Together We Serve: Celebrating Service, Strengthening Impact

As we embrace this month’s global theme of LCIF and Service to the Community, I am filled with deep gratitude for the compassion and dedication of Lions across District 36E. Your commitment to serving others embodies the very heart of what it means to be a Lion.
The Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) is more than just our global support system—it's the fuel that powers countless humanitarian efforts, from disaster relief and youth empowerment to vision programs and hunger initiatives. Every act of service we report strengthens LCIF’s ability to secure grants, demonstrate our collective impact, and ultimately do more good around the world.

Why Reporting Matters:  Your service matters—and so does the story it tells. By reporting your activities on MyLion, you help paint a fuller picture of Lions’ impact. Whether it’s a food drive, a highway cleanup, or a vision screening, each project logged showcases our commitment to uplifting communities. These reports help LCIF validate need, measure outcomes, and build support from donors and partners.

If you haven’t reported a service project yet this month, I encourage you to take five minutes and do it today. It’s a small act that makes a big difference!

A Personal Thank You, Serving as your District Governor has been one of the greatest honors of my life. The heart, humor, and humility of Lions in District 36E continue to inspire me. Thank you for the opportunity to walk beside you in service.

Let’s Connect in Pendleton!  A final reminder—the MD36 Convention is coming up this May!    I hope to see many of you there as we gather to celebrate, learn, and strengthen the future of Lionism in Oregon.

Bee a Lion with service from the Heart.
DG Paul Novak, 36E

Environmental/ Family and Friends/Leo Club awareness Month

Lions have assigned April as ‘Environmental/ Family and Friends/Leo Club awareness Month’.  And it’s time to start getting your garden in order and that is in line with the Environmental part of April theme, planting trees and Highway clean up.  Getting your family and neighbors involved with projects and the good feeling you get by doing these projects, and be sure to ask them to Become a Lion.  In 36E we have 4 Leos Clubs, what a great way to nurture responsibility in the community.  They are helping with eye screening, highway clean-ups, and helping others in their schools.  What better way to get these young adults to become Lions and serve others?

Convention time is in full swing with our District E having a successful Convention in Central Point in March. I enjoyed our Guest Speakers among them, Past International President Brian Sheehan and his wife Lori, Brian went over the importance of Mission 1.5 for the growth of Lions and our ability to help others throughout the World. District O had a good Convention in Milwaukie, District G is this month in Hood River.  Conventions are fun and you always learn something there to bring home.

This month is when the Clubs should be putting together the Officers for the coming year and the slate of Officers need to be submitted to Lions International and our MD office in May.  Please keep an open mind and volunteer as an officer in your Club and in the District, you can make a difference. The Lions web site has some great training programs and can explain what duties the offices have.

Give Service from the-Heart Bee, a Lion. DG Paul Novak, 36E

Club Growth

March is the beginning of Spring and set aside as ‘Membership Focus’ month.  First, let’s look inside our Clubs and see what our club members wants and needs are.  One way could be using of a membership survey, which I am sending out the first of March to my club Presidents and Secretaries, that can be used as a tool for making a better Club. This can be a non-intrusive way to get members ideas without them identifying themselves. Hopefully we can identify what projects are working and those that are not, and new projects and activities that can be implemented.  Second, we as clubs need to keep our members feeling good with our meetings, and keep them interesting, entertaining, and members wanting to come back. There is an on-line training session for Presidents, and is available to all that covers these points and more, it’s worth reviewing.

We as Lions make a special effort to go out into the community and approach individuals to check out our Clubs and see what we do.  In the community, you can see city and county leaders, utility managers, bank managers, school principals, media organization and others.  Explain what Lions do and ASK if they have someone that could represent their organization. Sometime the organization will even pay the membership fees, again just ASK! When out recruiting it may help for 2-3 members working together.

Convention time is in full swing with District R having a successful Convention in Corvallis in February. I enjoyed hearing their speaker ID Anthony Paradiso also using my “BEE a Lions and BEE kind” in his talk. Our own District E convention is coming up on March 20-21 in Central Point.  District O the following weekend on the 29th in Milwaukie. District G on the following weekend, April 4-5th in Hood River. A busy time for convention goers, and a FANTASTIC time to renew old friendships. You always learn something at conventions.

Happy Valentine’s Day

Service from the Heart is one of my favorite themes that have come down the last few years and it is so fitting for the month of February.  We as Lions know it is from our hearts, and we need to share it with others.  We are putting the finishing touches on School Eye, something to be very proud of, and should be shared with our communities through Radio, TV and our local newspapers. We Lions have an excellent source to go to, Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation (OLSHF). They can workup facts and figures of your local area so your club can put together information and a script for the media.  With this information you should be able to arrange an interview, article with pictures, and of course invite people to join Lions. I am so proud of my fellow Lions and encourage you to share.

Coming up soon will be our 36E Conventions, mark your calendar for March 21 – 22. The convention will be in Central Point, hosted by the Rouge Valley Lions with the surrounding communities helping. For this year’s convention I have the privilege to announce our guest speaker will be Past International President Brian Sheehan and his wife Lori.  Last June while I was at the International Convention in Melbourne Australia, I ran into Brian and asked if he and his wife would like to come to the beautiful state of Oregon for our convention. He checked his calendar and said YES! He has not been to Oregon and would love to come - the rest is history. Oregon MD36 Officers are very excited to have a speaker the caliber of Brian to come to Oregon. Brian is a dynamic speaker and if there is any way you can take in the convention, do so.

The Convention Committee has worked hard to make this a one-day event for most of the district. Central Point should be easy drive for all to make the start of the convention at 9:00AM, take in our Great Programs have lunch and be back on the road by 4:00PM. For those that want to spend the night, we have a program for you; Friday we will have our Cabinet meeting from 1:00PM – 3:00PM and all are invited to see what’s going on in the District. At 4:00 we have a meet and greet with food and Question & Answer with PIP Brian Sheehan.  The reservation for this is in the Lions Magazine. See you there.

Paul Novak    District Governor 36E

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

It’s the time of year to reflect on what we have done in our Lions Clubs in 2024 and what we will be doing this next year.  It is a time to consider what worked and what didn’t. This is where our new members can help with their enthusiasm and ideas. They can help our clubs grow and prosper.  It’s important to remember Lions Clubs International has many ideas and programs to help us as Lions. A very easy way to get to these areas is to use Google search with ‘Lions International’ as the lead word.  Remember, that I, and others in our District, are here to help, just call me.

New Year resolutions are on the minds of many, and as Lions, you can make a point of asking at least one person a month to join us in projects or our club meeting. Better yet come up with your own resolution.

Important dates coming up for District 36E:  Third Cabinet Meeting on Zoom, Saturday January 18, starting at 10:00 am. I will have the link out to all officers and they can share with you, their members.  Our District 36E Convention will be centrally located in Central Point. It could be a long day trip for a large part of the District, or a great weekend for those who choose to stay over.  More information to follow soon.

I wish to thank all the Lions for all the good work you did last year and the support you have given me. BEEing a Lion and giving Service from the Heart allows us all to make our Mark for Lionism.  Trudy and I wish you the very best for 2025.

Paul Novak DG

The Holiday Season Is Rapidly Approaching

The holiday season is rapidly approaching, and I want to wish you and your family the very best.  It’s a time of giving and sharing with Food Baskets, Food Drives, Gift Trees, Toys for Tots, and seeing those without families. It is a time for helping others. That is what we Lions do, Service from the Heart.   I may not know the recipients, but when I help with these projects, my heart swells with pride. I FEEL good.

 The end of the year mail is full of organizations asking for donations, but you will not see LCIF or OLSHF requesting donations - but do remember them, they do so much good for all.  It’s also a time for family; at home or with our family of Lions. When your club has a Christmas party try to have other clubs in your area join in. It is another way of making a visitation which we are not doing enough of these days.  Also, invite prospective members to these parties, it’s a good way for them to learn more about Lionism and to get them to join.

Merry Christmas to all, wishing you and your family the best of the Holidays. DG Paul & Trudy 

We as LIONS have lots to be thankful for.

November is the month of giving thanks with 4th Thursday in November being Thanksgiving.  We as LIONS have lots to be thankful for.  Since the time Melvon Jones started the Lion Clubs in 1917, the Lions have been SERVING others, and we are thankful for this great organization.  We Lions are making a difference (and our MARK) in our communities, with our food drives, youth vision screening, and other youth projects; such as giving scholarships to students giving them the opportunity to a better education.  We have sponsored community parks and help build them, and much, much, more.  As Lions we sell See’s Candies, have food booths, wine walks, crab feeds, steaks fry’s, organized runs and festivals to make money for our charitable causes and we very thankful to the communities for their support.

When we are engaged with our Lions projects, we should have fun.  This is also a time to get new members to join our clubs, which you have been telling me you’re doing.  It’s important to ask again and again for those prospective new members to join.  Part of the fun of being a Lion is helping on projects, and this should also be helping other clubs with their projects.

On another note, I have been checking my Lions MD36 Directory and noted that some meeting places have changed, please have your Secretary or Club Administrator update your information on the Lions Portal.  Some emails and phone numbers have changed, please update these also.  In MD 36E, Lion Steve Brewster PDG is the District Administrator and can make the changes for you, if you can’t.  Just call him.

Our Lions Clubs are all volunteers and we do what we can, I would like to thank you all for what you do!

“Make you Mark” “From your HEART” “And BEE a Lion”

DG Lion Paul Novak 36E

Lions Keeping Busy

As Lions our motto is WE SERVE, and we are all located in Southern Oregon and Northen California. As I am reaching out to the Clubs in 36E, I have found out how busy we all are, reports from the Clubs and the Zone and Region Chairpersons show the projects that are going in 36E, from Crescent City, California up the coast to Coos Bay our Western Boundary, Ashland to Sutherland our Central Area, and Dorris California to Lakeview our Eastern Area.  Projects include Food Booths, Street Fairs, Wine Walks, Plant Sales, Garage Sales, Can Drives, Highway Clean-ups, Candy Sales, Eye Glass drives, Lions Information Booths and much, much more. We need these activities to raise money so we can continue funding the Service Projects we have and getting the Lions name out there.  And I am happy to see more and more clubs are helping each other and supporting these projects.

We are just starting our Eye Screening program, while screening our youth, we get a good feeling knowing those needing attention can go to an Eye Clinic and the Lions will defray the cost if needed. 

Coming up, many of the clubs have “Flags for 1st graders, another project that warms my heart. That is what our Service is all about.  But let’s share these good feeling we get and invite other to join in our projects as Lions or volunteers.  You know we may have to ask 1, 2, 3 or more times, and once they join, we need to get them involved.  Remember we must be open to the ideas they have.

I want to thank all of you for you dedication to serving others. Let’s make our MARK with service from the HEART and BEE a true Lion.    Paul Novak District Governor

“Make Your Mark From the Heart”

The Lions Internatinal Convention in Melbourn Australia was something else. Lions from every country in the world. And we all spoking our native languages. But one thing stood out other in this friendly group, was that we all wanted to make the world a better place through SERVICE.  Like our new International President Fabricio Oliveria said “Make your Mark” and we, in Oregon Say “Make you Mark from the Heart” and we will.  Part of the Convention included our final day of training to be District Governors. The last day of training reminded me of a quote from John F. Kennedy.  “Leadership and Learning are indispensable to each other.”  The training I received emphasized how important it is to take advantage of the online and in personal training that we have in our District. Each of the Districts have a Global Action Team that is setting up training to help all the officers.  All are invited to join and with the online training on the LCI Portal anybody can learn.

At our first Cabinet meeting held in Myrtle Creek on August 3rd, your Zone and Region Chairpersons reported on the many diverse projects going on and being planned in 36E. I have just started my visits and looking forward to seeing all the clubs in the district. In the meantime, the Zone Chairpersons are my eyes and ears. A big thank you to them.  Club Secretaries, it is important that you report your Clubs projects. To help I have asked Past District Governor Steve Brewster if he would be Administrator for the District.  This means that if you call him, he can help you report the projects of the Club, add members or update officers.  

This is going to be a great year for the Lions of Oregon. Working together “We can make our Mark, and it will be from the Heart”!

PAUL NOVAK, District E Governor

Encourage Visiting Other Clubs In Your Local Area And Beyond

     I am excited to begin my year as your District Governor.  During my year as Vice-Governor I had the opportunity to see and talk to other clubs both large and small.  What I have seen are some VERY GOOD clubs doing a lot of good for their communities and that gives me high hopes for our District.  I will be starting my visitations soon to meet with all of you and be available to install those new members.

     Something that I would like to encourage is visiting other clubs in your local area and beyond.  These visits will build comradery, help with sharing ideas and help other clubs with activities if needed.  Sharing ideas is so important:  that’s why we must communicate through our reports. We now have a District Administrator that can help our club Presidents and Secretaries prepare reports and can also give instruction on reporting when needed.  Did you know a club can have its own Club Administrator to assist the Secretary to report on club activities?

     It’s important to learn something to progress in our lives and it’s also true in Lions.  I hope to have some training sessions in your local areas and will have more on this later.  Lions International has many short learning videos that can be viewed and they are easy to get to.  How to get to Training - log onto:  LionsClub.org   then choose Members Resource Center > Training > Club Officers Training

     There is so much more that can be seen on this website for all members, not just officers.  I encourage you to go there and just see what’s available.

     My theme is “BEE a Lion” besides being environmentally friendly, it has a two-fold meaning:  Getting new Lion members, current Lions becoming involved in our clubs, and have fun BEEing a better Lion.

     I look forward seeing and serving District 36E, Southern Oregon and Northern California.

PAUL NOVAK, District E Governor

It’s Time To Move Forward, Start Your Lion’s Year

     The Lions Year ends and the New Lions Year begins.  We need to thank our leaders at all levels who enriched and led our clubs to do great things.  We need to welcome our leaders for the next year who will bring a new perspective and direction for your clubs.

     As Club leaders you will join with new district leaders, multiple district, and international leaders in plotting the future of lions’ clubs internationally.   You will be part of the district governor’s advisory committee:   serving your local community, but also serving the world and changing the world one step at a time.

     The resources are available from your leaders to make your job easier and enable you to serve your club to the best of your ability.   You have many levels of knowledge and leadership available to you to help you achieve your goals this year.   You have the district governor and his knowledgeable cabinet who stand ready to lend assistance any time they are asked.  The Lions Clubs International web page has a membership resource page with helpful links to member resources for all of the officers of your club.

     It’s time to move forward, start your lion’s year.  Get satisfaction from a job well done.   Have fun, make your club meetings fun.   There is a whole new world out there.   You are changing the world.

Steve Brewster

District 36E

We Can Help You Grow Your Clubs

     We all know what assume means and how much trouble you can get in by assuming and not verifying.  It seems that I assumed that because club officers told me they know how to be a club secretary or president, I didn’t verify.  It seems that even the most seasoned club officers are not aware of some of their duties and responsibilities.

     Club officers know how to do the basics, they know how to run a meeting, they know how to take minutes and how to enter information required by Lions International.  But they are not aware of their responsibilities at the zone, region and district level.

     Club Presidents and Secretary are part of the District Governor’s advisory committee. Their responsibility is to file a report quarterly before each cabinet meeting. This report should contain information on what your club is doing and any support or concerns that your club has.

     This report should be sent to your zone or region chairman. Their responsibility is to put all the reports together and send them to the District Governor and the cabinet. When these reports are received, they can be evaluated, and they can provide the support your club needs.

     This is how we can help you grow your clubs.

Stephen Brewster

District Governor MD36E

Ways We Can Be Of Service To Our Community And Change The World

     Spring is here and it’s a time for renewal.  Let’s use our club elections to reinvigorate our clubs.  Leaders that have been in these positions forever tend to get set in their ways of doing the same things over and over with nothing new sparking interest in your clubs.  New officers bring new ideas and new ways of doing things.

     Take a look at what you are doing.  Is it the same thing year after year?  Does it still reflect your communities’ needs?  Over time the needs of a community change and we need to change with them or our clubs die. We need to be doing things that attract new members. Looking toward the future LCI has given us a list of global causes. They are Childhood Cancer, Diabetes, Disaster relief, Environment, Humanitarian, Hunger, Vision and Youth. On their web page LCI provides suggestions of ways we can be of service to our community and change the world.

We Can Only Build Stronger Communities By Learning From Each Other

     The District 36-E convention is fast approaching:  March 22-23 in Bandon, Oregon. We encourage all Lions to register and attend.  It is a time for Lions to renew friendships and find new friends within our Lions’ community.  We as Lions can get together and network with each other, compare notes, learn from other clubs how they succeed.

     We will have ID Marie Cunning to give us an update on what is happening at Lions Clubs International.  She will also answer our Questions and give us guidance on how we can improve our own clubs and help them build stronger communities.

     We can only build stronger communities by learning from each other.  We change the world through our actions within our local communities.  We change the world by working with our larger community, we are Lions from all over the world with one common goal:  To improve the world, we live in.   We are changing the world!

Respectfully,

Stephen Brewster

District Governor MD36E

MD36E Convention on March 22-23 and the MD36 Convention on May 17-18, both in Bandon

     It’s convention time again.  You might wonder why do I want to attend a Lions Convention?  I only care about what is going on in my local club. I don’t care about what Lions outside of my town are doing. It is easy to get into the mindset that we are doing great by ourselves. We don’t need anyone else.

     Lions conventions are a great place to network with other clubs and to exchange ideas. To possibly learn new and better ways to serve your communities.  They may have ideas on how to make your meetings more enjoyable. You may learn how other clubs attract new members.  It is a good place to expand your network of friends beyond your local club.

     Conventions are also a great place to meet your international leaders, to communicate your concerns and learn what Lions International has to offer you and  your club. These people are leaders that started just like you as a member of a club somewhere, sitting in the back row of a meeting just learning how to be a Lion and how to best serve their communities.

     I encourage all of you to sign up and attend one or two of the upcoming conventions to expand your horizons. We have the MD36E convention on March 22-23 and the MD36 convention on May 17-18, both in Bandon. Join me at both conventions for great fellowship and a great learning experience.

Stephen Brewster, District Governor MD36E

IT'S TIME TO SET GOALS FOR THE FUTURE OF YOUR CLUBS!

     January is the time to set New Year’s resolutions and the time to set goals for the future of your clubs.  As district officers, it is incumbent upon us to establish and articulate goals for our district, charting a course for their achievement. Our focus is on fostering growth within the district and enhancing the overall quality of Lions Clubs within our district.

     Clubs in our district are encouraged to define their unique goals, encompassing objectives such as membership expansion, heightened community visibility, and proactive engagement in addressing local needs.  To meet these goals, we need to determine the needs of the community and how these needs can be met by our club.  Identifying prospective Lions to join our ranks is equally crucial, necessitating thoughtful approaches to attract and integrate them into our clubs.

     Lions International offers valuable programs designed to assist clubs in assessing their strengths and weaknesses.  They can also provide insights on effective member recruitment strategies. Additionally, our dedicated Lions within the district cabinet stand ready to offer guidance, ensuring your club realizes its full potential. As your District Governor I am also at your disposal and ready to be called upon for support as you strive to elevate your club to new heights.

Steve Brewster, DG MD36-E

LET'S ENGAGE OTHERS TO HELP WITH OUR CAUSES

     How do we keep and attract new members?  We do this by Serving our communities in multiple ways.  We have 8 global causes that we have taken up.  These causes attract a wide range of potential and current members with varied interests.  As a club you can do small service projects each month focusing on one cause a month, or several major projects over a longer period of time.

     People are more likely to join you If they relate to your community service.  Many people only see us out there when we are fundraising.  We need to show them what we are doing for our communities and engage others to help with our causes.

     Only by seeking out our community needs and working to fulfill those needs will we be able to attract and retain members.

Stephen Brewster

District Governor MD36E

We Must Demonstrate Our Commitment To Providing Meaningful Services

     Frequently, I hear concerns about clubs losing members or becoming inactive in their pursuits.  Why would anyone want to be part of a club that isn't actively contributing?  As Lions, we champion five global causes, each with a range of projects that clubs, regardless of size, can engage in.  We have the flexibility to select projects and organize fundraisers that align with our capacities and resources.  Lions Clubs International equips us with innovative suggestions and resources to think beyond conventional approaches.

     Do we, as Lions, aspire to leave a lasting impact on our communities?  To attract the younger generation, we must demonstrate our commitment to providing meaningful services.  It's imperative that we promote and publicize what we do, showcasing the remarkable contributions of Lions.  Surprisingly, many clubs are not sharing (and reporting) their accomplishments with fellow Lions or with Lions Clubs International.  The broader community remains unaware of our efforts.

     It's time we stand up and declare, "We are Lions, We Serve, and We will Change the world."  The transformation may not happen in one monumental stride, but through a series of small, significant steps.  Consider when we conduct vision screenings; by identifying one child with vision issues, we alter their world, unlocking new possibilities. In doing so, we've already changed the world.

     Let's collectively commit to expanding our clubs and welcoming new members.  This will ensure that we carry forward our legacy of service to our communities.  Together, we can change the world.

Warm regards,

Steve Brewster, District Governor, MD36-E

Changing the World: A Blueprint for Long-lasting Impact.

     To embark on the journey of changing the world, we must first embark on a journey of self-transformation. Each of us holds a unique role within our clubs, and though our time here may be limited, the legacy of our clubs need not be. Do we allow our clubs to fade away with our departure, or do we invest in nurturing successors? Is our position within the club shrouded in secrecy, or are we actively mentoring others to step into our shoes? Let's envision a club that stands strong a century from now, continuing to serve and inspire change in our communities and beyond.

     Lions Club International equips us with an array of invaluable resources to create the best possible club. These tools are tailored to foster membership growth and streamline our leadership responsibilities. Within our clubs, there are officer roles that remain untapped or neglected. A wealth of online resources await us, ready to simplify our tasks—all we need to do is seize them.

     At the district level, seasoned officers stand ready to extend their expertise, either individually or in groups, to guide you through your leadership journey. This united front is known as the Global Action Team, comprising your District Governor, Global Leadership Team, Global Membership Team, and The Global Service Team. Together, we're committed to lightening your load.

     Allow me to introduce the underutilized club-level officer positions that promise to enhance your experience:

·        The Club Service Officer, tasked with overseeing and coordinating service initiatives.

·        The Membership Chairman, responsible for spearheading membership events and aiding in club growth and retention.

·        The Marketing Chairman, dedicated to publicizing your club's activities and ensuring your communities stay well-informed about your service and endeavors.

·        The Club Administrator, equipped with comprehensive access to club reporting and prepared to step in for the secretary and president in administrative capacities if necessary.

     Remember, your district leadership is not only at your disposal but is eager to support you. We are your partners in progress, always here to offer guidance and assistance whenever you need it."

Extend A Helping Hand To Other Organizations

     Our international Presidents Theme is “Change the World.”  We as Lions can do this by our service to our communities. We can accomplish this through our club projects, by being there when our community needs us, by collaborating with our neighboring clubs, our District and our international organization and by forging relationships with other organizations in our area.

     Most clubs in our District are small.  We cannot accomplish meeting all the needs of our communities by our self.  This reality necessitates a collaborative approach, wherein we extend a helping hand to other organizations, donning our emblematic club vest and actively participating in their endeavors.  By engaging with diverse groups, our club’s prominence is amplified, thus drawing more like-minded individuals into our fold.

     Another thing we can do is to help neighboring clubs with their projects and fundraisers.  Asking for help with yours. Only by working together can we change the world one act at a time.