My Fellow Lions

The events in Haiti have cause lions around the world to respond with help, compassion and money.  Many of our MD lions and clubs have asked what they can do to help.  Sending your donations to LCIF is a start. Supporting other community agencies that can send supplies and food is also a good thing to do.  We as lions are here to help those who can't help themselves.

As I look at all of this I also think of how nice it would be if our membership was larger which would allow us more service to help in Haiti.  I received this comment from PID Dana Biggs about membership and our mission as lions as we struggle with our declining membership:

Council Chair Vince,
Here is a message from me as the Global Membership Team Leader for the Lions of Oregon. As leaders we must do our best to convince our Lions that their service is needed more than ever. They need to be very positive about our mission and the impact we can have on their communities. It is when things are hardest that we should be at our best.

 If you listen to the pundits, you would think there is no hope for our communities and no hope for Lionism. The thought is that because people are struggling, certainly people cannot afford to remain as Lions or become Lions.

 I reject that concept.

 Look at it a different way. It is not how much money have or don't  have, it is really about what we do with what we have. How creative we are and how dedicated we are to our mission of hands on service. People want to find a way to do something, anything to help. Lions is that vehicle. This is the time to invite others to join us. If Melvin Jones were here with us,  I believe he is, he would remind us that the vision of this Association comes down to this, and I quote: "There will always be a land of beyond for Lions Clubs International a goal that will keep growing larger and larger as we approach it, yet just out of reach, challenging us to run faster, work harder, think bigger, give more." Today, Lions, we are needed in our communities more than ever.

We must rededicate ourselves to making our communities better, one person at a time, one day at a time.

This is Lionism at its finest.
PID Dana

Just as Haiti is having it's challenges we are have our challenge to grow.  Will you meet this by helping us grow?

I want to announce our Multiple District peace poster winner.  She is Morgan Spangrud, a twelve year old student from Walker Middle School.  She is the daughter of Lynnette Miller.  I want to congratulate her on her winning poster.  Morgan was presented a district award at District R's convention in January.  The multiple district award will be presented at the May state convention in Albany.

I want to thank DG Cy and his support cast for a great convention in Newport.  What a great job was done in training and raising money for our foundation.  Great job lions.  We still have Districts O, G & E's convention to go lets continue to support our districts and foundation.  We do better with more so lets continue to grow in all parts of lionism.  Our growth will give us more resource to meet our motto “WE SERVE”

CC Vince