrated from
Monday, 22nd September until Monday 29th
September 2014.
During this care-free week we will have an
official visit by District Governor Anthony Cheung
and other Cabinet Officers plus any past members
of the Norfolk Island Lions Club who have shifted
from this island paradise.
Believe me there will be a never -to-be-forgotten
social program for the occasion of our 50th
birthday, which we hope will also whet your
appetites to come back for the District Convention
in 2015.
– Tom Lloyd
The winning sound of music
Sydney’s Lugarno Lions believe in giving something back to the generous
public who donate to their fundraising appeals.
In return, they offer music. Typical was their recent fundraising effort for the
Australian Lions Childhood Cancer Research Fund at the local Roselands Shopping
Centre. The attraction this time was Lion Colin Campbell and his accordion.
The centre was delighted with the entertainment, $1350 was raised and,
according to members, it was “a lot more fun than a barbecue”.
10
Lion
Recruiting – Just ask!
ANYWHERE, ANYTIME
Another true story
One of the great recruiting tools av ailable to
Lions is the JUST ASK program, but I
sometimes wonder how many of us actually
“invite” members of the public we have just
met into our organisation.
Do we have the confidence to “sell” who we are
and what we do on a regular basis.
Maybe the following “True Story” will give
confidence and encouragement to members and
clubs looking for inspiration in the recruitment of
new members.
Just over a year ago I attended the funeral in
Townsville for PDG Des Urquhart, and coincidentally
I had Q2’s Lions Recruiting Trailer hooked on to my
4WD and parked prominently right at the exit from
the crematorium. One of our senior Lions mentioned
that he knew I was passionate about Membership
but thought I was a bit ambitious tr ying to recruit for
Lions at a crematorium! Well – that’s all changed
now!
A couple of weeks later I was back for another
funeral, and on completion I complimented the
celebrant on the service she
had just conducted, and in
general conversation advised
that I had used some words
from PDG Des’ funeral a few
weeks earlier in my training of
the new District Governors
Elect in Sydney.
She showed great interest
so I asked if she had ever
been invited to join Lions. Her
answer was “No”, so I asked
if she would like to be a Lions
member. Her answer was
emphatically “Yes please, but
I thought I had to be a spouse
of a member to join” and then
she volunteered that her dad
JUST ASK: Marriage celebrant Gay Rebgetz being inducted into
Lions last year.
"was a Past President of
Townsville Castle Hill Lions
Club”. We soon sorted that, and
referral. And in talking to Gay recently, she is very
the end result was that I passed on her details to
much enjoying her membership and is actively
the club.
involved in the social and fundraising activities.
Gay Rebgetz was subsequently inducted into
Want some more recruiting tips? Please engage
Lions in March 2013, and last month received her 1
your District’s GMT Team or a New Club Consultant
Year Membership Attendance pin from the club.
who will be only too pleased to assist.
Congratulations Lion Gay, and well done to the
PDG John Muller
Castle Hill club on your prompt follow-up of this
GMT Area Leader MD201
A $24,476 lunch ... not a bad effort!
When members of the Lions Club of Sydney W aratah go to lunch, you must be
prepared to expect the unexpected.
When they gathered with friends to celebrate their 8th anniversar y at Sydney’s Zilver Chinese
Restaurant, they hoped to raise a little money for prostate cancer research at St George
Hospital. They raised a mammoth $24,476.
The club had already donated $280,000 to various community causes.
Des shows the spirit
The Lion magazine could be filled each issue with
stories on Lions who have done good deeds but
that’s not feasible.
Instead, we highlight just a few. The latest is Des
Lattin of the Lions Club of Mount Gambier who earlier this
year received an OAM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours
for his good deeds.
An achiever in many fields, Des was singled out for his
long community service.
Described by journalist Sam Dowdy in the local Border
Watch newspaper as a “humanitarian who doesn’t know
the word no”, Des says that being a volunteer gives him a
purpose in life.
"If you've got a talent, use it to help someone else, ” he
says. “I'm tired of hearing people say they don't have
time. I ran my own business and had three children and
still found time to give back to the community .”
Des is a life member of Lions and has held almost
every position within his club including President.
JUST A LITTLE WEARY: Even hard working Lions need a break at some stage. These tireless
workers from V2’s Belfast club ‘take five’ after staging a Biggest Mor ning Tea to aid the Cancer
Council. Belfast has staged a fundr aising morning tea for almost 10 y ears. This year, they gathered
morning tea orders in the week prior to the event and ended up delivering 107 ser ves of cream
scones, sandwiches and cakes to 34 business locations.
11
Looking after your members
CLUB CARE
A true story
One of the greatest things we as Lions can do
is to look after our c lub’s greatest asset – our
Lions members and their families.
We hear about this on a regular basis – at
annual Club Officer Training, during District
Governor and Zone Chairperson visits, and in the
Australian Lion – so what does it really mean?
Rollingstone And District Lions Club just north of
Townsville in Q2 was chartered in March 2007, and
in 2009 Charter Member Lion Terry Giles, a single
quiet builder who had done some wonderful things
in our community, passed away from pancreatic
cancer. In the last few months he was with us,
Lions quietly became his support network, his
extended “family” who helped him through his last
days.
Lions got involved in a major clean-up of his
home and surrounds, helped to finish his home so it
could be sold as part of his estate, aided in his daily
bathing and hygiene, prepared and helped him eat
his meals, drove him to Townsville Hospital for his
weekly oncology appointments, helped him to
reconcile with his children and supported his family
when they did come to visit in the last few weeks
before his passing.
When family could not be here for his final hours,
two of our Lions were with him in hospital when he
Club Care: The new building, dedicated to a wonderful Lion.
passed away, because no one should pass alone.
Nothing unusual here, and I expect all of our
clubs would do similar if placed in the same
circumstances. However, Terry really appreciated
the support from his Lions Family, and as he
finalised his will and with the understanding and
support of his family, he left a small sum of money
to his Lions club to help them establish a
permanent facility where they could meet and store
their gear.
In his wildest dreams Terry could not have
envisaged the lasting legacy of our new Lions
building. With the wonderful support of his
community who donated much of the materials and
their professional expertise, the “Lion Terry Giles
Memorial Lions Den” with an outlay of about
$45,000 but worth $200,000 is a wonderful tribute
to a dedicated Lion, and proof that in our case,
Rollingstone Lions Club is indeed the beneficiar y of
“Club Care” in it’s simplest form.
PDG John Muller
GMT Area Leader MD201
Monster sale draws crowds
Western Australia’s Margaret River Lions have again
pulled off a bumper fundraising sale.
At the club’s latest mega sale, about 100 eager customers
were waiting outside the roller doors of the sale shed even
before it began.
“When the doors went up and the cro wd surged forward
into the shed and the cash started to change hands, it was
like opening day at a Myer’s winter sale,” said club President
Brian Prendergast.
“The shed was full to the brim with c lothes, toys, furniture,
bric-a-brac and electrical gear all dona ted by our loyal
supporters in the Margaret River and surrounding areas.”
Bello Lions rally for mobile ultrasound
Queensland’s Bellingen Hospital now has a much needed ultrasound unit
thanks to local Lions.
Bellingen Lions raised $50,000 to make the unit possible.
Lions NSW & ACAT Save Sight & Health Care Foundation contributed $15,000
towards the project.
The handover became a dual celebra tion as Lion Lester Shea ther, a major force
behind this project, was that day celebrating his 80th birthday. A birthday cake was
enjoyed by the guests and Lion Lester thanked ever yone, especially the people of
Bellingen and surrounding districts, for their support.
Bellingen Lions have supported the hospital for the past 60 years.
12
Lion
Thanks to two super
generous givers!
New community centre ... and another
$1 million donation
Thanks to the amazing generosity of Jeffrey and Geraldine Underhill,
Queensland’s Lions Club of Capalaba opened a new community centre earlier
this year.
The Jeffrey and Geraldine Underhill Community Centre was opened by the Redland
City Mayor, Lion Karen Williams. During the opening, Jeffrey and Geraldine’s work in the
community was acknowledged.
The plaque was unveiled jointly by Mayor Karen and Jeffrey . The building was funded
by over $1 million by Jeffrey and Geraldine.
During the opening, they presented the club with a further $1 million to be put in
trust.
GREAT GIVERS: Mayor Lion Karen Williams, a Lion herself, at the
opening with Lions Lady Geraldine Underhill and Lion Jeffrey Underhill.
In the swim for youth
N3 is proud of its youth and earlier this year man y of those
youth took to the water as a show of their solidarity .
They were part of more than 300 students from across N3 who
had entered Youth of the Year and attended a Youth of the Year
camp at Morisset. The weekend was organised and conducted by
young Wyong Lion Rachel Davies.
Just playing a round for $10,000
Kids Fund, an Illawarra-based charity managed by The Disability Trust that purchases
essential aids and equipment for children with special needs, has an extra $10,000 due to
NSW club Figtree Lions.
The money came from a gala charity golf day at Calderwood Golf Club south of Wollongong.
More than 120 golfers of all ages and abilities turned up to play a two-man Ambrose event. For
their $50 fee, they also enjoyed a scrumptious breakfast of bacon and eggs and a lunch of steaks,
sausages and salad.
Spokesman for Figtree Lions Club’s golf day organising committee Greg Dombkins said the club
was delighted with the response to the event.
“Not only did we get a record roll-up of golfers but we also received tremendous support from a
number of local businesses and sponsors,” said Greg.
An auction of donated
prizes including haircuts,
dinners, golf equipment
and golf balls raised
more than $800.
In March, Figtree
Lions helped MS
Australia raise more than
$36,000 from the
annual 24-hour
Megaswim at the
University of Wollongong
Recreation and Aquatic
Centre.
Deggy’s fundraising goes
into take-off mode
Lions raise funds in man y ways but Murray
Bridge City Lion Deggy Mockett’s method is
different to most.
She hand knits aeroplanes and sells them from
a table at the local Centro, Coles and Market Place
shopping centres.
A volunteer for the Royal Flying Doctor Ser vice,
with the assistance of her husband, Milton, Murray
Bridge City Lions and friends, she raised $1306.75
from selling 93 handmade knitted aeroplanes.
She was helped in the lucrative fundraising by
friends Barbara Herbert, Amanda Haskell, Glenis
Winfield and Kevin Markham.
13
AROUND THE NATION
Getting together to feed the happy, hungry throng
The NSW Lions clubs of Tacking Point and Port
Macquarie joined forces to ensure the young
people of CanTeen were well fed and happy as
they travelled through Port Macquarie enroute
to their annual camp at Bonville earlier this
year.
More than 60 young people and staff attended
the camp.
For the past four years, Tacking Point Lions have
helped the Hunter and Northern NSW Division of
CanTeen in providing a meal and respite for the
travel weary, and hungry, lads and lasses, with Port
Macquarie Lions providing ‘The Den’ in case of
inclement weather
CanTeen supports young people from 12 to 24
who are dealing with cancer themselves or when a
Taking the cake
The enthusiastic group of CanTeen youngsters and
Lions show their support for a meal well or ganised.
parent, brother or sister has been diagnosed with or
dies from cancer.
It helps them cope with the physical, emotional
and practical impact of living with cancer.
Birthday joy in the Lions domain
Tea Tree Gully Lions 50th
Former Tea Tree Gully Lions and
partners are invited to the club’s 50th
Anniversary Dinner on 13th September
2014. Details:
[email protected],
(08) 8263 2637 or 0466 965 544
Lions Club of Cobram 50th
Past members are invited to attend a
reunion at the Cobram Barooga Golf
club on 13th September. Details: Betty
Beasley at
[email protected],
0422821392
Meantime, Lions Club of
Toowoomba Inc. members (pictured
below) celebrated the club’s 60th
birthday in style.
Queensland’s Lioness club of Palm Beach Currumbin was
chartered in 2004 with 17 members and membership has more
than doubled in the 10 years since.
The club celebrated its first decade with a cake, being served (above)
by President Glenda Myles and Past presidents Joy Mattingley , Nancye
Skinner and Sonia Smith. Near the cake is a photo of Lorraine Gray , a
Past President who died after a short illness in 2012. A perpetual shield
has been named in her honour.
14
12
Lion
Barrow loads of fun
It was not all toil and perspiration when
Queensland’s Mareeba Lions, Lionesses
and prospective members recently
competed in the gruelling Mareeba to
Chillagoe Wheelbarrow Race.
Before the race, there was lots of frivolity
with many dressing for the occasion.
The race takes three days and covers
140km from Mareeba to Chillagoe.
The route is known as the Wheelbarrow Way
in recognition of the pioneer gold diggers who
pushed their steel wheelbarrows laden with
possessions from Mareeba to the goldfields
further north. In it mainly for the fellowship, the
team of 10 came in 22nd out of 74 teams.
Coffee
club a
funding
winner
Sydney’s Kings
Langley club has
combined with a
local cafe to raise
funds for a
wheelchair for the
local Westmead
Hospital.
It’s being done
A GOOD BREW: Lions and cafe staff show off the loyalty cards.
via Kolatsio Cafe’s
loyalty card.
Unlike most
or paying the normal amount and the money
loyalty cards, each completed card raises up to
going into the collection tin. There are four rows
$20 for the cause. Since last October more than
on the card.
$2,000 has been raised.
Earlier this year $1,000 was presented to the
From the first coffee purchased, the cafe
hospital, and Kings Langley Lions and the cafe
puts $1 in the Lions collection tin. On the
are donating $750 to purchase the $1,500
seventh coffee, there’s the choice of a free drink
wheelchair.
15
13
HE’S NO ORDINARY JOE
Our new International President is not an ordinary Lion. Well, yes he is, and he
hopes you can match his enthusiasm for Lions, sow similar results and reap the
same benefits he has
grandchildren under the
age of 7, all boys. So any
discord or disagreement
among a crowd of Lions
will not faze a
grandfather unhesitant to
wade into the mosh pit of
young boys. “They’re all
pretty little and have lots
of energy. Any time we
have a family event and
they’re all there, it kind of
dominates what’s going
on,” Joe says. “They have
fun doing almost
anything because they
have fun within
themselves. Just going to
the park with them can
be a fun experience.”
An artist, Joe Preston wants Lions to create their own masterpieces of service in
their communities.
Lions in Arizona first
met Joe in 1974 when
f you were at a Lions event and looked as if
he joined the Mesa Host Lions. He was 21. A work
you were alone, you have possibly met Joe
colleague invited him to the meeting. His friend
Preston, or someone like him.
never returned to the Lions. Preston never left.
Her husband is not always outgoing, says his
“They really took me under their wings, ” he says.
wife Joni Preston. But among Lions it’s a different
“It was amazing – you’d go out and work on their
story. Preston will spot a newcomer and make him
service projects and there’d be somebody that was
feel welcome. “I’ve asked him about that,” says
80 loading bags of newspapers into the bin and
Joni. “He says he wants ever ybody to love being a
helping to recycle. It was pretty hard to say you
Lion like he loves being a Lion.”
weren’t going to do your share of the work when
Certainly, you don’t become an International
they’re working like that.”
President by being an ordinar y Joe. But the
Joe was no stranger to ser vice even as a
contours of his life are routine and familiar. He’s the
newcomer to Lions. His upbringing predisposed him
fleet manager for the largest Ford dealer in Arizona.
for it. A native of Iowa whose family moved to
He and Joni have three grown children, all of whom
Arizona when he was 15, Joe says he had “two
fondly recall idyllic family times including vacations
great parents”. But he has a special affection for his
at Sea World in San Diego and Saturday football
mum, who travelled to Toronto for his installation as
matches.
International President. Early on, he volunteered for
These days the circle of life for Joni and Joe has
the YMCA Leaders Club while in high school. He
formed another loop. They have seven
worked with grade students, teaching them how to
I
organise sports events. It was fun and rewarding.
So by 15 he knew he liked to play sports, paint and
draw, sing, play the piano – and ser ve.
As a young Lion, Joe again found himself
working with youth. He did eye screenings and
promoted reading.
His growth as a person and at his job was tied to
his increasing role as a Lion. “I was so shy and
timid at the start of my year as a club president. I
think about how confident I was by the end of that
year,” he says. “Being able to speak in front of
people, it was amazing how I grew as a Lion. I was
more successful in my business life. I was more
successful in my personal life.”
Lions delivered one relationship in particular. As a
bank manager, Joni realised it was time for her to
become more involved in the community, and she
joined the Pinnacle Peak Lioness Club. The
incoming district governor, Joe showed up for the
installation of the charter members. Joni and Joe
ran into each other again at the state convention.
“What attracted me to Joe was his energy , his
enthusiasm for life and just his good heart. I could
tell right away he was a good man, ” says Joni. Joe
was similarly enchanted. “She had something very
magical about her, special about her – this
compassion and caring about other people that you
don’t see in a lot of people, ” he says. “I would call
Joni my soul mate. We’ve had a magical
relationship, and we’ve been ver y supportive of
each other.”
Their Lions-themed life together continued with
their children. The Prestons took them to Lions
conventions and to service projects. “I’ll always
remember handing out white canes on the weekend
and collecting donations for that,” says Dustin, a
firefighter. Today their kids are on their own, and the
Prestons live in a rural community of 5,000 people.
Adapted from a story by Jay Copp
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16
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Lion
A “pride”
is a close-knit family of lions, as can be
found in the savannahs of central
Africa. Each member of the pride has responsibilities. Whether
they are the hunters, protectors, caregivers, teachers, or learners,
they work as a team, for survival and prosperity. If even one
member of the pride does not fulfill its role, it can affect the entire
group.
President
Joe Preston
There is another group of Lions just as proud. But unlik e the lions of
Africa, these Lions aren’t feared. Instead they are admired and
respected. They, too, form a ring of protection, and they have
shown themselves to be skilled hunters – providing food for the
hungry and tending to the needs of a different flock. These Lions
don’t restrict themselves to grassy plains. Their territory has
spread to every corner of the world, and they bring goodness
wherever they exist. It’s us – the 1.35 million members
of Lions Clubs International.
The English dictionary provides another definition of the word
“Pride” – a feeling of happiness that you get when you or
someone you know does something good. It is not the pride of
being boastful it is the pride of accomplishment in building
communities, doing good, and reaching out to assist others.
Lions are indeed a proud organization. There is a feeling of pride
shared among our members, knowing that our commitment to
serve the needs of others is what has made
us, and keeps us, the global leader
in humanitarian service. It is the
same pride that has sustained us
for 97 years.
We can “Strengthen the Pride”
by bringing the full Lion’s family,
closer together, working in a spirit of
cooperation and understanding, with
each Lion member doing their share. And
we can “Strengthen the Pride” through our
many meaningful accomplishments. This is
the platform for not only success this year,
but through our centennial and well into the
next hundred years.
18
Lion
STRENGTHEN THE PRIDE
THROUGH SERVICE
Service has been the bedrock of our
association since we were started
back in 1917. It is the essence of
who we are and what we do best.
Our future is bright. We are about to embark on
a three-year centennial celebration. It will be a
celebration that embraces our past while shining
a light for us to follow in the days and years ahead.
And it will be centered around the pride that we all
share in our motto “We Serve.” It gives me great
pleasure to usher in our centennial by announcing
our Centennial Service Challenge – a celebration of
service that begins in July 2014 and will conclude in
December 2017. There will be four
elements to the Centennial Service
Challenge. Clubs that report
their participation in the Global Service
Action Campaigns service projects
that contribute to the attainment of
the challenge will be eligible to receive
a special patch. Please go to
www.lionsclubs.org/servicechallenge
for complete information.
The Family and Women’s Task Force has
brought forward the idea of Responding to
Children in Need. As such, I am asking all
Lion’s Clubs to participate in a special
project that not only responds to children, but
especially to children in need. Whether you expand a
current project you are doing or take on a new one,
the ideas for this are endless. It can be to address
literacy, hunger, abuse, poverty, or wherever you find
children in need. Invite your friends and family
members to participate in these activities.
THROUGH MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Our focus is on service, but our strength is
directly tied to our members. The expression “there is
strength in numbers” applies directly to our
association. The more members we have, the more
service we can provide. We have been fortunate to
sustain growth over the past six years. That growth
must continue – even escalate – if we are to maintain
our premier role as the global leader in humanitarian
service.
Countless times as I approach neighbors, friends
and associates posing the question “why aren’t
you a Lion?” the response has been “because I’ve
never been asked.” I’m sure many of you have had
similar experiences. It comes down to a simple
principle – ask.
“ASK ONE”
My membership initiative this year adheres to that
principle. I call it “Ask One.” Just imagine if each and
every Lions member – all 1.35 million – asked just
one person to join their club. It’s that simple – and
Lions already have great tools to help them invite
new members, such as the “Just Ask” brochure, or
you may want to develop your own strategy, tailored
to use with people you know.
But make it a meaningful ask. A genuine ask.
The expression “it takes one to know one” can
be applied to many things, not the least of which
is Lions. It TAKES a Lion to KNOW a Lion – to
know whether someone has the desire and
passion to serve. After all, the single most important
characteristic to become a Lion is the desire to
serve others. It really is that simple. So ask one.
Or two. Or three.
It is my goal this year to have our Lions make
more membership invitations than we ever have
had, resulting in more new members than we ever
have had. Just ASK!
“SET THE EXPECTATION”
Before my visits and when I arrive, I will ask the host
Lions, “How many new members do you have for
me to induct?” I will ask the district governor to set
the same expectation when they make their official
visits. I will also expect current and past officers and
directors to do this as well. Be ready when a
prospective member says “yes” so that there is a
timely club approval, meaningful induction, proper
presentation of the membership certificate and Lion
pin, and a thorough follow up orientation.
Every Club Needs A Plan
What we accomplish today, and what we
accomplish in the future depends upon building and
strengthening our membership. Survey after survey,
and study after study have indicated people are
volunteering now more than ever. But they have
options for volunteering. In other words, the
competition for volunteer time is keen. People who
volunteer or join a club want to be assured that their
time is being used to make a significant impact –
locally, globally, or both. Meaningful and impactful
service projects will keep members motivated and
will feed their altruistic spirit. They are a great way to
show our pride in serving others and involve new
members. So I’m challenging every club this year to
come up with both a Membership Development
AND Leadership Development Plan – one that is
unique to your club and your community. The “one
size fits all” model simply doesn’t work.
Strengthen our Membership by special targeting.
Although we want to grow all demographics, we
challenge all of you to invite women and younger
people to join, and to make the necessary
adjustments in your clubs to make these new
members feel welcome and to offer them equal
opportunity for advancement. If for any reason you
think that women, younger people or any special
group will not integrate into your club, please consider
starting a branch club or a new club, specifically for these
individuals.
“WE NEED MORE CLUBS”
It is not uncommon for a district to lose one or two
clubs, so it is critical that we use all extension tools and
resources to bring in more new clubs than we lose, if we
want to grow. New clubs take a lot of effort and energy,
so it is important to have a team of Lions to help you. It
is also important to train Guiding Lions so that you have a
pool of qualified experts to assist these new clubs so
that they are successful. Remember, charter size
matters. Chartering a club with 40 members doubles the
chances for that club to succeed, as compared to
chartering a club with 20 members.
“REBUILD EXISTING CLUBS”
Guiding Lions can also be used to rebuild existing clubs.
Don’t lose a club without a fight. If you have
a club that is in trouble, get a strong and active club to
work with them, and assign Guiding Lions to work with
that club to increase their membership, develop better
club operations and to expand the service that they are
providing.
My Membership Development strategy includes
recruitment, special targeting, involvement, retention,
membership satisfaction, branch clubs, extension and
rebuilding existing clubs. This comprehensive program is
designed to grow and strengthen our association. But
I’m asking you to localize the strategy to make it work for
your club’s particular needs and character.
BY STRENGTHENING YOUR CLUB
It is time that we got back to the basics of strengthening
our association from the Club Up. Every Lions Club will be
encouraged to examine what they are doing and consider
implementing new management strategies and techniques to
energize their club. The goal is to have clubs with better
focus, direction, drive and purpose. The old saying, “If you
keep on doing what you’ve always been doing, you’ll keep
on getting what you’ve always been getting,” is very true.
If we want new and better results, we need to try new
ways.
22
As we enter a new Lions year, I am asking all Lions to
strengthen our programs while expanding our impact, and
for each club to participate in the Community Needs
Assessment to determine how best to serve their respective
communities.
Clubs that have completed the Community Needs
Assessment have found it to be a valuable tool in
determining signature service projects. The vast majority of
clubs completing the assessment indicated that it was
useful in identifying needs. Make it an ongoing process
instead of a one-time event, and use it also to build
relationships with key members of the community and to
recruit new members.
Lion
As important as it is to recruit new members, it is equally
important to retain members – both new and existing. New
members are particularly vulnerable. Good hosts, when
entertaining guests at their home, will go out of their way to
make their guests feel comfortable. The same can be said
of your club. Your Lions club is your home away from
home. Members of your club are like members of your
family. New members want to feel like they belong. Assign
a mentor. Ensure all members have a meaningful
experience and are allowed to contribute and share ideas.
For new members, ask them to assess their experience on
a regular basis.
Participate in the Club Excellence Process (CEP). CEP is a fun,
interactive process that brings members together to look at
what your club is today and what it will be tomorrow. It
gives you the tools to strengthen your service, improve
your club effectiveness and enhance your membership
experience. Good for all members, and good for the overall
club atmosphere. For clubs that have completed CEP, you
will be able to establish a plan of action. Next you can
implement your plan, and the final step is to actively
manage your plan to make sure that it is successful.
Part of your plan to strengthen your club should include
ensuring that all members are actively INVOLVED in your club.
That should be part of your club’s Leadership Development
Plan. When we match up our members to what they are
interested in, when we make sure they are participating and
attending, when we listen to them, when we give them equal
opportunity to lead and when we get them performing
hands on service projects and activities - we will keep them
busy and add value to their membership.
An involved Lion is a satisfied Lion.
23
THROUGH LEADERSHIP
LEOS
Leos are an important part of the overall
strength of our pride – our family. I am
calling upon all Lions to involve Leos,
support them and celebrate their service
accomplishments so they may expand
our pride even further to help us serve
more people. Properly supporting and
staying in contact with our Leos will
provide an opportunity for these Leos
to become Lions in the future. Reaching
out to younger generations will benefit
our organization today and throughout
another century of Lions service.
Strengthen your club by sponsoring
a Leos club.
Leadership Development does not happen by accident.
We can strengthen our clubs by developing strong club
leaders. Leadership Development starts with a meaningful
induction and a proper orientation. From there we assign
our members to committees, where they are given a chance
to grow into leaders. We should encourage that they become
club officers and get the necessary training to be successful.
As they move up the club leadership ladder they will develop
new skills and expertise. Every club should have a leadership
development plan that includes goals for new member orientation,
mentoring, and participation in zone meetings and leadership training.
By continually building the leadership ability of our club
members we increase the pool of available leaders, which will
reduce our need to recycle club officers. Successful club
leaders are a good pool for district leadership positions, and
above.
THROUGH CREATIVITY
Survival is a basic instinct inherent in every lion in the Serengeti.
The pride is constantly migrating to new areas. They develop
creative means to thrive and overcome unforeseen challenges.
They adapt. Adaptability and taking on new challenges is just as
important to Lions clubs. If our clubs don’t thrive and grow,
countless needs go unmet and communities suffer.
The electronic age has ushered in new ways of doing
business and reaching a broader audience. It has also
provided us new and effective ways to communicate.
LCI has built a strong network
of social media tools. Followers
on facebook, twitter, youtube,
the LCI blog and other sites
are growing each month. We’re
doing live tweets from major
events like our International
Convention, Lions World
Sight Day and Lions Day
at the United Nations.
Each day more clubs are
developing web sites, either
on their own or through
e-clubhouse, and facebook
pages. New tools like Service
Activity Reporting and My LCI make it easy
for clubs to report activities, find information,
and share their pride.
Get creative. Create new avenues of
communication and take advantage of the
electronic age. It is easier than you think. Take a
social media seminar at your area Forum or the
International Convention. Find a member within your district or
multiple district to host a seminar at your local convention. This
year LCI staff will develop a special “hash” tag for members to
tweet member recruiting successes, and also a special section
on the LCI facebook page for Lions to share their stories.
For us to survive, grow and prosper in today’s world, we need
to embrace technology, and use it to our advantage.
THROUGH
GIVING
The more you give,
the more you have
to give. I don’t
understand how
THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS
We can do more and accomplish more when we work together
with like-minded people, companies and organizations. Every Lions
Club is encouraged to partner with others when it is mutually
advantageous, strengthens their communities, and helps your club
better serve others. At the international level, LCI has grown by leaps
and bounds in the last seven years, as to the quantity, quality and
effectiveness of the service that we provide, and most of this growth
has come from successful partnerships.
this happens or
why, but it seems
to happen. This
year I am asking
all clubs to make
a contribution
to LCIF, the
THROUGH REDEDICATION
charitable arm
Our pride not only resides in our past, it dwells in our present and
will propel us toward the future. Our founder, Melvin Jones, instilled
that pride of service in our first members, and nurtured pride in
membership as Lions Clubs International began to grow. As we
prepare for our centennial celebration, it is important to remember
the legacy of service willed to us by our founder. I am asking all
Lions next year to set aside January 13th – Melvin Jones’ birthday – as a
tribute to him, and to rededicate yourself to the community and
humanitarian codes, objects and principles of our association. As an
alternative, you might want to perform a service project, do a random
act of kindness, or hold a special new member induction ceremony.
Whatever you do, make this a special day.
of our association.
LCIF is there to
do more than clubs
working alone.
You decide the
size of your gift.
THROUGH
COURAGE AND
CONVICTION
One of the story lines in the beloved movie
classic “The Wizard of Oz” centers around a
character referred to as the “cowardly lion.”
In the end, he discovers it isn’t
courage he is lacking, it is conviction.
A roar without conviction is just a
loud noise.
Lions members have both courage
and conviction. Did you ever stop to
consider how much courage it takes to
stand up to a bully? To right the wrong?
To defend a weaker person? Did you ever
consider the amount of conviction it takes
to live by a set of principles that says no need
should go unmet? No one should be hungry? No
one should surrender to a preventable disease?
As Lions, we need to roar. We need to tell the
whole world who we are, and that we will never
stop trying, because we have service to perform,
and we are going to provide it, no matter what
the challenges are.
Lions Clubs International was born of courage
and has succeeded due to our conviction to the
principle that it is better to serve others, than to
serve ourselves. And if we stay focused - that
same courage and conviction will carry us into
the future.
27
STRENGTHEN THE PRIDE – through Service,
Membership Development, Club
Development, Leadership Development,
Creativity, Partnerships, Rededication and
Courage and Conviction. It has been
designed specifically to integrate and
compliment the work already underway by
our membership and leadership network,
the GMT and GLT, to take us to the next level
of efficiency and effectiveness. Please use
the GLT, GMT, DG Teams and all other
resources to support your efforts.
Ironically, our namesake is an animal that
stirs fear among many, while we are an
organisation not feared but respected. We
have earned the respect of others because
we are honest brokers of peace, goodwill
and compassion for others. And we ask for
nothing in return. It’s enough knowing that
what we do for those in need gives them
strength and hope.
So roar with conviction Lions. Roar with
courage. Roar because we are making a
difference in the world. Focus on community
and humanitarian service, and
STRENGTHEN THE PRIDE.
Preventable blindness to be reduced
$8.8 million boost takes the fight up to River Blindness
By Eric Margules
Imagine living for years with
painful eye lesions, watching the
world steadily dim as your
eyesight weakens and eventually
fails from what was ultimately a
preventable condition.
This desperation is real for
hundreds of thousands of people
with onchocerciasis, more commonly
known as river blindness, and other
cases of preventable blindness in
countries across Africa and some of
the poorest regions of the world.
Former U.S. President Jimmy
Carter and 2013-14 Lions Clubs
International Foundation (LCIF)
Chairperson Wayne Madden recently
announced an $8.8 million grant to
the Lions-Carter Center SightFirst
Initiative.
The LCIF grant will be disbursed
over three years to eliminate river
LCIF Chairperson Wayne Madden presents former U.S. President Jimmy Carter with a plaque in r ecognition of his service to the
blindness, and other causes of
visually impaired community.
preventable blindness are within reach.
Carter and Madden met in May with
In addition, the Center has changed its approach
“For 20 years, the partnership with Lions Clubs
top executives from both the Carter Center and LCIF
to river blindness in Africa. It announced last year it
International Foundation has been instrumental in
during a signing ceremony to express LCIF’s intent
was no longer working to control the disease, but
supporting The Carter Center’s leadership in the
to provide $8.8 million to the Lions-Carter Center
instead seeking to assist ministries of health to
fight against neglected diseases,” says Carter.
SightFirst Initiative.
eliminate it from the areas where the Center works.
“The Lions’ continued financial support will help
is
‘realThisfordesperation
hundreds of
thousands of people
with onchocerciasis,
more commonly known
as river blindness
’
The dramatic expansion of the initiative will help
both organisations continue the fight against
preventable blindness in Ethiopia, Uganda, Mali and
Niger.
The Carter Center, local Lions clubs, and other
national partners defeat preventable blindness in
some of the most affected communities in the
world.”
The Carter Center, which partnered with LCIF in
1999 when the Lions-Carter Center SightFirst
Initiative was established, plans to use the
increased funding to ramp up its fight against river
blindness and trachoma – the world’s leading cause
of preventable blindness of infectious origin,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
Mali and Niger are making progress in
eliminating blinding trachoma by 2015, and efforts
to eliminate trachoma in the Amhara region of
Ethiopia, the most endemic region in the world, are
generating promising results.
“Lions have a long histor y of preserving sight, so
it’s an honour to work with The Carter Center and
our fellow Lion, President Carter, to help eliminate
river blindness and blinding trachoma in African
nations where we’re needed most,” says Madden.
Throughout the campaign, local Lions clubs will
provide logistical support and help mobilise at-risk
communities to participate in drug administration,
surgery campaigns, latrine construction and other
health-related efforts.
United by a desire to see the eradication of
preventable blindness, Lions are relying on
cooperation, education, advocacy and sight-saving
initiatives to rid the world of these preventable
diseases.
29
Lions sight-saving honoured in new book
A 30-year history of Western Australia’s pioneering Lions Eye Institute in review
The contribution of Lions to saving sight is
celebrated in a new book published to
coincide with the 30th anniversar y of the
Lions Eye Institute (LEI) in W estern Australia.
LEI Managing Director Professor David Mackey
said the book – Saving Sight: 30 Years of the Lions
Eye Institute 1983-2013 – detailed the remarkable
role of Lions in addressing rates of preventable
blindness.
“It was Helen Keller’s famous address to the
Lions International Convention at Cedar Point, Ohio,
in 1925 that was the catalyst for blindness
prevention programs all over the world,” he said.
In Western Australia, one of the foundation
members of the City of Perth Lions Club
ophthalmologist Dr Robert Linton, established the
Australian Foundation for the Prevention of
Blindness (AFPB) to educate the wider community
about eye health, workplace safety, glaucoma
education, the impact of genetics on eye health and
the importance of regular eye checks.
He told the first AFPB congress in 1963 that the
involvement of Lions was integral to his vision:
“Ships are useless without crews. We, the
ophthalmologists, can supply only part of the crew .
We know where we want to go, but, not possessing
the navigating skill, we look to the national
organisations to help us on our voyage and bring us
safely into port. One such organisation is Lions
International, which has always associated itself
with this cause in America (where it was founded)
and in most other countries outside the Iron Curtain
to which the movement has spread, one such
country being Australia. With the help that it has
promised and with what others may give (such as
£1250 from the members of the Western Australian
Branch of this Society), I feel that the Foundation
will surely achieve the objects for which it was
founded.”
In 1964, the AFPB began community
glaucoma screenings of Western
Australians out of customised mobile
caravans.
The screening process was embraced
by the community and ver y effective
with scores of Western Australians lining
up for free tests. The caravans were
manned by a voluntary workforce of
ophthalmologists, nurses and Lions
members and travelled all over the state
offering free eye screenings. The first,
set up outside Council House, attracted
hundreds of people.
Over the next few years, the program
became the largest district project of the
local Lions movement and there was a
growing recognition that a more formal
approach was needed to its operation.
At the Lions convention in Albany in
1970, the Lions Save-Sight Foundation
(LSSF) was formed, with Lions District
Governor Dr Jack Hoffman appointed
inaugural chair.
The LSSF greatly expanded the
screening programs already begun by Dr
Linton and added screenings for
amblyopia (lazy eye) in children from
1973, and diabetic retinopathy among
Professor David Mackey with the book Saving Sight: 30 years of
the population with diabetes mellitus
the Lions Eye Institute 1983-2013.
from 1978.
With a landmass of more than 2.25
measured the intraocular pressure of an estimated
million square kilometres, providing eye screening
300,000 Western Australians. A research study,
services to Western Australia was a huge
Trends in Blindness Over 19 Years in Western
undertaking and at its peak the screenings were
Australia, found blindness from glaucoma falling 75
offered out of 69 regional centres
per cent.
Over its lifetime, the screening program
Past Lions District Governor Brian King AM
MBE said the success of the screening
program was the catalyst for bigger things,
leading to the appointment of Professor Ian
Constable to the first Chair of Ophthalmology at
The University of Western Australia and the
eventual creation of the LEI.
Professor David Mackey said as well as a
history of the Lions’ involvement, the book
contained chapters on the LEI’s medical
research, clinical services and outreach work
both in remote Western Australian communities
and overseas.
Lions clubs that would like a copy of Saving
Sight: 30 years of the Lions Eye Institute 19832013 are asked to email
[email protected] with postal details.
Hundreds of people took advantage of free glaucoma screenings in Perth in the mid-1960s
30
Lion
Committee Appointments
At its meeting in April 2014, the Council of Governors considered nominations received and made the
following appointments
Program
Position
Term Expiry
Appointee
Area Leader
MD 201 Trainer
30/06/2017
30/06/2017
PDG Tim Irvine
TBA
Area Leader
30/06/2017
PDG John Muller
Leadership
MD 201 Global Leadership Team
Membership
MD 201 Global Membership Team
Lions are advised that:
Project Notices of Motion, having been duly passed at a District Convention or adopted by
Council, are to be provided to the Executive Officer prior to 1 Januar y 2015. (For full
requirements, refer to the MD201 Constitution Clauses 93.1 and its sub-clauses)
Fundraising Activity Notices of Motion, having been duly passed at a District
Convention, or adopted by Council, are to be provided to the Executive Officer prior to 1
January 2015. (For full requirements, refer to the MD201 Constitution Clauses 101.1 and its
sub-clauses.)
Other Notices of Motion
Other Notices of Motion, having been duly passed at the Council, a District Convention, a
District Cabinet or a Lions Club, are to be provided to the Executive Officer prior to 1 March
2015. (For full requirements, refer to the MD201 Constitution Clauses 93.2 and its
sub-clauses.)
Rob Oerlemans
Executive Officer
Lions Australia
YOUTH OF THE YEAR PROGRAM
By now, District Chairs would have received
this year’s stationery and certificates and
have made them available to clubs.
If you are yet to receive your club’ s allocation
please contact your District Chair. Names and
contact details for DCs may be found at;
www.lionsclubs.org.au/yoty. All stationery has
been updated to reflect the alterations to the
Program under the Strategic Review which was
conducted last year.
YOTY WEBSITE: The YOTY website has a wide
range of resources and information available. All
of the stationery, including the certificates, is
downloadable. All are in PDF format and most
are writeable and can be saved. I encourage new
and past club chairs to download the Club
Chairman’s manual, which is available from the
News and Resources page. I also encourage you
to persuade potential contestants to complete the
writable, PDF, “Contestant Entry” form.
Accessing and downloading the certificates
and the Winner Advisory form may only be done
with a user name and password-protected logon.
These are available, on request, from your State
or District Chair.
RECRUITING CONTESTANTS: Now is the time
to approach schools to seek contestants for this
year’s Program. Schools are busy places with
staff being deluged by emails and phone calls
from many sources. Emails, phone calls and snail
mails must be followed up with a request for an
appointment with the principal. The principal will
likely delegate responsibility to another member
Good growth in PNG
Recently members of the PNG Member Development
Committee travelled to Papua New Guinea for the
Charter Night of the Madang Lions Club with 39 new
members.
They were accompanied by DG Gar y Kenny (Q2) who
inducted the new members.
Multiple District Membership Coordinator PDG Bob
Radford was the guest speaker for the special night.
Other visitors included two Lions from the KingsleyWoodvale Club from Western Australia and several
members from the Lae Lions Club.
of staff. If targeting specific staff we recommend
year level coordinators, staff with responsibility
for public speaking, English teachers and those
involved in careers and work experience
placements. When visiting a school, club
coordinators should consider inviting a recent,
past contestant to address students. They are
young – just a little older than the students that
they will address and are accustomed to
speaking with youth.
ORGANISING YOUR CLUB FINAL: Before the
end of September, if club finals are scheduled to
be held before the annual December-January
school holidays, club coordinators should:
• Contact local schools through the Principal and
arrange to liaise with a staff member.
• Register the Club’s entry with the District
Chairman.
• Start organising.
• Order supplies and awards such as pens, USB
drives, compendiums and badges from the Lions
online shop. (Ensure that you use last year’s
supplies first).
• Work with school-contact staff to recruit
contestants.
• Organise judges, including one reserve judge.
• Confirm date, venue and time.
• Whip up club support.
STATE WINNERS’ TOUR: Planning for last year’s
(2013-14) state winners’ prize has commenced.
The six contestants will attend a Lions
International Youth camp at Rotorua, New
Zealand, for 10 days. This will be followed by a
visit to the National Winner’s home state/locality,
which in this instance will be the area hosted by
last year’s National Winner, Jordan Green, and
his sponsor club, Fremantle (W2). The tour will
commence on the 26th December and will
conclude on the 12th Januar y.
PROGRAM SPONSOR: The National Australia
Bank, as the sponsor of the Program, requires us
to report annually, in order that it can gauge the
penetration of its brand. As such, we, as Lions,
have an obligation to accurately report data to
the NAB. To achieve this, the Winner Advisory
Form must be completed. Data required includes
audience numbers, number of contestants,
number of judges and the full name of the NAB
judge as well as his/her position and work
location. ALL Winner Advisory Forms must be
returned to District Chairs.
I must stress, that each judge may officiate at
just ONE club, zone, region, district or state final
in the year of the Program.
The data, below, was collected from last year’s
Program, and is compared with that of 2012-13:
2012-13 2013-14
Clubs
519
469
Contestants
1881
1736
Total Judges
2052
1747
NAB Judges
326
290
Audience
28659
25878
Schools
829
875
Youth of the Year; “You just can’t lose.”
Brian Williams
Chairman
Lions/NAB Youth of the Year Program
31
Facing facts
Want the latest Lions news quickly? Lions
Facebook is the place to get it – and now it’s
easier than ever. Just focus your smartphone
camera on the QR barcode below and it will be
yours almost instantly. Or simply type “Lions
Australia Facebook” into your search engine.
LIONS
NEWS
IN A
SNAP
Learn what’s on the go, what’s coming up, and
what other Lions are thinking and doing
LEND A HAND, OR TWO!
Australian Lions needs a hand. Eac h year we help countless
thousands of people around the w orld in hundreds of
different countries. But we want to do more. To do that we
need your help. We need a hand in the for m of new members
to expand the load of good deeds being done . Joining is by
invitation but interested men and women over 18 and of good
moral character and reputation are encouraged to apply.
Just fill in this for m and send to the Executive Officer at Loc ked
Bag 2000, Newcastle NSW 2300 or e [email protected]
so it can be forwarded to a Lions club near you.
Full name:
Email address:
Phone number:
Address 1:
Address 2:
City/Locality:
State:
Post code:
Country:
This copy of the Lion magazine has been brought to you by:

Aug – Sep 2014 6.4mb - Lions Clubs Australia

Transcription

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