Governor‘s Comments...

Our wagon train has moved forward and gained some momentum as it moves down the trail. I have thought a lot about death and birth along the trail and how hard it must have been for those who encountered it. This is not easy for me this month because I have been dealing with both of these items with the surrendering of a charter from one club that died and the birth of a new club. Both of these clubs are in the Statesboro! The charter for the Statesboro Lions Club was turned in and the new club will be the Statesboro Noon Lions Club. I can see International President Kay Fukushima standing before my District Governor-Elect class in Osaka, Japan and saying you will encounter this and you must walk away from that dying club and focus on the new club. But the charter that was turned in was in my zone and region when I chaired those positions, and it is sad. I remember the good times and how active the Statesboro club was during those days. Statesboro was chartered in 1941, produced four District Governor’s, sponsored several new clubs, hosted several District Conventions and won many, many awards for small club. I know for a fact that during the last several years Lion Leadership within this District tried very hard to help savage this club. The bottom line is, they lost the lions spirit and simply lost their will to exist. Please Lions Presidents, look at what is happening in your club, learn from their mistake’s and throw some more kindling on the fire and get your members excited and interested in what is going on.

But with birth there is joy of the future and excitement for what lays ahead for them. The Statesboro Noon Lions Club was “chartered” on September 7^th with twenty new members and five of the old members transferring membership to new club. You know in the old west the highest complement you could pay another person sometimes was to just tip your hat. Well the “ole wagon master” tips his hat to extension chair Lion Danny Fries and co-extension chair, Lion Jack Kennedy, CC for all their efforts on chartering this new club.

The leadership mule has been very active. Vice District Governor Lillian has given our District Orientation Program to one club and one zone meeting in the past thirty days. Zone Chairs have scheduled two more zone meetings to be conducted in the next thirty days with the District Orientation Program as the drawing card.

We are moving forward into this year and covering a lot of territory and I as your Governor feel really good that we are “UNITING” together and all pulling in the same direction. Keep up the good work.

DG Jerry

September 3^rd  --  Savannah Port City   7PM

September 4^th  --  Statesboro   Noon

September 5^th  --  Odum   7PM

September 10^th  -  Jesup   6:30 PM

September 12^th  -  Bloomingdale   7PM

September 16^th  -  Reidsville   7PM

September 17^th  -  Zone Meeting   Statesboro

September 18-22   Fort Worth, Texas USA/CANADA Forum

September 23^rd  -  Alma   7PM

September 24^th  -  Cobbtown   7PM

September 28^th  -  Grandview Lake, LEO Rally

September 30^th  -   Zone Meeting, Hinesville

BRANTLEY COUNTY: Submitted August reports timely. International and District dues paid, 3 hours spent on administration,

BRUNSWICK-GATEWAY: No reports received

SAVANNAH CHATHAM SOUTH: Submitted August reports timely. Paid district dues, appointed associated directors, 35 hours administration and 31 hours community service, 80% attendance, donated $300 food night shelter, $330 spent on eyeglasses and $1421 community projects.

SAVANNAH HOSTESS CITY: Submitted August reports timely. 100% attendance at mtg, 6 hours spent on community service and 17 hours admin, purchased 20 raffle tickets from district, club newsletter submitted to DG.

At the beginning of September, MD 18 held an MERL planning session at the Centerville Lions Clubhouse in Centerville, Georgia. Representing District 18-B were Team leader, VDG Lillian Shurtleff, team members: PDG Chuck Shurtleff Membership chair, Council Chair Jack Kennedy Extension chair, PDG Bobby Sweat Leadership chair, Brenda Nease Region chair, Jerry Kaiser District Governor.

MERL stands for Membership, Extension, Retention and Leadership. This is an ongoing effort by the Lions of Georgia to improve the working relationships of Lions working in these four important committees. The table above is a representation of an action plan that our district MERL Team has developed for our District.

There is a continuing need for the Lions in our district to become active in the areas of Membership, Extension, Retention, and Leadership. Opportunities of service are there for us if we get involved. We need to attract new members. We need to extend Lionism to new communities with new clubs. We need to keep our members active and excited to be Lions and above all else, we need to encourage Lions to become leaders both in the clubs and in the district.

New opportunities for service through Branch Clubs, Leo Clubs, and Campus Clubs are possible if only we make it happen. Please contact the MERL team if you have an idea, or if you have a question, or if you wish to help with a project. Remember, “United, Nothing is Impossible!”

Recently, Leaders Dogs for the Blind began the first phase of actual construction of the Polk Residence and Training Center. When completed, the Polk Center will bring a new training environment and facilities for the blind people for whom the Lions, Lioness and Leos commit and dedicate their efforts to provide service. The first thoughts of a new residence began with a Lion at the International Convention in Phoenix in 1994. This next year, we will be planning for the first class to complete training in the Polk Center.

The real story, though, is you. With all that has occurred in this last year, Lions, Lioness and Leos have been there when it counted. You have responded magnificently to Leader Dog’s continuing needs and at the same time stepped up to be involved in the largest construction effort in Leader Dog history.

We have successfully raised more than 80% of our campaign goal. Our Lionistic family has responded throughout the United States and Canada with wonderful support. Individual Lions, Lioness and Leos, given the opportunity to become involved, have asked that their names be displayed proudly via our brick program. Clubs, districts and multiple districts have taken the opportunity to display their commitment in a similar manner. There is still time for you or your club to participate in the Leader Dog Brick-By-Brick program. Your Lions Club Members can have their names immortalized in the brickwork of our new residence and training facility welcome circle. For a $100.00 donation, your name will be engraved in a brick used in the construction. You will also receive a miniature brick with your name to use as a paperweight. (Be sure to specify name or inscription with donation. Up to 3 lines, 20 characters per line.)

We thank you the Lions of District 18-B for your wonderful dedication and commitment in seeing the many blind people successfully complete the Leader Dog program. We thank you for being the conduit to make that possible. And, we thank you for sharing with them and with us, your most valuable commodity-the one thing we spend that we can never recover, our time. However, it is really all worth it when you consider the words of a Leader Dog deafblind graduate, “how can I ever thank the Lions family, you have completely changed my life.”

Warmest regards
In Lionism,

William C. “Bill” Hansen
President
Leader Dogs for the Blind

A window of opportunity has opened for us as “lions” with our school systems.

Example, the Chatham County High School has a requirement this year that each student has to participate in 5 hours of community service for each school year. By the end of the school year they must have served the 5 hours and write three paragraphs describing the experience and what it meant to them to participate. We as lions need to step out and reach out to our youth and draw them into our clubs or club activities. Some fine examples presented to me was: work days at camp, white cane day, collecting used eye glasses, all of which would give them credit and do our communities a great service.

Additionally, 72% of young people asked to do volunteer work “will” do so. Sad, 28% never get asked to get involved. Our youth are only 50% of our population, but 100% of our future. We must “UNITE” with our young people and build a better tomorrow.

The Past District Governor’s Association sponsors the Hall-Of-Fame for the District. The Hall-Of-Fame is a way for dedicated and deserving Lions who have served their clubs and the district for at least 10 years to receive recognition for that service. Nominations for selection to the Hall-Of-Fame MUST originate from a Lions Club and must be signed by the club President,

Each nomination letter must include several specific items of information. These specifics are outlined in the Hall-Of-Fame Guidelines, which are posted on the District 18-B Web Site. Of you cannot reach the district’s web site, contact PDG Joe Halter (phone 826-5918) or PDG Chuck Shurtleff (phone 876-8324) for a copy of the guidelines.

All nomination letters are to be sent to PDG Joe Halter, President, PDG Association, P. O. Box 132, Rincon, GA 31326. These letters must be postmarked by December 5. Clubs are reminded that each nomination letter must have attached a check in the amount of $35, which will be used to help defray the cost of the award plaque and the engraving. Each nomination letter must also include a statement from the club that either the recipient, a family member of the recipient or a representative from the club will be present at the District 18-B Convention to accept the award. Checks submitted for nominees who are not elected into the Hall-Of-Fame will be returned to the submitting club,

Selection into the Hall-Of-Fame is an honor! If you have a deserving Lion in your club, take the time to prepare a nomination letter and send it to the PDG Association. The actual selection will be by secret ballot of the active members of the PDG Association. The recipients will be announced and the awards presented at the District Convention. Club presidents of the recipients will be notified of their selection so they can ensure they or a representative are present at the convention to receive the award.

The Liberty Coastal Lions Club recently had an outstanding program presented by a doctor from St. Joseph’s/Candler Hospital. This very interesting program was about stroke. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and the southeastern portion of the United States is the area with the greatest number of strokes.

If you would like for the team from St. Joseph’s/Candler Hospital to visit your club to present this program, contact Sarah O. Joshi, Educational Services at St. Joseph’s/Candler. She can be reached at (912) 692-2577. She can also be reached by e-mail at [email protected]. This is a worthwhile program opportunity.

"Dream of Peace" is the theme of the 2002-03 Peace Poster Contest. Lions clubs can sponsor the contest in their community for children in local schools or organized, sponsored youth groups. Students, ages 11, 12 or 13 on November 15, 2002, are eligible to participate. Students select a medium as outlined in the contest rules to draw, paint or sketch their interpretation of the contest's theme.

Lions clubs may purchase a contest kit through the Clubs Supplies Sales Department. Cost is $7.95 per kit plus shipping and handling. A kit must be purchased for each school or youth group sponsored. (The contest must be sponsored by a Lions club.)

Each poster is judged on originality, artistic merit and expression of theme.

Posters advance through several judging levels: local, district, multiple district and international (semifinal and final judging). At the international level, a group of judges from the media, art, literary and youth community select 24 finalists. From those 24 posters a panel of judges select the grand prize winner. The remaining 23 posters are named merit award winners.

Entries not meeting deadlines will be disqualified.

October 1, 2002 Deadline to purchase kits from the Club Supplies Sales Department at International Headquarters.

November 15, 2002 Postmark deadline for a club to send one winning poster (per contest sponsored) to the district governor.

December 1, 2002 Postmark deadline for a governor to send one winning district poster to multiple district council chairman.

December 15, 2002 Postmark deadline for one multiple district winner to be sent to the Public Relations Department at International Headquarters.

February 1, 2003 International winners will be notified on or before this date.

Each kit contains:

We would like to welcome two new full-time staff members to the Camp. Demarta Homer is our new Camp Secretary and started with us just after the camping season ended. Demarta is a former camper himself as well as a former volunteer and staff member. Just this past summer he was our nature instructor and had a strong desire to stay on at the camp in a full-time position. He is doing a wonderful job as the new secretary and is looking forward to meeting and hearing from all of you Lions out there. Give him a call just to say hello and welcome. He will also be able to assist you with any questions you might have.

The other new full-time employee is Bill Williams, our Building and Grounds Manager. He became full-time September 1 after working with us all summer as the maintenance assistant. He looks forward to living on the property and managing the upkeep and maintenance of the facility. Should you have any questions or concerns about your Georgia Lions Camp, please feel free to give Bill a call.

Even though summer camp is over, we have still been busy with rental groups and it will get even busier in the coming months. We have had several family reunions already with more to come, many Church picnics are scheduled and there will be a Bereavement Camp in early November for young people who have recently lost a loved one. Plans to begin construction on the new building are slated for this fall and Building Block donations in the amount of $400 are still being accepted to help cover expenses. We have applied for a $75,000.00 Matching Funds Grant from LCIF also and look forward to seeing the new building go up.

CENTURY CLUB

Payments are due for Century Club Members looking for their 2002 medallions. Please mail your Century Club contribution to the Georgia Lions Camp for the Blind, 5626 Laura Walker Road Waycross, GA 31503. We thank all of our Century Club participants for your donations to this worthwhile program. All funds raised go into our Capital improvement fund and help ensure the continued growth of your camp for many years to come.

If you would like to become a Century Club Member, please email us for more information at [email protected] or call toll-free at 888-297-1775.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

September 14

Send a Kid to Camp project. If this date is not convenient for your Club, it can be done at a later time. Maybe the funds from your next scheduled project could be used for this project. Each Club President should have received an Information Packet pertaining to this fund-raiser.

October 19-20

Joint Meeting, Forsyth Ga. Lions Camp and Lighthouse

November 8-11

Fall Fest, GLCB Adult Weekend Camp

If we can ever be of assistance here at the Georgia Lions Camp, please be in touch. We would love to hear from you. Check out our new website at www.galionscamp.org or call us at 888-297-1775. Looking forward to seeing everyone in October in Forsyth. Make your reservations today by calling the Holiday Inn, Forsyth at 478-994-5691.

M P Jones

Vice-president 18B

Need a program on an Lion’s Project? Help is available for the following topics. Be sure to allow at least two to three weeks advance notice for the speaker to make plans to visit your club.

Georgia Lions Camp for the Blind                    M. P. Jones
Georgia Lions Lighthouse                                 Rick Mizell
LCIF                                                                 Chuck Shurtleff
Georgia Lions Eye Care Center at Emory         Martha Bovee or David Bovee
Leo Clubs                                                         Jim Ward
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic              Billy Marshall
Leader Dogs for the Blind                                Jim Feltham
Leadership Development                                 Bobby Sweatt, Sr.
White Cane                                                      Jack Kennedy
Club Extension                                                Danny Fries, Sr.
Retention                                                         Chris Barbieri
Diabetes Awareness                                       Trod Hurd
Youth Exchange                                               Jennifer Eisenhart
Environment                                                    David Ellis
Liberty Day                                                     Chuck Shurtleff
Georgia Lions All State Band                         Bobby Sweatt, Sr.
Membership                                                    Chuck Shurtleff

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