Good Things Can Happen
As we navigate through our 2023-24 Lions year, we continue to see good things happening in District R. We just held our District 36-R convention in Springfield. (Read more about our convention on pages 12-14. I have visited most of our clubs with only a few left to visit. Clubs continue serving their communities and making a difference. Congratulations to two of our clubs that will be celebrating 100 years of serving their communities this Lion’s year: the Eugene Downtown Lions celebrated theirs in February and the Cottage Grove Lions will be celebrating theirs this month!
This Lions year we have had more clubs involved with the Peace Poster contest thanks to our District Peace Poster Chair Lion TiAnne Rios. She has gone out and encouraged clubs to sponsor the contest. We had five clubs involved which were Central, Newport, Waldport, Yachats and Cottage Grove. I want to thank those clubs that stepped up and know that next Lions year we will have even more clubs involved. 1st place for District R was Jonah from the Central Lions. 2nd place went to Scarlett from Waldport Lions and 3rd place went to Abigail from the Newport Lions.
Great news on the $100,000 Hunger Grant we applied for from LCIF! We have received word from LCIF that it has been approved after the LCIF Board of Trustees met in January 2024. The grant was to help build a new Food Bank in Polk County. The Ella Curren Food Bank is in Independence, Oregon. The Grant was for $100,000 with $75,000 coming from LCIF and $12,500 coming from District R Lions clubs and $12,500 coming from other resources. Any clubs still wishing to donate can still do so by making out a check and sending it to the Central Lions Club. The food bank currently serves 16 different zip codes in our District. Last year they served over 37,580 people in need, which is roughly 3,132 people a month.
Our Service reporting is at 88%. Thank you clubs that have turned in your reports on service and thanks to our District Administrator Lion Michael Ward for your help.
Though we have lost members we continue to ask as we move forward with Mission 1.5 membership growth. We continue working with clubs and retention. For us to grow we need to work as a team and ASK. I read something from Tim Tebow that I believe I see from each of you Lions as we serve together as a team. I say team because that is what we are, and I know it takes all of us. I know I cannot be a good leader if I try to do it all myself. He said “ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED FROM SO MANY OF MY TEAMMATES IS, IF YOU DON’T GIVE IN, IF YOU DON’T QUIT, IF YOU KEEP FIGHTING, GOOD THINGS CAN HAPPEN”. I’m looking forward to the rest of the Lions year with good things happening and accomplishing great things for our clubs, communities and our District. Each of you Lions make our District what it is today: A strong district that cares about our communities.