When We Change Our Communities We Change The World One Step At A Time
“To be a successful team, you must bring all the parts together and play as one heartbeat.” Darrell Royal
The above quote is from the legendary University of Texas football coach Darrell Royal. It is amazing to me that something said to a group of college kids on a football field in Austin, Texas over 50 years ago rings true to us as Lions today. Royal often stressed team above self and with this quote he strove to instill this value in his young players.
As Lions we too are a team. As individuals we aren’t all the same. We don’t think the same, we don’t feel the same, we don’t act the same. And yet in Lions, a group of individuals comes together with a common heartbeat, a heartbeat of service. Our common denominator being that we are a team of people desiring to serve.
Our enthusiastic District Governor team is off to a great start. Already they are visiting clubs, installing officers, inducting new members, planning and conducting trainings and participating in club service projects. And, at this writing, we’re not even half way through August. Hats off to you DGs Ed, Lynn, Steve and Pete. I can hardly wait to see what you’ll accomplish this year!
Clubs are conducting service projects and fundraisers, some traditional, some new, and are striving to serve their communities in the best way possible. Hats off to all 2,809 Lions in MD36.
Some of our state committees have already met and others are gearing up to. You guide us in our service direction and provide for the smooth and consistent functioning of our Multiple District! Hats off to you committee chairs and committee members.
Our Convention Committee has selected a site for the State Convention and planning will soon begin. Hats off to the convention committee who will bring us together in the beautiful city of Bandon in May.
Our new International President also believes in the importance of teamwork. Installed as the 104th president of Lions International, Dr. Patti Hill of Alberta, Canada took the reins of the world’s largest service organization on July 11th at the International Convention in Boston. Dr. Hill is a career educator and in this capacity has served as a teacher of the deaf, a school psychologist and as the principal of a specialty school for children with severe speech and language development challenges. Hill strives to bring out the best in others. “The purpose of my life on earth is to help others achieve their potential,” declares Hill.
“Changing the World” is her presidential theme. Collectively, when we change our communities we change the world one step at a time. Well aware that change happens gradually, not all at once, Hill states that, “change happens through many small choices and with every act of kindness that we give to someone else”.
Hill also believes that it is through teamwork we can effect change. Working collaboratively with community leaders, other service organizations and each other we are better able to solve the problems facing our communities.
And last, but not least, mark your calendars for May 17th and 18th, 2024 for the State Convention in beautiful Bandon Oregon. I know I’m mentioning this early, but if your calendar fills up like mine, it’s good to get it on there now. Hope to see many of you in Bandon as well as at District Conventions throughout the state.
Wishing you the greatest Lions year ever,
CC Phyllis Carlin