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MARCH 2010 NEWSLETTER Greetings Lions, Lioness, and Leos. March is upon us. So it’s time to spring into step and get those new officers elected and submitted to VDG Don Nelson for the Directory. We need the new and/or old officers to attend the Officer Training coming up in April. There are always new things to learn. Spring brings many new things to our clubs. Perhaps it’s the time of year to have a membership drive. You need many hands and new ideas for those fund raisers that the Club has planned for the summer months. Each club should be reviewing this past year’s service projects and fundraisers to evaluate the positive and negative factors of each event. Are they as successful today as they were ten years ago? If not, can they be improved or do they need to be replaced with a more updated and worthwhile project? Are they well attended? How can we improve on attendance? Does our community have a new need that we have not evaluated? These are all questions that can help to make your club grow and become more successful in your area. It may also help in the retention of Lion members. See if you can pique the interest of the younger generation. Please take the time and try to do a little review of your club and area. Remember “Positive Actions Bring Positive Results”. March 23, 2010 is American Diabetes Alert Day. Do you have a high traffic area to hand out the brochures? Brochures should have been ordered from the Wisconsin Lions Foundation. March Save Your Vision Month You have heard the expression that your eyes are the windows to your soul, but did you know that your eye doctor can also save your life? Your eyes are often the best windows to your health. By looking into your eyes, your optometrist can tell a lot about your general health. For example, did you know that some systemic and chronic diseases, especially diabetes, can often be detected by an optometrist during a comprehensive eye exam? Since over 33 percent of people with diabetes don't know that they have it, an eye exam can be the only clue to detecting this potentially life-threatening disease. By dilating the pupil, your optometrist can see inside your eye using an ophthalmoscope, which lights and magnifies the blood vessels in your eyes. Changes to these blood vessels can signify various stages of diabetic retinopathy. Left untreated, it can cause blindness. For those suffering from diabetes without knowing it, the detection and treatment of this disease can mean relief on many levels. Diabetic retinopathy is a highly specific vascular complication of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The prevalence of retinopathy is strongly related to the duration of diabetes. After 20 years of diabetes, nearly all patients with type 1 diabetes and >60% of patients with type 2 diabetes have some degree of retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy poses a serious threat to vision. (American Diabetes Association) Save Your Vision Month raises awareness among the general public and targets at-risk groups to remind them of the need for regular, comprehensive eye examinations to detect eye health problems, general health issues, and vision difficulties. We’d like to thank the Lake Delton Club for hosting a terrific District Convention. They put in many hours of hard work leading up to the event. Perhaps it’s time for your club to think about hosting a District Convention. We need to move it around the District. Yours in Lionism, District Governor Kathy and Lion Jim March Newspaper Article ADP Myrna Kelley 27D2 It was discovered at a recent Affiliate Lioness Advisory Committee meeting that Lioness throughout the state all do their starting dates for the new members differently. After much discussion, it was decided by the committee that 4 things should happen before a new member is recognized. (1) the member fills out a Proposal for Membership application. (2) the Lioness board approves the new member (3) the new member pays her dues and (4) the new member's name appears on the UP and A report. Some clubs are waiting until the Installation Ceremony as the date the new member becomes officially a member. Many clubs only do the installation ceremony only once or twice a year. It was decided by the Alliliate Advisory Committee that the ceremony is just symbolic. Let's all try to use the above criteria to avoid any more confusion. Thanks. It was also announced that the State Lioness will be in charge of the Pool Side Hospitality at the Wisconsin State Convention which will be held on May 13, 14 and 15 at the Ramada Inn in Stevens Point. It will be held on Friday night. If you're asked to help or donate that night, please accept. More later. The raffle that was held at the Lions Camp Open House by the Lioness made $1,030.00. That amount was donated to the Nature Center at Lions Camp. Great. It was also discussed that the Nature Center will accept mounts that families no longer need or want if they are in good condition. Full body mounts like squirrels, raccoon etc. are some ideas. So Lioness and Lions, dig out your basements and consider making a gift to the Nature Center. Lioness window clings will be available soon. The project should give us some more recognition as Lioness. They will be 4 " X 6". Looking forward to the nice spring weather that can't be too far away. Keep up the wonderful work, Lioness. It has been a very productive year so far. ADP Myrna Kelley FEBRUARY 2010 Greetings Lions, Lioness, and Leos. I was looking out the window at all the snow and cold and watching the birds and wondering what I could write about for the month of February. February contains President Day so I thought maybe it is a could time to remind the Club President about what International has to say about the President, Vice Presidents, and Past President duties consists of. President He/she is the chief executive officer of the club who presides at all meetings of the board of directors and the club. The president issues the call for regular meetings and special meetings of the board of directors and the club, and appoints the standing and special committees of the club while cooperating with chairpersons to ensure regular functioning and reporting of such committees. He/she sees that officers are elected as provided for by the constitution and by-laws, and cooperates with, and is an active member of the district governor's advisory committee of the zone in which this club is located. Immediate Past President He/she and the other past presidents officially greet members and their guests at club meetings and represent the club in welcoming all new service-minded people in the community served by the club. Vice President(s) If the president is unable to perform the duties of his/her office for any reason, the vice president next in rank shall occupy his/her position and perform his/her duties with the same authority as the president. Each vice president shall, under the direction of the president, oversee the functioning of such committees of the club as the president designates. February is Heart Health Month Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. It affects men and women of every age and race. During American Heart Month, we encourage all Americans to join the fight against heart disease and to learn more about how to prevent it. More than 64 million Americans suffer from one or more forms of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, and congenital heart defects. Many of the risk factors that can lead to heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes, can be prevented or controlled. Research has shown that men and women who lead healthy lifestyles, including making healthy food choices, getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and choosing not to smoke or drink excessively, can significantly decrease their risk of heart disease. If you haven’t elected your 2010 - 2011 officer you need to do that now and get the results to Vice District Don Nelson. Yours in Service DG Kathy Friske FROM ADP MYRNA KELLEY I wrote this a long time ago but would like to share it for all the Lioness clubs in Wisconsin. Enjoy.
WHAT IS A WISCONSIN LIONESS? She's a woman who can always find time to better her community. She's the woman who always finds time to hold out a helping hand. She's a woman who gets things done. She's a Wisconsin Lioness member.
She's the future of her community with goodwill in her heart. She's the heartbeat of downtown looking for tomorrow. She's a woman who gets things done. She's a Wisconsin Lioness member.
She can be a secretary, teacher, nurse, cook, business woman, retiree or just a plain citizen. She's a woman who gets things done. She's a Wisconsin Lioness member.
She's a friend of education, hospitals, libraries, Kids in Care or the handicapped. She's the sparkplug of her community for the benefit of others. She's a woman who gets things done. She's a Wisconsin Lioness member.
She keeps dreams of her town alive. Her enthusiasm generates progress while she lives by the golden rule. She's a woman who gets things done. She's a Wisconsin Lioness member.
She likes progress, good schools, fine churches, modern hospitals, honest government, happy citizens and peaceful nations. She believes in America, teamwork, hard work, loyalty and friendship. She's a woman who gets things done. She's a Wisconsin Lioness member.
She's a community coordinator, community booster, community friend, ambassador of goodwill and carrier of friendship. She has the courage to take responsibility, the courage to decide things and the courage to say yes or no. She's a woman who gets things done. She's a Wisconsin Lioness member.
She solves problems, serves on committees, greets strangers and helps make her community grow and prosper. She's her community's best advertisement. She's a woman who gets things done. She's a Wisconsin Lioness member.
She can be found many places, sidewalk sales, pancake breakfasts, selling mints, eye screening, decorating anywhere in town or at the library delivering books on women's issues. She's a woman who gets things done. She's a Wisconsin Lioness member.
You'll see her baking pies, planting flower barrels or cross stitching squares for a quilt. You'll see her presenting scholarships, money to Girl Scouts, W.L.F. and Leader Dog. You'll see her at conventions making plans for next year. She's a woman who gets things done. She's a Wisconsin Lioness member.
She firmly believes she lives in the best town, in the best state, in the best nation in the world. She's a first class citizen, a warm hearted neighbor, the most valuable of friends. She's a woman who gets things done. She's a Wisconsin Lioness member!!! JANUARY 2010 Greeting Lions, Lioness, and Leos Happy New Year from our house to yours
Once again a New Year begins. The year of 2010 begins and we can look back on the past year to recall all the great things that we have accomplished in the past year.
WOW! We are half way through with our District Governor year. I was wondering how I and Lion Jim would get everything accomplished. But with help from all the Lions in D2 we are getting things done. We as Lions always seem to find the time to help others when the need is there.
International President Wirfs theme Move to Grow, means we need to change. Change makes a difference. Change can be good or bad. Change means making a difference whether it’s a positive course of direction, or a shift from one to another.
As your District Governor, I had to make some changes. One was by visiting Lions, Lioness, and Leos in the District as well as making changes on the State and other District levels. I see some clubs making changes by having women join their club. Some are changing by doing things differently. It may mean they are doing their meetings different or how they do their fund raisers.
On the State level, we as District Governors decided to put the Directory on a website and offering the clubs and club members a chance to purchase the directory. This can be done by contacting the Lions State Office in Stevens Point WI.
So keep up the great work of Lionism.
My goal this year was to replace all the drops and increase each club by one new member per club, and if we chartered a new club that would be a plus.
As of the end of October we are up by 12 new members - let’s keep the momentum going. I want all the club members with the club officers and the Cabinet Members to help move our district as far as we collectively can to achieve this goal. We still have (6) months to achieve our goals.
For my part the second half of the year, I would like to visit all the Lions Clubs and Lioness clubs in the District so if you haven’t contacted me please do so as soon as possible to schedule a visit. The Club visit form is on the district website.
I would like to have many Club President, 100% Secretary and Treasurer awards to hand out at the end of the year. It is good to recognize these club officer’s for all the work and effort they put in. The forms for 100% Secretary and Treasurer is on the www.md27d2.org website. The Club Presidents award form is on the International Lions Club website.
As your District Governor I would like you to look at yourself or any member in your club or zone who you think would make a good leader. We need leadership on the District level, State Level as well as International Level. So please keep in mind if you know someone who would like to step up and take on one of these positions. If you know someone please inform First Vice District Governor Lion Don Nelson, your region, zone chair or myself. We need a Second Vice District Governor for 2010-2011, If you know someone who qualifies please let Lion Warren Wolf on the District Cabinet know as soon as possible so they can be put on the ballot for the District Convention in February 12,and 13 2009.
Speaking of the District Convention make sure you get your reservations in. All the clubs should have received their registration forms by mail. If you did not or misplaced your form the information is on the district website. There will not be any tux worn at the convention. It is business casual.
Happy New Year to all the Clubs and Lions members, From DG Kathy, and partner in life and service Lion Jim.
FROM ADP MYRNA KELLEY Does your Lioness club know where your club will be in 5 years? 10 years? Try to know where you are and where you want to be. How many members will you have in 5 years? Will your club still be doing extra ordinary things for the less fortunate? Try to go beyond survival to a flourishing club. Make sure your projects are relevant. Make sure your community knows what you do. Make sure your members feel proud and stay engaged in your club. Make sure your club has FUN! Engage everyone. Every member is responsible for the club's success or failure. It's not just the officers. Lioness hear people say "that's unfortunate" if someone is hurting. Lioness roll up their sleeves and help. Some of us became members before we saw all the good that Lioness do. Then we saw how much happiness we give and we're so happy to be called a Lioness. Keep up the wonderful work. Barbara Bush once said, " Some people give their time, some give money, some their skills and connections, some literally give their life's blood, but everyone has something to give."
DECEMBER NEWSLETTER Greeting Lions, Lioness, and Leos
Happy Holidays from our house to yours. As you are reading this, most of you will have just finished spending time with family and friends giving thanks for the many blessing that we all have. Hopefully in this economic time we can give thanks for the roof over our heads, lots of food to share, and warm clothing and blankets for those cold winter evenings. In my travels around our district I am very happy to see all the hard work our clubs are doing to make sure that everyone in their communities can enjoy the holidays As we are all planning for our Holiday season celebrations. It may be in house, church or meeting room full of people, or it may be just family or a few people. You may have a big tree with lots of decorations and lots of presents or maybe a small tree with cards and presents. You and your Lions Families may be serving food at a shelter, or helping a family that is looking for a job, or some family who needs warm jackets and clothing so their family can have a Happy Holiday season. Or delivering food baskets to those in need, ringing bells at the Salvation Army. This is the time of year that the world joins us in serving. You see as LIONS we get to do this all the time year around. By reaching, touching, and improving Lives. It’s like Christmas every day. We get to help someone feel a little better in these hard economic times, feel warmer, to be more comfortable. We as Lions can make someone feel better and help make this world better and a little safer. HELP STOP DIABETES HOLIDAY FOOD FRUSTRATION; NO NEED TO GIVE UP TASTE THIS YEAR —LIVING WITH DIABETES DOESN'T HAVE TO MEAN BAH HUMBUG HOLIDAYS— "People with diabetes need to understand there are great ways to be satisfied through the holiday season, without feeling like you've given up great tasting foods." Stock the kitchen with foods made specifically for people with diabetes like Glucerna® Shakes and Bars. They taste great and can be a delicious meal replacement for breakfast or lunch on days when you'll be eating a large meal later." The Mall Isn't Just for Shopping — Get Moving! Exercise is extremely important, not only to keep your body in shape, but to ward off stress that the holiday season invariably brings. Redefine power shopping this holiday and join the local mall walkers group. Gather your family and take a walk around the block before dessert, instead of a second helping. It will get your blood pumping, help manage blood glucose levels and burn some extra calories. Mark your calendars for the District Convention on February 12, 13 2010 at the Winter Green Resort in Wisconsin Dells. The Lake Delton Club is working on a great Convention. Happy and a safe Holiday to all of you, and thank you for all you do. I’m still looking for a few clubs that have not contacted me for a club visit. District Governor 27D2 Kathy Friske and Partner in Service Jim FROM ADP MYRNA KELLEY 27-D2 Does your Lioness Club know where your club will be in 5 years? 10 years? Try to know where you are and where you want to be. How many members will you have in 5 years? Will your club still be doing extra ordinary things for the less fortunate? Try to go beyond survival to a flourishing club. Make sure your projects are relevant. Make sure your community knows what your club does. Make sure your members feel proud and stay engaged in your club. Make sure your club has FUN! Engage everyone. Every member is responsible for the club's success or failure. It's not just the officers. Lioness hear people say "That's unfortunate" if someone is hurting. Lioness roll up their sleeves and help. Some of us became members before we saw all the good that Lioness do for the community, district and state. Then we see how much happiness we give and we're so happy to be Lioness. Keep up the wonderful work! Remember my motto from Helen Keller, "alone we can do so little, together we can do so much." Have a wonderful holiday and a very happy New Year.
NOVEMBER 2009 NEWSLETTER Greeting Lions, Lioness, and Leos
Summer is gone and winter is fast approaching. We will be sliding into the snow and cold weather along with all the Holiday Season. Families will be gathering for all the festivities. Don’t forget your Lions Families.
My year as your District governor is really becoming an experience. This position is one I never intended to obtain but as one becomes active in a cause like Lionism, you find it very rewarding and just a part of your life. Of course it is very helpful when your partner in life also enjoys Lionism and helps you to obtain your goals and have a successful year. Change happens one step at a time.
I would like to challenge any and all Lions to become active in their club, at the District level, or State level.
We really need Lions to grow and move into district positions.
The State Lions provide some training sessions to prepare you for leadership roles in your club, district or state and for your own personal growth.
If you would like to be considered for one of the positions on the District Cabinet please contact Vice District Governor Don Nelson.
You will be surprised at how rewarding it is and how much enjoyment you obtain while being active in this world of Lionism.
This year, Lions Clubs International Global Youth Music Competition is the Violin While there will be only three winners of Lions International Music Awards (US$10,000, first place; US$7,000, second place and US$3,000 third place) the winners will be chosen at the 2010 international convention in Sydney, we hope that thousands of young musicians worldwide will participate at the district level. Participants must be no older than 25 years on January 1, 2010. Next year the instrument will be the Classical Guitar. I think we should start looking at our youth and see if we can come up with someone to compete in this competition. Displaying a commitment to youth and providing positive, exciting experiences for young people will be an invaluable opportunity to make clubs better known in their communities -- especially among the younger generation. November is National Diabetes Month. Have you gotten your hand outs, and have a place to hand out the brochures for Diabetes this month, If you would like to use the district Diabetes display please contact Lion Doug Olson your District Diabetes Chair. His contact information is on the District Website www.md27d.org . Also fill out the application for your banner patch for your club banners. Living with Diabetes doesn’t mean “Bah Humbug” for the Holidays. The Mall can be used for more than just shopping. In bad weather use the mall for walking. Exchange more than gifts. Making simple substitutions in your favorite dishes can change them from an “Off Limits” food to something that can be enjoyed by all guests. Several resources are available for diabetes-friendly recipes. Recipes can be found in libraries, on the internet, and form the American Diabetes Association.
November is Deer Hunting season. The
Wisconsin Lions Foundation can put your deer hides to good use. Over
the years, the money from the deer hide collection has been used to help
support the programs and projects of the Wisconsin Lions Foundation.
Why not start a collection point in your community! For more
information please contact our District Environmental Chairman Lion
Willard (Bud) Greene at Your District Governor’s Calendar is on www.md27d.org website. The Lake Delton Club is working on the District Convention which will be held on February 12 and 13 2009 at the Winter Green Resort in Wisconsin Dells. And Remember reach for the moon but if miss grab a star going by. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. District Governor 27D2 Kathy Friske and Partner in Service Jim FROM ADP MYRNA KELLEY There are many words in the English language that are special when put together. I feel that "we can do this" are my favorite four words. Lioness can change the community. We continue to ease the burden of our neighbors, near and far, proving hope for them. We try to walk in their shoes. Lioness are just ordinary people doing extra ordinary things. Lioness are like a family. Our good deeds speak for themselves. It takes Lioness willing to roll up our sleeves and get the job done. Twenty people working together can do more than twenty people alone. Communities get better. Jobs get done. When Lioness thrive, the community thrives. I commend all the clubs for what you are doing. Open your hearts to others. Have fire in your heart. Keep that flame burning. Always keep a positive attitude. Shut your eyes and visualize a community with no Lioness club. Whether it's a basket for a shut-in, flowers downtown, Christmas toys or food for the needy, glasses, etc. The list just goes on and on. We're the essence of the community. Lioness do hands on projects, not just writing a check. We're looking for a better tomorrow. We need to be visible in the community. Lioness are active community members who give back happiness. Deliver a fruit basket this holiday season and look into the eyes of the recipient and you'll see the Lioness spirit. Don't ever say, "We're just a small club". The kindness you do can be life changing. Small clubs can make a big impact on the community. Have a wonderful holiday season. OCTOBER 2009 NEWSLETTER
Great job Lions, Lioness, and Leos. Lion Jim and I are having a great time serving our District. We are seeing all the fund raisers and community projects, and allotting of money to many community needs that all the clubs are doing.
The mission of the Lions of Wisconsin is to “Serve by reaching, touching, and improving lives.” Our International President Eberhard Wirfs has given us the challenge to “Move to Grow”. The good old days when fuel and postage prices were lower and the economy was booming is over. The organization of Lions has to find new ways to recruit members and educate them and find ways to retain them.
October used to be the membership recruiting month. Everyone should dedicate some time to ask a friend, neighbor, or colleague if they would like to share in the fun of being a Lion.
Please review how your club gets needed information out to your members. How can you improve your membership participation and retention by getting more information to them in a timely manner? Would this help make your projects and fundraisers more successful? Communication is a very key word in obtaining club success “Change One Step at a Time”. Change Happen “Z”.
Reach for the moon but if you miss grab a star on the way by.
What we as Lions need to do, is evaluate each project (service or fund raiser) at its conclusion to establish if it has accomplished its goal, how it could be improved, and how could it be expanded to even benefit more people. With our world changing so fast, each club should also survey their communities for new needs that may have arisen. Many times these new projects will draw new community members into your Lions club. October is the month of all the ghost and globins. For all the kids that like to go trick and treating. I hope you all have gotten your Health Halloween brochures and have participated in the contest. If your Club is sponsoring a Halloween Party in your Community find some healthy alternatives to candy. It is again time to start thinking of our deer hides for our Lions Camp. Get your advertising out, and your pick-up points set. Please Salt Heavy, about 4 pounds per hide. Do not use rock salt. Remember to cut all of the legs open. For more information call Bernie Stuttgen of Thorp (715) 669 – 5588 or our District Chairman Bud Greene of West Salem at (608) 785 – 1264. The Holiday season is around the corner. November is American Diabetes Month. Maybe find a way to hand out Diabetes literature. This can be received from the Wisconsin Lions Foundation contact Liz Shelley.
Thinking about the holiday season, remember to eat healthy. Maybe we should look at how we could make our favorite recipe into a healthier alternative.
If you do Holiday baskets look at your communities and see if there are more in the community that could use a helping hand this season. Maybe do a collection for coats for kids. Maybe have a box in the area schools so the children can bring in their coats they have out grown and give to another child that has out grown theirs. Start a Mitten Tree at your Community Bank. A toys for tot program. Look around your community and see what is needed in this time of unemployment.
Have a warm and healthy October
District Governor 27D2 Kathy Friske and Partner in Service Jim MESSAGE FROM AFFILIATE DISTRICT PRESIDENT 27-D2 MYRNA KELLEY All the 27-D2 Lioness clubs are very busy with our fall projects. We have 10 clubs in our district with 223 members. We are all committed to making our communities better places for those less fortunate than ourselves. That is a great satisfaction for us. Keep working on membership. There are many prospective members in every community. Since our Lioness club was chartered in Mauston in 1979, I have made time for service work. We should never be too busy to help others. It's easy to say we don't have time to volunteer. Some times all of us get overwhelmed with time constraints. It doesn't have to be that serious. Just do what you can as a member. If you are passionate enough about being a Lioness, it's very doable. Enthusiasm will go a long way. Tell prospective members that the time commitment isn't as daunting as they might imagine. Remember to give new members a chance to express ideas and feel included. New ideas may take some members of our club some getting used to, but it's very necessary. We should never hear, "We don't do it that way". Many years from now our Lioness club could be benefiting from a new member's idea of a different project or community involvement. Have a wonderful holiday season and enjoy the friendships that you have in your Lioness club. SEPTEMBER 2009 NEWSLETTER Greeting Lions, Lioness, and Leos It’s that time of year when the gardens are being wrapped up and the leaves are being raked. This should be the time to look around your neighborhood and see if there is someone that could use a little help getting ready for the fall and winter months. This would be a good time to put on your Lions cap, shirt, or vest and go out into the community and help with some of these projects. I and Lion Jim had a busy July and August just a few of the projects that we attended was the Youth exchange camp at Dundee, WI. What an experience being with all the youth from different countries as well as the youth from Wisconsin. Following our evening meal it was back on the road to Stevens Point for the District Governors Council Meeting Friday evening and Saturday. We also walked in the New Lisbon Wa Du Shuda Day Parade with the New Lisbon Lions and the Lion and lion cubs from the Oakdale Lions Club. Then on August 13, 2009 off to the State Fair in Milwaukee for Candy Days, there we handed out Lions candy rolls (without charge) and brochures advertising Lions Camp. It is hard to hand out candy to youth, as they have been taught not to take candy or anything from strangers. It is interesting to hear people talk about how the Wisconsin Lions Camp has touched them. Either, they, or their children were campers, or a counselor, or they know someone who has been at the camp. Then it was off to Oakbrook IL, to visit the International Headquarters. One soon realizes what an immense scope of Lions when you see the workings, and the many languages that are need to accommodate and the number of countries served. The employees are very efficient in what they do. Then look at all the many projects and even millions of lives that are being helped or saved. September 19 is Open House at the Wisconsin Lions Camp at Rosholt, WI. Lion’s day at the camp is another occasion to feel pride. This fantastic facility providing great opportunities for the special youth who can do and enjoy so much when a given a chance. Let’s get as many of your club members up to the camp to see what all their hard work is about. Halloween is next month has your club gotten their Healthy Halloween literature distributed. If not, contact Lion Liz Shelley at the Wisconsin Lions Foundation. If you are hosting a community Halloween celebration think about health alternatives for children. November is National Diabetes Month, if you are thinking about handing out brochures to the public sometime during this month please contact Liz Shelley for your supply of these brochures at the Wisconsin Lions Camp. Also please contact Lion Doug Olson or Lion Vern Nauman who are your District Diabetes chairs if you wish to use the Diabetes display or would like them to come and give a presentation at your club or community event. I would like to ask you to get the club visitation form that was in the July newspaper filled and returned as soon as possible. I will have Lion Charles Kennedy place the form on the MD27D website www.md27d2.org Reach for the MOON but if you MISS GRAB A STAR on the way by. District Governor Lion Kathy and partner Lion Jim LIONESS AFFILIATE PRESIDENT MYRNA KELLEY Lioness! Come out of your dens! Bare your teeth and your claws! Our work is never done. There will always be work for us 24/7. We're Lioness and we're proud of it! Someone asked me just recently what Lioness were famous for. Everyone in our towns and cities should know what Lioness do. A good idea might be to put a display about Lioness in an empty building window in your downtown. We know there are more service- minded people who would love to serve with us. We serve our community, our district, our state and our world. We just need to get more people interested enough to join us. Women who are 18 years old to infinity may join Lioness and develop years of friendships and enjoying each other's company while playing an active part in the local community with other like-minded individuals from all walks of life, helping those less fortunate than ourselves by taking a "hands on role" in improving the quality of life for others. We can't do it alone. We need to attract new members. With extra members two extra hands are able to help. We need to teach young people to serve others early in life and become good citizens and help others. We need to all pull together to help change the world. We Serve, Too! Where we live we share and give. We dream BIG! We're dedicated to community work but so much more. We help with anything that makes the world a better place than we found it. There are 2,800 Wisconsin Lioness in 104 communities statewide. Wisconsin Lioness are known for working closely in their local communities on a wide variety of projects which range from very small projects to huge life changing events. Maybe it's the Lion's Camp where children and adults are able to meet other people like themselves. Maybe it's a little girl from Reedsburg who has needed different hearing aids for her little ears several times in her 4 years of life. Maybe it's a little boy who couldn't see the chart during vision screening who told us "Glasses are my magic!" We make dreams come true. Take a dart and throw it anywhere in the world and you will find terrible child abuse. It's found in neglect, violence, substance abuse, physical and sexual abuse to emotional turmoil. Lioness work hard to help prevent child abuse. Lioness change lives. We make a difference. We're there even when we don't know the people we're helping. Miracles keep coming one at a time. I'm confident and optimistic about our Lioness future. We need to review what we've done in the past, what we're doing now and what we plan to do in the future. Past, present, future. Serving others is our goal. We shine light in dark places. We have fun, too. Volunteerism is a good thing! We work from the heart. WE SERVE, TOO! Remember my motto "Together we can do so little- together we can do so much" by Helen Keller. Have a great Lioness month! AUGUST 2009 NEWSLETTER Greeting Lions, Lioness, and Leos, I and Lion Jim had a great time at the International Convention. It was a very busy schedule for us. As our training for District Governors, was long and intense. We are looking forward to serving you. The summer activities are in full swing. Hopefully your club is having fun with WE SERVE ONE STEP AT A TIME in your communities. CHANGE HAPPEN’Z’ We have to look at how we do business. Everything is changing we need to look at how we recruit new members, how we hold our meeting, and how our fund raiser are being run. Could we do better by trying something new, or even something that did not work last time around but with a new twist to the project? During the next 12 months, you will encounter many opportunities to contribute to the success of your Lions club by identifying: · Highly successful club activities/practices that should be continued and expanded. · Less successful club activities/practices that should be changed and improved. · Unsuccessful club activities/practices that should be replaced by something brand new. This discussion will help strengthen your club. Your fellow members may decide to eliminate an unprofitable fundraiser, or perhaps introduce a new service project. New Members = We as Lions need to look at how we recruit new members. We need to look at the baby boomers to the x y and now the z generation. The X generation was defined as the children of the baby boomers. The Y generation is the rise from instant communication technologies e-mails, texting through instant communications and the trend for communications is continuing into the Z generation. Membership will and must be a high-priority this year as the MD27 the state of Wisconsin membership has fallen below 20,000 members. We have lost clubs as well as members. We need to turn this trend around. Under the leadership of the two Vice District Governors the MERLO Team will be working on membership growth and on a New Lions Club. The more members we have the more hands we have to provide these services. With the economy in the state that it is in, our communities can use all the help we can give them. Our International President Eberhard J. Wirfs motto this year is MOVE to GROW. One aspect of this theme is growth in membership. You will be hearing more about Move to Grow in the near future. With all of this the most important Lion, Lioness, Leo is the individual club member. Together we can make great strides in the lives of others. Show your pride in your communities by talking about how your club and club members participate in your local benefit functions and also in your district, state and international levels.
Just a reminder, to get your article’s in your local Newspapers, and
also in our Lions State Newspaper. For the Lions Newspaper forward your
articles to Lions Thank you to all the secretaries that have sent in the monthly M &M reports on time. It is very important for all secretaries to get these reports in on time. The New Berlin Lions have graciously invited us to once again use one or two of their Corn Roast Booth windows to give away candy and brochures to advertise our great Foundation. The dates of the State Fair are August 6 through August 16. D2 is scheduled to hand out CANDY on August 13, 2009 at the State Fair. All Lions, Lioness, and Leos are welcome. There will be free food and drink at the Corn Booth for all workers, even us! Dress appropriately for the day (Hot during the day, maybe cool at night). Wear your WLF or Lion shirt. Chairs will be provided for you to rest. August 2009 September 2009 2 Cabinet meeting at Ithaca 19 Camp open House 8-9 WLF board meeting 24-26 USA Canda Forum 13 D2 day at the state fair 19 New Lisbon club visit 29-30 LCI and Leader Dog October 2009 November 2009 2-3 Council Meeting 1 WLF board meeting 16-17 27C1 district convention 6-7 27B2 District Convention 18 Cabinet Meeting 11 Coon Valley Club visit 23-24 Merging Lions institute 13-14 27B1 District Convention 24 Westby club visit 26 Thanksgiving 27 Boaz club visit 31 WLF board meeting
For many of our Lioness clubs, retention of members is one of our biggest problems. We need to try to get members that are thinking of dropping the club to reconsider. Let them suggest new project ideas and let them help make decisions on how our money is being spent. Brainstorm for new ideas. New need to attract new members all the time. Make sure new members are given a good orientation by explaining what the Lioness do in the community, district and state. Make sure new members are excited about joining the Lioness. Make the induction ceremony special for them. Ask them for ideas at the first meeting. Make sure new members have names and telephone numbers of club members. Make sure to think all members for chairing projects. We all like to be recognized for our hard work. Find out what talents members have and use those talents for the good of the club. We all need to feel that we are valued members. Include spouses in some of your activities. Many of them want to be included, too. Good luck, Lioness, in you new year of 2009-2010!!! Affiliate President Myrna Kelley
JULY 2009 NEWSLETTER Greetings Lions, Lioness, and Leos, It is only the beginning of May but the July news article needs to be formulated and submitted for publication. So when you read the July issue I will be at the International Convention in Minneapolis MN. It is hard to compose an article when you haven't started your term in office. First of all I think all the Lions, Lioness, and Leos, of 27D2 need to give District Governor Lion Mike Kelley and spouse Lion/Lioness Myrna a big THANK YOU when you see them. They have had a very successful and busy year. Lion Pat Kennedy the District Publicity chairman and also the districts Newspaper Editor, is in charge of the news articles that goes into the State Newspaper. She will be taking on this project for the next Lionistic year. All your news articles for the State Newspaper need to go to Lion Pat and she will submit them. Address is 251 Lincoln St. Elroy, WI 53929, e-mail pjkennedy@centurytel.net. Lion Charlie Kennedy is our Information Systems person and in charge of the District website, You will find lots of information about our district on the website. Also if you have an upcoming event and would like to advertise it on the website Lion Charlie will help you with that. If you have pictures or stories for either the State Newspaper or website, these are the Lions to get in contact with. Thank You Pat and Charlie. “We Serve”. As District Governor I am eager to serve and encourage each and every club in District 27D2 to do so too. If there is some way I or anyone else on your District Cabinet can help your club, please contact us and we will assist you in any way that we can. Just look in your directory for phone numbers or an e-mail address to contact us. Thank You. This year’s International theme is MOVE TO GROW. Each year your District Governor is requested to formulate a theme for the year. My theme will be “We Serve One Step at a Time”. Lions serve but we also need to promote ourselves with newspaper articles. We need to blow our own horns. We also need to grow. MY GOAL is to retain members, replace all the drops, and add 1 new member per club this year. Change Happen”Z” We need to change the way we look at increasing our club members. We are always looking for people to step into leadership roles. We now need two Vice District Governors. In order to move up into the Governor role a member must first serve as a second Vice District Governor and first Vice District Governor. So if you are thinking about stepping up into a leadership role please let me know. Our Region and Zone Chairs are going to have to be moving up so the second Vice District Governor position can be filled. Region and Zone Chairs think of who can step into this position and would like to move up into the District Governor position as you move up. Cabinet meetings August 2, 2009 Honor Divine Lions Park in Ithaca sponsored by the Ithaca Club October 18, 2009 Oakdale Credit Union in Oakdale WI sponsored by the Oakdale Club January 31, 2010 Warrens Lions Log Building Warrens WI sponsored by the Warrens Club March 21, 2010 American Legion in Sauk Prairie sponsored by the Sauk Prairie Club 11:00 A.M. Cocktails Lunch at 12:00 and Meeting at 1:00 P.M. DGE Kathy Friske Thank you for electing me as your new Affiliate District President for 27-D2. I have been a charter member of the Mauston Lioness Club since 1979. I am the spouse of Immediate Past District Governor Mike Kelley. He will continue to be my "Partner in Service". I enjoyed that experience and I'm sure I'll enjoy being your District President. Wisconsin Lioness are volunteers who reach out and address areas of need in our communities. We have over 2,500 members statewide. Lioness work so hard to bring together community minded people who help with humanitarian, environmental and cultural needs of the community. Lioness earn the motto "We Serve,Too". Some of the projects that we provide include grants, scholarships, eye glasses, vision screening, leader dogs, Lions Camp, diabetes, hearing impaired, child abuse prevention, eye bank, Campaign Sight I and II as well as local community betterment projects like Christmas baskets, flowers, Easter egg hunts, food pantry and post prom parties. The list just goes on and on. Lioness use what talents and abilities we have to make this a better world than we found it. Working together, hand in hand, exemplifies the Lioness spirit. Remember we're all volunteers. No one is perfect. I'll do the best that I can for our district. I'm looking forward to a productive year. My motto for this year is from Helen Keller "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much". Lioness Affiliate President Myrna Kelley 27-D2 JUNE NEWSLETTER I wonder where the year went. It seems like yesterday we were in Thailand for a week’s training for District Governor in Pattaya . We were wondering how we would remember all that was being presented to us. Then we went on to Bangkok for another week which included being sworn in as your District Governor of 27-D2. What a great year it has been. We have especially enjoyed visiting clubs and listening to what each club has been doing to make them “Everyday Heroes”. Myrna and I have met so many great people wherever we have gone and want to thank all of you for your hospitality. The last two years, first as your Vice District Governor then as your Governor, we have made many friends which we’ll cherish forever. Without being your governor, we would not have met many of these great people. We hope everyone that attended the State Convention had an enjoyable time. Many, many hours of hard work goes into an event of this magnitude to make it work. Now we’re looking forward to the International Convention in Minneapolis July 6-10. Seeing Lions from around the world makes us realize just how much “We Serve”. There are over a million Lions throughout the world. What an impact we make everywhere! It has been a pleasure writing these articles throughout the year. The newspaper has been well received. We are fortunate to read of all the projects that are occurring in clubs all over Wisconsin. Keep up the great work!!! Have a wonderful, service filled summer. Sincerely. Dear Lions, Lioness, and Leos of D2, June! Can it already be the end of another great and wonderful year for the Lioness, Lions, and Leos of 27-D2? We have served our communities well this past year. Congratulations to the new Affiliate District Officers-Elect: President - Lioness Myrna Kelley - Mauston Lioness; Vice-President - Lioness Rose Levendoski - Stoddard Lioness; Secretary - Lioness Karen Spreuer - Holmen Lioness; and Treasurer - Lioness Kathi Beane - Onalaska Lioness. Please give them your support throughout this coming year. Next years' Affiliate District Convention will be hosted by the Norwalk Lioness Club the first Saturday in April 2010. Set that date aside now. You won't want to miss it! At our District Convention, I handed out information on the statewide Lioness Raffle to be held at Lions Camp Open House in September. Raffle prizes should be worth at least $25.00 or you may send a check. If you haven't donated to this - please do so. It would be great too have 100% participation as D1 and D2 are in charge and all proceeds go directly to Lions Camp. Any questions, please call me - 269-2478. During the month of June, I will be making my last two club visitations at which I will be installing officers for the coming year. New leadership brings fresh ideas and revitalizes our clubs. Give your whole-hearted support to your new officers. Take on new opportunities to serve your communities and make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. In closing, I want to thank all the Lioness of D2 for your support throughout this year. I have had a wonderful year as your Affiliate District President. A special thank you to my Affiliate District Board who were there when I needed them and made my job easier. The memories and friendships of this past year will last a lifetime. Please extend to incoming Affiliate District President Myrna Kelley and her board your whole-hearted support in the coming year. I also want to thank my husband, PDG Lion Brian Overturf, for his support and help throughout this year. His chauffeuring, proofreading, and encouragement made the year more enjoyable. Continue to bloom wherever you are! God Bless You All, ADP Lioness Patty Overturf MAY NEWSLETTER At our last cabinet meeting, March 15, we had a membership report from our Membership/Retention Chairman, Eric Ender. He stated that 27D2 was down 19 members but future numbers looked better. Our zone chairmen indicated 14 new members will be inducted in April with many clubs in the process of having a membership drive in April and May. Our retention for 27D2 is above the state average so keep up the good work. It's important to keep members informed, involved and happy with the service they are providing. By now all clubs should have had their elections and their PU101 forms sent in. Thank you all for your prompt attention in helping keep our 27D2 section of the 2009-2010 directory current. As Myrna and I have been traveling around the state to all the district conventions, we continue to be amazed at all the hard work clubs and their members go through to put on the convention. When we read about the projects from other districts, we are able to generate new ideas to bring back to our district. I think most Lions would be surprised at the numbers of volunteer hours needed to host a district convention. Thank you all for your efforts. The month of May brings about the time when clubs need to review their activities for the past year. What really worked? What wasn't the most successful and what can we, as a club, do to be more successful in the future? Clubs need to strive not to become stagnant doing the same projects year after year. Clubs should not be afraid of change as very often change brings about positive results. New activities bring about new interest not only in club members but also in the community. Enjoy your spring activities. Sincerely. District Governor Mike Kelley, 27-D2 Dear Lions, Lioness, and Leos of D2, Spring! What a wonderful time of the year. Outside, things are turning green. Flowers are blooming. Now is the time to reinvigorate your club! Share with all your friends what great things your Lioness Club is doing in your community and how rewarding working together on projects and fundraisers is when you're helping those in need. Remember the difference we make in the lives of children who attend Lions Camp. Remember the millions of people around the world who have had their sight saved or restored. All clubs benefit from additional hands to share the workload. Now is the time when many clubs are planning fundraisers that go on throughout the summer. Wouldn't it be wonderful to introduce your friends to the joy that comes from helping others? Your own enthusiasm will go a long way in influencing others to join. What an AWESOME Affiliate District Convention we had last month! The Sparta Lioness did an amazing job as our host. THANK YOU! I would also like to thank my officers who helped me as well. If you sat out this convention - you missed out BIG TIME. It is the responsibility of every Lioness to learn as much as you can about what we do as well as why we do what we do. Make the time to learn about Child Abuse Prevention, Lions Camp, Sight Projects, Hearing Program, Lions Pride, Diabetes Awareness, and much more. A great opportunity to expand our knowledge and experience about Lionism is fast approaching. May 15-16 is Wisconsin Lions State Convention in Wisconsin Dells at Chula Vista Resort. The Lions have always welcomed and included the Lioness at State Convention for as long as I can remember. There are great seminars and speakers as well as a Lioness social on Friday from 5:00 – 6:00pm and a Lioness meeting on Saturday morning from 9:00 – 9:45. This is a time to make new friends, learn what is going on throughout the state, and gather information and new ideas to take back to our clubs. We all make time for those things that are important to us. Make plans now to attend Lions State Convention May 15-16 in Wisconsin Dells. The Wisconsin Lioness in conjunction with the State Convention Committee will be hosting a Wine and Cheese Tasting Social Thursday evening May 13 at the Ho-Chunk Casino from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. All proceeds will be donated to a Wisconsin Lions project as determined by the Lioness of Wisconsin. Lioness Loretta Ewelt has the work schedule. E-mail her at loretta1951@centurytel.net. Please come and help if you are able. It will be FUN! More information on Lions State Convention and registration may be found at www.lionsstateconvention.org. Continue to bloom wherever you are! God Bless You All, ADP Lioness Patty Overturf APRIL NEWSLETTER This is a reminder to all club secretaries that your P.U.I 01 reports are due as early in April as possible. Your Vice District Governor, Lion Kathy Friske, will be sending the information to the printer on May 1 to complete the Multiple District 27 Directory for 2009-2010. Wisconsin Lions Week normally falls close to our Lions State Convention which will be held at the Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells May 15-16. How can local clubs celebrate Lions Week? Wear your pins, publish articles in your local newspaper and advertise your club activities and accomplishments from the past year. Clubs may also set up displays on Lionism in downtown windows. Invite local community leaders to your May meeting and explain Lionism to them. Finally, use your radio to help promote Lionism during Lions Week. Good luck! Remember it helps to toot your own horns! In my travels around our district stressing membership one glaring change is apparent. We need to attract younger members. Clubs need to meet the needs of these members and very often that means change. Sometimes subtle change is needed and sometimes bigger leaps are required. It's imperative to change what isn't working and adapt something new that will work. What worked 15-20 years ago may not be the best course to be taking today. Young people today may want to make an immediate impact. They want hands-on-experience and meaningful meetings. They would like to be part of a project close to their hearts, not one that has been done for the past 20 years. Lions need to keep pace with an evolving community so we can stay relevant to the communities we serve. April 2- Spring Green Sincerely. District Governor Mike Kelley, 27-D2 Dear Lions, Lioness, and Leos of D2, Elections and officers training - two very important events! By now most club elections have taken place. All communications that the new officers receive next year will be based on the names and addresses sent to Vice District Governor Kathy Friske. Inputting names and addresses does take time, so mail or e-mail your form as soon as possible. To find a 'fillable form”, go online to the state Lioness website – www.wisconsinlioness.org and click on the Resources tab. Look under Forms for LC-02 New Club Officers Reporting. Please mail this to Vice District Governor Kathy Friske – 7634 Dixie Rd.; Tomah,WI 54660 or e-mail kathykf@centurytel.net . I would also appreciate a copy of next year's officers. Along that same line, Officers Training will be Thursday, April 23 at Westview Inn in West Salem and Tuesday, April 28 at the TeePee in Tomah . 6:00 pm – Social, 6:30 pm – Meal with Training to follow. Presidents, vice-presidents, secretaries, treasurers, skirt-twisters and membership chairs should make plans to attend either session. Secretaries will be trained on doing much of their reporting via the computer. It is a requirement to be a 100% president, secretary, or treasurer you have to attend officers training. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Child abuse prevention is a statewide project of Wisconsin Lioness Clubs. Each club should be doing something to raise awareness of this problem within their community. One good resource is Blue Ribbons for Kids. There is a wealth of information on their website http://blueribbonsonline. wi.gov//. May 15-16 is Wisconsin Lions State Convention in Wisconsin Dells at Chula Vista Resort. Lioness Kathi Beane and Lioness Loretta Ewelt have been working hard in their committees to ensure that the Lioness have an active role at State Convention. The Wisconsin Lioness in conjunction with the State Convention Committee will be hosting a Wine and Cheese Tasting Social Thursday evening May 13 at the Ho-Chunk Casino from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. All proceeds will be donated to a Wisconsin Lions project as determined by the Lioness of Wisconsin. Please come and help if you are able. It will be FUN! More information on Lions State Convention and registration may be found at www.lionsstateconvention.org. Spring has officially begun. Bloom wherever you are! God Bless You All, ADP Lioness Patty Overturf MARCH NEWSLETTER This is the time of year when Lions Clubs need to start thinking about their slate of officers for 2009-2010. Once the slate of officers has been formed, it needs to be presented to the club (three times) and the election held. When the election is over, the new officer's names need to be sent to your next year's District Governor Kathy Friske. The form you use to report this is the PU101 and it needs to be in the hands of the District Governor no later then April 15, 2009. The District 27-D2 Directory goes to the printer in May so it is imperative to get the information in so the directory will have the correct information on the club's officers, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail information. At the Necrology service during our February 14 District Convention I was amazed at the number of deceased members we (27-D2) had in one year. We lost 21 wonderful, dedicated Lions who, for many years, were the backbone of our clubs. Our membership chairs need to work on new members and train them to become our great Lions of the future. It's a sad circle, but a circle that needs to continue so our humanitarian efforts in Lions continues. TWO VICE DISTRICT GOVERNORS The Governor and the first and second Vice District Governors are a team working together to provide effective leadership. The District Governor's role is a complex and demanding one and he/she will be able to share responsibilities with the first and second Vice District Governors. The first Vice District Governor is primarily responsible for assisting with membership developement, chartering new clubs and promoting new clubs. The second Vice District Governor is primarily responsible for focusing on retention issues and for increasing the awareness among Lions about various association programs. Our District (27-D2) is very fortunate to have two great candidates in Lion Don Nelson and Lion Joe Fisher to assume these offices. March Schedule March 4- French Island visitation Sincerely. District Governor Mike Kelley, 27-D2 Dear Lions, Lioness, and Leos of D2, It's March already! Spring is just around the corner. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank our current club officers for taking the time and making the commitment to serve in leadership. Thank you! Most clubs will be electing their new officers for the coming year this month. Secretaries should have a form for reporting new officers. If not, go online to the state Lioness website – www.wisconsinlioness.org and click on the Resources tab. Look under Forms for LC-02 New Club Officers Reporting. It is a 'fillable form' you can save and e-mail. Please mail this as soon as possible to Vice District Governor Kathy Friske – 7634 Dixie Rd.; Tomah,WI 54660 or e-mail kathykf@centurytel.net. She's inputting the names for next year's directory. I would also appreciate a copy of next year's officers. Along that same line, officers training will be the latter part of April. Information will be given out at the District Convention in Sparta. Presidents, vice-presidents, secretaries, treasurers, skirt-twisters, and membership chairs should make plans to attend. It is a requirement that to be a 100% president, secretary, or treasurer you have to attend officers training. Our Lioness District Convention is going to be AWESOME this year. I hope to see many old and new faces April 4 at the Colonial Bowling Center in Sparta. The Sparta Lioness have been working hard to put together a convention no one should miss. The theme is Hawaiian. Come dressed in your Hawaiian shirts, blouses, mumu dresses, flip flops or even your coconut bras and grass skirts if you choose!!! We want you to be comfortable and have fun! The cost for the day is $17.00 through March 13th and $20.00 after March 13th. So register early. Also, remember that District Governor Mike Kelley will be honoring the Presidents, Secretaries, and Treasurers of our clubs at our convention this year. Speaking of officers – our Affiliate Lioness District will be electing new officers at Convention. Don't be afraid to step up and do your part and serve on the District Cabinet. I know we have many capable and dedicated Lioness in this District and we need your help. The Affiliate District raffle is underway. The winner will be drawn at our Lioness District Convention. First prize - $300, second prize - $100, and third and fourth prizes - $50 each. Why not you? Be sure and get your ticket! The State Advisory is again compiling all Lioness giving and service hours statewide. Each club needs to complete the new 2008-09 Lioness Giving Form by April 1st. Please notice that volunteer hours are to only reflect service hours as a Lioness and that fund raising hours are not to be included.
God Bless You All, ADP Lioness Patty Overturf
FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER I am entering my final five months as your District Governor. Lion Myrna and I love to look back on the wonderful projects that all of 27-D2 Lions, Lioness and Leos have done for their communities, throughout Wisconsin and the world. I'm sure that all our communities are well served and a better place as a result of our efforts. With the help of three past District Governors, I have republished an orientation booklet for all of your clubs to help with new member orientation and to instill in them a purpose and ownership in the Lions organization. Orientation is good for older members, too, as we sometimes have a tendency to forget why we are Lions. Contents of the booklet contain; History of Lions Club, Time Line, Mission Statement, Lions Facts, Lions Objectives, Code of Ethics, Organizational Structure, District Structure, Club Structure, Wisconsin Lions Facts, Where Your Dues Go and Membership Categories. It contains just about everything that your new or old Lions would need to know about the best service organization in the world. I hope it will be helpful. It is my suggestion to get your slate of officers in March with elections held in April. Vice District Governor, Kathy Friske, will be putting the district directory together for next year and we'd like to have all the new officers for 2009-2010 to be listed and up to date. She will need all the addresses in to the State office by May 1. February 2- Hillsboro
Lions Sincerely. District Governor Mike Kelley, 27-D2 Dear Lions, Lioness, and Leos of D2, I have certainly been enjoying the hospitality and friendships of the Lioness in my own district. In my travels to clubs, I find each club doing fund-raisers and projects unique to their communities. Lioness clubs support the efforts of their sponsoring Lions Clubs, programs of the Wisconsin Lions Foundation, and District, State and International projects. As Spring approaches, our clubs will be electing new officers. I would encourage each Lioness member to seriously consider what leadership position you would be willing to fill within your club. We should all be willing to take our turn in office for the benefit of our club. Step out of your comfort zone and become a club officer. Also our District will be electing new officers at our Lioness District Convention in April. If you have been faithfully serving in club leadership, now would be a good time to step forward and broaden your knowledge of what Lioness do statewide. We need to take the opportunities available to learn and grow in our capabilities. I encourage all Lioness members and especially new leadership to attend seminars, conferences, forums, and conventions to learn and become familiar with all aspects of Lionism. It's not to late to make plans to attend the Lions District Convention February 13-14 in Tomah. Our District Lioness Convention will be April 4, 2009 in Sparta. Club officers should make every effort to attend and the Convention should be promoted to our general membership as well. Late April will bring Officers Training with a choice of dates. State Convention in May is an excellent opportunity for each of us to expand our knowledge and experience. Lions State Convention is a time to make new friends, learn what is going on throughout the state, hear great speakers, and gather information and new ideas to take back to our clubs. Make plans now to attend Lions State Convention May 15-16 at the Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells. A few clubs have not yet contacted me for a visit. Please do so immediately. I do so enjoy visiting each of the clubs. God Bless You All, ADP Lioness Patty Overturf January 2009 My wife, Myrna, and I would like to take this time to wish you a very healthy and happy new year of 2009. As we've traveled through 27-D2 and to other conventions in the state and abroad, we are impressed with the role that women are playing in Lions clubs throughout our area, the state and the world. Many people do not realize that in 1987 women were declared equal partners in service and allowed to join in service and allowed to join the already largest service organization in the world. The law allowed that individuals, regardless of age, gender, political or religious affiliation or background who wanted to make a difference, grow personally and professionally and have a positive impact on local and international humanitarian issues to be Lions members. Leadership roles have changed from being competitive to collaborative. Women have been working side by side with men in Lions clubs since 1975. We need more women members. Women can bring fresh ideas, improve your community and provide leadership experiences. One of our 10 District Governors is a woman this year (doing an excellent job) and next year 3 of the District Governors will be women for the 2009-2010 year. Great!!! Adding women to your club will not only benefit those we serve but will offer them the opportunity to make a real difference and instill in them a sense of pride and accomplishment. They make for great team work and partnering. Reach out to women and encourage them to be involved in your club. Invite them to your club to see what Lions do. We need to get out of our comfort zone. Recently I inducted 5 new women into our club and 2 are already chairing projects for the local Lions. This shows that "many hands make light work". Lion's International gives a break in the dues structure for the second spouse. Myrna joined Lioness as a Charter member of the Mauston Lioness in 1979. She just joined the Mauston Lions Club in the fall of 2008 as the first woman in the club. She has been welcomed, along with other women, to the club. She is also remaining a Lioness member. Members are able to have membership in both clubs. Many women do not know this fact. Life moves on and so should we. This is the 21st century. Let's reach out to women during this coming year. It's hard to believe that 1/2 of our year has already slipped by. When Myrna and I think back of Thailand, Leader Dog School in Rochester, Michigan, Lions International at Oak Brook, US/Canada Forum, Council of Governor's Meetings, club and zone meetings, and being on the Eye Bank Board, one has to wonder how did we do it? It's been wonderful. The many new friends we've made and being able to promote Lionism has been fulfilling. Myrna and I are looking forward to our next 6 months which will end in Minneapolis at the International Convention starting July 6, 2009. Sincerely. District Governor Mike Kelley, 27-D2. Dear Lioness, Lions, and Leos of D2, Happy New Year! With the beginning of 2009 - it is interesting to note that our Lionistic year is half over. However, it is also a beginning and often a time of resolutions - a statement of firm intent. With the rise of adult on-set diabetes and Lions/Lioness involvement to educate the public, a couple of personal resolutions to get more exercise and limit sweets would get the new year off to a good start. A resolution to attend leadership seminars provided by the Lions at conferences, conventions, and forums would be wonderful. Each of us can only lead to the extent of our knowledge and experience. An excellent opportunity is the Sixth Annual Mid-Winter Conference in Stevens Point on January 24, 2009 later this month. The cost is only $20.00 and includes lunch and registration. Topics covered include: Miracles in Sight Restoration, Alcohol and Drug Misuse and Prevention, A Cure for Diabetes? Islet Transplantation, Lions and the Tax Law, and Lions Make Miracles Happen. You may want to consider making this a club expense. Registration deadline is January 14. One more resolution for each of us to consider is to tell our friends and coworkers about our Lions/Lioness Clubs, invite them to a meeting, and then ask them if they would like to join. We are after all a membership by invitation only organization. Unless we ask, we limit our membership. A thank you to the Tomah Lioness Club who warmly welcomed Brian and I to their Christmas Party. An enjoyable time was had by all. Lions District Convention is right around the corner. The Warrens and Oakdale Lions are working hard to provide a fun and informative convention for Lioness as well as Lions. It is Friday evening February 13th and all day February 14th at the TeePee in Tomah. There will be an Affiliate District Meeting at 2:30 on Saturday at the Lions District Convention. I would strongly urge all Lioness to try to attend the Lions District Convention as well as our Affiliate District Convention on April 4th in Sparta. Again, schedules fill up fast so pass along dates to your members as soon as possible. Club presidents - please remember to promote these events often to your club members! I hope everyone is checking out our Wisconsin Lioness website. The link is www.wisconsinlioness.org. I especially like reading the other Districts Newsletters. Information about your club that you would like put on the website may be e-mailed directly to Lion/Lioness Sharon Eberhardt at wilioness@yahoo.com. Also, don't forget Lion Charles Kennedy will put information on the Lions District website at www.md27d2.org. His e-mail is agrafitti@centurytel.net. He has the entire District D2 news page from The Wisconsin Lion on the website.
God Bless You All and Happy New Year, ADP Lioness Patty Overturf December 2008 It's hard to believe that the holiday season is upon us but as Myrna and I were going door to door selling Lion's Christmas wreaths reality hit us. This is the end of another year. District conventions and club visitations are in full swing and it's really wonderful to witness some of the Miracles Through Service that are happening in all our communities throughout District 27-D2, whether it's by local, district or international projects. When your club is doing a community service project, make sure to get the public input as this also gives them part of the ownership and may draw new members into your club. We had our second Cabinet Meeting and all five regions have been having their zone meetings. We had our second MERLO meeting on October 20 with PDG John Schwab presiding. We had a great attendance. PDG John spoke to us about the Emerging Lion's workshop on December 11-14, the Mid-Winter Conference on January 24, the October TTT (Transfusion, Transition and Transformation) training and the Leadership Training on February 27 through March 1. Many strategies were discussed. It was felt that October was going to be a great month for new membership growth in 27-D2 as at least 16 new members have been sworn in. We were all informed about the GMT (Global Membership Team) and their willingness to come and work with our district. All clubs are working hard to replace their drops and add to their membership which is one of my goals for 2008-09. Keep up the great work! As we look forward to 2009, we need to ask ourselves how we can continue to keep our clubs active and growing. Questions to ask yourselves include: 1. Are we replacing our drops with new members? 2. Have we had a membership month where "each" member has brought a guest? 3. Have we provided an orientation program for our new members? 4. Are we meeting our communities needs with our service projects? 5. Are our members aware of the different programs we support such as WLF, PRIDE, Hearing, Eye Bank and Mission to Mexico to name just a few. 6. Are your club members having fun? A happy, hardworking club gets a lot accomplished. Finally, Myrna and I would like to wish you a great holiday season and health and happiness in the coming year. DG Mike Kelley Dear Lioness, Lions, and Leos of D2, December is a busy time for everyone. Shopping, baking, decorating, and special times with friends and family. Yet, amid the hustle and bustle, we as Lioness, Lions and Leos find time to make Christmas special for those who are less fortunate. No gift can compare with that feeling we receive from giving of ourselves. So give generously of yourselves this Christmas season! My visits to Mauston, Norwalk and Holmen were wonderful opportunities to meet with the Lioness of our district and observe their commitment and service to their communities. The hospitality and friendship that was shown to me will always be remembered. This month I will be visiting the Tomah Lioness. Lions District Convention is right around the corner. The Warrens and Oakdale Lions are working hard to provide a fun and informative convention for Lioness as well as Lions. It is Friday evening February 13th and all day February 14th at the TeePee in Tomah. There will be an Affiliate District Meeting at the Lions District Convention. I would strongly urge all Lioness to try to attend the Lions District Convention as well as our Affiliate District Convention on April 4th in Sparta. Again, schedules fill up fast so pass along dates to your members as soon as possible. Club presidents - please remember to promote these events often to your club members! I have some exciting news! Our Wisconsin Lioness website is up and running. The link is www.wisconsinlioness.org. Check it out. The goal is to provide information to anyone wanting to know about Lioness, joining a club in their area, provide online forms, connect with other clubs and view district newsletters. Information about your club that you would like put on the website may be e-mailed directly to Lion/Lioness Sharon Eberhardt at wilioness@yahoo.com. Also, don't forget Lion Charles Kennedy will put information on the Lions District website www.md27d2.org. His e-mail is agrafitti@centurytel.net. He will be putting the entire District D2 news page from The Wisconsin Lion on the website. There is a new State Lions Affiliate Liaison – PDG Lion Chuck Post. I would like to thank Lion/Lioness Liz Brown for all her years of serving in that capacity. All club supplies should be ordered from Lion Chuck Post. Contact him at 3338 S 92nd St. Apt. 1; Milwaukee, WI 53223. Phone: 414-541-8608 or e-mail mpost001@wi.rr.com. My closing thought. Jesus is our present… he walks among us still, in every little deed of kindness, caring, and good will. May the light of His love shine upon you and make this Christmas a season of joy. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! God Bless You All, ADP Lioness Patty Overturf November 2008 On August 15 Myrna and I traveled to Oak Brook, Illinois, to the Headquarters for Lion's International. We were amazed at how many divisions were located at this site. They have approximately 300 employees that service around 182 countries. A tour was given that was very informative. We then traveled by bus to Rochester, Michigan, to the Leader Dog School for the Blind where we spent 1 1/2 days. Myrna and I found out that more than 13,000 Leader Dog teams have graduated from this school since it was started in 1939. A team consists of the dog and the blind person. Persons able to go are the blind, visually impaired or the deaf/blind individuals. There is no cost to the individual as the Lions pay all the costs. Residence staff are available around the clock to assist the students. The training period for the recipient and the trained dog lasts 26 days and is available to people from all over the world. We were able to watch some of the training techniques and were impressed at how smart the dogs were, not only at seeing but also hearing oncoming traffic. Myrna and I were blindfolded and each given a dog with a harness to hand on to while we walked around the block. We were somewhat apprehensive as we were totally dependent on the dog's ability. It was a great experience and made us appreciate what we take for granted "our sight". It made us proud to be Lions whose motto is "to serve". District Governor Mike Kelley Greetings Lioness, Lions, and Leos of 27-D2, November already! Last month I made my first visitation. At my home club - Sparta, I was privileged to hand out awards to a lot of very deserving ladies. This month Mauston and Norwalk have invited me to their club meetings. What an honor it is as Affiliate District President to visit each club in my district and see their enthusiasm and joy in serving their communities. I hope to hear from the rest of the clubs soon so that I can get their visits scheduled. Your Affiliate District Board has been hard at work. We will again have an all district raffle. The winners will be drawn at our Affiliate District Convention on April 4 in Sparta. This raffle allows us to make donations as an Affiliate District and also not raise your District dues. Speaking of our Affiliate District Convention, mark April 4, 2009 on your calendar. The Sparta Lioness have their committees set up and are hard at work. This year's convention will have an Hawaiian theme. Also, at this year's District Convention, we will be honoring our club officers – presidents, secretaries, and treasurers. Make plans now to attend! Schedules fill up fast so pass along dates to your members as soon as possible. Club presidents - please remember to promote these events often to your club members! Due to budget constraints, the Wisconsin Lions Foundation has found it necessary to make each District responsible to fund all hearing aid requests from within their district. I would like to challenge the Lioness of D2 to fund a single request which costs about $600 --- that would be $60 per club. Please consider more if you are able. Make your check out to WLF Hearing Program and on the memo line write 27-D2. If you don't put 27-D2 on the memo line, they won't know which district gets the money. I'd like to mention again that my newsletter is on the District website www.md27d2.org right after District Governor Mike Kelley's. Our Affiliate Lioness District Officers names and addresses are at the end of the Cabinet Directory on the website, too. And last but not least - we all have much to be thankful for in our Lioness family. We are thankful for: … the willingness of each member to give of their time to help those less fortunate. … the generosity of those in our communities who support our fund-raisers. … the vision of our leaders. … the friendships of Lioness within the club, the district, the state, and the world. … the support of our sponsoring Lions clubs. THANK YOU TO THE LIONS OF 27-D2! God Bless You All, ADP Lioness Patty Overturf October 2008 October's Cabinet Meeting is in La Crosse at the KC Hall on October 19. Social hour will be from 11:00-12:00 followed by lunch and our meeting. The last Cabinet Meeting was very well attended. Thank you Lions for making the effort. The Region and Zone Chair meeting was very well attended with all the Regions represented. Thanks to VDG Kathy Friske for organizing that meeting and helping with the booklets. Myrna and I recently returned from the USA/Canada Forum in Saskatoon, Canada, which was held from September 18-20. We had a great time being inspired by the featured speakers, David Okerland. Yvonne Camus and our International President, Al Brandel. Friday evening we enjoyed the Western Development Museum. The Forum had great entertainment and the food was great. The whole weekend was very inspirational and motivational. Myrna and I have attended several club visitations and zone meetings and we're looking forward to hearing from you. Please set up your visitation date as soon as possible. October is membership month and we need to jump start the direction our club membership is heading. Every club should plan on doing something during October to increase your club membership. Membership growth is one of the key components to a healthy club. Could everyone bring one guest to the October meeting? Make the effort. Explain to prospective members how we are everyday heroes in what we do. If you don't make the effort, nothing will change. Good luck !! Our MERLO team of chairman PDG's Marty Osinski, Eric Ender, Dick Hauser, Ray Tippery as well as Robert Fullwood are willing to offer assistance to any club needing help. They will provide speakers on membership, also. Every new member can make a positive difference. Lions are dedicated to helping those in need by working together to meet common goals. Imagine what your club could do locally with additional Lions. Finally, I would like to congratulate all clubs for having a busy and rewarding summer with Lionism. Keep up the great job you are doing!!! Lion Governors and their spouses attended Lions Clubs International August 15th and Leader Dog School August 16 & 17th. Very rewarding. District Governor Mike Kelley Greetings Lioness, Lions, and Leos of D2, Do you realize that one fourth of this Lionistic year has been completed? It's time to review your goals for this year to stay on track. How about those potential new members? Have you invited them to a meeting? Has your club had any articles in your local paper? Have you identified and encouraged potential leaders in your club? Now is the time to take action! Since membership remains a crucial element of any organizations success, we need to keep working on it. Think back to why you joined and pass that reason along. Maybe you read an article about what Lioness were doing in your community, maybe someone you knew benefited from something Lions/Lioness did, or maybe someone invited you to visit Lions Camp – whatever the reason , share that with a friend. Since one can only become a member if they are asked and have a sponsor, the responsibility falls on us to talk about what we do and ask our friends if they want to join. How many of you know whom the International President is and what his theme is for this year? The 2008-2009 International President is Al Brandel from Melville, New York. His theme this year is Miracles Through Service. Our service projects provide 'miracles' to those we help. International President Al Brandel said, “Our miracles through service fill the gaps in our communities. ... Quietly and without much fanfare, we make our communities much better places to live and raise families.” I'd encourage each club to publish the Lions District 27-D2 website in their club newsletter. It is www.md27d2.org - that way all club members will have access to the District Newsletter. Also, if you want to publicize an upcoming event, e-mail the District Technology Chairman - Charles Kennedy at agrafitti@centurytel.net . Let's make better use of the resources we have! Keep those Project and Activities Reports coming. All you secretaries are doing a great job. I am looking forward to visiting each club. Please make your request for a club visitation as soon as possible. I'd like to have all my clubs scheduled by the end of this month.
God Bless You All, Affiliate District President Lioness Patty Overturf September 2008 My partner in service, Myrna, and I had our first club visitation on July 8 in Onalaska. It was a great experience for Myrna and me. We are excited about our upcoming visits. I have received nine requests so far and am looking forward to hearing from you. The visit request form was in the June newspaper or you may e-mail me at mikemyrna@mwt. net. The sooner you report the better chance for your first request to be granted. I would like all cabinet members to put these dates on your calendars for upcoming cabinet meeting dates; October 19 in La Crosse, January 25 in Viroqua, District Convention on February 13 and 14 at the Tee Pee in Tomah and the last cabinet meeting will be March 15 in Richland Center. At the International Convention in Bangkok there was a resolution for the creation of another Vice District Governor. It's not mandatory, but it could be a great learning tool. I hope there is some interest in our district. Let Kathy and me know. Lions Camp is having an open house September 13. Their famous chicken dinner will be served as well as a tour of the grounds. This is a great club outing to rejuvenate older members who haven't been there in some time and to jump start new members to increase their enthusiasm. I can't believe how fast summer has been going. I know summer brings about many club activities. Busy club members are happy members. Make sure to involve your new members. Have a great rest of the summer. District Governor Mike Kelley Greetings Lioness, Lions, and Leos of D2, It has been a busy Summer. Many clubs raise much of the money for their budget during the summer months. I hope the weather cooperated with your fundraiser. It is time to do those budgets for the coming year. It's not too late to decide to attend Open House at Lions Camp on September 13. There will be blind/visually impaired, deaf/hard of hearing, cognitively disabled and diabetic campers and their families to answer questions and help with tours. This is a wonderful opportunity to bring a prospective member to see what Lions/Lioness do. August 29th was the deadline for ordering chicken dinners, so pack your own lunch and enjoy the day! A reminder of the Lioness Raffle at Lions Camp Open House. We are asking each Lioness Club to donate a raffle prize with a value of $25.00 or more. All of the profit from the raffle will benefit Lions Camp. The easiest to mail are gift cards – Kwik Trip gas cards, Wal-Mart gift cards, etc. You may also make a donation in the form of a check to Lioness Lorraine Lasky; 3125 Michigan Ave.; Stevens Point,WI 54481 with the notation Camp Open House Raffle. If you are mailing, please mail early! Of course, if you are going to Camp, deliver it yourself – just let Lioness Lorraine know you will be bringing something (715-343-9554) and have it there early. Hopefully you have been actively selling your Sports Raffle for the Kids tickets. Please remember that all ticket stubs and money need to be turned into the Foundation Office no later than September 9, 2008. Now is a good time to consider doing the Peace Poster Contest. The kits from International are not very expensive and it is a worthwhile youth project. Our District has not had too many entries the last few years, so I encourage you to give it a try. My goals for this year are: Encourage Lioness members to ask friends to join their club. Encourage Lioness clubs to improve on membership retention. Encourage Lioness clubs to publicize what they do. 100% donation to Wisconsin Lions Foundation 100% donation to LCIF – minimum being $25.00 per club. Let's have a GREAT year letting everyone know the wonderful things that we Lioness do for our communities. I am looking forward to visiting each club. Please make your request for a club visitation as soon as possible.
God Bless You All, Lioness Affiliate President Patty Overturf |