Happy Holidays to all our readers,

     We hope you are enjoying reading your Oregon Lion publication. In the
past year and a half, we have tried to provide you with features worth reading
and news you can use. We are in a constant state of flux as we look for ways to
improve the monthly publication and its appearance.
     We recently did an in-depth review of this publication as well as printed me-
dia in general. One thing caught us all off guard. Each Lion pays $1.50 of their
annual dues towards the paper. That equates to 12 cents per issue. However,
even with a low periodical rate for a monthly publication, we actually pay 22
cents just in mailing costs for each paper. And that is before printing.
     Through negotiations, we have been able to keep the pricing of printing
down, but the cost per paper is around 23 cents per paper. Overall that makes
the cost of the publication approximately 45 cents to 50 cents per month. With
each Lion only paying in only 12 cents per issue, that leaves a budget deficit of
around 38 cents per issue.
     Initially, I assumed the position of Managing Editor to help improve the look
and quality of the news, along with obtaining some advertising to help with
that difference. However, who would have ever guessed that we would have
entered one of the worst economies in our lifetimes, and that print advertising
would take a beating.
     It is my personal belief that your Oregon Lion monthly publication is critical
to ongoing communications between Lions. There are many Lions who do not
have access to the internet, and some who do not make it to all their Club meet-
ings. This publication keeps you in touch with general membership across the
state, as well as to what the MD36 Lions are accomplishing.
     We will be looking at other ways to deliver the news to you. For some time
I have been looking into a smaller magazine format similar to the International
Magazine. Reducing the size may result in some cost cutting, but also provide
you with a publication that you will be proud to hand out. A smaller publica-
tion format might also encourage full page advertisers.
     If you have any comments or suggestions, please email us or contact Glynis
in the MD36 office.
     In the meantime, we will continue to make improvements to the paper.
Typos and misspellings occasionally occur and slip through our tired eyes, but
we are even working to rectify that little problem. We use spelling programs,
and even they miss a word that is not misspelled but just mis-used. Despite the
fact that both of us repeatedly review the pages, occasionally something slips
through. We’re working on it.
     Again, we wish you a warm Holiday Greeting and a prosperous
New Year.

                                                           Your editors, Tom Geil & Glynis Beyerlin