Wish You Were There

I just got back from Multiple District Convention....  when asked to fill out the survey, I gave it 4 stars out of 5....  How many stars did you give?

This was pretty much a business meeting... a lot of roll calls, committee reports, taking care of business; a lot of boring details.  But was it boring?  I didn't think so.  I stayed awake through the whole thing anyway!  But I'm still considered a "new" Lion as I've not had my one-year anniversary yet and I want to learn as much as I can.  I want to question what is being said and done and why so I understand.  Yet, others might find this all too boring.

Loren Pitchford, an Alaskan author, was our guest speaker Thursday morning.  He has wanted to speak before the Lions for YEARS, to thank us for saving his sight.  He got to check that off his Bucket List Thursday morning and I'm glad I was there to hear his story.  

It was said, "If you're not changing, you're dying" (I want to say PCC Howard Rixie said this.) We need to "grow" our leaders, assess their value as a potential leader.  Every lion needs to be nurtured.  Are you preparing your leaders for the future?  Are we?

Hobo Jim gave a GREAT show!  

We were all invited to attend the Leadership Academy in January, yet we didn't have anyone one from Southeast who attended.  They had space for 36 attendees... they had 12 attendees... 24 unfilled seats....  This was a travesty.  I've heard too often that training the district provides is less than desirable.... yet here was training to knock your socks off and they couldn't fill the chairs.

I attended the Social Media class on Day 1.  This is the third "social media" class I've attended in my 10 months as a Lion and being persistent finally paid off!  Although the previous classes were good... this one clicked.

On Day 2, I took the District Governor's class on "motivation" with the key message being "every club has an island."  What's our theme?  What's the community's need?  Have we evaluated ourselves and our club lately?  We need to share our island, spread the word.  We need to "spread the word" whether by PSAs, the web, Facebook, Twitter, etc.  

Listening to the Zone reports were my favorite part of the convention.  I love hearing what other clubs around the state are doing for their community.  Like pumpkin chucking at a target.  Look at these ideas:

• Ballyhoo Club:  Easter breakfast, raised $3,300
• Leos bake sale, raised $300
• Dedicated a memorial
• Hosted a "Business After Hours" with their partners and associates that worked with them throughout the year
• A sand activity where change was buried for the children to find
• Polynesian dinner
• St. Patrick's Day dinner, raised $500
• Sleeping Lady Club hid 8,000 eggs in partnership with the Elks, VHF, and others
• Collected clothes for the needy
• Ice fishing:  provided poles, food, and prizes
• A cinnamon roll fundraiser
• Kachemak Bay purchased a freezer, filled it with meat, and raffled it off
• The Leos served cocoa and cookies for Santa
• One club sponsored a pre-school
• Have a family night with games
• Give a scholarship to a high school student(s)
• A spaghetti dinner
• Spring equinox dance
• Help wrap Christmas presents

Wow!  I'm amazed at all the different ideas members come up with!  

The Awards Banquet was also one of my favorites.  Please help congratulate the following:

     Secretary of the Year:   Mary Omer, Palmer Lions

     President of the Year:  Jason Lockett, Anchorage Racing Car Lions

     Membership Growth:  Eagle River Lions

     Zone Chair of the Year:  Mike Norton, Mendenhall Flying Lions 

     Club of the Year:  Kodiak Lions

     Lion of the Year:  Finis Shelden, Chugiak Lions

Oh, and here's something I didn't know....  The Aurora Borealis Recycling Center (where we send our used eyeglasses for recycling) is one of the recipients of the Click Pick Give with the PFD.  Something to remember next year.  

Queen Mary of the Polynesian Club was inducted

One thing I would like to see our club do is present more checks at the Parade of Checks....  We gave one check for $4,400 for the American Diabetes Association, but there are so many other non-profits that can benefit from our help.  Like the Leader Dogs or Camp K or the Blood Bank or Ronald McDonald House or the Alaska Center for the Blind.  Another thing to consider next year...

"Love your people and love what you do."  Lion Cheryl Hall

We also had elections.  Our new District Cabinet starting July 1, 2014, will be the following:

     Council Chair:  PDG Dennis Cummings

     District Governor:  1st VDG Cindy Beardsley stated her theme will be "Each One Teach One"

     1st Vice District Governor:  2nd VDG Mike Brown just wants to have fun!

     2nd Vice District Governor:  CS Karen Burns stated that Leo Clubs are our future

Congratulations!  

First Vice President Joe Preston shared:  

• 30 million eyes have been saved worldwide through the Lions' efforts
• Only 20 percent of Lions worldwide are women....  but 42 percent of Lions in Alaska are women!  Woo hoo!  
• We need to have fun!  (This was the theme at convention.)
• We need to "stop thinking about ourselves and focus on others."  So true.  

We also learned to not stereotype; to learn the strengths and weaknesses of all Lions; to encourage growth, build their leadership skills, groom them, and encourage them to step up.  Get Lions involved and connected!

I apologize for the length of this post.... my point being that we all get out of these conventions what we WANT to get out of them. To some, all of this would be of little value. For me, the more I can learn about LCI, our District, our Zones, the more I can serve my community and my state.  

I wish you had been there!  We had a great time!

We Serve!

Lion Nancy