Hello Lions,
 
I do not like change, mostly because I have no place to put it after leaving the drive thru. Of course, this is not the change I am referring to. Change makes me uncomfortable, I like routine and I like things staying the same. Recently, I purchased a new recliner because my old one had seen better days. I patiently waited for it to arrive, and when it did, I sat down looking forward to feeling the new plushiness. Imagine my surprise when it didn’t feel the same way as the old one. I was disappointed, upset, and angry, because it was not what I wanted. I wanted the comfortable feeling I have when I sit in the old chair. The old chair knew me; it wrapped around me like an old friend. Now I had two chairs, one old, one new. What was I going to do? I could remain in the past and enjoy the comfort of what I knew; or I could jump into the future and make the new chair a comfortable reclining experience.
 
The same is true of our clubs. Many of our clubs and members are satisfied to remain in the past. The past is comfortable. We like doing the same projects each year, with the same members in charge. We like believing we are still serving the needs of our communities, without really knowing if those needs are still valid. We like the people we have been with for the past 10, 20, or 30 years. We aren’t comfortable with the occasional new member who asks too many questions, or wants to do something other than flip pancakes. We aren’t comfortable when a new member sits at our table, in the seat Joe always sits at. We aren’t comfortable when someone tells us our club is going to fade away; even when it actually is.
 
Each of us as Lions and each of our clubs, should take an honest assessment of why we are Lions and why our club(s) exist. We should ask ourselves if we are happy being Lions. If not we should work to understand why and then finds ways to resolve it. Clubs should ask if they want to exist in the next 5, 10, or 20 years from now. If they do, then clubs need to understand what it will take to do so.
 
Change for the sake of change is not a good approach. We need to take the best of our past and our traditions, embrace new technologies and understand current community needs, and forge a path to the future. We need to understand that when people say, we need younger members, we are not just talking about people in their 20s and 30s. Younger members are people in their 40s and 50s, and for some clubs people in their 60s. Everyone wants to feel they are contributing to the needs of their communities regardless of their age or gender. We are all Lions. We can all Serve.
 
By the way, each day I sit in my new chair it gets more comfortable.
 
Leading our legacy into the future,
 
Mark Piva
1st VDG
[email protected]

Welcome to the start of a new Lion year 2018-2019! The Governor’s motto this year is “One Team One Dream, Lions in Action to Serve”. Governor Randy, 2nd VDG Steve, and I are ready to make this motto a reality by working with each club to be successful in serving their community. We look forward to doing this by working together as a district officer team, sharing the successes of other clubs, and encouraging clubs to Join Hands in Service.
 
The motto reminds us we are all on the same team regardless of which club we are in, and we all share the same dream, which is a commitment to serve our communities. We will accomplish this by focusing on the best of what we do, which is providing service to those in need.
 
There is a simple equation which demonstrates what a successful Lions club is:
Service + Leadership = Membership. Service comes first in the equation, because it is the essence of why we are Lions. Without service there is no reason to form a Lions club. Leadership is necessary to plot the course of each or our clubs to ensure the that the service projects we do are planned and executed in a way which demonstrates to our community our Commitment to Excellence. If we focus on Service and Leadership, we will effortlessly attract new members and retain existing members.
 
Clubs with few service projects make it difficult to keep members engaged. Leadership is required to ensure the club has service projects that are aligned with the direction and needs of their community. Times change and so do the needs of communities. Ask community leaders what is needed and design service projects to meet those needs.
 
Members are needed to effectively serve the community. Active and engaged members are more likely to stay with the club, because they have something to do. Clubs want new members to provide more service and ensure the club will exist in the future. And much like in the movie Field of Dreams, if we have sufficient service projects and strong leadership, members will come.
 
“One Team One Dream, Lions in Action to Serve” is more than a motto, it is a way of Lion life. So I encourage each of you to start out this new year and create your own Field of Dreams.
 
 
Leading our legacy into the future,
 
Mark Piva
2nd VDG
[email protected]