PROJECTS & ACTIVITIES OF DISTRICT GOVERNORS FOR THE YEAR 2008-2009

PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES

"CORE PROJECTS"

International President (2008-09) Albert F. Brandel, has coined the slogan "Miracle Through Service"

In pursuit of this most appropriate slogan, my focus for the upcoming year will be in the following thrust areas:

· HIV-Care & Support

· Diabetic Awareness

· Lions Quest - Teachers Training Workshops Lions Quest- Implementation Peace Poster

· Sight First

· Sight For Kids

Thalessemia

Effective Publicity:

In years past, schools ring bell to announce resumption after a recess, change of subject and closure of day's business. Churches also ring the bell to call for service. The bell is significant. You can only ring the bell for a good cause. Friends, in Lionism ring your bell for the whole world to hear. You are in the business of helping the under-privileged. Tell the whole world about it. The sound of your bell can attract new quality members. It is a call to service.

Internal Capacity Building:

"Knowledge is Power". Unless we are knowledgeable in the tenets of Lionism, we may not be able to market this product. To achieve this purpose, the District is divided in to Regions and Zones and Orientation Lion Officers appointed for these Zones. These Lions must visit clubs within their catchments areas and conduct orientation for Lions at their Club Meetings.

In addition, the Club Officers, the Region and Zone Chairpersons and District Officers shall attend workshops that would be organized from time to time. The objective for the workshop is to be interactive.

MERL

This initiative of International is to ensure increased Membership, Extension, Retention and Leadership Development (MERL).

Tracing back the history of Lions Clubs International and its global performance in the service of humanity, I can certainly lay claim that I belong to a prestigious organization so large and so well known and appreciated by the world.

But, we are facing a grave problem today in regard to membership, globally and locally. This is so because there is a perceptible change in attitude due to various reasons - the blossoming of science and technology, tremendous development of television and other communication medium, advertising and the consumer society - men and women - today live in a completely different type of society. We have more anxiety and stress, but less time to spare. Families, careers and leisure activities all compete for our attention.

To be attractive for these new men and women, especially the younger and most active ones, we have to adopt a different language to attract them to our clubs - language of quality - in service, sense of belonging and above all enjoying time of fun and fellowship. The Lions should feel that we are a group of people who belong to a quality organization and who undertake quality community service projects for the benefit of society. We should impress on the member that being a Lion will be good for his own image, his dignity that will even reflect in his social and professional life.

This notion of quality must be applied to extension through creation of new clubs and while enrolling members for the new clubs we must carefully, consider the quality of all new members -which may vary according to the culture and habits in any particular location and generally be interested to offer a reasonable part of his time and talent without any expectation of anything in return.