FEBRUARY 2020 OREGON LION

Creating Harmony Through Service

     As I write this in early January, I am feeling so grateful that our Oregon is a green and healthy place to live. I have just seen a view of Australia from the weather satellite – how horrific to see an entire continent glowing with fire! I have been in contact with Past International President Barry Palmer, who was the IP during my district governor year. He reports that LCIF has been providing amazingly large levels of financial support as his country attempts to move through this tragedy.  Our Lions Clubs International Foundation needs our continuous donations in order to provide disaster relief in times such as these.

     This topic, support of LCIF, leads directly to my focus for this month: membership growth. Each of our four districts have added members, but sadly lost as well. As I write this, just one of our districts is showing positive growth (but that can change positively with next month’s report, of course!). In November, PDG Charlie Short visited from Indiana with his ideas for the development of Cyber Clubs. We, as an aging service group, rather desperately need a new way to approach Lions membership and club organizing for service and for fun. Cyber Clubs can be a branch of an existing club or a new group started with the fresh idea of organization. PDG Bert Diamond wrote an excellent article on this idea for the January edition of this magazine – if you haven’t read it, please do. I want to share just a brief set of ideas from PDG Charlie and Bert:

     Not all members of a new Cyber Club need necessarily to be young. New retirees, folks living farther from a town that makes travel less comfortable, people who would rather participate from their computer or phone than attend meetings – all are great candidates for a club organized creatively. A Cyber Club can communicate through current electronic tools as well as service activities done with the group gathering together. As PDG Charlie is quoted by PDG Bert: “There’s unlimited freedom to experiment and develop a Cyber Club. Consider attracting new members from all walks of life”. I can report that a possible Cyber branch is under development in District 36-O; more to follow on that good news!

     To continue with the topic of LCIF support, we MD 36 leaders have an exciting idea to share about the MD 36 convention in May. Our visiting LCI guest, PID Robert Littlefield, would love to present a big group of new and Progressive Melvin Jones awards to Lion and community members, to honor service and dedication. Think of the contributions to LCIF through these awards that can go out to our worldwide service mission! My request:  Would clubs please consider choosing their honorees earlier than perhaps usual this spring, and get the process in motion to have awards ready for presentation on Saturday, May 16? I have alerted the LCIF donor assistance office to be expecting a large number of applications for the awards – thinking positively!  Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have 50 plus MJ and PMJ awards for PID Littlefield to present? Let’s do this, MD 36 clubs!

     I’ll close this article with a quote from PDG Jimmy Carter, who, as you may know, is still an active Lion (as his health allows) in Plains, Georgia:  “My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference”.  And what a difference he and his wife have made through their Carter Foundation that works hand in hand with LCIF on the Lions mission of service!

We’re Lions and WE SERVE!

Council Chair Sharon

JANUARY 2020 OREGON LION

Creating Harmony Through Service

     Deadlines!  I have to confess that finding the time to write this column while in the middle of the busiest time of the Lions service year is a bit of a challenge. Our garage is full of the heavenly scent of dozens of Christmas greens for the Lake Oswego Lions holiday fundraiser for the club community service account.  Our bonus room is full of food and practical items donated, purchased and waiting to be packaged to help several families who need our help this season.

     So, I have decided to share some of the most meaningful writings that I’ve recently read in explanation of why we as Lions work to help others in our communities.

     “I expect to pass through this world but once. Any kindness that I can show, or any burden that I can lift, let me do it now, let me not withhold or defer it, for I shall not pass this way again.”  Attributed to Stephen Grellet

     “What are we going to do with our lives, with these wild and precious lives? Will we give our lives to causes and ventures worthy of us, or will we squander them on fleeting fancies and unbridled furies?  Tell me, what is it we plan to do with our one wild and precious life?”  Phillip Gulley

     “What is kindness? It is all the things Lions do: It’s serving in our communities and beyond. But kindness is one of those words that can get overused, and the real meaning sometimes becomes lost. Kindness is any act that makes life better for any living thing, even for just a moment. Isn’t that what we’re really doing when we serve food or donate our time?  Aren’t we trying to give people a moment in which they feel important, a moment in which they are not alone?

Kindness can be something small … or it can be grand... When done right, an act of kindness feels good to the person performing it.”  International President Dr. Jung-Yul Choi

     Now that our Lions year has moved into the second half, convention season will begin very soon. District R will gather in Corvallis on Saturday, February 8. District O will share fellowship and information on Saturday, February 29 in Hillsboro. Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21 will bring the District E Convention, to be held in Grants Pass. District G will gather on Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25 in La Pine (held a bit late in order to avoid weather complications). Our MD 36 Convention will be held in Canyonville at the Seven Feathers Casino Convention Center, beginning on Thursday, May 14 with the OLSHF and Council of Governors meetings and continuing to the convention events on Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16.  Look for the registration forms for these Lions learning and social events to appear in this and in coming issues of the Oregon Lion.

     We’re Lions and WE SERVE!

DECEMBER 2019 OREGON LION MAGAZINE

Creating Harmony Through Service

     December: The wonderful season of enhanced sharing by our clubs and Lions to help those less fortunate in our communities.  It’s the time to reach out in smiling fellowship to help folks challenged by the rain and cold temperatures, by the inability to provide sufficient nutrition for themselves and their families and by difficulty in trying to provide an enjoyable holiday experience.

     Each community in our Multiple District has marvelous holiday sharing projects.  I have learned of amazing food drives that provide hundreds of families with a box of staples and special holiday items.  Coat, scarf and glove drives are providing much needed warmth for folks of all ages.  One club has told me that a donor has provided many bags of stuffed animals to be distributed to kids for a holiday gift of comfort!

     Does your community have a program in which families can be adopted by Lions and other caring groups?  What a difference we can make by making personal contact with a family (of any size and composition) and working with them to provide needed food and holiday gift items.  I remember clearly the family that my club adopted three years ago and the happiness that shone in the little boys’ eyes when they saw their red wagon and other gifts – they still send us photos!

     The generosity that we as Lions share isn’t being done for pats on our backs, but instead to provide folks with necessary items while giving them the dignity and respect that they deserve.  The level of service that we give to others, worldwide, is truly amazing!  The joy that we, as fellow human beings, receive from helping others opens our hearts to even more work in our communities.

     At this very special time of the year, enjoy all that the season has to offer and spend time with your families and friends to recharge your heart for further Lions service.

     Jane Goodall, the renowned zoologist, has said: “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you.  What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference to make”.

     A very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year to you all!

November 2019 Oregon Lions Magazine

Creating Harmony Through Service

     DEI: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Our Lions Clubs International President Dr. Jung-Yul Choi has asked that we as Lions consider serving with diversity this year and in the future to insure that as many community members as possible are reached for help with needs.

     I recently attended a conference on DEI, held by the Nonprofit Association of Oregon to which Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation belongs. The topic was presented in such a way to help organizations such as Lions bring people closer together for a shared purpose. I’ll briefly describe some of the strong points for discussion that were presented.

     Diversity means increasing the experiences of ALL involved in our work. This can create a culture of lasting change that will benefit everyone involved in our club community service activities. Change can be difficult, even traumatizing, for some of our Lions – provide support for those who are uncomfortable as the project develops out into the greater community.

     Get your club ready for planned activities by thinking: Why are we as a club doing this? Work with the community groups involved to engage in the service work in a way that is meaningful to all involved.

     Think expansively about the skills that your club has to offer your community. Be specific about choosing a project that will put those skills, in combination with the community members also involved, to best use for everyone working toward the service goal. Be accountable. Check points of progress with all those working together and support those who might struggle.

     Strive for learning as the project develops – relevant learning, with information that can be shared with all involved. This means that the project leader makes the effort to teach inexperienced club and community members new information as the project unfolds. It has been said that “It is easier to do what you have always done, than what you are learning to do” – that’s just human nature.

     Fred Rogers liked to quote his mother, Nancy Rogers, as teaching him to “Look for the helpers – you will always find people who are helping others”. Lions, let’s be those people, helping others in our communities, with open hearts and minds.