Governor‘s Comments...

 In the coming weeks I will reach an important milestone as District Governor. That is I will have visited the 25th club in my goal of visiting all 50 clubs in the district. Over the first two months of this Lion’s year, many events have occurred. We have met on the District Level for the first time, several zones have had their first meetings as well. Several more zones will meet in the near future. Clubs have shared their goals of success with me and in their MMR reports which are printed in this newsletter.

One of my goals this year is the development of new clubs. There are many ways a new club can be formed. It could be a Club Branch of an existing Club. We celebrate the success of the Statesboro Noon Lions Club with the formation of 18-B’s first Club Branch, the Statesboro University Club Branch. This club branch serves the students of Georgia Southern University. This is a great opportunity for the young adult to learn what community service is all about. I am hopeful that in the future we will be able to charter this club as the first Campus Club in MD 18.

But we are not finished, just a few weeks ago, I received a phone call from a Lion who wanted me to meet with a ROTC coordinator who was interested in Leo clubs. As a result of this meeting, we are filling out the paperwork to start a new Leo club in Savannah. I was amazed at the excitement that the counselor and the Assistant Principal had. They had many ideas of the types of service projects they could do as a Leo club. They had conducted some service projects in the past and they wanted some ideas on how to do more for the community. They believe that by starting a Leo Club they can accomplish this. This Leo club is being sponsored by Savannah Chatham South and Savannah Port City Lions Clubs. And because of this interest, other high schools in Savannah are now asking questions on how they can be involved with other Lions Clubs in Savannah, interested as well.

Are we finished with new clubs this year? No, we are not finished. There is an vast untouched population of people who are Lions and they do not realize that they can be. There are people in our community with time on their hands and the willingness to help. All we need to do is the find them and ask them that all important life changing question. There is potential for club branches in areas where less than 20 are available to serve. This could be an Office building, a church, it could be a small nearby community. It could be a group that would like to meet at a different time or a different day from the parent club or what about a ethnic group. The possibilities are endless. The way to success is by asking that important question, “Will you help the Community by Becoming a Lion?”

Sharing Success through New Ideas. Let me ask you a question, how old are your service projects? When was the last time, someone suggested a new idea for a service project? Have you felt that sometimes the project you work on just does not have the same impact as it once had? Over the past 5 years, we have published the activities of the clubs in the effort to bring new ideas to other clubs. I have heard success stories of clubs starting projects that other clubs had been successful with and had success themselves. Success is only possible if you try.

This year, I would like to try something new, this will be a Idea Contest. It is open to all clubs and Lions. The purpose is to see who has the best idea for a service project. It could be a fund raiser or it could be a community project. The judges will be the Zone Chairpersons. The best Ideas will receive recognition in this newsletter and bonus points in the District Governor’s Points contest. Send your ideas to me and I will pass them to the Zone Chairpersons for judging. We will award prizes and club recognition at the District Convention in February.

DG Rick

Wednesday Sept 15               Statesboro Noon            12:00 pm

Monday Sept 20                    Glennville                        6:30 pm

Tuesday Sept 21                   Wilmington Island            6:30 pm

Thursday Sept 23                  Savannah                        12:30 pm

Tuesday Sept 28                   Douglas                          12:30 pm

Monday Oct 4                       Hinesville                        7:00 pm

Tuesday Oct 5                       Rincon Noon                  12:15 pm

                                              Claxton                             7:00 pm

Monday Oct 11                     Lyons                              12:00 pm

                                             Vidalia                              6:30 pm

Thursday Oct 14                   Blackshear                        7:00 pm

Monday Oct 18                     Bellville                           7:30 pm

Wednesday Oct 20               Clinch County                 12:00 pm

Thursday Oct 21                   Port Wentworth                7:30 pm

Monday Oct 25                    Brantley County               12:00 pm

Tuesday Oct 26                    Jesup                                 6:00 pm

Alamo– MMR received late, no activities reported.

Alma– Filed reports on time. Average attendance at meetings is 30. 1 New Members under 30.

Baxley– (20) Reports received on time. Had 4 items published in local newspaper. Working on Peace Poster Contest.

Bellville– (3) Reports submitted on time. Appointed associate directors. Worked 57 hours on club administration. Sent $100 to GLCB. Sent DG club newsletter. They are working on their Chicken Dinner Sale for Labor Day Weekend.

Blackshear– Reports received on time. Transferred 2 members to North Carolina, Lions Norm and Kay Spurley will be missed by the club and the district. Club purchased 2 pairs of eyeglasses and contributed $500 to assist a crippled person with a overhead rail lift. Contributed to the Camp in memory of PDG Cunningham.

Bloomingdale– Submitted reports on time. Club hosted DG and Zone Chairperson during August. Club is making plans to attract new membership and will host a Zone Meeting in September.

Brantley County– MMR received on time, no activities reported.

Brunswick Gateway– No reports filed.

Bulloch– No reports filed.

Claxton– No reports filed.

Clinch County– Reports received on time. Club purchased 4 pairs of glasses with exams.

Cobbtown– MMR filed. No activities report received.

Collins– (11) Submitted reports on time. Club had paid dues. Club spent $137.00 on eyeglasses and $100 on Community projects. $25.00 was sent to GLCB.

Darien– Club submitted reports on time. Worked 12 hours on club administration. Average 14 attendance at meetings. Spent $136 on Eyeglasses.

Douglas– (1) Activities report late. No MMR filed. Reported adding 4 new members. Spent $4200 on local eyeglasses. And 820 hours on community betterment.

Folkston– (6) MMR filed, no activities report received.

Garden City– MMR received late. Average attendance is 9. No other activities reported.

Golden Isles– (12) No reports received.

Hazlehurst- No reports received.

Hinesville– (10) Reports submitted by email. DG found message in the spam box without the club name. Traced back to club by Email return address. 1 member became a LCIF Contributing Member. Club worked 100 hours on community projects. Average attendance at meetings is 22.

Jacksonville– (19) Submitted timely reports. Paid District and International Dues. Worked 214 hours on Community Service.

Jekyll Island– Filed MMR on time. 2 members dropped (deceased) No activities reported.

Jesup– (16) Reports filed timely. 2 New Members! Club spent $501 on Local eyeglasses and $100 for community betterment. They sent supplies to help in the Florida Hurricane Relief and had 2 articles in the newspaper. They have their own web site! Check it out at jesuplions.org

Kingsland–

Liberty Coastal– MMR received on time, no activities reported.

Lyons– (17) Reports filed on time. Average of 18 members attend meetings. Held program on the Camp. Purchased 1 pair of eyeglasses. Contributed $100 for community betterment.

McRae– MMR filed. No activities report received.

Metter– Reports filed on time. Club dropped 2 members. Average attendance at meetings is 7.

Milan– (13) MMR reported on time, no activities reported.

Odum– (5) MMR filed, activities report received after publication of newsletter. Postmarked 9/3/04. Club worked 196 hours on community betterment, 20 hours on club administration. Past President J. B. Perkins passed away.

Patterson– MMR filed, No activities report received. PDG R. C. Cunningham passed away in August.

Pembroke– Reports received on time. 2 New Members. $30 to LCIF and $50 to the Lighthouse.

Port Wentworth– MMR received on time. Club paid dues. They are sponsoring a Men’s Softball League.

Reidsville– MMR filed, no activities report received.

Richmond Hill– No reports filed.

Rincon– MMR received, no activities.

Rincon Noon– MMR received, no activities.

Rincon Savannah River– Club is inactive

Savannah– (7) Reports filed on time, 6 members attended Zone Meeting. Spent $200 on Eyeglasses.

Savannah Chatham South– (14) Received reports online. Collected used eyeglasses, continuing community service for Inter City Night Shelter and other projects. 3 members attended zone meeting.

Savannah Hostess City– (15) MMR posted on line. Activities report a few days late. Club is hard working and motivated. Hosted DG during August. Worked over 100 hours on Community projects..

Savannah Port City– (4) MMR posted on line. Activities report was filed late. Club has paid all dues on time, appointed associate directors. 5 attended zone meeting. Average attendance at meetings is 11. 1 attended USA/Canada Forum. Contributed $200 to LCIF. Worked 96 hours on community betterment. PDG Larry Winters passed away.

Springfield– No reports.

Statesboro Noon– (2) Reports filed timely. Club was busy, they had a booth at the Peanut Festival, did 23 eye screening and 61 blood pressure, stroke evaluations by partnering with local Doctor and Nursing School. Had publicity on TV. Inducted 1 new member. Held first meeting of club branch. Average attendance at meetings is 16. 204 hours spent on club administration. Spent $325 on community projects. 579 hours on community betterment. Contributed $23 each to Leader Dog, RFBD, Band and Youth, Lighthouse, Camp and LCIF. $123 towards a Melvin Jones Fellow. Held program on LCIF and Melvin Jones (DG Topic). This is one awesome young club!

Vidalia- MMR and activities reports received late. Average attendance at meetings is 14. Club contributed $337 for local eyeglasses and $2,250 for community betterment.

Waycross– MMR filed, activities report received after newsletter was published. Post mark was 9/2. Club held broom sale, contributed $100 to LCIF. Worked many hours for community betterment.

Waycross Okefenokee– (8) Club Submitted reports on time. They published 5 articles in the local newspaper. Contributed $200 to local community projects. The club welcomed the DG at his official visit in August.

Wilmington Island– (18) Club reports received on time. Sent DG club newsletter., worked 22 hours on club administration. Average attendance 13 at meetings. Submitted 5 newspaper articles and had public service announcements on television.

Woodbine– (9) Filed club reports online. 22 hours worked on club administration, 62 hours for Community Betterment.

Over the past month our world has been rocked by the passing of three major hurricanes, Charley, Frances, and Ivan. While these storms have only produced some rain and wind in District 18-B, they have created a tremendous loss for many people in Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. At the writing of this newsletter, we are waiting and watching for the next storm which is Jeanne. The current estimates show it will travel near the coast of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas with the worst case of it hitting the coast near Savannah sometime next week. Your thoughts and prayers are needed for those who have already experienced loss and for those who may be impacted by the next storm.

Several clubs have indicated to me that they have or planning to send contributions to help with Hurricane Relief. Contributions can be sent to LCIF, earmarked for Hurricane Relief, or you may send your contributions direct to the Districts involved. Contact DG Rick if you need the address of the district you wish to send donations to.

The International Club Twinning Program is a voluntary and mutual agreement between clubs in different countries. Lions and Leos can participate; however, twinning should occur between like clubs (i.e. Lions with Lions, Leos with Leos). The purpose of twinning is to give clubs from various cultures an opportunity to learn about one another. Through correspondence, the twinning partners actively illustrate the first object of the association, "To create and foster a spirit of understanding among the peoples of the world."

After initial introductions and discoveries of mutual interest, the clubs may decide to exchange club and district bulletins, banners, magazines, periodicals, newspapers, pictures, cultural items and any other materials to foster mutual friendship and understanding. If clubs have equipment that is mutually compatible, they can exchange tape-recorded messages, films, slides and videos.

The twinning relationship can be expanded. Exchanging club membership lists allows individual members and their families to correspond. In some instances, classes of school children from the area of one club correspond with children living in the area of the twin club.

As a result of information exchanges concerning club activities, joint service activities (possibly on behalf of a third country) may be undertaken. Such projects should, however, be voluntary and mutual endeavors, with each club making some contribution.

Language differences

Most clubs will not experience a serious language problem. For those that do, consider language a part of the international experience faced by every international traveler. Determine the language possibilities within the community, among members, their families and acquaintances. Often school language teachers and students welcome the opportunity to translate. Use of a third language, native to neither corresponding club but understood by individuals within each club, may be mutually useful. Do not be concerned, however, about being a master of the other language.

Twinning recognition

When a club initiates and reports its first international club twinning, it is eligible for either a certificate OR a club patch. Information about Club Twinning is available at the LCI website, lionsclubs.org

Through LCIF, Lions will take a leading role in alleviating the worldwide problem of hearing impairment. The Lions Affordable Hearing Aid Project is providing a high-quality, low-cost hearing aid to those who could not otherwise afford one.

There are many reasons to be proud to be a Lion. The SightFirst program has to be right at the top of the list. Through SightFirst, Lions have saved more than 20 million people from blindness and restored the sight of four million through cataract surgery. The latest round of SightFirst grants will preserve the vision of hundreds of thousands more.

"SightFirst: A Vision for All," the latest LCIF video, powerfully summarizes the accomplishments of SightFirst and describes the need to continue our efforts. Lions can order the video for as little as $10.

Another valuable LCIF resource is the 2004-2005 LCIF CD-ROM. It includes a video message from Chairperson Dr. Tae-Sup Lee, the Doing a World of Good video, information on grants and donations, updates on LCIF projects and accomplishments, brochures, PowerPoint presentations, photos, speeches, statistics and more.

You can help LCIF while helping yourself financially. Lions who choose a gift annuity from LCIF receive a fixed, reliable income for life while supporting LCIF's humanitarian projects. A new section of the LCIF Web site explains in detail your planned giving options and benefits.

The 52 grants for $2.6 million approved in June by LCIF will make possible rehabilitation and educational centers for disabled children, healthcare for the underserved and eye care missions to developing nations, among many other projects.

Our District 18-B Fall Rally is being planned at this time. All of the details have not been worked out but the plans are for Saturday October 23rd. In Waycross. Cabinet Meeting at 2:30 p.m. with a Bar-be-que Supper and an enriching experience being provided by Lion Wayne Ates of the Jesup Lions Club. Those attending the State Convention in Savannah will remember Lion Wayne. There will be books and CD’s available for purchase at this event.

Additional information will be mailed to the clubs and included in the next newsletter.

Cabinet Treasurer Jon Lichner has reported that 46 out of 50 clubs have paid their dues for the 1st half of this Lions year. Many thanks to those clubs who have paid in a timely manner.

The Four clubs not paying dues will be contacted to remind them of the important of being current. Also late fess may be applied.

The 28th Annual USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum was held September 9-11 in Reno Nevada. Representing District 18-B was DG Rick Mizell, VDG Lew Waldrop and Cindy Waldrop. The theme of the forum was “Sharing Success.”

Some the topics presented at the forum were: Sharing Success with Recognition, Healthy Club Initiative, Retention the Simple Way, Membership, Departure from Conflicts, Strategies to motivate and direct your team to Success, Establishing, Building, and Nurturing a Leo Club, Good Club-Bad Club, Successes in Community Service, Prepare your club for the Future, Lions Quest Program and Youth Exchange.

The forum next year will be in Peoria, Illinois, September 21-24, 2005. All Lions whether they are leaders are not are urged to take time to attend. The Leadership Forum is a growth opportunity that will inspire any Lion to a higher level of service.

(You want to create atmosphere whereby members will want to come to meetings and functions because good things will happen.)

There are numerous things and activities we can do to Recognize & Acknowledge our members.

1. The Ghost handshake. The Tail Twister appoints a member to be the ghost handshake for the evening and only those two know who the person is. When the Tail Twister does his fines, he will announce the ghost shaker who will in turn give the names of the Lions who did not shake his or her hand, and they will be fined. Having this simple R & A in place at meetings will help set a good tome for the evening because upon arrival at the meeting most everyone will be going around shaking the had of fellow members helping create that positive atmosphere that is so much needed during our meetings. It is not the fine they mind, it is being caught.

2. Lion’s birthdays. Once a month you R & A the Lions who have a birthday that month. You call them to the front of the room, take their picture and sing happy birthday with a cake in front of them. You can take this a step further by putting their names in a box a draw and that person receives a free meal at a table for one set in a prominent area of the room with cake and candles and a glass of wine, if so desired. This process is conducted before any business is done, again setting a positive tone for the evening.

3. Members Contributions. Recognize and acknowledge your members contributions to service from one meeting to the next and do this at every meeting. This could be for Lions service and for any other contributions to community. As Mary Kay Ash stated and I quote “Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from their neck saying make one feel important.” Make the members feel important, R & A them at your meetings and do it early on the agenda, it will only take a few minutes and the rewards will be worth it.

4. Every fifth. There are four or five, fifth Mondays to Sundays throughout the calendar year. Depending on your favorite meeting night, why not have a social get together with your partners and friends on the fifth night. You can play cards, darts or whatever games you please. Have some finger food and some plain good fun.

These are just a few of the simple things you can do to help retain members and if you have a good retention committee, they will put together simple ideas that will work in your club.

A Simple Idea That Has Changed the World

Lions Clubs International has been built on a simple philosophy - bring community-minded people together, give them the opportunity to make a difference and great things can happen. For more than 85 years, local Lions Clubs have applied this philosophy to meet humanitarian needs wherever and whenever they exist. While nearly 1.4 million Lions representing 46,000 clubs worldwide strive to improve their communities, there are still people to reach and new challenges to be met.

Your club can help meet these needs by chartering new Lions clubs in areas where none currently exist or by chartering an additional club to further assist the community. What better way to honor our proud past than by sharing our tradition of service with a new community?

Share the Benefits of Lions Clubs Membership

In addition to securing the continued health and vitality of our association, chartering a new Lions club has benefits for your club as well. Building a new club will instill a sense of pride and accomplishment in your club members. Just imagine the impact a new club will have to those in need . . . and to your club, your district and the international association. It will be a positive growth experience for all.

There are no limits to the number of Lions clubs that can be established in an area, or where they can be organized. Wherever a community need exists, a new Lions club can help. While traditional communities may top the list of new locations for Lions clubs, think beyond municipalities to consider business parks, major corporations, medical complexes and shopping centers as well.

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