It Is Close To The End Of The Lions Year

It is close to the end of the Lions Year.  It’s time to take a look at what we have done this year. We need to evaluate the impact of what we have done this year.  Look at what changes need to be made and look at what we did that improves how our district works for us.  

WE need to take a look at everything we do at the MD Level and how it all comes to gather to make our district what it is today.  A lot of what is happening this year is taking place is changes that will take a number of years to complete.

As the end of the Lion year approaches, review the helpful information below to guide your club.

Club Roster: Log into the Lion Portal to ensure the following tasks are completed before the end of the Lion year.

• Review the club’s roster to make sure it is up to date for the upcoming billing on June 30.

• Enter the newly elected officers. Reporting the elected officers helps the club make sure it continues to receive up-to-date information from the district, multiple district and Lions International.

The Lion Portal Updates webpage offers resources, tools and more to help you as you navigate the Lion Portal.

Billing: Membership dues are billed based on your club membership roster as of June 30. Some important information regarding billing to note is:

• Credits will not be issued following the dues billing.

• Club supplies and other charges will appear on the invoice.

• New members are billed according to their reported join date plus an entrance fee.

Make sure to explore the Finance Resource webpage where you will find helpful payment information.

Installation of club officers: Download a copy of the Club Officer Installation Ceremony guide to help your club prepare for this long-time Lion tradition typically held at the first meeting of the new Lion year. This ceremony gives the club an opportunity to express gratitude, recognize club members, celebrate the club’s service and most importantly, transfer the responsibility of leading the club to the next leaders.

Member Recognition: Looking for ways to recognize your members’ achievements? Visit the Lions Shop for awards, certificates and much more to help make your Installation Ceremony one to remember.

Remember Service is not only to our community but also to our fellow lions. Step up be a leader and help your fellow lions be the best they can.

Steve Brewster

Council Chair MD36

Club Elections

Holding Lions Club elections promptly is crucial to ensure a smooth transition of leadership and maintain the club’s operational effectiveness. Timely elections allow new officers to prepare for their roles, receive proper training, and set goals for the upcoming year. Additionally, entering the election results into the LCI (Lions Clubs International) website as soon as possible keeps club records up to date, ensures accurate communication from LCI, and allows new leaders to access essential resources and information. This process also demonstrates transparency and accountability within the club, helping to foster trust among members and the broader community.

We do have some clubs that are behind in their dues payments because of the change of policy by LCI.  International no longer sends out paper statements. They are all sent out electronically to the email address you have in the portal. For those of you that feel totally overwhelmed by the process, there is help.  Your district leadership is there to serve you, they have the resources to get you UpToDate and enable you to complete your job.

Another position that you need to assign at each level. Club, district, and multi district is the admin position.  This lion needs to be a lion who is computer savvy and will learn how to navigate the LCI Portal. This is a lion that can input information into the portal for an officer who does not have access to the internet or can step in if something happens to an officer and they cannot function in their job.

This is a reminder that we have a global action team available at the district and multiple district levels to provide you with backup and training.  We are the lions who have volunteered to help simplify your leadership position. We are the lions who have been there done that and have learned and are willing to pass on our knowledge to make your job easier.

All of our district conventions have been completed, we have had great speakers and programs, we have elected great leaders for the upcoming lion’s year, best of all we have learned and made new friends and acquaintances. We have celebrated or achievements grown as lions, We now have another opportunity to connect with lions from all over the state of Oregon you have an opportunity hear a message from past international president Doug Alexander. We have put together a program of great opportunities to learn to grow your clubs and improve your service to your communities.  I encourage you make plans to attend the MD36 Convention in Springfield at the end of May. We must broaden our horizons and learn new ways to serve our communities and our fellow lions.

Having a Productive Meeting

One thing I have seen in travels to the clubs in our district is clubs do not know how to have a good meeting that meets the needs of the members. The following is a suggestion on good practices on how to run a meeting. Take these suggestions and feel free to modify them to fit your club’s needs.

Our multiple-district is still struggling with retention of our members. We have attracted 198 new members, but we have lost 248 members and 4 clubs.  We would be positive if we could keep only half of the lions dropped.  June is fast approaching, when we drop most of our members for nonpayment of dues. Its time to get these members enthused again about serving their communities.

HOW TO HAVE A WELL-PLANNED LIONS MEETING,

These are best practices, not rules. Every club is different, and meetings should be run in the way that works best for your members. Goal: Welcoming. Purposeful. Service-Focused. 60 Minutes Max.

Purpose

☐ The purpose of Lions is service, not meetings

☐ Meetings exist to plan service and fundraising

☐ Agenda focuses on service and fundraising decisions

Meeting Basics

☐ Every meeting has a clear purpose

☐ Convenient time for members/some people work

☐ Central, comfortable, well-lit location

☐ If online, technology is working and managed

☐ Everyone can hear and follow discussion

Before the Meeting

☐ Send a simple 1-page agenda about 48 hours in advance

☐ Only place service projects on the agenda when action or new information is needed

☐ Financial reports sent in advance

☐ Written reports submitted instead of read aloud

☐ Assign 1–2 Secret Greeters

☐ Mix seating to avoid cliques

Food and Meals

☐ Food can cause distractions

☐ Avoid ordering, serving, or payment during the meeting

Meeting Management

☐ Start and end on time

☐ Meeting length about 60 minutes

☐ Chair controls the meeting so only one person speaks at a time

☐ Everyone can hear the discussion

☐ Keep the meeting moving and focused

☐ Robert’s Rules can help maintain order; use a simple version

Secret Greeter Welcomes Everyone

☐ Greets members and guests

☐ Makes introductions

Minutes

☐ Brief and highlight decisions and assignments

☐ Sent to members the same day

Final Standard

☐ Is this a meeting I want to come back to?

☐ Is this a club I am attracted to? If not, fix it.

As a multi-district how are we doing?

As a district how are we doing?  Year to date we have recruited 157 new members.  Great work. Now we need to look at our problem, membership retention, we have dropped 229 members. There has been a recent survey as to some of the reasons why members don’t stay, this is the unofficial results of the survey.

Two Major Reasons Lions Are Leaving

1. Toxic internal culture and poor relationships

This was the single most dominant theme, representing roughly 40–50 percent of substantive comments. Lions most frequently cited conflict, cliques, bullying, disrespect, favoritism, poor leadership, and unresolved misconduct as the primary reasons for leaving. These are overwhelmingly club-controllable factors. The data indicates that Lions are not leaving because of service fatigue, but because the internal club environment becomes unhealthy and emotionally unsustainable.

1. Failure to modernize and engage members meaningfully

The second most common theme, representing roughly 25–30 percent of comments, focused on outdated and disengaging club practices. Lions described boring or overly formal meetings, resistance to change, excessive talking and too little doing, and poor use of members’ time. This theme is almost entirely within the control of individual clubs. Members were not rejecting service; they were rejecting a club experience that no longer felt relevant, efficient, or meaningful.

Summary of Member Comments

1. Culture Problems Are Real and Widely Recognized

Many commenters strongly agreed with the finding that toxic club culture is the #1 reason Lions

leave. They reinforced this with personal examples:

- Presidents or leaders who yell, cuss, or show favoritism

- Bullying, cliques, and exclusion

- Lack of support when members face personal hardship

- 'Drama' dominating club life

- Long-standing leaders blocking new people from advancing

Several Lions said they had personally witnessed or experienced these issues, sometimes severe

enough to push them out.

2. Clubs Are Not Modernizing Fast Enough

Members echoed the second major theme: clubs often feel outdated or inefficient.

Examples mentioned:

- Too many meetings, especially 'speaker days' that feel repetitive

- Not enough hands-on service

- Resistance to technology and virtual meetings

- Older members dismissing younger members' ideas

- Clubs stuck in old routines that no longer serve the community

Many said modernization is essential if Lions want to retain younger or working members.

3. Leadership Training Misses the Real Problems

Several commenters agreed with Alvin Louie's point: formal Lions leadership training avoids the

hard topics.

They noted:

- Training focuses on structure, roles, and procedures

- It rarely addresses conflict, culture, or accountability

- The 'real conversations' about dysfunction happen informally, not in the classroom

- This gap leaves leaders unprepared to fix the issues driving members away

4. Leadership Turnover Creates Instability

Some Lions pointed out that annual leadership changes can cause inconsistency:

- Each president leads differently

- Long-term planning suffers

- New leaders often 'figure it out on the job'

- This leads to uneven performance and frustration

5. Lack of Support and Compassion

A few comments highlighted painful personal experiences:

- Members in crisis feeling ignored

- Leaders enforcing rules rigidly without empathy

- Members feeling invisible or unvalued

These stories reinforced the idea that emotional safety and belonging are critical.

Overall Takeaway

The comments overwhelmingly validate the original analysis:

- Lions are not leaving because they dislike service.

- They are leaving because of people problems, culture problems, and outdated club practices.

- Members want more service, less drama, more modern operations, and leaders who address - not

avoid - dysfunction.

We as a district need to focus on retaining members and improving our clubs.

Steve Brewster council chair MD36

Leading As a LIon

Our Lions organization is one that relies on strong leadership to achieve its goals and serve communities effectively. Lions Leaders have different styles, but two common ones are the "Executive" style and the "Quarterback" style. Understanding these can help members and leaders work together more successfully.

What Is the Executive Leadership Style?

The Executive leadership style is like a business manager or CEO. The leader makes most of the decisions, sets the direction for the club, and expects members to follow their instructions. This style is organized and structured, with clear roles and tasks for everyone.

• Strengths: Quick decision-making, clear chain of command, efficient task completion.

• Weaknesses: Can feel top-down, may limit input from other members, members can feel less involved.

What Is the Quarterback Leadership Style?

The Quarterback leadership style is like the leader of a sports team. The leader helps coordinate the group, encourages teamwork, and listens to ideas from all members. This leader guides the club but works closely with everyone, making sure all voices are heard.

• Strengths: Encourages teamwork, uses everyone’s strengths, members feel involved.

• Weaknesses: Decision-making can be slower, maybe harder to keep everyone on the same page.

Which Style Is Best?

There is no single "best" style. In some situations, the Executive style works better, especially when fast action is needed. In other cases, the Quarterback style is better for building a strong, united team. Many successful Lions Club leaders use a mix of both styles, depending on the situation and the needs of their club.

As a leader In lions Clubs, I prefer The Quarter back style where lions at all levels are involved in all levels of club activity.  As the effective leader we put the ball out there and let our team run with it only with a team effort can we get the ball across the finish line, then we all can share success and develop new leaders.

Attention to all the club treasures and presidents. Lions Club international will no longer be sending out paper mailed statements. They are going to all electronic statements.  If you are having trouble signing on to the portal and paying your club statement, contact your district governor they can set up some training to help you set this up. Just remember we are here to serve you.

Developing Leadership through Delegation

We as Lions at all levels need to learn to delegate. We cannot do it by ourselves, we do not cultivate new leadership by not including our fellow lions in all levels of our activities.  By not delegating, We Burn ourselves out early and we leave no one to move up to assume leadership roles.

When we start our year in a leadership role do we have a plan, or do we just jump in and roll with the punches?  As a Lions leader we need to start by outlining our projects we want to accomplish during the Lion’s year. Our next step is to form committees and appoint a chairman for each of these committees. Next, we need encourage each chairman to get fellow lions to volunteer to accomplish various aspects of the projects. This is the hard part of the leadership job, if you do it right the rest of the job is easy all you have to do is sit back and facilitate the process. By spreading out the volunteer load we make all of our jobs at the club level easy and not to time-consuming.

At the district level this same process plays out. The district governor appoints the zone chairmen whose job it is to monitor the club in their zone and report back to the district governor about the status of the clubs and to pass on information to the governor.  The district governor also appoints various committee chairman whose job it is to institute specific programs within the district, it is their job to form their committee and delegate specific responsibility within committee to accomplish their goals.

The Process is the same for the multiple district. The Council Chairs Job is to facilitate common interests between the district governors and the individual districts. The committees at the district level are formed by combining the committee chairman from the individual districts. That way the workload can be spread out and no one person has the whole workload.

This report emphasizes the importance of delegation within Lions leadership at all levels to prevent burnout and foster new leaders. It outlines the value of forming committees, appointing chairpersons, and encouraging volunteer involvement to efficiently accomplish organizational goals. The same principles apply from club to district and multiple district levels, ensuring responsibilities are shared and leadership is cultivated throughout the organization.

Let’s get every one involved in all levels of our organization this way we will keep lions active and involved, we will bring new lions into our organization, we will grow as a Lions club. We must all remember our lions code of ethics.

Lions Clubs International Code of Ethics

• To show my faith in the worthiness of my vocation by industrious application to the end that I may merit a reputation for quality of service.

• To seek success and to demand all fair remuneration or profit as my just due, but to accept no profit or success at the price of my own self-respect lost because of unfair advantage taken or because of questionable acts on my part.

• To remember that in building up my business it is not necessary to tear down another’s; to be loyal to my clients or customers and true to myself.

• Whenever a doubt arises as to the right or ethics of my position or action towards others, to resolve such doubt against myself.

• To hold friendship as an end and not a means. To hold that true friendship exists not on account of the service performed by one to another, but that true friendship demands nothing but accepts service in the spirit in which it is given.

• Always to bear in mind my obligations as a citizen to my nation, my state, and my community, and to give them my unswerving loyalty in word, act, and deed. To give them freely of my time, labor, and means.

• ·To aid my fellow men by giving my sympathy to those in distress, my aid to the weak, and my substance to the needy.

• To be careful with my criticism and liberal with my praise; to build up and not destroy.

Are we doing all we can to maintain our members?

Are we doing all we can to maintain our members? It’s December, traditionally in December we drop members who have not paid their dues. Have we taken the time to find out why?  Have we reached out and talked to these great lions to try to bring them back into the club?

There are many reasons why people are leaving lions. We need to address these issues; we need to listen to them. We need to be an involved club. We need to keep our meetings engaging and having fun. We need to keep busy supporting our community both at the local and larger community. If members are struggling with paying dues let them make payments, so it’s not a large impact on their finances.  We need to be aware of personality conflicts and constantly try to resolve them.

Let’s not let these lions go away, let’s find out why and make our clubs more responsive to our members.

It has been proposed at the Multi District level that in order to boost attendance at our conventions we combine all of our districts and the multiple district conventions to meet at the same time in a centrally located site.

The way this would work is on the first night of the convention the individual districts would meet separately to take care of district business that normally transpires at the separate conventions. The second day of the convention would be the multiple district convention where all business for the multiple district would transpire.  This has a goal of making conventions more affordable while getting lions together from all parts of the state to share experiences and ideas.  The knowledge of how other clubs serve their communities enables us to learn new ways to serve our communities.

This is a way to control expenses and keep the cost of being a lion affordable. By doing it this way we cut costs at all levels of lions, we cut international expenses to pay for travel expenses for international directors and district governors, allowing them to invest more time in helping our clubs. This also cuts the costs of individual lions by not having to attend multiple conventions. Overall, I see this as a win-win for all lions.

As a Multiple district we still need to encourage and mentor our fellow lions to take positions of leadership at all levels. None of these leadership positions are hard and there are a lot of lions out there that are willing and able to help.  There is financial help at some of the levels of service. Being a leader in lions requires a level of commitment but can be the most rewarding time in your life. Reward yourself and be of service to your fellow lions.

Stephen Brewster

MD36 Council Chair

Lead to serve, serve to lead

What will happen to your Club, your zone, your district or multiple district if your leader for some reason cannot continue to serve. Will your club or district be able to function or will it close because no one wants to step up and fill the leadership role? We see this all the time, are you the only one who can do the job?

We need to change our way of thinking; we need to start looking at these jobs as opportunities to serve our fellow lions at all levels. As we move up through the various opportunities that are presented to us, we can pass on our knowledge to others and gain knowledge from those who have preceded us. Being a leader in our organization is not hard but it does require commitment. You are surrounded by lions who are not going to let you fail.

When we have new members, we need to get them involved in the club, we need to listen to what they say. We have tried that before is not a good excuse.  This idea may work this time; the circumstances may be different. We need to keep our eyes open and encourage our fellow lions. We all started as that new lion in the back of the room wondering what we are doing here.

Let’s get all our lions together we have a new week of service project coming up January 3rd through the 11th. This one will be hunger relief. Because of budget cuts around the country a lot of the food banks in our area are struggling to fill their shelves.  We are entering the time of year when the need is the greatest. It’s time for us to gather for a common cause.  We can organize food drives or fund raisers to benefit our local communities. Let’s gather in a common cause and invite others to join with us in service to our communities.

We have clubs in our district who have stopped doing service to their communities because the members have reached an age when they no longer have the energy to do the projects they once did. This is a simple project that clubs can do and make a huge impact on their communities. This is also an opportunity to contact others that may be inclined to join with you in service and reinvigorate your club so the legacy you have started can continue with new life. 

We have a lot of knowledge we can pass on to others. Let’s not let it go away. Let’s get our lions involved at all levels involved Let’s look at the lions around us and encourage them and educate them so they can make a difference. Our current international president’s theme is Lead to serve, serve to lead.  We serve the world one act of kindness at a time.

Be prepared to be dazzled

I just finished a meeting with our great convention committee.  You need to mark your calendars now May 29-30, 2026. In Springfield. Be prepared to be dazzled by the greatest convention ever in the state of Oregon.  Just a teaser, our international Guest Will be Past International President Douglas Alexander. Other tantalizing Information about our convention to come in months to follow. I encourage you to join our great and diverse lions from throughout Oregon and celebrate our great organization.

We have another great event coming up in October.  Lions International has introduced a program this year Called weeks of service. This is an opportunity for us to join with lions clubs throughout the world to celebrate our service to our communities and the world. The first week of service will be October 4th thru the 12th. This week we will focus on Mental Health and well-being. An estimated 700,000 people a year die by suicide, People who are exposed to adverse Circumstances like poverty, violence, disability, and inequality are at a higher risk of developing a mental health condition.  Depression is the leading cause of disability affecting more than 300 million people. We as Lions need to work together to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and well-being and advocate for positive change.

There are many projects that your club can undertake to raise awareness and advocate for your community.  You can promote Education and awareness, promote removing the stigma of those suffering from menta health issues, you can advocate for increased funding and accessibility to services, promote suicide hot line, donate items to transitional living facilities. These are just a few projects you can do to support mental health and well-being.

While we are doing these projects, we need to bring in prospective members and involve them in the great service that lions can accomplish. The more people the greater the service we can provide.

We need to work together as a team.  The officers of your district and multiple districts are here to serve you, we have the resources to help you accomplish your goals, breathe new life into your club.  By serving your community needs you can change the world with one small act of kindness at a time.

Lions must remember, just because you have done it that way in the past does not mean we cannot find a better way and a more efficient way in the future. Always be on the lookout for new opportunities to serve. Covid gave us gave us new way to get together as groups without traveling long distances. Embrace new technology to draw in people who are busy in life, have new ideas, and are willing to serve in new ways.

Remember Old Ways do not open new doors.

Our Motto is WE SERVE.

Our Motto is WE SERVE.  We serve to lead and Lead to Serve. Each of our elected and appointed officers in the district and multiple district are here to serve the clubs and membership of Lions MD36.  We are here help you reach your goals, the district goals, multiple district goals and the goals of lions International.  

We all have the same goals, Increase Membership, increase service, have fun, and enjoy the fellowship of our fellow lions. We are just looking at it from a different perspective.  We at the Multiple District Level are trying to help develop New Leaders with new ideas and new ways of providing services to our communities. Let us help help you reinvigorate your club.

As a Multiple District we have adopted a 5 Year plan to improve our Multiple District and make it more responsive to the needs of our members. I hope you will all take time to read the plan and hold us as leaders responsible for its implementation. We look forward to serving you.

Be aware of the weeks of service being promoted by lions’ clubs international. Our first week of service is Oct 4th through 12th. Mental health and wellbeing. You can find information and suggested activities on Lions International website under the helpful resources tab. I Challenge you to come together as lions in service and provide a service to our communities in need

Welcome to the new Lions year.

Welcome to the new Lions year.  Today we celebrate our accomplishments of the lions leaders of the past year and look forward to carrying forward these programs into the future for the benefit of the lions and the communities they serve.

During the past lions year under the tutelage of PCC Lynn Coon and our own Oregon lions sight and hearing foundation we as a district have instituted a 5 year plan in our district to guide us in in growth and service. To make the clubs in md36 an example of what lionism is.

Our first job will be to implement this plan.  We are forming an ad hoc committee to over see and begin implementing the changes need to bring our organization into the future.  We have asked PDG Carrie Bartley to head up this committee. With her drive and love for lions we anticipate that she be one of the people to lead us into the future.

The goals we are striving to implement during the lion year 2025-2026 are.

• Launch MD-36-led recruitment campaigns and membership outreach initiatives.

• Develop and implement standardized operating procedures for financial reporting and leadership transitions.

• Improve MD-36 communications by creating a centralized event calendar and streamlined reporting structures.

Leadership training in our district has fallen to the wayside since covid. We plan on bringing these vital programs back, so all lions have a chance rise and improve not only as lions but also as individuals. We also plan on getting more of our great lions trained and certified and ready to instruct their fellow lions so they can be comfortable in leadership roles in their clubs, zones, districts, and multiple districts.

Service reporting is another area that clubs in our multiple district are lacking in. We need to improve our reporting to 100 %. To do this we need to instruct club and district officers in the use of the lions portal. We no longer want lions’ clubs to be the best kept secret, we want to show our accomplishments to the world.

My favorite saying for the upcoming lions year is OLD WAYS DONOT OPEN NEW DOORS.  We need to look at how and what we do and ask ourselves do we need to continue doing this. Can we do it better, and who is my replacement. I am the mentor I will teach others so they can do the job and you can have satisfaction in a job well done.

It’s hard to believe this is my last article this Lions year.

Fellow Lions of multiple district 36. It’s hard to believe this is my last article this Lions year. As we have navigated this Lions year, I have seen our District Governors grow as leaders. I have seen our district governors and the Lions of the Multiple District serve with big hearts.

As I attended each district convention, I witnessed the fellowship and heart of the Lions in every district. I could see each Lion in attendance were there for the same reason they joined Lions and that was to make a difference as they served. I was reading some incredible data that was compiled with results that I see in the Lions of Multiple District 36, and it goes as follows.

95% feel they truly are making a difference. 92% enjoy opportunities for fellowship and fun. 91% feel they really belong. 86% feel personal growth and 80% feel their self-worth is enhanced.

All of this is because the Lions of this mighty multiple district work and serve together with one goal in mind and that is to make a difference to the communities we serve and each other.

Some highlights for this Lions year are your multiple district GAT team along with the district governors, OLSHF and incoming council worked together most of this Lions year on a five-year strategic plan. We wanted to roll this out in conjunction with the Oregon Lions sight and hearing foundations five- year plan at our multiple district convention. We want to work with our foundation more closely than we have in the past as we all want the same things and that is to serve the communities of MD36.  

The Lions of MD36 have screened almost two hundred thousand kids. Serving with our OLSHF we have made a difference.

The Lions have presented flags to first graders throughout our schools and given lessons on the flag and what it represents and how to respect it.

The Lions have served foodbanks and hunger drives, meals on wheels to support those in need.

The Lions have cleaned highways or parks for the environment. Lions have been crossing guards at our schools showing we care for the safety of our children.

The Lions have been committed to Mission 1.5 as I see growth in the Multiple District. Currently, we have district 36-O in the process of starting a new Lions club. Congratulations DG Lion Carrie 36-O and team. With that being said her district can finish with a positive net gain joining DG Lion Linda 36-R and her team with a positive net gain of 34 currently.

The Multiple District is sitting at a negative 8 net gain before district 36-O’s new club.

We sent a group of Lions to leadership training with Md19 which was held on the first weekend of May. This was through a grant which MD36 GLT Lion Rod Bach applied for and received. I have heard great positive feedback about the training and collaboration with many different Lions from MD19 and 36.

Speaking of grants, DG Lion Pete was quick to reach out when disaster hit his community which shows Lions being there to serve. This is the reason we should support LCIF. We receive much more than we ever give and when we get these grants, we make a difference to those we serve.

There are things I would still like to see in our Multiple District . Three of our four districts do not have first and second vice district governors in R, E, and G. To have succession we need more leaders to step up. We need our past district governors to help search, encourage and to mentor the Lions throughout our districts to step into leadership rolls. I know I was encouraged and mentored by many great Lions which gave me confidence to grow and serve.  

Harry S Truman stated that men make history and not the other way around. In periods when there is no leadership society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better. I believe we have many leaders amongst us in multiple district 36 they just need to be encouraged.

I feel very confident with our new incoming COG and the leadership they will continue with their ideas as they lead their districts. 

I have had the opportunity to work with CCE Lion Steve and the DGE’s Lions Brian, Karen, Nancy and Risa to have a smooth transition for the Multiple District . They have great ideas and as a multiple district we will continue our path of growth and service.

I would like to thank our district governors Lion Carrie, Lion Linda, Lion Paul and Lion Pete. Each have made my year as your council chair one I will cherish and remember. I want to thank the entire Lions of MD36 for having confidence in me to be the council chair, a title and honor I will always cherish. To be able to serve the mighty Lions of MD36 has been an incredible journey.

At the very beginning of this Lions year, I made the quote from Charles Darwin

Be the change you want to see in our association. it is not the strongest of the species that survive, not the most intelligent that survive. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.

Adapting and making changes is what we need to do if we are going to move forward with the Lions of Multiple District 36.  As DG Lion Carrie said at the start of our Lions year, the goal is to leave a legacy long after we are gone.

Lion Melvin Jones once said, “I hope there will always be a land of beyond for Lions International. A goal that will keep growing larger and larger as we approach it, yet will remain just out of reach. Challenging us to run faster, work harder, think bigger and give more.

Thank you, the mighty Lions of Oregon and Northern California for the memories.  With much gratitude in service Council Chair Lion Lynn Coon MD36

It Is Exciting to Serve With Each of You Lions of the Multiple District

Greeting Lions of Mighty Multiple District 36. It’s an exciting time to be a Lion. It’s exciting to be part of an organization that is making a difference throughout the world. It is exciting to serve with each of you Lions of the Multiple district. Being a Lion means so much to each one of us. It’s about the feeling we get while serving others but more than that it’s about how much it means to those we serve.

As I write my article for May, I have just finished up the fourth District Convention with the mighty Lions in each district. Each convention brought enthusiasm and gave me a chance to reunite with old friends and make new ones. It was the fellowship shared by all in attendance.

Each convention brought their own unique style but instilled the reason I became a Lion. It showed me that Lions are united in service and that together we have the power to change the world while serving from the heart. It instilled in me that we Lions can leave a legacy long after we have gone. We are all volunteers, and we all found a reason in our heart to serve others. Lion Mark Piva who is the Constitutional Area 1 GAT leader wrote an article and the thing I took from it was “VOLUNTEERS DON’T GET PAID – NOT BECAUSE THEY’RE WORTHLESS, BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE PRICELESS “. Each of you Lions are priceless to your club, your community to the multiple district and more than anything to those you serve. Each of you Lions are making your mark as International President Lion Fabricio Oliveira has asked us to do this Lions year.

It is hard to believe that this Lions year is fast approaching the end, and a new one will begin. On our drive of Mission 1.5 each club can celebrate the success of their achievements and membership growth within their club. This is up to every member. Every effort counts as we finish the Lions year strong. Let’s finish with enthusiasm. Let’s support each other and let’s finish this Lions year reflecting the strength and spirit of the mighty Lions of Oregon and Northern California. Let’s finish this Lions year retaining the members we have and growing with new members.  Achieving positive net gain for our clubs, districts and the multiple district. How nice it would be to see how many clubs in our multiple district can receive a Club Excellence award.

I want to remind all Lions about the 101st Multiple District convention. MAKING YOUR MARK, SERVICE FROM THE HEART in Pendelton Oregon May 16th & 17th. Our guest speaker from Lions International will be ID Lion Hans Neidhardt and his wife DG Lion Shari. They come to us from Potwin, Kansas. Our convention committee have been busy planning our convention. It will be a western theme as we will be in Pendleton home of one of the top rodeos in the world The Pendelton Roundup 115 years old. Hope to see all you mighty Lions of MD36 in attendance.

Continue inspiring each other while encouraging kindness as you serve others.    

In service Council Chair Lion Lynn Coon MD36

Greetings mighty Lions of MD36

Greetings mighty Lions of MD36. As we continue our Lions journey together this Lions year it reminds me of the reason, I love being a Lion. As I receive many emails, I’m reminded time and time again why I became a Lion.

So many studies have proven that every person who is or has been a volunteer feels good doing good. Through the studies it was proven that older volunteers were less likely to have high blood pressure compared to their non- volunteer counterparts. I found this very interesting as I love to volunteer, and I have great blood pressure. The study also showed that younger volunteers had similar findings. The studies suggested that being a volunteer may help you live longer. The study over a four-year period found that those that volunteered at least 100 hours per year had a reduced risk of dying compared to non-volunteers.

Our Lions are the largest service organization in the world. Lions are a volunteer organization that believes in making a difference to those we serve both in our communities and around the world.

You have heard me repeatedly talk about Mission 1.5 and membership growth. This is a commitment I made when the program first rolled out at the 2023/2024 International convention. The future of Lions is up to each one of us. WE NEED TO ASK. I often say we never know until we ask. I have asked many non-Lions that have said they are to busy . That was me over 35 years ago.

In the study the question was put out to various Lions as to how I incorporate volunteering into an already busy life.

Volunteering requires time out of your life to make a difference to those we serve. One member responded that my volunteering service not only benefits those I serve, but it also enhances my own life. It allows me to enjoy valuable experiences outside my daily routine.

Another answer being a Lion is about embracing humanity and enriching one’s sense of self. This Lion went on to say it allows me to live with integrity by dedicating myself to serving others while managing my personal life.

Life is always going to be busy for most of us. The key is prioritizing what’s important to each of us. Being a Lion and serving as a volunteer brings about simple happiness and satisfaction in a busy life.

 So, I ask each of you great Lions of MD36 why not share the opportunity of service with our non-Lions.  Joining Lions will give others a wonderful opportunity to be involved with service projects that can make a difference to their community while also making new friends. I remember a quote I read by Elisabeth Andrew: (VOLUNTEERS DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THE TIME: THEY HAVE THE HEART)

When we share with those non-Lions the opportunity of serving with Lions and they say they are too busy, remind them of the heart they have to serve others and that they can be a volunteer with the largest service organization in the world. They can give their time the best they can and still make a difference. Always remember, one of the simplest and most impactful acts of kindness each of you mighty Lions of MD36 can do is share the joy of being a Lion by inviting friends and family to join you in service.

Thank each of you for all you do for others. In service SERVING FROM THE HEART, MAKING OUR MARK AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE. Council Chair Lion Lynn MD36

Pleasure It Is to Be Your Council Chair This Lions Year

Great Lions family of Multiple District 36. What a pleasure it is to be your Council Chair this Lions year. I love being a Lion and serving others. We have the opportunity of attending District conventions and meetings with International Lions that bring many words of encouragement and wisdom to grow as an organization. These conventions give us opportunities to meet up with Lions family throughout our multiple district. We just finished up with district 36-R convention. We had the honor of international guest Anthony Paradiso from New York. He was part of District Governor school when I was district governor Lions year 2021/22. It was nice to meet him in person as that year everything, including the International Convention, was virtual.

ID Lion Anthony brought words of encouragement and inspiration on why we as Lions need membership growth. How we as Lions have strength in numbers.  He spoke on how we can partner with a like-minded organization wanting to make a difference.

Our multiple district 36 candidate for International Director Lion Phyllis Carlin from Crooked River Lions gave follow-up words of wisdom on Lions serving together as we travel on this journey in Lionism. The convention was well attended. What stood out was the support of the other District Governors Lions Carrie, Paul & Pete in attending DG Lion Lindas and 36-R convention. This is the multiple district working together. I encourage the Lions of the multiple district attend as many of these district conventions and especially your multiple district convention that they can. You not only learn from great speakers, but the fellowship is outstanding.

 The convention also featured our Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing foundation. There was a vision panel with three of our vision screeners from 36-R, a school nurse from the Albany school district and Lion Matt Phillips our school vision screening & technology director. Their session gave proof of the difference we as Lions working with our schools and foundation is making. OLSHF also did a ROAR session with Alex Huse, Nick Shenfeld and Lion Melinda Rhodes our patient service director at OLSHF.  Our ROAR program has grown and has changed so many lives of those we serve.

We also heard from the Candlelighters who provide support to families with children with cancer. This is one of the Lions causes. Thank you, Lions, for purchasing raffle tickets as proceeds went to the Candlelighter organization.

The reason I point out these speakers from the 36-R convention is because this is what Lions do to change lives through the great work we do. We as Lions are part of the largest service organization in the world. This is why we want to continue to increase our membership. As I believe the more members the more service. 

If each Lion in our Multiple district would ASK (the key word is ASK) we could double our membership. With that we could double the impact we make on our communities. We ask ourselves how we do that and get results. I want to think there are two things involved for growth. First, we need to be engaged with our communities. Second, we need to be engaged with each club member. This means we need to be offering opportunities to lead and contribute in meaningful ways. When members are happy about what they are doing they want to invite others to be a part of it. The Lions I know joined our organization with a passion and fire to serve others and give back. Let’s continue our journey to growth in the Lions together one step at a time.

SOMETIMES THE SMALLEST STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ENDS UP BEING THE BIGGEST STEP OF YOUR LIFE.

Thank you for allowing me to serve the multiple district as your Council Chair.

                                                                                             CC Lion Lynn Coon

It Is Awesome to be a Lion and Serve the Communities of Oregon & Northern California

Greetings fellow Lions of MD36, have I said lately how awesome it is to be a Lion and serve the communities of Oregon & Northern California. Serving with you Lions has been a journey and as your council chair has given me the opportunity of meeting so many with the same mindset as myself. Lions with the heart for service. I wonder where the year has gone as we are in the second half of this Lions year. I would like each of our clubs to reevaluate where you are with your goals and do, we need to adjust for the remainder of this Lions year. How are we doing at getting our service reported to LCI? As you know, the reporting of service is our way of sharing with others our service successes. We do the service, be proud of what you do. How are we doing with donations to OLSHF and LCIF. You know with your club donations there are opportunities for awards to present to your club members. How many read in the last donation request from LCIF that district 36-R was highlighted as receiving a $10,000? Grant for disaster preparedness.  How are we doing with membership growth and retention? What can we do to keep our members and what can we do to grow our clubs? The more members the more services we can provide for our communities.

 Your multiple district GAT team is setting the five-year plan goals starting with year 1. The team is focused on three main initiatives to start with.

1.      Recruitment campaign: One of the most effective ways to recruit is JUST ASK, have your club hold a membership drive. It can generate interest in your club, and it can put your club in front of more potential members. It can get your club more involved with your community. It will put your club out where the public sees them and the service they provide.

2.      Open house for your club: When organizing and holding an open house in your community make it a fun and informational event. Be prepared with Lions’ material of what Lions are all about. What’s in it for them if they join. Be ready to address questions as they arise. Remember one important thing and that is to listen and find out what their passions are and think how we can implement their passion into the club.

3.       Onboarding: This is the process of introducing your new members to the culture of Lions and your own club. This will also send a warm message to the new members and provide them with understanding and will make them outstanding members of your club. It will also give the new members the confidence that their membership and service are making a difference.

   As we continue this five-year plan it will continue with next year’s council and thereafter as we grow our multiple district back to the numbers we used to have before covid set in and changed everything. At this writing we will have already had Lions Clubs International 2nd Vice President Mark Lyons here to present a MD 36 Mission 1.5 workshop. I hope those of you that attended came away all fired up to help our Multiple District grow. As you know membership is a passion of mine because I want others to have the same opportunity of serving others and the fellowship of other Lions.  To quote the late President of the United States Lion Jimmy Carter: LIONS CHANGED MY LIFE. I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN AMBITIOUS ENOUGH TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA. I WOULD NEVER HAVE DREAMED OF BEING PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE LIONS.  End quote. Now I’m not saying you will be governor or the president of the United States if you’re a Lion but when I joined 35 years ago I never dreamed I would have had the opportunity and honor  to serve as a District Governor twice or have the honor to serve as your Council Chair this year but joining the largest service organization in the word has changed my life because I was asked .

One of the goals this Lions year was to develop more leaders to serve the clubs, the districts and to serve the multiple district .  There is a great opportunity to attend the Northwest Lions Leadership training along with fellow Lions from MD 19. Our Global Leadership Team leader PCC Lion Rod Bach has secured a grant from LCIF to pay the tuition for ten Lions to attend May 1-4 in Post Falls Idaho. If you are interested in furthering your knowledge and developing leadership skills. These skills are not only to help as a Lion but can be used in your workplace, your community and your everyday life. It is a great way to grow while learning with like-minded Lions wanting to make their mark and make a difference. So please contact PCC Lion Rod at rodbach@gmail.com and make plans to grow as a leader.

Lastly don’t forget its convention time so register and support your District Governors and fellowship with fellow Lions.

They start February 8th 36-R International guest ID Anthony Paradiso -Corvallis, Oregon

March 21st / 22nd   36-E International guest PIP Brian Sheehan/Lion Lori – Central Point, Oregon

March 28th /29th 36-O International guest ID Bert Nelson / Lion Pamela – Milwaukie, Oregon

April 4th/5th 36-G International guest PIP Joe Preston / Lion Joni- Hood River, Oregon

May 15th- 18th Multiple District 36 International guest ID Hans Neidhart/ Lion Shari- Pendelton, Oregon

Thank you, Lions for your support of your District Governors and myself and giving us the opportunity of serving the Lions throughout MD36. Serving from the heart. Together making our mark and making a difference.  Council Chair Lion Lynn Coon MD36

We Can All Work Together and Make Our Mark And Make a Difference to Those We Serve

Good day Lions of Multiple District 36. Hope all of you Lions had a joyful holiday season. As we transition from 2024 into 2025, as the old year ends and the new year begins let’s all hope for a better year. That the conflicts that surround us and the indifferences throughout the world can be set aside. That we can all work together and make our mark and make a difference to those we serve.

I remember when serving with International President Lion Patti Hill that her theme of Changing the World made me think to myself, that is what each Lion I know wants to see and do. She also stated that it’s the journey, not the destination. To make that journey there is no middle and no end. There is, however, the beginning. Many of us wanted to serve and give back in some way to make a difference.  Then someone asked us to join the largest service organization in the world, THE LIONS.

Over my thirty-five years of serving as a Lion, I cannot thank the Lion that asked me enough for taking the time to not give up on me joining. Lion Paul of the Woodburn Lions was that Lion. In those thirty-five years I have found the following to be so true about Lions.

They have big hearts; they are amazing people who do amazing things. Lions love service and show and perform acts of kindness as they serve. Lions are some of the best volunteers I know, and I love to serve beside. In one way or another Lions make a difference that individuals see and feel every day. It’s those small acts of kindness and service that we do together that will make our mark on the world.

This brings me to Mission 1.5 and membership growth. You’ve heard it before, if you don’t ask you will never know. Our goal for the Lions of Multiple District 36 is to end our Lions year with a positive net growth. Each one of your District Governors is committed to growth in their districts. We have until the end of June to share that journey of making our world a better place with non-Lions, but we must ask. I believe if we show our passions of serving others there is nothing we can’t accomplish. If we show compassionate service, putting our hearts in action, taking care of members and our communities – We Will Grow. We will be changing non-Lions’ lives and empowering them to serve alongside us to make our mark and make a difference. 

Thank each of you Lions for your service to others. Council Chair Lion Lynn MD36

HAPPY HOLIDAYS LIONS OF MD36

The holiday season reminds us of all the many things we have to be thankful for in our lives. Our families, our friends and the communities in which we live. While we think of all we have I ask each of us to think of those who really have nothing. Maybe we can brighten someone’s day by doing a little something to help them out with a lift this holiday season. As Lions we have the power to change someone’s life, not only during this holiday season but throughout the year. I want to thank each Lion and every club that takes extra time out of this busy time of the year to serve others. Each of you is making a difference.

Kathy and I talk often of how important serving others and spreading kindness as we make our journey through this life. We talk about how we feel knowing if we only help one person or a group we are making a difference to them. I’m reminded of a news article I read a few years back and I feel it is a perfect time to share with the Lions of MD36.

It was titled DO SOMETHING GOOD. It talks about following your heart and doing something kind today and each day you are blessed to have. How showing kindness to others can make you smile, how it can set off a ripple or wave of generosity in others.  The article went on to say that researchers reviewed decades of studies of over 25,000 individuals in which participants witnessed someone act in a helpful way and then had the opportunity to be of service to random people themselves.

It is called “GOAL CONTAGION “which occurs when people catch the desire to serve others after seeing someone else act selflessly. This article reminded me that this is proof of service and acts of kindness really are contagious, and we Lions can make a difference not only during the holidays but year-round. As the late Lion Haynes Townsand said KINDNESS MATTERS. A quote from Mark Twain “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see “

So as each of you Lions continue to serve your communities and show kindness to others, think about the lives we are changing and making a difference too, not only during the holidays but throughout the year.  

May your holidays be filled with joy and happiness as you share with family and friends, enjoy each other and be thankful for all you have and what you might share with those with nothing. In doing so you will not only be serving from your heart, but you will be making your mark and making a difference to those you serve.

                                            In service Council Chair Lion Lynn & Kathy Coon MD36

Do Everything with a Good Heart and Expect Nothing in Return and You Will Never be Disappointed.

Greetings Lions of Multiple District 36, here we are three months into our Lions year. The weather is changing, and we are busy getting things done before winter sets in. Some of our clubs are starting back up after the summer off. School has started back up and our clubs are active with our Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation getting our kids screened. It’s a great day to be a Lion and providing service in our communities. My last few articles have concentrated on Mission 1.5 membership growth. This article I would like to talk about Service.

To me service is the heart of recruitment for new members. Most people want to join Lions because they have a heart for service. They want to be part of making a difference where they live. They want to do something that can impact those in need. They want to join in beside Lions because when we do good, we feel good. There is a special feeling that comes to those who serve and perform acts of kindness.

The late Hanes Townsand was known for his (KINDNESS MATTERS) so while our primary motivation for service is always helping those in need, it’s amazing the way it makes us feel.

It starts in our clubs with service projects that make a difference in our communities. As we perform these acts of service and kindness, we often find they affect more then those we serve they affect us as individuals and Lions. That good feeling.

Serving others gives us opportunities for personal growth. By inviting friends and family to join in on these service projects we give them the opportunity to experience what we do. That experience of feeling good while doing good. I believe the service we provide and the lives we touch change lives for the better including our own. Service can be fun and can build club fellowship. It can make community connections with those that know nothing about Lions. We bond we serve, and we do it with a grateful heart, knowing we are making an impact where we live. Hopefully as we invite others to join us in service, they see what we have to offer and the benefit of being a Lion. As I said service is the heartbeat of membership.

The simplest and most impactful act of kindness we as Lions can perform is to share the joy of being a Lion with friends and family to join in service alongside of us. They may not join right away but trust me you have planted the seed.

DO EVERYTHING WITH A GOOD HEART AND EXPECT NOTHING IN RETURN AND YOU WILL NEVER BE DISAPPOINTED. (Lessons in Life)

I want to thank each of you Lions of MD36 for the service you provide others.

Serving from the heart. Together making our mark and making a difference.

Council Chair Lion Lynn Coon MD36

Coming Together is the Beginning, Keeping Together is Progress, and Working Together is Success

Greetings Lions of Multiple-District 36, as a close friend and fellow Lion often says It’s a great day to be a Lion. Indeed, it is, I love serving my community   as each of you Lions do. I love belonging to the Lions of multiple district 36 Oregon & Northern California. I love belonging to the world’s largest service organization the Lions.

Our multiple-district has a great opportunity for membership growth this Lions year. We have District Governors committed to membership growth and retention within their districts. We have District Governors that want to build a legacy, to move forward, upward and onward, to have fun being a Lion and knowing more members means more service.

Lions International last month held a Mission 1.5 summit training in Orlando Florida. There we met with other Lions from within our constitutional area 1 and leaders from LCI. We shared ways to have membership growth, to build new clubs. Having round tables with other districts collaborating ideas. We were very surprised that our constitutional area has not had a net gain in membership for forty years.  It was also interesting that districts struggle as our multiple-district does.

We had a couple of questions presented to us during the summit.

 (1) Do you love being a Lion?

 (2) Are you willing to let Lionism die with you?

 The answer is yes, I love being a Lion and No I’m not willing to let Lionism die with me. So, what are we Lions of the multiple district 36 going to do about it?

The answer lies in us inviting our non-member friends, family and associates to come help us change someone’s life, come help us strengthen our community come help us serve and make a difference.

There is a sign I see as I enter Keizer that has inscribed (SPIRIT, PRIDE & VOLINTEERISM).

I believe each one of you Lions shows these traits every day as a Lion member. Each one of you Lions should sense a belonging as a member as you serve your community. You belong to the Lions pride, and they take care of those around them. When kind and like-minded people gather to serve others, beautiful things happen. Lion members are like minded men and women that give of their time and volunteer to make a difference where they live. I ask each of you Lions of MD36 to support and join your District Governors as we continue forward with membership growth. I remember Past International President Lion Doug Alexander often saying (EACH ONE BRING ONE). Just imagine if each member asked one person to join the Lions family how much service we could provide. Fellow Lions, the future of Lionism lies in our hands. Are we willing to let it die with us? I hope your answer is NO. Lets work as a team and make our mark for the future.  As Henry Ford once said about teamwork. COMING TOGETHER IS THE BEGINNING, KEEPING TOGETHER IS PROGRESS AND WORKING TOGETHER IS SUCCESS.

SERVING FROM THE HEART, TOGETHER MAKING OUR MARK AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE. Council Chair Lion Lynn MD36