International Association of Lions Clubs February 2017 In This Issue: Peace Poster Winner: p 1 Mid-Winter Recap edition Camp Dogwood Raffle: p 2 Mid-Winter Banquet p 2 Mid-Winter Fun!: p 2 Message from the DG: p 3 Brighter Visions Update: p 3 More Mi-Winter Fun!: p 4 2nd Annual Mid-Winter: p 5,6 Mid-Winter Photos Finale: p 6 Member News: p 7 DG and 2nd DG schedule: p 7 Community Calendar: p 8 Becca Nash, from Piedmont Middle School in Union County, receives her award for winning the District Level Peace Poster Contest! She received a check for $250 and a canvas print of her drawing. Dates to Remember: March is eye donor awareness month March 1st: Environmental Photo Contest winner due April 1st: Leo Member of the Year applications due April 17th-23rd: Worldwide Week of Service to Protect our Planet This month s newsletter features photos placed throughout from the past month s Mid-Winter Convention. All photos were graciously provided by our DG Laraine Dupree. District Officers Governor: Laraine Dupree leo100@windstream.net 1st Vice District Governor: Karl Ernst karl@ernst4chatham.com 2nd Vice District Governor: Susie Dailey sldailey52@aol.com Cabinet Secretary: PCC Diane Whitley dipcc2@aol.com Cabinet Treasurer: PID Harvey Whitley lionswhitley@aol.com 1
Top: Banquet Night fun Bottom: Guest speaker International Director Bruce Beck from Minnesota addresses the banquet attendees. Mid-Winter Convention fun! 2
A Message from our District Governor Lions of the Oh Yeah, Outstanding District, We have just celebrated the first 6 months of this Lions year and the 100 th birthday of Lions Clubs International. Now we look forward to our next steps. Through January 2017, our district has had a net loss of 23 members, 13 of those were lost to death. What about the others? Why did they leave? Every club I have visited has named membership as its greatest challenge. At our convention, ID Bruce Beck reminded us of the resources available through LCI to help our clubs grow. An honest look at ourselves may be an eye-opener. Member surveys are available on How are your ratings? and Blueprint for a Stronger Club. Are the projects of your club still relevant to your community? Are Lions happy with current meetings: time, location, programs, dress? What is your newest service project? Anything new in the last 3 years? To assist anonymity, Zone and Region Chairs are good resources to review the surveys and compile results. Lions of District 31-O, take heart! We can make a difference in the lives of those we serve. Visit www.lionsclubs.org and search membership for new ideas. A new club extension workshop will be held in the Raeford area beginning March 5, 2017. All Lions are invited to participate. While we are focused on forming a new club to provide service to Hoke County, the tools we will be given can be helpful in rebuilding existing clubs. An extension workshop includes training, recruiting, and an organizational meeting for the new club. Lions are needed to participate as much as they can. Have you seen the Disney movie Cool Running? It s the story of the Jamaican bobsled team that incredibly qualified for the Winter Olympics. Four very diverse Jamaicans with varied motivations overcame huge challenges to become a team. During the race for the medal, their sled crashed before reaching the finish line, but they had a dream to finish race. The team crawled out from the unbelievable crash, hoisted the sled on their shoulders, and walked across that line. I think that Lions are just as determined to reach our goals. Thank you for all the services you are providing now! Looking forward to another 5 months of living our centennial motto: Where there s a need; there s a Lion. DG Laraine 3
More Mid-Winter Fun! 4
What a wonderful weekend we have just completed. Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in our 2 nd Annual 31 -O Mid-Winter Convention. My hope is that each of you left the venue as reenergized about Lionism as I did. I believe that we met the goals of a successful convention: Fellowship, Educate, Refresh and reenergize! International Director Bruce Beck and Lion Erin arrived with loads of enthusiasm and willingness to share with us. Their Friday was filled with introductions to North Carolina. The day started with a 2-hour tour of the Industries of the Blind in Greensboro. ID Bruce and Lion Erin interacted with the employees and observed those employees overcoming barriers of lost vision. ID Bruce and Lion Erin then had the opportunity to enjoy the countryside of NC as we traveled to Camp Dogwood. As many before them, they received a new perspective of our camp, impressed by the accommodations and opportunities afforded. A bright sunny day was almost perfect for enjoying the dock although it was a little chilly. ID Bruce, an avid fisherman from Minnesota who is used to fishing in much colder weather, just couldn t understand why no one we could see was fishing along the lake shore. Many of those present at our Friday Fun Night met Lions Bruce and Erin regaled in the fashion of the 1917 2nd Annual Mid-Winter Convention Celebrating Lions 100 th Birthday era for our Parade of Decades. ID Bruce was often lost in the crowd as he interacted with the everyday Lions present. He enjoyed the reaction of our Peace Poster winner, Becca Nash, as she was presented with the district s award. Saturday was another full day. The tail twister breakfast started the day with recognition of the key members and entertainment by comedian/magician Just Joey who involved many Lions and guests who were present. In morning sessions, ID Bruce introduced us to the LCI Forward program which will kick off in July. One of the most prominent features of LCI Forward is the addition of Diabetes Awareness as the 5 th area of the Centennial Service Challenge. ID Bruce then spoke to us about helping our clubs grow. His enthusiasm as he challenged us to pause and remember who were the super heroes of our youth and then to adapt that persona as we work within our clubs. You had to be there to enjoy the audio-visual presentation. My favorite video The train is coming described the importance of involving our youth in our clubs. Youth have energy and evolving ideas that can reenergize all of us with the belief that we can accomplish whatever we set our minds to do. A positive attitude and a belief in our purpose as Lions will determine our success. ID Bruce reminded us about the importance of interactive meetings that engage everyone. The afternoon included our cabinet meeting and seminars. Congratulations to our incoming leadership for District 31-O: District Governor Elect Karl Ernst (Siler City Lions Club), 1 st Vice District Governor Elect Susie Dailey (McLeansville Lions Club), and 2 nd Vice District Governor Elect Paul Silverman (Durham Lions Club). 2 nd VDGE Paul was also elected to serve as a 2-year Director for the NCLI Board. The evening culminated with our District Governor s Banquet. The Banner Parade represented the clubs who had members present. A Service of Remembrance honored those Lions we lost during 2016. Drawings were held for the Camp Dogwood Raffle and the Brighter Vision raffle baskets. Congratulations to Lions Trudy and Neal Watkins who won the Camp Dogwood gift cards. Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets for raffle baskets and the motorized toy truck. I wish each of you could have seen Lion Dustin Keller s face when his ticket was drawn for that truck! Continued on p: 6 5
Mid-Winter Finale 2nd Annual Mid-Winter continued from page 5 Presidential Certificates of Appreciation were presented. Lion Paul Marth of the Gr eensbor o Host Lions Club was recognized for his leadership within his club, directing the merger of the Host and New Generation Clubs, providing orientation to new members, stepping outside his comfort zone to new adventures in Lionism on the state and national levels. There are 3 more certificates to be presented. Those recipients will be announced in the March newsletter. our organization by serving and inviting others to serve with us, inviting others to receive that heart-warming feeling because someone less fortunate has been helped. He challenged us to make the next one hundred years even greater than the first hundred years. work. A special thank you to 1st VDGE Susie who baked 15 birthday cakes, the centerpieces for Friday night s birthday party for Lions Clubs International. Many thanks to DGE Karl and the convention planning committee. The weekend was a huge success because of all your hard The highlight of the evening was the keynote address by International Director Bruce. He encouraged us to move forward into the second hundred years of 6
Aberdeen John M. Coleman (sponsored by Frank McNeill) Eden Mr. Wayne Rakestraw (sponsored by Ken Barrett) Sanford Carolyn A. Creech (sponsored by Carole Smith) Waxhaw Audrey Franklin (sponsored by Daniel Stuart) Mr. Michael O Brien (transferred from another club) Mrs. Susie O Brien (transferred from another club) West Stanly Mr. Roger Hathcock (sponsored by Diane Chance) Ellerby Edward Vuncannon Lion since January 1, 1954 DG Meeting Dates for January and February February 3rd-4th: NC Councils of Governors Mtg February 5th: NCLI Board Meeting 2nd VDG Meeting Dates for September and Beyond March 2nd Hamlet Lions Club March 27th Unionville Lions Club 7
If your club has any events coming up please let either DG Laraine Dupree (leo100@windstream.net) or editor Ali Baucom (Alicia.baucom@gmail.com) know as soon as possible for publication in upcoming newsletters. Newsletter Editor in Chief: Alicia Ali Baucom If you have any pictures or newsworthy articles you d like to have seen in the district newsletter please email: alicia.baucom@gmail.com. 8