Lions MD21A District Governors Newletter


	Lions International MD 21A Newsletters District Governor 2008-2009 Lion Rand Terwillerger
Nov 2008 Oct 2008 Sept 2008 Aug 2008 July 2008
NOVEMBER 2008 Lions, Lioness, and Leos: By the time you receive this, you will have had an opportunity to meet and greet our International President, Lion Al Brandel and his spouse Lion Maureen Murphy. Lion Al and Lion Maureen made a special trip to Arizona to meet with us and also spend time in Window Rock. He joined the Arizona Lions Vision Trailer, the Arizona Lions, and the New Mexico Lions to help in an eyeglass clinic benefiting the Navajo Nation. Thank you Lion Al and Lion Maureen for making time in your busy schedule to greet the Lions of Arizona and perform “Miracles Through Service” at the Window Rock clinic. A BIG thank you goes out to VDG Ann Roberts for working with LCI to make this visit a success! Our hats are off to you. Also thank you to the Mesa Thunderbird Lions, Phoenix N Phoenix Lions, Sun City area Lions, and the Surprise area Lions for hosting special events during the visit. Your MERL Team has been hard at work. During the week of October 13th to the 17th, the team held an Extension Workshop with an LCI Extension Team. The team also visited community businesses to look for new members to form new clubs. I know they will be successful in their efforts. If you would like to form a new club in your area, please contact IPDG Hallis Anderson at lionhallis@qwest.net. As I make my annual District Governor visits, I am excited to see the District clubs working hard to make a difference in their communities. I know with the unknowns in our economy and rising prices it is not easy. Because you are Lions, I know you are successful in your activities. Remember, there is no greater service one can perform than helping someone. Our only return is knowing that our world is a better place. Also that wonderful sensation we receive in our hearts. I look forward to watching your many accomplishments as the year progresses. Please send items of upcoming club events and Lions success stories and activities to the CSL so we all are better informed. Enthusiasm + Experience = Success! Yours in Service, DG Rand Terwilleger
OCTOBER 2008 Lions, Lioness, and LEOS: If you attended our 1st Cabinet Meeting, you heard an excellent presentation by our District MERL Team. They discussed some of the opportunities that exist in membership and retention, extension, leadership, orientation and a review of protocol. The presentations are in PowerPoint format and can be used in your club meetings or club retreats. For a copy, just email PDG Ralph Williamson and he can send you one. Or better yet, ask our MERL Team to attend one of your meetings. It will be worth the effort and will enhance your meetings. Also we had an excellent presentation following lunch by Lion Bob Barrett of the Peoria Sunset Lions Club. He is also the mayor of Peoria. He shared with us how to get more of our activities into the media. He worked for several years as a reporter and editor of the Arizona Republic. He currently is the manager of public relations for the Central Arizona Project. His insights should really assist us in better getting our story out to the public. I’m sure with enough notice; he will speak to your club. We are now in the second quarter of the Lions year. Most of the “snow-birds” have returned. I asked at our 1st Cabinet Meeting that every club re-examine its community projects. I suggested that every club visit with its community leaders and find out what additional help their communities need. Many of these needs will not require money, only time. For instance, “adopt a highway”, assist a child in reading at school, clean up a park, etc. These kinds of activities can not only help the community but also can help revitalize your club. Too many times I see clubs that are still doing the “same old thing” and they get stale. New activities cannot only help the community, but can bring club members together. Remember, our success as Lions is in doing! Please get your registration in for the Mid-Year Leadership Conference. It promises to be a wonderful event. It will not only have some great seminars, but will also have fun socials. Also start planning on attending our District Convention in Laughlin, NV at the AVI Resort and Casino on the weekend of Feb 13-14, 2009. We have some real surprises in store. Enthusiasm + Experience = Success! Yours in Service, DG Rand Terwilleger
SEPTEMBER 2008 Lions, Lioness, and LEOS: The month of September brings many clubs in our district “back to life” after being “Dark” for the summer. In another month the “snow-birds” will start to make their annual migration back to the sunny and warm climes of Arizona. Our Lions Year is already one quarter over at the conclusion of this month. We have many things to accomplish in this short time, but I know because we are Lions, we will meet our goals! Your MERL Team has been hard at work over the summer. We have identified the areas of our District where we can Charter new clubs, and make a Lion's difference in those communities. We also have developed Leadership Programs to help our newly Chartered clubs create strong leaders. Because we all know that to have vibrant clubs we need good leadership. Also, ZC Mary Michaelis , Womens Membership Development Chair, can assist you with promoting increases in women's membership in your club. Remember, the MERL Team is ready and able to assist you and your club in Membership, Retention, Leadership, and Orientation. Lori Ann and I had the opportunity to attend the 1st Council Meeting and District 21B's 1st Cabinet Meeting on the weekend of August 9th. There were approximately 150 Lions in attendance. We had a great time. The host clubs did an excellent job of making sure all Lions in attendance had fun. We also received some excellent training about the “generations” and their differences. I will be attending the District 21C's 1st Cabinet Meeting the weekend of August 16th. Those of you who were able to attend our District “Kick-Off” on August 23rd not only received some good information, but also, had a good time. PID Dave Roberts installed our new District Cabinet and Committee Chairs for 2008-2009. We had presentations by our State Projects, a CSFII update, and an invitation to our District Convention in February 2009. We also had a presentation by PCC Bob Lee on our District Proud Lion/Proud Sponsor Program. Following lunch, Lion Mayor Bob Barrett, of the Peoria Sunset Club, spoke about Colorado River Water Use and our need as Lions for Public Relations. Thank you PDG Ralph Williamson for chairing the meeting and making it a success! Remember: Miracles happen through your service! DG Rand Terwilleger District 21A
AUGUST 2008 Lions, Lioness, and Leos: I recently returned from halfway around the world…Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand was the site for the 91st Lions Clubs International Convention and District Governor School. The District Governor School and Convention were both great experiences. Also the people of Thailand are very friendly and continually look for ways to make you feel comfortable in their homeland. Our new International President, Al Brandel, has some very exciting programs for this year. His theme is “Miracles Through Service”. He firmly believes that they are created by members like you….EVERYDAY HEROES. Without you, our communities would be far worse off. I look forward to sharing more with you about the International and District programs during my club visits later this year. Also, at the Convention, we learned that we have exceeded our stretch goal of $200,000,000 for Campaign SightFirst II. The Campaign received cash and pledges of $203,000,000. Thank you to all the clubs and Lions, Lioness, and Leos that participated. You have just made our world a better place! Great News! We finished 2007-2008 with a net gain in District membership. This has not happened in several years. Congratulations to PDG Hallis Anderson, the District Cabinet, the District MERL Team, and especially to all of our club officers and club members. It is a wonderful accomplishment and gives us the momentum we need to duplicate the results this year! Please mark your calendars for our “District Kickoff” and 1st Cabinet meeting on August 23rd at the Grace Inn in Ahwatukee. Also our District Convention will be February 13-15, 2009 at the AVI Resort and Casino in Laughlin, Nevada. We have some VERY exciting programs planned for both meetings. As we start this new Lions year, I want to wish each of you and your clubs the very best in all of your activities. Remember, Enthusiasm + Experience = Success! DG Rand Terwilleger District 21A
JULY 2008 Lions, Lioness, and Leos: As we embark on another Lionistic year, let me first congratulate each of you on a fantastic 2007-2008. Without your dedication, hard work and sacrifice, the miracles others experience in our communities would not be possible. In your honor, I have composed a poem. O Lions! My Lions! O Lions! My Lions! Our journey has only just begun, The prize we seek has not yet been won. We work and we sacrifice, to do what is right, To reduce the loss of hearing and save the gift of sight! We do this gladly and without tangible compensation, Rather, we receive within our hearts, That wonderful sensation! O Lions! My Lions! Rise up and hear the call! Band together, because not one of us alone, can do it all! We team up to work with our youth, in LEOs and Lions Quest, Because we want them to grow up, to be the very best! We sponsor camps to provide individuals, A diversion from the mundane, And to give their caregivers, an opportunity, to regain. O Lions! My Lions! We look to the past for guidance, For we know that it will offer such, in abundance. And we look to the future, to maintain our vision, Always knowing the choice we made, in joining Lions, Is the right decision! And when our day is done upon this earth, we know we have done our best, Because by following our motto, “WE SERVE”, we will stand, above the rest! Lion Rand Terwilleger April 16, 2008 Updated - 9/19/08